Obituary of Ian Paterson Renton, minister; born 22 March, 1926 in Kirkcaldy, Fife; died on 8 June, 2009 in Edinburgh, aged 83.

Ian Renton was born in Kirkcaldy in Fife, where he attended Sinclairtown and Viewforth Schools.

In 1948 Ian studied at Newbattle Abbey to become a community centre and youth worker. He worked as youth clubs and rural organiser in Roxburghshire and then pursued a similar occupation for the Iona community in Iona and on Mull.

This was to be the beginning of many happy days in Iona: first as a builder’s labourer in the rebuilding of Iona Abbey and then later with his wife Ann and their family on summer holidays on the island.

In 1953 he went to Glasgow University where he acted as secretary of the Labour Club Union Debating Society. In 1955 it was on to St Mary’s College in St Andrews to begin his theological education.

Ordained by Aberdeen Presbytery in 1958, Ian’s first charge was St Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, where he also carried out chaplaincy work in two Greenwich factories and at the Royal Naval College. In 1966 he became minister of Dalry-Haymarket Parish Church in Edinburgh. In 1973 the congregation united with St Bride’s Parish Church, thus forming the parish of St Colms.

He retired in 1990 due to ill health. During his Edinburgh ministry, Ian served as a chaplain at Astley-Ainsley Hospital, as a governor at Moray House, and on a number of committees. He was a justice of the peace for the City of Edinburgh and was Moderator of Edinburgh Presbytery. He became well known to many through religious broadcasting on radio and television over a period of 13 years.

• Full story at The Scotsman.

• Filed under Church of Scotland, Obituaries, Scottish Christian News Monitor.