124-637: Paisley Abbey is a parish church of the Church of Scotland on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire , about 7 miles (11 kilometres) west of Glasgow , in Scotland . Its origins date from the 12th century, based on a former Cluniac monastery . Following the Reformation in the 16th century, it became a Church of Scotland parish kirk . It
248-537: A Lord High Commissioner unless they choose to attend in person; the role is purely formal, and the monarch has no right to take part in deliberations. The church is committed to its 'distinctive call and duty to bring the ordinances of religion to the people in every parish of Scotland through a territorial ministry' (Article 3 of its Articles Declaratory ). The church played a leading role in providing universal education in Scotland (the first such provision in
372-416: A bull of Pope Honorius in 1225–7, the churches of Kilmacolm and Houston are mentioned as "ecclesiae de Kilmacolme et de Villa Hugonis". In a later bull of Pope Clement IV in 1265, the churches belonging to Paisley Abbey are listed including the church of "Howston". Houston had long been a site of human settlement. In the 1970s, a Bronze Age burial site was found at South Mound on the western edge of
496-610: A GA in May 2021, a draft plan might still be being considered by commissioners prior to being shared with all presbyteries for their consideration under the Church of Scotland's Barrier Act 1697 and being brought back to a future General Assembly. On 23 May 2022 the GA voted in favour of same-sex marriage with 274 for and 136 against. Clergy will be allowed to conduct the marriages but will not be forced to. Many church congregations and clergy affirm
620-728: A distinct change from attitudes in certain quarters of the church in the early twentieth century and before, when opposition to Irish Roman Catholic immigration was vocal (see Catholicism in Scotland ). The Church of Scotland is a member of the World Council of Churches , the Conference of European Churches , the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe , and the World Communion of Reformed Churches . The Church of Scotland
744-622: A new grouping of congregations within the church was begun "to declare their clear commitment to historic Christian orthodoxy", known as the Fellowship of Confessing Churches . In May 2011, the GA of the Church of Scotland voted to appoint a theological commission with a view to fully investigating the matter, reporting to the General Assembly of 2013. Meanwhile, openly homosexual ministers ordained before 2009 would be allowed to keep their posts without fear of sanction. On 20 May 2013,
868-407: A number of flats . James McGuire MacRae was presented with the estate by his father's friend, James MacRae . It passed to his son, who demolished the castle and built the weavers cottages with the stones. With this 18th-century change in ownership of the land therefore, the 'old village' was cleared from around the castle by the laird . The new village of some thirty five cottages constructed to
992-485: A number of nearby settlements, the most significant being Crosslee , Craigends and Barochan. With the decline of significance of the civil parish in local government, this area has largely become part of the Houston Community Council area [1] . The community council is chiefly a consultative body, forming a focus for local views, and has no statutory powers of its own. Houston forms part of
1116-467: A number of smaller settlements in the villages' rural hinterland. The village grew around a 16th-century castle and parish church dedicated to Saint Peter , which gave the area its former name of Kilpeter (" Cille Pheadair " in Scottish Gaelic ). The present-day old village dates mainly back to the 18th century and was a planned community, replacing earlier buildings. Historically, the economy
1240-737: A parade and a number of stalls and entertainments and including the local primary schools. In 1992, Strathgryffe Tennis Squash and Fitness Club, opened with support from the Lawn Tennis Association and the National Lottery Sports Fund, is also located in the village. An equestrian club, the Kilmacolm and Kilallan Riding Club is based on the boundary of the parish. A foxhunt , the Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Foxhounds, has operated from kennels in
1364-472: A potential age of around a thousand years. There are two ancient wells in Houston, once considered to have healing powers. St Fillan's Well sits in the fields beside Kilallan Kirk and St Peter's Well that also gives its name to a locally brewed ale. The parish church , which is a congregation of the Church of Scotland , lies to the east of the old village. A 19th century Roman Catholic church, St Fillan's,
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#17327811595511488-509: A privileged claim for possession of a particular territory". The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities sharply criticised the report, describing it as follows: "It reads like an Inquisition-era polemic against Jews and Judaism. It is biased, weak on sources, and contradictory. The picture it paints of both Judaism and Israel is barely even a caricature. The arrogance of telling the Jewish people how to interpret Jewish texts and Jewish theology
1612-411: A rear panel of an altar before being put up as a frieze on the wall. A succession of fires and the collapse of the tower in the 15th and 16th centuries left the building in a partially ruined state. Although the western section was still used for worship, the eastern section was widely plundered for its stone. From 1858 to 1928 the north porch and the eastern choir were reconstructed on the remains of
1736-800: A restaurant. A further restaurant and public house, the River Inn, lies in Crosslee and was formerly the Crosslee Inn and the Pine Trees. The village hosts a regular beer festival/ A microbrewery , the Houston Brewing Company , also formerly operated from a building adjacent to the Fox and Hounds. There are a number of community organisations and events that take place in the village. The village's main park, Houston Public Park,
1860-509: A strong academic reputation, and in 2009 was ranked as the seventh best-performing state secondary school in Scotland by The Times newspaper's league tables. Also in 2009, the school was praised in a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education . There are two primary schools in Houston. Houston Primary School is a non-denominational school, whereas St Fillan's Primary School is a Roman Catholic faith school . Both are co-educational state schools. As stated above, Gryffe High School
1984-802: Is anti-abortion , stating that it should be allowed "only on grounds that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve serious risk to the life or grave injury to the health, whether physical or mental, of the pregnant woman." The Church of Scotland also opposes euthanasia : "The General Assembly has consistently stated that: 'the Christian recognises no right to dispose of his own life even although he may regard those who commit or may attempt to commit suicide with compassion and understanding rather than condemnation'. The church has frequently stressed its opposition to various attempts to introduce legislation to permit euthanasia, even under strictly controlled circumstances as incompatible with Christianity." The church
2108-765: Is nec tamen consumebatur ( Latin )—"Yet it was not consumed", an allusion to Exodus 3:2 and the Burning Bush . In 2023, the Church of Scotland published a report which detailed its connections to the Atlantic slave trade . It noted that from 1707 to the 1830s, Church of Scotland ministers and elders inherited wealth from familial relatives which were made on West Indian slave plantations and numerous church buildings (including Glasgow Cathedral ) contain memorials to and accepted donations from individuals who profited from slavery. The report also noted that enslaved Black people were used to build Church of Scotland churches in
2232-482: Is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland . It is one of the country's largest, having 259,200 members in 2023. While active membership in the church has declined significantly in recent decades (in 1982 it had nearly 920,000 members), the government Scottish Household Survey found that 20% of the Scottish population, or over one million people, identified
2356-532: Is a village in the council area of Renfrewshire and the larger historic county of the same name in the west central Lowlands of Scotland . Houston lies within the Gryffe Valley on the banks of the River Gryffe 6 miles (10 km) north-west of Paisley and is the largest settlement in the civil parish of Houston and Killellan , which covers the neighbouring village of Crosslee and
2480-669: Is a member of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and, through its Presbytery of England, is a member of Churches Together in England . The Church of Scotland continues to foster relationships with other Presbyterian denominations in Scotland even where agreement is difficult. In May 2016 the Church of Scotland ratified the Columba Agreement (approved by the Church of England's General Synod in February 2016), calling for
2604-579: Is adjacent to the old village, with others at South Street and Ardgryffe Park among the more modern housing developments. Houston Public Park is the venue for the village's annual agricultural show, taking place in the summer and organised by the Houston and Killellan Agricultural Society. Another significant local event is the Kirk Carnival, organised by the parish church and focused around the church hall and Carrick Centre on Main Street, which involves
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#17327811595512728-467: Is associated with the Care Not Killing organisation in "Promoting more and better palliative care./ Ensuring that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened or repealed during the lifetime of the current Parliament./ Influencing the balance of public opinion further against any weakening of the law." Historically, the Church of Scotland supported the death penalty;
2852-606: Is believed that Saint Mirin (or Saint Mirren) founded a community on this site in 7th century. Sometime after his death a shrine to the Saint was established, becoming a popular site of pilgrimage and veneration. The name Paisley may derive from the Brythonic ( Cumbric ) Passeleg, 'basilica' (derived from the Greek ), i.e. 'major church', recalling an early, though undocumented, ecclesiastical importance. In 1163, Walter fitz Alan ,
2976-716: Is breathtaking." The report was also criticised by the Anti-Defamation League and the Israeli envoy to the United Kingdom. In response to criticism, the church quickly replaced the original version with a modified one, stating that criticism of Israel's policies toward the Palestinians "should not be misunderstood as questioning the right of the State of Israel to exist". The Church of Scotland
3100-516: Is by John Clark. The Abbey organ is reputedly one of the finest in Scotland, and was originally built by the most distinguished of all 19th-century organ builders, Cavaillé-Coll of Paris in 1874. This is one of only six in the UK. Since 1874 it has been rebuilt and extended four times. The organ as rebuilt by Walker in 1968 has 4 manuals, 65 stops and 5448 pipes.(National Pipe Organ Register; "The Organ at Paisley Abbey", booklet pub. Paisley Abbey) In 2009
3224-548: Is celebrated once a month. Theologically, the Church of Scotland is Reformed (ultimately in the Calvinist tradition) and is a member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches . The Church of Scotland is a member of ACTS ( Action of Churches Together in Scotland ) and, through its Committee on Ecumenical Relations, works closely with other denominations in Scotland. The present inter-denominational co-operation marks
3348-667: Is chaired by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland . According to traditional Scottish historiography, the first Christians in Scotland were converted by Saint Ninian around 400 AD. Early Christian missionaries included Saint Columba , who founded a mission at Iona two centuries later. In 1192, the Papal bull Cum universi separated the Scottish church from the Archbishopric of York , creating an independent national church with no higher authority except
3472-580: Is conducted by the parish minister, participation and leadership by members who are not ministers in services is becoming more frequent, especially in the Highlands and the Borders. In common with other Reformed denominations, the church recognises two sacraments : Baptism and Holy Communion (the Lord's Supper ). The church baptises both believing adults and the children of Christian families. Communion in
3596-403: Is granted on those matters "which do not enter into the substance of the faith" (Art. 2 and 5). (The 19th century Scottish distinction was between ' evangelicals ' and ' moderates '.) There is no official document in which substantial matters and insubstantial ones are clearly demarcated. The Church of Scotland has no compulsory prayer book , although it does have a hymn book (the 4th edition
3720-468: Is immediately adjacent to it, also finds continued use as a private residence and is thought to be the oldest existing dwellinghouse in Renfrewshire. St Fillan's Holy Well and St Fillan's Seat are located near to the old kirk. St Peter's Well stands in a field below Greenhill Farm on Chapel Road close to the site of a pre-Reformation chapel and is a rare example of a covered or house holy well,
3844-501: Is normally no sung or responsive liturgy, but worship is the responsibility of the minister in each parish, and the style of worship can vary and be quite experimental. In recent years, a variety of modern song books have been widely used to appeal more to contemporary trends in music, and elements from alternative liturgies including those of the Iona Community are incorporated in some congregations. Although traditionally worship
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3968-619: Is the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. There is one medical practice in the village, which is linked to another surgery in Bridge of Weir. Water and sewerage is provided by Scottish Water , a public body, and water and sewerage charges are collected alongside council tax by Renfrewshire Council , the local authority, on its behalf. Renfrewshire Council is also responsible for the provision of waste management in
4092-490: Is the non-denominational secondary for the village whereas St. Benedict's High School is the Roman Catholic secondary serving Houston along with Bridge of Weir (which St. Fillan's also serves). The 'old schoolhouse' at the north end of Main Street in the old village centre has been converted into self-catering accommodation and the former school at the south end of Main Street now exists as a community building known as
4216-458: Is thought to date from AD 1350-1400 and is up to 2m wide and up to 2.2m high. The drain contains stonemasons marks on the walls, and marks where gates used to be. Before accessing the drain, water has to be pumped out. Paisley Abbey Drain is designated by Historic Environment Scotland as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and has similarities to other monastery drains, such as Fountains Abbey , Dundrennan Abbey and Melrose Abbey . A virtual tour of
4340-541: Is thought to date from the 10th century. In the abbey's nave, the Wallace Memorial Window, which depicts the image of Samson, was donated in 1873. The earliest written record of a tunnel around Paisley Abbey dates from 1829, when workmen digging in the garden of one John Crawford in Ellis Lane, fell through into a tunnel. Early maps show Ellis Lane being in the region of the modern manhole leading to
4464-508: Is to the south of Main Street. Houston's has a long association with St Peter, providing the village's historic name of Kilpeter. Its current parish church, Houston and Killellan Church or Kirk , lies in the grounds of Houston House. The Kirk was constructed in the 1870s, replacing a church on the same site constructed in 1775, and dedicated to Archibald Alexander Speirs of Elderslie . Following his death aged 28 while sitting as Member of Parliament for West Renfrewshire , his mother provided
4588-518: The Disruption of 1843 when a large portion of the church broke away to form the Free Church of Scotland . The seceding groups tended to divide and reunite among themselves—leading to a proliferation of Presbyterian denominations in Scotland, as is demonstrated in the timeline above. The UK Parliament passed the Church of Scotland Act 1921 , finally recognising the complete independence of
4712-843: The Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency for elections to the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The current Member of Parliament (MP) for this area is Gavin Newlands . The constituency was created in 2005 following boundary changes with Houston previously forming part of the West Renfrewshire constituency. For devolved matters, Houston is part of the Scottish Parliament constituency of Renfrewshire North and West , which straddles
4836-484: The Renfrewshire council area . For the 2007 local authority elections in Scotland, Houston was entered into a new four-councillor ward , Ward 9, alongside Crosslee and the town of Linwood ( Ward 9 ). The boundaries of the civil parish of Houston and Kilellan follow the creation of a united ecclesiastical parish centred on Houston in the 18th century. The parish spreads over a wide rural hinterland including
4960-772: The Scottish Episcopal Church . Most of the remaining Covenanters disagreed with the Restoration Settlement on various political and theological grounds, most notably because the Settlement did not acknowledge the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant, also did not join the Church of Scotland, instead forming the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1690. Controversy still surrounded
5084-676: The Scottish Parliament in 1997. Indeed, from 1999 to 2004 the Parliament met in the church's Assembly Hall in Edinburgh, while its own building was being constructed. The Church of Scotland supports the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office in Edinburgh, an ecumenical partnership which is staffed and resourced by the Church. Since 1968, all ministries and offices in the church have been open to women and men on an equal basis. In 2004, Alison Elliot
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5208-534: The United Kingdom after it was discovered that inhabitants of a house in the village were linked to the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack of 30 June. The Houston Community Council observed that "it is a sobering thought that such a situation could happen on our very doorstep and that even in a quiet, rural setting such as ours there can be people intent on disrupting the natural balance of things by violent means." Houston and its parish form part of
5332-637: The sheriffdom of North Strathclyde and public prosecutions are directed by the Procurator Fiscal for North Strathclyde. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering the village and maintains three fire stations in Renfrewshire with the closest at Johnstone. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the National Health Service Board providing public health care . The nearest major hospitals with accident and emergency facilities
5456-621: The 'plainness' of the Scottish service, he, together with his Archbishop of Canterbury , William Laud , sought to introduce the kind of liturgical practice in use in England. The centrepiece of this new strategy was the Scottish Prayer Book of 1637 , a slightly modified version of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer . Although a panel of Scottish bishops devised this, Charles's insistence that it be drawn up secretly and adopted sight unseen led to widespread discontent. When
5580-616: The 10th or 11th century, still stands some 4 miles (6 km) west of the centre of Houston on the Barochan Cross Road. This church is now held by the Kilallan Kirk Preservation Trust following its donation by Elderslie Estates in 2005 and is a scheduled historic monument. An annual evening service is held amongst the ruins in July by the congregation of the united parish. The church's manse, which
5704-411: The 16th century Houston Castle still exist largely in the grounds of the current Houston House. The area sits beside Houston and Killellan Kirk, the established ( Church of Scotland ) parish church . It is possible that Lord Darnley , husband of Mary, Queen of Scots resided at the castle for some years. The Barochan Cross , an 11 ft (3.4 metre) tall Celtic Christian cross possibly dating to
5828-411: The 2011 national census, 32% of Scots identified their religion as "Church of Scotland", more than any other faith group, but falling behind the total of those without religion for the first time. However, by 2013 only 18% of Scots self-identified as Church of Scotland. Though according to the 2014 Scottish Annual Household Survey, 27.8%, or 1.5 million adherents, identified the Church of Scotland as
5952-478: The 8th century, formerly lay just south of the Mill of Barochan in the parish. In the 19th century, it was moved to a knoll opposite Corsliehill closer to the village before finally being moved in the 20th century to Paisley Abbey where it now remains in order to protect it from further weathering. The Craigends Yew is an ancient yew tree in the parish, supposed to be the oldest living thing in Renfrewshire, with
6076-509: The Bible supports an essentially Jewish state of Israel. This raises an increasing number of difficulties and current Israeli policies regarding the Palestinians have sharpened this questioning", and that "promises about the Land of Israel were never intended to be taken literally". The church responded to criticism by saying that "The Church has never and is not now denying Israel's right to exist; on
6200-590: The Carrick Centre. The territorial police force covering Houston is the Police Service of Scotland . It is part of the Renfrewshire and Inverclyde division and the Renfrew area Command. The nearest local police station is at Johnstone . There was a police station and police house in the village opened in the mid-1940s, which was closed in 2001. For judicial purposes, the Houston forms part of
6324-458: The Church of Scotland as their religious identity in 2019. The Church of Scotland's governing system is presbyterian in its approach, therefore, no one individual or group within the church has more or less influence over church matters. There is no one person who acts as the head of faith, as the church believes that role is the "Lord God's". As a proper noun , the Kirk is an informal name for
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#17327811595516448-719: The Church of Scotland in 1929), the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (which broke from the Free Church of Scotland in 1893), the Associated Presbyterian Churches (which emerged as a result of a split in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in the 1980s) and the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) (which emerged from a split in the Free Church of Scotland in 2000). The motto of the Church of Scotland
6572-408: The Church of Scotland paid £1 million in damages to three siblings who had been abused at the Lord and Lady Polwarth children's home. The basis of faith for the Church of Scotland is the Word of God , which it views as being "contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament". Its principal subordinate standard is The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), although here liberty of opinion
6696-445: The Church of Scotland today is open to Christians of whatever denomination, without precondition. If baptised as an infant, one is expected to make the public profession of faith as part of a confirmation ceremony. Communion services are usually taken fairly seriously in the church; traditionally, a congregation held only three or four per year, although practice now greatly varies between congregations. In some congregations, communion
6820-428: The Church of Scotland used in the media and by the church itself. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox in the Reformation of 1560 when it split from the Catholic Church and established itself as a church in the Reformed tradition. The church belongs to the Presbyterian tradition of Reformed Christianity (Calvinism), having no head of faith or leadership group and believing that God invited
6944-426: The Church. In November 1638, the General Assembly in Glasgow, the first to meet for twenty years, not only declared the Prayer Book unlawful but went on to abolish the office of bishop itself. The Church of Scotland was then established on a Presbyterian basis. Charles' attempt to resist these developments led to the Bishops' Wars . In the ensuing civil wars , the Scots Covenanters at one point made common cause with
7068-405: The English parliamentarians—resulting in the Westminster Confession of Faith being agreed by both. This document remains the subordinate standard of the Church of Scotland but was replaced in England after the Restoration . Episcopacy was reintroduced to Scotland after the Restoration, which caused considerable discontent, especially in the country's southwest, where the Presbyterian tradition
7192-488: The GA voted in favour of a proposal that allowed liberal parishes to opt out of the church's policy on homosexuality. Since 2008, 25 out of 808 (3%) ministers had left over the issue. It was reported that seceding congregations had a combined annual income of £1 million. In 2015, the Church of Scotland's GA voted in favour of recommending that gay ministers be able to enter into same-sex marriages. and allowing pastors to enter in same-sex civil partnerships. On 21 May 2016,
7316-443: The GA voted in favour of the approval for gay and lesbian ministers to enter into same-sex marriages. In 2017, there was a report to be debated at the church's General Assembly in May that proposed "having a church committee research allowing nominated ministers and deacons to carry out the ceremonies, but...to retain the ability for 'contentious refusal' from those opposed to same-sex marriage." A Theological Forum report calling for
7440-406: The General Assembly created a Church and Nation Committee, which in 2005 became the Church and Society Council , and in 2019 merged with the World Mission Council to create the Faith Impact Forum. The Church of Scotland is a firm opponent of nuclear weaponry . Supporting devolution , it was one of the parties involved in the Scottish Constitutional Convention , which resulted in the setting up of
7564-494: The General Assembly once called for the "vigorous execution" of Thomas Aikenhead , who was found guilty of blasphemy in 1696. Nowadays, the church strongly disapproves of the death penalty: "The Church of Scotland affirms that capital punishment is always and wholly unacceptable and does not provide an answer even to the most heinous of crimes. It commits itself to working with other churches and agencies to advance this understanding, oppose death sentences and executions and promote
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#17327811595517688-455: The General Assembly voted in favour of permitting the church's clergy to conduct same-sex marriages. In May 2009, there was opposition to an attempt to install as minister an openly homosexual man who intended to live with his partner once appointed to his post. In a landmark decision on 23 May 2009 the General Assembly (GA) ratified by 326 to 267 the appointment of Scott Rennie , the church's first out, non-celibate gay minister. Rennie had won
7812-515: The Pope. The Church of Scotland, in its current form, traces its origins to the Scottish Reformation of 1560. At that point, many in the then church in Scotland broke with Rome in a process of Protestant reform led, among others, by John Knox . It reformed its doctrines and government, drawing on the principles of John Calvin , which Knox had been exposed to while living in Geneva , Switzerland. An assembly of some nobles, lairds , and burgesses, as well as several churchmen, claiming in defiance of
7936-430: The Prayer Book was finally introduced at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh in mid-1637, it caused an outbreak of rioting, which, starting with Jenny Geddes , spread across Scotland. In early 1638, the National Covenant was signed by large numbers of Scots, protesting the introduction of the Prayer Book and other liturgical innovations that had not first been tested and approved by free Parliaments and General Assemblies of
8060-408: The Queen to be a Scottish Parliament, abolished papal jurisdiction and approved the Scots Confession , but did not accept many of the principles laid out in Knox's First Book of Discipline , which argued, among other things, that all of the assets of the old church should pass to the new. The 1560 Reformation Settlement was not ratified by the crown, as Mary I , a Catholic, refused to do so, and
8184-465: The Scottish population. The Scottish Church Census of 2016 reported that just under 137,000 people worshipped on an average Sunday in a Church of Scotland, approximately 41% of the stated membership. However, according to the 2024 Assembly Trustees Report, only 61,580 were attending an average Sunday worship service in person during 2023. In 2016 the church faced a £5.7 million deficit amid costly upkeep of many older ecclesiastical buildings. In response
8308-446: The Union of that year met at Industrial Hall on Annandale Street in north Edinburgh. Some independent Scottish Presbyterian denominations still remain. These include the Free Church of Scotland —sometimes given the epithet The Wee Frees —(originally formed of those congregations which refused to unite with the United Presbyterian Church in 1900), the United Free Church of Scotland (formed of congregations which refused to unite with
8432-479: The United Free Church and the established Church of Scotland in 1929, the West Kirk existed as a second Church of Scotland congregation in the village until a fire destroyed much of the building in March 1941. The lack of a building caused the two congregations to again worship in the same parish church. The West Kirk building was fully restored by 1953, taking its place as the church hall it remains to this day. St. Fillan's Roman Catholic Church , also on Main Street,
8556-412: The West Indies, and the church distributed money made from slavery to Scottish parishes to fund philanthropic efforts that assisted Scotland's poor. It ended by recommending to the General Assembly that "a statement of acknowledgment and apology should be brought to a future General Assembly and a dedicated page about the Church’s connections to the slave trade should be created for its website." In 2019,
8680-404: The abbey burned down. It was rebuilt later in the 14th century. William Wallace , born in nearby Elderslie, is believed to have been educated in the abbey for some time when he was a boy. In 1316, Marjorie Bruce , daughter of Robert I of Scotland and wife of Walter Stewart , the sixth High Steward of Scotland , was out riding near the abbey. During the ride, she fell from her horse and as she
8804-400: The approval of same-sex marriage, and an apology to homosexuals for past mistreatment was approved by the General Assembly on 25 May 2017. In 2018, the church's assembly voted in favour of drafting a new church law to allow same-sex marriages and to give ministers the option of performing same-sex marriages. The church was expected to vote on a final poll in 2021 but, after being considered at
8928-584: The boundary between the council areas of Inverclyde and Renfrewshire . Since 2011, the constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament for the area is Natalie Don MSP. The Renfrewshire North and West constituency forms part of the West of Scotland Scottish Parliament electoral region . Seven further MSPs are elected for this region through the Scottish Parliament's Additional Member electoral system . Houston's historic village centre, located at
9052-575: The boundary with Crosslee . The parish supports a number of public houses , with two located in the historic village centre: the Fox and Hounds on South Street and the Houston Inn on North Street, established in 1779 and 1784 respectively. Until 2010, a third, the Cross Keys Inn, lay on Main Street, with a name derived from the crossed keys symbol of St Peter as a reference to the village's original name, Kilpeter. It has since operated as
9176-410: The building costs as a memorial. The current parish dates from 1771, when the parishes of Houston and Killellan were united. The former parish church in the nearby hamlet of Killellan was known as the Church of St Fillan , which the name of the settlement derives. The former church building was left redundant by the unification and was abandoned. The ruin, dated 1635 but believed to have originated in
9300-416: The cause of abolition of the death penalty worldwide." The Church of Scotland does not consider marriage to be a sacrament, and thus not binding forever, and has no moral objection to the remarriage of divorced persons. The minister who is asked to perform a ceremony for someone who has a prior spouse living may inquire for the purpose of ensuring that the problems which led to the divorce do not recur. At
9424-431: The centre of the 'new' village. The mercat cross has become used as a symbol for the village. Both railway stations (on separate lines) built within the parish in the 19th century, Houston and Crosslee Station and Georgetown station (both now closed), bypassed the village itself. As a consequence, Houston did not experience the railway boom of nearby villages like Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm , expanding slowly until
9548-539: The choir incorporating a much-restored female effigy is widely believed to be that of Marjorie Bruce. Although there is no evidence that she is buried at exactly that location, her remains are thought to be within the abbey. The tomb is reconstructed from fragments of different origin - the base, is likely to have originally formed part of the pulpitum of the Abbey (a stone screen separating nave and choir), such as survives at Glasgow Cathedral . Opposite Marjorie Bruce lie
9672-449: The church decided to 'prune to grow', reducing ministry provision plans from 1,234 to 1,000 funded posts (1,075 established FTE posts, of which 75 would be vacant at any one time) supported by a variety of voluntary and part-time ministries. At the same time the number of candidates accepted for full-time ministry has reduced from 24 (2005) to 8 (2009). Since 2014, the number of full-time candidates accepted into training each year has been in
9796-604: The church enjoys complete independence from the state in spiritual matters. When in Scotland, the British monarch simply attends church, as opposed to their role in the English Church as Supreme Governor . The monarch's accession oath includes a promise to "maintain and preserve the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government". They are formally represented at the annual General Assembly by
9920-541: The church in matters spiritual, and as a result of this, and passage of the Church of Scotland (Property and Endowments) Act 1925 ( 15 & 16 Geo. 5 . c. 33), the church was able to unite with the United Free Church of Scotland in 1929. The United Free Church of Scotland was itself the product of the union of the former United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the majority of the Free Church of Scotland in 1900. The 1929 assembly of church leaders to effect
10044-480: The church of their religion. In 2019, according to the Scottish Household Survey, 20% of Scots self-reported themselves as adherents of the Church of Scotland. The Church of Scotland Guild , the church's historical women's movement and open to men and women since 1997, is still the largest voluntary organisation in Scotland. According to the 2011 census, among respondents who identified with
10168-407: The church would not survive." The proposal reduced the number of ministry posts by 40%; to 660 of which 60 would be vacant at any one time, and was said to offer the church a chance to thrive. By December 2022 the Church had 270,300 members, a 4.7% decline from 2021, and representing an overall decline of 35% since 2012. This lack of those in training towards ministry has threatened the viability of
10292-524: The church's adherents to worship Jesus . The Church of Scotland celebrates two sacraments , Baptism and the Lord's Supper , as well as five other ordinances , such as Confirmation and Matrimony . The church adheres to the Bible and the Westminster Confession of Faith and is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches . The annual meeting of the church's general assembly
10416-621: The church's theological training colleges. During the 2019 General Assembly, the Ministries Council announced that they were looking to reduce the number of Academic Partners who train current ministry students from five, to either one or two. The five current academic partners are University of Glasgow , University of Edinburgh , University of Aberdeen , University of St Andrews and, most recently, Highland Theological College . Houston, Scotland Houston ( / ˈ h uː s t ən / HOO -stən ; Scots : Houstoun ),
10540-537: The church, 96% were white Scots, 3% were other white people, and 1% were from other ethnic groups; this broadly reflects Scotland's demographic make-up. Although it is the national church, it is not a state church ; this and other regards makes it dissimilar to the Church of England (the established church in England). Under its constitution (recognised by the 1921 act of the British Parliament ),
10664-598: The contrary, it is questioning the policies that continue to keep peace a dream in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This report is against the injustices levelled against the Palestinian people and how land is shared. It is also a reflection of the use or misuse of scripture to claim divine right to land by any group" and says it must "refute claims that scripture offers any peoples
10788-495: The drain is available on YouTube. Archaeological investigations and excavations took place in 1996, 3–16 September 2009, 2–12 September 2011 and 4 September 2013 and many items discovered. Some of these are now on display in the abbey. These include: Events to involve the public in the archaeological investigation of the drain have been held, with the Renfrewshire Local History Forum . A tomb in
10912-465: The drain. As the significance of this discovery was not realised at the time, access to the hole was quickly covered, and soon forgotten about. That was until 1879, when The Glasgow Herald mentioned the discovery of the subterranean passage. This was also forgotten about, and not ‘re-discovered’ until 1990, when a 90 metre stretch of tunnel was found running from the abbey to the White Cart. The drain
11036-643: The first High Steward of Scotland issued a charter for a priory to be set up on land owned by him in Paisley. It was dedicated to SS. Mary , James , Mirin and Milburga . Around 13 monks came from the Cluniac priory at Much Wenlock in Shropshire to found the community. Paisley grew so rapidly that it was raised to the status of abbey in 1245. Monks from Paisley founded Crossraguel Abbey in Carrick, Ayrshire , in 1244. In 1307, Edward I of England had
11160-468: The full inclusion of transgender and other LGBTI people within the church through Affirmation Scotland . In April 2013, the church published a report entitled "The Inheritance of Abraham: A Report on the 'Promised' Land" which included a discussion of Israeli and Jewish claims to the Land of Israel . The report said "there has been a widespread assumption by many Christians as well as many Jewish people that
11284-480: The iconic Robert the Bruce statue at Bannockburn . The ceiling bosses are designed by Sir Robert Lorimer and carved by James A Young. The choir stalls, with their wealth of carved animals are by William and Alexander Clow. Paisley Abbey has been rebuilt and its original design modified as a result of the building being destroyed in 1307, its tower's collapse in the 16th century, and general disrepair that occurred as
11408-412: The instrument underwent a major restoration by Harrison and Harrison of Durham. The work included major cleaning and servicing, the provision of a new wind system and the addition of a 32 ft contre bombarde. The latter was part of the 1968 scheme by Ralph Downes but not included in the work actually undertaken. The twelve angel corbels and stone communion table are by Pilkington Jackson , sculptor of
11532-491: The later half of the 20th century when it became a popular commuter settlement . The main industry of Houston between the 17th and 19th century was weaving . The River Gryffe later provided a cotton spinning industry with the creation of the Crosslee cotton mill with other small manufacturing concerns, such as embroidery, later opening in the village. In July 2007, Houston was featured prominently in news reports around
11656-469: The modern world), largely due to its teaching that all should be able to read the Bible. However, it ceased operating its schools, which were transferred to the state, in the latter half of the 19th century. The Church of Scotland faces many current difficulties. Between 1966 and 2006, the number of members fell from over 1,230,000 to 504,000, reducing further to 446,000 in 2010 380,164 by 2014, 336,000 by 2017, and 325,695 by 2018, representing about 6% of
11780-668: The new Concordat, a Presbyterian party emerged headed by Andrew Melville , the author of the Second Book of Discipline . Melville and his supporters enjoyed some temporary successes—most notably in the Golden Act of 1592, which gave parliamentary approval to Presbyterian courts. James VI, however, believed that presbyterianism was incompatible with monarchy, declaring "No bishop, no king". By skillful manipulation of both church and state, steadily reintroduced parliamentary and then diocesan episcopacy ; this approximately mirrored
11904-482: The north-west edge of the village, is a designated conservation area. The area is home to the main village pubs, small shops and the village's Post Office. North Street and South Street are dominated by traditional white cottages, some dating to the 17th century. The old village was a planned community of houses largely built around the Houston Burn, which gave communal access to washing facilities. Some remains of
12028-489: The overwhelming support of his prospective church members at Queen's Cross, Aberdeen, but his appointment was in some doubt until extensive debate and this vote by the commissioners to the assembly. The GA later agreed upon a moratorium on the appointment of further non-celibate gay people until after a special commission has reported on the matter. (See: LGBT clergy in Christianity .) As a result of these developments,
12152-628: The power of the Holy Spirit remaking us like Jesus, we—with all Christians— worship God, enjoy His friendship and are available for Him to use in sharing and showing His love, justice, and peace locally and globally until Jesus returns ! In Jesus' name we gladly share with you God's message for all people—You matter to God! It was approved for use by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May 1992. The national church has never shied from involvement in Scottish politics . In 1919,
12276-512: The question of church government also remained unresolved. In 1572, the acts of 1560 were finally approved by the young James VI , but the Concordat of Leith also allowed the crown to appoint bishops with the church's approval. John Knox himself had no clear views on the office of bishop, preferring to see them renamed as 'superintendents' which is a translation of the Greek; but in response to
12400-460: The range of 13 to 16. At the 2016 General Assembly the Moderator pointed to issues such as: 25% of charges without a minister; all but two ministers over the age of 30; falling clergy numbers over the coming six years (anticipated that for each newly recruited minister there will be four retirements). By 2021 membership was continuing to decline year on year, leading to a new plan "without which
12524-492: The relationship between the Church of Scotland's independence and the civil law of Scotland. The interference of civil courts with church decisions, particularly over the appointment of ministers, following the Church Patronage (Scotland) Act 1711 , which gave landowners, or patrons, the right to appoint ministers to vacant pulpits, would lead to several splits. This began with the secession of 1733 and culminated in
12648-415: The result of time and weather. During a restoration project that took place in the 1990s, a stonemason from Edinburgh hired to replace twelve crumbling stone gargoyles erected one bearing a strong resemblance to the space creature from the 1979 science fiction film Alien . A picture of the gargoyle went viral in 2013, though a photograph of the statue first surfaced on the internet in 1997. In 2002, it
12772-412: The ruined walls by the architect Macgregor Chalmers. After his death, work on the choir was completed by Sir Robert Lorimer . Paisley Abbey is the burial place of all six High Stewards of Scotland, Marjorie Bruce who was the mother of Robert II , and the wives of Robert II. The Celtic Barochan Cross , once sited near the village of Houston , Renfrewshire, is now inside the abbey itself. The cross
12896-409: The small-scale weaving industry. This 'new village' is designated by the Renfrewshire authorities as a conservation village . A notable remnant of this move is the village's mercat cross , which incorporates parts dating back to the 14th century. Due to the move from an original position on Kirk Road, and the fact that it incorporates a large sundial , it has been placed at an unusual angle at
13020-662: The structure of the Church of England , of which James had become Supreme Governor when he succeeded to the English throne in 1603 . By the time he died in 1625, the Church of Scotland had a full panel of bishops and archbishops. General Assemblies met only at times and places approved by the Crown. Charles I inherited a settlement in Scotland based on a balanced compromise between Calvinist doctrine and episcopal practice. Lacking his father's political judgment, he began to upset this by moving into more dangerous areas. Disapproving of
13144-570: The time of Hugh of Pettinain and remained in the possession of his family who later became the Houstons of Houston . The Castle stayed in the ownership of the family until 1740 when it was purchased by Glasgow tobacco lord Alexander Speirs of Elderslie. Following ownership by five generations of the Speirs family, Houston House passed to Major David Crichton Maitland in 1959 and then to his son Mark Crichton Maitland in 1995 before being divided into
13268-436: The time of the 2001 census , the number of respondents who gave their religion as Church of Scotland was 2,146,251 which amounted to 42.4% of the population of Scotland. In 2013, the Church of Scotland had around 995 active ministers , 1,118 congregations , and its official membership at 398,389 comprised about 7.5% of the population of Scotland. Official membership is down some 66.5% from its peak in 1957 of 1.32 million. In
13392-499: The tombs of Robert III of Scotland and Simon fitz Alan . A Latin inscription commemorates the three children of Margaret Seton and Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley who died as infants; Margaret (1577), Henry (1585), and Alexander (1587). Stained glass (removed in the Reformation ) began to be replaced in the 1870s. Major works include a window by Edward Burne-Jones and the huge east window by Douglas Strachan . The dramatic memorial window to James D. D. Shaw dates from 1989 and
13516-547: The two churches to work more closely together on matters of common interest. In 2022, the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Scotland agreed a declaration of friendship between the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church. While the Bible is the basis of faith of the Church of Scotland, and the Westminster Confession of Faith is the subordinate standard, a request
13640-452: The village have expanded its population considerably, changing its character chiefly to a dormitory settlement for nearby Glasgow and Paisley with a largely service-based economy. Houston was originally known as Kilpeter. In the mid 12th century, the fee of Kilpeter was granted by Baldwin of Biggar, Sheriff of Lanark , to Hugh of Pettinain . From Hugh, the lands eventually became known as Houston (meaning "Hugh's town or manor"). In
13764-475: The village since 1850. The village also hosts a lawn bowls club, the John G. Fleming Bowling Club, which was founded the local landowner whose name it bears to mark the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria . Gryffe High School is a non-denominational co-educational state secondary school which serves the village and surrounding settlements, most particularly neighbouring Bridge of Weir . The school has
13888-458: The village. To the north-east lies Barochan Hill, the site of a Roman fort. A later Antonine era fort was found on a farm near Bishopton , less than 2 miles away. The first village in Houston was constructed around the parish Church of St Peter and Houston Castle, now respectively the parish church and Houston House – largely 19th century buildings. Houston House and the castle which is partially incorporated within its structure date back to
14012-464: The waters of which were once thought to ensure the safe return of travellers such as pilgrims. The Houston and Kilellan church hall on Main Street was built immediately following the Disruption of 1843 as a separate congregation forming part of the Free Church of Scotland , and later the United Free Church of Scotland being known during this time as the West Kirk. Following the reunification of
14136-546: The west in 1781 from the stone of the Castle, which was later to evolve into a country house . This new village – which forms the basis of the modern village – was a planned community built along two main streets: North Street and South Street and is an example of the 18th century Planned Village Movement. The layout, straddling the Houston Burn , provided washing facilities accessible to local people as well as supporting
14260-556: The world and in ourselves. The Bible tells us the Good News that God still loves us and has shown His love uniquely in His Son , Jesus Christ. He lived among us and died on the cross to save us from our sin . But God raised Him from the dead ! In His love, this living Jesus invites us to turn from our sins and enter by faith into a restored relationship with God Who gives true life before and beyond death . Then, with
14384-402: Was based around agriculture and, in common with a number of other Renfrewshire villages, cotton weaving. The old village was designated as a conservation area in 1968. From the middle of the 20th century, a larger area of residential settlement expanded the village into nearby areas such as the more upmarket Craigends , removing the open country between Houston and Crosslee. These additions to
14508-441: Was chosen to be Moderator of the General Assembly, the first woman in the post and the first non-minister to be chosen since George Buchanan , four centuries before. In May 2007 Sheilagh M. Kesting became the first female minister to be Moderator. There are currently 218 serving female ministers, with 677 male ministers. The Church of Scotland allows its clergy to enter into same-sex marriages and civil partnerships. In May 2022,
14632-662: Was confirmed the abbey would be subject to a 10-year-long restoration project. Paisley Abbey is used for worship services every Sunday. Since the Reformation the Abbey has served as a parish church in the Church of Scotland . In 2002 the congregation had 823 members. The minister (since December 2022) is the Reverend Jim Gibson. 55°50′42″N 4°25′14″W / 55.84500°N 4.42056°W / 55.84500; -4.42056 Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( CoS ; Scots : The Kirk o Scotland ; Scottish Gaelic : Eaglais na h-Alba )
14756-413: Was established in 1841 on a property called "Four Windings" now remembered in the name of an adjacent street. Chiefly serving a commuter village , Houston's chief local economic activity is agriculture , with some tertiary sector businesses such as local shops and public houses serving residents and visitors. There are a number of these shops and pubs in the old village, and a number of shops located on
14880-532: Was granted by Abbot George Shaw, representing the Pope and in the presence of the relics, to James IV of Scotland and others implicated in the death of James III at the Battle of Sauchieburn . By 1499 Shaw had had built a new, larger pilgrims' chapel and added the sculptured stone frieze which can still be seen today, showing scenes from the life of St Miren. It was originally brightly painted and may have been part of
15004-438: Was heavily pregnant at the time, she was taken to Paisley Abbey for medical care. There, King Robert II was born by caesarean section , in a time when anaesthesia would not have been available. She was later buried at the abbey. A cairn , at the junction of Dundonald Road and Renfrew Road, approximately 1 mile (2 kilometres) to the north of the Abbey, marks the spot where she reputedly fell from her horse. In 1491, absolution
15128-491: Was presented to a General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for a statement explaining the historic Christian faith in jargon -free non-theological language. "God's Invitation" was prepared to fulfil that request. The full statement reads: God made the world and all its creatures with men and women made in His image . By breaking His laws people have broken contact with God, and damaged His good world. This we see and sense in
15252-473: Was published in 2005). Its Book of Common Order contains recommendations for public worship, which are usually followed fairly closely in the case of sacraments and ordinances. Preaching is the central focus of most services. Traditionally, Scots worship centred on the singing of metrical psalms and paraphrases, but for generations these have been supplemented with Christian music of all types. The typical Church of Scotland service lasts about an hour. There
15376-547: Was strongest. The modern situation largely dates from 1690, when after the Glorious Revolution , the majority of Scottish bishops were non-jurors ; that is, they believed they could not swear allegiance to William III of England and Mary II of England while James VII lived. To reduce their influence, the Scots Parliament guaranteed Presbyterian governance of the church by law, excluding what became
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