TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved minister after he died at the age of 74.

The Reverend Arthur Sherratt was minister at Kilbarchan West Parish Church for 20 years before it was merged with Kilbarchan East Church in 2014.

The dad-of-two and grandad-of-four also became Moderator of Greenock and Paisley Presbytery in 2008 and was appointed as Chaplain to Moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Reverend Lorna Hood, in 2013.

During his time at Kilbarchan West, Mr Sherratt introduced several new ideas, including a pastoral care team to visit the elderly and housebound.

He also co-ordinated a renovation of the church which saw a new vestry, session house, creche and disabled toilets introduced.

Helen Robertson, assistant session clerk at Kilbarchan Parish Church, said: “We were not sure what to make of Arthur at first but we sensed a person of strong character and determination.

“He breathed new life into our congregation through his own ideas. He was also extremely good at pastoral care. I know people who had been through great trauma who said Arthur’s care was first class.

“You would find him going on walks in the village and he would speak to people. He was known by everyone in Kilbarchan.”

Mr Sherratt, who was a Rolls-Royce engineer before being called to the ministry, also introduced a quarterly church magazine called West Words.

He was school chaplain at Kilbarchan Primary and served as chaplain to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, as well as St Vincent’s Hospice and Accord Hospice.

When the two Kilbarchan churches merged, Mr Sherratt moved to St Cuthbert’s Church, in Saltcoats, with his wife Susan.

Helen added: “Arthur was a family man and will be greatly missed by many people.”

Mr Sherratt’s funeral will take place at Wallneuk North Church, in Paisley, at 1pm today and then at the town’s Woodside Crematorium at 2pm.