Minister    
The Rev John Tallach

I was born in Argyll in 1945, but our family went to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides when I was seven. We then moved to Dingwall in 1960. I did an Arts degree at Edinburgh University and went on to do the divinity training provided by the Free Presbtyerian Church of Scotland in which I had been brought up. I was ordained in 1970 and went first of all to Kinlochbervie in Sutherland and then to Aberdeen. A rather well-publicised division occurred in the FP Church in 1989, and I was part of the group which left to set up the Associated Presbyterian Churches. However, after ten years in the APC, I felt that the time had come to move on. I applied to become a minister of the Church of Scotland, was accepted, and the way opened immediately for me to come to Cromarty.

I am thankful to God for the privilege of serving him here. Cromarty is certainly more relaxing then Aberdeen! There are, however, two aspects to my ministry apart from what I do here. I still have a pastoral link with a small group of Christians in Tuscany, Italy, whom I first visited in 1972. Also, following some study which I did in the Philosophy Department of Aberdeen University, I continue to read and think about the application of this to theology and to the life of the church. I feel that this study is relevent to the issues behind the divisions in the church which have been part of my experience as a minister. I hope to write about this at some stage and am grateful for encouragement in this direction which comes from Professor John Webster of the Divinity Department of Aberdeen University. (It is in order to pursue this long-term project that, from time to time, I take a week's study leave.)

My wife Isobel was born to mission parents in Zimbabwe in 1949. We were married In Dingwall in 1971 and have two children, David and Irene. (Irene is the one who famously said as I was about to leave to play the trumpet at a Christmas concert in the church hall, "I don't know what you're worried about, Dad. They can hear good musicians any day of the week. They only get to hear you once a year!") My standard of golf is not great, but it is slightly better than my trumpet-playing.



                                                                                                                            


 top photo by Sandy Fea



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