THE CHURCH of Scotland has suspended one of its youngest ministers after receiving complaints alleging misconduct.

Thirty-one-year-old Californian 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, has been told to “abstain from the exercise of all the functions of the office” while the claims are investigated.

A special committee of the Presbytery of Glasgow has been appointed to look into the allegations, which, The National understands, come from several women from different parts of Scotland.

The complaint handed into the Kirk included accusations that would, if proved, be considered a breach of church law.

A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “Reverend Elijah Smith has been suspended after complaints were made to the Church. It would be inappropriate to comment further since the presbytery is conducting an investigation and has not yet concluded its enquiries.”

Smith declined to comment.

Churchgoers were 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 these last two years, and is close to the Kirk’s moderator, the Right Rev Dr Derek Browning.

In February, the Rev Ewan Kelly was sworn in as the associate minister of Queen’s Cross Govanhill. There were prayers for Smith during Kelly’s first Sunday’s service, and during a sermon on Jesus and the wilderness, Kelly made reference to Smith’s absence.

“These are strange times that we inhabit at the moment in Queen’s Park Govanhill,” Kelly said. “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. And that is very hard.”

Smith was the Church of Scotland’s second-youngest minister. He moved to Scotland to study at for his PhD St Andrew’s University, before being called to Govanhill.

His family originally came from the south side of Glasgow before moving to Los Angeles. Writing on the church’s website, Smith described the journey that took him to Govanhill: “In the autumn of 2014, I first sensed a calling to the congregation and parish of Queen’s Park Govanhill.

“I was ordained and inducted in early 2015 and haven’t looked back. I am in love with the people in the congregation and parish of QPG and it is a great privilege and honour to serve God through helping to lead our church family in the work of the Kingdom.”

Under the Church’s disciplinary process, a panel will first assess if a complaint if valid or vexatious.

If it is found to be reasonable, an investigation is then carried out, with the allegations and statements from complainers presented to the person accused.

Should they accept the charges, then an accelerated process is followed with a panel of presbytery determining the punishment.

If the accused doesn’t accept the complaint, then a full hearing is convened.