He might not be changing water into wine. But a former London nightclub owner has swapped late nights to lead a Church of Scotland congregation.
The Rev Mike Weaver has been ordained as the minister of Dunfermline’s Gillespie Memorial Church.
The 49-year-old father of three, who used to co-own Covent Garden’s longest happy hour bar Los Locos, said he was following his true calling at last.
Mr Weaver, married to Emma, became a Christian in 2000 but resisted the call to ministry for 10 years.
After leaving the nightclub business, he managed a hotel in East Lothian for six months and worked for a courier company before enrolling in New College in Edinburgh to study divinity in 2012.
He said: “Ministering in the city centre of Dunfermline brings many opportunities to share faith not only with our congregation, but with the many organisations that use our buildings and the wide range of folk who come into town.”
Asked what led him to swap the world of nightclubs and hospitality for the pulpit, Mr Weaver said: “My 20s saw me with little time for church, instead concentrating on the world of work, sport, motorbikes and life in general.
“Over time, I fell out of love with the nightclub business.
“The late nights, the drunks and all that goes with it made me realise that the industry was not one I felt comfortable working in so I left in 2008.
“God had been working in my life since an Alpha course in 2000, after which I slowly sensed a calling into ministry.
“I strenuously sought to resist the call, and managed to do so for almost about a decade.
“But the lightning bolt or realisation that God was calling me into full-time ministry struck one Sunday service at Dunbar Parish Church, only 10 months after moving to Scotland.”
His family were surprised but supportive of his career change.
Mr Weaver said all of his life experiences had equipped him for ministry in one way or another.
“I am sure my business background will be useful in vision, change and development of our ministry in Dunfermline,” he added.
“Also coping with personal loss, as well as betrayal which personally led to a long period of anger before forgiveness came in, have all given me a perspective that life is never easy.”
