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Vacancy Diary
In view of the lengthy and detailed procedures which must be undertaken
to obtain a new parish minister, the undernoted summary of events may
serve to keep people aware of the requirements of the Church in this matter. Little is simple or straightforward!
31st May 1998. Rev.J.M.Wilson makes public his intention
to move to Altnaharra and Farr.
7th June 1998. Citation read
to congregation (first time). Request for Electoral Register update
made. Electoral Register typed, pending any update.
9th June
1998. First meeting of joint Kirk Sessions Steering Group to plan
actions.
14th June 1998. Citation read for second time, with
second request for Electoral Register updates. Invitation to attend
Presbytery meeting issued to congregation.
18th June 1998.
Parish Re-Appraisal Congregational Survey Form submitted to chairman of
Presbytery Committee on Parish Re-Appraisal.
19th June 1998.
Updating of Congregational Electoral Register.
21st June 1998.
Formal congregational meeting to make public the forthcoming translation
of our minister to Altnaharra.
25th June 1998. Presbyterial
meeting to formalise the ministerial translation and appoint an Interim
Moderator.
16th July 1998. Interim Moderator meets with Kirk
Session to discuss required actions.
19th July 1998 Electoral
Register prepared and tabled (first time)
26th July 1998
Electoral Register tabled (second time)
29th July 1998. Kirk
Session meets with Presbytery's Parish Re-appraisal Committee to discuss
the future of the parish grouping etc.
2nd August 1998
Electoral Register tabled (third time)
11th August 1998 Kirk
Session attests to accuracy of Electoral Register. Copy to Presbytery
Clerk.
16th August 1998 Edict of Vacancy read from Saltoun
pulpit.
23rd August 1998 Edict of Vacancy read from Bolton
pulpit.
31st August 1998 Second visit of Presbytery's Parish
Re-appraisal Committee (scheduled for August) does not take place. No
word from committee.
8th September 1998 Session Clerk writes
to Parish Re-appraisal Committee suggesting actions to expedite
matters.
12th September 1998 Convener of Re-appraisal
Committee replies, suggesting an unacceptable future for the parishes.
Session Clerk replies advising that Bolton and Saltoun will oppose
unacceptable proposals. Meeting runs out of time.
24th September
1998 Second meeting of Bolton and Saltoun with Parish Re-appraisal
Committee. The Kirk Session reiterates that any break-up of the parish
group, with Bolton and Saltoun re-linked elsewhere is unacceptable.
Re-appraisal Committee moves on to next item on its agenda - the forced
closure of Bolton church. Kirk Session grits its teeth and wearily goes
once again through all the irrefutable and unassailable reasons why this
is a disastrously bad idea. Meeting runs out of time (once
again).
1st October 1998 Presbytery advises that Kirk Session
must be "Called" twice from the pulpit before Re-appraisal Committee's
proposals are put to it. These "Callings" will take place on October 4th
and 11th. Meeting with the Re-appraisal Committee will be on October
15th, a week after original planned date.
4th October 1998
First "Calling" of the Kirk Session from Bolton pulpit.
11th
October 1998 Second "Calling" of the Kirk Session from Saltoun
pulpit.
15th October 1998 Next meeting of the Kirk Session
with Re-appraisal Committee takes place. The Kirk Session is much
relieved that the Re-appraisal Committee has taken on board its
arguments, and is recommending that Presbytery allow an Unrestricted
Call for a new minister to be made. The Committee remains unhappy about
two churches remaining in use, but recognises that this matter is now
outside its remit. Bolton church is thus (rather grudgingly) reprieved
yet again.
25th October 1998 The congregation is cited from
the pulpit to attend the November meeting of Presbytery "in its
interest". This is the first citation.
29th October 1998
Proposed congregational meeting is cancelled. There is now no need for
it.
1st November 1998 First citation calling the congregation to
attend a meeting to elect a Vacancy Committee was to have been made but
is cancelled, as Presbytery insists on full compliance with church
procedures before going ahead. Also, the second citation to the
congregation to attend the November meeting of Presbytery "in its
interest" is made from the pulpit.
5th November 1998
Presbytery meets to vote on the Parish Re-appraisal Committee's
proposals anent these parishes. Presbytery's proposals are remitted to
the Assembly Committee in Edinburgh for ratification (or
rejection!)
15th November 1998 The proposed meeting to elect a
Vacancy Committee is cancelled by Presbytery, as due procedures are not
yet exhausted.
20th November 1998 Unofficial information
reaches the parishes that the Assembly's Parish Re-appraisal Committee
concurs with the proposal of Presbytery, that a minister should be
called without restriction.
29th November 1998 The
congregation is cited from the pulpit to attend the December meeting of
Presbytery "in its interest". This is the only citation on this
occasion.
3rd December 1998 Presbytery officially receives the
Assembly Committee's verdict and transmits this to the
congregations.
8th December 1998 Joint Kirk Sessions meet in
Saltoun church with Presbytery's Advisory Committee. (Followed by
B&S Session meeting.)
27th December 1998 The congregation
is cited from the pulpit to attend a meeting on January 10th 1999, to
elect its share of the Vacancy Committee. This is the first
citation.
3rd January 1999 The congregation is cited from the
pulpit to attend a meeting on January 10th 1999, to elect its share of
the Vacancy Committee. This is the second citation.
10th January
1999 The congregation meets after the morning service to elect one
third of the Vacancy Committee. The parishes have now been, de facto,
vacant for seven months.
17th January 1999 The remainder
of the Vacancy Committee is elected, in Humbie and Yester.
20th
January 1999 The Vacancy Committee meets together with Presbytery's
Advisory Committee.
1st February 1999 The Vacancy Committee
meets to set about its business.
3rd February 1999 All Session
Clerks and Treasurers are summoned to meet the convener of Presbytery's
Ministry Committee, to prepare a Vacancy Schedule. It is unclear what
this is all about. [Later note: it proved to be a meeting
required by Church Law to provide Presbytery with information which
Presbytery already has. Mercifully it was a brief waste of time.]
15th February 1999 Parish Profiles are prepared, printed and
available for issue.
22nd February 1999 Progress meeting of
the Vacancy Committee.
22nd March 1999 Closing date for
applications to the Charge.
24th March 1999 Meeting of the
Vacancy Committee to scrutinise applications.
10th April 1999
Short-listed applicants are interviewed and shown round the
parishes.
12th April 1999 Meeting of the Vacancy Committee to
adjudge applicants.
April/May 1999 As Vacancy Committee
deliberations are all strictly confidential, the next item in this
(long) list will probably be an announcement that a prospective minister
is preaching as Sole Nominee in our churches. We all await that
day with eager anticipation.
8th May 1999 The Vacancy
Committee present to the Interim Moderator and to the Kirk Sessions
their proposal for a Sole Nominee to preach to the
congregations.
11th May 1999 A joint meeting of the three Kirk
Sessions is held in Saltoun church to agree details of a service at
which the Reverend Donald Pirie, Sole Nominee to these parishes, will
preach. Thanks are expressed to the Vacancy Committee.
12th May
1999 Forms for signature by the congregations are prepared and
printed, for placing in the churches after the ballot on May 30th. Other
logistical arrangements are made.
16th May 1999 Intimation is
made in all churches of the forthcoming appearance as Sole Nominee of
Rev.Donald Pirie to preach in Humbie, Bolton and Yester on May
30th.
23rd May 1999 A second intimation is made as above, with
exhortation to attend.
30th May 1999 The Reverend Donald Pirie
preaches in Humbie (0930), then Bolton (1045), then Yester (1200) while
successive votes are taken in the churches after his services. At 1500
hours the joint Kirk Sessions meet to oversee the count, at which the
Interim Moderator presides. An extract minute of this meeting,
containing the result of the ballot, is posted at all churches in the
Group.
31st May 1999 Pro-formae for signatories to the Call to
these parishes lie in the churches and elsewhere for eight days, in
order that the congregations may sign them. A large turnout is hoped
for.
4th June 1999 It becomes evident that most parishioners
believe that, having voted for the minister, nothing more is required of
them. The concept of "Signing the Call" is foreign to most. Very few
signatures appear on the "Call" sheets. A poster publicity campaign is
set up to persuade people of the arcane procedures involved, and that
failure to "Sign" will prolong the Vacancy.
6th June 1999
Citation is made in morning service to the congregation to attend upon
Presbytery "in its own interest" next Thursday, when Presbytery
deliberates on "The Call".
6th June 1999 An intensive
publicity campaign by the Session Clerk manages to get about ninety
names on the "Call" sheets, but it remains clear that the congregation
as a whole has no idea what this is all about. "I've voted. I've done
my bit. What more do you want?" is the general theme. There is a
subtext - "Why does the Church of Scotland have to make
everything as difficult as possible?" There is no answer to
this!
7th June 1999 All "Call" sheets are collected up and
delivered to the Interim Moderator. The signed Citation is returned to
the Presbytery Clerk.
10th June 1999 Presbytery meets to
discuss inter alia the Call of Reverend Donald Pirie by these
parishes. Representatives of the congregations are present. In the
event, Presbytery ratifies the congregations' choice and approves
Mr.Pirie.
6th July 1999 The Joint Kirk Sessions meet to arrange
the modalities of Induction. It transpires that this involves a full
service of five hymns, prayers, readings and a sermon (the whole nine
yards, in fact!), which will be followed by tea and a sticky bun in
Gifford village hall, followed in turn by a return to the church for
speeches, presentations, and much else. All this, it appears, is the
traditional format. Collections will now be taken up in the
congregations for a welcoming gift for Mr.Pirie.
11th July
1999 First intimation of congregational collection made, in Bolton
Church.
18th July 1999 Second intimation of congregational
collection made, in Saltoun Church.
1st August 1999 "Edictal
Intimation of Admission" to be read in Saltoun Church.
8th August
1999 "Edictal Intimation of Admission" to be read in Bolton
Church.
8th August 1999 The above document to be returned
immediately to the Presbytery Clerk.
12th August 1999 Service
of Induction for Mr.Pirie in Yester Church. Fourteen and a half months
have passed since Mr.Wilson announced his intention to move from these
parishes. The Church of Scotland cannot go on like
this!
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