Voting results released by the Kirk last week showed that the Presbytery of Dumbarton vote was close run with 34 of those eligible voting in favour and 30 voting against.

One of the presbytery’s most long-serving ministers, Ian Miller, said he would accept the final decision made by the Kirk’s General Assembly in May but feels the Church of Scotland has bigger issues to face such as reaching out to communities.

He was one of the presbytery members from 35 churches, including ministers and nominated elders, who had a vote.

Rev Miller, now Interim Moderator at St Andrew’s Kirk, Helensburgh, said: “I was minister at Bonhill for 38 years and our Kirk Session debated the issue and I think it was fairly evenly split and I think it will still be evenly split. The big issue is how people will cope with it. We are all entitled to our individual opinions but what do we do with the decision that is made? Do we deal with it or do we leave the Church of Scotland?

“Being accepting of other people’s views as Christians, it’s something I would be prepared to accept – the decision.

“Two or three years ago I would have been fairly negative but now I’m sitting on the fence.

“I think there are bigger issues facing the Church – it should be making a bigger impact on the community and becoming more engaged with the community. That will see whether the Church will flourish or alternatively die.” Rev Miller, also locum minister at Luss and Arrochar, said he voted against the move but stressed he was not voting on the larger issue of those in same-sex partnerships becoming ministers but against the complicated legislation put forward.

He said: “I didn’t think the legislation would achieve anything. It was too complex and not helpful.” Rev Ian Johnstone, of Riverside Parish Church, Dumbarton, declined to reveal his vote as it was a secret ballot.

Rev Kenny Macaulay, of the town’s St Augustine’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Dumbarton, believes most people involved in various churches in the area would not have a problem with gay clergy.

He said it was not an issue for the Scottish Episcopal Church which had accepted same-sex priests for years and there had been homosexual clergy members St Augustine’s which was ‘not questioned’ by the community.

The 45 Church of Scotland presbyteries across the country were asked to vote on the draft church legislation following the Kirk’s General Assembly last year, seen as paving the way to allow people in same-sex relationships to be ordained.

Details of the results were released on Wednesday, with 32 presbyteries voting in favour of the legislation and 13 against - a 54.6 per cent to 45.4 per cent split.

The legislation, if passed at the General Assembly in May and accepted into Church Law, would allow deacons and ministers in civil partnerships to apply for vacant posts.

The Church has been split on the issue of ordaining ministers in same-sex relationships since a row following the induction of openly gay minister Scott Rennie to a church in Aberdeen and some members have left the Church over the issue.