IT was the best New Year present of all…a new minister for Caddonfoot Parish Church.

There was delight when our congregation, and that of Trinity in Galashiels, accepted the Rev Elspeth Harley as their new minister after a two-year vacancy.

From Aberdeen to the Borders…a BIG change but also a BIG welcome.

Elspeth will be inducted on January 31 and will preach her first service, which will be the Sacrament of Holy Communion, on February 2. In at the deep end? We are sure Elspeth will swim with the Caddonfoot tide.

We will sadly say farewell to the Rev Marion Dodd, who has been a total inspiration to our members.

Elspeth and her husband Ewen, a retired doctor, will leave Aberdeen behind – as she says, a bit further from the sea – for a new life in the Borders.

Elspeth, currently a locum in Aberdeen, preached as Nominee in each church before a final votes’ count, which endorsed her hopes of a new charge.

“I am pleased to be able to come and join the congregations here. It is a great privilege and I am very excited about serving the churches and the Lord today,” she said.

“I was overwhelmed by the warmth of the congregations in both churches and who made us feel at home.

“We will be sorry to leave Aberdeen as we have so many friends there, including our son and new daughter-in-law, but we are looking forward to the move.”

Elspeth was born and brought up in Edinburgh, and lived briefly in Glasgow, before going to Botswana with Ewen and their two children.

She then studied at the ecumenical college in Gaborone before returning to completing her studies in Edinburgh.  She spent 10 years as minister of the United Reformed Church in Glasgow and was then invited to teach ministry students in Samoa.

Elspeth moved back to Aberdeen and had a variety of part-time ministries. She set up a Messsy Church, served as a school chaplain, and has a keen interest in organisations like Fair Trade and Christian Aid.

The voting ceremony in Trinity ended with bouquets being presented to Elspeth and Marion before our new minister went back up the road to plan a new beginning south of the Forth.