​The Presbytery fund two organ scholarships per year of £300 each. These scholarships will last for one year of three terms, each term consisting of ten half hour lessons. The starting date will be in September 2020.

Conditions:

• Candidates should have an active Church connection.
• Candidates should have reached approximately Grade V piano (or keyboard)
• Candidates will be required to play two contrasting pieces of their own choosing on the piano (or keyboard), before adjudicators appointed by a Presbytery sub-committee on a date and place to be arranged
• The selected scholars will be required to make their own travel arrangements to and from their weekly lesson, and to provide the recommended music.
• The successful candidates must have access to a two manual organ, with a full pedal board, for practice.

If interested please complete and return the application form which can be found within the resources section of this website

On Thursday 31 May 2018, the Presbytery of Hamilton met at the East Parish Church, Strathaven, to effect the Union of the four Congregations of Chapelton, Glasford, Strathaven: East and Strathaven: Rankin. The United congregation shall henceforth be known as Strathaven: Trinity, and will be led by the Rev. Shaw James Paterson, a former Presbytery Clerk, and the incumbent of Chapelton linked with Strathaven: Rankin. The united congregation will retain three places of worship, the two village churches of Chapelton and Glasford being used alongside the former Rankin building, in Lethame Road.. The latter will serve as the principal place of worship and the hub for the activities of the united congregation. The Rev. James M. Gibson of Bothwell Parish Church preached a sensitive, encouraging and challenging sermon, acknowledging the mixed feelings of joy in going forwards, and the grief felt by some members of the congregation over a place of worship that holds so many memories for them. The Moderator, Mrs Roberta Hutton, led the act of uniting the congregation and introduced the Rev. Shaw Paterson as minister of the united charge. She then led the Presbytery and congregation in the formal act of drawing the era of public worship in the East building to a close. The Clerk read a brief narrative of the story of the East Church, from its formation as a Relief Church in 1777 through to the present day, after which the Moderator offered thanks in prayer. As the congregation sang “Now thank we all our God” as a recessional hymn, the pulpit bible, baptismal bowl, communion plate, and offering platter, were carried from the Church by some of the Elders. The Presbytery and the congregation followed the Moderator out of the building for the last time, and at the foot of the steps all gathered around and exchanged “the Grace” before the Moderator pronounced the benediction. This act brought an era in the life of the Church in Strathaven to an emotional but meaningful end, whilst heralding a hope filled future. [The adjacent photograph shows the external gathering take from the elevated position of the main door of the Church.

From Monday 26 March 2018 Presbytery Office will be situated at:

Rex House

103 Bothwell Road

Hamilton

ML3 0DW

The telephone number is also changing.

We have been given a provisional number from BT which is:

01698 269384

The email address remains the same:

hamilton@churchofscotland.org.uk

During Thursday and Friday (22 and 23 March of this week) the phones and IT equipment will be moved and there will be periods when the landline and email/internet access is unavailable.

If you are unable to contact Presbytery office by the normal methods throughout these periods and have an urgent matter you wish to discuss with the Clerk please phone him on 07918 600720.

Airdrie is clearly the place to be! Only two weeks after the Induction of the Rev. Dr Peter Donald to Airdrie: Cairnlea linked with Calderbank, the town of Airdrie was further blessed with the arrival of a new minister in the person of the Rev. Hanna Rankine, spouse of the minister of Hamilton: Hillhouse. Hanna was latterly a graduate candidate with the Presbytery and accepted the Call to Airdrie: Clarkston at the end of last year. Her Ordination and Induction took place at Airdrie: Clarkston on Tuesday 13 March 2018, and Hanna is depicted her with the Moderator, Mrs Roberta Hutton, and the Presbytery Clerk, the Rev. Dr Gordon A McCracken.

The Rev Dr Peter Donald, formerly minister of Crown Church, Inverness, was inducted to the pastoral charge of Airdrie: Cairnlea linked with Calderbank, on Tuesday 27 February 2018. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Terry Moran, Minister at South Wishaw Parish Church, and presided over by Mrs Roberta Hutton, the first such occasion of her Moderatorial year. Dr. Donald comes with a great wealth of experience both as a Parish Minister and in the higher courts and committees of the Church, and his arrival will strengthen the capacity of the Presbytery to fulfil its wide-ranging responsibilities.