New minister

The Free Church Continuing in Harris finally has a minister after a 12 year vacancy.

Rev Iain Smith is now the permanent pastor for the congregation.

The Northton meeting house where they worship was too small with over 200 people attending the induction service so Leverburgh Free Church lent their premises.

New minister after 12-year pulpit vacancy

20 May 2016

Rev Iain Smith is inducted to Harris

The service was conducted by presbytery moderator, Alasdair Macleod, minister of Knock and Point, and included the singing of psalms in both Gaelic and English.

Mr Macleod's text was Numbers 27:15-17, in which Moses prayed that the Lord would set a man over the congregation of Israel, to lead them and guide them, “that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.”

He concluded by saying that the Lord had now answered the prayers which the congregation had offered up over many years,and expressed the desire that their new undershepherd would point them to the great Shepherd of the flock.

Mr Smith was ordained as minister of Partick Free in 1994. After nine years in Glasgow he ministered in Tasmania, Australia, for the Southern Presbyterian Church.

The 65-year-old native of Point, Lewis, was admitted to the Free Church (Continuing) in October after returning to Scotland. His wife Mary hails from Stornoway.