Justin ordained as new minister at Abbotshall Parish Church

Justin Taylor, who is originally from South Africa, was officially inducted at a special ceremony and celebration on Monday night.

Members of Abbotshall Parish Church together with the Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, ministers from the four town centre churches in Kirkcaldy and members from their congregations all welcomed Justin and his family into the church family of Abbotshall.

Rev Taylor (35) came to Edinburgh in 2012 to do a Masters degree in World Christianity focussing on South African Liberation Theology at the University of Edinburgh.

After finishing, he worked at Wardie Parish Church in the city as a youth worker. He had been looking to do a Doctorate so he could become a university teaching professor but it was while he was at Wardie, he was called to the ministry.

He was accepted as a candidate for the Church of Scotland Ministry in 2016 and started his training at Inverleith St Serf’s and went on to do his probationary year at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh.

Rev Taylor applied for the position at Abbotshall Church and was overwhelmingly voted in by the church earlier this year.

Rev Taylor, who is married with a step-daughter, said: “I want to see how Abbotshall can meet the needs of the community especially as many see the Church as irrelevant. “The Church is in a time of transition and I am excited to seeing how this unfolds in Kirkcaldy and in this parish. It is exciting times for the church and for the whole community.”