They say good things come to those who wait. Well, the people of St Columba's, North Shields, have certainly done plenty of waiting. In the last six years they have lived through two long vacancies. But on Saturday 3 September 2005 a new chapter opened in the church's 343 year history.
The church which gave the Presbyterian Church of England its first female minister (Ella Gordon, ordained and called to the neighbouring congregation of St Mark's, High Howdon in 1956) inducted its first female minister in the person of Revd Elizabeth Blair.
In a candid personal testimony, Liz, a native of Liverpool, told a congregation of 150 of the sense of God's presence that she had felt since her youth, both inside and outside the church. After six years in her first pastorate, at St Andrew's, Chester and Handbridge, she now felt that God was calling her to move on.
Among those travelling from Mersey Synod for the weekend were Revd Timothy Jackson of Vicar's Cross, Farndon & Caldy Valley, Chester, who led the prayers of praise and confession, and Revd John Kingsley of Christ Church, Port Sunlight, who preached the sermon. Also taking part in the service were Synod Moderator Revd Peter Poulter, St Columba's third Interim Moderator Revd Nigel Watson, Local Church Leader Jim Perry, and Church Secretary Maud Driver. Representing the Newcastle East & Coast Mission Partnership was Revd Peter Heckels, from Churches Together in North Shields Revd Liz Edwards, representing North Tyneside Council Deputy Chair Cllr Shirley Mortimer, Adam Post and Cllr Arthur Martin, and from St Columba's itself Angela and Hannah Denley, Val Matthew, Danny Pigeon and a Junior Church choir.
The service was followed by a convivial buffet tea in the church hall, which was packed with people.
Liz Blair, who will devote part of her time to wider church responsibilities, is one of the last ministers called to a pastorate before the Synod began to re-examine its deployment strategy.