In a night of laughter and poignant stories, Castlemilk said farewell to John and Mary Miller.

The Very Rev John Miller was minister of Castlemilk East Church for more than 36 years. Mary was a founder of the Jeely Piece Club for children.

Together, as they brought up their own children in the council house they called home, they led a Christian life that touched thousands.

More than 700 people listened as speaker after speaker told how the Miller ministry impacted on them. Maureen Douglass, Chairperson of the Jeely Piece Club Board of Directors, said in a very funny speech that everyone she spoke to in her search for a marquee big enough to hold the crowd, either knew of John Miller or had had some personal connection. ‘People were desperate to talk about their experience of John Miller. He would have married them or buried a relative. And quite spontaneously they’d say to pass on their good wishes to him on his retiral.’

‘They are like a badge of honour for us in Castlemilk,’ said Maureen. ‘And they’ve done not too bad a job! We wish them well in Africa.’

After a family holiday in Canada, John and Mary will head for Africa to work with people with Hiv/Aids.

Their doctor daughter once worked in the Zimbabwe hospital where they intend to be based.

‘This is a bit like being at your own funeral,’ commented John at the end of the evening of tributes. ‘All these complimentary things are usually said of the departed! We’ll take all these memories away with us but I have to say I think my heart will drop out of me as I walk away from Castlemilk. It won’t be willing to go with me. But I will take it and remember the love expressed here tonight and down through all these years.’

The finale was a rendition of ‘May Each Day be a Good Day,’ sung by Elspeth Shearer who had trained a choir of school children to perform on the night. Under the clear direction of Master of Ceremonies Neil McGregor, director of the British Museum and a friend of Mary and John’s from their student days in Oxford, the others who contributed were: Lord Provost Robert Winter, Father Willie Slavin, Castleton Primary School Choir, The Rev. David Lunan, Clerk to Glasgow Presbytery of the Church of Scotland, The Jeelie Piece Club who sang their famous song, Ann Lyall, former Deaconess of Castlemilk East Parish Church and Margaret Rice who wrote and read a poem of praise to the couple.

Instead of gifts, the Miller’s had requested that any donations should go to the charity in Africa where they’ll be working – Friends of Murambinda. This was handed over by Janette Baird, Anna Stewart, Christine Devine and Helen Pope to Dr John Connolly one of the charity Trustees.

People had traveled from all over the UK to attend the retirement party, which was held in the grounds of Castlemilk High School. At the half way mark, the crowd moved into the school for refreshments. Some lucky people even got a slice of the celebration dumpling made by Josie Livingston M.B.E.