Planning Committee

Planning Committee

Convener: Abigail Morrison  contact

The Committee has responsibility for all things planning. Including matters related to the Presbytery Mission Plan, Basis of Adjustment and interfacing between national planning bodes in 121 George Street and the Presbytery.

The Committee has responded to challenges to two of the four constituent plans and got the remaining two approved without any challenges.

They have worked with several local congregations to help them implement the adjustments required of them in the Mission plan: 9 adjustments have taken place and a further 17 or so are in progress.

Some building disposals required by the plan have also progressed.

The Committee has offered support to all the congregations affected by the changes and most have taken up that offer. Considerable input and support has been given to several areas within Presbytery where several congregations need to come together to work out how best to implement the plan for their area.

Several Presbyters, including the Mission Officer, not on the  committee have assisted here and Presbytery is very grateful to them.

The Committee has also liaised with the central church bodies, specifically the Law Department, the General Trustees and the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team on the plan implementation.

Abigail is currently Session Clerk at Longniddry Parish Church. She was previously Treasurer of Marchmont St Giles Parish Church in Edinburgh for 11 years.  She is also involved in outreach to people moving into new homes in her village and the nearby new town of Blindwells. 

Each Presbytery is allocated a finite amount of resources to deploy as best fits the needs of ministry and mission within its area.

Planning is the committee who consider where these resources should go and then make recommendations for Presbytery to consider.

Planning acts as a bridge between congregations and national bodies and tries to balance the needs of both.

Membership: Convenor, Vice-Convenor plus 6 others

  1. To promote a positive policy for the mission of Presbytery by taking account of changing congregational resources and social patterns as they relate to the Presbytery Mission Plan Act [Act 8 2021]. These resources include Ministerial and other stipendiary and non stipendiary staff. They also include buildings such as Churches, halls, ancillary buildings and manses.
  2. To oversee the implementation and regular review of the Presbytery Plan. The Committee undertakes the review and adjustment of congregations within the bounds, seeking the best distribution of strong congregations, adequately staffed, to provide the ordinances of religion and be effective agents of mission to all people of the area. The Committee has to take finance into consideration, as well as geography, population, the actual state and health of a congregation, the demands on the minister, the question of buildings and the future witness of the church.
  3. To offer Presbytery an accurate view of Christian life across the Presbytery
  4. To receive and consider all requests for adjustments to parish boundaries and to negotiate adjustments with Kirk Sessions.
  5. The committee will be encouraged to be proactive rather than reacting only to guidance sent down from the General Assembly and will place mission at the heart of its planning.
  6. The Convener of the Planning Committee shall ex officio be a member of the Presbytery Property
  7. The Convenors of Property and Finance shall be ex officio members of the Planning Committee