CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

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3 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 9:30am Arrival, registration, tea or coffee 10:00am Opening Worship Andrew McGowan 10:15am Council of Assembly Call to Prayer Andrew McGowan 10:45am The Presbytery Plan Hector Morrison there will be full discussion in break-out groups 12:00pm LUNCH (provided by the Presbytery) 1:00pm Presbytery meets for ordinary business, during which the plan will be discussed and voted upon by ballot

4 INTRODUCTION TO THE PRESBYTERY PLAN Hector Morrison, Convener of the Presbytery s Planning Committee, explains why the planning process is necessary and outlines the constraints laid upon the committee in drawing up the proposed plan. Presbytery Plan Narrative Ministries Council Report to the 2017 General Assembly. Current Realities regarding Ministries Provision. In January 2012, there were 1104 charges in the Church. Since then the number has fallen to The assumptions made in 2010/2011 were that there would be enough Ministers of Word and Sacrament to populate approximately 850 charges, alongside 150 Ministries Development Staff, i.e Full Time (FT) ministerial posts. This has not happened. What s more, we were told at Assembly that even if the personnel were available, the figure for 1000 Presbytery Plan posts for the Church is no longer sustainable. The Church could not afford to pay for 1000 posts. The Church has been running on a deficit budget in

5 recent years, the deficit in was 3.5 million; while the indicative budget deficit for is 4.7 million. When we say that we have met our presbytery dues this should be borne in mind. Up until this past year the Church s income has met that deficit budget income level. However, in this past year the Church s income for the first time has failed to reach even its deficit budget figure! At the beginning of 2017 there were about 780 ministers, 75% of these are over 50 (which suggests that on average we will see about 39 retiring each year over the next 15 years). Presently, there are approximately 215 vacancies. More than 20% of charges are now operating without an inducted Minister of Word & Sacrament. There are only about 12 candidates for FT Ministry of Word & Sacrament who complete their academic training and enter their probationary period in any one year. [Compare that with the average number (39) due to retire in any one year over the next 15 years or so and you will see the growing problem we face!] Clearly, we just cannot bury our heads in the sand and think we can go on as we have always done in the past. Our Buildings - Historical Legacy We need to remember too that a number of the church buildings that we still possess and use today were built as a result of secession when single congregations became two in the one locality. Yet, as a result of the 1929 re-union of one of these major splits, in too many places particularly in our towns and cities - congregations did not come together again to worship in one building, partly because of their individual numerical strength in a day when church attendance was far more the norm than it is today. Today, we live with that legacy of church buildings within a stone s throw or at least within sight of one another, in any one of which the Sunday congregations of both could be accommodated comfortably. In a day of declining attendances and financial resources, and ageing congregations, what is the Lord calling us to? Is it simply to ensure that the church building in which our family and we have always worshipped remains open for as long as possible, or is he calling us to maximize our strengths and gifts in each locality for the good of the whole Body of Christ and for the benefit of our parish, whatever changes that may involve?

6 The Process The Presbytery Plan is a requirement placed upon each presbytery by the General Assembly. We have worked towards this new iteration of the Plan for over 2 and half years now since the autumn of In the process we have consulted with and visited every congregation, some of them on more than one occasion. We devoted part of a Saturday Conference event to this at the start of this year where we had an opportunity to discuss the draft Plan. We have tweaked the draft Plan in the light of the feedback received, but there should be no real surprises for anyone in the Plan that your Presbytery Planning Committee now presents to Presbytery. The Principles Applied: Despite the dire facts presented in the first section of this narrative, your Presbytery Planning Committee has sought to keep the Presbytery s present allocation of personnel. This plan, therefore, presents the very best we can expect, but being realistic it is most likely that within a few years more drastic readjustments will be necessary or even thrust upon us by the General Assembly. We need to take our planning process into our own hands and be wise, informed, serious and intentional in our planning. We will have a missional emphasis We will have good stewardship of personnel We will have good stewardship of our buildings We will make each charge as attractive as possible to future ministers We will seek complete Full Time Equivalent (FTE) appointments wherever possible We will seek to have a measure of equity with regard to parish populations Reviewable Tenure will be applied for the present where charges are identified as, for example, o Having significant weaknesses in terms of numbers and ages of those attending worship o Where future housing development is likely in the surrounding area o Where there may be future exploration of linkage/union across Presbytery boundaries Points to be aware of as you study the Plan: The Plan is set out as a 10-year plan, so, except where congregations are presently in vacancy, no adjustments can take place unless the incumbent minister is happy for such to progress during her/his incumbency, or until the next vacancy. However, where adjustments are planned, charges and their ministers are encouraged to facilitate movement in the direction of the planned changes or adjustments and, wherever possible, to enable and encourage such changes

7 to happen even during the present minister s incumbency. The intention is that the Plan be reviewed on an annual basis. This review will take into account any significant, new factors which may require the adjusting of the plan. These factors may lead, amongst other things, to a review of the status of buildings. So, for example, if there are real signs of significant new growth or of significant new missional opportunities in a particular area where the church building has been designated for closure, there will be the opportunity of review of that closure. So, nothing is set in stone. What is presented here is how your Presbytery Planning Committee considers things are likely to proceed in the coming ten years on the basis of all the knowledge available to us at this time. The fact that a church building is designated for closure does not mean that no worship, outreach, bible study groups, prayer groups, etc, can be held in that part of a parish. Use might be made of village halls, schools, churches of other denominations, members homes, etc, as appropriate to the missional needs of each community. And finally, National Strategic Conference There is to be a two-day Strategic Planning Conference at the beginning of November organized by the Council of Assembly and the Ministries Council to focus on aspects of Strategic Planning for the future work of the Church nationally and with regard to Ministry specifically. At that Conference Presbytery representatives will have the opportunity of discussing and commenting on the draft of a Strategic Plan that will help the Church to identify its priorities for the future and to allocate resources appropriately, all in light of the fact that the Church cannot sustain or afford 1,000 posts. Though the content of the draft Strategic Plan will not be made available to the Presbytery representatives until mid-october, it is likely that there will be a re-adjustment of what Presbyteries are allocated and we will have a far stronger argument to say no to any reduction if we can show that we have a revised plan that has vision.

8 THE PLAN Ardersier linked with Petty The plan is that these two congregations will enter into a union. We expect that the Ardersier Church, which is in the main centre of population in the parish, will remain in use beyond the lifetime of this plan while the Petty Church is expected to close during the period of the plan. At the time of the union the united charge will become a Reviewable Tenure until we see how future developments in Tornagrain and the surrounding parishes clarify. The united charge will have 1 FTE minister. Auldearn & Dalmore linked with Nairn: St Ninian s In the first instance, the plan is that this linked charge will enter into a union. At this stage, we suggest that the territory of the former Dalmore charge be transferred to the congregation of Cawdor linked with Croy & Dalcross. We anticipate that worship will continue in both Nairn: St Ninian s and also in the village of Auldearn. This will be an Unrestricted Tenure. The longer-term plan is that the united charge of Nairn: St Ninian s and Auldearn will join with Nairn Old; that the Nairn: St Ninian s Church is expected to close within the plan period, that the Auldearn Church also be closed within the plan period and

9 that the Auldearn Hall be maintained as a centre for worship and other church and missional activities. So, in the long-term we anticipate that worship will continue in both Nairn and Auldearn. This union will be an Unrestricted Tenure. The united charge of Nairn Old and St Ninian s and Auldearn will have 2 FTE ministries. Cawdor linked with Croy & Dalcross The plan is that this linkage will become a union. The united charge will be Unrestricted Tenure. At the point at which Nairn: St Ninian s linked with Auldearn becomes a united charge the territory of the former charge of Dalmore will be added to Cawdor linked with Croy & Dalcross or to the united parish of Cawdor, Croy & Dalcross, depending on the timing of the St Ninian s and Auldearn union. For the present, we see the two church buildings continuing in use. The united charge will have 1 FTE minister. Culloden: The Barn This being the parish with by far the largest population, we anticipate that the charge would have 2 FTE staff. There will be some adjustment of parish boundaries nearer the Inverness end. Daviot & Dunlichity linked with Moy, Dalarossie and Tomatin The plan is that these two linked charges will enter into a union. The church at Daviot is expected to remain in use beyond the lifetime of the plan, while the church at Dunlichity is expected to be disposed of under readjustment. A new centre for worship and mission is proposed for Tomatin (though thought needs to be given to the financing of this), and the church at Dalarossie is expected to be disposed of under readjustment. The united charge will remain Reviewable Tenure due to the fragile nature of the charge and of the possibility of further readjustment being required in the years to come. The united charge will have 1 FTE minister. This vacancy remains sisted as there is not a suitable manse at present. Dores & Boleskine The plan is that this charge will be united with St Columba s New Charge Development (NCD). The church at Boleskine is expected to remain in use beyond the lifetime of the plan, while the church at Dores is expected to be disposed of at the time of readjustment. The united charge will be Unrestricted Tenure. The united charge of St Columba and Dores & Boleskine will have either 1.5 or 1.3 FTE staff,

10 depending on the outcome of negotiations with the Ministries Council. Should our request for an additional 0.2FTE for Tornagrain not be forthcoming we propose that 0.3 FTE of the 0.5 FTE ministerial appointment presently allocated to this charge will be transferred to the new united charge, the other 0.2FTE going towards a new development at Tornagrain. Inverness: Crown The only change proposed for this charge is that the size of its parish boundaries will be increased at the time when Inverness: Old High St Stephen s (OHSS) is adjusted. Detailed large maps highlighting the revised parish boundaries for these charges will be available at the meeting of Presbytery in September, but an indication of the re-adjustments are also being sent out with this narrative. Inverness: Dalneigh & Bona The only change anticipated for this charge is that the church at Bona will close. The Dalneigh church is expected to remain in use beyond the lifetime of the plan. [The closure of Bona Church has already been agreed to at the May 2017 meeting of Presbytery.] Inverness: East The only change for this charge is that there will be an adjustment to the parish boundaries in anticipation of a possible future move of the church to the Stratton area (beyond the period of the present plan). The charge will relinquish the Longman area to OHSS and the Drakies area to Inverness: Inshes Church, while, at the same time acquiring an area towards Stratton Farm. Inverness: Hilton No changes are planned. Inverness: Inshes The only change planned is that there be an adjustment of parish boundaries (with the Drakies area being added from Inverness: East) Inverness: Kinmylies No changes are planned Inverness: Ness Bank The only change proposed for this charge is that the size of its parish boundaries will be increased at the time when Inverness: Old High St Stephen s is adjusted. Detailed large maps highlighting the revised parish boundaries for these charges will be available at the meeting of Presbytery in September, but an indication of the re-adjustments are also being sent out with this narrative.

11 Inverness: Old High St Stephen s (OHSS) The plan is that St Stephen s Church is expected to close within the period of the plan and that the Old High Church will be retained as the centre for worship, mission and outreach. The Planning Committee are of the view that the Old High congregation and building with its significant history for Christianity in Inverness is in a strategic position in the centre of the city and that with the right vision it could become not only a place of worship, and a visitor and pilgrimage centre, but also a base for outreach to and hospitality for the city centre, reaching out into the business community, the retail sector, and the industrial sector, but we recognise that the vision will need to be developed from within the congregation itself. In line with the above, the parish boundaries will be adjusted to embrace the Longman industrial area into its bounds. The parish areas presently around St Stephen s church and south from there will be apportioned to Inverness: Crown and Inverness: Ness Bank. Detailed large maps highlighting the revised parish boundaries for these charges will be available at the meeting of Presbytery in September, but an indication of the re-adjustments are also being sent out with this narrative. After readjustment, the charge will be Restricted Tenure till its new role clarifies. The charge will have 1 FTE minister. Inverness: St Columba New Charge The plan is that this charge will be united with Dores & Boleskine. The united charge of St Columba and Dores & Boleskine will have either 1.5 or 1.3 FTE staff, depending on the outcome of negotiations with the Ministries Council. Should our request to Ministries Council for an additional 0.2 FTE for Tornagrain not be forthcoming we propose that 0.3 FTE of the 0.5 FTE ministerial appointment presently allocated to Dores & Boleskine will be transferred to the new united charge, the other 0.2 FTE going towards the new development at Tornagrain. A church building requires to be built. The united charge will be Unrestricted Tenure. Inverness: Trinity Priority Area Charge (PAC) No changes Kilmorack & Erchless The plan is that the churches at both Struy and Cannich be closed during the plan period and that the territory associated with Cannich be assigned to the charge of Urquhart & Glenmoriston. The charge will become Reviewable Tenure. The charge will have 1 FTE minister.

12 Kiltarlity linked with Kirkhill The plan is that this linkage will become a union within the lifetime of the plan. The Kirkhill church is expected to remain in use beyond the lifetime of the plan; while the Kiltarlity church is expected to be closed during the plan period. The united charge will have Unrestricted Tenure. The charge will have 1 FTE minister. Nairn Old The plan is that this charge will be united with the united charge of Nairn: St Ninian s & Auldearn; that the Nairn: St Ninian s Church is expected to close within the plan period, that the Auldearn Church also be closed within the plan period and that the Auldearn Church Hall be maintained as a centre for worship and other church and missional activities. So, in the long-term we anticipate that worship will continue in both the Nairn Old church and in Auldearn. This union will be an Unrestricted Tenure. The united charge will have 2 FTE ministries. Urquhart & Glenmoriston The only change anticipated is that, at the time of the closure of the Cannich Church, the territory associated with Cannich be transferred to this charge. Tornagrain It is important that Presbytery move as soon as possible to prepare for the establishment of a new work in Tornagrain. [We have become aware of the fact that other denominations are also interested in planting a church there.] This is a great missional opportunity and should not be delayed. The General Trustees have indicated that this development can only go ahead if we reduce the number of charges that we presently have in the Presbytery. Presbytery has 0.8 FTE still available to it for this development. In the first instance, we are going to seek an additional 0.2 FTE from the Ministries Council, but failing that we would plan to reduce the 1.5 FTE designated to St Columba NC & Dores & Boleskine to 1.3FTE. Hector Morrison Convener of the Presbytery Planning Committee 21 August 2017

13 Presbytery of Inverness Proposed Presbytery Plan UT : Unrestricted tenure; RT : Reviewable Tenure; DL : Deferred linkage; Key PG : Parish Grouping; LEP Local Ecumenical Project; Building Designation: A) expected to remain in use beyond lifetime of plan; B) expected to be closed during plan period; C) expected to be disposed of under an adjustment Congregation Name Congregation Roll Net Population (C of S plus no declared faith 2011) Current Status Proposed Union & Change to Parish size Plan for Congregation by end of Plan Implementation or Interim Steps required (if any or if necessary) Structure of Staffing required Other staffing - locally provided Building Designation Ardersier linked with Petty UT UT Auldearn & Dalmore linked UT with Nairn St Ninian s UT Cawdor linked with Croy & Dalcross UT UT Union with Petty RT Union One FTE with Ardersier Land to Croy & Cawdor UT One FTE Union with to Nairn Old Nairn Old Union with Croy & Dalcross Union with Cawdor. Add in land from Auldearn & Dalmore Page Total , FTE UT One FTE -N/a -N/a -N/a Cat C Petty close Cat C Auldearn close Cat C St Ninian s close

14 Congregation Name Congregation Roll Net Population (C of S plus no declared faith) 2011 Current Status Proposed Union & Change to Parish size Plan for Congregation by end of Plan Implementation or Interim Steps required (if any or if necessary) Structure of Staffing required Other staffing - locally provided Building Designation Culloden the Barn UT Change to parish bounds UT Two FTE Administr ator Daviot & Dunlichity linked with Moy, Dalarossie & Tomatin RT RT Dores & Boleskine RT Inverness : Crown UT Inverness: Dalneigh & Bona Inverness : East UT UT Union with Moy, Dalarossie & Tomatin Union with Daviot & Dunlichity Union with St Columba New Charge Increase size of parish Readjust parish bounds Change to parish RT UT UT Cisted Vacancy. 5 year review One FTE 0.5FTE To add to St Columba New Charge One FTE -N/a UT Presently Vacant One FTE -N/a UT One FTE Pastoral Asst & Secretary. Family & Children s Worker Church Secretary Daviot Dunlichity Cat C - close Dalarossie Cat C - close Tomatin new Church Dores Cat C close Boleskine Cat B Dalneigh Bona Cat C close PAGE TOTAL 1,694 28, FTE

15 Congregation Name Congregation Roll Net Population (C of S plus no declared faith) 2011 Current Status Proposed Union & Change to Parish size Plan for Congregation by end of Plan Implementation or Interim Steps required (if any or if necessary) Structure of Staffing required Other staffing - locally provided Building Designation Inverness: Hilton UT UT One FTE Inverness: Inshes UT Inverness: Kinmylies Inverness: Ness Bank Inverness: Old High St Stephen s Inverness: St Columba NCD Inverness: Trinity (Priority Area Charge) Adjust bounds and add in Drakies UT One FTE Associate Minister. Children s worker Administrator Associate Minister Administrator UT UT One FTE Youth Worker UT UT RT Increase size of Parish Close St Stephen s Parish boundary changes Union with Dores & Boleskine UT RT UT RT One FTE One FTE Two FTE (inc. 0.5 page 1) Secretary. Community Worker to May 2018 Pastoral Assistant Administrator UT UT Two FTE Page Total 2,093 37, FTE Old High St Stephens Cat C to close Presently no building

16 Congregation Name Congregation Roll Net Population (C of S plus no declared faith) 2011 Current Status Proposed Union & Change to Parish size Plan for Congregation by end of Plan Implementation or Interim Steps required (if any or if necessary) Structure of Staffing required Other staffing - locally provided Building Designation Kilmorack & Erchless UT Close Struy & Cannich Cannich area to Urquhart RT One FTE N/a Beauly Struy & Cannich Cat C - close Kiltarity linked with Kirkhill UT UT Union with Kirkhill Union with Kiltarlity UT One FTE N/a Kiltarlity Cat C close Nairn Old UT Union with Nairn St Ninian s UT One FTE (plus 1 FTE from page1) Secretary Urquhart & Glenmoriston UT Include Cannich UT One FTE N/a Page Total 1,199 13, FTE Total Allocation 5,656 90, FTE

17 City Parish Boundaries

18 East-Barn Parish Boundaries

19 GUIDANCE ON THE APPEAL PROCESS In short, no appeal can be made against the Presbytery Plan, if adopted by the Presbytery on September 9, until, within 14 days to the Principal Clerk, of a formal intimation at a Presbytery meeting that the Plan has been accepted (or not) by the Assembly s Committee. Then an appeal can only be made by members of the Presbytery or by a Kirk Session. An appeal can only be made because there is (a) an error in Church law; (b) a breach of the principles of natural justice or material irregularity of process; (c) a decision influenced by incorrect material fact. Or of (d) the severity of any sanction imposed. Or any combination of them.

20 Act I 2014 contains the full process of appeal and should be referred to by every appellant. Summary of the Act of Section 2. Right to appeal from decisions (1) A person with a legitimate interest who is aggrieved by a decision of a Court ( the Appellant ) may within fourteen days of the decision intimate an appeal against that decision. (2) Such an appeal shall be intimated in accordance with the Rules of Procedure set out in Schedule 2 to the Act (Act I 2014). (3) Such an appeal may be taken only upon one or more of the following legal grounds: (a) an error in Church law; (b) breach of the principles of natural justice or material irregularity of process; (c) decision influenced by incorrect material fact; (d) the severity of any sanction imposed. In addition, in the case of an appeal under the Appraisal and Adjustment Act (Act VII 2003), the additional legal ground specified in sections 6(1): Appeal against Appraisal Decisions (1) Upon formal intimation at a Presbytery meeting that the Assembly s Committee has concurred or has not concurred with a plan or any part thereof, a Presbytery or any of its members or any Kirk Session within its bounds may dissent-andcomplain or appeal against the plan or any part thereof and the Presbytery may appeal the Assembly s Committee s nonconcurrence. Intention to dissentand-complain or appeal shall be intimated within fourteen days to the Principal Clerk (who in turn shall inform the Assembly s Committee). The appeal may be brought on any one or more of the grounds set out in section 2(3) of the Appeals Act (Act I 2014 given above), and/or additionally a party may appeal on the ground that the decision is, in all the circumstances, unreasonable. Such an appeal shall be heard by the Appeals Committee of the Commission of Assembly in terms of the Appeals Act and to any such process the Kirk Session, the Presbytery and the Assembly s

21 Committee shall all be parties. Any Kirk Session which wishes to support the Assembly s Committee s nonconcurrence may become a party to the appeal process. and 9(2)(vi): If the Assembly s Committee has concurred in the decision of the Presbytery, the Presbytery shall proceed to implement the decision, subject to the right of dissent-and-complaint (by a member of Presbytery) or appeal (by a Kirk Session) against the decision of Presbytery. Upon formal intimation at a Presbytery meeting that the Assembly s Committee has concurred in the decision of Presbytery, any member of Presbytery or any Kirk Session within its bounds may dissent-and-complain or appeal against the decision. Intention to dissentand-complain or appeal shall be intimated within fourteen days to the Principal Clerk (who in turn shall inform the Assembly s Committee). The appeal may be brought on any one or more of the grounds set out in section 2(3) of the Appeals Act (Act I 2014), and/or additionally a party may appeal on the ground that the decision is, in all the circumstances, unreasonable. Such a dissent-and-complaint or appeal shall be heard by the Appeals Committee of the Commission of Assembly in terms of the Appeals Act and to any such process the Kirk Session, the Presbytery and the Assembly s Committee shall all be parties. Any Kirk Session 164 which wishes to support the Assembly s Committee s non-concurrence may become a party to the appeal process (4) The right of appeal conferred in section 2(1) does not apply where the Acts and Regulations of the General Assembly specifically provide another appeal procedure. (5) The Court against whose decision an appeal is being taken under this Act shall have power, on its own initiative or on the application of an interested person, to regulate matters relating to the decision, including giving interim effect to the decision, pending the determination of the appeal.

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24 although only Presbytery members will be able to attend the Conference and discuss the planning proposal and vote on it, the plan is not secret and you can, and are encouraged to, discuss it in Kirk Session and through the congregation Edition