since the Disruption of 1843. Following an apology from evangelical Church of Scotland organisation Forward Together over an incorrect statement concerning Rennie's personal circumstances, a conversation between Rennie and OneKirk Convener, Peter Johnston, was published, in which Rennie spoke about the challenge of growing up in a conservative church: As a young man growing up in a conservative church, it felt impossible to deal with issues around my own sexuality. It did not feel like a safe environment, and certainly not one in which I could have found support and understanding. So, I came to believe that I had to ignore it and do what I thought was the right thing at the time: live a heterosexual life. Judith Pearson and Trevor Salmon, joint session clerks of Queen's Cross, wrote to The Herald newspaper in support of Rennie, saying: The congregation were fully conversant with all relevant facts before they voted for and signed the call to Scott Rennie. Our call is based upon his gifts and our corresponding needs, and upon our real sense that he is the person best equipped to serve alongside us and to offer leadership to us. General Assembly 2009 The case against Rennie was titled Aitken and Others versus the Presbytery of Aberdeen, and heard on Saturday 23 May 2009. It was intended to answer the following question: What was the law of the Church at the time (6 January 2009) the Presbytery of Aberdeen made the decision that has been challenged; and was the Presbytery entitled to make the decision it made in the light of the legal position at that time? On the same evening that Rennie's case was heard, an overture (motion) was to be received from the Presbytery of Lochcarron-Skye which, in the light of Rennie's call to Queen's Cross, sought to prevent anyone in an extra-marital sexual relationship from working in the church: No court or agency of the Church may accept for training, ordain, admit, re-admit, induct or introduce to any ministry of the Church anyone involved in a sexual relationship outside of faithful marriage between a man and a woman. William J. U. Philip, the minister of St George's-Tron Church, Glasgow, in concert with Forward Together, founded an online petition in order to support this overture, which received 12,555 signatures, including 481 Church of Scotland Ministers and 33 Kirk Sessions, and also to express their opposition to