ST MICHAEL’S PARISH CHURCH • LINLITHGOW • EH49 7AL
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MINISTER: REV DR STEWART GILLAN BSc MDiv PhD
St Michael’s Parish Church is recognised as a Scottish Charity No SCO16185
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100 years ago
Thurs. 27th Feb. 1908 “The Session desire (the Hall Keeper) Mr. Gilmour to understand that he is paid £10 per Annum for taking Charge of the Hall and that he is to make no charge against any of the parties using the Hall whether belonging to the Church or not, but must be contented with such gratuity, if any, as those using the Hall may be disposed to give. It was agreed to pay his Salary monthly.”
[Intriguing to speculate what prompted this ‘rebuke’ from the Session…!]
“The Clerk produced to the Meeting Disposition by Dr. Robert McNair in favour of Pew no. 68 (part of) which had been purchased at the price of £16, of which the Session approved.”
[Interesting contrast -
Fri. 17th Apr. 1908 “On the Motion of the Clerk, it was unanimously resolved to Minute the Session’s Congratulations to the Moderator (Dr Ferguson), on the occasion of his having had Conferred upon him the Degree of D.D. by the University of Glasgow.”
50 years ago
Tues. 11th Mar. 1958 “The Moderator intimated, having called this meeting of the Kirk Session on the advice of the Presbytery clerk, and the Session having approved of his actions, he thereupon announced his intention to demit his charge as minister of St. Michael’s for reasons of health and on a soul and conscience medical certificate (produced), the proposed date of the vacancy being as from and including 1st July 1958. Mr Crichton, senior elder, and on behalf of the Session, expressed deep regret at this announcement, sympathy with the Moderator and his family, tribute to the Moderator’s leadership, courage and dignity during his nineteen years as minister of St. Michael’s, and the hope of improvement in health. The Moderator deeply touched, returned thanks.”
[A sad day, and one which inevitably set in train a number of vacancy procedures as the church set about seeking to find a new minister.]
25 years ago
Tues. 18th Jan. 1983 Ceiling Appeal “…the amount of grant would be one third of the eligible work to a maximum of £20,000….It was noted that the work, which was to commence shortly, would take approximately 6 months to complete and the church would not be open to the public whilst work was in progress….Current balance in the Ceiling Fund was £45,981 and it was hoped that this would meet the required costs along with the anticipated grant.”
Tues 15th Feb. 1983 “A request from Linlithgow Players to present a T.S. Elliot play “Murder in the Cathedral” at the end of May in St. Michael’s church in aid of the Ceiling Restoration Fund was approved.”
[So, the recent “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was not a first full-
JUST A MINUTE
A TRAWL THROUGH THE ANNALS OF KIRK SESSION
By Donald Burgess