A CONGREGATION that quit the Church of Scotland over gay ordination has denied any wrongdoing in setting up a trust fund for its parishioners' donations ahead of its departure.
The 500-strong former St George's Tron congregation in Glasgow opted to pay into the trust fund after the breakdown in relations with the Kirk.
Rev Dr William Philip and his flock became the first full con-gregation to quit the Kirk over its stance on allowing gay ministers in June, following the appointment of Rev Scott Rennie – who is in a same sex relationship – to a post in Aberdeen.
The Herald understands the Church of Scotland's call to watchdog the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator raises "a number of concerns about the action of various persons at St George's Tron while they were trustees of the Church of Scotland St George's Tron charity". A Kirk spokesman said that "among other things, it appears many of the assets of the Church of Scotland congregation, including large sums of money, may have been transferred to the Epaphras Trust, an organisation which shared a number of trustees with the former congregation".
The Kirk said the congregation also left behind unpaid contributions to central funds and to the Presbytery of Glasgow, together with an outstanding loan to the General Trustees, amounting to almost £1 million.
A spokesman for the former Tron congregation, who will now worship at prayer halls in Bath Street after an emotional last service in the church, said members chose to pay into the trust fund to pay for ministry work such as its social work arm.
He said: "As our fellowship with the Church of Scotland ended members chose to give their funds not to the central funds (of the Kirk) but to the trust."
It is thought the congregation raised about £500,000 a year.
The Church said items removed include chairs and audio visual equipment, which was put in as part of a £2.6m refurbishment. Sheriff's officers served papers on the minister to recover church property.
The Kirk is seeking to appoint a new minister for the Tron but it is unclear if the building will remain closed on Christmas Day or if a service will be held. In an effort to settle matters amicably with the congregation, the Church said it had sisted previous legal action to recover congregational records.
The Very Rev William Hewitt, a former Moderator of the General Assembly, is Session Clerk of the "on-going" Church of Scotland congregation.
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