Media coverage as Church agrees to Professor Fergusson’s reforms

As chair of the Church of Scotland’s Special Commission on Structural Reform, Professor Fergusson has been in the news.

On 20 May 2019, Professor Fergusson presented the findings of the Commission to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, recommending radical changes.

Proposals included:

  • a new body of trustees to replace the Council of Assembly
  • a new senior management team, under a new post – Chief Officer
  • new Business Committee of the General Assembly
  • 20-30% cuts in central administrative costs
  • simplification of Church structures eg. reducing the number of Councils and continuing to reduce the number of Presbyteries.

The Assembly backed all the measures, also agreeing to discuss whether its social care arm, CrossReach, can become more financially independent.

The story was reported in Scottish print and broadcast media (where available, links are given below).

An article on the work of the Special Commission, written by Professor Fergusson, will appear in Life and Work, the Church of Scotland’s monthly magazine, in July 2019.

Links

BBC 2 Scotland report on iplayer (available for a limited time only)

Article in The Herald

Article in The Scotsman

Church of Scotland podcast, Monday 20 May 2019

Church of Scotland news 20 May 2019

Church of Scotland news 24 May 2019

Life and Work special supplement: A Radical Assembly

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