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Admin
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The United Presbyterian Church was formed in 1847 on the merger of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church. As a Presbyterian church the organisation of the United Presbyterian Church resembled that of the established Church of Scotland, being based on presbyteries and kirk sessions, but it had a synod which had the same powers as a General Assembly. The United Presbyterian Presbytery of Stirling superintended the kirk sessions and ecclesiastical activity within its boundaries, and also elected the ministers and elders who were to attend the synod. As a court presbyteries had the power of review of decisions taken by kirk sessions or congregations. Its membership comprised ministers and certain elders. The presbytery?s main officials were a moderator (effectively chairman), clerk and treasurer. Presbyteries met more or less monthly.The Presbytery included amongst its tasks the oversight of records (e.g. kirk session minutes, accounts, communion rolls) produced by each kirk session. Within each five-year period it will formally visit each congregation. When a congregation lacked a minister, then the Presbytery had an important role in ensuring that the spiritual needs of the congregation were fully met, fulfilling its responsibility for the spiritual well-being for all parishes within its bounds. Presbyteries had the duty of caring for the well-being of its ministers, and for those who were candidates for the ministry.In 1900 the Free Church of Scotland united with the United Presbyterian Church to become the United Free Church of Scotland. |