Minister

Thomas or Tom as he is better known to the congregation is married to Tracy they met whilst he attended Blawarthill Parish Church of Scotland, their Minister at that time was the Rev'd Neil W Galbraith friend to Tom and Tracy and mentor to Tom. Neil is now Minister of Cathcart Old Parish Church of Scotland and founder of Glasgow the Caring City, 

Tom and Tracy were married in October 1999 at the University Memorial Chapel, University of Glasgow. They have two daughters Emma and Katie.   Tom is a Glaswegian, born in city's Maryhill district and attended Wyndford Primary and Cleveden Secondary Schools. Tom admits that as a child, he never really 'excelled in anything except art and swimming but not at the same time'.  He went on to study Divinity at the University of Glasgow graduating in the summer of 1999.

Tom has preached at several churches not all within the Congregational Federation.  He has been privileged to preach in Blawarthill and Cathcart Old Parish Churches, as well as the former Queen's Cross Church (designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh) of the United Free Church of Scotland.  

Our minister has preached in many churches within the Federation but has fond memories of  the former Scottish Congregational Church at Drumchapel Essenside, now part of the United Reformed Church. 

He came to Coatdyke Congregational Church to preach in November 2000.  After several visits Tom was eventually called to be our Minister and was Ordained and Inducted into Coatdyke Congregational Church on May 18th 2001 and is now our second longest serving minister in our 100 year history. 

He was fully accredited on to the Roll of Congregational Ministers in 2007 during the Annual Assembly at Plymouth. 

He holds the Counselling and Psycotherapy Scotland (COSCA) Counselling Certificate which he gained from Strathclyde University in June 2009 and plans to further develop his 'counselling skills' by completing the Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling in a few years time.