30 September

Dear Friends,

My wife and I were delighted to be asked to come to be in Amsterdam and we’ve greatly enjoyed settling back into the manse and church life here.

It’s been wonderful to again lead worship in the Begijnhof and greet so many old friends. On the other hand I’ve noticed that the city and the congregation has changed. There’s a bit more walking to do now that the city authorities have eliminated so many tram stops, and the stairs are steeper than ever (or is that just me growing old). 

And while sadly some of the old faces are missing from the congregation there are also newcomers who’ve been made welcome and stayed to become part of the community. The welcome and inclusion of newcomers into the community life of the congregation has been a constant feature of the ERC. We are all encouraged to welcome strangers in Christ’s name and to embody that welcome with a smile and an interest in their lives. I’ve already met visitors from many countries since returning and, with the Corona (or Covid) restrictions behind us, we hope to welcome many more. 

The pandemic challenges have led to the services being made available online and it seems that will continue for the foreseeable future, allowing those who can’t come to church to stay part of the worshipping community. If you are part of that group and have any favourite hymns or you’d like to hear please let me know and I’ll do my best to include your suggestions. 

Blessings,

Rev John Cowie

Locum minister