Tuesday morning summary

The second session of the General Assembly began with the singing of Psalm 16, before the Moderator gave his address to commissioners. One key theme was the need for Free Church congregations to willingly give resources for the good of the Church as a whole:

“How reluctantly we part with what we have for the good of others? How eager we are to hold on to every last penny! How jealous we are to guard our congregational nest eggs, and slow to pour our resources into the common purse of a Church that needs us all to play our part.”

Dr Campbell commended the work of Thomas Chalmers and his sustentation fund idea, adding: “What we have been given is not for ourselves but for the common good. How can some congregations continue to hold on to money and investments while other congregations go without a minister at all? Something has gone very wrong if they are not enjoying the gifts God has lavished upon us.”

Letters of greeting were read from churches in South Africa and America, before the Report of the Committee to prepare the Loyal and Dutiful Address.

Dr Campbell praised Her Majesty the Queen’s “consistent Christian witness” and also congratulated Her Majesty on her Diamond Jubilee.

The Ecumenical Relations Committee reported next, with Reverend James MacIver filling in for convener Reverend Kenneth Ferguson. Mr MacIver noted the focus of the European Conference of Reformed Churches on evangelism and theological education, and also said that discussions with the Associated Presbyterian Churches were at “an early stage” but that the Free Church “wish to see further exploration” and that further reports will follow in due course.

Professor John McIntosh, from the Free Church College, reported on progress of a commonly recognised curriculum within Reformed churches. Professor McIntosh said there had been difficulty with translation problems, but that a common system of assessment was being developed based on the Free Church College code of assessment.

There were then presentations from delegates from the Netherlands and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales before the Assembly suspended its business until 2pm.

Tuesday afternoon summary

The Home Missions Board will take immediate steps to procure and appoint a successor to Reverend Finlay Mackenzie for international student outreach after this afternoon’s Assembly session. Mr Mackenzie and his wife Christine are stepping down after 15 years service, and were thanked by the Moderator and the Assembly for their earnest and faithful work. During this time the Glasgow City Free Church congregation saw 27 adult baptisms from international students.

It was feared that unless Evan Macdonald’s amendment had been brought, a successor would not have been appointed until January – meaning that the replacement would miss the vital “settling in” period for students at the start of university term in September.

In his speech to the Assembly, Mr Macdonald also suggested a delay could jeopardise the weekly services and Bible class slots which have been established across the three Glasgow universities.

Outgoing Home Mission Board convener Reverend David Meredith suggested the theme of the Assembly week would be finance, highlighting several times that “there is no more money”. He said it would be a “challenging year”, and that congregations remitting less than £26,000 “will have to be looked at” over the coming years as vacancies occur. But Mr Meredith also stressed that there was still a significant pot of £4 million for the Free Church to do its ministry, and that tough financial times presented a window of opportunity.

Mr Meredith also pointed to areas of “joy and growth”, such as the church in St Andrews which now has a regular congregation of over 100, as well as evident blessing in the work at Portree, Kilmallie, Point, Dingwall and Ullapool.

Earlier in the afternoon Reverend Derek Lamont, the incoming convener of the Home Missions Board, and Reverend Neil MacMillan, development officer, led a discussion session on church planting. Although overall congregational attendance in the Free Church has increased since 2004, Mr MacMillan voiced his concern that there were only 19 adult baptisms and less than 100 infant baptisms last year.

Although there were no concrete ways forward, it was acknowledged that church plants had a better track record in reaching out to the “un-churched” and that the Free Church has a responsibility to take the Gospel to where the people are.

At the end of the session Reverend Angus Howat was also thanked for his clerking services to the varied work of the Home Missions Board, receiving hearty applause from the Assembly.

Tuesday evening summary

The evening session began with the singing of verses 9 to 16 from Psalm 119. Reverend James MacIver read from Proverbs 4, and led the Assembly in prayer – praying that the youth of the Church would be a generation that grow up fearing the Lord.

Mr Evan Macdonald presented the youth report from the Home Missions Board, with Gordon Martin unable to be present. Mr Macdonald said it was a very encouraging report, and that there were over 1,000 children being taught each week in the Free Church Sunday schools.

He praised the Church’s record of achievement scheme, which saw an annual increase in awards from 478 to 568, and encouraged more Sunday school teachers to get involved.

The Instructor was also commended, and it was noted that since 1996 a remarkable figure of £135,000 had been raised for different Free Church youth projects which have appeared in the magazine.

Although Mr Macdonald warned that the secular age made it increasingly difficult for the Free Church to hold onto teenagers, he said the picture “was not totally bleak” with numbers holding up at the various camps and continued interest in the youth conferences.

He concluded: “There is much work to be done. There are thousands of children who are outwith the influence of any church, who have never heard the Gospel.”

Filling in for Dr Campbell in the chair, Mr MacIver congratulated the Lyle Orr Award winners – at infant grade Scott Morrison from Glasgow City, at junior grade Kate Connor again from Glasgow City, and at Bible Class level Tanya Mackay from Shawbost on the Isle of Lewis.

Reverend Finlay Mackenzie presented the report of the Psalmody Committee, noting the popularity of the Sing Psalms and Scottish Psalter combined edition – which required a reprint last year.

The Panel of Pastoral Advice reported next, with retiring chairman Reverend Alasdair MacDonald reminding ministers that the Panel is willing and able to help with pastoral counselling situations.

Reverend Dr Donald M MacDonald presented the report of the Special Committee on Praise, highlighting a recent survey which showed that of 41 respondents, 16 had begun to use hymns and/or paraphrases.

The committee has compiled a list of suggested hymns which are available on the Free Church website. There was also news of a booklet “Singing Scripture”, containing songs in metre based on passages from the Bible.

The final report of the night was the Study Panel on marriage, divorce and remarriage.
Dr MacDonald, who is also the Panel’s convener, emphasised that “throughout scripture remarriage is always allowed if the divorce has been for a just cause”, but that the Church should make every effort to bring couples to repentance, reconciliation and recommitment.

He continued by saying the report “does not change the confessional standards of the Church” and that it was merely a “discussion document” which “we now hand over to the Church”.

Speaking in support of the report, Reverend Donnie G MacDonald said he was only aware of one minister in the Free Church who currently had marriage preparation material for couples coming to get married.

The Portree minister added it was strange that “you can’t prepare food in churches without doing a food hygiene course, but we expect other people to get married without any preparation”.

He called on the Church to give children “a Biblical education about what God says about relationships and marriage”.

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