Ministries

Compiled by Faith Nurture

DEATHS Rev Alan D Birss, formerly of Paisley: Abbey, on December 9 Rev Stuart D Rogerson, formerly of Strathaven: West, on December 10 Rev James H Wilson, formerly of Cleland, on December 10 Rev John Osbeck, formerly Aberdeen: St John’s Church for Deaf People on December 22 Rev Ann McColl-Poole, formerly Moray: Dyke linked with Edinkille on December 30

RETIRED Rev Alistair Ridland from Chaplain to Western General Hospital, Edinburgh on October 31 Rev Colin Alston, from Inverkeithing linked with North Queensferry on January 31 Rev David C Cameron, from Dalmeny linked with Queensferry, on January 31 Rev Beverly W Cushman, from Altnaharra and Farr linked with Melness & Tongue, on January 31

DEMISSIONS Rev Dr Christine Clark, from Healthcare Chaplain

TRANSLATIONS Rev Eileen A Miller, from Glenrothes: St Margaret’s to Burntisland

ORDAINED LOCAL MINISTRY – ORDINATION AND APPOINTMENT Miss Kirsty Forsyth, to Edinburgh Richmond Craigmillar on December 15 Rev Sarah Whittle, to Kingsbarns Church, Kingsbarns on January 19

Eldership

Aberdeen Mannofield: Ordained: Maureen Drummond, Norman McLeod, Fiona Muirhead-Kerr and Alison Rogers Admitted: Alison Duncan and Janice Gill

Old Cumnock Old: Ordained: Una Anderson and Bill Entwhistle

Long ser vice

Cromarty: Douglas Cooper (50)

Dalry St Margaret’s: Ian Brown (30), Penny Brown (30), David Nisbet (50), Donald Priestley (30), Daniel Reid (40), Jean Rodger (40), Gilda Smith (40) and Isabella Walker (30)

Dun and Hillside: William Aitken (53), Richard Calcott (47), George Doig (36), John Griffith (43), William Mackay (64), Irene McKechnie (43), Raymond Nicoll (37), Alistair Reid (36) and Isobel Shellard (35) Certificates were presented to the next of kin of two Elders who passed away during the Covid-19 restrictions: Mary Calcott (35) and Ian Salmon (45)

Edinburgh Corstorphine St Ninians’s: Andrew Broom (60) and Jim Gibson (50)

Grangemouth Abbotsgrange: Nigel Harris (30)

Inverurie West: Eleanor Mitchell (30) Perth Kinnoull: Jack Rivett (30)

Queensferry: Colin Auld (34), Keith Bowden (40), Laurie Brown (31), Eileen Case (42), Betsy Clarke (40), Martin Corbett (30), Guy Douglas (51), Elizabeth Grubb (56 years in partnership with Rev Dr George Grubb and 21 as an Elder), David Hunt (36), Ian Laing (46), Jeanette McIvor (31), Roy McIvor (46), Rod Own (33), Robert Simpson (42), Huw Thomas (33), Janet Thomas (30) and Tom Williamson (50)

Obituary

“LET us worship God” were the very first words I heard the Rev Eric J Alexander pronounce in the pulpit at St George’s Tron Church in Glasgow, and so began a service in which all present were aware that our time together was not for entertainment but for the majestic glory of fellowship with the living God. Having sung ‘…to His praise and glory …’, we were led into the very presence of God in prayer, to adore him in his infinite and unchangeable nature, the character of his saving grace and mercy in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Later, Mr Alexander preached with authority and power, and, with clarity and pastoral care in view, led us to apply that word to our own lives. After the service, he greeted all those leaving, by name.

The solemnity of the service and the heights of God’s glory that were displayed in preaching and experienced by all present was matched by a warm and genuine concern for the Lord’s people, but especially those who did not know Jesus personally. The church being situated in Buchanan Street in Glasgow, there were many passers-by who dropped in and were presented with Christ.

Mr Alexander, who died in January, was one of the finest preachers to grace Scotland in the 20th century. From his earliest years he was acknowledged as ‘a Prince of Preachers’, leading the readings at the Keswick Convention a number of times, preaching at the great Urbana conference to 17,000 young people and throughout the world. He began his ministry at St David’s in Knightswood, continued in Newmilns in Ayrshire and finally in St George’s Tron until he retired in 1997.

Mr Alexander was born and raised in Springburn, Glasgow and was led to faith by his brother Tom, also a Church of Scotland minister. His wife, Greta Alexander, died in 2017 and he leaves his two children, Jennifer and Ronald, and their families.

The Rev Dr Richard Buckley