At Bishopton and within the Cornerstone there, the fourteenth day of June 2011, the Presbytery of Greenock and Paisley met as appointed and was constituted with prayer.
SEDERUNT
Rev Robin Allison, Moderator, with 38 ministers, 54 elders, 2 deacons and 8 corresponding members, as recorded separately.
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from 8 ministers, 16 elders, 2 deacons and 1 corresponding member, as recorded separately.
MINUTES
The minutes of the ordinary meeting of May 10th 2011 and the minute of the union and induction at Greenock: Lyle Community Kirk on June 2nd 2011 being in print and in the hands of members were taken as read and approved.
APPOINTMENT OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING
The next meeting was approved as September 13th 2011 in Elderslie Church.
ORDER OF BUSINESS
The order of business was approved as printed
NOTICES
Notices, which were in the hands of members, were presented by the Clerk who highlighted those necessary.
LEAVE TAKING REV IAN BELL
Rev Ian Bell took leave of Presbytery following his retirement from Erskine church on June 1st. There spoke on behalf of the congregation Mr Angus Cochrane. Mr Bell replied in suitable terms. The Moderator thanked him for his dutiful service to Presbytery wished him well for a long and happy retirement.
LEAVE TAKING REV DAVID THOM
Rev David Thom took leave of Presbytery ahead of his demission from Paisley: Stow Brae Kirk to take up a post with the Presbyterian Church of Canada in July. There spoke on behalf of the congregation Mrs Elaine Humbles. Mr Thom replied in suitable terms and the Moderator wished him well in his new post.
REPORT OF DILIGENCE AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY
On behalf of all Presbytery’s Commissioners to the 2011 General Assembly, the Clerk reported diligence.
REPORT FROM GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The Clerk gave a brief report of the main decisions made at the General Assembly this year. He encouraged Presbyters to visit the Church of Scotland website and note the statement made by the Moderator on the Special Commission on same sex relationships and the Clergy.
REPORT FROM YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Euan Patterson gave an interesting account of his time at the General Assembly. He had been glad of the opportunity to attend and hoped he would be able to repeat the experience.
PRESENTATION OF LEADING WORSHIP CERTIFICATES
The Moderator congratulated the following people who had recently completed the training course enabling them to conduct worship within their own congregation; Linda Dye, Agnes Brown, Susan Palmer/…..
Palmer, Lorna Moran and Kenny Rankin at Barrhead: Bourock and Julie Smith, Andrew Dinnett, Caron Macpherson, Lorraine Allan, Roderick MacKenzie, Colin Clews, Jean Hosie, Colin McNaught, Winnie Duncan and Dorothy Johnson at Paisley: Sherwood Greenlaw.
He presented those present with a certificate;
GREETINGS TO MINISTERS OUTWITH THE BOUNDS
On behalf of Presbytery, the Moderator extended greetings to Messrs Chestnut, Cubie, J C MacColl, Page and Mrs MacLaine who lived outwith the bounds of Presbytery and instructed the Clerk to write to them in this regard.
THANKS TO RETIRING ELDERS
The Moderator thanked for their service those elders who were retiring from Presbytery at this time, and offered them God’s blessing in their future service for the Church. He also thanked Rev Lorna Hood who was standing down as Convener of the Business Committee, having served in that capacity for 5 years.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
VACANCY PROCEDURE COMMITTEE
Rev Alan Sorensen, Convener, presented the report from the Vacancy Procedure Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
The congregation of Erskine had been cited to appear in their interest.
Presbytery:
1. Receives the report;
2. Erskine:
a) Notes that in the former Presbytery Plan it was agreed that the charge of Erskine would continue to have one minister in full status.
An addendum was proposed and seconded which the Convener accepted and section a) was amended to read as follows: a) notes that in the former Presbytery Plan it was agreed that the charge of Erskine would continue to have one minister on the basis of unrestricted tenure.
b) Notes that in preparation of the new Presbytery Plan this is still expected to obtain, and
c) Grants permission to Erskine to call a minister without restriction under Act V (1984) subject to the concurrence of the Ministries Council.
3. Stow Brae
a) Notes that the Rev. David Thom has been elected as minister at Knox, Presbyterian Church, Ottowa, Canada and that a call to Mr Thom has been received and
b) Agrees to release the Rev. David Thom from his charge, further noting that Mr Thom remains as minister at Stow Brae Kirk until the 11th July 2011.
4. Paisley: Oakshaw Trinity.
a) Notes that the Kirk Session voted by 50 votes to 4 to request that the Ministries Council appoint an Interim Minister to the congregation.
b) Supports this request and
i. instructs the Vacancy Procedure Committee to offer such advice or assistance/…….
assistance to any interim minister appointed as may be requested.
ii. instructs the Clerk to send an extract minute in these terms to the Ministries Council.
5. Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay
a) Notes that the Committee envisages a linkage between Skelmorlie & Wemyss Bay and Inverkip and that this is the configuration anticipated by the Presbytery Plan Review Committee as the new Presbytery Plan is devised.
b) Notes that the Kirk Session of Skelmorlie & Wemyss Bay has indicated a willingness to enter into a linkage with the vacant charge of Inverkip
c) Notes that while the Kirk Session of Inverkip have indicated that they are willing in principle to discuss linking with Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay they are at present unwilling to enter into such discussions until the permission to call which Presbytery granted expires in December 2011.
d) Agrees to grant Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay permission, effective from 1st July 2011, to call a minister on a five year Reviewable Tenure on the basis of deferred linkage subject to the provisions of Act IV, 1984 and subject to the concurrence of the relevant agency of the Ministries Council should the Kirk Session of Inverkip decline to enter into discussions on the creation of a linked charge.
e) Agrees that in the event of Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay and Inverkip agreeing to a linkage, permission to call a minister without restriction would be granted, again subject to the provisions of Act IV, 1984 and subject to the concurrence of the relevant agency of the Ministries Council.
f) Presbytery sists proceedings in this vacancy pending the concurrence of the relevant agency of the Ministries Council of the Church of Scotland, as set out in Act IV, 1984
6. Paisley: St. James’s
a) Notes that the Rev. Isobel Birrel preached as sole nominee for the vacant charge on 15th May 2011 and was elected with seventy votes “FOR” and twenty-six votes “AGAINST” and that a call, containing the names of seventy members and adherents along with a page containing six names of regular worshippers who concur with the call has been presented to the Vacancy Procedure Committee, along with the accompanying documentation and a letter from Mrs. Birrel accepting the call and giving the usual assurances.
b) Notes with concern that of the 96 who heard her preach and voted on 15th May 2011 only 61 signed the call and 35 did not.
c) Notes with concern the relatively large proportion of the congregation including almost one third of the Kirk Session who did not sign the call
d) Notes with concern that the call and the accompanying documents contain some irregularities which by themselves might have rendered the election invalid
e) Notes
i. that Mrs. Birrel was signed off from work on the date on which she preached as sole nominee,
ii. that she did not receive “the express permission of the presbytery” of Hamilton of which she is a member, or of this presbytery, to return to work for this purpose,
iii. that /…..
that this permission is required in the Minister’s Handbook,
iv. that she was thus ineligible to preach as sole nominee on that date.
f) Agrees not to sustain the call to the Rev. Isobel Birrel in terms of Act VIII (2003) Sect.28 and instructs the Clerk to write to her and the Ministries Council conveying this decision
g) Discharges the Nominating Committee at St. James’s under Act VIII, 2003, Sect. 26, B; instructs the congregation to elect a new Nominating Committee; and grants the congregation 12 months from this date before permission to call will be reviewed.
h) Instructs the Vacancy Procedure Committee to appoint a new Advisory Committee to meet with the Kirk Session of Paisley: St. James’s
i) Notes that the electoral register attested in connection with the election is at variance by almost 50%, with the Annual Statistical Returns lodged before and after its attestation and with the congregational numbers published in the Parish Profile and refers this anomalous situation to the Presbytery’s Superintendence Committee
BUSINESS
Rev Lorna Hood, Convener, presented the report of the Business Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1. Receives the report;
2. Notes the sick leave of Rev James Cowan;
3. Notes with great sadness the death of the Rev Nan Low on June 6th 2011 after a long illness. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband Iain as well as other members of her family;
4. Notes that the Presbytery Clerk will retire at the end of September 2011 and appoints a sub committee of Rev Ritchie Gillon (Convener), Rev Andrew MacLean, Mrs Linda Dye and Rev Dr Ken Forrest to recruit a suitable replacement;
5. Grants a practising certificate to Rev Gordon Armstrong, Rev Bill Armstrong, Rev Ian Bell, Rev John Campbell, Rev Alastair Cherry, Rev Morris Coull, Rev Ian Fraser, Rev Frank Gardner, Rev Douglas Hamilton, Rev David Kay, Rev Maureen Leitch, Rev Bernard Lodge, Rev Bill McKaig, Rev Marilyn MacLaine, Rev Janet MacMahon and Rev Margaret Whyte in accordance with Act II 2000 and notes they will retain their seat in Presbytery;
6. Approves the Roll of Presbytery as contained in appendix 1;
7. Notes the Presbytery committee membership for the coming year as contained in appendix 2;
8. Grants permission for the congregations of Kilmacolm Old and Kilmacolm St Columba to hold a joint service in the Old Kirk on 3 and 10 July and in St Columba Church on 17 and 24 July;
9. Approves the application from Rev Margaret Whyte to transfer membership to the Presbytery of Greenock & Paisley as she is now residing within the bounds;
10. Thanks Rev Eileen Manson for her service at Greenock East End New Charge Development and discharges her from that position;
11. Appoints Rev Robin Allison as Interim Moderator at Paisley: Stow Brae Kirk from July 11th 2011/……
11th 2011 during the vacancy;
12. Thanks Rev Graham Nash for his diligent work in preparing and presenting the Overture from the Presbytery of Greenock & Paisley to the recent General Assembly;
13. Encourages applications to the spiritual care team at the University of the West of Scotland;
14. Appoints Rev Graham Nash as the Presbytery representative on the Commission of Paisley St Ninian’s (NCD);
15. Appoints Very Rev Bill Hewitt and Mr John Hawthorn to represent Greenock & Paisley at the Commission of Assembly for the coming year;
16. Appoints Mr Bill Wishart as the Presbytery representative on the committee to elect the Moderator of the General Assembly;
17. Grants permission for Neilston to worship in the hall on Sunday 14th August to accommodate a holiday club service;
TREASURER
Rev Alistair Cook, Treasurer, presented a report and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
Receives the report;
1. Agrees to the transfer of the Watt House Fund, standing at £37,337.14 presently, to the Church of Scotland Housing and Loan Fund to be used towards providing a house for a retired minister, preferably having a connection with Greenock & Paisley Presbytery.
STEWARDSHIP & FINANCE
Rev Ken Forrest, Convener, presented the report from the Stewardship & Finance Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1. Receives the report;
2. Attests that the 2010 accounts of the congregations listed in appendix 3 fulfil the General Assembly’s Regulations anent Congregational Finance and the requirements of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) regulations;
3. Instructs the Clerk to contact the treasurers of the congregations advising them of the attestation of their accounts and informing them that they may now send their accounts to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator;
4. Instructs the Clerk in conjunction with the Presbytery’s Stewardship & Finance Convener, to complete the pro forma advising the Department of Stewardship & Finance of the status of all congregational accounts within its remit on 30 June 2011;
5. Notes that the threshold for Receipts and Payments Accounts has been increased to £250,000 from 1 April 2011;
A further section of deliverance was proposed and seconded as follows:
6./……
6. Notes there will be a Conference on 4th October 2011 to launch the National Stewardship Programme in our area and instructs each congregation to be represented by up to four persons.
Presbytery approved.
PROPERTY
The Convener, Mr Robert Nicol, presented the report of the Property Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1. Receives the Report;
2. Further to its instruction to the Property committee on 8th March, 2011, accepts the tender of Allied Surveyors in the sum of £12,600-00 plus VAT (Total £15,120-00) for the 2011 tranche of quinquennial property inspections;
3. Grants permission to the congregation of Kilbarchan : East to exceed the annual financial expenditure limit of £15,000, noting that this request has been occasioned by work required to the manse;
4. Approves in principle the demolition of the sanctuary, and the adaptations to the hall at Port Glasgow : Hamilton Bardrainney at an approximate cost of £110,000 including fees; and approving the application to the General Trustees for financial assistance;
5. Approves the proposal of the congregation of Erskine to replace lead flashings at windows with PVC flashings, the cost to be offset by the sale of the lead subject to the approval of the General Trustees;
6. Approves the proposal by Greenock : Westburn to carry out ceiling repairs, redecoration and sundry other works to the sanctuary at an approximate cost of £95,000; Funds are available;
7. Notes that Elderslie Kirk has now prepared a financial plan to fund the replacement of their halls, and that they are seeking conference with the General Trustees;
8. Approves the proposal of Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay to let the manse during the vacancy;
9. Grants powers to the Convener to act in property matters from 15th June 2011 until 30th August 2011 with instruction to report any action taken at the September meeting of Presbytery;
A further section of deliverance was proposed and seconded as follows:
10. Notes that the General Trustees intend revising the Congregational Property Register and have sent a copy of the draft new register to Presbyteries requesting comments in writing by 4th July and further instructs the Property Committee to forward the draft document to congregations seeking written comments to reach the Convener by 30th June 2011.
11.
Presbytery approved.
MISSION & DISCIPLESHIP/…..
MISSION & DISCIPLESHIP
Rev Ann McCool, Convener, presented the report of the Mission & Discipleship Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1. Receives the report;
2. Invites applications for 2 Delegates to the National Youth Assembly and notes these places will be funded by Presbytery;
3. Encourages attendance at the planned ‘You’re an Angel’ workshops
COMMUNITY INTERESTS
Rev Christine Murdoch, Convener, presented the report of the Community Interests Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1. Receives the report;
- Approves the allocation of the following grants:
- £550 (£300 from the Eventide Home fund and £250 from the Miss Lang Bequest Fund) to Adams House Church of Scotland Care Home, Elderslie;
- £550 to each of the following from the Miss Lang Bequest Fund - Paisley Child Contact Centre, Inverclyde Family Contact Centre, Starter Packs Inverclyde, “Talk it Over” post natal support group and the STAR Project;
3. Requests those who represent the Church of Scotland on the various Education Committees of the local authorities within the bounds of Presbytery, submit a written report to the Community Interests Committee.
WORLD MISSION & ECUMENICAL RELATIONS
Rev Dave McCarthy, Convener, presented the report from the World Mission & Ecumenical Relations Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1. Receives the report;
2. Gives thanks to God for the Together for a Change project and encourages churches in presbytery to pray for this and to consider what we may learn from it;
3. Encourages churches in presbytery to pray for Sudan, both north and south and in particular for the church in Sudan at this time of major political change.
ZIMBABWE
Rev David Stewart, Convener, presented the report of the Zimbabwe Committee and the following deliverance was approved:
Presbytery:
1./…..
1. Notes the twinning arrangement between Port Glasgow: St. Martin’s and Mbare Presbyterian Church and the possibility of a youth exchange in 2012.
ADJOURNMENT
Adjournment to meet on Tuesday September 13th for ordinary business in Elderslie Kirk.
Moderator
Clerk
