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Itinerary

The Power of God's Love

Before we left Bellshill on our Easter Tour, we prayed that God would be with us during our travels and would help us to portray His love through everything we did at the various centres and locations we visited (See the Final Thoughts on the Pre Tour News Page for more details). 

Through some of the images and reports published on this page (and in the tour photo gallery), we hope you will be able to experience the Power of God's Love which was felt by everyone in the band, during our tour.

Lord I Come To You (The Power Of Your Love) 

Lord, I come to you, let my heart be changed, renewed,
Flowing from the grace that I found in you.
And, Lord, I’ve come to know the weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away by the pow’r of your love.
Hold me close, let your love surround me,
Bring me near, draw me to your side;
And as I wait, I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with you;
Your Spirit lead me on
In the pow’r of your love.

Lord, unveil my eyes, let me see you face to face,
The knowledge of your love, as you live in me.
Lord, renew my mind as your will unfolds in my life,
In living ev’ry day in the pow’r of your love.
Hold me close, let your love surround me,
Bring me near, draw me to your side;
And as I wait, I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with you;
Your Spirit lead me on
In the pow’r of your love.
Words & Music by Geoff Bullock

The programmes from all the tour events can be viewed in the Programmes pages.

Bandmaster’s Tour Diary

Thursday 17th April
At 9.00 the bus arrived at Bellshill Hall. The loading of the bus started. “What a nightmare.... Where will we put all this stuff?"

After some organization and also using every space on the bus we managed to load the equipment and cases. We then all had bacon-butties and tea prior to a short devotional period before we set off. We stopped at Gretna for a comfort break, and a quick game of football???

We finally arrived at Newcastle around 3.00pm. We could not board the ferry until 4.30 so some of the band went to the Royal Key Shopping Centre nearby to spend some money. At 4.45 we eventually boarded the “Queen of Scandinavia”. The Band personnel started to explore the ship and we would meet fellow musicians in most decks of the ship. At around 7.30 we decided to go to the Buffet Restaurant to eat - The food was superb.

The young team then went to see “Chicago” at the cinema. We all met in the Restaurant for a late cup of tea and coffee before setting off to bed. It is evident at this early stage that the spirit of this band is superb. Nino the coach driver is fitting in well with our group.

Friday 18th April
Alex Burrows has my cabin up at 5.00am - He thinks it is 7.00! Ross Dickie is not pleased but has a shower and disappears. We have breakfast at 8.00. We then pack-up and get ready to disembark at 9.30am. Henri Barink and his children meet us at the Ferry Terminal in Ijmuiden, Amsterdam. (Henry and Irene are C.O.’s at Amsterdam West Corps). We then follow them in the coach to their Hall, taking a detour to see some of the Dutch Bulb Fields. We then unload the bus and set-up for the Evening Good Friday Meeting. Once this is done we have some lunch and get into Festival Tunics to go to Amstelveen Shopping Centre to do a Concert.

The weather is superb with most of the band in shades. A large crowd gathered to listen to the band. Some of the Band mixed with the shoppers and were rewarded by some good comments from the public. God is already working through the band. People are being challenged. After the hour-long concert we return to the Amsterdam West Hall for tea. Pork escallop and potatoes was served to the hungry bunch.

We then get changed and mix with the West people before settling down for the meeting. The band play 4 times during the meeting, which results in someone kneeling at the mercy seat. Our prayers have been answered already.

Irene Barink translates the meeting and this was such a great help for the band to listen to the meeting with remote headphones. (Her voice was also very soothing and relaxing). Alex Burrows then does his tumbling act from the platform and causes concern, but he later laughs at this mishap.

We change into band polo shirts and load the bus again and set off for Eikhold in Heerlen. The journey takes three hours, so the trolley dollies (Olwyn, Lynn and Yvonne) get the tea, juice and eats out before people fall asleep. We arrive at our base around 1.00am. Bandmaster Frans Van Rijn from Treebeek and Corps Treasurer Sjaak Den Hollander meets us. Sort out the rooms and crash to bed.

Saturday 19th April
This is going to be a crazy day. First breakfast at base goes ok, with everyone helping out. Drive to Treebeek corps at 9.00am and meet the corps folk. Go straight into a Ceilidh with the Dutch people. (DJ Trevor supplied the Music). 

We really have got the day off to a good start. The Scottish spirit has landed. We then have a joint Band rehearsal with the Treebeek band for 45 minutes while others set up for the Evening Festival in The Pilgrim Kirk. During the Rehearsal a cake arrives for the 78th Birthday of Retired Bandmaster Jack Dickie. We sing Happy Birthday in English and the Dutch reply with another version.

We then get changed and eat on the bus. We arrive at Roermond for an Open Air Concert in the Beautiful town square. We have to wear coats, as the weather was far from warm. We have a great concert with many people stopping to listen to the band.

We also have people dancing to the music of the band. People were commenting on how they had enjoyed our music. Christian people approached the band at the end to say that they had been blessed. Present a framed band photo to Albert who owns the Bandstand we played in. Eat again on the bus and drive back to Treebeek. Get changed and settle down for the Saturday festival in the Pilgrim Kirk.

Two pipers and a drummer pipe band in. A good crowd enjoys an excellent festival.

The band use PowerPoint presentations to help with the music. The Chairman for the evening is German Divisional officer Dirk Van Duinan. At the interval the band give out Tunnocks Caramel wafers and band fridge magnets.

We move back to Treebeek Hall to eat some of the Birthday Cake and get ready for the march of witness through Treebeek. We march for 30 minutes to the Easter Bonfire run by all the local churches. The band plays music before the lighting of the fire and also during the short service. We are now really tired, so the B/M decides to let the band take over the local “MacDonald’s”. We then return to Eikhold to drink some Tea and Coffee.

Sunday 20th April
Jim Crombie wakes up the household with his Pavarotti impression “Up from the grave he arose”. Have breakfast and leave for the Easter Morning March. We stop at all churches and sing an Easter Hymn with the congregations. Get ready for the Holiness meeting, which was led by our C.O. Gary Robb. The singing of Sarah and Lynn creates an excellent atmosphere. The band plays Reflections in Nature and Who is he, which fits in well with the sermon. The hall is full. This is an historic event as Bellshill Band is the first section to play in the New Treebeek hall.

Have our lunch and leave for Liege in Belgium. The band plays to a crowded town square. Angelo and Florence Bruno. the C.O.’s from Seraing, conduct the Open Air and use some interesting props to attract the people! These people are lovely. God will certainly use us today in Belgium.

Drive back to Seraing and have a short March of witness in and around the hall. Set-up again for the evening festival. This was the highlight of the tour. Over 180 were seated in a hall, which normally attracts 30 people on a Sunday. More seats were brought in and still there were people outside. The Band played brilliantly. The Belgian T.C. Keith Howarth translated the programme with the help from his wife.

The band received a standing ovation and had to play several encores. The meeting was electric and the Seraing people really appreciated the visit from the band. There was hardly a dry eye at the end of the meeting. The Holy Spirit was working that night. What a difficult task these young officers have. God Bless Them. The Band has a lovely meal in Seraing and also shared some devotions before we left.

Our young people have certainly conducted themselves well, and have such an awareness of God’s presence in their lives. We then drive through Liege at night. God was with the band on the way back, when several bandsmen were still challenged by the meeting and voiced prayers for the Seraing Corps. Devotional Singing was heard throughout the bus. This was a wonderful feeling. We arrive back at base and enter another period of devotional singing during our supper. What a day!!!!!!

Monday 21st April
Have a long lie. Get up at 9.00am. Have breakfast and get some group photos done outside Eikhold with the band and the bus. Leave at 10.15 to drive to the new “Monte Verde” theme park. The band plays in shirtsleeves to over 200 people. This is another wonderful day and one blessed by God’s presence.

We at last get a few hours to relax in the theme park. Have lunch and then leave for Germany. We arrive at Aachen to do an old-fashioned open-air meeting led by Treebeek Officer Major Bijl. Another good crowd gathers to hear the band. People sign along with the Easter Hymns. Grab a McFlurry from MacDonald’s and then drive to Maastricht. Enjoy a lovely meal at the S.A. Social Services Centre. Have a quick bus trip through Maastricht before returning home to get packed for our departure from Eikhold. Have several pillow fights and water pistol fights. Have supper then go to sleep. Ross falls out of bed!

Tuesday 22nd April
Say Goodbye to the lovely people from Treebeek. Travel 3 hours back up to Amsterdam. We have 3 hours to do as we please. Some people go shopping, some on a canal trip. Meet at 3.00 to travel to the Ferry Terminal. Some Bandsmen have to fly home. Book on Ferry and again have a lovely meal. Go to the Cabaret and then to bed. The youngsters arrived in around 2.00am....I did not ask!!!!!

Wednesday 23rd April
Travel back from Newcastle to Bellshill. Arrive in Bellshill around 1.30 and are met by our families. Unload the coach. Give Nino his gift. Go home and sleep.

This has been a wonderful first tour for the band. We asked for God to go before us and he certainly did that. The spirit in our Band is excellent. We do this for the right reasons. We have been strengthened by the campaign and I know that God used our band during that week.

by Bandmaster Ian Dickie

Alex Burrows Tour Diary

The weeks of preparation for The Tour at times seemed hectic, but ir proved to be well worth it. We had such a wobderful time together, one which won't be forgotten.

The young people excelled themselves, and looked after us "oldies" throughout the tour.

Everyone who took an individual part in our meetings and festivals, surely brought a blessing to those who were listening, I could tell by the way they responded.

When the band arrived at our destination we just seemed to gel with our new found friends, this continued throughout our stay. They were wonderful people, and I would like to think that sometime in the future we could meet again (wouldn't it be great!)

I would like to thank Ian our bandmaster for all the hard work he put in for the Tour. It was mainly due to him that I was playing a little part in the band, and on tour with them.

by Alex Burrows

Sam Ritchie Tour Diary

Easter Sunday (20th April)
After an early rise and breakfast, we set out for the corps at Treebeek where we joined with the Treebeek Band and corps folk for an Easter march of witness around the local area and were joined by people from other churches to proclaim the good news of a Risen Saviour.

The contributions of Bandswomen Sarah Allan and Lynn Shanks by their vocal solos and the band pieces set the scene for the well prepared and powerful address given by our Commanding Officer Gary Robb, and all were left in no doubt that the power of the Holy Spirit was in our midst.

After a quick snack at lunch it was time to board our coach for the drive to Liege in Belgium for an open air meeting. On route we were welcomed by the Officer Commanding Belgium, Lt.Col. Keith Howard, who along with his wife stayed with us for the remainder of the day and acted as our translators. The open air in Leige was met with much interest by a crowd of people enjoying the fine weather on Easter Sunday. Again the message of a risen Saviour was presented through music and song, a testimony and a message from scripture.

The open air over, we then boarded the coach once again for the half our drive to the little corps at Serraing in Belgium. After a glorious march of witness we then returned to the hall for the evening meeting. The work of the Army in this area is not an easy one and the Corps Officers had told us that they normally average 20 to 25 people in their meeting. By the time the meeting commenced at 5pm the hall was filled with approximately 170 people and a further 20 with children standing in the foyer!

The presentation of the meeting was unusual for a Sunday night but the presence of the Holy Spirit was powerful. We as a band had prayed often that God would go before us and prepare the way, and we were left in no doubt that He had done just that!

On the journey back to our base at Eikhold, our young folk in the band started singing the lovely melody “The Power of Your Love” and this lead to a time of reflection for all had been able to share this day.

So it was a tired group of Bandswomen and Men who reached their destination safely but unknown to us the Lord had planned to use us once again. The villa is used by walking groups from across the Netherlands and as we sat at supper in the dining room, one of the groups asked if we would sing to them – again the younger members struck up with “The Power of Your Love”. It had already been arranged that our C.O. would let the band see the PowerPoint presentations that had been prepared by members of the band, particularly for some of the devotional pieces that were played. The walking group and our coach driver asked if they could join us and what they saw and heard made a tremendous impression on them, so much so that our coach driver asked if he could have a copy for his own use!

Yes, God went before us, blessed us with His presence and used us through our humble efforts to tell all who gathered with us, the good news of Easter Day.

by Band Sergeant Sam Richie

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