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Sandy Gilfillan retires after 60 years of service

As a young man growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, the last thing Rev Sandy Gilfillan dreamt of becoming was a minister but looking back on more than 60 years spent in the ministry he says: “It has been the greatest privilege. I would not have wished to have done anything else but to be in the Lord?s service.”

Gilfillan, who has spent the past nine years leading the Stanford United Church, has finally decided to retire and preached his last official sermon at a special farewell service on Sunday 27 May.

Gilfillan started studying for the ministry at London Bible College in 1946 and a year later, while he was still a student, he and his wife Mary, a school teacher from Glasgow were married.

After his studies, Gilfillan worked in a small church in Northhampton in the English Midlands. In 1951 he accepted an invitation to lecture at the Bible Institute in Kalk Bay, South Africa. He and Mary made the move thinking it would be a short, exciting adventure but they ended up making SA their permanent home.

After 18 months as a lecturer at BI, he was made principal, even though he was still a very young man. He was there until 1960, when he was then asked to become principal of the Baptist Theological College in Johannesburg. Gilfillan was there for six years and he says of this experience: “The Lord has had a habit of throwing me in the deep end.”

He and his family then moved to take over the leadership of Trinity Baptist church in Port Elizabeth. He served as minister of this church for 10 very happy years.

Gilfillan says Mary has been a significant partner in the ministry and gives her full credit for her role in their long and distinguished life-long service together. She was, according to him, a gifted maths teacher and she taught at a number of different schools over the years. They also raised four children together.

In 1976 the family returned to Johannesburg where Gilfillan accepted a post at Rouxvile Baptist church. Then in 1980 they moved to a small Baptist church in Stellenbosch. “During many of these years I had done a lot of broadcasting and in 1975 when TV came to SA I was featured in the very first week.”

He also served on the SABC's religious advisory board for radio and TV.

“In 1984 the SABC approached me and asked me to become organiser of religious programmes on English radio.”

By this time Gilfillan was 60 years old and although he had experience in broadcasting, he was now responsible for daily radio broadcasts and all programming. It was an enormous responsibility, but he says he enjoyed the contact with all the different denominations. He also became a well known radio personality in his own right and his definitive Scottish accent made him an instantly recognisable media figure.

Gilfillan spent six years with the SABC, followed by two years at a small church in Kempton Park.

In 1990 he was invited to join the Hermanus United Church and he served as their minister until 1996. He thought back then that it was time to retire.

Another nine years at Stanford United Church has since followed and although this position was initially only supposed to be a once-a-month-sermon, it grew to a full-time service.

During his years of ministry, Gilfillan was also involved with the YMCA and was chairman of the national executive and national president of the association for a number of years. He spent 25 years on the Baptist Union of SA's national executive.

Reflecting on his long career in the ministry, Gilfillan the teacher says that in every place there has been enjoyment and fulfilment. Relationships with people, sharing their life and burdens and being there in their time of crisis have been some of the highlights and challenges he has experienced. The joy of seeing people married and watching their children grow up has been part of his privilege. However some of the more difficult aspects of his job have been the times he has had to be the conveyer of sad news like when a child has died ? sharing in the grief of people has not been easy.

“I am much more aware of my failures than successes. But a major thing is my awareness of the grace of God.”

For more than 60 years Gilfillan has served the Lord faithfully with Mary by his side. However, just before their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this year, Mary had a stroke. She is in care at Kidbrooke and although she is no longer active she remains conscious and alert.

Gilfillan has shaped the lives of hundreds of students who are now serving in ministries and missions all over the world. He keeps being urged to write about his experiences and who knows, perhaps that is just what he plans to do.

Full story at Hermanus Times, South Africa.