Houston & Killellan Kirk seeks to appoint an Organist and Choirmaster to lead the music ministry of our active congregation. Our current organist will be leaving at the end of the summer.
The successful candidate will be a competent musician, confident in traditional hymn accompaniment and experienced in church choral repertoire. The role includes directing a small choir and continuing our work in developing congregational involvement through augmented and occasional scratch choirs. We also hope to create opportunities to develop a community wellbeing choir and/or a children’s choir.
Commitment
- Sunday worship at 11.15am, with choir rehearsal at 10.15am (or on an agreed weekday evening)
- Occasional early services
- Support in developing music ministry for alternative forms of worship
- Additional services during Holy Week and Christmas
- Weddings and funerals throughout the year, with first refusal
Salary & Conditions
- Salary in line with the Scottish Federation of Organists scale, Level C (dependent on experience)
- Additional fees for weddings and funerals (payable directly by those contracting)
- Church key holder
- Six weeks’ holiday per annum
- This role includes work with children and vulnerable adults; PVG membership will therefore be required
How to Apply
Applications should include a CV, a covering letter outlining suitability for the post, and contact details for two referees (one of whom should be a professional musician with recent knowledge of your work). If video examples of work are available, please include a link.
Application closing date: 26 June 2026
Short‑listed candidates will be invited to interview and audition.
Applications should be sent to churchoffice.hkk@gmail.com with the subject line: Organist Vacancy 2026.
The Organ and other instruments
The organ was built in 1981 by Church & Co in Neo‑Baroque style and is situated at the back of the church in the Choir Gallery (see images). The organ is tuned to Werkmeister III temperament.
Great
- Principal 8
- Stopped Diapason 8
- Octave 8
- Fifteenth 2
- Mixture III
Choir
- Gedackt 8
- Chimney Flute 4
- Nazard 2 2/3
- Flute 2
- Tierce 1 3/5
Pedal
- Subbass 16
- Fagotto 16
Other instruments
• There is an upright piano in good condition in the church.
• There is a Yamaha digital piano for rehearsal.
The Choir
• The choir currently contributes an introit each week during term time (September to May).
• The choir is very committed, hard-working and has a reasonable standard of sight-reading.
• The Choir has access to an extensive library of music covering all seasons of the church year.
Worship Style
• Worship is in a traditional Church of Scotland style. Morning worship consists of hymns drawn principally from The Church Hymnary Fourth Edition. Occasionally hymns are taken from other sources such as The Church Hymnary Third Edition, Junior Praise, and Mission Praise.
• The Choir contributes an Introit and Anthem each week during term time.
• Organ voluntaries are played before the service, during the uplift of the offering, and at the end of the service.
Potential for Development
• The church is situated in a thriving community with many families. The church has a large Sunday school and the local Primary and Secondary schools are among the best in the region. There is considerable potential to introduce a junior choir which may in time feed into the adult choir.
• The church has excellent church hall and associated facilities to the rear of the church, making the church an attractive venue for concerts and other musical activities.
Location
The church is situated 15 miles west of Glasgow city centre in the attractive conservation village of Houston.
Travel times:
• By car from central Glasgow: 25 minutes
• By car from central Edinburgh: 1 hour 10 minutes
• By train from Glasgow Central (to Johnstone Station): 15 minutes
• By bicycle from Johnstone Station via disused railway line: 25 minutes
• By bus from Buchanan Bus Station: 45 minutes
Address:
Houston & Killellan Kirk
Kirk Road
Houston
PA6 7AS
Lanarkshire Organists 