Nlee Former Ministers

Former ministers who serverd at Netherlee Parish Church

REV TOM NELSON (2002 – 2018)

The Rev. Tom Nelson, was inducted to Netherlee on 5th June 2002.

Born and brought up on Gartloch Farm, Tom studied at Garthamlock Secondary School, then at the University of Strathclyde, graduating BSc. in Civil Engineering in 1975. After working with a private consultant Civil Engineering firm in Glasgow, he joined British Rail, where he became a Chartered Civil Engineer.

Tom had been a member of St. George’s Tron Church, and was actively involved in the Tom Allan Centre. He was ordained as a Church of Scotland elder in 1980 at St. John’s Church in Largs, where he and his wife Catherine lived with their three children, Carolyn, Mairi and James.

Tom was called to the ministry in 1988, and, after two years studying at the University of Glasgow, and one year at Columbia Theological Seminary in the USA, he graduated Bachelor of Divinity and became Probationary Assistant at Dalry Trinity Church.

In 1992, Tom was called to St. Ninian’s Parish Church, Stonehouse, where he encouraged all age groups to find faith – with a particular emphasis on integrating young people into the church community. Tom was part time chaplain to Longriggend Remand Prison, and was chaplain to the Girls’ Brigade in Scotland.

He was moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow 2008/2009.

REV IAN BOYD (1997 – 2001)

Having served as minister at Netherlee for almost five years the Rev Ian Boyd demitted his charge on the 26 August 2001, to take up studies with a view to take up teaching of religious education in schools.

REV A DAVID K ARNOTT (1977 – 1997)

The Rev David Arnott MA BD, formerly of Gorebridge Parish Church, was inducted as the fourth minister of Netherlee Parish Church on 12 May 1977. His arrival coincided with the celebrations 50th Anniversary of the formation of Netherlee Church. His ministry maintained a strong and active church and Netherlee Church flourished during the his ministry. In 1997 the Rev David Arnott accepted a call to Hopepark Church, St Andrews where he was inducted 5 December 1997.

REV STANLEY D MAIR (1947 – 1976)

The Rev Stanley Mair MA was inducted the third minister of Netherlee Church on the 18 April 1947. He had just returned from the armed forces where he served in India and Burma as chaplain to the Chindits under General Ord Wingate. Prior to his war service Stanley Mair had been assistant at St John’s Church, Perth.

His ministry at Netherlee spanned twenty nine years during which he and his wife Dr Isobel Mair contributed much to the ongoing life of the community. The communion roll rose to around 1900 of whom a large percentage attended communion. In October 1952 the number taking communion in the morning was 868 whilst in the afternoon 554 attended making a total of 1,422 being 77% of the membership.

The Rev Stanley Mair was appointed Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow for the year 1971-1972.

His illustrious ministry was ended by his death on 1 August 1976.

REV WALTER M CLOW (1935 – 1946)

The Rev Walter Clow BD, formerly of West High Church, Kilmarnock, was inducted the second minister of Netherlee Church on 25 April 1935. He served the congregation faithfully for eleven years and led the congregation through the difficult years of the Second World War when twenty one of its members and adherents lost their lives.

The number of members on the communion roll at the beginning of 1946 was 1444, and at his last service of Holy Communion 957 members took communion.

Illness troubled Walter Clow from the beginning of 1946 steadily worsening until Rev Angus Logan was appointed locum tenens to lead the congregation until Walter Clow’s his death on 1 November 1946.

REV JOHN G RIDDELL (1929 – 1934)

Rev John Riddell MA, formerly of the High Church, Forres was inducted the first minister of Netherlee Church on the 19 September 1929. During his ministry the congregation grew to over nine hundred members and the Church Sanctuary was built and opened in 1934.

In the same year John Riddell left Netherlee after a successful ministry to take up an appointment the following year as Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Glasgow where, in 1947,

he was translated to the Chair of Divinity.