Date of 2027 General Assembly agreed

The 2027 General Assembly will be held over five days after a review of this year's annual gathering.

A Commission of Assembly held in Edinburgh today agreed that next year's General Assembly should be held over five days between Friday 21 May and Tuesday 25 May 2027.

The unanimous vote by the Commission follows a review of this year's General Assembly, which was held over four days in May at the Assembly Hall on the Mound, Edinburgh.

The Church held its important annual gathering over a long weekend this year to make it easier for working elders and young people to attend.

A report considered by the Commission said an "overwhelming theme" from a survey of those who had attended this year's General Assembly was that they "felt it was rushed and that they were, at times, unable to make the contributions which they would have wished to, due to pressures of time".

As a result, a proposal to extend the 2027 General Assembly by a day was drawn up, and this was agreed by the Commission.

The Commission, which is formed from around one-tenth of the commissioners who attend a General Assembly, was tasked by this year's General Assembly with determining the date, duration and format of the 2027 gathering which will be held at Assembly Hall.

Trust

The Commission also agreed next year's General Assembly should be an in-person meeting, though there will still be an option to join online for commissioners who might struggle to travel to Edinburgh, for reasons such as health, mobility, or caring responsibilities.

Members of the Commission backed a report by the Assembly Business Committee which said: "The wider aims of the Assembly are best met when commissioners are physically together.

"There is something distinctive about worshipping together, gathering in fellowship, building trust and relationships across the Church, and engaging collectively in prayerful discernment and decision-making.

"These elements are difficult to replicate online and for that reason physical attendance is considered the preferred means of conducting the Church's business."