The annual Presbyterian General Assembly, which opens this evening, generally reflects the mood of the Church at large.

The current mood is one of anger and frustration, which has built up steadily since the troubled Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) had its funds frozen last autumn. This was caused by, among other things, the credit crunch, and by the fact the Society’s 10,000 members were not given the limited protection afforded to other savers by the London and Dublin Governments.

The leaders of the other main Churches in Ireland have now asked the Stormont Executive and the Westminster Government to “take urgent action to resolve these difficulties”. The required “action” is not specified, but the Church leaders are noting that the members of the PMS are not protected in the same way as other savers. The inference is obvious. The outgoing Moderator, the Rt Revd Dr Donald Patton, and other leading Presbyterians, have also asked the Prime Minister for help, but this has not been forthcoming. Outside observers will take different views. Some will argue that those who placed their money in the PMS were taking risks and that they should face the consequences.

There is the added factor that the Society was open to Presbyterians only, and therefore it was an “exclusive” institution. Other people may argue that members of the Society deserve at least the same protection as that given to other savers. The degree of anxiety among PMS members can be gauged by the unprecedented protests that are planned to take place outside Church House later today. These may

well be reminiscent of the queues of people outside the branches of Northern Rock when it experienced a run on its funds. There is nothing quite like a group of people queuing or protesting outside a financial institution or a Church’s headquarters to bring home the seriousness of the situation.

Many Presbyterian congregations and individuals have lost money in the PMS, and there are a cases of real hardship. The fact remains, however, that unless the Government decides to provide help, there seems little that the PMS members can do. The matter will be discussed on Tuesday, but it is doubtful if members can ask technical questions about the Society’s business operations, as the PMS and the Presbyterian Church are separate legal entities.

Many members are angry at the way in which the Church handled the crisis early on, when it seemed to distance itself from those in financial trouble. Since then the Church mounted a stronger campaign to help savers, but for many the damage had already been done. This frustration and anger may well surface during Tuesday’s debate, and the General Assembly should clearly underline the Church’s continuing sympathy and concern, even if it may not provide a solution. Finance, however, is only one big issue. Others to be considered include education and the Church’s attitude to the controversial Eames-Bradley report of the Consultative Group on the Past.

The Presbyterian Church, like other churches, has played an important pastoral role during the Troubles, but it will be judged primarily this week on how it responds to it own troubled members in their time of need.