1974

The Church of Scotland Moral Welfare Committee made the following declaration in February, “at a time when our way of life is threatened by many social ills”, the alternative to seeking more and more possessions is living more simply and learning contentment. The alternative to strife and division in industry and commerce is a continual quest for justice, co-operation and a constant respect for each other. The alternative to casual, self-indulgent sex is mutual respect and responsibility with fulfilment in the permanent caring relationship of marriage. The alternative to selfish speculating and gambling is responsible use of God's gifts. The alternative to escaping from the pressures of life through drink and drugs is living life on the solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. The alternative to self-interest, the source of social ills, is love for God and neighbour, the foundation of the healthy society. The alternative to going our own way is following Jesus Christ, The Way.


The proceeds of this year's Garden Fête were to go to the Building and Equipment Fund which was planning an new entrance to the church, a “flyover” entrance from Glenacre Street into the church, about where the organ was. This was to save elderly or infirm members having to negotiate all the stairs up to the church, and it would also have acted as an emergency exit. Detailed plans had already been made and passed by the appropriate authorities to enlarge the hall and room accommodation. These alterations were to have been carried out with the help of the National Church Extension Committee, but because of the financial position of this Committee in the inflationary circumstances of the day and because of more urgent claims of other churches to assistance, it was decided to put these plans on hold.


Elders distributed envelopes to members of the congregation, to allow them to participate in a presentation to the Rev. James Millar who was celebrating his semi-jubilee as a minister of the Church of Scotland. On his demob from the R.A.F. after six years of service at home and overseas, Mr Millar made his decision to enter the ministry. In 1949, he was ordained and inducted to his first charge, Glencairn Church, Kilmaurs. Five years later, in 1954, the charge of St. Maurs, Kilmaurs became vacant and he undertook the duties of minister to both congregations in Kilmaurs. In this capacity he acted for eight years until he received the call from Castlemilk West early in 1963. In the eleven years in Castlemilk, Mr Millar had “never spared himself in ministering to the spiritual and temporal needs of an exceptionally large parish and congregation, and many, both in the church and in the parish had great cause to be grateful to Mr Millar for his help and advice in times of difficulty, and for his spiritual comfort in time of need”.


In the Annual Financial Statement the income tax recovered on Covenants was £527.


The February issue of the Crusader magazine was delayed till April because of the energy crisis and the three-day working week.


After spending three months home on furlough, Morag Erskine returned to Malawi for a period of three years. She did not return to the David Gordon Hospital, but went to Ekwendeni, 90 miles south of Livingstonia, to be tutor there to the nurses enrolled on a two year course in midwifery.

Castlemilk West was one of the many Guilds in the city who took a turn to go along and make soup for those who attended the Lodging House Mission in East Campbell Street, and this was only one of several things the ladies did, both in the church and in the wider field.

Mr Albert Barker, the “accomplished and experienced musician” completed forty years as a church organist and fifteen years as organist in Castlemilk West.



The target for giving to the Church's Mission and Service Fund for Castlemilk West for the year was £1,040, £80 more than the previous year. This Fund was set up to finance the various activities of the Church at home and overseas, and the target for each church was set according to their ability to pay.


The netting over the church windows was loose after the stormy weather at the beginning of the year and many windows were smashed by vandals throwing stones. Before the replacement windows could be covered by new netting two more were broken. This was “a rather sad commentary on the lack of respect for the property of others shown by youngsters nowadays,” and the fault lay “entirely with the parents” who were “too lazy or too selfish to give their children the care and attention all children require”.


Mr Ian Paterson, who left Castlemilk West two years previously returned to Castlemilk as minister of the Baptist congregation, meeting in a school in the east side of Castlemilk. Plans were going ahead to build a church in the vicinity of the Y.M.C.A. in Ardencraig Road.


The Youth Fellowship had Teddy Taylor M.P., the local councillors, Mrs MacIntosh from the Citizens' Advice Bureau, some-one from the Drug Squad and Mr J. Dick from the congregation as speakers at their meetings. They also ran discos, and a social evening for the congregation during the year.


Rev. Donald Macleod, who spent “seven very strenuous years organising and laying the foundations of the parish” in Castlemilk West, returned to Scotland from Canada. It was reported in the Oban Times that he had been inducted as minister of the linked parishes of Portnahaven and Kilchoman on the island of Islay. Mr Macleod who was born in Winnipeg, Canada, left Castlemilk West in 1962 to go to Bridge of Weir, and after six years as minister there, he emigrated with his wife and family. In Vancouver he became a lecturer in history at the university. Although a Canadian by birth, he spent his early childhood in Stornoway and the Point district of Lewis, and was a fluent Gaelic speaker.


Mr Sam Doak took over the duties of Church Officer from Mr Jack Brier.


A Social Evening was held to celebrate the Rev. James Millar's twenty-five years in the ministry. Two ministers, Rev. Donald F. Macdonald of Lylesland Church in Paisley, and Rev. John R. Gray of Dunblane Cathedral, with whom Mr Millar had served as an assistant were invited as guests, as was Rev. Thomas B. Girdwood of Shawlands Cross Church, who had studied for the ministry with Mr Millar. There were also representatives from Kilmaurs and a number of former elders and members of Castlemilk West. The compère for the evening was Mr Albert Barker, who also entertained with selections on a portable organ. Mr Bob Neil and Miss Margaret Anderson contributed with vocal items and Mrs John Baxter did some recitations.


Mr John McKechnie, the Session Clerk, presented Mr Millar with a inscribed gold watch, a beautifully bound copy of the new church hymnary with music, and a cheque. Bouquets were presented to Mrs Millar, his wife and Mrs Millar, sen., his mother, by Miss Carol McKechnie and Miss Wilma Kincaid. “A lovely buffet” was served by Mr John Smith and the ladies of the committee.


After the Sunday School Jumble Sale six or seven large sacks of “quite reasonable clothing” were picked up by Help the Aged, an organisation that seeks to help aged people all over the world. The church was opened on the 6th November from 10-12, 2-4 and 6-7 to receive clothing of any kind.


A bulletin from Church headquarters in Edinburgh said that the effects of inflation were causing widespread concern throughout the Church of Scotland, and congregations, faced with rising costs of heating , lighting and maintenance, plus the need to pay higher stipends and salaries, were finding it more difficult to meet their commitments to the Mission and Service Fund. Assembly Committees were being asked as a result of this to make economies in their spending and to examine closely any development plans. The Stewardship and Budget Committee said that the maintenance of the wide scope of the work of the Church was at stake. An approach to presbyteries and congregations was made to encourage a higher level of giving, and to impress on people the benefits of taking out Deeds of Covenant, which increased effective offerings by 50%.


A cheque for £370 and 18 parcels of clothing for children were sent to Morag in Ekwendeni. £130 was raised by the Sponsored Walk. Mr and Mrs Albert Barker provided home-made cakes and tea in their garden at the halfway stage in Busby, and Mrs Grant and Mrs Warnock had a cup of tea and sandwiches waiting back at the church hall. A new hostel and school of nursing had been built by the Christian Service Committee with money donated by Holland, and Morag hoped to stock a library in this building from the money from Castlemilk.


Mr David Maxwell, of Croftfoot Road, an officer in the Boys' Brigade and a teacher in the Junior Sunday School, graduated B.Ed. from Jordanhill College of Education. He was now teaching in Glenwood Secondary School.


Mr Fred Grant of Raithburn Road graduated B.Sc. from Aberdeen University, and was now studying for the ministry at Trinity College, Glasgow. He was the first in the congregation to do so. Fred, whose parents were both elders in the church, served his apprenticeship as a marine engineer, travelling all over the world. He then went on to a new career as a male nurse, then entering university to study for a B.Sc.


Miss Anderson and Miss Browning, the deaconesses of the East and West churches in Castlemilk, along with a willing band of helpers took a party of ladies in need of a holiday to Tighnabruaich for a week.


There was a visit at the second service on 20th October from the Rev. Donald Macleod, now minister of a parish on the island of Islay, along with his wife and two sons. Mr Macleod left Castlemilk in 1962.


The engagement was announced of Miss Marie Browning, the deaconess, to Mr Lachlan Cameron of Killearn. Miss Browning would be leaving in the middle of 1975.


Miss Jean Grigor, having returned from an appointment as Youth Field Officer for Victoria and Tasmania in Australia, was back in Scotland. She had been appointed Associate Director of Counselling and Training for the Church of Scotland, working with the Rev. Dr. Mills.


The death, after a lengthy period of illness, was announced of Mrs Letitia Steenson, one of the first members of the Congregational Board in the early days of the church. She had also served on the Publications Committee for many years, and although she was no longer a member of the Board, she continued to help at the Magazine Stall until only a few weeks before her death. Previously she had embroidered, and donated to the church, the pulpit fall which could be seen on Sundays on the chancel. Despite the death of her husband, followed by the death of her only son in an air crash, Mrs Steenson had continued to show a brave face to the world.


Miss Joyce Millar, an officer in the Junior Boys' Brigade, and daughter of the Rev. James Millar married Mr David Maxwell of Croftfoot Road. Mr Millar accompanied Joyce to the church and gave her away. He then officiated at the wedding ceremony, assisted by the Rev. Thomas B. Girdwood of Shawlands Cross Church. Joyce had also been a teacher in Arnprior Junior Sunday School.


Miss Lesley Crichton, leader in Arnprior Junior Sunday School and formerly President of the Youth Fellowship married Mr Ian Smith of Shawlands.


A three month old baby boy, Scott Logan, travelled with his mother, Mrs James Logan, formerly Miss Ann Black of Glenacre Drive, from Washingtonville, New York City to be baptised in Castlemilk West. Mrs Logan had attended Sunday School in Castlemilk West from an early age and had been a regular attender at church before going to America.


The “Flyover” new entrance to the church which was to be built had run into some snags with the plans and the planning authorities. These had been sorted out but unfortunately the cost of £2000, nine months previously, had now risen to £5000. It was still hoped to get the work done.


Everyone was delighted over the amount raised from the Fête, almost £700, £180 more than the previous best.


Donations to the Crusader of £1 from the deaconess, Miss Sheena McNaughton, £3 from Mrs Smith of Glenacre Terrace, £4 from the Youth Fellowship and £5.78 from the Mens' Association were greatly appreciated.


A total of £608 was collected by the Castlemilk and Carmunnock churches for Christian Aid, £213 from the East Church and £226 from the West. Christian Aid had sent £10,000 worth of medical and food supplies to refugees in Cyprus in response to an appeal from the World Council of Churches to a fund set up for the country's war victims.


The Girls' Brigade had started collecting old newspapers for the Garden Fête and £120 had been earned from this so far. They were looking for somewhere to store the papers. Thanks were due to Mr McPhee, a member of the church for the use of his lorry to transport the papers, and to Mr Gilchrist and Mr Logan for packing them up.


The 15th Annual Flower Show was opened by Mr Flisch, Headmaster of Grange Secondary School. In spite of the bad weather, it was reasonably well supported. Winner of the Edward Taylor Trophy was Chas. O'Neill of Holmlea Road, winner of the David Kinghorn Rose Bowl was Mrs A.R. Birnie of Crofthouse Road and winner of the Residential Challenge Trophy was C. Neilson of Dougrie Road. The “Garden News” Shield was won by Chas. O'Neill of Holmlea Road and the Hugh Glen Shield was won by Castleton Primary School.


Both using poems, Mrs Jean Finlayson invited women to come along to the Women's Guild and Mrs Keenan invited them to the Young Wives' and Mothers' Group.


The Boys' Brigade were looking for an instructor for pipes and for drums, as they were hoping to start a Pipe Band, and they had purchased several sets of bagpipes and drums. They were also hoping to run two football teams and to carry on with classes in First Aid, Christian Education, Safety, Expedition and Drill.


74A and 74B Companies of the Girls' Brigade were going to be doing games, keep fit and handicrafts.


Mr and Mrs Hamilton donated a “beautiful, Irish linen Communion cloth in time for the December Communion, and lovely new Bible markers.