Check out the church tartan that helps mark 125 years

A church has pulled out all the stops to acknowledge its 125th anniversary and a major milestone for one of its longest serving members.

While Laurieston Parish Church marked its big birthday with a dinner at Laurieston Bowling Club last month, session clerk William Bell was celebrating his 50th year as a church elder.

Reverend Mary Henderson and her congregation took the opportunity to mark the personal anniversary by rewarding Mr Bell’s commitment to the church with special presentations at the dinner on Thursday, October 25 and at the following Sunday service.

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Reverend Henderson said: “We had a number of special guests at the dinner including former Laurieston minister Ronnie McDowall and one of our oldest members, Margaret McGregor who is 99-years-old.

“It was a double celebration as William Bell was marking 50 years since he had been ordained as an elder of the church. We made a bit of a fuss of him on Thursday and then at the service on Sunday when he was presented with a waistcoat in the new Church of Scotland tartan.”

The Sunday service also saw Reverend Henderson open a time capsule that was buried 25 years earlier when Laurieston was marking its 100th anniversary.

The dinner and special service were just two of the events the church has organised in honour of its 125th anniversary – earlier in the year local opera singer Cheryl Forbes sang at a concert and another musical night is planned for Thursday, December 6 with the Unison Kinneil Brass Band.