Mr John Buchan passed from this life on 28th April, aged 91 years. John was saved on 17th October 1937 in a small Mission Hall in Peterhead, remembered by older generations in the town as the spiritual birthplace of many dear souls. He was baptised and received into the fellowship of the assembly in Prince Street Hall, Peterhead in February 1963, during a series of Gospel Meetings held by Mr Harold Paisley. Our brother enjoyed attending the assembly gatherings and conversing about the Scriptures. In January 2016 John and his dear wife Chrissie celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. In recent years they had experienced sadness and loss in the deaths of one of their sons, and of a well-loved granddaughter, but the Lord sustained them and together they bore these trials with patience and dignity. Our brother enjoyed a long life in good health until, after some months of illness, he was called Home to be with the Lord. Prayer is requested for Chrissie and for the family.
Mr Granville Kaye of Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, was called Home to be with the Lord on 17th April, aged 75, after a short period of illness. Granville was brought up in a Christian home, his parents being members of the former assembly at Flockton, and he was converted at an evangelistic meeting in Barnsley at the age of 15. Subsequently, he was added to the assembly at Flockton until his marriage to Janet Radley from Skelmanthorpe in December 1959, whereupon he moved to live in that village and be a member of the assembly there. The couple were blessed with one son, Philip, who serves the Lord in Yorkshire. For a number of years Granville took responsibility for leading the children's work, and was also very active in dealing with practical matters at the Hall. He was not a preacher or teacher, but fulfilled his responsibility as a brother by taking part in prayer and announcing hymns regularly. Granville was marked by real consistency in attendance at the gatherings of the assembly, and his calm, gracious manner was an example to all. Just seven weeks before his homecall he was diagnosed with a terminal condition, and faced up to it, confident in the Lord. He continued to attend the gatherings until he became too ill to do so during the last four weeks of his life. Almost the last meeting he attended was the commendation meeting for his grandson Joshua and his wife Keri, ahead of them leaving to serve the Lord in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A number of unbelieving neighbours and former work colleagues heard the Gospel clearly presented at Granville's burial. Prayer is valued for Janet and the family.
Mr Jack Lennox, a respected evangelist, was called Home on 27th April, aged 91 years. Jack grew up in the village of Curran, Co Londonderry. During World War Two he gained his Flight Engineer's wings in the RAF and, at the end of the war, returned home. Several years later he attended a Gospel Meeting in Magherafelt Gospel Hall and was saved that night. He was soon baptised and received into the Magherafelt assembly. He worked in the motor trade as a car mechanic, and became the general manager of the Central Motor Company in Garvagh, selling his favoured Vauxhalls. Soon after his marriage to Dorothy in 1955, he became involved in preaching in series of Gospel Meetings in mid-Ulster. In 1969 their only child, David, was tragically killed a short distance from his home. Jack was commended to full-time service in 1971, and laboured fruitfully in the Gospel with James Brown until 1992, and from 1993 to 2003 with Brian Currie. Major surgical procedures in 2002 caused Jack to curtail his preaching to occasional meetings. However, he supported the Gospel to the last, and was called Home shortly after attending a local Gospel Meeting. His passion was the Gospel, and he preached with a sincerity that carried weight and was marked with a sweetness concerning the Person and work of Christ. He made a life study of hymns, their writers and the circumstances of their writing. He often wove these details into his messages with great effect. The measure of respect for him was clearly seen in the large company at his funeral service held in the Magherafelt Gospel Hall. Brother Jack is survived by his wife Dorothy and sister Winnie, both of whom will appreciate remembrance in prayer.
Mrs Margaret Purvis. On 21st April, aged 89, and after several months in hospital, our beloved sister was called Home to be with her Lord. For many years Margaret was in fellowship in the then Shuttle Street assembly, Paisley before moving to North America with her late husband Alex. There they were in happy fellowship in various assemblies including Parkside Gospel Chapel, San Francisco, Mountain Ridge Gospel Chapel, New Jersey, Sun Valley Bible Chapel, California and, finally, Langley Gospel Hall, British Columbia. Returning to Scotland in the summer of 2009, they were received into happy fellowship with the saints meeting in Bethany Hall, Gourock.
Mrs Francis Robinson, aged 66, was called Home on 15th December 2015 after a short period of illness. Francis was saved in 1975 through the influence of a godly sister from the Cloughfern assembly, Mrs Grace Stewart, whilst attending Gospel Meetings conducted by Mr Jack Hay and Mr John Campbell held in a portable hall in Ballyduff, Newtownabbey. Along with her husband Victor, Francis was baptised in January 1976 and received into fellowship in Cloughfern Gospel Hall, where they remained ever since. Francis was of a quiet and shy disposition, never seeking the limelight, and was always happier in the background. She was a faithful sister in the assembly, and had a good testimony amongst her neighbours, as was evidenced by her large funeral. A woman of prayer, her main concern was that her four children and grandchildren would come to faith in her Saviour. Please remember Victor and the family in your prayers, that God will comfort them in these difficult days.
