Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Rev Peter believes he is destined to be here
Warm welcome to Cairnlea’s minister
Cairnlea and Calderbank parish churches have welcomed Rev Peter Donald as their new minister.
Dr Donald was officially inducted to the linked churches at a special service and celebration held at Cairnlea, in Airdrie town centre.
Now he is getting to know his new congregations and new home town, and says he is excited about taking on his new role.
Rev Donald told the Advertiser how he had received an invitation to the local churches, and said: “I had a strong sense that this was where I was meant to be, a divine calling.
“I had never been to Airdrie before, so it’s all completely new; the people have been hugely welcoming and I’m very happy and really enjoying it.
“This is both different and exciting; Airdrie is quite hilly, not nearly as flat as Inverness where I’ve moved from!
“I’m very keen to energise and inspire others to share in Christ’s witness, and I’m keen to get involved with children and young people, and with pastoral work.
“There’s a building renovation project at Cairnlea which is well underway and is quite exciting; and Calderbank hasn’t had a minister for quite a long time so it’s an opportunity to invigorate the church with the faithful and strong people who’ve kept it going.”
Rev Donald attended school in Edinburgh and went on to study history at Cambridge, before embarking on an academic career both there and in London.
He “quite quickly felt a strong calling to the ministry”, and returned to the Scottish capital to study divinity, before taking up his first charge at St Serf’s church in the city in 1991.
After seven years there, he moved on to Crown church in Inverness, where he was minister for 19 years before moving to Airdrie last month.
He said: “I was elected in November and assumed the role a month ago; the induction was wonderful and a really lovely occasion. It was as the snow was beginning but there was still a large group there, and I preached on the first Sunday after that.
“There are services at both churches every Sunday, and there are two Kirk sessions and two set-ups to get to know. There’s a lot of strong faith and just lovely caring people in the churches.”
Rev Donald’s service of induction was led by Rev Terry Moran, with special guests including Hamilton Presbytery moderator Roberta Hutton and clerk Rev Dr Gordon McCracken.
Young members of the congregation also featured, while the service was attended by representatives of schools and other churches – including both of Rev Donald’s former congregations – plus councillors and youth organisations.
The Cairnlea and Calderbank parishioners also said a fond farewell to previous interim moderator Rev Derek Hughes and locum minister Rev George Donaldson.
Cairnlea session clerk David Calvert said: “We and our friends at Calderbank are delighted to welcome Peter and his wife Brigid to be part of our church family.
“It was a real joy to see the church so full, and with people enjoying and being part of this milestone.”
He added: “Rev Derek Hughes has been hugely supportive of our work and brought his experience and insights into guiding us; and Rev George Donaldson became a friend as well as our minister over the past two years, leading worship and providing pastoral care.”