2 mins

ONLINE INDUCTIONS

The closure of buildings has not stopped ministers answering God’s call to churches in the Church of Scotland, as a series of inductions have taken place online.

The Zoom videoconferencing app and Facebook Live have both been used, allowing congregations and well-wishers to watch as ministers have gone through the induction ceremony.

One of the first to be inducted in this way was the Rev Alastair Duncan, who was installed as the parish minister of Glasgow: St George’s Tron after seven years as transition minister there. He took part in the induction from his home, with the ceremony carried out by Presbytery Moderator the Rev Dan Carmichael.

Mr Duncan said: “The experience of ‘virtual induction’ was a strange one.

“Seeing the faces of all those present, rather than being aware of them somewhere behind me as in a traditional induction service, was unusual but not unwelcome.”

The Zoom induction was hosted by the Rev Dr Grant Barclay, minister of Orchardhill Parish Church in Giffnock, who said: “We could see Alastair sign the official documents and Dan, our Moderator, led us in relevant prayers and meaningful reflection.

“For all that we weren’t present at St George’s Tron, we were undoubtedly together.”

The Rev Attie van Wyk was inducted into his new congregation of Edinburgh: Liberton Northfield while sitting in his old manse in the parish of St Andrew’s Lhanbryde and Urquhart in Moray.

The formal induction, hosted by presbytery moderator the Rev Dr Richard Frazer, and depute presbytery clerk, Dr Hazel Hastie, was watched by around 1,100 people.

Mr van Wyk, who is from South Africa and has been working in Moray during a one-year familiarisation placement, said: “Although this was a first for the Presbytery of Edinburgh and for me, many of my family and friends expressed their gratitude being able to follow the virtual induction.

“Together with them I felt cherished and welcomed by the manner in which the online induction was conducted.”

Mr van Wyk will stay in his old parish until the lockdown is over. He said that the two congregations had formed close connections, and were sharing Sunday worship through YouTube. “Communication and support happens through digital and telecommunication and extended hands and feet on the ground, both in Liberton Northfield and Lhanbryde-Urquhart. Both congregations will collaborate in doing Sunday worship services online. In Christ we are one where we serve the Lord together – miles apart, joined through worship, thoughts, songs, prayers and heart.”

People from at least nine different countries took part in the ordination of the Rev Betsi Thane to St Andrew’s Scots Church in Valletta, Malta.

Mrs Thane set up her laptop in her new church hall for the service, and was accompanied by a Presbytery elder who sat two metres away to comply with social distancing rules.

The minister signed an official document and showed it on camera to viewers including the Rev Lance Stone, Moderator of the International Presbytery, and Presbytery Clerk, the Rev Jim Sharp.

Mrs Thane said: “It was a great, joyful and meaningful night and I felt blessed and loved.”