United Irvine Podcast - Ep6: Irene Johnston

In this Episode Rev Neil speaks with Irene Johnston

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome back to United Irvine, and I have the amazing pleasure of having Irene Johnston on the call here. And Irene, you are one of my heroines. I know you're gonna be a shrinking violet when you hear uh hear that and respond to that, but it is the truth. I think you're absolutely amazing. And I love to get your messages on Facebook, and when I see you at Dreadcorn and Springside uh Worship Center, uh when you manage to make it, uh it's it's tremendous because well you're you're well up into your 90s, I believe, and and yet you're on Facebook, you're on Zoom here and now, and and and you're connecting with people, you know that to connect with people and converse with people because you're not able to get out and about as much as you used to, you know that that's the way you've got to do it, and you've you've done it and you're doing it, which is fabulous. Now, Irene, tell me where you're from, where you were born and brought up, and were you always involved in the church?

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Yes, more or less, Neil. I was born in Busby, in Lanarkshire. Yes, my father was in Lanarkshire police, and he retired in 1927, and I was born the following year. So he was actually 55 when I was born, and my mother was 44.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:48

So it that there's a case of second marriages here. Yes, my mother's first husband was killed right at the beginning of the First World War. And then my father's wife, she died in 1922 or something, but uh he uh married my mother, as I say, in 1925, and I was born in 1928. So uh I think I've still got my baptismal certificate from for Green Bank Parish Church or something.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Excellent Busby.

SPEAKER_02 2:33

At that time, you you were baptized in the house.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Oh, that's right, yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

You didn't go to the church then for a baptism. And then uh my father being retired from the police after 32 and a half years service, was too young to do nothing. So we moved to Newton Marns, and he had a poultry farm, Lang Rick Poultry Farm, where he had white leg horns and Rhode Island Reds. Okay, and uh I went to Newton Marns School to begin with, and then the Glasgow Corporation took over the farm because they wanted it for uh the hospital uh for TB, TB milk, etc. And we had to move. So we went to Milliken Park, where my father became the gardener, to Mr. McRobert the solicitor, and uh I we were there for quite a few years, and I went to Kilbarkin Church there, and then we moved to Johnston when we got a house there, and uh but we still went to Kilbarkin Kirk, the West Church. So um I joined the church there, I think about the 18 at the time. And uh I have all my certificates around somewhere. I've I've got a wee uh box that I keep all my funeral arrangements in, so I think that's where it is. But uh then my father had this old property in Dreghorn, and he felt if he could be there, he would be able to do lots of jobs himself. So we moved to Dreghorn in 1951. And uh we uh we went to the old parish church, and I've been there ever since. So I've been over 70 years in Dreghorn and Springside, although it was Dreghorn and Pearce and Old Parish Church.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Marvelous, marvelous.

SPEAKER_02 5:16

So and of course I got involved.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

On you go. You got involved. Go on.

SPEAKER_02 5:26

No, we got involved in a lot of things in the church, like the badminton club and William Robertson. Do you remember Willie?

SPEAKER_01 5:33

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

Well, he was in the badminton club, and I was in that for two or three years, and then I was in the Sunday school and um the choir. Uh and then Mrs. Muir came to be our organist, and um we became friendly, she and her husband and I. Uh they had just lost their daughter, Nancy. And it was so sad, and I was full of sympathy for them, of course. Uh she was only 16. But uh, we did have a good friendship, and uh then was in the guild as well. And uh I I played the piano there for them for over 20 years. But uh now the guild has we've finished in Drake Horn and um I know we've got invitations to Fullerton, but uh it's just um difficult getting there that I'm quite happy just being content at home now.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

Yes, we wanna and and also got Hank Girdle Tall guild are inviting folk to to go to as well, yes, and they're afternoons, so they're maybe a wee bit easier to to get to.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

But well, we were in the afternoon too, but the thing is everybody is getting too old to be bothered being president and secretary and treasurer.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

Yes, so I think at at the Fullerton Guild they've they they they they don't actually call anyone president anymore, they just take turns at leading the meeting because that's right, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Well, we still had a president, but um other people could take turns if she wasn't available.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

Yes, yes. So you've you've been involved in in the kirk all your life, Irene.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

Yes, more or less.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

And it's not just you know, it's not just going through the motions for you, is it? It's not just something you've got into the way of, it's something that's very personal to you.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

Well, it is it is personal, yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:06

It's a faith, it's a hope, it's a love.

SPEAKER_02 8:09

Yes, because uh I feel I need the Lord quite often, you know, to be in my life, yes, and he really has been very good to me because I've now ended up in a wee pensioner's house, and I'm very happy and comfortable. That's great, and then I worked in a firm of solicitors in Kilmarnock, D D cars, forty years or more, 42 years, and um then we we moved from the cross at Kilmarnock to Howard Street and joined Curtis Thurrant Company. So I was there all I was in with the Brexneel until I retired when I was 62. You could do that then and and I waited on that wee while longer because Mr. McCullough had died in 1966, and um they they wanted me to continue because I knew all his clients, you know, to contact them and that, but that that's about my life, really.

SPEAKER_01 9:39

Ah, but tell us about your family.

SPEAKER_02 9:44

Oh well, oh that that the 1960s, the whole decade was a terrible decade for me because my mother took dementia, and at that time, Neil, you got no help whatsoever. And I had to, I was only in my 30s and I had to work. And father, being in the police, and the national insurance scheme didn't come out till nearer his retirement, so he didn't get an old-age pension, he only had this wee puttery pension he got from the police once a month, and my mother didn't get the pension either. But I didn't realise all this, it's only now it's sort of dawning on me that they didn't have much money. But he had this house in the main street, which is now demolished, and uh I don't know, I had to go to my work every day, and I've got this horrible feeling that I neglected my mother because I wasn't there for her during the day, and she was wandering about and she didn't know that man's following me, she would say, and that was my father, and he didn't know what was going on, but it was a dreadful time, the whole and that they both died in 1969. My father first, and he he just missed his 96th birthday by a month, and um my mother was 84 when she died in the May. He died in February, and my mother died in the May of that year, so and then the council wanted our property to build the Danelope Hall, or the no the council offices behind it. That that was where it was our house, was just beside the Danope Hole. And my father played the bagpipes when it was opened. Oh, he used the pipe for them so we and then my mother had a daughter by her first marriage, Margaret. And she was 94 when she died in 19 in 2008, I think it was, and Margaret had two daughters, so these are the nieces uh that uh I contact every day. We we do it by text, yes, and they keep in touch with her old auntie. But and then have and their family, they're in Moira's family, she's got a son and daughter, and they're in England, and Irene has a son and daughter, and um the he's like you uh the son, he's a great climber and always but at the moment is with is with B P and is got quite a good job there, but he was out in India recently, he's never at home. But uh I've got a nice family, and then my father, he had uh three daughters who were more like my aunties because they were well into their twenties and thirties before I was born. So there it's it's all very uninteresting to you, Neil.

SPEAKER_01 13:47

Not at all. It's so you got a loving, lovely family about you.

SPEAKER_02 13:51

Yes, and you manage to keep in touch with them, yes, and then Lindsay, she's the granddaughter of my sister Polly, who died many years ago, and she lives in Erskine now, so they keep in touch, and she's got uh three of four of a family, so plenty of people around me, yes, and and you've got church family as well, haven't you? Um I've got my church family, yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

I haven't and you know to get to services lately. I know that you don't always get to services. You've got your you've got your fourth wheeler uh that that you you push and sit on.

SPEAKER_02 14:41

I don't sit on it.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

I'm afraid that it would run away with it's a it's purely a pusher.

SPEAKER_02 14:49

But it's it's it gives me balance and it it's really great, but it's got to be a nice date before I'll go out and go up the road because by the time I would get to the church, it would be soaked.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

Yes. But but if you don't manage to get you manage to plug in, don't you?

SPEAKER_02 15:05

You manage to tune in and get the streets and do the live stream. Yes, when it works, it doesn't always work well. Sometimes the sound is hopeless, and and then sometimes we don't get it at all. Yes, yes, I am, but on the whole, it's it's very good, yes.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

And tell us a wee bit about your faith, uh Irene, and and the difference it makes to you.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Well, you feel more secure, Neil. You know, you feel that the Lord's around you to help you. Just I think he spoke to me last night when I say, What have I done? I've refused Neil this, and that's not right. Um but um I couldn't have done without him.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:07

During the time my mother was in Ilsa Hospital, she was here for four years because eventually she had to go there. And uh I used to go down to Antonelli's as well and sit beside her for a week while it's not a pleasant thing, dementia.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

No, no, but there we are, it happened.

SPEAKER_02 16:38

But we got through it and um it's just a case of asking for God's help at times.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Yes, yes. When you're feeling a wee bit vulnerable and uh and do you have uh do you have any do you have any favorite psalm verses or verses in the Bible that uh remind you that God's with you and that he's for you and supporting you?

SPEAKER_02 17:13

I love is it the first paraphrase that man hath perfect blessedness. Oh yes who walketh not astray in counsel of ungodly men, nor stands in sinner's week, nor sitteth in this corner's chair, but placeth his delight upon God's law and meditates on his law day and night. I love that because I used to teach it to my Sunday school class, and it's always stuck there, you see. I don't think they'll remember it, but uh, and then of course the shepherd Sam. Yes, I like it. The Lord's my shepherd, yes, that at my funeral, and all the way my saviour leads me. I like I like that. Um do you know that?

SPEAKER_01 18:03

Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Yeah, and nearer my goat to the it's lovely, yes, yes. That was one of my father's favourites, too. These are great, and he used to say to me, play largo, irena.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

So I always said to handles largo, I always said to play that for him, yes, but uh and music's been an important part of your life, clearly.

SPEAKER_02 18:32

Yes, it had well piano was it was Neil, yes, but uh do you listen to you listen to a lot of music? Not really well. I I I quite like listening having the television on Bri Rue. I love him. He's great, he's the one most wonderful violinist, and he plays all these lovely romantic songs, and he's just such a lovely chap. And AI. Yes, you know that AI thing, I don't understand it, but it's spreading up it's spreading a whole lot of lies about him that he's dying and he's ill and is in hospital. And uh no, I do really enjoy. I've got quite a lot of recordings of Aunry.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

Excellent.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

Uh on uh on the recording. I've still got an old-fashioned television and a recorder. I don't know how to work it, so I'm quite happy.

SPEAKER_01 19:33

You're stuck with you're sticking with it, that's it.

SPEAKER_02 19:36

I'm just sticking with it, Neil.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

Uh it's working, keep with it, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

Don't that's right. Yes, that's what they say. If it works, just leave it.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

That's it. And and you and you and you like flowers and colour, and were you ever a drawer or a or a or a sewer?

SPEAKER_02 19:59

No, not really.

SPEAKER_00 20:02

No, no.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

Well, I used to say I used to embroider when I think about it now, and knit knit jumpers. But that wasn't yesterday, that was more in my teens.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

That's a lovely one you've got on at the moment. Lovely patterned jump.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

Yeah, that's uh it's quite a nice one with my cross of the kirk.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

Yes, beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

It's a Sheila Fleet necklace, uh-huh. And uh her place, I think it's out in Orkney.

SPEAKER_00 20:32

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 20:32

And my nieces got it for my 90th birthday. It's silver, and uh that's what it's called, the cross of the kirk.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

So um one of them will get it when I go away.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

When you get promoted into glory, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 20:53

That's right, Neil.

SPEAKER_01 20:54

Yes, that's right. And and tell us a wee bit about your prayers for United Irving and Dreadcorn and Springside and God's work and and these parts, Irene.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

I'm afraid we're needing a lot of prayers, Neil, yes, for our church, because um things are happening that shouldn't be happening. And uh I know you told us in the church that uh the other churches were now supporting us. Should I be saying all this?

SPEAKER_01 21:31

Yeah, you say whatever you whatever you feel, be direct, be straight, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 21:36

And it's not right that people should stop giving their collections unless they're at the church. But um I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

What about your vision for what about your vision for I I know we're in tr in transition and it's not easy, and some folk are not are not. are not coming along or giving and they're waiting to see and some folk have left but but no we we are in transition and it's a period of of challenge and change but but you're an optimist I know you're an optimist and and you've got faith hope and love and and and so so what about what what positive things do you s do you do you envision and pray for well pray for the continuation of our church yes and the people in it and the families of those who are no longer with us and uh there's there've been an awful lot of deaths neil at all younger than me and people I was friendly with and thinking about uh the church family and we've also got aspirations for seeing new people come in don't we younger people coming in we long to see uh renewal and revival don't we?

SPEAKER_02 23:13

Yes it looked a bit better this morning with the Sunday school yes there seemed to be more there than had been for a week while we used to have the best Sunday school in Irving district and then it all fell apart because they were going to different things on a Sunday morning. And they weren't coming to the the Sunday school or the church. But um Lynn had the children this morning and it was lovely. And she has a friend who crochetes and for a hospital I don't know whether it's in Glasgow or not but uh she was showing the children all the different things that had been crocheted and they were taking them around a congregation to let them see the lovely wee jackets and uh wee hats and things that this lady of 91 had crocheted. So it's time I was getting my needles out and doing something useful instead of working in this phone all the time. Uh-huh well it's a light time waster I I know but it's an awful time waster.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

Aye well it you can easily get distracted with it that's true you need to be disciplined but putting it you've got to be disciplined and just said I'm not looking at you I know that I know that I know that well I know but one of one of your great gifts you know and you've been an elder for quite a few years now how many years have you been an elder you're an elder emeritus I've got my 40 my 40 year certificate and then I waited on a year after that and then decided it was too much for me going out at night to to to session meetings. So I just resigned then but yeah pass the back I enjoyed visiting Olma people in their houses you know yes oh you've been a great visitor I saw uh them more often than just a time when the communion cars were available and I made friends with them all and you know Neil they're nearly all away now is that right it's awful yes Anne McDowell do you remember Anne McDowell and Carrie Dunn and her husband are dead and um Jim Cairns he's away and yes oh um um teen of them it's so sad it's sad and and yet it's life isn't it and it's life yes Hebrews 12 talks about you know says therefore since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses you know those who've gone ahead of us those who line the track side let us let's run with perseverance the race marked out for us fixing our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith uh so so yes it is but it must be I suppose when you're out living so many people Irene do you do you have that sense of being left behind sort of thing or do you are you are you in the now and and able to really celebrate the present really but I I feel that all my contemporaries are away yes and I'm I'm just left but at the same time I'm still keeping in touch with the younger people in the church yes you know and see them when I go to the church and they're all very welcoming and nice it's it's it's lovely to get there.

SPEAKER_02 27:14

Yes and uh everybody's got to attend to me get me in the door and there's a great commotion getting me in the later in the door and back out again. But it it really it's nice to have a church family meal.

SPEAKER_01 27:32

Yes and to have nice ministers like you and Jamie I'll pay you later you're you're such an encourager Irene and I know that I I've I've I've asked you a few times if you might do this and I and you were just alluding to to a sleep well I don't know if it was sleepless night but you get you get God had a wee word in your ear I think he must have had last night last night because I toss an are turning and I said I'd be as well getting up looking at my phone instead of lying near to us and turning and you and then they then when I did look at it I realized of course that um there were messages on it at that time in the morning and then I says now I've been sent here for some reason I said I think I'll just send a a wee text to the Reverend Neil yes yeah and tell him if we can't get anybody else we'll try it so that's it you're a wee star an absolute star Irene thanks so much for for being willing to to sort of respond the way you have and and that was pretty painless uh Irene was it oh it was a good wee chinwai well I suppose it was you you have been very good Neil uh you've the guided me and done most of the hard work just asked you some questions and you do have the gift of the gap irene you you've you've definitely kissed the blarney a few times I think I'm quite a blair yes indeed and that's that's one of the endearing features about you you know I I'd I'd thank you on behalf of United Irvine and Draycon and Springside for for just being who you are Irene you're you're you're a loving lovely lass and thank you very much and we love you so much and we know you love us and and we'll keep loving and praising the Lord and let him lead us on eh yes we're very very fortunate in having you and Jamie at the helm thank you thank you we are really um thanks for your kind and then of course I was in the leprosy mission for over 40 years. Well collected a lot of money yes for them through that's right and we must get Stephen McCleish over to to speak uh about that he was telling me that Stephen McCleche used to be our youth worker he was telling me that's right he would go to the leprosy mission he's working with the leprosy mission representing them in Scotland and and traveling around and he's keen to come to Dreh and Springside because you say you've given a lot of money to the leprosy mission over the years. We did give a lot at one time Frank Henderson and um Betty Fowler do we know yes yes between so that's um I'm sure there's lots of other things that we know touched in and and in fact that's a good excuse to get you back sometime Irene but don't worry it it won't be next week no I didn't think you were meaning to do a podcast at the moment I thought it was in the future ah well there you go you are lulled you're some man nearly and you're so good to your wemo and my weemo she's marvelous isn't she's lovely catching up on you but uh just a couple of years back but she's like yourself been able to live uh on her own I know on her own it makes an awful difference she's still gets to be independent indeed indeed grateful grateful