JAMES CLELLAND

James Clelland, one of our senior elders, died suddenly at the age of 88 in his own home on Saturday the 27^th April 2002.

Jim worked as a Forman welder in the Lochrin works for many years, in addition to this working as a part time lecturer at evening classes in Coatbridge College. In due course Jim became a full time lecturer at the College, making many friends there over the years.

During the war Jim was an auxiliary Fireman and served in Clydebank during the blitz there. At one point, a bomb destroyed the fire tender his crew was using.

A man of many interests, he loved his garden and took great pride in it. After his wife’s death he taught himself not only to cook but to bake, and regularly made ‘cloutie dumplings’ for family occasions. He loved walking and walked from his home in Burleigh street to Tesco the day before he died. He was a mason and enjoyed the lodge and its brotherhood. He loved poetry and the especially the works of Burns and often handed a poem, which he had copied out, to the minister on a Sunday morning.

It is as an elder that we remember him today. He was ordained to the eldership in Maxwell Church in 1955 and served his district, the congregation and the Session faithfully and well over the years. For a while he was Presbytery elder, representing Maxwell at Hamilton Presbytery. He was committed to Christian aid and enjoyed the work with members of other denominations which this involved.

Jim may not have been an active elder in St Andrew’s after the union, but he was nevertheless loyal to the new congregations and regularly to be found in his seat in the gallery on a Sunday morning. Jim found strength and comfort from worship and from the fellowship of the church and the friendship of those he met within these walls on a Sunday morning.

Jim had a simple but deep faith which was a very important part of his life and it was fitting, appropriate and moving that he chose a lovely old children’s hymn to be sung at his funeral service, the hymn ‘If I come to Jesus’ I recall him telling me that this was his favourite hymn and that he often read it as a preparation for worship before the service began.

Today we give thanks for a life of faith and for a life of service to Christ and his church.