Charities demand that Glasgow rent rise is scrapped
Charities today demanded council bosses scrap crippling rent rises. Their umbrella body said it had serious concerns about plans by City Property to charge full market rents for offices and warehouses occupied by voluntary organisations. Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS) and the Third Sector Forum – which represent hundreds of groups – said [...]
Church of Scotland moves to make pensions scheme sustainable
Today’s tough economic reality has prompted urgent action from the Church of Scotland to make its pensions scheme sustainable. Pensions trustees explained to the Kirk’s General Assembly today that volatile financial markets and longer life expectancy mean the current system is no longer viable. Commissioners heard that the Kirk is sitting on a pensions deficit [...]
Loch Lomond church famous for celebrity weddings forced to cut back on number of ceremonies
A church which holds more marriages than any other in Scotland is set to cut back on weddings. Each year, more than 100 couples from around the world tie the knot at Luss Parish Church on the banks of Loch Lomond. Celebrity weddings in the past have involved Deal Or No Deal TV presenter Noel [...]
Church of Scotland employ ‘anti-bullying team’
The Church of Scotland has appointed eight “harassment officers” to tackle complaints of widespread workplace bullying. Kirk staff will also take part in anti-bullying workshops after it is revealed that a “surprisingly significant percentage” of staff are unhappy with their treatment at work. Church of Scotland officials at their HQ in Edinburgh took the extraordinary [...]
Tom Devine: Catholic leaders have created the rift between scholars and the Church
Letter to The Herald: Herbert Coutts writes that attacks on Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti by those opposed to the relocation of the Historic Archives from Columba House in Edinburgh “are becoming tedious” (Letters, April 13). I strongly beg to differ. It is the unconvincing attempts at defence of the archbishop and the overt special pleading [...]
Choir walks out after row with Edinburgh church
An unholy row has erupted at an Edinburgh church, prompting a walk-out by the choir. The choir, choirmaster and organist have all walked out of historic St Patrick’s Parish Church in the Cowgate following a bitter spat with church bosses. The choirmaster and organist are said to have found it “increasingly difficult” to work with [...]
Church of Scotland could look to book of mammon
The Church of Scotland is to be asked to adopt strategies used by corporate giants such as Shell and BP to help plan for its uncertain future. The Kirk is now looking at the corporate practice of scenario planning, in which a series of likely “futures” are formulated to allow the church to make contingency [...]
The dark story behind the self-styled victims of St George’s Tron
How did the leaders of the congregation of St George’s Tron Church in Glasgow, who have been plotting their exit from the Church of Scotland for close to two years, manage to present themselves as innocent victims of an oppressive and authoritarian Kirk? The story, in reality, is much darker, writes Ron Ferguson. In the [...]
Tears as Tron congregation leave church for last time
A Glasgow congregation which is leaving the Church of Scotland because of the Kirk’s stance on gay ministers held its last service in its building yesterday. The pews of St George’s Tron in Buchanan Street were busy as 500 worshippers came to hear its minister, the Rev Dr Willie Philip, deliver the final sermon. Speaking [...]
Congregation gives up six-month battle and leaves church
The congregation at the heart of a battle over the ownership of an iconic city church in Glasgow is to leave the building following a six-month stand-off with the Kirk. The dispute began when the congregation of St George’s Tron agreed to secede from the Church of Scotland over the Kirk’s decision to allow ministers [...]
