Ask Iain how he ended up in ministry and you’ll get a story that takes in Amsterdam, South Africa, Edinburgh, and, somewhere along the way, a set of triplets. He’ll tell you about learning to deal with dyslexia, leaving school having failed all his exams, and running from God for many years.
After several years living in Amsterdam, where he met and married Celeste (originally from South Africa), Iain and Celeste moved to Edinburgh in 2014 so he could pursue his calling as a minister. He trained at New College Edinburgh, graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor of Divinity (Honours), completed his probationary year at Cramond Kirk, and arrived at Bothwell Parish Church in 2020. Following the union of Bellshill West and Bothwell Parish Churches in September 2025, he became the first minister of Bellshill and Bothwell Parish Church, a historic milestone he carries with characteristic warmth and a genuine sense of excitement.
Home life is full and joyful. Iain and Celeste have five children: Andrew, Maria and Lily, Richard and William (yes, triplets). There are also two dogs, Bella and Zorro, who join the family on long walks, and a home that always seems to have room for one more around the table, and a pot that always has one more portion to share.
On what it means to lead this new congregation, Iain puts it this way:
“It is exciting to be the first Minister of Bellshill and Bothwell Parish Church as we reach out in our communities and work hand in hand with one another and with God. There is the famous saying: Preach the Gospel at all times, using words if necessary. Some of the best preaching isn’t done in the pulpit by the minister but out in real life by all of us as we love and care for one another. Together, we are the building blocks of the Church. I hope and pray that whether you come every week or just once, whether you join us in the building or online, that you will feel welcome and know the peace of Jesus Christ.”