THE north of England has welcomed a touch of the deep south, with a new minister from Tennessee taking up a post in Carlisle.

The Border Kirk on Chapel Street welcomed its new minister, Reverend Wes Brandon, at his induction service on January 27.

Rev Wes said: " I was initially drawn to the diversity of Carlisle as a proper border city with both new, transient families and long, generational families from various backgrounds coming together to live, work, and even worship as a community.

"Carlisle, being a small city, offers many great opportunities that larger cities or smaller towns and villages cannot."

He says he is keen to encourage young people not simply to be involved in the church itself but 'to experience the world through service, fellowship, and learning in a safe and nurturing environment.'

Rev Wes grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has been an ordained minister for nearly twenty years.

For the first fifteen years he was a minister at four different churches, then he moved to the UK and transferred to the Church of Scotland.

He said: "I look forward to working with my colleagues in the neighbouring churches within Carlisle to see where we can come together to help, to listen to, and to lift up those in need.

"What excites me in ministry is seeing various inter-generational church communities and faith traditions, setting aside what some might see that divides us, in order to work side-by-side to discover more what unites us to the benefit of the place we all call home."

He explained that he was so grateful to have so many people attend his inauguration both in person and online to support him in this new chapter.

The Mayor of Carlisle, Councillor Pam Birks, was delighted that Wes had joined the Border Kirk. She said having an American amongst the clergy of the town "would help diversify and enrich the city. We can learn so much from one another and his arrival will add another dimension to a city with an already varied culture."

Members of the Presbytery of Annandale and Eskdale officiated at the induction, and Presbytery Moderator Rev Dr Robert Pickles, Presbytery Clerk Dr Hazel Hastie and Rev Morag Crossan of Canonbie United with Liddesdale Church all participated.