Trainee kirk ministers are preparing to join congregations across the north after graduating from the Highland Theological College.
A total of 11 candidates were presented with certificates during a graduation ceremony in Castle Street Church in Dingwall last week led by Rev Hector Morrison, principal of HTC.
Seven of them graduated as full-time Word and Sacrament candidates and four are Ordained Local Ministry (OLM) candidates with the majority graduating from the Highland college – part of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) – with a BA in Theological Studies.
Some candidates attended college campuses in person to complete lessons, while others used video conferencing to enable them to study from a distance.
Student Fraser Edwards, 40, took most of his lessons via video conferencing from his home in Edinburgh.
The father of two decided to train for his ministry after becoming “dissatisfied” with his work as an IT specialist.
He said: “I’m delighted to have graduated and because I started studying part-time before switching to full-time, it took me four years to complete the degree.
“I’m looking forward to being able to give my full attention back to learning in a church environment.”
All the candidates will now go onto begin probationary training placements in congregations across the country.
He added: “The key reason for wanting to be a minister is a sense of call to the role but for me this also grew out of a sense of dissatisfaction with my work.
“I wanted to do something that made more of a difference and to be able to share the love of Jesus with people makes the biggest difference of all.
“Our world is in desperate need of hope and Jesus is the greatest hope anyone could find.
