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The Church of Scotland
Presbytery of Aberdeen

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  Media Information

Presbytery Press Officer, 

The Rev Marian Cowie,
Tel: (01224) 208001
E-mail: MCOWIEOU@aol.com
February Presbytery Meeting:
Crown Street Alcohol Centre;  Visit by Moderator of General Assembly

At our Presbytery meeting tonight our Church and Society committee encouraged the Presbytery to express their regret and concern at the closure of the Crown Street Alcohol Centre. Regret that a service that had helped people with their alcohol addiction for some thirty years, and concern for their ongoing welfare when the service is withdrawn at the 1 April 2008. Assurances were given from two presbytery representatives from the Crown Street Board that the latter concern had been addressed by Grampian Health Board. Whilst Presbytery’s role was as landlord to the Charity it did not contribute to any further funding of salaries and the ongoing funding of the project. As Landlord it requested a ‘peppercorn’ rent which it never actually collected. This property was gifted to the Presbytery of Aberdeen in 1977 by the Temperance Association. It is alarming that this closure has come against the back cloth of increased levels of alcohol abuse in the North East. Only too recently the national news carried disturbing images of the consequences of alcohol abuse in our city centre. It was shocking viewing, and it is concerning that a community project is being withdrawn which might have provided professional and peer-support.

This coming weekend the Presbytery welcomes the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland: the Right Reverend Sheilagh Kesting. While here on duty the moderator will conduct a service in Rubislaw Church on Friday 8th at 7.30pm at which long service certificates will be presented to church people who have given at least thirty years service in an area of church life: whether that be as an elder – a choir member or Sunday School teacher.
On Saturday the moderator is invited to a lunch with ministers and elders from Aberdeen Presbytery and other invited guests from Aberdeen churches. This lunch is to be served in Midstocket Church Centre.

[6 February 2008]

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  CONGREGATIONS TO BE LINKED

Two churches in Aberdeen are to be linked later this month. Garthdee and Ruthrieston West congregations will be entering into a formal linkage at a special church service on November 29th. This is only the second such linkage in the history of the Church of Scotland in the city and the first at which both congregations are vacant so that a new minister can be called.

The linkage means that while both congregations will retain their independence in a number of key areas, they will be served by one minister. As a result, worship times will change to allow the minister to preach at two services each Sunday in the respective congregations.

After the Service of Linking, the congregations will form a joint Nominating Committee to begin the search for their first minister.

Speaking at the Presbytery meeting last night (Tuesday) the Parish Development Convener, Rev John Ferguson, said that it was hoped the linkage will be fruitful and that he two congregations will work closely together in the years to come.

[7 November 2007]

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