Tomorrow is the Bo’ness Fair Day but first I want to finish my posts about the Carberry Festival. I came across this clip on Youtube from the first Festival way back in 1987. It centres around an Ian Whyte Concert but I find looking at the audience most interesting its just full of memories. If you look carefully those of you who were at the festival you can have a walk down memory lane.

Tonight I continued to walk down memory lane. You see if you live in Bo’ness the Fair E’een is the time when most people get out and about to visit all the various arches and frontages. Bo’ness can be a pretty busy place. It was really good top meet up with some people that I haven’t seen for some time. If you have never seen the Fair it is worth visiting the town just to see the amount of work and effort that goes into the event by the whole community. Have a look at this year’s Queen’s Arch it is a huge birthday cake to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Children’s Fair. Today I had a visitor with me from India. He is the Chairman of the St Andrew’s Charitable Trust India, we have been looking at ways in which we can support a few humanitarian project in South India. As a congregation we are n the process of helping to support a number of projects in India, there is one callaed Sangita Trust. They aim to build an orhanage in the form of a village. It cost £6,000 to build one of the houses. Compare that with what is spent on the Fair and Bo’ness could be building an orphanage each year. Pray for the work in India it is challenging but we are encouraged by the progess that is taking place. In  a few weeks a small team from the Church will be on their way to join with Christ the Rock  Church in a children’s mission in the slums of Chennai. I think it would be great if we could find some way to link the Bo’ness Children’s Fair into an overseas development programme but it in India or Peru. Tell me what  you think.

One thing that I will always remember about the Carberry Festival is sharing a late night fish supper with John Bell, and the outstanding contribution that Adrian and Bridget Plass made to the Festivals over the years.

One other thing I want to mention yet I’m not sure why, the picture of the crown of thorns which hangs in the Chapel hallway. I think John also added so much to those first few festivals. Maybe the crown of thorns speaks of themes and teaching that was not afraid to face suffering and pain head on.

All of us who attended and shared ourselves discovered that the so called theological differences we all expressed, didn’t in the end divide us. Instead living together in community for a week or two made us aware of the important things that united us.

Of course since those days the Carberry Festival has changed and different people have been in charge yet it would seem that the same spirit of community and companionship is still alive and well among those who regularly attend. I was privileged to perform at this the last festival as one who performed at the first. Iain Jamieson and myself had an enjoyable evening singing some of our old and new songs.

I think one of the most moving experiences for me this weekend, was when we were all invited to bring closure to the Festival by burying the past in order to look forward to perhaps a different kind of event that might grow out of the experience of Carberry.

If you’ve attended the Carberry Festival why not use this blog to record some of your memorable experiences.

The picture above just reminds me of what it was like to stand at the back of the Chapel and look in or an event that could be musical, dramatic , or indeed worshipful. The picture below is the spot where we hope Jock Stein will be able to plant a tree to commemorate the influence of the Festival on the lives of so many people.

Let me know what you think, should a new `Festival be born out of the old one? Here is a demo recording of a song Iain , Stephen and I performed on last Friday. I think it is very relevant to the thinking that Neil shared with us as he spoke of the power of a seed to be planted in the ground and in the end to bear much fruit. Maggie’s song reminds us of the power that comes through suffering and faith.

 Carberry Towers has been an influential retreat centre in the life of the church in Scotland for the past 50 years for most of these years it has been administered by the Church of Scotland. Over the past two or three years it has been administered by new Trust which is seeking to take the centre into a different type of usage.  From June 20-22 a group of people returned to say farewell to the venue which has been the home to a unique Christian  Arts Festival for the past 20 years. The festival was known as the Carberry Festival.  Over the past 20 years this festival has be instrumental in shaping and forming many ministries throughout Scotland. Literally hundreds of people have been supported and encouraged in their Christian walk through the ministry of this place. I hope that the focus of being Christ centred will continue with its new role.   Anyway I was part of a group of people who were at Carberry this weekend to say farewell to the festival and to seek guidance for the future of the vibrant community that has now grown up around the Carberry Festival.  As I prayed in the Chapel looking out onto the lawn. The ten foot cross in the lawn which has been such a focus of prayer and reflection, can no longer be seen with the same clarity. It has faded in to the background as the trees surrounding it has swamped its stark powerful image. All this got me thinking that it is a picture of the church or the gospel in today’s society. The cross is welcome to be there as long as it blends into the background . A group of creative artists worked around the cross to create an amazing river flowing from the cross. It really was an amazing piece of art and it spoke volumes to everyone. There is a river of life that flows fro the cross seeking to fill all of us up with the power and compassion of God.  If you walked closer to the cross you would have notice the beautiful silver thread that ran from the cross right down the river. Here is a  close up picture of the cross. I came away from the weekend grateful to god that I had been associated with such amazing group of people over the past 20 years. So what of the future? Well That is something everyone has now got to think about.

 Do you know something I think it is about six years since we’ve played a gig in public so I’m looking forward to remembering all my words. Vagabond Shoes was the title of a song we wrote a few years ago. It was all about what it was like being a disciple of  Jesus. You had to put up with a lot. You were always out on the road. I guess you felt like a band of brothers. Playing in the Bogle Band was a of a similar experience. Sometimes you feel this bond, I think its all about voices harmonising and feeling and share the same space.Here is a fascinating and spooky fact I have never noticed before. My father was called James so I am James’ son. For over 21 years I’ve written songs with a “Jamieson” who happens to have the same birthday as my father,  and whose mother thinks we have the same  personality streaks.  Now tomorrow night my son will join the Bogle Jamieson partnership to perform at the Carberry Festival and guess what he has James in his name as well. I’m really looking forward to getting the chance to sing  again some of the songs we’ve written the  new ones as well as  the  old ones.  I think its going to be a really good night. We thought we’d base the set around swapping songs, one generation of song writers talking to another and telling the stories about the songs. So if your reading this get down to Carberry tonight for 8.30pm and enjoy what I can only describe, what will be a unique experience. I ‘ll try and get some pics to post on the blog tomorrow. Oh one thing more i think it will be a really good gig because I’m looking out some old footage of the band and also some video clips to compliment the songs. I’m glad that Rae Manger who I collaborate with when making these video clips, will also be around to give the techie support. And a big thanks to Craig Hannah an ex Bogle Band member who was down at carberry with Stephen tonight rigging up the PA. The picture above was poster from a Bogle Band Concert way back since I don’t have a current pic of the band this will do.

  I had a great experience tonight, I was invited to go the National Praise Gathering , in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. It turned out to be an amazing event. Ian Watson the Choir Director, has an amazing talent and gift, he brings out the best in his 400 strong choir, and its obvious they all love being part of this set up. If you get the chance go to hear the Choir. I first encountered Ian’s work many years agao when he led the New Horizon singing group, indeed I think I still have a copy of a vinyl LP. Anyway I hadn’t heard much about Ian until I met him as our worship and band leader at the CWW Re-energise  conferences in Aviemore. Once again Ian has made the worship these conferences so meaningful for so many. Later on today I’m off to a conference at Stirling University where the topic is all about looking at how we communicate the gospel through print and broadcast material. I hope it urns out to be a valuable experince. i’ll keep you posted.

 Summer is a great time to reach out to our communities and share the Gospel. This year I’m hoping that we might be able to run a tent mission in  the town. I know there is not a lot of time, but I think we could pull it off. We had a group of enthusiastic people meet up to talk about the idea last week, and we had great fun thinking about how we could use a big tent, for mission here in Bo’ness. If we do it, we’ve decided we’ll try and get permission to put the tent up on the foreshore. Here is a picture of the site. Bo’ness foreshore is really quite amazing. I don’t know why it isn’t used more often for events.I think the tent could attract quite a lot of people and if we have a good programme organised I tbelieve we could also see a lot of people come to Christ this summer. It seems to me that there is a longing in so many people today to  find a purpose and a meaning to their lives. It doesn’t call for you to be too bright, to know that we all have a sense of wonder and mystery in our hearts. However sometimes that feeling of not knowing turns to doubt and skepticism. Yet most of us have a sense  that their is something beyond life itself. There is a holy discontent around. I sometimes feel that many people outside the church feel let down by those of us who call ourselves Christian. They are looking for the church to say in a clear way what it means to be a Christian. And too often we have spoken out like “politically correct” politicians.  There was an interview on “Newsnight” last night with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and he was challenged to be more clear about the things he really believed in. We need to know when to speak and when to listen. We have the habit of saying much,  and accepting  too much, and this  0ften leads to confusion. We need a church with leadership that is convinced about the power of  the Gospel to change and direct people’s lives. So anyway, I’m hoping we can put up a tent in our town and pull off a mission. keep praying for us. Oh there is there is the small matter of £2,000 which I need to rent the tent. So I’m taking a leaf out of the Moderator’s theme - yes it will happen God willing - Prayer and Money can change the world. What do you think?

We have an internal  broadsheet in the Co f S that is printed for ministers. Its an opportunity for ministers to share among themselves ideas and issues that are troubling them. Recently at least two ministers have written about their belief that there is no real theological underpinning in the Church Without Walls Movement. In the May issue one such minister questioned whether CWW was radical enough in its approach. He seemed to think that it was a centrally driven programme. Nothing of course could be further from the truth. It calls for the empowering of the local church. The CWW report came out of a great deal of theological thought and prayer. It calls the Church to follow Jesus.  This in itself is a radical and challenging mindset to adopt. Perhaps though for some, to talk of following Jesus is too simplistic. Perhaps they  want a bundle of teaching that is heavy and burdensome.  However Jesus told us ” My yoke is easy and my burden is light” The wonderful thing about the gospel is that it is a call to live in freedom knowing that the one who will judge you is the one who has saved you. Calvin in his Institutes, reminds us that repentance can only come about in the heart of the sinner  because of the great hope that salvation brings.  To repent without hope is to miss the grace and love of God. The cross always points to the hope beyond the suffering.  Paul speaks of this in the Book of Philippians. So CWW  calls the church to allow itself to be shaped by the Gospel and encourages us all to reflect at great length on the doctrine of justification by faith and to live lives that embrace the Grace of God.  It reminds us that the church needs to become the “Friend of Sinners” following the example of Jesus and calls us to consider what it means to be  a church shaped by friendship.To be a church that lives in  and for the companionship of Jesus. It also calls the church be become engaged with the culture around but not to be “squeezed into its mould” as Eugene Peterson suggests in his translation. Finally the report calls the church to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit in allowing the Gifts of the Spirit to shape its ministry and mission. This then is to invite local congregations to engage with Ephesians 4 and begin to consider what it means to “grow up into the full stature of Christ.” The report further encourages the church not to forsake the call to stand for justice which the prophet Micah speaks of, but rather  to engage with the issues of power and powerlessness with in the church and her structures and also within our society at large.. These to my mind are just a few of the theological issues that underpin the work and vision of CWW. The second minister in this months edition believes that many Church of Scotland ministers are afraid to engage their congregations with weighty theological issues. Indeed he believes that he is one of the few ministers who has been published in recent years and bemoans the fact that he believes that ministers are not reading substantial christian material. How he comes to know all these facts is beyond me. One more thing, I was somewhat saddened by this minister who wrote in the June edition, he was pointing  out the moats in the eyes of his fellow ministers,  yet omitting to see that he could be accused  of having a very large plank called “intellectual superiority” sticking out of his own eye. I have come to the conclusion that it is not our intellectual rigor that will win men and women into the Kingdom, although that is important and must not be dismissed.  It is  surely the rigor of our daily lives that count. It is the epistles of our lives and actions  that are being read by the watching world and not necessarily the epistles of our minds. So where is the theological underpinning in CWW? We’re pinned to JESUS! By the Grace of God  nothing will separate us, for he has broken down the walls of partition reconciling us to God.

 BT are the main sponsors for this years Isle of Wight Music Festival. They have also been the sponsors of a national Battle of the Bands Competition. The  competition aims to provide a platform for the rising stars of the UK music scene  to perform in front of a massive audience of both potential fans and the cream of the UK music industry. The competition was judged by an expert judging panel who selected Scottish band “We See Lights” as the winner  from ten regional finalists.  The  final took  place  at the top of the BT Tower on Saturday 31st May. The judging panel included Isle of Wight organiser John Giddings and BT’s Matthew Dearden.Matthew Dearden, director of home phones says “BT”s new Battle of the Bands competition not only offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance for an unsigned act to appear at the famous Isle of Wight Festival, but extends a helping hand to aspiring musical talent, exposing the eventual winner to an audience of thousands. So why am I telling you this, well I guess I’m  just a proud father  pointing out that his son plays in  ”We See Lights”and  I’m   one of the bands biggest fans. 

I want to write tonight about the importance of being a round peg in a round hole. Too many people beat themselves up for things they’re not doing. Too often they are being asked to do the impossible. I want to tell you a story that I told the children a few weeks ago in church. Its the story of a racing horse called Master Robert. When my dad was just a young boy he used to look after Master Robert, mainly because he was a horse that had gone lame and was no longer of any use to its owner. As my grandfather was in charge of the animals in the farm, he would let my father ride the lame horse to at least exercise the beast. One day they even tried to yoke the race horse to a Clydesdale horse to pull the plough. Well you can imagine how that went done with Master Robert. He just refused to move. He was bred to race. Finally one day a horse dealer arrived and bought Master Robert for a knock down price. He saw the potential in the animal. If you look at the film you’ll see Master Robert winning the Grand National in 1924. He was the real life Sea Biscuit.So the next time your going to write someone off as useless ask yourself if your playing them in the right position. Race horses don’t plough and plough horses don’t win races. Maybe we all need to bat to our strengths and stop worrying about the things we don’t do so well. 

 I was at an interesting meeting in the church offices in Edinburgh today. It was a conference where Town Planners, Property Developers and Church Leaders, in areas undergoing regeneration, were all invited to listen to each other and understand the whole process involved in regenerating a community.  It was interesting to hear this discussion in the light of the latest news regarding the regeneration of Bo’ness.  What was going to be a spectacular waterfront development starting with the harbour and shops and waterfront cafes, has been reduced to a couple of six storey tower block flats and a few three storey town houses.  Quite a disappointment for the town!  There is a promise though without  any guarantees that the harbour will eventually be tackled when the right financial package can be arranged.  The thing is Falkirk Council seem willing to promote this slimmed down revised plan as being acceptable in the present economic climate.  Breaking promises because they may cost more seems to go with the territory of making money.  Some of my colleagues today were impressed by one of the speakers who was a developer, because he spoke clearly and honestly reminding everyone that the role of the developer was simply to  make money.  The thing is, I wasn’t totally convinced.   You see, I think simply making money is not enough even for the most successful.   I’ve come to the conclusion that most people with wealth that I have known  want to make a difference in the world if they can, and it is the role of the Church and Christians like us to help them find ways to make their wealth bring about changes in the world for the better.  I couldn’t resist asking the young upwardly mobile developer as he left the room about his statement regarding the sole purpose of the developer to make money.  ”So tell me I said, after you’ve made the money what do you do with it.  Surely making money is not an end in itself.  You know I think the penny dropped, or the money dropped.  He looked at me as he went out the door, and said, “When I make my first million I’ll get in touch with  you right, I’ll help you make a difference. He was gone before I could make the reply, “You don’t need a million to start making the difference - you need a heart.” So I think what I’d like to say to ING and the Council  is this, it takes more than a pile of money to make a community.  You see you can’t regenerate a town without understanding the importance of community and you can’t create community where there is no trust.