Minister gets date to preach

May 15 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH’S North Church is edging closer to the appointment of a new minister.

A nominating committee was formed in September and on May 24, at 10.30am, the Rev Hugh O’Brien will preach to the city centre congregation as the sole nominee.

Rev O’Brien, who hails from Glasgow, is currently minister of the parish of Gordon in Aberdeenshire.

Before joining the ministry he had a long career in local authority social services, latterly enjoying a senior post with Angus Council.

Rev O’Brien studied at St Andrews and was probationer minister at Carnoustie before being called to Meldrum and Bourtrie. Married to Valerie, the couple have two children.

He is closely involved with the work of the Vine Trust, a Scottish charity working with street children in Peru and which sent ex-navy ships to the upper reaches of the Amazon as floating medical centres.

Recently, he visited churches in New York as part of a study of the church’s use of multi-media in worship, teaching and outreach.