Kirk urged to move from capital

The assembly should move north, Dr McLellan says

A former moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has called for a venue change.

The Very Reverend Dr Andrew McLellan said annual meetings had been held in Edinburgh for too long and should move to Aberdeen instead.

Dr McLellan said the move would help stop the church being perceived as "too central belt".

He made the call during a service to mark the 400th anniversary of the last time the assembly was in Aberdeen.

Dr McLellan said the church seemed to be stuck in Edinburgh and should move throughout the country.

"In 1605 the General Assembly met in Aberdeen and it has never met in the city since," he said.

"In the old days the assembly used to move around Scotland so that people in different parts of the country could see and hear for themselves what was going on.

'Something exciting'

"But for a long time now it seems to be stuck in Edinburgh."

Dr McLellan said Aberdeen had made a success of hosting the Scottish Parliament three years ago, when it moved north as the General Assembly was held in Edinburgh's Assembly Hall.

"What an opportunity it would be for the General Assembly to make it clear that we are not 'a central belt church'," he added.

"This anniversary is the chance for the church in Aberdeen to issue the invitation. It could be the beginning of something exciting."