Moderator reflects on challenging yet inspiring General Assembly

The 2025 General Assembly has come to a close and Church of Scotland members have been urged to go out into the world and make disciples.

Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly, said God's love surpassed knowledge and is "wide and long and high and deep".

She spoke ahead of an address by Lord High Commissioner Lady Elish Angiolini, the first practicing Roman Catholic to represent His Majesty The King.

Mrs Frew said: "Remembering Jesus' words, I am with you always - no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing, no matter how you're feeling, I am with you always.

"Sometimes it can feel really hard.

"For most of us, our whole Christian life has been lived out against the backdrop of decline - it can feel so dispiriting.

"This past week has been challenging but it has also been inspiring.

"Having Lady Elish as our Lord High Commissioner – such a positive message of unity and friendship, a real living out the St Margaret Declaration (an historic declaration of friendship between the Kirk and the Catholic Church in Scotland).

"The involvement of our youth delegates, young adults involved and invested.

"The singing, the sharing of bread and wine, the conversations enjoyed, the friendships made.

"The contributions of so many people – honest, raw, questioning, encouraging.

"I have always taken great encouragement from these words of Eddie Askew from his book A Silence and a Shouting.

"He's reflecting on our call to be faithful in planting seeds. And he comments, ‘We may see the harvest, we may not. It is, I believe, a mark of maturity that we learn to accept this, not with indifference or resignation, but joyfully and with imagination, as part of the adventure of Christian living.'

"Remember that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

Lady Elish told the General Assembly that she has "genuinely loved" witnessing the sincere and informed debates and engagement peppered with good humour and the odd hearty laugh.

"I have no doubt that in the election of Rosie as Moderator, you have performed an act of real genius," she said.

"Moderator, it has been an immense honour to listen each morning to your mesmerising words of prayer and praise, disclosing God's gift to you as an outstanding messenger of the good news.

"The soothing balm of the unaccompanied hymns will linger with me for a very long time."

Lady Elish reflected on her varied programme of visits as the King's representative during General Assembly week.

"Our visit to the Central Mosque of Edinburgh last Saturday to witness the signing of the Edinburgh 900 City Council and the Faith Community Accords was a great privilege," she said.

"The service in St Giles Cathedral (in Edinburgh) last Sunday was a great comfort.

"It is a welcoming church – notwithstanding the majesty of its architecture, and I now have so many very happy memories associated with that lovely place of peace and extravagant love.

"Later last Sunday, we also drove through to St Andrews Cathedral in Glasgow to be greeted by Archbishop William Nolan, Archbishop Leo Cushley also being there for a beautiful Mass.

"I am told this is a first for a Lord High Commissioner and we all felt the weight of history on our shoulders.

"A trip to Stirling included visits to the historic Church of the Holy Rude, and Cowane's Hospital where I met representatives of all aspects of the community including Street Pastors, local churches and faith groups."

Enormous privilege

Lady Elish visited HMP and YOI Stirling and travelled to Dundee to learn about the "fantastic" work being carried out at the Dundee Child Poverty Pathfinder.

The multi-agency hub provides clients with access to advice, support and guidance in a one-stop-shop on a wide range of issues, from housing and benefits to dealing with debt and other crises.

Lady Elish said: "Still in Dundee was the fantastic Hope Point, a 24/7, 365-day facility where those suffering from mental health crises can attend at any time of the day or night and receive support and comfort from an outstanding and dedicated team.

"We were also entertained by the Lord Provost, celebrating Dundee as a city of faith, where we met members of a wide range of beliefs working together to nurture understanding between different faiths across communities."

Lady Elish visited the Free Church of Scotland Assembly in Edinburgh and had lunch at the Scottish Parliament hosted by Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone MSP.

"I am, in particular, grateful to His Majesty for the enormous privilege of residing in the Palace of Holyroodhouse during this week, and the delight of entertaining so many participants from the Assembly in its glorious surroundings," she added.

"This is a week I will never forget.

"Right Reverend and well-beloved, your labours are now at an end, you have concluded the business for which you assembled.

"May you return to your communities inspired by your experience of this Assembly, and in the King's name, I bid you farewell."