I mentioned that I’d show you some pictures of the Bo’ness Fair. I’m told it is the biggest Children’s Fair in Europe. It certainly is up there competing with the best. Just take a look at our neighbour’s handy work. It is like something out of a Hollywood film set. Colin has been working on this constantly for many weeks,his daughter Alexandria was picked by her peers to be the Queen. this is seen as a great honour. Tomorrow at 11.00am she will be crowned Queen of Bo’ness for the next year.

We spent the evening walking round the various arches. The above picture illustrates the extent people will go to in Bo’ness to celebrate the contribution that children make to our community and family lives.

In the day that Gordon Brown became Prime Minister the people of Bo’ness are more interested in their local Children’s Fair. Bo’ness is quite vibrant at this time of the year leading up to the annual Children’s Fair. Our street, where we live, will be mobbed with literally thousands of people tomorrow night. They will all be making their way round the various arches. It is for this reason that the pressure is on to get the garden in tip top shape. Many thanks to Stephen for his help this week. Its great having him around to do some of the manual work.

I also had help from the local farmer Jim. He came down with his tractor and trailer and lopped the trees. He certainly opened our garden up. The trees gave us a bit of shelter and privacy. Now there is no place to hide. This got me thinking about the integrity that is involved with being open to other people. My garden is now much more open and accessible. So because I can’t hide behind trees I’ve got to face the reality of what is out there. I also have an incentive to keep it tidy. Maybe that is also true for the spiritual life. There comes a time when you can’t hide behind the legacy of other generations. You have to step out on your own, become your own person. I guess that is what Gordon Brown is doing tonight. He’s hoping his political garden will have some big trees lopped in order to let more light into his garden.It will be interesting to see who is retained in Cabinet and who has to go.

Today was really busy apart from a visit to Deanburn Primary School to be presented with a cheque for the Vine Trust from the children of P3. After this visit it was off to the Academy to attend the prizegiving ceremony. Funny how things are changing in schools. When I started as chaplain 25 years ago I was invited to open and close the ceremony with prayer. Now I’m invited as a guest. Prayer has been removed from the prizegiving platform.

Well I had a great time today. This week I’m presenting “Beam into Bogle” on ValleyFM all this week from 9.00am -10.00am. It’s great having your own radio show.I really enjoyed playing my tunes this morning. I try to have a guest in the studio every day. I was glad to have Neil McLennan, the station manager, around this morning to ease me into the way of things. Tomorrow my guest is Cathy Peattie MSP. I’m looking forward to chatting with Cathy and getting her views on the new in take of MSPs. I also had a hard day in the garden. Its really a challenge living next door to the Queen. the garden will have to be immaculate come Friday.So what do you think of my jingles? Big thanks to my co- songwriting partners Iain and Colin Jamieson they’ve done a great job on the jingles.
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John Carrie is quite an amazing man. if you didn’t know him you could be forgiven for thinking he was simply a volunteer picking up litter on the annual Forth Road Bridge Christian Aid walk. There is much more to this volunteer. Thirty five years ago he had the brain wave of organising a bridge walk to raise funds for Christian Aid. At the close of business today John project will have raise in excess of 1 million pounds during these years. A big thank you to John for setting an amazing example to us all.

People from all over the Edinburgh and Fife regions now come and walk the bridge. Some people try to get in the book of records by seeking to clock up the best times and also the highest numbers of crossings. Its a great day out.

Some people find it a bit scary walking over the bridge especially when heavy lorries pass by and you feel the ground vibrating under your feet. With all the repairs that are taking place one wonders how much longer we will have the opportunity to walk the bridge.

There are some of spectacular views that can be seen as you walk the three mile round trip. Well over a dozen people from ASt Andrew’s in Bo’ness took part in the walk. they were all glad to get their papers stamped at the finishing line.

Tomorrow at church the theme is all about perseverance. It is the children’s King’s Club prizegiving, so we hope to encourage the children who have been faithful in their attendance and behaviour by giving out prizes. Taking part in the walk this afternoon reminded me of the American Dick Hoyt and his amazing commitment and perseverance in supporting his son. Have a look at this video I’m sure it will inspire you when you feel a little down and wonder what you can contribute.

Walking the bridge is easy compared to the things this father has attempted out of love out of love for his son. Anyway as the day comes to a close I glad to thank God for John Carrie and his vision, especially for his long term commitment. he may not have run marathons but I’m sure there were times when he’d have been happy to give up. Well done John your an inspiration to us all.

Can’t think where all the time has gone this week. The radio station Valley FM is going great guns. I’ve been putting together the songs my week of broadcasting starting on monday. So make sure you listen in. Everyone in Bo’ness is getting prepared for the big day. You have to see it to believe it, I mean the Bo’ness Fair. Our next door neighbour’s daughter is the Queen this year. This means that their has been construction going on in their garden for the past three weeks or more. There is literally a castle being erected. I’ll take a picture and put it on the blog tomorrow.

Talking about construction, we’ve had architects visiting the church all week. We are in the process of choosing a company that is going to help us transform our Edwardian church building into a building fit for purpose in the 21st century. Its all very exciting but its going to take time. Meanwhile we have to content ourselves with the stresses and stains of working out of an old building.

Valley FM, what a hoot it is, and its getting better! Here’s SteveB presenting has radio show on Valley FM 87.7. For the next two weeks the radio station will broadcasting for 18 hours a day. This is all part of our contribution as a church to our community, leading up to the famous world renowned Bo’ness Fair. We have been so encouraged by the excellent responses we have been receiving from people all over the world and in our own community Valley FM is certainly reaching out across the waves and has become in a short time an established part of the run up to the Fair activities.

Last year thanks to the enthusiasm and expertise of Neil McLennan and Lilias Snedden a group of young people here in Bo’ness have been galvanised into a professional sounding radio production company. Make sure you go to 87.7 on your radio dial and listen in over the next two weeks. If you live out of the broadcast area you can still listen in on the internet. Just click here. Go to the appropriate part of the web page and click on to the radio station.

Here is a picture of Neil and myself and Pudsy bear. BBCs, Jackie Bird is presenting us with an award of £87,000 on behalf of Children in Need to help deliver on the growing opportunities that are coming our way as we work with children and families in the church and the community. Most of the funding is to appoint a full time worker to join our team which is already establishing family links in the community and even beyond.

It was interesting to see that Jackie was also presenting at the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards on Wednesday. I was delighted to accompany my colleague Willie MacPherson who was one of those nominated in the category of social entrepreneur of the year. Willie in my book deserved to win. He has been an outstanding Executive Director of the Vine Trust and has been a source of inspiration and encouragement to many people to become involved in our work. Ah well Willie we can’t win them all, but in many ways you are a winner to have achieved such recognition.

Lots of people have been asking about the refurbishment of Amazon Hope 1. Well, it was taken into dry dock a few weeks ago and work has commenced on extending the length of the vessel. I believe it will to be extended by ten meters. This will allow the ship to move into even shallower waters to take health care to some of the remotest tribes on the Amazon and it tributaries. You can have a look for yourself. The following clip shows the vessel being halved in two.

I just hope they know how to put it together again. I’ve heard of stretched limos, but this takes the biscuit. I just hope that Willie doesn’t think up an idea to offer hen parties on the Amazon. Come to think of it, you know, that’s not a bad idea. Willie I think you could look into that idea. If you have any comments on how we could develop the “hen parties” let me know, on second thoughts contact Willie directly.

St Andrew’s Bo’ness was packed to capacity last night as every part of the church was filled with a very diverse looking group of people. The audience was lined up in the street waiting to get into the church. This was the 3rd annual Jazz evening put together, by Marcus Ford, one of Scotland’s top guitarists in aid of the work of the Vine Trust. Marcus has been working closely with singer Erica Bonnar to put on an absolute spell binding evening of Jazz standards. After the interval Erica began her set, with a couple of classical songs accompanied by the well known pianist John Gilmour. The evening was punctuated with creative energy. There was dancer who danced spanish style as Erica performed a Spanish number. However for many the the violin solo by Trudie Ford, performing music from the film Shindler’s List, will be remembered for many a day. The exquisite contributions by virtuoso Bobby Wishart was greatly appreciated by all. Well done Erica and Marcus you managed to fill the church to capacity.

The concert was also streamed out on the internet thanks to the brilliant techy staff, which include Rae Manger Martin Neil and Jackie Bundy. We really have a lot of willing and clever people.

Erica and her friend Lorna are off at the end of the month to be our first World Without Walls Ambassadors. They plan visit nearly every project in World without Walls. The interesting thing is that they will be blogging to keep in touch. I ‘m looking forward to hearing some wonderful stories from the girls. I you want to follow the girls progress, log onto www.worldwithoutwalls.net

All this got me thinking wouldn’t is be wonderful if we could get the same crowds out every Sunday. Maybe the answer is worship with Jazz. If you have any suggestions I’d love to hear from you.

Lord,
Here I am
Looking out the window.
The view is always changing.
Keeping focus isn’t all that easy
There are so many distractions on the way.
Its sometimes hard to keep my eye on you.
I don’t want to look elsewhere
but there are so many voices,
different offers -
Discipleship diversions
I call them.

I know the wrong relationships will hold me back,
but sometimes it is so appealing,
just for once to think about myself,
my dreams
my life.
Doing the right thing all the time
is so demanding,
its not feasible,
it gets lonely.
Sometimes I think I’m he only one following.
It feels like I’m in a wilderness.
Cut off.
Stranded.
Facing temptation.
Surrounded with stones.
Living in a hard place.

So what would I give for a bit of fame?
A bit of power?
A bit of recognition?
Turn stones into bread ?
Sell my soul to the devil?

Lord
I think you’ve been here yourself
I mean in my wilderness.
You passed this test
long ago.
You couldn’t be bought.
You couldn’t be flattered.
You kept close to your Father.
You listened to His Word
Lord I’m listening
I’m going to keep focused.