Leading figure in the Baptist Union of Scotland

Born: November 14, 1928;

Died: May 3, 2018

IAN McHardy Bremner, who has died aged 89, was a leading figure in the Baptist Union of Scotland who championed the need to support churches on Scotland's islands. As honorary treasurer of the union for 25 years, he argued for small and remote faith communities to be given priority and championed the significance of island churches as points of connection and meeting.

He was born in Wick and when the first German bombs of the Second World War fell on the Caithness town, he escaped narrowly with his fisherman grandfather. Others were less fortunate, but Ian allowed the experience of this to shape and influence a full and productive life marked by the virtues of gratitude and grace.

Attending Wick Primary, he became dux and in his time at Wick Academy achieved the gold medal for maths and played football for the academy in the Highland league. Arriving at Edinburgh University in 1945 he played for Edinburgh Spartans. Whilst at Edinburgh he attained degrees in both arts and accountancy.

His admission to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1955 was the gateway in 1956 to becoming company secretary at Robert Craig & Sons in Airdrie, then assistant chief accountant with the Clydesdale Bank from 1971 to his retirement in 1995.

It was Mr Bremner's role as honorary treasurer of the Baptist Union of Scotland from 1971 to 1996 which displayed his more heartfelt virtues. He served alongside three general secretaries, the late Rev Dr Andrew MacRae, the late Rev Dr Peter Barber and Rev Bill Slack.

With a passion for how the family of baptists in Scotland might grow and engage their communities, Mr Bremner had a heart for the islands in particular and defended the need for remote faith communities to be given priority in both the denominations' resources and finances.

Mr Bremner’s tenure saw 36 baptist churches either planted or started, few of which would have rooted and flourished were it not for the funding and support from the Scottish Baptist Fund. In an expression of appreciation, the Baptist Assembly made Ian Bremner a life member of the Baptist Union of Scotland in 1997. Few will forget his winsome and humourous ways as he encouraged baptists in Scotland to be sacrificial and generous to the needs of the wider world and the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

Mr Bremner was chosen as the Mission Scotland treasurer for the visit of the late Billy Graham to Scotland in 1991. His oversight of the required finance enabled the evangelist to visit and conduct campaigns in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. It was from Parkhead that new technology was pioneered on June 5th 1991 to broadcast the evangelist's message to 57 different live-link locations in different countries.

Music and song were a rich combination in Ian Bremner’s life. As choirmaster at Airdrie Baptist Church, he blended his childhood appreciation of the Metrical Psalms with the livelier Baptist hymns and choruses made popular by post-war evangelicalism. His often calming presence in the church as a deacon and treasurer for 54 years was characterised by his consistent encouragement of a younger generation. His presence was to many young people both inspirational and always gracious.

The distinct Caithness dialect that lived inside Mr Bremner’s voice for a lifetime imparted a gentle lilt to every conversation and his characteristic smile and twinkling eye endeared you to him, even when you disagreed. Ever scrupulous about church funds, a former church cleaner nervously petitioned the treasurer for a new hoover with the claim "Mr Bremner, I’ve a hoover that blaws an disna sook". Mr Bremner concluded that he’d never heard a better reason for a purchase.

Inside this "Wicker" lived a person of great duty and diligence but also one whose warmth and care found expression in his kind words and enduring example.

Remembered at the funeral in Airdrie by his colleague and former minister of Queen’s Park Baptist Church and former president of the Baptist Union of Scotland, Rev Edwin Gunn, quoting Acts 11, said, “Ian Bremner was a Barnabus, a good man full of the Holy Spirit and faith.”

This spoken sentiment found best expression at the funeral in the hearty singing of Mr Bremner's baptismal hymn O Jesus I Have Promised. That promise, though made long ago, was kept for a lifetime by this kind man from Wick.

Ian Bremner is survived by his Wick-born wife Kathleen (nee Budge), his sons James and Ian and five grand-daughters.

BRIAN R MORE