Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Matthew Rodger: Former Pitlochry supply minister and top-flight referee dies aged 87

The service of thanksgiving for the noted after-dinner speaker and Rotarian took place in Alyth where he lived latterly.

Matthew Rodger, minister at Ellon for 21 years and later a supply minister at Pitlochry has died.
Matthew Rodger, minister at Ellon for 21 years and later a supply minister at Pitlochry has died.

Reverend Matthew Rodger, Church of Scotland minister at Ellon for 21 years and latterly a supply minister at Pitlochry, has died aged 87.

He had a career in industry, including as a company director, before training for the ministry in the 1970s.

Matthew was also a qualified SFA referee who officiated at matches in the old First Division and then in the Highland League.

He served as president of Ayrshire Referees Association and was made a life member of Aberdeen Referees Association.

Six years after retiring, he moved from Ellon to Westhill and then in 2021, to Alyth where a service of thanksgiving to mourn his passing was held.

Education

Matthew Rodger was born in 1936 and grew up in Glasgow where he attended Netherlee Primary School and Queen’s Park Secondary School.

His involvement with the church began through The Boys’ Brigade and Netherlee Parish Church. He was a member of the 278th Glasgow company where he was awarded the Queen’s Badge, the movement’s highest honour.

Matthew was very active in sports, was a member of Williamwood Golf Club and achieved a handicap of two.

He began his working life in 1954 as an accountant and in 1959 joined Ayrshire Wireless in Kilmarnock moving on to become company secretary and then a director.

In 1961 he married May and the couple had three children: Elaine, Alastair and Graeme.

He was a Rangers season ticket holder in the 1950s and then a Kilmarnock season ticket holder in the 1960s.

Top-level football

In the early 1970s he became a football referee and linesman, taking charge of Scottish games at the highest level.

When the old First Division became the Premier League, Matthew would run the line at top-flight games.

In 1972, he moved to the housing charity, Christian Action, before beginning divinity studies at Glasgow University.

As a student minister, he was attached to the Presbytery of Irvine and Kilmarnock and completed his ministerial apprenticeship across several churches in Kilmarnock including St Marnock’s, St Ninian’s and St Andrew’s North Church.

He was ordained and inducted as a minister at Ellon Parish Church in January 1978 serving its members, the parish and the wider community for more than 20 years until his retirement in 1999.

Matthew was also chairman of multiple school boards, refereed school football and ran chess clubs.

Wide church remit

He supported the Church of Scotland more widely, convening its pensions committee, and leading special commissions including the inquiry into the closure of Ryehill House, Dundee.

Recognition of his work culminated in him being shortlisted in 2000 for the role of Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Matthew was predeceased by May in 1998 and, in 2005, married Eunice, becoming stepfather to Ruth, Catriona and Jacquelyn.

A Rotarian for 22 years, first in Ellon and then in Westhill, he received the Paul Harris award, the organisation’s top accolade for his work with school chess clubs.

He also enjoyed being part of The Club of Deir, a Mintlaw-based dinner and speakers’ club.

Pulpit supply

In retirement he provided pulpit supply and carried out pastoral duties across different parishes including Methlick, and a spell at St Columba’s in Knightsbridge, London.

After his move to Alyth, Matthew continued to preach and provide pastoral care across different parishes, latterly Pitlochry, until weeks before his death.

A service of thanksgiving took place at Alyth Parish Church on Friday March 1. The service was conducted by Mike Erskine who had been an associate minister at Ellon during part of Matthew’s tenure there.

A private burial took place at Ellon on Monday March 4.

You can read the family’s announcement here.

Conversation