Congregation leaves Church of Scotland over homosexuality dispute
A Glasgow Kirk has held its last service in its current building after splitting from the Church of Scotland over its decision on the ordination of practising homosexual ministers.
St George’s Tron Church announced its decision to leave the Church of Scotland in June after a vote at the Kirk's General Assembly concerning practising homosexual clergy.
Seize
The split has led to a bitter dispute over assets, with sheriff’s officers controversially attempting to seize Bibles, hymn books and a piano during a prayer meeting last Wednesday.
The church’s congregation, which has over 500 members, described the move as “heavy handed,” having contributed nearly £3 million in total towards refurbishments to the building.
St George’s Tron Minister Rev Dr William Philip fears that he may also be forced to leave the manse before Christmas after legal papers were served on his wife last week.
Walked away
Agnes Brough, the children's and youth worker at the church, said: “We as a congregation feel very strongly that the Church of Scotland has walked away from God's word and we weren't prepared to walk away with them.
“So, as a church family, we voted to walk away from the Church of Scotland and sought to find some way that we could continue to make good use of this building.
“We're a big congregation, there are lots of things going on, not only on Sundays but all week, and we really wanted to continue serving the city of Glasgow from here”.
She added: “We had been planning a phased exit from the building. We've been served with court papers - that was upsetting.
“We've got really mixed emotions because we're sad to leave a building that means a lot to us, and more importantly, was a useful building - we'd spent money to make it useful.
“But we do go forward with confidence, we've got somewhere we could meet in the meantime. It'll be a squash, it'll be uncomfortable but we're willing to do take for the sake of the Lord Jesus”.
Marginalised
Rev Dr William Philip, the minister of St George's Tron, described the decision of the Church of Scotland to ordain practising homosexual ministers as having “marginalised the Bible, the written word of God.”
He said: “The heart of the matter is what it means to follow Jesus. It means struggling against sin, taking up your cross and leaving behind the material desires of this world. It's not a call to asceticism, but Jesus must come first”.
The congregation will now meet in 25 Bath Street and will be known as the Tron Church.
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