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Ayr Free Church Presbytery was part of the structure of the Free Church, which was formed at the Disruption in 1843. It contained more than 20 member churches, all of them within the county of Ayrshire, and itself formed part of the synod of Glasgow and Ayr. In 1900 the Free Church merged with the United Presbyterians to form the United Free Church. The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland of 1581 set down a pattern of presbyteries, and an Act of the Scottish parliament (c. 8, 1592) which finally established the Presbyterian system in Scotland made reference to the powers of the Presbytery. The Presbytery superintended the kirk sessions and ecclesiastical activity within its boundaries, and also elected the ministers and elders who are to attend the Synod. As a court presbyteries had the power of review of decisions taken by kirk sessions or congregations.The Presbytery included amongst its tasks the oversight of records (eg kirk session minutes, accounts, communion rolls) produced by each Kirk Session. When a congregation lacked a minister, the Presbytery ensured that its spiritual needs were fully met, fulfilling its responsibility for the spiritual well-being for all parishes within its bounds.
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