9 February 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Announces the Rev. Graeme Craig as Moderator-Designate for 23-26 May 2011 General Assembly

[2] Free Church of Scotland Minister Resigns Ministry over Introduction of Hymns and Instrumental Music into Worship Services

[3] UK Used UK£1.85 Million of World Poverty Funds to Pay for Roman Pontiff’s September 2010 Visit

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[1] Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) Announces the Rev. Graeme Craig as Moderator-Designate for 23-26 May 2011 General Assembly

The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) (FCSC) announced 3 February 2011 that the Rev. Graeme Craig has been named as moderator-designate for the 23-26 May 2011 General Assembly meeting.

Since 2009, Pastor Craig has served the FCSC of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Pastor Craig has first served as minister on the Ardnamurchan peninsula and later in Lochalsh & Glenshiel FCSC where he also took responsibility for Genelg and Arnisdale FCSC.

In the struggles which engulfed the Free Church of Scotland (FCS) in the years prior to 2000, due to the unwillingness of the Assembly majority to carry out church discipline responsibilities, Mr. Craig played a pivotal support role for those loyal to the constitutional position of the historic FCS, ensuring that those of them who were members of Assembly had ready access to accurate and relevant information. In recognition of the abilities shown during that critical period, when the FCS divided in January 2000 into the FCSC and the FCS, Mr. Craig was appointed Assistant Clerk of the General Assembly of the FCSC.

Pastor Craig has an honours degree in Geology and, contrary to some public perceptions of geologists, has a special interest in “young earth creationism” and the creation-evolution debate. Very much opposed to the secular, scientific materialism agenda being promoted through the education system and the media, he occasionally writes exposing the folly of such things. He sees many of society’s problems due to the rejection of biblical truth and the acceptance of pseudoscience,
pseudo-psychology and false relativistic morality. He believes that the Church needs to recover confidence and point this out in world.


+ Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Rev. John MacLeod, Free Church Manse, Portmahomack, Ross-shire, Scotland, principalclerk@fccontinuing.org

+ Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2LS, 0131-226-5286, Fax: 0131-220-0597, catherine@freechurchofscotland.org.uk



[2] Free Church of Scotland Minister Resigns Ministry over Introduction of Hymns and Instrumental Music into Worship Services

A 2 February 2011 article in the Hebrides News titled “Minister quits Free Church over Hymns Row” reports that the Rev. Kenneth Stewart of the Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland (FCS) in Glasgow, Scotland, has resigned his post as an FCS minister and is seeking to sever his links with the FCS over Pastor Stewart’s disagreement with the 2010 decision of the FCS to introduce hymns and instrumental music into worship services.

Pastor Stewart believes that last year’s decision to end exclusive a capella psalmody in FCS church worship services is unconstitutional, breaks his ordination vows, and that the FCS is abandoning its constitutional heritage. With there being little chance of the decision being reversed, Pastor Stewart believes that he has no option but to depart. Pastor Stewart additionally believes that the manner of the radical vote breaches church law and went against the advice of the FCS Assembly Clerks.

For further background information, please see the 24 November 2010 Presbyterians Week article [1] Backlash Begins over Free Church of Scotland Decision to Allow Hymns and Musical Instruments in Worship Services, and an Anglican Tradition Begins in Edinburgh, the 19 November 2010 - Special Edition Presbyterians Week article [1] Free Church of Scotland Overturns 105 Years of Exclusive Unaccompanied Psalmody; and the 17 November 2010 Presbyterians Week article [8] Free Church of Scotland Expected to Retain Exclusive Psalmody.


+ Hebrides News, Box 100, Stornoway, Scotland HS1 2YZ, info@hebrides.biz

+ Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2LS, 0131-226-5286, Fax: 0131-220-0597, catherine@freechurchofscotland.org.uk


[3] UK Used UK£1.85 Million of World Poverty Funds to Pay for Roman Pontiff’s September 2010 Visit

A 3 February 2011 STV article titled “Poverty Fund Helped Pay for Pope's Visit, Says Committee” reports that several members of the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament claim that the UK Government diverted UK£1.85 Million earmarked for world poverty relief to help pay for the September 2010 visit of the Roman Pontiff.

The Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council convener the Rev. Ian Galloway commented: “If we take money out of that fund for what is clearly not an international aid purpose, then it is the poorest who pay the price – and that is unacceptable.”


+ STV, Pacific Quay, Glasgow G51 1PQ, Scotland, 0141-300-3704, yourview@stv.tv

+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722

+ The Vatican, Città del Vaticano, Rome, Italy, 39-6-69-88-35-11, Fax: 39-6-69-88-54-47, Contact Page