Neil’s Blog

Jonny Wilkinson’s reflection on England’s 2003 triumph in the Rugby World Cup is astute, “If you are grounded, it can be amazing. If your feet are not planted in something deeper, it can feel like, [...]

Who’s afraid of The Holy Ghost? Halloween throws up myriad images designed to scare, including ghosts, ghouls, goblins & gremlins. People’s understanding of the word ‘ghost’ has changed significantly over the years, such that it’s [...]

How easily Fear and Worry rob us of The Life God wants for us! How quickly despair and anxiety can eat massive chunks out of our sense of wellbeing.   “Peace does not come because [...]

Wowza, Wowza, Wowza!!! What a rich variety of colours, cultures, characters, callings and creativity, oozes from and overflows this Glesga World Church: St Rollox Parish Church of Scotland. Around 50% of Sighthill tenants are asylum [...]

Whether careless or calculated, some recent words from Members of Parliament have deepened the ‘fault lines’ of division in British politics and opened fractures and fissures in parties. The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox, [...]

‘Thomas Cook’ (1808- 92) was an extraordinary self-made man, recognised as a ‘Father of Travel’, who took pride in making travel more affordable. This down-to-earth Baptist preacher and entrepreneur had myriad occupations, businesses, successes, sorrows [...]

First hearing about PM Boris ‘proroguing’ parliament, I wondered if it had something to do with ‘Pierogis’, Stuffed Dumplings! “Fair definition, Neil” you might say. Of course, now we all know that ‘Proroguing Parliament’ is [...]

So why blog on Monday mornings? It’s not as if I don’t have a few other things to do.   It all started at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010, trying to include my church, [...]

“See how these Christians love one another!” Was a common comment of many locals observing the behaviour of Jesus’ first fledgling followers in their communities across the first century AD Roman Empire. Sadly this is [...]

30 years ago, when I started as ‘meenister’ at Fullarton, I didn’t imagine me still here today! I thought 25 years max’, not wanting to outstay my welcome. Yet, God had other plans and yesterday, [...]

A week in The Borders, at St Mary’s Loch, sweet sojourn in Eden. A church building (1845) converted (1986) into a home with gorgeous garden, now a friend’s holiday house, became a magical door into [...]

Soeren was intrigued to watch a flock of geese fail to fly south with colder weather. But the novelty of a grounded gaggle planted around his pond gave way to pity several seasons later when [...]