Letter from King to be read at General Assembly of Church of Scotland

A letter from the King will be read out this weekend at the beginning of the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland since he ascended the throne following the death of his mother last September.

The first order of business of the meeting in Edinburgh, involving ministers, elders, deacons and special guests of the church, will be to officially install the head of charity Christian Aid Scotland, Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, as its next moderator.

The role will see her chair proceedings at the Assembly Hall on the Mound over five days from Saturday, and thereafter act as an ambassador for the church, speaking on its behalf at engagements at home and abroad for the next 12 months.

Those at the assembly, either in the hall or joining online, will hear details of a report setting out the challenging financial situation facing the church, as well as take part in topical debates and vote on issues brought forward by forums and committees.

Sensitive subjects due to be debated include proposed legislation allowing assisted suicide, and the decision taken more than 10 years ago to remain neutral in the debate on Scottish independence.

Speaking after she was named moderator-designate, Mrs Foster-Fulton said: “I’m excited about what the year will bring. I genuinely love and am inspired by the Church of Scotland and its people.

“Over the past years of the pandemic, in the face of a global climate emergency, and now a cost-of-living crisis, people across the church have been stepping up and doing their very best to make an extraordinary impact in communities, locally, across our nation and in the world.”

Mrs Foster-Fulton has led anti-poverty charity Christian Aid in Scotland since 2016 and will take a year’s sabbatical from that role while she is moderator.

She succeeds Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, the minister of St Margaret’s Parish Church in Dunfermline, as moderator. He will supervise the passing of the ring and chain of office to his successor.

Elsewhere, Lord Hodge, the deputy president of the Supreme Court, has been reappointed as Lord High Commissioner.

He said he is “delighted and honoured” to have been chosen by King Charles as his personal representative at the annual event.

Over the course of General Assembly week, Lord Hodge will visit projects associated with the church to show his support and provide encouragement on behalf of the King. He will also address commissioners on the closing day.