page_title: General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
section_title: Membership
hierarchical_section_title: General Assembly of the Church of Scotland / Membership
caption_attribution_description: English: The General Assemby of the Kirk of Scotland 1787 by David Allan. The chair of honour is occupied by the Earl of Dalhousie and the speaker at the bar is the advocate James Boswell.
context_page_description: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body. It generally meets each year and is chaired by a Moderator elected at the start of the Assembly.
context_section_description: Each Presbytery has to nominate Commissioners annually and these are chosen in rotation from the ministers and elders in the Presbytery's bounds (area).  Elders who are commissioned need not be members of the Presbytery.
  In addition each Presbytery may appoint 'youth representatives' who are young people in the congregations of the presbytery.  Youth representatives are also appointed by the 'Youth Assembly'.  Youth representatives have the status of corresponding members of the Assembly.
  Those elders who have, in the past, served as Moderators of the General Assembly are generally commissioned by their presbyteries in addition to the normal number of commissioners.  They have, due to their experience in the Church, a heavy influence on the deliberations of the Assembly, which some commissioners and a range of Kirk members, find to be controversial.
  The General assembly appoints 'corresponding members' who may speak and propose motions but may not vote.  Apart from youth representatives these are guest commissioners from a wide range of partner churches around the world, and any of the Church of Scotland's Mission Partners (overseas workers) who may be resident in Scotland during the Assembly.
caption: The General Assembly meeting in Edinburgh in 1787
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