Retirement taking toll on Highland presbytery

A presbytery in the Highlands of Scotland is calling on new ministers because retirements are beginning to take their toll on the number of existing preachers.

Three Church of Scotland ministers have retired from their churches in Caithness in the last 18 months.

The Presbytery’s Business Committee said that the workload was becoming far too heavy for existing ministry teams to cover parishes without a minister.

However, Presbytery Clerk James Houston is hoping that Caithness will attract fresh blood because of the inviting ministry it presents.

“We have a number of vibrant congregations covering large town and rural areas with a wide range of skills and abilities, which make it very rewarding," he said.

“Caithness offers a broad palette with which to develop pastoral skills and also family life.

“I would like to think we are a progressive presbytery, and I am happy to have informal conversations with ministers who feel this could be their next calling.”

The Church of Scotland’s Ministries Council, which deals with the Kirk’s recruitment, training and support of ministries, said it is already considering innovative solutions to encourage ministers and their families to consider a call to Caithness.