The ordination and induction of a new minister at Pairc Free Church of Scotland is said to have provided great “encouragement” to other congregations in the Western Isles Presbytery that are currently seeking a minister.

The ordination and induction of Rev Scott Macleod last month was a big day for the minister and his new congregation but also a significant day for the presbytery, as they currently deal with the pressure of a third of Western Isles charges being vacant.

Read more about that story on welovestornoway here.

Rev Macleod’s ordination and induction marked a big change of career as he was previously an electrician and had worked in the trades for around 10 years before being “called” to ministry.

His ordination and induction service took place on Tuesday 25 August and was attended by between 250 and 300 people. The service was led by Rev Colin Macleod on Back Free Church, who preached from Acts 5:20, with the message: “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life”.

Following the sermon, Rev Macleod took the necessary vows and signed the formula, before being ordained to the ministry by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Mr Macleod was then addressed by Rev Andrew Coghill of Scalpay Free Church and the congregation was addressed by Rev Paul Murray of Kinloch Free Church, who had been interim moderator for Pairc before Mr Macleod’s appointment.

A spokesman for the Free Church said the service was “particularly memorable for the quality and volume of the Psalm singing” – a feature of the service that Rev Macleod would later mention to welovestornoway.

Following the service, a reception took place in the Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway, where the 180 chairs set out proved insufficient for the crowd that gathered.

During the evening, Mr Macleod spoke about his journey into ministry from being a tradesman. This was followed by words from two of those who looked after him on his student journey, Rev Calum Murdo Smith, assistant minister at Stornoway Free Church, and Rev David Macleod, of North Harris Free Church.

Rev Andrew Coghill, presbytery clerk, described it as a “wonderful” day, adding: “I think it’s also encouraging for a comparatively small congregation like Pairc to be filled when some of the larger ones might still have not been able to.

“Naturally, we’re encouraged for a smaller congregation to be filled when perhaps they might have been expected to be at the back of the queue. It’s very encouraging for them and we hope that we’ll see the other ones filled as soon as possible.”

Having been interim moderator himself at Gravir for the last two years, Rev Coghill added: “I was particularly happy that I could hand it over.”

Rev Macleod told WLS it had been quite “emotional” to get his call to Pairc.

Although one feels “called to ministry”, he said this was “confirmed when you get a call to a congregation”.

He said: “I found it quite emotional. I’ve been working for the last four years and training and not knowing where I was going to go. I didn’t expect this from Gravir, to be honest, and then it became clear that this was the right place to go.”

Rev Macleod admitted there was an element of finding his feet, being so new in post, and said induction day had felt “quite strange” as he was naturally quite shy.

However, it was also “amazing”. He said: “The church was three quarters full and it was just amazing having so many people there and the singing was like ‘wow’. You don’t hear singing like that so often and it made the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.”

Rev Macleod, who is from Back, is happy to have been able to support Pairc.

“We wanted to go to a congregation that needed a bit of encouragement. That’s what we felt would be most useful, going to an existing congregation that needed a wee boost.”