Two remote Church of Scotland congregations have finally got a minister to lead them after more than five years of searching.
Reverend Dr Lindsay Schluter was this month inducted as minister for churches in Barra and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides.
Dr Schluter is a long way from home in her latest role after working at Trinity Church in Larkhall, North Lanarkshire.
Barra became vacant after Rev Eleanor Muir gave up the position on March 11 2008, while South Uist has been without a minister since May 31 2011, when Rev Jacqueline Petrie left.
Dr Schluter has now moved into the manse at Cuithir on Barra along with her black Labrador, Calag.
She is fluent in German had worked as a translator, interpreter and guide at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Moray.
She said: "I am very pleased and excited to be here.
"I feel very content and it feels like the right place to be.
"I like the Hebrides a lot and I have family connections here, which means I had an idea of what life would be like before I moved.
"I am settling in and need to work out how to deal with a linked charge because there is an awful lot of water between the two parishes.
"A single boat trip is about 40 minutes."
She added she would miss her old parish in Larkhall.
Dr Schluter was inducted by the Moderator of Argyll Presbytery, Marilyn Shedeen, in Cuithir Parish Church, Barra.
Barra Church session clerk Sheila Flower said: "We are delighted to have Lindsay with us because it was a long eight-and-a-half years.
"People rallied round, we had lots of support from the Catholics on the island, and we were getting by.
"But we needed a shepherd because we have thousands of sheep and then, out of the blue, we heard that Lindsay was interested.
"It is lovely to have a professional minister to lead us. People prefer to turn to a minister in times of crisis to talk to and Lindsay has lots of experience in that field."
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