Rev Bob Wightman - President 2009-2010
Popular Radio Tay presenter Reverend Bob Wightman, a minister in Dundee, was installed as the President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches at the denomination's annual meetings at Chester in April. He will hold the role for twelve months.
Rev Bob Wightman, who was formerly a Congregational minister, moved to Unitarianism in the 1990s. He became lay-person-in-charge at the Williamson Memorial Unitarian Christian Church in Dundee in November 1995, underwent training for the Unitarian ministry from 1997-1999 and has been the minister at the Dundee church since 1999.
'I was drawn to Unitarianism,' Bob says, 'after I had been invited to conduct a service of worship in a Unitarian chapel. I enjoyed the freedom of the pulpit that, as a gathered fellowship, we could have tolerance for each, even when we all had a different way of believing in God (she / he). Most of all we were, and still are, a gathered community and willing to fight the cause for civil liberty the world over.'
A colourful and ebullient figure, Rev Bob Wightman has had a varied career, working for eighteen years in the motor trade in sales and marketing and also having his own business, before reading Theology Studies at the Congreational College and the University of Edinburgh. In 1979 he became minister at Priesthill Congregational Church, Glasgow, an area of multi-deprivation. Here he was involved in the running of a Resource Centre which included an Alcohol Unit, a Bereavement Centre, a Citizens' Advice Centre, a Drug Unit and a unit for Women's Aid. He moved to Dundee in 1985 and spent nine years as the Minister at Gilfillan Memorial Church.
At present he holds the position of Chaplain to the City of Dundee Combined Ex-Services a post he has held for around 18 years.
At Dundee, Rev Bob Wightman took up the post, which he still holds, of Religious Presenter and Producer with Radio Tay and has also participated on "Thought for the Day" on the Terry Wogan Show on Radio 2.
Now widely known amongst Unitarians, Rev Bob Wightman is Past-President of the Scottish Unitarian Association and was a member of the denomination's UK-wide Executive Committee and is currently convenor of the future ministry panel.
Rev Bob Wightman's ambitions as President are - to make the denomination far more 'media-savvy', to develop a strategy to attract young people to Unitarianism and to see every Church, Chapel or fellowship being ministered to by their own individual spiritual leader.
In his capacity as Vice-President during 2008-9, Rev Bob Wightman has attended meetings of the denomination's Executive Committee, and the valedictory Service and Governors' meeting at Unitarian College, Manchester. He was also involved in the Induction Service at Cross Street Chapel, Manchester, of the Rev Jane Barraclough on behalf of the President as well as conducting services at various places of worship throughout the denomination. He has been heavily involved as convenor of the future ministry of the denomination over the past year.
In his personal life he has been happily married for 40 years to Mary, who is also involved in the denomination. He has two sons Colin and David who are also happily married to Melanie and Jacqueline respectively. There is not a lot of time in his busy life for hobbies, however, when the opportunity arises he does enjoy going along to support the local football team. His ambition in life is to purchase an old classic car and restore it to its former glory but Unitarians come first. He also enjoys his holidays with Mary, a bit of quality time together, when he can recharge the batteries ready to take up the gauntlet again.
