ON 23rd May Rev Norman MacRae saw his whole life pass before him. But the Trinity Church minister was not drowning - he was getting the “This is Your Life” treatment from parishioners, family and friends.

He knew the evening was to be a farewell social for himself and his wife Wilma, formerly a Maths teacher at Millburn Academy, but the form that it took was a total surprise. The handsome file, with its many tributes, will undoubtedly be treasured in the MacRae household for years to come. It even includes a letter from Buckingham Palace which says the Queen “recalls with pleasure” the occasion last summer when he preached at Crathie for the Royal party from Balmoral.

After 37 years in Inverness, all of them spent at Trinity (formerly St Mark’s) in Huntly Place, the couple are going to live in Bathgate to be near their daughters in Glasgow and Edinburgh and their two little grand-daughters. They are Meghan, three and a half, daughter of Louise and her husband Richard, and Caitlin, seven months, whose mum and dad are Catriona and David. Besides enjoying the family, Mr MacRae hopes to play some golf and do a little sketching.

Mr MacRae speaks warmly of his years in Merkinch. “You share the complete range of emotions, as a minister, from the highlights to the depths - it’s a wonderful privilege.” He went on to praise the community spirit of the area. “There is a basic honesty - you know where you stand with people. And even those who never come through the door of the church have their faith - you’ll see the well-thumbed copy of the Bible beside the bed. They value it and I find that very touching, somehow very humbling.”
Mr MacRae says he has seen a lot of changes in the ministry over the years. His perspective is a particularly long one as his late father, Kenneth N MacRae, was a minister too, in Shetland.

Norman was inducted and ordained at St Mark’s on 26th April 1966 - his parish also included the Merkinch Hall in Thornbush Road and when, five years later, the two were united with Queen Street Church, the parish became the Trinity.
Over the years Mr MacRae has seen many changes and improvements in Merkinch - the refurbishment of the housing stock, the building of the community centre and the setting up of Merkinch Enterprise, which he says has made “such a valuable contribution” to the area.

Rev Ian McRitchie has been appointed interim moderator at Trinity, and Rev Donald MacLeod will act as locum from August until a new minister is found.