John Finlayson 1941- 2010
After a prolonged period of ill health and several months in hospital, our dear friend and colleague was called Home into the presence of the Lord on 13 April. After Bible training in Glasgow John joined the International Christian Fellowship in the mid 80s as its representative in Scotland and later served with SIM International in the same capacity.
In April 2002 John joined Zambesi Mission and served Churches across Scotland and Northern England ministering the Word of God and sharing news of His work in Malawi and Mozambique. He made many friends in both those countries as well as in his native Scotland and is fondly remembered and greatly missed. We praise God for these all too few years of fellowship with John and for his faithful work for the advance of His Kingdom.
Our loving thoughts and prayers are with Janette and all John's family. We thank God for them and for all the support they have given John in his work and during his long illness.
A service of thanksgiving for John's life was held in South Wishaw Parish Church on Saturday 17 April when, among other tributes, was the following sent from the ZM team in Malawi. |
TRIBUTE TO JOHN FINLAYSON
The Zambesi Mission Team in Malawi sends heartfelt condolences to Jeanette and the family of our dear brother and friend John who was called home to his reward on 13th April 2010. The three mission families here have each had life-changing contacts and relationships with John at various times. In fact, he was the first contact that two of the families had with the Zambesi Mission.
Robbie (Beaton) said that "It was the exemplary life of John that brought me and my family to Zambesi Mission. We would not have been here without John's influence". David and Kirsty (Kanyumi) spoke of the great influence of John in helping them to decide to come to Malawi with Zambesi Mission. His pastoral heart, his gentle spirit and his total commitment to Jesus Christ and to His Kingdom have impacted us all. Together with his dear and gracious wife Jeanette, we have enjoyed wonderful hospitality and fellowship in their home. John worked very hard to encourage
individuals and Churches especially in Scotland to support the work we do here in Malawi, a work that we know is impacting many lives, including our own, for eternity. All of us here owe so much to the life and ministry of John, a life that beautifully reflected that of the LORD he served.
We remember John's visits to Malawi on a number of occasions when each of us had the opportunity to travel with him and to engage in ministry together. We ate together, laughed together, sang together and had great times with this lovely man of God whose heart for the Gospel and for people remains such a challenge to us all. On one occasion when he stayed in our home here in Blantyre he taught us the song, "I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean" - a song that refreshes our hearts and brings John's memory back to us each time it is sung.
We will miss John very much and yet we rejoice that the work he did lives on and that we share in the blessings of God that flowed through his life. He has now joined that 'cloud of witnesses' and has passed on the baton to us. Now, with his LORD, in victory he says to us, in the words of one of our older hymns,
Courage, brother! do not stumble, though the path be dark as night;
There's a star to guide the humble 'Trust in God, and do the right.'.
Though the road be rough and dreary, and its end far out of sight;
Step out bravely; strong or weary, 'Trust in God, and do the right'.
Our prayers are with Jeanette, with Andrea and with Corina and all the family at this time of painful separation, in the assurance that John is now at Home -which is better by far!.
With our love in Christ,
Abraham and Ruth (on behalf of Zambesi Mission team in Malawi) |
