A special and emotive occasion was held at the kirk as the Rev Kenneth Elliott conducted worship for the last time.
It was in November 1989 that Kenneth, along with his wife Fiona, came to Prestwick South and commenced his ministry.
A service of thanksgiving and celebration was held with a packed church, which included some of Kenneth’s colleagues, along with family and friends.
After the service concluded, lunch was served in the church hall complete with the cutting of a specially designed cake.
Kenneth said: “It was very emotional and hard saying goodbye after a fantastic 35 years in Prestwick.
“Everyone has a shelf life and with me hitting retirement age my time was up, and I couldn’t be happier with how it ended.
(Image: Church of Scotland) “There were lots of people there who were instrumental in my time as minister, with people who had moved away coming back to be there for my final service.
“One special visitor was the Reverend George Prentice, who I conducted my probationary period with and is now in his 90s.
“That was really special and topped the day off nicely alongside family, friends and the community.”
Kenneth conducted his probationary period in Paisley, after finishing education at Glasgow University, before moving to South Ayrshire.
He explained: “Once you finish your training, you are eligible to apply for churches that are vacant, one of which was Prestwick South.
“It was the only church I applied for and as a result I was successful and became the minister not long after.
“I didn’t know much about the town and I’d only ever visited on the odd day out from my home in Paisley.
“I have grown to really love the town and it is where my children Richard and David were born.”
(Image: Church of Scotland) Kenneth admits there have been lots of highlights over the years, including trips abroad and bringing the church into the modern day.
He added: “We have made various changes to the interior of the building, and we’ve been adapting to the 21st century.
“We’ve been implementing modern technology on a daily basis, and our services are now streamed live every Sunday.
“I did quite a few church trips, where we took members of Prestwick South to various places including Israel, Iona, Northumberland, Rome, Krakow and York.
“One of the best bits was also just getting to know people through time, who become not just your congregation but your firm friends as well.
“It has been a privilege and a joy to be minister of Prestwick South, and I must say thanks to all the congregation and community who have been so supportive of my family and me.”