In its report to the General Assembly, the Church of Scotland's Panel on Review and Reform will relay the interim findings of its consultation with congregations, ministers and Presbytery representatives as it tries to find ways to encourage the development of strategic planning in all areas of the Church.

At the 2006 Assembly, the panel encouraged congregations to determine their priorities for the next five years and undertook to listen to congregations with the purpose of ascertaining how effective the present superintendence scheme is, particularly in relation to strategic planning within organisations.

"At all levels of church life there are questions to be asked including 'Where are we going?' and 'How can my church serve the community in which it is located?'" said the Church of Scotland. "The Assembly will hear that it is easy to say 'take risks' and 'be imaginative' but in reality congregations ask how this can be done."

The Church of Scotland said that strategic planning was still an "uncomfortable concept" for many of its members. "A model that suits one part of the Church will not necessarily be appropriate in another," it said.

The response from 26 Presbyteries to a Church questionnaire has shown a diverse attitude to forward planning. A number of Presbyteries sought to encourage and support the planning process by maintaining on-going relationships with congregations rather than merely fulfilling the legislative requirement to visit as often as needed but no less than once over a five-year period.

The questionnaire through up a number of obstacles, however, including the resource-hungry nature of forward planning, the poor relationship between some congregations and their Presbyteries and the aversion for change by a number ministers.

The panel will ask the General Assembly to consider whether the Church is fully committed to the principle of a superintendence scheme.

Following the recommendation of the 2006 Assembly, the panel has consulted with congregations, interim moderators and ministers on the matter of vacancies. The Assembly will hear the panel elaborate on its observation that where there is good leadership, the period between the end of one ministry and the beginning of another can be a creative time that encourages growth amongst the congregation.

The major causes for concern, however, remain the cumbersome procedures which cause long delays in the early stages of a vacancy and the cost involved in a long vacancy. Analysis also shows that some congregations have unrealistic expectations of their interim moderators and that Presbyteries need to be more supportive of vacant congregations who may feel vulnerable during the vacancy.

The panel concludes its report by "wholeheartedly endorsing initiatives which encourage creative leadership, visionary thinking and planning that will take forward God's plan," the Church of Scotland said.