The Assembly Trustees

Assembly Hall

The constitution and remit of the Assembly Trustees was amended and agreed by the General Assembly in May 2019 and then further amended by the General Assembly in May 2022; May 2023, May 2024 and May 2025.

The constituent committees and groups of the Office of the Assembly Trustees include the Central Services Committee, Trustees' Governance Group, Finance Group, Seeds for Growth Committee (see Seeds for Growth Fund Regulations) , Israel Palestine Committee, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group and any ad hoc groups created by the Trustees. The Audit Committee advises and assists the Assembly Trustees in the oversight of financial reporting, systems of internal control and risk management.

The Trustees

There are twelve appointed Trustees except in time of vacancy. In addition to appointed Trustees, the Business Committee of the General Assembly and The Church of Scotland General Trustees shall each appoint one of their members as a representative who shall be entitled to attend all meetings as a corresponding member but without a right to vote or make a motion, such member being eligible to serve for a maximum period of four years.

Keith Blackwood

Convener. Keith has been the Minister of Mannofield Church in Aberdeen since 2007 and before that in Bearsden Baljaffray. He has served as Moderator of Aberdeen Presbytery and has convened different Presbytery Committees including Business and Finance, Ministries, and Congregational Support. Nationally he has worked with the Recruitment and Training Task Groups of the Church of Scotland and recently served on the Social Care Council’s CrossReach Board.

Sarah Ross

Vice-Convener. Sarah has been a parish minister for over 20 years across 3 parishes, currently at East Kilbride: Moncreiff. Serving on Ministries Council for 8 years, with significant service in pioneer and emerging church, presbytery planning, Path of Renewal, Go For It, along with Ordained Local Ministry and Readership policy development. Consistent involvement in Presbytery including Ministries, World and Community, Business Committee and Congregational Support. Her focus is on missional development and leadership skills, and asks the ‘why’ or ‘why not’ questions.

Michael Yuille

Vice-Convener. Michael is an Elder and Treasurer of St Blane’s, Dunblane. Ordained in Eaglesham Parish church in 1982, Michael has served in a number of churches over the years as Treasurer, Sunday School leader and Worship Leader. A Chartered Accountant, Michael has experience of Higher and further Education institutions and the retail sector.

Suzanne Stringer

Administrative Trustee.Suzanne is a member and worship leader at Aberfeldy, Dull and Weem, and Grantully, Logierait and Strathtay parish churches. Suzanne will bring the skills developed in her legal background as a prosecutor and legal advisor.

Nairn Angus-McDonald

Nairn is an elder at Kilwinning Abbey Church and a Councillor in Irvine East. He will bring significant governance experience including serving as a Board member for Public Health Scotland and as a Trustee at the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Elizabeth Ashcroft

Elizabeth is an elder who serves locally on committees in her local church of Kelvin West. Elizabeth served a previous term as an Assembly Trustees 2019-2021. As an Emeritus Professor in Economics University of Strathclyde, Elizabeth brings valuable insight and perception as a trained economist, research leader, public finance and government policy adviser.

Adam Dillon

Ordained in 2003, Adam has worked in urban priority and rural parishes and is currently the minister at Sherbrooke Mosspark in Glasgow. Having served as a Presbytery Clerk and as Convener of the Safeguarding Committee, Adam brings a wide experience of the church and its governance.

Martin Fair

Martin has been a minister for 36 years, 31 of which were spent at Arbroath: St Andrew’s Church. Martin is now the minister at Christ Church Warwick, Bermuda. Martin has served in a considerable number of committee roles locally and nationally as a convenor and vice-convener, including as the Moderator 2020-2021.

Martin Fairbairn

Martin is an elder at Larbert Tryst Parish Church and is active in both worship and mission locally. He brings particular knowledge in financial sustainability and change programmes from his professional life which includes senior roles at the Scottish Funding Council. This is complemented by board experience currently serving on NHS Forth Valley.

Alan Hamilton

Alan has been the minister to Bearsden: Boclair Community Church (formerly Killermont) since 2003 offering extensive experience in parish ministry and local leadership. Alan has served on several wide-ranging committees both at presbytery and national level including as convener. Alan brings a legal background and skillset having worked as a solicitor and advocate.

Deon Oelofse

Deon is the minister at Elgin Parish Church since 2017. Before moving to Scotland, he was a minister for fifteen years in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa. In the DRC, he was procurator of the Synod of the Eastern Cape and member of the General Synod’s Judicial Committee. Since moving to Elgin, Deon has served on various Presbytery committees and community bodies in Moray.

David Watt

David has held a number of roles as an Elder in Airdrie: The New Wellwynd and within the presbyteries of Forth Valley and Clydesdale and Hamilton. This is alongside serving on a substantial number of committees nationally, including the Assembly Trustees in 2019-2020. As a chartered accountant, David brings knowledge and skills from his professional career combined with multiple roles as a non-executive director including at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Glasgow Clyde College and Quarriers.

Assembly Trustee updates

Central Services Committee

The Central Services Committee is a constituent committee of the Assembly Trustees, reporting to the General Assembly through the Trustees.

The Committee acts as one of the employing agencies of the Church and makes recommendations to the Assembly Trustees on the staffing and resourcing requirements of the employing agencies of the General Assembly and on the terms and conditions of the staff.

Central Services staff provide a broad range of support services to the whole Church through its presbyteries, congregations and ministers.

They recruit and develop staff, train and support ministers and deliver legal, financial, stewardship, IT, HR and communications advice and assistance. Staff also offer resources for worship, mission and local Church leadership.

Committee representatives attend meetings of the Joint Negotiating and Consultation Executive (JNCE) This is the formal meeting between the Employee Council Committee and the Central Services Committee.

The Committee meets formally once a year to agree upon the level of pay award to be recommended to the Assembly Trustees. This will usually be in October of each year. Otherwise they meet on an ad hoc basis to deal with any emerging issues.

The Committee comprises a Convener and Vice-Convener (appointed by, and who shall each require to be a voting member of, the Trustees) and three members appointed by the Trustees. Meetings are attended by the Chief Officer, the Solicitor of the Church and the Head of HR. Budgetary and financial advice shall be obtained as required from the General Treasurer or a member of Finance staff. The Committee is serviced by the HR Department.

Webinar Wednesday 10 May 2023: Assembly Trustees Report to the General Assembly

As part of the run up to the General Assembly, the Assembly Trustees hosted a webinar to present an overview of the Assembly Trustees Report and to explore the challenges and opportunities facing the Church over the forthcoming months. A copy of the wording used in the presentations from David Cameron, Convener of the Assembly Trustees and Dave Kendall, the former Chief Officer is provided below.

Reform in the Church of Scotland