PILOT parishes are to be launched to test new ways of spreading power and pastoral care in the Church of Scotland as it attempts to weather a 'serious storm' of challenges to its future.

A declining membership, an ageing leadership, a shortage of ministers and a disengagement from church by younger generations has forced the Kirk to overhaul its local leadership structures.

The organisation said it is facing "a serious storm which necessitates change" in the biggest shake-up of Kirk sessions and presbyteries for centuries.

The Church's Panel on Review and Reform is to move to identify 20 pilot congregations where decision-making structures and responsibilities could be reconsidered.

It could lead to elders conducting funerals and services to avoid merging with neighbouring parishes .

Panel convener Donald Campbell presented the ground-breaking report to the assembly which will also examine the way the Church makes decisions.

He said in the report: "Over the last 25 years, the Church of Scotland has largely followed a policy of unions and readjustments to maintain a situation where each parish is served by a full-time minister of Word and Sacrament.

"However, with the projected fall in the number of ministers - around 25 per cent to 30 per cent within the next five years - continuing to match the number of parishes to the number of available ministers would require most churches to enter into a union or multiple link."

Many in rural presbyteries have pushed for a move away from merging parishes.

A rigorous assessment process for ministers and Kirk sessions - currently local administration bodies - would be used to choose the 20 pilot congregations.

This would be followed by a two to three year period which would "focus on developing and equipping local leaders to reshape the congregation's work according to its locality".

Mr Campbell also said: "The impression given at the consultations was that presbyteries in city and urban areas would prefer to keep roughly the number of congregations currently in presbytery plans, albeit it with a little readjustment where local parties agree, with new leadership positions created at a local level in order to sustain and build local congregations.

"There is a growing need to involve others in sharing the responsibilities carried by ministers as the number of ministers declines.

"The two areas highlighted most frequently in this respect are leading worship and conducting funerals.

"During consultations with presbyteries, it was clear that people could discern elders or others who might share these responsibilities provided appropriate training was given which would be accessible and relevant."

The assembly agreed to the pilot plans and also to consider changes to decision-making.

Rev Neil Meyer, Kintore, Gordon Presbytery, said: "The principle (current structure's) weakness is that it is fundamentally binary and adversarial.

"Every time we deal with something controversial we have to be adversarial about it."

Rev Paraic Reamonn, of St Andrew's, Presbytery of Jerusalem, said that the decision made on allowing gay clergy in civil partnerships could have been made earlier under one majority vote but that the current structure allowed greater discussion.

Syria and Lebanon Rev Ibrahim Nseir said that Christian churches in Syria are in need of urgent support.

He highlighted the kidnapping and killing of priests and bishops.

Rev Ram Kumar Budhathoki, of Nepal Ebenezer Bible College, was with his congregation when hit by recent earthquakes.

He said: "Around 8,500 people have lost their lives, 20,000 are seriously injured.

"The survivors are traumatised. We have lost buildings and seeds are lost under the mud. We want your prayer and need practical support to rebuild the country.

"Please send us your help and encouragement. Please continue to keep yourselves informed about what is happening."