From Pakistan to Edinburgh: Shahrukh Gill becomes third generation of his family to be ordained as a Church of Scotland minister
Shahrukh Gill, who fled religious persecution in Pakistan as a child, has been ordained at Inverleith St Serf's Parish Church in Edinburgh — following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Analysis
When Shahrukh Gill was six years old, his family left Pakistan in the middle of the night. They could only take their photographs. His grandfather had been a minister in Pakistan, supported by Kirk missionaries. His father became a minister in Scotland. And now, on 23 March 2026, Shahrukh himself was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament at Inverleith St Serf's Parish Church in Edinburgh — the third generation of his family to enter the ministry.
'It is a privilege to answer God's calling,' Shahrukh said ahead of his ordination. 'I am grateful to walk the same path as my father and grandfather. As a third-generation minister, there is a profound sense of continuity and also immense excitement to see how ancient faith meets a modern world.'
The 28-year-old grew up in Glasgow and Paisley after his family fled religious persecution in Lahore, where blasphemy carries the death penalty. His early years gave him, he says, 'an appreciation for the dignity and safety faith finds in Scotland — although this is too easily taken for granted.'
After graduating from the University of Glasgow with a degree in psychology, Shahrukh worked in the mental health sector with SAMH and SeeMe before training for ministry at New College, University of Edinburgh. He describes his time in mental health work as 'an apprenticeship in human care and nurturing.'
His other great passion is woodwork. 'Just like in ministry, there's no rushing the process in the workshop,' he says. 'You have to respect what's in front of you.'
Shahrukh is married to Essi, who is originally from Finland, and the couple have a six-month-old child — 'half Pakistani, half Finnish, and fully Scottish,' as he puts it with evident delight.
Looking ahead to his ministry at Inverleith St Serf's, Shahrukh speaks of a church that is 'not a monument to the past, but a place to revive tradition and create space for hospitality.' In a world hungry for community, he believes the Kirk has a vital role: 'People are rightfully sceptical of fading institutions, but they are starving for community. The Kirk stands as a place where you can worship, reflect, and find peace — where the dignity that the world might strip away is fully restored.'