General Assembly of the Church of Scotland facts for kids
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the main decision-making body of the Church of Scotland. Think of it as the church's highest court and governing group. It usually meets once a year. A leader called the Moderator is chosen to guide the meetings.
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How the Church is Organized
The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church. This means it is run by groups of elders, not by bishops. There are different levels of these groups, like courts:
- The Kirk Session is the local court for each church parish.
- Representatives from Kirk Sessions form the Presbytery. This is a court for a local area.
- At the top of this structure is the General Assembly. It makes decisions for the whole church.
Where and When They Meet
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The General Assembly usually meets in the Assembly Hall in Edinburgh. This building was first built for another church group in the 1800s. Before that, from 1845 to 1929, the Assembly met in the Victoria Hall. That building has a very tall spire, about 72-metre (236 ft) high!
In 1929, the Church of Scotland joined with another church. They decided to use the Assembly Hall on the Mound for their meetings. Today, the old Victoria Hall building is used for other things and is called The Hub. In the past, the Assembly met in different churches across Scotland.
The General Assembly usually meets for one week in May each year. It's a busy time for discussions. People who attend are called "Commissioners." These include ministers, elders, and deacons. Often, a local minister and an elder from their church attend the Assembly every four years. Young people also attend as youth representatives.
Before each meeting, a minister or elder is chosen to be the Moderator for that year. They are formally elected at the start of the Assembly.
The Moderator leads the meeting from a special chair. Clerks and other officials sit nearby. Behind the Moderator is a special gallery for the King or Queen, or their representative, the Lord High Commissioner. This gallery has its own entrance. This shows that the church is independent from the government in spiritual matters.
Sometimes, the General Assembly meets in other places. For example, it met in Glasgow once. When the Scottish Parliament started in 1999, it used the Assembly Hall until its new building was ready in 2004. During those years, the Assembly met in other venues like the Edinburgh International Conference Centre or the Usher Hall.
What the Assembly Does
The General Assembly has three main jobs:
- Making laws: It decides the rules for the church.
- Discussing issues: It talks about important topics.
- Judging cases: It acts like a court for church matters.
The Assembly can change church laws made in previous years. If a new law is very important, it must be sent to all the local Presbyteries for their opinions. This is called the "Barrier Act." The Assembly then considers these opinions before making the final decision.
The Assembly also gets reports from its different committees. These reports suggest actions, which the Assembly can approve or change. Local Presbyteries can also suggest new church laws through "overtures."
Judicial Role
As a court, the Assembly often lets other groups handle most of its legal work. But the General Assembly is the highest court for spiritual matters in the church. Its decisions cannot be appealed to any other court. This is set out in important church laws.
Who Attends the Assembly
Each Presbytery chooses Commissioners to attend the Assembly every year. These are usually ministers and elders from their area. Elders do not have to be members of the Presbytery to be chosen.
Presbyteries can also choose "youth representatives." These are young people from the churches in their area. They can speak and suggest ideas but cannot vote. Other "corresponding members" include guests from partner churches around the world.
Elders who have been Moderators in the past often attend the Assembly. Their experience can be very helpful in discussions.
Important Officials
The Assembly chooses a Moderator to lead the meetings. You can see a list of past Moderators. The King or Queen is represented by a Lord High Commissioner, who attends but does not vote.
Other important officials sit at the clerks' table:
- The Principal Clerk gives advice on church law and how meetings should be run.
- The Depute Clerk writes down what happens in the meetings.
- The Procurator is the church's main legal advisor.
- The Solicitor also gives legal advice.
- The Convener and Vice-Convener of the Assembly's Business Committee help organize the meetings.
