Charity Number SC009095
Symington Kirk
We seek to inspire the people of the Parish and beyond with the Good News
of Jesus Christ through our enthusiastic, worshipping and serving congregation
FOCU
S
Spring
2006
-
-
The Presbytery of Lanark
Basis of Linking
Between
*Cairngryffe, Libberton & Quothquan and Symington
The
congregations
of
Cairngryffe
Parish
Church
(Church
of
Scotland)
(SC017001),
Libberton
&
Quothquan
Parish
Church
(Church
of
Scotland)
(SC016304)
and
Symington
Parish
Church
(Church
of
Scotland)
(SC009095)
will
be
linked
as
from
a
date
to
be
determined
by
the
Presbytery and that on the following terms and conditions
1.
Name
:
The
name
of
each
parish
will
remain
the
same
with
the
full
name
of
the
linked
charge
being
Cairngryffe
Parish
Church
linked
with
Libberton
&
Quothquan
Parish
Church
linked with Symington Parish Church.
2.
Territorial
Responsibility
:
The
bounds
to
be
served
by
the
linked
charge
shall
be
the
bounds
presently
served
by
the
existing
congregations,
or
as
the
Presbytery
shall
determine.
3.
Places
of
Worship:
The
three
churches
presently
used
by
the
congregations
shall
be
the
Places
of
Worship
of
the
linked
congregations.
Services
shall
be
held
each
Sunday
at
times
to
be
decided
by
the
Kirk
Sessions.
A
pattern
of
worship
will
be
agreed
upon
by
the
Kirk
Sessions
to
enable
the
minister
of
the
charge
to
lead
only
two
services
of
worship
on
any
given Sunday.
4.
Property
and
Funds:
The
property
and
funds
belonging
to,
or
held
on
behalf
of,
each
congregation shall remain the property and funds of each congregation as at present.
For
maintenance
and
listed
expenses
contributions
from
each
congregation
to
be
on
the
following
percentage
basis:
40%
by
Cairngryffe,
20%
by
Libberton
&
Quothquan
and
40%
by
Symington.
The
Kirk
Session
of
Cairngryffe
shall
pay
all
joint
expenses
and
reclaim
them
from
the
Kirk
Sessions
at
Libberton
&
Quothquan
and
Symington
at
regular
intervals.
The
arrangements
will
stay
in
place
until
they
are
superseded.
The
financial
arrangements
will
be
reviewed
annually.
The
amounts
will
be
agreed
jointly
by
the
financial
courts
of
each
congregation
and,
where
necessary,
the
Presbytery
of
Lanark
will
arbitrate.
Any
buildings
determined
by
the
Kirk
Sessions
to
be
surplus
to
the
requirements
of
the
charge
shall
be
sold,
let
or
otherwise
disposed
of,
subject
to
the
titles
on
which
they
are
held
and
subject
to
the
approval
of
the
Presbytery
and,
if
necessary,
the
General
Trustees
or
the
General
Assembly.
The
free
proceeds
of
any
such
sales
or
lets
shall
(a)
if
falling
within
the
scope
of
Act
VII
1995
be
credited
to
the
benefit
of
the
Congregation
in
the
Consolidated
Fabric
Fund,
or
(b)
if
not
falling
within
the
scope
of
the
said
Act,
to
be
held
and applied for Fabric purposes in connection with the properties of the congregation.
5.
Ministry:
The
linked
charge,
being
vacant,
shall
proceed
to
the
election
and
call
of
a
minister
under
the
terms
of
Act
IV,
1984
and
subsequent
all
necessary
permissions
being
granted
and
as
agreed
in
the
section
of
the
presbytery
Plan
approved
by
the
Presbytery
of
Lanark in June 2012.
6.
Nominating
Committee
:
The
numerical
composition
of
the
Nominating
Committee
shall
be
determined
by
the
Vacancy
Procedure
Committee
of
the
Presbytery
of
Lanark
in
terms
of Act VII, 2003 section 14, as amended.
7.
Kirk
Sessions:
The
minister
of
the
linked
charge
shall
be
the
Moderator
of
each
Kirk
Session. The three Kirk Sessions may meet together as they deem it desirable.
The
Kirk
Sessions
will
meet
in
joint
conference
at
least
twice
a
year.
Business
considered
at
joint
Kirk
Session
conferences
will,
in
accordance
with
the
General
Assembly
legislation,
become
the
subject
of
formal
decisions
at
the
next
meeting
of
each
Kirk
Session
separately.
8.
Congregational
Management:
The
congregations
of
Cairngryffe
and
Libberton
&
Quothquan
shall
continue
with
the
Unitary
Constitution
and
the
congregation
of
Symington
with
the
Model
Constitution.
Presbytery
can
be
asked
to
review
the
percentage
of
joint
costs
paid
by
each
of
the
congregations,
should
there
be
a
material
change in the circumstances of one or both, of the congregations.
9.
Manses:
The
manse
of
Cairngryffe
Parish
Church
and
Symington
Parish
Church
shall
be
the
manse
of
the
linked
charge.
The
manse
of
Libberton
&
Quothquan
(17
Mercat
Loan,
Biggar)
will
remain
in
use
as
a
manse
for
the
deacon
attached
to
the
Biggar
area
appointed
by
the
Ministries
Council.
Following
the
end
of
the
deacon’s
appointment
the
manse
will
be
sold,
let
or
otherwise
disposed
of
subject
to
the
approval
of
Presbytery
and
of
the
General
Trustees
or
General
Assembly.
The
free
proceeds
of
any
such
sale
or
let
shall
(a)
if
falling
within
the
scope
of
Act
VII
1995,
be
credited
to
the
benefit
of
the
congregation
in
the
Consolidated
Fabric
Fund,
or
(b)
if
not
falling
within
the
scope
of
the
said
Act,
be
held
and
applied
for
fabric
purposes
in
connection
with
the
properties
of
the
congregation.
For
the
avoidance
of
doubt,
the
shares
in
the
value
of
the
manse
at
17
Mercat
Loan,
Biggar
are
40%
by
Black
Mount,
32.5%
by
Culter
and
27.5%
by
Libberton
&
Quothquan.
10.
Ministerial
Support:
The
stipend
of
the
Charge
shall
be
paid
in
accordance
with
the
terms
of the National Stipend Scheme.
11.
Power
to
Adjust:
While
these
articles
shall
form
a
Basis
of
Linking
for
the
three
congregations
now
linking,
the
linked
congregations
shall
be
free,
like
other
congregations,
to
adjust
arrangements
under
authority
of
the
Presbytery
and
with
the
approval
of
the
Presbytery
Planning
Task
Group
of
the
Ministries
Council
as
need
may
arise.
