Mr Francis (Paco) Baldachino. The assembly in Gibraltar advises of the homecall of our dearly beloved brother in Christ, Paco Baldachino. He passed into the presence of his Lord and Saviour on 29 December, aged 97. Visitors from the UK assemblies had the privilege of meeting and having fellowship with Paco in the assembly over many years. He was born into a Roman Catholic home and was nurtured in the doctrines, creeds and rituals of that religion. He was saved in 1954 while attending a church where he learnt that salvation was found in Christ alone. He took every opportunity to testify before the people of Gibraltar through the distribution of gospel literature and preaching of the gospel. Throughout his Christian life he was in fellowship in the assembly. His funeral took place on 31 December, at which a gathering, including many Roman Catholics, heard the plain message of the gospel. He is survived by his daughter Sara, son-in-law Claus, and five grandchildren, all of whom profess to be saved.
Mrs Andrewina Geddes, aged 89, was called Home on 2 January. Our dear sister, known to all as Renee, was born and brought up in Portknockie. Both Renee and her late husband Eddie were saved in 1949 after hearing the gospel preached in the Gospel Hall, Cullen by the late Frank Gamble. They were baptised and received into the fellowship of the Cullen assembly where they began their lifelong service for the Lord and His people. After a period in the Portessie assembly, while living in Findochty, they moved to Peterhead in 1977. Renee was a warm and friendly person and very generous in her hospitality. She lovingly cared for her husband Eddie through his long illness, and bore the sorrow occasioned by his homecall, and that of her only granddaughter, Donna, with dignity and calm. Steadfast in the trials of life she would often quote the verse "Be still, and know that I am God". She will be sorely missed by her daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and John, and by the assembly at York Street Hall.
Mr Alexander McBride (Alex). Born in 1938, Alex was called Home on 28 December. A man of many talents, he was an engineer who had great ability in his field as well as being extremely practical with his hands. He was also a very skilful footballer and, prior to salvation, he played for two major clubs in the Irish League. He was saved as a young man through Romans 10.9. He discovered that no matter how clever, practical or skilled he might be, it was not what he had in his hands, his head, or even his feet that mattered. It was Christ in his heart as Saviour that was all important. Our dear brother was in fellowship for many years in the assembly at Glengormley, Co Antrim. He exemplified the meaning of fellowship in that nothing prevented him from attending all the meetings if humanly possible. He had made a study of hymns and their authors and it was a delight to hear him give out not only a hymn but also a little background about the writer and what had led to the writing of the lyrics. Alex participated in the exercises of the assembly and was gracious and friendly to all the saints. We will miss him very much. His large funeral bore testimony to the respect in which he was held. The service was taken by his local brethren in the Gospel Hall at Glengormley on 2 January. Alex is survived by his dear wife Margaret, and sons Warren, Richard and Neil, who appreciate the care and prayers of the Christians here.
Mr Arthur McDonald, aged 87, was called Home on 10 January. Arthur was saved in January 1935, and was baptised and received into the fellowship of the assembly in Prince Street Hall, Peterhead in October 1943. He lived to become the brother longest in fellowship, and earned great respect for his varied service over the years. On leaving school Arthur went to sea, and continued as a fisherman for over 20 years. He visited many ports around the coast and enjoyed the fellowship of saints wherever he could. Our dear brother was lovely and pleasant in his life, a kind and friendly man who always encouraged his younger brethren. He was strongly committed to the assembly, serving as a Sunday School teacher and, later, following in his father's footsteps as superintendent of the Sunday School. He was an elder in the assembly and a doorkeeper whose smile assured all that they were welcome. Restricted latterly by infirmity, he will now be sorely missed by his widow Mary, his daughters, son, and grandchildren, and by the assembly at York Street Hall.
Mr Frank McIlroy was born on 24 November 1946 near Ballyclare, Co Antrim. His mother's illness brought her in contact with the gospel and, in 1952, at meetings in Ballyclare Gospel Hall with Mr William Bunting, she was saved. She came into fellowship and sent her two children, Frank and his late sister, to the outreach Sunday School at Bruslee. From an early age Frank had a deep desire to know his sins forgiven and, in March 1961, while walking home from a Sunday night meeting, the truth dawned on him, 'Christ died for me'. Isaiah 53.5 came to him in a personal way and he knew his sins were forgiven. In June 1961 he was baptised and received into the Ballyclare assembly. His marriage to Elizabeth Kenny on 1 April 1968 was blessed with 9 children, most of whom are saved and in assembly fellowship. The Lord prospered his business and he was most faithful with the stewardship entrusted to him, particularly in his love for the gospel at home and abroad. He was called Home on 18 December. The exceptionally large funeral of some 700 was a fitting tribute to the esteem in which he and his family were held. The funeral services were conducted by B Currie, S Kennedy, J Fleck, W Moore, W Martin and A Nesbitt. Prayer is requested for those of the family and many of the young grandchildren not yet saved.
Mrs Sheena Revie, aged 77, was called Home on 30 December. She grew up in Tarbolton where her father and mother were well respected Christians in the community. In 1954, Jim Hutchinson and Reg Jordan had gospel meetings in Annbank, and Sheena was wonderfully saved on 13 June. Soon she was baptised and received into the assembly at Tarbolton. In her teenage years she became interested in missionary work and, when aged 18, she enrolled in a nursing course at Ballochmyle Hospital, she joined with other young men and women (known as the Ballochmyle seven) who also had a burning desire to serve God in foreign fields. Robert Revie was one of them, and a relationship started which spanned 54 years and two continents in the service of God. They were married in 1961 and had 54 wonderful years together, 49 of which were in the Lord's work. They were blessed with three of a family, Crawford, Jane and Norman. Their original intention was to go to India, and their passage was booked with farewell meetings taking place in Armadale and Tarbolton, with Glenburn and Maidenhead assemblies joining in their commendation. At the last minute their visas were cancelled, so preventing them from travelling. This was a serious blow and they were much cast upon the Lord who soon indicated His clear direction in the prayer of a brother quoting "from India even unto Ethiopia" from Esther 1.1. Brother George Waugh told Robert that "The streams of God cannot be stemmed, they can only be diverted", and so it proved to be. New plans were made and they travelled out to Ethiopia to serve the Lord in 1969, believing they would be there for many years. They were in Bati for about nine months, and with Ron and Maria Cunningham at Dagan for about five years, the rest of the time being spent at Addis Ababa with John and Valerie McQuoid. Sadly, in 1973, a communist government came to power. The Revies found it impossible to continue working in Ethiopia and they left with all the other missionaries in 1978. After the communist government was overthrown in 1991, Robert and Sheena returned to Ethiopia in 1993 to find that the assembly in Addis Ababa, around 30-strong in 1978, had grown to over 300 believers. The Revies have been visiting Ethiopia for three months every year during the last twenty years, mainly to give Bible teaching to a first generation church. Robert became an itinerant evangelist in the UK doing pioneer work in the portable hall, ever supported by Sheena who was behind him all the way. Sheena had heart surgery in 2011, and then developed cancer over three years ago, but she bore this illness with dignity and Christian grace. In October, Sheena and Robert took the decision for her not to receive any further chemotherapy in the hope of a better quality of life, even if for a short time. A pain management regime helped, but she became increasingly weak and she told Jane and Robert, in the early hours on Wednesday 30 December, that she was going Home. Jane had helped her change and she then fell into the arms of Robert and was gone as she had said – Home to be with her Lord! The very large attendance at the funeral service on Saturday 9 January demonstrated the esteem in which this servant of God was held. Prayers for Robert and the family, with the small assembly at Tarbolton, would be greatly appreciated.
