Latest news

Celebrating Two Great Men

Following the service on Sunday the congregation enjoyed some champagne and cake to celebrate the years of service Archie Ferguson and David Munro have given to the church. Sadly due to ill health Archie could make it. Below are a couple of pictures of the minister and then a piece on both men written by Peter Foster.

Archie Ferguson was ordained to the Auxiliary Ministry in 1988. Interestingly enough in the ten years prior to that a Committee had been established at the behest of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to look at the way forward in respect to new formats of ministry and so it was that the Auxiliary Ministry was born out of that.

Even after his Ordination, being non-stipendiary, Archie continued his work at Glasgow University as a Lecturer and Head of the University Research Tank for ship models and sea keeping.

In his early days Archie spent a total of seven years at Dumbarton West Kirk firstly as an Assistant to the then Minister Jim Thomson before serving as Locum while a new Minister was sought.

Next Archie spent four years at Craigrownie and St Modans assisting Malcolm Wright, and following his time there he was attached to Alexandria Parish Church and served in several churches within the Presbytery – Dalmuir Barclay, St Cuthbert’s Clydebank, Kilmaronack/Gartoharn and Luss with Arrochar.

This pattern of work would continue for a number of years before being appointed Locum at St Andrew’s Bellsmyre where he remained for five years pending a new Minister being appointed.

During all of his time in active service Archie made many friends and received great support from those congregations he worked with and we send Archie, Margaret and all the family our best wishes at this special time.

David Munro was ordained in 1953.

He was first called to Marykirk in the village of Marykirk and it was while serving there that two of his three daughters were born – Joan and Morag.

Whilst there the Church of Scotland was looking at a programme for Church Extension and so it was that David was asked to go to Ayr to establish a new Church.

There was neither Manse nor Church building of any kind and in fact he and Jessie and the two children set up home in a council house and it was while there that daughter number three was born – Katrina.

Worship in those early days often took place out of doors until finally building began in the 1960’s.

David has described this particular ‘charge’ as being his ‘baby’ and it was very much with sadness and a degree of uncertainty that he accepted a ‘call’ to Bearsden North Church in 1967.

Again, under the Church Extension Programme David and others were tasked with the job of looking at the possibility of establishing a new Church in Baljaffrey although this had in fact to be delayed due to escalating costs.

David finally retired from Bearsden North in 1994 – it was at this time that Jessie was first diagnosed with cancer and David felt that he should be there to support her during treatment and convalescence.

But of course David never really retired continuing with his work as Presbytery Clerk and serving in numerous congregations who for one reason or another required support and these included Killermont, St Paul’s Milngavie,Riverside, St Columba and of course David came as our Locum in October 2010 following the death of Andrew.

I can remember David saying at the very beginning of his time with us that he did not expect to be here for more than a year.

Three years down the line and he is still with us and we can only be so grateful that we have as our Locum someone of his calibre, his intellect, his concern for his flock and his wit and so much more and so we would wish him and all the family our very best wishes at this special time.

Pictures by John Young