Rev Carol-Anne Porter to be inducted as minister of Dornoch Firth Parish at special service
A minister is set to be inducted to the Church of Scotland’s newly united Dornoch Firth Parish at a special service on Saturday, June 14.
Rev Carol-Anne Porter, who initially served as an interim minister at Dornoch Cathedral and then for the parish following its formation in January last year, will be inducted at the service.
Stretching from Croick in the west to Dornoch in the east, the Dornoch Firth Parish was formed as part of the Church’s radical restructuring in response to dwindling congregations and falling income.
It unites the congregations of Dornoch Cathedral, Creich and Kincardine, and Croick and Edderton.
The union has resulted in the closure of Edderton Church, Creich Church in Bonar Bridge and Kincardine Church in Ardgay.
Originally from Bathgate and a former music teacher, Rev Porter was ordained in January 2009, and her first call was to Fraserburgh West linked with Rathen West in the north-east. She then moved to Ludgate Church of Scotland in Alloa.
After visiting the Highlands to research an art project on migration, past and present, she decided to move north permanently.
In 2021, Rev Porter was invited to join the preaching rota at Dornoch Cathedral following the departure of Cathedral minister Susan Brown for the Borders.
This led to her being asked to continue with the congregation as interim minister and then with the parish when it was formed.
Rev Porter said: “This parish has become my home. The people who live and worship here, and those who come and go throughout the year, continue to bless and surprise me and give me so many reasons to feel glad and grateful.”
She added: “Hopefully this is the beginning of a more settled period for the congregation - but not too settled, as there is work to do getting to know our parish better and discerning how best to be Christ’s hands and feet and heart of love to its people.”
A nominating committee selected Rev Porter as the sole candidate for the position of permanent minister at a meeting in Dornoch last December. The Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland congregation then voted in her favour by an overwhelming margin of 115:5.
Members of the Highlands and Islands Presbytery (Clèir Eilean Ì) will be present at the induction service, which starts at 2pm. On Sunday Rev Porter will lead worship at the cathedral alongside a friend and colleague who mentored her during her probation years in the ministry.
Jeani Hunter, a member of the parish session clerk team, said that worshippers had initially “grieved for their regular services and fellowship”. However, the session of the new, larger parish had worked hard to reestablish worshipping communities.
Weekly services are held in Dornoch Cathedral, and fortnightly services are held in halls and community buildings in the western part of the parish or outdoors on crofts and in woodland.
Ms Hunter said: “Lately we had the news that we would have ownership of Ardgay Church Hall, and this is being developed as a regular place of worship. It is a work in progress.”
She added: “Rev Porter has constantly worked to bridge gaps, support the whole parish, and develop new and innovative ways of worship. Consequently, it was no surprise that she has accepted the popular call by this new parish to become their permanent minister.”
