Our Minister

The members of Greyfriars Parish Church chose and appointed The Rev. Bryan Kerr to be their minister in March 2007.

Bryan was born in 1976 and spent most of his childhood in Denny near Falkirk. Even although he was technically born in Stirling Royal Infirmary he pledges his allegiance to Falkirk as the place he grew up and is proud to call himself a 'Falkirk Bairn'! He even supports Falkirk Football Club, so he says preaching to a congregation of well over 150 is hard work as he was never used to large crowds before!

Before he joined us a minister Bryan was minister at The Douglas Valley Church, where he served as minister for 5 years. Prior to his ordination Bryan was a probationary assistant minister in Stirling: North Parish Church and Alloa: St. Mungo's Parish Church. Bryan trained at New College in Edinburgh where he gained a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, specialising in Eastern Religions, especially Buddhism and New Religious Movements, before completing a Bachelor of Divinity degree, with a particular interest in Practical and Pastoral Theology.

Before Bryan became an assistant minister he worked with the presbytery of Falkirk as their Youth Ministry Adviser. This was a role he held for some 5 years carrying out training, advising churches on youth policy and strategy as well as organising events for the young people and their leaders to attend.

Bryan is also involved in work outwith Lanark. His forté is national and large scale events. For 10 years he was a member of the management committee and project manager of Crossover, Scotland's Christian Youth Festival. He was also the project manager for the Clyde Presbyteries who have staged large events for churches to gather together and celebrate their common faith. The last event was called 'Nexus' – a 3 day resourcing event with a worship and children's event on the final day with several thousand visitors. Bryan is also involved with the project management team of the national Church Without Walls planning group and works on different events with them. In May 2008 the National Gathering was held in Ingliston with over 7,000 people joining in celebration over the weekend.

Bryan has served in different capacities within the work of the national Church. Bryan is currently one of 10 members of the Panel on Review and Reform which seeks to listen to the needs of the church and present a vision of what a Church in need of continual renewal might become as well as a member of the Committee to Nominate the Moderator of the General Assembly. He was also a member of the Church of Scotland's national Mission and Discipleship Council (and through that served on the Mission and Evangelism Task Group) and was convenor of the Rural Strategy Team which south to affirm, support and equip rural churches for the vital work they do around Scotland. Each year the team plan a stand at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, they respond to government consultations on rural issues, write and publish new resources, provide training and organise conferences for those involved in ministry.

Bryan is also Depute Clerk to the Presbytery of Lanark and has previously served as convenor of their Congregational Development Committee and Ministries Committee. From June 2010 - June 2011 Bryan convened the Presbytery Plan Review Group for the Presbtery of Lanark listening to congregations, ministers and others in how the church should best serve the people of the area whilst dealing with the challenge of reducing the number of full time ministers available to Lanark Presbytery. The work with the national church and the regional church (Presbytery) is a very challenging and rewarding part of Bryan's ministry and one which he feels helps shape his ministry in Greyfriars.

Bryan has a vision for his ministry to develop a co-operative team in which all people, by working together, can play an active role in establishing and developing the work of the church in the community. He believes in a church where people can come and feel at home, share in worship and establish and develop relationships and friendships with those around them.