South Harris Induction
A good gathering assembled in Leverburgh on Thursday, 15 November 2018, for the induction of Rev K M Watkins to the South Harris congregation. Although the forecast had been for stormy weather, the evening of the induction was calm and dry and those friends who gathered from further afield were able to arrive unhindered. The vacancy in the South Harris congregation was relatively short, lasting from March 2017, when the former pastor, Rev K D Macleod, was translated to the Inverness congregation. Having expressed their desire that Rev K M Watkins, Barnoldswick, be called to become their minister, the call from the South Harris congregation was accepted by Mr Watkins at a meeting of the Southern Presbytery in September.
Having ascertained that there were no objections to the life and doctrine of Rev K M Watkins, the Outer Isles Presbytery proceeded with the induction. Before public worship commenced, Revs D A Ross, K D Macleod, D A K Macdonald and I D MacDonald, were associated with the Presbytery. The Moderator of Presbytery, Rev J R Tallach, then went to the pulpit and preached an appropriate discourse on 2 Corinthians 5:20-21: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
At the conclusion of this part of the worship, the Moderator called Mr Watkins to answer the questions put to ministers at their induction to a charge. When the pastor-elect had answered the questions satisfactorily and signed the Formula, the Moderator, in the name of the Presbytery and by the authority of the King and Head of the Church, inducted Mr Watkins to the pastoral charge of South Harris. The brethren then gave Mr Watkins the right hand of fellowship. Rev A W MacColl then addressed Mr Watkins, from Proverbs 18:1, “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom”. Rev J B Jardine exhorted the congregation to their duties to support their new minister and attend the public means of grace diligently on Sabbath and weekday – basing his address on the promise contained in their call, to give Mr Watkins “all dutiful respect, encouragement and obedience in the Lord”.
Rev D A Ross and Rev K D Macleod were invited to speak, and a number of messages of good will, from various ministers of the Church at home and overseas, were read aloud. The newly-inducted pastor went to the front door of the church to be welcomed by the congregation.
The Harris people are noted for their kind hospitality and this was once again witnessed by the abundant and excellent buffet prepared by the congregation, which was enjoyed by many of those who had gathered for the happy occasion. The congregation expressed their thanks to Rev J B Jardine, their Interim Moderator during the vacancy, and their best wishes to Mr and Mrs Watkins, by presenting gifts to them. Mr Watkins warmly thanked the congregation for their kindness. We are thankful to the Most High that the numerous friends who had gathered were all taken safely to their destinations.
It is a most solemn and spiritually-important matter when a minister is removed from one sphere of labour and planted in another. The messengers of Christ are stars in the hands of Him who walketh among the golden candlesticks and He is sovereign in placing them where He wills. This sovereign activity of the settling of ministers has an unspeakably significant effect, bearing upon the eternal state of those precious souls to whom the light of the gospel shines, whether that gospel is embraced or rejected. May the light of truth shine very brightly in South Harris in coming days and may sinners be turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. We pray that Mr Watkins’ settlement in Leverburgh will thus indeed be for the good of precious souls, for the strengthening of the Church in the Western Isles and for the glory of the King of Zion, that His Word may have free course and be glorified. “For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. . . . I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence. And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Is 62:1,6,7). (Rev) A W MacColl, Clerk of Presbytery
Committee Meetings
Synod committees will meet, DV, in Inverness Free Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, March 20, as follows:
– 10.00 – 10.30 Church Interests Committee
– 10.30 – 12.00 Training of the Ministry Committee
– 12.00 – 13.00 Sabbath Observance Committee
– 14.00 – 15.00 Outreach Committee
– 14.00 – 17.00 Finance Committee
– 15.00 – 17.00 Religion and Morals Committee
– 18.00 – 19.30 Publications and Bookroom Committee
– 19.30 – 20.30 Welfare of Youth Committee
– 19.30 – 20.30 Overseas Committee
(Rev) K M Watkins, Clerk of Synod
Bookroom Fund
By appointment of Synod, the Special Collection on behalf of the Bookroom Fund, is due to be taken in congregations during February. W Campbell, General Treasurer