A new minister has been elected for St John's Church in Largs, and Cumbrae, in exciting times for both local churches.

Jonathan Fleming has been minister of Erskine Parish Church since 2012, and was voted 2015 Citizen of the Year for his outstanding community work.

The 35 year old said the calling to the North Coast and Cumbrae area was strong, and is looking forward to the new opportunity.

Jonathan is married to Karyn, and they have two girls, Rachel, 8, and Hollie, 4, and will be starting in October after an overwhelming election victory with 250 votes in favour and one against.

He said: "I have had a very busy 4-5 years in Erskine and helped reintegrate the parish with the community. I felt it was important the church was more available to the community and we did a number of different things which were recognised nationally. We had a day during the elections when the school was closed for polling stations, and hosted a pyjama day for children which helped parents struggling with childcare. It was a great surprise to receive the 2015 Erskine Citizen of the Year for outstanding community work, and the fact that it was voted by members of the community made it very special as they recognised the important role that the church plays. Our congregation has grown year on year and all that is down to the hard work of our church volunteers."

Admitting that it will be a wrench to leave a community where he has been so popular, Jonathan said he was looking forward to taking his next step.

He said: "It was totally unexpected and one of the things that a lot of people say is there is a notion of a call. This call came from Largs and was very much out of the blue, and after a series of events, it has slotted into place. It is a new challenge for me and I can't wait to start working with the community in Largs and Millport with two really good churches, and very active congregations. I am hoping to bring some new initiatives to the fore that people will get behind."

One of the things he introduced at Erskine which has been popular locally has been the Messy Churches for young children, which bring families together in a church setting. He said: "I firmly believe church doesn't have to be on a Sunday morning. It is really about opening our doors and having an awareness of what the church is all about."

And the new minister is also excited about the construction of a new Parish Church on Cumbrae. He said: "I am delighted to have been given the gift of getting the journey at this point as they are reaching the culmination of a lot of hard work and fundraising, and not only is there now a new church and minister, but a vision of working together, and I look forward to working alongside the Catholic Church and the Cathedral of the Isles and making the best of the resources we have on the island."

Rev. Fleming, who grew up in Milngavie and Bearsden, preached in Largs and Millport on Sunday, and said: "My family came down to support me - and the welcome they all received was astounding. I was totally bowled over, they couldn't do enough to make us all feel at home. It was a fantastic atmosphere, and a really full church."