IMPENDING VACANCY AT BELHAVEN WITH SPOTT

The following is the text of an intimation which was read out today (Sunday) to the congregations of Belhaven and Spott  -

"In view of the impending demission of the Revd Laurence Twaddle, minister of Belhaven with Spott, the Vacancy Procedure Committee of the Presbytery of Lothian has agreed release Mr Twaddle from his charge, (2) to declare that this charge will become vacant on 1 May 2017, being the day following the date of his proposed departure (or sooner if applicable), (3) to appoint the Revd David D Scott, minister of Traprain, as interim moderator in the vacancy, (4) to permit the congregation to call a minister without restriction, (5) to appoint the Revd Dr David Graham (plus an elder of his choosing) and the Revd John Vischer to serve as members of the Advisory Committee, and (6) that the Nominating Committee should consist of thirteen communicant members of the congregations, apportioned between the congregations pro rata according to the numbers on their electoral registers unless both kirk sessions agree on a different proportion.

If you are satisfied with these decisions, you need take no action and they will in eight days time be treated as though Presbytery itself (rather than merely its Vacancy Procedure Committee) had made them.   If, on the other hand, you are a communicant member of this congregation, or a full member of Presbytery, and would like Presbytery itself to consider the matter at its next meeting, you should write to the Presbytery Clerk requesting this.   If he receives four such letters, the request will be met, in which case Presbytery will consider the matter when it meets on 24 November."

As previously, if you ARE happy with the decisions, please be kind enough NOT to tell me so.   If you know of any member of Presbytery in your congregation who doesn't do e-mail, please could you kindly pass the gist of this message on to him/her/them.

With every good wish,

John

John D McCulloch, Clerk to the Church of Scotland Presbytery of Lothian