An Ordination Milestone for Jean
At the opening meeting of the Presbytery of the North East and the Northern Isles we celebrated with Rev Jean Montgomerie as she reached the 50th anniversary of her ordination as a minister in the Church of Scotland on 11 January 1973.
Speaking during the meeting, Rev Shuna Dicks of Cults Parish Church said:
"50 years living out your ordination vows is a remarkable milestone – one that few achieve. Even more remarkable when the minister concerned is a woman. But Jean you have achieved it and what a ministry you have had. Not only did you serve the congregations of Kelman Memorial in Peterculter and Forfar St Margaret's so faithfully, diligently and with zeal and love – you have served the Church of Scotland well.
"A graduate of Glasgow University and one of Kilmarnock Academy’s alumni you were ordained and inducted to the pastoral charge of Kelman Memorial Church in 1973, you served as its minister for over 23 years before moving to Forfar St Margaret's where you saw out the remainder of your full time ministry.
"One of your Culter elders remembers you as, and I quote, “a very hard working Minister who was very hands on and could even be found down on her hands and knees on a Saturday morning washing out the toilet floors or wiping down the kitchen walls, she always would say that she would not expect someone to do what she would not do herself, she introduced many things to the congregation such as Harvest suppers, coffee mornings, entertainment evenings and much, much more. She was a very young woman Minister when she was inducted at Kelman Parish Church as it was at the time so it was a huge learning curve for her, but she worked hard at it, it wasn’t all plain sailing but whatever she did it was for the good of the Church in Peterculter.”
Jean was among the first women to be ordained into ministry and has been a pioneer for many other women who have since heard the call to service in ordained ministry.
Reflecting on her own ministry, Jean shared with us at the meeting of Presbytery how delighted she was, fifty years after being ordained by the Presbytery of Aberdeen, to be marking this milestone at the first meeting of a new Presbytery with a female Moderator, Rev Stella Campbell, a female Presbytery Clerk, Rev Elspeth McKay, and a female Presbytery Clerk pro tem, Rev Sheila Kirk.
She says: "It is an incredible privilege and joy to share the Word of God. I give thanks to God for my parents, for my extended family, and for all those who have, throughout my ministry, supported and encouraged me. I feel truly blessed and I thank the Presbytery for acknowledging this milestone in my ministry."
END
Image (from left to right): Rev Shuna Dicks (minister of Cults Parish Church), Rev Jean Montgomerie, and Rev Stella Campbell (moderator of Presbytery and minister of Skene Parish Church).
For further information please contact:
Rev Peter Johnston
0783 428 1176
pjohnston@churchofscotland.org.uk
or
James Buckingham-Hyman
Administration Officer
01224 662560
neni@churchofscotland.org.uk