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Andrew O'Brien/The Church of Scotland/PA Wire
UK News

Church of Scotland welcomes highest number of trainee ministers in five years

by Hannah Tooley

The influx comes as it prepares for hundreds of parish ministers retiring in the next decade.

The Kirk has so far accepted 27 new candidates for training this year and with further applicants due for assessment next month and it could be the largest intake for 10 years according to officials.

The figures have been released as the Church builds on its Tomorrow's Calling campaign which is designed to promote parish ministry, with a new recruitment website and an online advent calendar carrying 24 video messages created by ministers.

Revd Neil Glover, convener of the Church's Ministries Council, said: "We're no different to other professions facing up to retirement challenges, like GPs and teaching.

"The Church has been slow to get to get to grips with the scale of the problem but now it is a top priority.

"We currently have just over 800 ministers, and more than 400 of them are aged 55 or over.

"Ministers tend to work a bit beyond the normal pension age, but we now need to recruit 30 new trainees every year. With around 10 ministers usually returning to parish ministry or joining us each year, then we will be able to continue serving our parishes."

He added that the campaign had a lot of interest: "Everyone experiences their calling to ministry differently and many put it off for one reason or another. What we are saying now is come and talk to us, find out if ministry is right for you."

Louise Purden, 39, has been accepted by the Church as a trainee and her father Revd John McPake, 67, has come out of retirement to work part-time as an associate minister at Edinburgh's Gorgie Dalry Parish Church.

Andrew O'Brien/The Church of Scotland/PA Wire

Louise Purden, one of a number of trainee ministers at the Church of Scotland. 

Louise Purden said she thought about herself being a minister she had "butterflies in her tummy".

"I guess I have become more aware of the roles that ministers can have and how much the Church has enhanced my life and my family life and I want that for my children as well so I am looking forward to it."

Her father said he was "very encouraged and pleased" with his daughter's decision.

The Church launched its recruitment campaign at May's General Assembly in Edinburgh.

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