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Shawlands United Reformed Church was comfortably filled for the ordination of Lesley Thomson as a United Reformed Church Minister and her induction as a Minister of the Glasgow Southside Cluster, with pastoral responsibility for Barrhead, Shawlands and Stewarton.  The service on Sunday 25 June marked a quick addition to the Southside Team, coming just eight days after the induction of Rev'd Helen Garton to pastoral responsibility at Giffnock and Priesthill.  College Principal, Rev'd DrJohn McNeil Scott, preached a lively sermon, reminding us to ‘buckle up’ and be ready for God’s call.  Lesley spoke of the growing compulsion she had felt towards ministry and expressed thanks to the many different folk who have supported her in the path to ordination.  

Welcoming Rev'd Lesley Thomson to her new role, Synod Moderator, Rev'd Paul Whittle, noted this was his first presiding at an ordination in Scotland.  He recalled his own ordination, some 44¼ years earlier, just down the road from one of Lesley’s congregations, as Beith and Stewarton lie fairly close to each other, and prepared for ministry, as she was, by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish College.  Next stop for Lesley, the United Reformed Church General Assembly when, five days after ordination, she will be the URC’s newest minister!  

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