250th anniversary of Irvine Old Parish Church

That this House congratulates Irvine Old Parish Church on their 250th anniversary, which will be celebrated on Sunday 23 June 2024 at a special thanksgiving service; notes that work on the church commenced in 1773 and, when it was completed in 1778, it was one of the largest churches in Ayrshire and that, with the earliest religious building having been recorded in the 9th century, the site has a history as old as that of Irvine itself; and celebrates with the congregation that the church and parish continue to play an integral part in the life of the town for regular worship, as well as marking significant local and national events and anniversaries, including Remembrance Sunday, Veterans Day and the Kirking of elected council representatives and the leaders of local civic bodies.