Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office (SCPO) was created in 1999, at the same time as the devolved Scottish Parliament
was established. The office is an ecumenical one, including all the member churches of Action of Churches Together in Scotland
plus some others.
The office represents the interests and concerns of the Scottish
churches to the Scottish Parliament, and also helps keep churches informed of developments in Parliament. When first established the SCPO was based at St Columba's by the Castle Episcopal Church in Edinburgh
. The SCPO is now based at The Netherbow (the Scottish Storytelling Centre
) on Edinburgh
's Royal Mile
.
Many of the churches in Scotland
were strongly supportive of devolution
. Before the new Scottish Parliament building
at Holyrood
was completed in 2004 the Scottish Parliament met in the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland
.
The first Scottish Churches Parliamentary Officer (1999–2008) was the Revd Dr Graham Blount, who was formerly joint minister at Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church
. The present holder of the post (since 2009) is Ms Chloe Clemmons.
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
was established. The office is an ecumenical one, including all the member churches of Action of Churches Together in Scotland
Action of Churches Together in Scotland
Action of Churches Together in Scotland is a national ecumenical organisation of churches in Scotland, founded in 1990. It is the successor to the former Scottish Council of Churches...
plus some others.
The office represents the interests and concerns of the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
churches to the Scottish Parliament, and also helps keep churches informed of developments in Parliament. When first established the SCPO was based at St Columba's by the Castle Episcopal Church in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The SCPO is now based at The Netherbow (the Scottish Storytelling Centre
Scottish Storytelling Centre
The Scottish Storytelling Centre the world's first purpose built modern centre for live storytelling, located on the High Street in Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Scotland, United Kingdom. It was formally opened on 1 June 2006 by Patricia Ferguson MSP, Minister for Culture in the Scottish Executive...
) on Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
's Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
.
Many of the churches in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
were strongly supportive of devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
. Before the new Scottish Parliament building
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
at Holyrood
Holyrood, Edinburgh
Holyrood is an area in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Lying east of the city centre, at the end of the Royal Mile, Holyrood was once in the separate burgh of Canongate before the expansion of Edinburgh in 1856...
was completed in 2004 the Scottish Parliament met in the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
.
The first Scottish Churches Parliamentary Officer (1999–2008) was the Revd Dr Graham Blount, who was formerly joint minister at Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church
Falkirk Old Parish Church
Falkirk Old & St. Modan's Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland in Falkirk, central Scotland. The medieval Old Parish Church is located in the centre of Falkirk, and may have been founded as early as the 7th century. The medieval church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century,...
. The present holder of the post (since 2009) is Ms Chloe Clemmons.