Draft Basis of Parish Grouping:  Perth: North, Perth: St. John the Baptist’s linked with Perth: St. Leonard’s-in-the-Fields , and Perth: St. Matthew’s

The congregations of Perth: North, Perth: St. John the Baptist’s linked with Perth: St. Leonard’s-in-the-Fields & Trinity, and Perth: St. Matthew’s shall form a Parish Grouping from [some date or another] and that on the following terms and conditions:

1.     Name:  The name of the Parish Grouping shall be ‘Perth City Centre Kirks’, or such as the four congregations shall decide.

2.     Territorial Responsibility:  The bounds to be served by the Parish Grouping shall be the combined parishes of the participating congregations or as Presbytery shall determine.

3.     Property and Funds:  The property and funds belonging to or held on behalf of each congregation shall remain the property and funds of each congregation as at present.

4.     Kirk Sessions:  The Kirk Sessions shall continue their present status and authority.  Each of the Kirk Sessions of the participating congregations shall appoint four of its members, together with the Minister (or Interim Moderator) to form a Planning Group.  The Planning Group shall be moderated by the respective Ministers (or Interim Moderators) by rota and shall have the task of promoting and co-ordinating the common work of the Parish Grouping, subject to the approval of each Kirk Session and, where necessary, financial court.  The Kirk Sessions shall meet together in conference at least once in each calendar year to review and plan the areas of co-operation, and, if agreed, to take proposals to the respective Kirk Sessions.

5.     Congregational Management:  The temporal affairs of each congregation shall be administered as at present.

6.     Ministry Team:  The Ministry Team shall comprise the three ministers of Word and Sacrament inducted (or to be inducted) to the respective charges (each of whom shall retain their present status as Minister of that charge), together with such additional locally-funded ministries as are agreed by the Kirk Sessions.

7.             Ministry Team Support:  The stipends of the Ministry Team shall be payable in terms of the National Stipend Scheme.  The Planning Group shall give consideration to the appointment of a shared Administrator and such other staff as may be agreed.

8.     Manses:  The manses of the respective charges shall continue to be the manses of the congregations during the course of the Parish Grouping, unless and until agreed otherwise by the congregations.

9.     Purpose of the Parish Grouping:

a)    Towards One Worshipping Community. The congregations and the Ministry Team are committed to developing team ministry and working towards becoming “one worshipping and witnessing community”, worshipping in and operating out of a number of different buildings as determined.

b)       Areas of co-operation.  The congregations and the Ministry Team commit themselves to co-operate initially in the following areas:

§          Pastoral Care

§          Christian Education

§          Mission

§          Worship

§          Fellowship.

In due time, steps will be taken – with agreement from the Kirk Sessions – towards ever increasing co-operation over a wide range of congregational life and work.

c)     Distinctive ministries. The Grouping is committed to ensuring that the distinctive roles of the congregations of the Grouping are recognised in the context of the Parish Grouping, without prejudice to any further readjustment which may take place in due course.

d)  Costs.  All areas of joint co-operation shall be funded equally by the four congregations.

10. Buildings: In the initial stages the four present buildings will remain as places of worship. However, the Planning Group will be responsible for keeping the issue of the use and suitability of the four buildings under constant review, and to report on its deliberations at least annually to the conference of the Kirk Sessions (and, should they consider it necessary, direct to the Kirk Sessions at any other time).  The four congregations commit themselves to submit to Presbytery their plans for future building use and needs no later than June 2012.

11. Power to Adjust:  While these articles and terms shall form the basis of Parish Grouping for the congregations now agreeing, the congregations shall be free, like any other congregations, to adjust arrangements under the authority of the Presbytery as need may arise.