Dear Friends,

With all the new restrictions putting an end to so much of our Christmas plans - our son Robert and his family will not be joining us from Scotland while Lindsey and her family will remain in Brussels - I imagine such disruption and disappointment will be the same for many people and families throughout the Netherlands.

And while I had been looking forward to a packed church with the choir in full voice as we celebrated the birth of Jesus, everything has moved online…

Dear Friends,

Although the Covid restrictions mean the normal Sunday School nativity is not possible this year, an alternative nativity is planned for Sunday morning.

With carols, readings, the choir and a nativity set, during the first part of Sunday's service the children and young people will help us celebrate the gospel story of Jesus' birth.

Following the nativity the children will leave for a Christmas party in the church hall and the service will continue with the Magnificat, Mary's great hymn of praise. …

On Wednesday afternoon Margaret and I went to the church to help put up Christmas lights and decorations. It was great fun to join the ERC team as the sanctuary was transformed with lights and a tree and angels and wreaths.

What I also enjoyed was the opportunity to meet up with people and enjoy some conversations, something which has not always been easy given all the Covid restrictions.

On Tuesday evening we welcomed our first two guests from Edinburgh…

Dear Friends,

One of my duties as locum is to lead the fortnightly Bible study and discussion group. I say it is a duty, it isn't, it is a delight, not least because I love hearing what other people have to say about a particular verse or passage and learning from their insights.

Micah 5 v2-5 was one of the passages we looked at this week, a passage which speaks about Bethlehem being one of the smallest places, yet from her will come one who is to rule Israel and whose origin is from old.

What a lovely image, something small and seemingly insignificant but yet still important and still with a part to play in God's much greater purpose…

Dear Friends,

On Thursday last week we took the train to Brussels where we spent the weekend with our daughter, Lindsey, and her family. Sadly due to all the Covid travel restrictions, we have not been able to visit for two years so you can imagine how good it was to be together again.

Lindsey has lived in Brussels for 16 years, is married to Francesco, and they have two children, 8 year old Caterina and 6 year old Alessandro.

On Sunday I was the guest preacher at Eric's church while he preached in our church. Built as a war memorial to the Scots killed in Belgium during the 1st World War, we have worshipped there on many occasions and I had the privilege of being the guest preacher in November 2018 at the service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the war…

Dear Friends,

One of the great privileges during my year as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was to lead a number of Remembrance services.

One of the most moving was at Arass in 2017, the centenary commemoration, not least because one of Margaret's great uncles had died during the battle. We were able to find his grave and lay some flowers, the first family members to do so for the better part of 100 years.

So with my late father having been an RAF officer during the 2nd World War, and serving in North Africa, Italy and the Far East, it was a great honour to lead the RAF Ceremony of Remembrance at De Nieuwe Ooster on Saturday morning, and then the Act of Remembrance in church on Sunday morning…

Note from ERC Consistory: as of Sunday 14th November we ask that everyone wear a face mask while entering and leaving the Church, as well as when moving about within the Church. We also remind you, while in the Church, to keep 1.5m distance from others. Thank you for your cooperation.

Dear Friends,

It hardly seems possible a week has passed since we arrived in Amsterdam. As you can imagine it has been a busy few days but I am glad to say we are settling well into the Manse and beginning to explore the city.

Margaret and I were pleased to be at Dam Square on Saturday to take part in the COP 26 rally.

It was a delight to lead my first service on Sunday, the music from Richard and Giles was wonderful, and we felt very welcomed by the congregation.

Margaret joined the knitting group on Monday and has made her first Christmas angel…

Dear friends

Thankfully all our travel arrangements worked out well, the paperwork was in order, Margaret and I are safely installed in the Manse, and for the next three months I am looking forward to being your locum.

It was in the early 1970's that I first heard about the English Reformed Church when the Reverend Colin Bell, a minister in my home town of Kilmarnock, came to be the minister of the congregation.