MINISTRIES 

Compiled by Faith Nurture

DEATHS Rev I Pat Lang, formerly of Dunoon:

The High Kirk, on May 30

Rev Donald K Edmonds, formerly of Glasgow: Hillhousewood St Christopher’s, on June 4

Rev Alan A SReid, formerly of Bridge of Allan: Chalmers, on June 9

Rev Alan T Taylor, formerly of Kilninian & Kilmore linked with Salen & Ulva linked with Tobermory linked with Torosay &

Kinlochspelvie, on June 13

Rev Dr Graham R Houston, formerly of Cairngryffe linked with Symington, on July 4

RETIRED Rev Alasdair MacLeod-Mair, from Snizort, on June 30

Rev Alan Macgregor, from Marnoch, on July 7

Rev Alan K Sorensen, from Greenock:

Wellpark Mid Kirk, on July 31

DEMISSIONS Rev H Taylor Brown, from Kilmarnock:

St Marnock’s, on May 31

ORDAINED LOCAL MINISTRY – ORDINATION AND APPOINTMENT PRESBYTERY OF STIRLING Rev Alastair Munro, to Dunblane Cathedral, on July 7

READRS – TRANSFERRED PRESBYTERY OF LOTHIAN Alan C Johnston, on June 28

READERS – RETIREMENT PRESBYTERY OF EDINBURGH AND WEST LOTHIAN Louise Holden, on June 21

DEATHS OF READERS PRESBYTERY OF IRVINE AND KILMARNOCK James Bircham, on March 1

Ann S Dempster, on March 17

ELDERSHIP

Bellshill Central: Ordained: Ian Gibb and Alan Mathew

Edenshead: Ordained: Debbie Tarver and Gary Tarver

Glasgow St Rollox: Ordained: Joyce Davidson, Marie Paul Malya and Ann Rinda Wanja Ndiuini

Laggan and Newtonmore: Ordained:

George Alder

LONG SERVICE

Falkirk St Andrews West: Matthew Baxter (30 years Elder), May Campbell (30 years Deacon), Christine Finlay (30 years Deacon), Ross Strang (30 years Elder), Lesley Wilson (30 years as Deacon)

Kinghorn: Mabel Bell (30), Liz Chalmers (30), Jim Muir (30), Ken Shepherd (30)

Laurencekirk: Janey Bleasey (40), Vera McBain (31)

OBITUARY

The Rev Isabel Whyte Isabel Whyte was a woman who learnt the art of compassion from an early age and carried this quality into her adult commitment to justice and peace. Both local and global contexts mattered to her.

In 1961 and as a young adult, involvement in the Iona Community Youth Camps brought Isabel into contact with others committed to addressing poverty and weaving together issues of faith and life. One of the other leaders was Iain Whyte and the two of them eventually formed a romantic partnership resulting in more than 55 years’ marriage.

In 1969 Isabel and Iain moved to Ghana for two years and, along with their two young children, David and Maggie, they developed a hospitality which was a hallmark of the Whyte household.

On return to Scotland, Isabel could be seen at demonstrations against the Poll Tax, at Faslane, and with the Anti-Apartheid movement – all deftly woven into the demands of a busy family life.

At the Community Week in 2014, Isabel came into full membership of the Iona Community, having served in multiple ways over several decades. At the time she was working as hospital chaplain at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline, having trained for ordained ministry in the 1990s. She also demonstrated her literary and liturgical skills in providing short meditative pieces for Wild Goose anthologies. One of these was a story of olive-picking in the Palestinian West Bank, written days before she died on April 5, aged 78.

She also worked as a mediator through Place for Hope with individuals and groups in situations of change and conflict. People mattered above everything, and everyone with her/his story was something she listened to with care and insight.

Isabel’s feet were firmly planted on the earth – grounded and sensitive to what this represented. Faith for Isabel was focused on enabling others to find wellbeing, and holding fast to the belief that change for the better is worth the effort.

Jayne Scott