10 minutes with...Reverend David Gemmell

Sep 25 2009 by Edwin Lawrence

EDWIN Lawrence this week chats to the man who is minister of Ayr's most historic church, the Auld Kirk, where Burns sat in the pews as a boy.

But how does Rev David Gemmell see his job in the 21st century?

*David, you’re a lorry driver’s son, how did you get to be a minister?

To begin with my father was a fisherman before he became a lorry driver. My mother was a physiotherapist. Both were regular church-goers and both were asked to be elders. So church was a way of life for me as I grew up. It was when I joined the Youth Fellowship that things started to happen, and on the many occasions that we went out to various groups, I was always the one who did the speaking. Several people commented that I would make a good preacher, so after a long conversation with my minister, I applied to the Church of Scotland – the rest as they say is history.

*If the Church of Scotland was a business would it have gone bust by now?

Many would say that much of what is wrong with the church is the result of it being run as a business. All too often we forget who we are, to whom we are called to serve, and what we have been called to do, in order to balance the books. Of course the church can and will survive. It may have to change its style and image, but the message and the commitment to the people of Scotland will remain the same.

* Why do people think church services are boring?

I have never been to a boring service in the Auld Kirk of Ayr, but there has been the odd dodgy sermon or two! Part of the problem is that far too many people come to church expecting to be entertained, and that is not what worship is about.

Of course we should never become complacent or take our congregations for granted, and of course we should always be looking at ways of making the church more accessible for those outside the church.

* But a good preacher can be a very effective voice?

To me the most effective ministers are the ones who are able to communicate and relate to people in all situations. When people know that you are genuinely interested in them and their problems or situations; when they see that you are willing to give your time to help them; when they experience the support, guidance and encouragement they need from a minister – that is when a minister is at his or her most effective, and no amount of slick presentation skills can ever replace genuine care, compassion and sincerity.

* People still turn to the church in times of crisis?

I believe that deep down in every human being is a hole that only God can fill. We might fool ourselves for much of our lives that we can fill it with other things, but all too often at the hard points in our lives we find the hole is empty and we turn, almost as a last resort, to God.

*Sunday services are only a tiny part of your job?

I’m sure that most ministers would agree that there is no such thing as an average week. But here is a list of some of the more common aspects of a minister’s work. I am chaplain to four schools and recently have been asked to join a chaplaincy team at Ayr College. Meetings come in all shapes and sizes, and include representing the church on South Ayrshire’s leadership committee on education matters. Hospital visits and visiting people in their homes is also important; funerals can be time-consuming, but it is also a privilege to be allowed to assist people who are grieving to make it through the process. I also spend a great deal of time on the phone or answering email. Finally there is preparation for the Sunday service.

*How do you relax away from work?

Golf is now my sport of choice, although a few years ago I refereed rugby for the SRU; both these sports helped me keep fit, both physically and mentally.

I have been happily married to Helen for 25 years – we have actually been married for 27, but only 25 have been happy! We have two children – Kirstin, a full-time mum who has two children of her own, Jai and Jac, then there is our son Jonathan who is about to start a university course at the Scottish Agricultural College. His time is taken up with rugby and any other outdoor activity you can think of – anything to avoid filling the dishwasher!

*What’s your taste in music and food?

I like lots of different kinds of music and a lot depends on the mood I am in – but I must be getting old because the one style I cannot stand is rap. When it comes to food, I like it – as you can see by my waistline. My favourite food has to be fillet steak or anything cooked by Helen.

*I believe you’ve been to Peru to help street children?

Several years ago I became involved with a Scottish charity called the Vine Trust, who help save the lives of the street boys in Peru. Not only do they save their lives, they offer them a safe place to stay, food, clothing and an education. On my first trip I was so moved by the stories I heard that I had to return with a work party who helped to build more accommodation for the boys to live in. Despite having to experience horrendous abuses of every kind, these boys are among the most loving, caring and generous children it has been my privilege to meet. They are left to fend for themselves, sometimes from the age of four, because families cannot afford to feed them. To play even the tiniest of parts in giving hope to them has been one of the highlights of my life so far; to think that I might have helped to make a difference to even one life made all the effort, hardship and travelling worthwhile. I wanted to become a minister to try to make a difference, and I believe that by getting involved with the Vine Trust I have helped to do just that, and the only way I would ever have had the opportunity to get involved with the Vine Trust was because I was a minister.