Maximising the resources agreed at each General Assembly, the Presbytery Mission Planning Committee take an overview of parishes looking at their size, structure (eg stand-alone, linkage or parish grouping), and ministerial allocation, to ensure that ministerial workload is not too cumbersome for some and less for others. We also seek to determine other necessary assistance through centrally paid posts.

When a vacancy arises in a parish, the Presbytery Mission Planning Committee are responsible for assessing and recommending whether, in the changing climate of the church, a charge is given permission to call. Should Presbytery give permission to call, we subsequently assist congregations to fill their vacancy through our Vacancy Procedure remit.

In conjunction with the Presbytery’s Property Committee, we also seek to ensure that the buildings each congregation occupies, whether for Sunday Worship or other missional activities, are suitable for use. While the Presbytery Mission Planning Committee has no single authority in the fine detail of what is necessary to improve buildings, we do have the remit to ensure that local congregations are investing in their buildings so that mission for the future in each parish is sustainable.


The remit of the Presbytery Mission Planning Committee is:

• to implement parish appraisal matters in accordance with the Presbytery Plan.
• to conduct an annual review of the Presbytery Mission Plan.
• to consider and advise on all applications to carry out fabric works the cost of which exceeds the current Financial Limit declared by the General Assembly, with a view to advising the Presbytery whether the building involved is a necessary building in terms of the ongoing missionary strategy of the Church.
• to receive and consider all requests for amendments to parish boundaries and to negotiate amendments with Kirk Sessions.
• to encourage appropriate awareness of, and response to, the requirements of people with particular needs including physical, sensory and/or learning disabilities.
• to convene a Vacancy Procedure Committee as required to provide support and advice to congregations during vacancy

About the Convenor

Convenor: Rev Graham McWilliams

Email: gmcwilliams@churchofscotland.org.uk

While I am convenor of our Presbytery’s Mission Planning Committee, I am also a Team Ministry Parish Minister in our parish of Cumbrae, Fairlie and Largs: a union of five legacy congregations. Throughout my ministry I have been blessed by the support of my wonderful wife, with whom I share a common faith in Jesus. We have two adult sons, one of whom is married, and a beautiful granddaughter; all of whom give joy to our lives and provide a wonderful distraction when ministerial life is ‘full-on!’