Barclay Church
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Barclay Church (not to be confused with Dalmuir Barclay Church) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Presbytery of Edinburgh. Located at the border between the Bruntsfield and Tollcross areas of the city at the junction of Barclay Place and Wright's Houses, it was built by Thomas Pilkington – starting in 1862 and completed in 1864 – from a bequest left by Mary Barclay for the building of a church for the Free Church of Scotland. The first minister of the congregation was Rev. James Hood Wilson, DD.
The church remained part of the Free Church of Scotland until 1900 when the majority of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland united to form the United Free Church of Scotland, and subsequently joined the Church of Scotland in 1929 when the majority of the United Free Church joined the Church of Scotland.
Barclay Church united with Bruntsfield Church (Leamington Terrace) in 1965. The Bruntsfield Church building is now used by an independent church and is known as Bruntsfield Evangelical Church. The church was renamed as "Barclay-Bruntsfield Church" until 1980 when it reverted back to its original name after united with Chalmers-Lauriston Church (59-61 Lauriston Place). Chalmers-Lauriston Church was purchased by the City of Edinburgh Council and sold to the Arab Social League for use as a cultural centre, but has remained derelict. Other churches which have been subsumed into the parish of Barclay through earlier unions include West Port Church and Lothian Road Church (now the Filmhouse cinema). It is currently in a grouping, according to the Presbytery Plan of the Presbytery of Edinburgh, with St Catherine's-Argyle Parish Church in Marchmont (61-63 Grange Road) and Viewforth Parish Church (104 Gilmore Place).
The Church, along with the Halls and Church Officer's House at the rear, have been awarded Grade A Listed status by Historic Scotland. The spire, which is 250ft high is a landmark in the city skyline and is one of the tallest church spires in Edinburgh. Internally, the church has seating on the ground floor with two tiers of galleries in the heart shapred auditorium, which originally had seating for 1,200. The organ was installed in the late nineteenth century. The marble pulpit retains its prominent location under the organ pipes with a central view over the auditorium.
Today Barclay Church is still known for its evangelical preaching and worship, building upon the movement's heritage from the days of American preachers D.L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey. The church's mission statement is "Making known God's love in Jesus Christ". The present minister is Rev. Samuel A.R. Torrens, BSc BD who was translated to the charge of Barclay from Avoch Parish Church linked with Fortrose and Rosemarkie Parish Church, in the Presbytery of Ross on May 18, 2005. The previous minister from 1980-2003 was the Rev. D. Graham Leitch, MA BD.
The Edinburgh Chinese Christian Church also meets in Barclay Church Halls at the Wright's Houses entrance.
