Three Edinburgh Church of Scotland ministers retire after joint service of over 100 years

The Rev LIz Henderson was ordained in 1985 and spent 10 years as minister of Granton Parish Church, before moving across the city to become minister of Richmond Craigmillar Church in 1997, where she has remained ever since.

In 2003, along with local resident Jessie Douglas, she founded child bereavement charity Richmond’s Hope, which is based in the church. And in 2019, she was awarded the O.B.E for services to bereaved children and the local community. She was also made an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland in 2019.

Liz Henderson has been minister at Richmond Craigmillar church for 28 years | TSPL

She said while studying at New College, she had helped run a club for children in West Pilton every Saturday morning. "I found working with those children the harshness of some people's lives that I hadn't experienced before. I also found huge fun and great resilience." And she said these had become the themes of her ministry in Granton and Craigmillar.

She also spoke of the injustice faced by many in poorer communities. "That has made me sad, but I have also watched the total kindness of the community itself and the non-judgmental way in which people deal with each other through difficult times and the lengths they go to to help other people."

Ms Henderson is married to the Rev Dr Jim Jack, minister at nearby Duddingston Kirk, who is also retiring. He said between them they had served the Church of Scotland as parish minister for 76 years.

He was ordained in 1989 and began his ministry in charge of four churches in Dundee presbytery, also serving as a prison chaplain.

He has been at Duddingston since 2001, where he said he had baptised 308 infants and 36 adults, including a 94-year-old, and conducted 545 weddings. He is also a former chairman of the Church of Scotland's General Trustees.

And also retiring is the Rev Dr John Young, minister at Liberton Kirk, now part of South East Edinburgh Church of Scotland, formed as part of the reorganisation of city parishes.

He and his wife served as missionaries in Pakistan before he became minister at Liberton Kirk in 1996.He said: "I've been at Liberton for 28 years - it's the only church I've ever served at - it's just a wonderful place to be."

All three retire on April 30.