Category: Placement

  • Well, that was different

    Today, after the morning service, I stayed on to sit in on the afternoon service that takes place in the church hall. It’s a regular event, every Sunday, but it is most definitely not something I have ever experienced – a worship service by an African church (Ghanaian, specifically). Yes we (Caroline was with me)…

  • Rotterdam

    I had a little day trip to Rotterdam yesterday, to the ‘Scots International Church‘. There are a couple of things I want to blog about that arose from the visit – ‘blended worship’ and their Mamre project. So, those posts will follow in due course, but in the meantime, you can find some photos here…

  • Memories

    A topic has popped up a couple of times in conversation in the last few days – the question of ‘memory’ in the context of a congregation. The congregations in the Presbytery of Europe (in common with many of the other non-indigenous churches) tend to have a fairly high turnover of people. This can present…

  • Temporary respite

    I’m back home for a couple of days. I graduate tomorrow (Friday) and I’m not looking forward to being kilted and gowned if the weather is as hot and humid as it is today. I still hold to the vain hope that despite all the ‘hospitality’ in Brussels I can still get my kilt on…

  • It’s not all G&T

    Apparently the Euro parishes were, not so long ago, accused of being ex-pat social clubs who spent their time sipping G&T in the afternoon. Without a doubt, hospitality is a big thing here and it is not uncommon to be invited to come for a meal when a visit is arranged. And, yes, it’s not…

  • BBQ

    It’s been a fairly busy week: a bunch of visits, lots of noisy tractors in Brussels, lots of walking around sightseeing (pictures here), preaching this morning’s sermon. So what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon after all that than at a barbeque? The St. Andrew’s, Brussels annual congregational barbeque to be precise. Well, it’s…

  • Are you lonesome tonight?

    Yesterday I moved from the apartment I was sharing in Zaventem to one in Brussels city centre. In this one, I have the place to myself so I’m not imposing on others (although I couldn’t have been made more welcome in my first digs) and it gives more space when the family come over on…

  • A grand day out

    On Wednesday I had an (eventful) trip to Amsterdam to meet up with John Cowie, the minister in the Church of Scotland there. This was part of an opportunity to get to know some of the other churches in the Presbytery of Europe and to get to understand a little of their uniquenesses and similarities.…

  • Brussels bites back

    Having had an easy introduction to Brussels, the last couple of days have ended the ‘honeymoon period’. When the Brussels transport system works, it’s very good. You can get round the city quickly, efficiently and at pretty low cost. But when it has a hiccup… On Wednesday I was travelling to Amsterdam for a visit…

  • More first impressions

    This morning was my first (proper) visit to St. Andrew’s, Brussels. I was made very welcome and was bombarded with names that I will probably forget or get mixed up, but it was nice that so many people introduced themselves to me. The service itself was an interesting ‘mix’. I think that the most striking…