New Minister for Bonar Bridge and Lairg

Photo: Northern Times

LAIRG Free Church was packed at the beginning of August, for the ordination to the ministry of John Forbes (29) from Farr, near Inverness and his induction to the charge of Bonar Bridge and Lairg Free Church.

It is the first time since the departure of the Rev John MacLean seven and a half years ago that Lairg Free Church has had a permanent minister in place.

Said Mr. Forbes:

"I took a degree in engineering at Cambridge University after leaving school, and afterwards I was employed in accountancy work in Paisley and Inverness before deciding to go in for the Free Church ministry. I began a three-year course in the Free Church College in Edinburgh in 2005, where I obtained a Bachelor of Theology degree in 2008, and during this time I spent eight weeks in Lairg last year on a summer placement, along with my wife Mary from Shawbost in Lewis and our daughter Katherine, then aged one. Everyone was very friendly and helpful and this was why I was so pleased to accept the call to Bonar Bridge and Lairg as my first charge. We now also have a son James who is eight months old."

There were around 250 people at the ordination service, including members of neighbouring congregations, members of the Church of Scotland and APC Church congregations in Lairg, five ministers from the Northern Presbytery of the Free Church which extends from Rosskeen to the north coast, and guests from Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Lewis, as well as family members.

The Northern Times: read on....

Footnote:
John is the son of Farquhar and Lillian Forbes and his brother Farquhar (Jnr.) is the Family Support worker at Inshes Church (of Scotland), Inverness.

Nothern Times, 27/08/2008