Dear friends,

Some encounters can change your life and some can even change the course of history.

In the year 1210 Francis of Assisi travelled to Rome to meet Pope Innocent III. What a contrast between the two men! Innocent was clothed in embroidered vestments and the finest silk. Francis wore a ragged brown robe and went barefoot. Francis asked for the papal blessing on his group of wandering friars who were…

Dear Friends,

Hilary and I are so pleased to be back with you in the ERC. We have the happiest of memories of our time with you last year as the church reopened after the Covid restrictions. Highlights of my last locumcy include the baptism of Julius Sunday, the resumption of the Taize prayer service and the choir’s wonderful contributions to…

Dear Friends,

This week we welcome back Rev Dr John Bell as locum minister. John will be with us until July 16. We are very happy that after a year’s absence John returns to our congregation as he has been doing for years to take the services and support our congregation in the summer…..

Dear Friends,

The sunshine has sent me back to the Vondelpark to walk and sit and people/dog/duck-watch from my favoured bench - directly opposite the stork’s nest. It is curious how you become invested in small features of your landscape, even in a temporary capacity.

It seems to me that the female is sitting on eggs, though it seems a late hatching, and the male comes and goes, gives her a wee break, as she stands and stretches her wings, literally, and delivers food. Do you have Deliveroo here in the Netherlands?

It was a joy to host the youngsters of the 20/30’s group on Sunday past. What a lively and interesting group of young people! To say nothing of talented and generous, arriving with a beautiful….

Dear Friends,

The sunshine has sent me back to the Vondelpark to walk and sit and people/dog/duck-watch from my favoured bench - directly opposite the stork’s nest. It is curious how you become invested in small features of your landscape, even in a temporary capacity.

It seems to me that the female is sitting on eggs, though it seems a late hatching, and the male comes and goes, gives her a wee break, as she stands and stretches her wings, literally, and delivers food. Do you have Deliveroo here in the Netherlands?

It was a joy to host the youngsters of the 20/30’s group on Sunday past. What a lively and interesting group of young people! To say nothing of talented and generous, arriving with a beautiful….

Dear Friends,

We are drawing near to the close of the ecclesiastical Eastertide, though of course the benefits and joys of Easter do not come to an end. Ascension and Pentecost Sunday follow on from this Sunday, the sixth of Easter, and in a way complete the cycle. Thereafter we fall back into what is rather unimaginatively called “ Ordinary time”…..

Dear Friends,

I hope your week is going well, the weather has certainly been better. (You’ll know that we Brits always speak about the weather!)

My week kicked off with the long-awaited visit to the Rijksmuseum to view the beautiful Vermeer paintings. Despite the difficulties encountered in getting close enough and having long enough to view the paintings, it was well worth it, and I am the first to acknowledge as one who was keen to secure my precious ticket, that I am part of that particular problem. (the crowds)….

Dear Friends,

It was good to be with you on Sunday past, and I thank you for the welcome.

Especially gratifying was the discovery of the folk who had close connections with the places (Orkney and Malawi) and with whom the themes (walking, and The Camino in particular) that I mentioned in my sermon, resonated.

As well as regular members of the congregation I was also pleased to…

Dear Friends,

It may seem presumptuous to address you this way when we have not even laid eyes on each other, and yet I hope and trust that we may proceed on the basis that that is what we shall become. I arrived in Amsterdam late Tuesday afternoon, to be met and welcomed by Russell and then, on reaching the Manse, by Margaret and also by Sies. I am very grateful that our time overlapped as I have benefited hugely from their kindness and transfer of information. As writers often say, any misunderstanding or any failing to have grasped what may be required of me is entirely….

Dear friends

With the church full to overflowing, the wonderful variety of music from the choir, the Hallelujah chorus as the offering was brought forward, the brass quintet, and Richard giving it everything he had on both organs, Easter Sunday was a special and triumphant occasion.

What a joy to be part of such an international congregation, one small part of the worldwide church, celebrating an empty tomb and a risen Lord.

And what a contrast to the first Easter, when ….