CHURCH of Scotland bosses have sacked one of their youngest ministers after women inundated the kirk with complaints about the rising star.
Thirty-two-year-old Elijah Wade Smith, who was ordained as the Minister of Word and Sacrament at Queen’s Park Govanhill Parish Church in Glasgow in January 2015, was asked to leave his position last week.
The National understands several women had complained about Smith, and that he had been accused of abusing his position as a minister.
A special committee of the Presbytery of Glasgow looked into the allegations, and, after a lengthy process, upheld the complaint.
A Church of Scotland spokeswoman said: “A Presbyterial commission was convened to consider complaints against Dr Elijah Smith who was then minister at Queen’s Park Church, Govanhill.
“The complaints were upheld and a sentencing hearing was held on Wednesday, May 15. The decision of the Church court was to remove Dr Smith’s status as a minister.”
Smith, who hails from California, can appeal the decision.
Yesterday he declined to comment, directing The National to the Church of Scotland press office.
This latest news comes during a tumultuous time for the kirk, who are holding their annual general assembly in Edinburgh.
They face a budget shortfall of £4.5 million as congregation numbers drop 4% a year.
Today, commissioners will debate a “radical action plan” that includes reducing the number of presbyteries.
The congregation in Smith’s church were initially only told that their minister had been suspended, and not on what grounds.
Smith, who is also a musician and an artist, has been a popular minister and was seen as a rising star in the Kirk.
He was close to former moderator, the Right Rev Dr Derek Browning.
In February last year, the Rev Ewan Kelly was sworn in as the associate minister of Queen’s Cross Govanhill.
There were prayers for Smith during that first Sunday’s service.
“These are strange times that we inhabit at the moment in Queen’s Park Govanhill,” Kelly told the congregation.
“In the uncertainty and in the disorientation that we’re experiencing, I’m experiencing, we’re all experiencing without our friend Elijah and our parish minister.
“It’s so hard, and I’m hearing that all the time. Not knowing, not knowing. And I don’t know either. We don’t know.
“We don’t know what’s happening and when or if he will return. Quite literally we are in a time of wilderness.”
Smith was the Church of Scotland’s second-youngest minister. He moved to Scotland to study for his PhD.
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