A north-east church has ended its 20-month search for a minister by appointing a Frenchman to role.
Rev Rodolphe Blanchard-Kowal, a former professional Baroque musician, will serve at Portlethen Parish Church for three years.
The post was arranged through the Ministries Council and the World Mission Council of the Church of Scotland, which is partnered with his denomination, the United Protestant Church of France.
Mr Blanchard-Kowal, who was ordained as a minister six years ago, is no stranger to the north-east.
The 44-year-old, who is married to Virginie and has three children, spent a month training at St Machar’s Cathedral in Aberdeen in 2007.
Mr Blanchard-Kowal, who grew up in Paris and led a church in Cognac in the south-west of France, said: “I am very pleased to have been inducted into Portlethen Parish Church.
“I love Scotland and the north-east is a very familiar area so that is why I chose to come here.
“Everyone is very friendly and I am adjusting to different things.
“I come from a country where Protestants are a minority group but here in Scotland, it is the main church for the people.”
Mr Blanchard-Kowal said his wife and children, Paul, 14, Louis, 12, and Zacharie, three, had fallen in love with Aberdeenshire.
Mr Blanchard-Kowal was a professional Baroque musician before becoming a minister.
“I plan to play a lot of music during my time in Portlethen and will perform at a concert in the Jubilee Hall with my family next month,” he added.
Portlethen Parish Church has been without a permanent minister since December, 2015 when Rev Dr Flora Munro retired.
