Our new Pastoral Assistant

Following conversations with Rev. Keith Graham and representative of the Kirk Session I have offered to serve as part-time Pastoral Assistant in Murrayfield Parish Church from January 2025. Over recent years I have been studying part-time for a Masters degree (MTh) at Glasgow University and with that commitment completed I was wondering what would come next – and I’m delighted now to be able to offer support to Keith and the Murrayfield congregation in church life and in witness in the community.

Over the years I have served parishes in Dumfries, in Kilmacolm, and in the Scottish Borders, and from 1991 to 2009 I was based in ‘121’ as Secretary of the former Board of National Mission and the former Mission and Discipleship Council. Now a widower, I live in the Fettes area and enjoy being Grandad to five boys and a girl. I’m no stranger to Murrayfield having taken pulpit supply in Church over the years … and being a volunteer at Edinburgh Zoo!

The main focus of my involvement will be supporting the congregation’s commitment to our senior members and to older members of the community, and I would hope to do this by visiting and by planning groups and outings. I’ll be worshipping at Murrayfield on Sunday mornings twice a month to build relationships in the congregation to support existing and new initiatives.

I’ve always enjoyed visits to Murrayfield Parish Church to undertake pulpit supply and look forward now to being more involved in the future.

Rev. Douglas A. O. Nicol