The assembly is often engaged in discussing fairly abstruse issues, then suddenly comes alive when a riveting personal testimony is made.

The assembly is often engaged in discussing fairly abstruse issues, then suddenly comes alive when a riveting personal testimony is made.

That happened yesterday when the Rev Alastair Symington came to the microphone during a discussion about the Iona Community's work with young offenders.

The minister of Troon Old Parish Church revealed that some time ago he and his wife had taken a decision to be guardians of a young man who had been sentenced to four years for armed robbery.

Released on licence from Polmont, he came to live in the manse. "It wasn't always easy," said Mr Symington. "In fact, at times it was a hellish experience. It's not easy for youngsters who've been locked up in jail, but we grew to love one another. It's important not to be soft and gooey about all this, but the truth is a lot of people are criminalised because of a lack of imagination about how to deal with them."

The assembly was silent and attentive as the minister went on to tell how, when the lad was incarcerated in Polmont, he asked for baptism. Alastair conducted the service in front of a congregation of a couple of dozen inmates. One boy, moved by the occasion, asked the minister: "Any chance you could adopt me as well?"

Alastair Symington's intervention, as well as the profoundly moving plea for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston by his parents' minister, Dr Jim Macfarlane of Lochgoilhead and Kilmorich, represented vital Christianity in action.