The Dance of the Queen and the Church, Scottish Style

         

                            The Royal High Commissioner and his entourage approach the red-coated hon-
                             our guard at the entrance to Assembly Hall. Once inside, the Commissioner and
                             a smaller party ascend private stairs to the Royal Box to observe the proceedings 
                             of the General Assembly on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.  

I certainly did not know what to expect when I attended my first General Assembly (GA) of the Church of Scotland (C of S) in mid-May. I was totally unprepared for the part the Queen's ap-pointed Lord High Commissioner played in the GA. Like many Americans, I harbour a distrust for anything that smacks of Royalty, while at the same time recognising a deep fascination with royalty and its trappings, especially the British version of it all. Deep down inside me I perceive that I have a love affair with royal affairs. 

At 9:10 on Saturday, the seventeenth of May, the first day of the GA, I was seated on the ground floor of the Hall waiting for the opening session to begin. Then I noticed that my fellow commis-sioners had stopped talking and were looking up to the three large monitors in the Hall. The top  picture in this post gives you a good idea of what we were watching. 

We were watching a procession of the Lord High Commissioner (LHC) and his entourage passing a red-coated honour guard on their way to the Royal Box to observe the GA. Soon we heard a horn fanfare announcing that the LHC was in the building. Shortly thereafter the monitors showed   another red-coated soldier with a mallet winding up and striking a big gong. We not only saw him do it, we heard the thunderous clang it made. 

Almost immediately, we could see with our own eyes the Lord Commissioner and a smaller party coming up the stairs into the Royal Box. First there was an attendant carrying a royal crown on. He set it on a stand beside the throne where the LHC would be sitting. Then came another attendant with a mace, another sign of power and authority. There were several other people who spilled into the box before Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex came into the Box and the LHC stood at the throne with the Countess next to him. 

All those present in the GA had stood when the crown had been seen entering the Royal Box. Our attention was focused upon Prince Edward, the THC. Then he nodded respectfully to us on his right. We nodded in return. This was repeated to the assembly in front of him and to his left. Then he sat down and the Assembly resumed breathing normally again. I was touched in a good way by the sense of royal pageantry. It was regal and substantial. 

I researched more about the LHC's entourage that accompanies him in his official capacity as the LHC. The Commissioner's party includes a purse bearer, a chaplain, aides-de-camp, a lady-in-waiting, an extra lady-in-waiting, maids of honour, a mace bearer, and other attendants as needed. They made up the large entourage crossing the courtyard on their way to Assembly Hall. The Queen makes no financial demands on the C of S for this, thus maintaining the inde-pendence between the Sovereign and the Church.   

                           The General Assembly in session. The eyes of the Commissioners are on the fig-
                            ure in red at the front of the Assembly Hall. Behind and in the gallery above the
                            figure in red is the Royal Box where the Lord High Commissioner and his party 
                            sit when observing the General Assembly.  The Moderator sits and speaks from 
                            where the figure in red is. That might be the Moderator speaking. 


What I saw happening that first day of the GA I describe as a dance of the C of S with the Queen. The Dance began with the Royal Procession into Assembly Hall. I had thought that the Scottish people were fiercely independent when it came to all matters English, especially regarding the Sovereign. But all in all, the people of the C of S gathered at the Assembly were curbed and tame in regards to the presence of the LHC. The LHC, whoever it is, is always addressed as Your Grace and greeted with a bow or curtsy. 

Ever since the 18th century, the LHC has always been appointed by the Sovereign as the Queen's or King's personal representative to the GA of the C of S. He or she attends the GA as an observer who has no voice and no vote in the affairs of the Church. The role is essentially ceremonial. In 2000 Prince Charles was appointed by his mother, the Queen, as the LHC. Two years later the Queen herself attended the GA. I looked at the long list of LHCs over the centuries who have been chosen by the Sovereign as LHCs. They are usually men and women who have a distinguished record of pub-lic service in Scotland. They have often been closely connected with the C of S. The High Commissioner have usually made brief appearances at the Assembly most days before travelling out and about Scotland on official visits and ceremonies. After the GA has finished its business, the LHC reports directly to the Queen about all that transpired at the GA.

What I found fascinating was the dance between the Church and the Sovereign. The dance began when the LHC was announced and entered the Royal Box up in the gallery behind the chair of the moderator. The Lord Commissioner then bowed to the commissioners who are standing and they bowed back. The next order of business of the Assembly was the formal election of the Moderator. You might say the dance partner was selected for the Royal Dance with the Queen who was represented by the LHC. The Assembly stood as the incoming Moderator entered the GA to assume the duties of Moderator from the outgoing Moderator. There was a Prayer of Consecration and brief remarks by the outgoing Moderator. 

The first order of business conducted by the new Moderator was in regards to the LHC. The Principle Clerk, who stands at the right hand of the Moderator, received the Queen's Commission of the LHC. He accepted the parchment that was lowered down from the Royal Box and read it out loud to the standing GA. The GA remained standing as a letter from Her Majesty was also read. Then His Grace the Lord High Commissioner addressed the Assembly that still was on their feet. The Commissioners were finally able to sit after the Moderator made his reply to the LHC. A committee was appointed to make a reply to the Queen's letter. I had the strong sense that it was critically important for the GA to go through this Dance. Once this Dance was danced, then the GA could move on to the orders of business. The LHC also addressed the GA at the closing session of the GA on the following Friday.  

                                Four important people in the Royal Dance of the Queen and the Church of
                                Scotland, from left to right: the Right Reverend John Chalmers, the present
                               Moderator of the General Assembly; the Countess of Wessex; the Right Rev-
                               erend Lorna Hood, the outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly; and
                               Prince Edward, the Queen's appointed Lord High Commissioner. 

The persons who fill the roles of Moderator of the General Assembly and the Lord High Com-missioner change every year. The Moderator of the General Assembly chairs the daily business of the Assembly. The GA is authorised to make laws determining how the Church of Scotland op-erates. It fiercely defends the Church's independence from any political power, especially the Queen.

The third person from the left in the photo directly above is the Right Reverend Lorna Hood, the outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly. Lorna brought a graceful woman's touch and a pastoral heart to her year of serving as Moderator the year before this. She has a wonderful and caring way of relating with people. After a full year of responsibilities, obligations, and visits that come with the territory of being the Moderator, she returns to the congregation she has served as pastor for over thirty years.  

The first person on the left is the Right Reverend John Chalmers, the current Moderator of the General Assembly. John has served as the Principle Clerk of the General Assembly. He knows how to get things done in the Church of Scotland. John has been the chief counsel and advisor to a good number of Moderators over the years. When the Moderator-Designate for this year withdrew because of health issues earlier this year, John was asked to take his place. It was a wise move, because John knows probably better than anyone else what the Moderator does. The role of Moderator is a labour of love with unending responsibilities and demands. 

The gentleman on the far left is Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth, and the Royal Lord High Commissioner for this past General Assembly. Edward's wife, the Countess of Wessex, stands second from the left in the picture above. I really enjoyed the presence of these two at the General Assembly. The two times Prince Edward addressed the Assembly, he was personable, witty, intelligent, and humble. There was evidence of an eager and growing faith. I never heard the Countess speak, but her very person and presence radiated beauty, grace, and gracefulness. I main-tain that the GA was blessed to have them with us. 

Blessings to you and yours,