by Michael Mackenzie (Session Clerk, Smithton Church)
Saturday 24th August was a memorable day in the life of the Smithton Church congregation, as we gathered for the ordination and induction of our new Assistant Minister, Rev. Davi de Paula. Having completed three years as a Minister-in-Training at Burghead Free Church, Davi succeeds Rev. Innes Macsween, who served the church in the same position for six years until taking up the role of Church Planter at Tornagrain Community Church, a church plant located five miles east of the mother church at Smithton.
Once the large gathering of 300-plus had assembled, proceedings commenced with the singing of Psalm 100, after which Rev. Stephen Allison of Kiltarlity Free Church, the Moderator of the Presbytery of Inverness, Lochaber and Ross, preached an encouraging sermon on the topic of Christian service from John 13. John MacAulay, Clerk of Presbytery, provided a narrative of the steps that had led to the service taking place. Once Davi had satisfactorily answered the questions put to him and had been prayed for by the Moderator, he was confirmed as the new Assistant Minister of Smithton Church and was welcomed into the Presbytery by the members present. The Moderator then addressed Davi, encouraging him to look to the example of Paul and Barnabas working together as he takes up a post in a team ministry situation; and also the congregation of Smithton, encouraging us all to remember the message regarding service in the sermon and to be a blessing and encouragement to Davi and his family. The formal proceedings were concluded with the singing of Psalm 72, after which Rev. Peter Turnbull of Burghead Free Church closed in prayer.
Rev. Alasdair Macleod, Senior Minister of Smithton Church, chaired the more informal proceedings that followed. George Barnie, an elder in the congregation, offered a warm welcome to Davi, his wife Emma and son Benjamin and presented a gift to them on behalf of the church. Mhairi MacKintosh, a long-standing member at Smithton, offered a gift to Emma and Lois Macleod, a teenage member, did the same for young Benjamin. All that remained was for Davi himself to respond, thanking the many individuals and churches that have helped him along the way, and to then introduce his friend and former flatmate, Rev. Iain Morrison, the Assistant Minister at Dowanvale Free Church in Glasgow, who excelled at offering the customary ‘character assassination’ of the man of the moment!
It would be hard to do justice by way of mere words to the array of sweet treats that followed the service, so thank you to the army of Smithton volunteers who catered for everyone in this way, and indeed to everyone who played a part in such an enjoyable afternoon. Praise be to God!