25 August 2026

Looking through the past forty years of reports to the General Assembly, I was interested to observe the demise of what we used to call ‘Pubic Worship and Aids to Devotion’. In 1984 it became the ‘Panel on Worship’.  In 2006, it was combined with Doctrine and was subsumed into ‘Mission and Discipleship Council’.

In 2012, neither the term ‘Doctrine’ nor ‘Worship‘ appeared in the Assembly Reports. They were now hidden in what was called ‘Faith Expressions’. Whereas the Assembly was quick to notice the downgrading of Doctrine and restored its visibility in time for same-sex relationships,  this didn’t happen with Worship.

Subsequently, it disappeared into the Faith Nurture Forum under ‘Resourcing Worship’ and then into ‘Faith Action Programme Leadership Team’. In 2026, for the first time in four decades, there is to be a Task Group set up  ‘to explore liturgical renewal and develop new liturgical resources for the Church’.

A   worship committee was established by the General Assembly in 1849. It was called, ‘Aids to Devotion Committee’. It was formed by the Assembly to prepare worship material for situations where ministers were not available. It numbered 86 members including the Moderator and 12 professors from the Divinity Faculties.

We have travelled quite far since then. The importance of liturgical reflection has now been acknowledged. Its lack has been obvious for some time. For example in 2014, the Assembly was told about ‘Café Style Services’. The commentary about these services was sociological and not theological.

They ‘allow greater interaction, which helps in framing and strengthening relationships, and they create space for questions and discussion, which adds deeper learning’. Sounds good but does this constitute an act of worship whose focus is on glorifying God?