1963(Part 1)

Rev. James Millar, minister for fourteen years of Glencairn Church, Kilmaurs, conducted both morning services on Sunday 10th February, having been proposed as Sole Nominee with a view to his election as minister of Castlemilk West Church. In the Presbytery of Irvine and Kilmarnock he served as Church Extension Convener and Youth Convener. Before entering the ministry Mr Millar served in the R.A.F.

The call to the new minister was signed by 744 members and 89 adherents.

 

The Women's World Day of Prayer was held in Castlemilk West Church on Friday 1st March.



On Wednesday, 24th April Rev. James Millar was inducted as the new minister of Castlemilk West Church. There was a large congregation at the ceremony, including ministers from the Presbytery of Glasgow and from neighbouring churches, Presbytery elders, and a party from Mr Millar's former church at Kilmaurs. Those officiating at the service were the Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery, Rev. H.C. Mackenzie, and the Clerk to the Presbytery, the Rev. Andrew Herron. The sermon was preached by Rev. Stanley Andrews, and the Rev. J.E. Gillon addressed the new minister and the congregation. There was a social on the 25th April. “ Bus-loads” of parishioners from Kilmaurs came. A cheque was presented to Mr Millar in lieu of robes, and Mrs Millar was presented with an electric food mixer, while Joyce and Ian received gift vouchers. Rev. George Gilchrist, the interim moderator, was presented with “a wristlet” watch and the Rev. Wm. Mackay with “a wallet of notes”.


Rev. Wm. Mackay left to go to Springburnhill Church, Glasgow.


Mr Thomas McEwan resigned as Treasurer, after five years, and Mr William Dewar of Birgidale Road took on the job. Mr McEwan continued as an elder and leader of the Senior Sunday School.

The Church of Scotland magazine “Life and Work” was given a new look. The cost of the magazine was 6d per month or 6s yearly.

In Castlemilk (9,000 houses with 45,000 people), Community Week was set up to “put Castlemilk in its proper perspective to the rest of the city as a decent, respectable and neighbourly community”. A series of social events was organised up until the week itself, 1st to 8th June. The Lord Provost, Dame Jean Roberts donated a trophy, the Lord Provost's Cup. £1000 was set aside to be invested in a development fund towards community centre facilities. Two sites were selected for centres, although no building date was fixed at that time.


The first collection of Building Fund boxes for the year brought in the sum of £239 10s, which was a big increase on the same period the previous year.


The amount collected in the “Crusader” (the church magazine) box for the first four months of the year was £22 8s 2½d, which was an increase of 14 shillings over the same months the previous year.