The Seventh Decade (1966-1975)

The Stewardship Campaign of 1965 galvanized the life of St. Paul’s. Attendances were boosted, givings increased and a greater interest in the service of the church was generated.

In 1966 St. Paul’s Church Society was formed, with the aim of enhancing the beauty and seemliness of the church, an aim that is still pursued with much thoughtfulness, taste and enthusiasm to this day.

The very same year also saw the launch of the Junior Kirk Session which, sadly, did not last too long. Nevertheless, it was a great encouragement to the congregation (many of the present elders gained their first experiences of service and church affairs through it)!
In 1968 an anonymous giver donated the ten elders chairs in the apse and the Youth Club supplied the cushions for them.

In 1969 a wide scale Parish Mission was carried out, reaching about seven hundred homes in the village. By this time, because of the growing membership and the increasing duties of the minister, it became necessary to employ a full time assistant minister, of which the first was Mr. Malcolm Wright.

St. Paul's as 'Parish' Church
- and in co-operation with other churches

The church continued to play a significant part in the life of the community together with the other churches. During Milngavie Week air services were organised at the ‘Preaching Braes’. For many years the church hosted the Kirking of the Town Council, until the formation of a new administration in 1975 put an end to this.
Other areas of co-operation between the churches were the Joint Services, held throughout the summer months, and joint Holy Week services.

1969 - Rev. Peat leaves

In 1969 the congregation said farewell to Mr. Peat who had served in St. Paul’s so devotedly. The following is a transcript of the press report of the Dumbarton Presbytery meeting at the time:

On Sunday, November 30, one of Milngavie's best loved ministers will preach his last sermon. The service will be a joint affair in his own church, St. Paul's, and members of the Town Council will be present to say an official farewell.
The minister, the Rev. John T. Peat has been in the town for the past 14 years and during his sojourn at St. Paul's he has, said another minister last week," been a great credit to the Dumbarton Presbytery."
This remark was one of many made of the local minister when tributes were paid to him at last week's meeting of the Presbytery.
The Moderator, Rev. Ian Gray said: " You have been a great credit to this Presbytery throughout your stay. It has been represented by you at the General Assembly and other places with great dignity. We all remember your wonderful addresses to the General Assembly and feel sure that, although you are leaving us we have not heard the last of you."
Impressed
A Milngavie colleague, Rev. J. Stuart Hall of St. Luke's also paid tribute to Mr. Peat at the meeting when he said he had always been impressed by his neighbour at St. Paul's.
Mr. Peat has three children and came to Milngavie from a Kelso charge.
Typically unwilling to take credit due to him, Mr. Peat told the Presbytery that his job had been made so much easier by the congregation of St. Paul's, who had worked hand in glove with him on many projects, but Mr. Robert Bulloch, one of his elders present at the meeting, insisted that, under Mr. Peat's leadership, the church had gone from strength to strength.
Proud Association
" He has been a friend to many members of the congregation and we are proud to have been associated with him," said Mr. Bulloch.
Mr. Peat takes up his new charge at Ayton and Burnmouth in Berwickshire during December and until St. Paul's has a new minister the Interim Moderator will be Rev. David P. Munro of Bearsden North Church.

1969 - Rev. John M. K. Paterson

The Rev. John Munn Kirk Paterson came to St. Paul's with wide experience from various walks of life and with many gifts. As The Story of St. Paul's Parish Church, Milngavie puts it "he was a big man in more ways than one".

He was born in Leeds, but brought up in the West End of Glasgow (his mother was widowed when he was only two). After finishing his studies at Hillhead High School, just before the war, he went into insurance. During the war he served with the RAF in Italy and then in East Africa. It was in the latter place that he met his future wife, Jill. After the war Mr. Paterson went back to insurance and East Africa together with his wife.

Mr. Paterson's journey of faith initially was slow but steady and deep. As a boy he attended Sunday School at Kelvinside. However, that left much to be desired, both in the physical and spiritual spheres. During the war a RAF chaplain made a challenging impression on him. The sown seed needed time to grow and it was aided by the ministry of David Steel, minister of St. Andrew's, Nairobi (and father of David Steel, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and former leader of the Liberal Party), finally bearing the fruit of conversion, and later a call to the ministry.

After six years of studying in Edinburgh (M.A. and B.D.), an assistantship at St. Cuthbert's Parish Church, Edinburgh and six years of faithful service at St. John's Church, Bathgate, Mr. Paterson was elected as minister of St. Paul's in 1970.

At St. Paul's he enjoyed a long and very fruitful ministry. He greatly appreciated the commitment of the congregation's leadership, her example in faith and service, the friendly warmth and sincere response of the congregation to challenges and mission. Mr. Paterson's loyal ministry and personal example motivated many young people to go into the ministry. His dedicated pastoral care brought much comfort and strength to many a member of the congregation.
(An excellent profile Of Rev. Paterson, by R.D.Kernohan, was published in 'Life & Work' in 1984, when he had been selected as Moderator of the General Assembly)

1973 - Centenary of granting of Full Status

In 1973 the congregation celebrated the centenary of the granting of 'full status' to the church (see History: the Church: 1840 - 1906.) This was remembered with gifts in support of worthwhile projects outside the church walls. Thus the Drumchapel Community Project and Christian Aid benefited from the generosity.

Women Elders!

The election of the first women elders was a great step for the congregation and the Kirk Session. On the 24th March 1974 two ladies, Miss Margaret B. Hamilton and Miss Mary B. Wood, were ordained as elders. Up to that point they have given invaluable service to the church in different capacities together with so many others. It was a long overdue recognition of their commitment and gifts in serving Christ. These two ladies continue to serve alongside many other ladies who have been ordained since then. For their commitment, thoughtful insights and sensitive ministry we are truly grateful.

Thriving Organisations

The various organisations of the church were active and successful.

Y.F., Youth Club, Youth Council	Boys' Brigade	Badminton Club	Playgroup

The Guild “adopted” two youngsters from Bethlehem, supporting them in their upbringing and education and following their development with keen interest.

Pulpit Exchange

It was this period that opened up the gates for foreign accents to enter the congregation. It all began in 1974, with an American connection, with a pulpit exchange to Buntyn Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tenessee. Rev. Edwin Stock and his wife and two children were in Milngavie for 8 weeks whilst Rev. & Mrs. Paterson were in Memphis.

(This was followed later by a number of assistant ministers from across the Atlantic and, much later, even reached to the mysterious dark hills of Transylvania in the East!)

'St Paul's Move with the Chimes'

This was the heading over the press report of the installation, in 1975, of the Old Kirk Bell above the Strathblane Road entrance. (It will be recalled that this was the position of the bell tower as envisaged in the architectural plans for the new church in 1905 - read about the bell and proposed tower prior to 1914!)  

Also, some of the back pews were removed, supplying more space for informal fellowship after the service.

It was an interesting and lively decade in the life of the congregation for which we can be grateful. Its effects are still resonating after almost thirty years.
By the way, did you know that St. Paul’s has a link a Glasgow railway station? When the old Buchanan Street Station closed down in 1966, two of its platform seats were given to St. Paul’s, which are still in the church garden.