Kirk Session Minutes are available on request from the Church Office.

Session Meeting dates for 2026 

 

February

21 February - Important message and invitation from Alex Johnson

Dear Friends 
Since the start of the Kinross-shire Parish union in 2025, a lot of work has been done around the governance and the structure of the parish. As this beds in, it is important that we do not lose sight of the activity of the church. After all, the governance exists to support the expressions of God's love found across the life of the parish. To better understand, equip, and give direction to all this activity, the eldership is creating a 5 Year Vision to guide us as a church going forward.

It is important that this vision is grounded in the life of the church as you experience it. Furthermore, it is dependent on our collective and prayerful understanding of what God is asking of us as a church in this season. As such, the eldership would value your reflections and input as they undertake this task. 

Click here for the Summary of the Initial Vision Document that came out of the meeting of the eldership back in January. After reading this, we would appreciate you sharing your feedback by following this link to the questionnaire: Vision Making - Kinross-shire Parish Church 2026 – Fill in form. 

If preferred, paper copies will be made available at each worship centre. Any queries can be directed to Alex Johnson (ajohnson@churchofscotland.org.uk). 

The next meeting of the eldership takes place on Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 7:30pm in Kinross Church, which is open to all. Any responses will be incorporated into that discussion.

Every blessing,

Alex 
Alex Johnson

 

January 2026

17 January: Elders' Meeting (Fossoway Church) to discuss Vision and 5 Year Plan for Kinross-shire Parish Church.

 

 

December

10 December: Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting, Fossoway Church - agenda

 

November

12 November: Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting, Kinross Church - agenda

 

October

22 October: Full Eldership Meeting, Kinross Church

 

October

8 October: Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting, Orwell Church

 

September

10 September: Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting, Fossoway Church

 

August

13 August: Kinross-shire Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting

 

July

16 July: Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting:

• There are currently 47 serving elders, of whom 13 are trustees
• Trustees’ names are listed on Kinross’ church website
• The agreed £11,000 has been transferred to support the work of KYTHE
• The manse formerly known as Cleish Manse to be the Manse at Crook of Devon (accommodation for Charge B minister)
• Poppy Scotland to be the recipient of the Remembrance Sunday retiring offering

June

29 June: United Worship Service (Orwell Church at 10.30am) followed by Stated Annual Meeting.

25 June: Kinross-shire Parish Eldership Meeting - Orwell Church at 7.30pm.

11 June: Kirk Session (Trustees) Meeting - Fossoway Church at 7.30pm:

• Brenda Fraser is appointed Presbytery Elder, serving alongside Rosemary Tolson.
• Finance Team Convener is George Hayton.
• Youth & Families Team Convener is Lynn Caldwell.
• Property Team Temporary Convener is Jaffrey Weir.
• KYTHE Connects representative is Elder Stuart Neave.
• Names receiving PVG clearance and those removed from Safeguarding Register were noted.
• Team Conveners to note job descriptions are required for all volunteers.
• £500 transferred from Orwell Parish Benevolent Fund to the Over 70s organisation.
• £2,407 of funds raised transferred to Mombwe Church, Malawi.
• Mercy Ships spring communion collection raised £1,382; Christian Aid £1,906; Tea and a Blether £132 to Scottish Blood Bikes.
• Trustees agreed in principle to a noticeboard for Kinross Community Council news outside the Kinross Church Centre.

 

May

7 May: Kirk Session Meeting in Fossoway Church at 7.30pm.

Session approved:

• Jaffrey Weir continuing as Interim Session Clerk.                                                                                                   
• Anne Miller to be appointed permanently to Roll-keeper.
• Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance as recipient of May/June communion offering.

£1,490 & gift aid has been received from the March communion retiring offering for Mercy Ships. 

 

April

23 April - Election of Vacancy Nominating Committee at Congregational Meeting.

 

9 April: Kirk Session Meeting in Kinross Church

After a respectful and open debate, the Kinross-shire Kirk Session voted to remain with the historic and current position of the Church of Scotland on questions of human sexuality.

 

March

19 March: Kirk Session Meeting in Kinross Church

The Kirk Session updated the membership roll and welcomed four new members and a new adherent. Young people are to be encouraged to be on the electoral roll and to be put forward for the Nominating Committee for the vacancy of a second minister for the new parish.

• Parish Profile: A group was appointed to prepare a Parish Profile for the vacancy.

• Cleish Manse: A group was appointed to inspect the manse for the vacancy.

• Edicts: The Congregation has since been read these Edicts, relating to a decision to be taken by the Kirk Session on 9 April on Ministers in Civil Partnership or Same-sex Marriage and a Congregational Meeting on Wednesday, 23rd April at 7.30pm in Kinross Church to elect a Nominating Committee of thirteen.

• Finance: A Finance group and convener were approved.

• Grant: Presbytery has awarded us £800 towards printing and distributing a leaflet about the new united congregation.

• Church Buildings: Cleish and Portmoak churches have been surveyed for valuation purposes.

• Elders: Active Elders are to confirm with the Session Clerk which teams they wish to be part of: Worship & Discipleship; Youth & Families; Fellowship & Pastoral; Outreach & Community; Service (with sub groups for Admin & Comms, Finance, and Property). These groups will report to the Kirk Session. Elders on the Kirk Session are also the Trustees under charity law. 

 

February

26 February - Presbytery Advisory Committee meeting with the Kirk Session. Meeting of the Kirk Session with the three representatives of the Presbytery appointed to advise us in the search for the second full-time minister in the parish. The Rev Mairi Perkins from the parish of Ardoch and Blackford, the Rev Fraser Penny, minister of Dunkeld Cathedral, and Mr Ed Morton, an elder from St Ninian's Old Parish Church in Stirling who is also the depute Presbytery Clerk, will journey with us through the vacancy process. This initial meeting will help the Kirk Session to create a parish profile which will be used in advertising for the new minister and also to ensure that we are on top of the formal processes, including the drawing up of an electoral roll and the election of a nominating committee that is representative of the congregation. 

 

January 2025

30 January - Kirk Session Meeting, Orwell Church

New Structure: Progress was made on a new governance structure of a smaller Kirk Session, of around 12 members meeting regularly and acting as the formal Trustees, and a wider ‘eldership’ of all active elders meeting four times a year. A suggested structure is to be submitted to Presbytery and the church’s law department.

New Teams: The work of the church will be divided into five teams reporting to the Kirk Session: Worship and Discipleship; Youth and Families; Fellowship and Pastoral; Outreach and Community; Service (with Administration and Communication, Finance, and Property sub-groups). These teams will be led by elders but open to all interested members.

Worship Arrangements: Sunday Worship at 9.45am at Fossoway, 10.30am at Kinross, and 10.30am at Orwell. Songs of Praise at Portmoak 3pm on last Sunday of month; service at Cleish at 11.15am on first Sunday of month. All to be reviewed in June.

Vacancy: Rev Beverly Stevenson, currently Locum and Interim Moderator at Cleish and Fossoway, is retiring in February. Presbytery has appointed Rev Marc Prowe as Interim Moderator to oversee the process of filling the vacancy of charge B in Kinross-shire Parish Church. A locum will be sought meantime. The next steps will happen soon: a Presbytery advisory committee, updating the congregational roll, electing a Nominating Committee and approving a Parish Profile.

26 January - Songs of Praise at Portmoak Church from 3 - 4.30pm.

25 January - Praying in the Parish, Kinross Church, 7am - 7pm

 

News from the Kirk Session Meeting held on 11 January

Positions: Interim Session Clerk - Jaffrey Weir; Treasurer – Linda Stewart; Safeguarding Coordinator - Cara Chalmers; Interim Roll Keeper: Anne Miller.

2025 Budget - approved.  Expected deficit - £30,000.

Worship: Sunday Services: Fossoway - 9.45am, Kinross - 10.30am, Orwell - 10.30am. Portmoak - Songs of Praise at 3pm, last Sunday of the month (aimed at the whole new congregation). Arrangements for Cleish and Arngask to be decided.

Ministerial Vacancy (Charge B): Rev Beverley Stevenson is Interim Moderator of the Nominating Committee. Members of the 13-person Committee will be sought.

Kirk Session: The Kirk Session comprises all the active elders of the previous congregations. and next meets on 30 January. Going forward, the intention is to have a smaller formal Kirk Session as the body recognised by OSCR as charity trustees.

 

9 January - Service of Union for the new Kinross-shire Parish Church, Thursday 7pm in Kinross Church, conducted by Presbytery.

5 January - United Communion Service, 11am at Fossoway Church.