There are moments in the life of a church that carry a particular grace, and the weekend in Fraserburgh was one of them. Rev Mike Newlands was ordained and inducted as the first full-time minister for Fraserburgh and District Parish Church — a significant milestone for a community that has been waiting for this moment.

But the weekend held a second, more intimate joy. During his very first service as minister, Rev Newlands baptised his daughter Evelyn. The public and the personal, the official and the deeply human, were woven together in a way that speaks to the heart of what parish ministry is about.

For the congregation in Fraserburgh, this is a moment of hope and new beginning. Having a full-time minister brings stability, presence, and the kind of sustained pastoral relationship that allows a church to grow and deepen its roots in its community. The north-east of Scotland has its own particular character — fishing heritage, resilience, a directness of spirit — and the Church of Scotland's commitment to placing a minister there is a commitment to that community.

Rev Newlands begins his ministry carrying the prayers of his congregation, the blessing of his church, and — one imagines — the laughter and wonder of a daughter who was baptised on the most significant Sunday of her father's professional life.