Wrong righted

WHILE we are grateful to The Scotsman for its regular insightful coverage of the Church of Scotland, we were surprised by your report (3 February) about a minority in a congregation opting to join another Church.

We very much appreciated prompt removal of the incorrect report from your website and later the uploading of a revised report.

For readers who saw only the original article, we would like to clarify that the minister and 133 out of 280 members of the congregation in Kirkmuirhill, South Lanarkshire, have elected to leave.

In many previous articles Rev Ian Watson has clearly indicated his unhappiness over the Church of Scotland’s decision to explore the possibility of ordaining ministers in same-sex relationships.

With the majority of members choosing to stay within the Church of Scotland, this brings to a close many months of discussion and upset within the congregation of Kirkmuirhill Parish Church.

It is the hope and prayer of the presbytery that the members of Kirkmuirhill Parish Church can now continue in the long tradition of worship, care and evangelism within the communities it serves.

John Chalmers

Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

Edinburgh