On Saturday 29th August the Hope Church Coatbridge building was full for the induction of Rev. Benj Wilks. Family and friends from many places attended for what proved an uplifting time. It was especially encouraging that so many from Benj’s previous congregation at Covenant Church, Newmilns came along to support him and Joanna, and wish them well in their new sphere of ministry.
The congregation was also delighted to welcome back previous ministers, the Rev. Ken Cameron, minister between 1964-1970, Rev. Dr Malcolm Macrae, (1971-1983), Rev. Ivor MacDonald (2012-2024) and also members of the family of the late Rev. Dr David Ford (1987-1998). The Rev. Richard Muir (2000-2009) was unable to be present.
The Moderator of the Free Presbytery of Glasgow and Argyll, Rev. Jonathan de Groot, presided and invited Rev. Neil Longwe to preach, from Psalm 100. In a stimulating and passionate sermon Neil urged on us that everyone worshipped something, that the living and true God warranted our loud and joyful worship and that we should do so because that God is the only God, our Creator, to whom His people belong as to a shepherd, for ever.
Then, after the usual questions, Benj signed the Formula, putting his name, publicly, orally and in writing, to the doctrinal standards of the Church. After Benj was formally admitted to the pastoral charge of Hope Church and given the right hand of fellowship by the presbytery and those associated with it, Rev. David MacPherson addressed him from Psalm 131 on the ‘key element’ of a minister’s job description that being to urge the saints, and those not yet saints, to put their hope in the Lord, with humility and wisdom.
Rev. Tom Penman, interim-moderator, reminded the congregation that the unchanging God has been with us and will be, in every situation, that our identity in Christ is unchanged, and while Benj is a servant, he is not our servant, and that we should support him and his family in every way.
Elder Alasdair Walker welcomed Benj, referencing the fruitful results from the work of previous Newmilns’ ministers who had moved to the Glasgow area, praying that that would also be Benj’s experience, that he would find the congregation and town welcoming and assuring him, Joanna and the family of the continued prayers of the congregation. Mrs Christine Smith welcomed Dr Joanna Wilks and Kenzie Walker presented gifts to Zechariah, Obadiah, Tamar, Zipporah and Alethea.
Benj then asked Iain Macleod, Session Clerk, to present a token of the congregation’s appreciation to Tom Penman, who had been such an effective and hard-working interim-moderator.
Rev. Stephen Strong paid tribute to Benj’s beneficial influence on him while he was a minister in training and Rev. Dr Thomas Woolford, vicar of New Longton Church of England in Preston, gave a fresh, and amusing, perspective on Benj’s character and gifts, speaking from what was evidently a deep and close friendship.
After a blessing being pronounced by the new minister, he and Joanna cut a cake of welcome and the congregation enjoyed refreshments, organised by the congregation.
On Sunday morning Rev. Callum Macleod, formerly of Shawbost, preached Benj in with a suitable and encouraging sermon from Galatians chapter 1.
