On Saturday 1st April, Rev. Innes Macsween was inducted as the Church Planter of Tornagrain Community Church by the Inverness, Lochaber and Ross Presbytery.
While some thought that an induction on April Fool’s Day was highly appropriate for Innes, thankfully, the service was held at 2 pm at Smithton Church – after the midday cut-off for pranks! Rev. Chris Davidson, Church Planter at Merkinch Free Church, moderated and preached at the service of induction as the current moderator of Presbytery.
Although the new Church Plant from Smithton Church was launched in January, Innes remained the Assistant Minister of Smithton Church for a short while for practical reasons but has now been formally inducted into the work at Tornagrain. Chris preached through Psalm 107 as his text for the service before Innes answered the vows of induction and signed the formula, enjoying the privilege of the right hand of fellowship from the Presbytery he has been part of since 2017.
After the formal proceedings, Rev. Alasdair Macleod gave a short speech as the occasion also served as a formal goodbye from Smithton Church to Innes, before there were presentations for Innes and his family from both Smithton Church and from the Tornagrain Community Church plant. Innes also gave a short speech to mark both the end of his assistantship and the beginning of his charge as Church Planter for Tornagrain, while Rev. David Meredith also briefly spoke at the very end – a fitting end to the day celebrating the new plant with David having served for so long as the minister of Smithton Church.
