Moderator

Welcome to the Moderator's Page

Dear friends,

20 June 2026 will always be a special day for me because it was the day I was inducted as Moderator of the Presbytery of the North East and the Northern Isles. That is both an honour and a privilege.

The best way to introduce myself is through the things that I love, and there are quite a few.

I love that I have been married to Linda for 46 years (as of December 2026). And I love that we are part of a large family - our children Jordan, Thandi, Keilah, and Mika and their families - and that we are blessed with five grandchildren, Nathan, Kate, Liam, Seth and Ayla.

I love that I am South African and come from a country of remarkable beauty, resilience and contrast. It has wonderful people and breathtaking scenery. When South Africans say, “You are welcome”, you really are. Yet it also carries the painful legacy of apartheid, a heresy that caused immense damage and whose effects are still felt today. South Africa remains a country of contrasts: wealth alongside poverty, pleasure alongside crime and violence, beauty alongside ugliness. Is it worth a visit? Absolutely.

I love that we came to Scotland in 2015 and have chosen to make our home here. Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen and, my goodness, living in the Howe of the Mearns is a joy.

I love sailing and have been doing so since 1966, both for pleasure and competition, in everything from dinghies to small ocean-going yachts.

I love flying and obtained my pilot’s licence in 1995, although it is no longer current. These days, the closest I get is flying my DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone.

I love wild camping and, for many years, enjoyed annual off-road trips through Botswana, particularly in the Okavango Delta, where camping is truly in the wild, with no fences and plenty of stories to tell.

I love music. I can play the guitar and have been part of worship bands for most of my ministry. I also spend hours entertaining myself on the keyboard, although that is definitely not for public consumption. Believe me.

I love technology and, if it has lights and buttons, it will certainly get my attention.

I love Jesus, and my journey of faith has been both deeply difficult and wonderfully rewarding. I know what it feels like to stand on the mountaintop, and I know what it feels like to walk through the deepest valleys, like the loss of our baby girl Rebekah at birth.

I love that I was called into full-time ministry. I began my career in sales, moved into finance and, at the age of 31, left my position as a financial director to enter full-time ministry.

I love that I served for a number of years as Chief Chaplain to the emergency services in my home city of Benoni, near Johannesburg, leading a team that made a significant difference in people's lives.

I have had the privilege of serving a city-centre church with a small team, and I have also had the joy of serving a very large congregation, with all the challenges that brings. I now have the privilege of serving the Howe of the Mearns Parish, where I have served for ten years.

I love what I do and am grateful that I get to do it every day.

There are two verses of Scripture that I hold on to especially:

Proverbs 26:17
"Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears."

Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

I love that there is nothing quite like the local church when it is working as it should.

And we get to be part of that.

I look forward to meeting many of you in the months and years ahead as we serve Christ together across the Presbytery.

God bless,

Brian.