AFFLUENT churches are being penalised by new Kirk rules attempting to raise ministers' stipends and by the constant demands of central funding for mission and aid work, Glasgow ministers have claimed.
The city's presbytery raised concern about the dramatically increased financial burden faced by wealthier, self-supporting churches, and warned it could not be sustained against a background of falling membership.
In a bold move, the presbytery asked the General Assembly on Saturday to suspend a programme aimed at raising ministerial stipends to minimum wages levels and to review the system.
The Glasgow ministers also asked for contributions to the Kirk's mission and aid fund to be amended to take account of the unprecedented increases in contributions to the stipend supplementary fund.
The Church launched its programme to increase the minimum stipend from #14,000 to around #18,000 over a five-year period in 1994. Funding for the move, which will be fully implemented next year, has come from the Kirk's wealthier, self-supporting congregations, which the Glasgow ministers claimed were now feeling the pinch.
The Rev George Whyte, convener of the board of ministry, which has set this year's minimum stipend at #16,093 and a manse, explained: ''It may be that we have placed the burden too heavily on the biggest and strongest congregations.''
Presenting the argument on behalf of the Glasgow ministers, the Rev John Boyd claimed there was growing concern at the increase in the numbers of well-off congregations seeking help in meeting their financial commitments.
Mr Whyte's appeal for the Church to continue with the stipend levy programme was accepted by the assembly.
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