We visited St Andrew’s today. The town is getting ready for The Open which starts I believe on Thursday. I had a look out to see if I could recognise any famous celebrities – the thing is I wouldn’t know a celebrity anyway if I saw one on the street. St Andrew’s is usually full of all kinds of people who could quite easily be celebrities. It is really quite a cosmopolitan town. I suppose being a University community it attracts a wide range of people. Maybe every second or third person is a celebrity?

Anyway the weather was good and I was enjoying the sun streaming around me. I stopped at the corner where Holy Trinity Church stands and sat on a bench. Within a few moments a young woman appeared took out her guiltar and started struming. Could she be a celebrity – look closer, she was for me every bit a celebrity – totally brilliant!

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

This got me thinking how many things have I not seen over the years. How many interesting delightful experiences have i passed by? Do I fail to see the godliness in others, the Christ in myneighbours my family, my friends. As in the previous post do I miss the signs and walk past Jesus on the street?

I guess the one thing i will be trying to get across is whether,single, married, divorced, separated, a parent or childless. We are all by our calling as Christians part of the family of God. Or in St Paul’s words we are all part of the Body of Christ. they key thing is for us all to discover the place where we have been called to serve. Anyway I work more on this theme tomorrow.

Click here to view the embedded video.

After an enjoyable  evening spent at the Hippodrome, our local refurbished 1910 cinema, where we saw the film, ” Last Chance Harvey” starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thomson the night was rounded off nicely by seeing Bono  and Edge on the Jonathan Ross Show. I’m seriously tempted to splash out and get some tickets for the Glasgow gig on the 18 August.  The Stage their using looks amazing. have a listen to this recording from the Milan gig it looks awesome.

BOGLE’S  PARAPHASE  PSALM 100

Tell U2 to turn the volume up

They make such a joyful noise

The Lord just loves that sound

On the Edge

Let the stadium rock with worship

Incite the people

To serve with joy and gladness,

enter the gates of the stadium with praise.

Give thanks for truth endures for all times

It is everlasting throughout all generations .

Although it was a Bank Holiday weekend we were delighted to have a number of friends join with us in the worship.  We were pomoting the C40 programme. this is our made up Discipleship programme. So if you want to join the Challenge text  Bible 40 to the following mobile number 80806. When you do this it will cost you £1.50 per week. I hope you join in he challenge and then return to tis blog with yourown questions and answers. So look out for the first C40 post tomorrow morning.

Recently I’ve been reflecting upon the whole notion of confidence.  We mere mortals need to be more humble as we pass through time into eternity. Especially those of the evangelical kind. Sometimes we can act as though we know everything, or we can give that impression. We leave no room for doubt or those who might want to question.

Dare I say it, I’m sure when growing up I was even part of that merry band. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we cannot speak of what we have come to understand with a certain amount of confidence. Peter  in his epistle tells us to be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have deep within us.

I’m simply saying we need to remember, we don’t see or understand the complete picture. We  only see through a glass darkly, as Paul says in Corinthians 13. Anyway here are some musing on the topic. While You read  have a listen to ” Gabrel’s Oboe, “Gabriel’s Oboe” from the Mission. I find this piece of music has a wonderful reassuring quality saying all will be well.

TIME ETERNITY ON THE TANNOY

To be standing in the midst of chaos

Like a traveller passing through the night

To feel there’ll be no tomorrow

If you don’t get on the next flight

An announcement on the tannoy

Tries to re-assure your mind

But the voice is so familiar

You  could be listening to yourself

To be walking in the midst of protest

Like a prophet fool of doubt

To know there will be a judgement

Even if the Jury’s out

Then you read a headline in the newspaper

Of what you dreamt the night before

And it sounded so familiar

Like the opening of a door

To be stumbling on the edge of freedom

Like a blind man gaining sight

To take one step forward

And begin dancing in the light

And a voice like a thousand rivers

Roars a welcome not yet heard

And etermity spins in silence

Leaving time to close the door

Just found the amazing iPhone function that allow you to take xray pictures. How cool is that! Now in case you don’t believe me here is the proof.

I’d like to thank everyone for all their messages of good will. I’ve been quite touched by the kindness of my friends and family. I also appreciate how a number of elders have stepped in to help out with pastoral duties including conducting a funeral. We are so blessed at St Andrew’s with people who step up to the plate when required.

Its so frustrating not being able to use both hands. This morning for instance, what a scramble I had trying to butter a piece of toast. Trying to have a shower was easier with the plaster. You see there is no plaster on the arm now just a big bandage and a sling. Its also a lot more painful now that the wires are in place. Hopefully that will settle down before I venture up to Aiemore on Sunday.

Talking about broken bones, here’s a song from Soustarr recorded a few years ago reflecting on the plight of being wounded. Broken Bones

I’ve been working on the sermon for church later today. There is going to be a bit of a tie up between the morning service and Sanctuary First. I’ve been reflecting upon that great little text in 1 Corinthians 16.9 where Paul says this ” a great door of opportunity has opened up for me, but i face many adversaries. I going to be encouraging every one of us to make the most of our life opportunities. We can’t live our lives in regret. never can we live our lives in fear. Too many people over the years have held back from the call of God on their lives because they could only see the obstacles rather than the opportunities. So tomorrow will be “Open Door Sunday”

I think the evening service has the potential to be really interesting. One of the themes we will be looking at is the living dead that inhabit the church. Here’s a sample of the material we’ll be reflecting upon.

A scene of first aid – blue lights flashing emergency noise soundtrack – someone being brought back to life. Paramedics flat on the ground – receiving the breath of life from a passer by. The point is that the church is facing an emergency. The scene depicts the struggle for the Christian who is slipping back into the world. The church is called to be like the rescue ambulance seeking to strengthen Christian life. However the church is dying no longer able to carry out rescue missions.The passion for renewal and revival is now outside the church in the most unexpected places. God is Emerging in the lives of people who would normally pass by.

GET REVIVED OR DIE? – ALBERT BOGLE

(The actor pacing up and down looking at the audience then at the paramedic flat on her back Desperation can be detected from the voice)

They’ve got to wake up!

You better wake up!

So much to do

It’s absolutely ludicrous

I can’t believe what I’m doing

I can’t believe what I’m saying

I can’t believe what I’m seeing

This is a crisis.

Religion is dead

Church is dead But I,-

We need something to believe in

Imagine

Para medics being resuscitated

By the patients

If you where told that

You’d laugh in disbelief

But we’re living in an upside down world

How did the church get into this state?

Something happened!

Something terrible is happening

The world has gone crazy

And the Church with it

Oh what ever happened to you?

Why have you stopped talking?

Why have you stopped explaining?

Why have you stopped believing.?

It was your job to bring us back to life

To bring us hope

Salvation

Meaning and purpose

But you lost

Your heart

Your passion

You got side tracked

into alternative programmes

You stopped believing people were sick

You became sick yourself

believing lies

You got caught up in a counterfeit world

You’ve got to wake up

Start coughing

Breathing

O Please just start

Living again

Loving again

Singing again

Caring again

Healing again

Believing again

I’m the outsider here

I’m not into rescue

I need to be rescued

I’ve got my own problems

My own plans

But people like me need help

Children need love

Don’t look at me like that

You look dead

I’m not like you

I’m the outsider here

I’m not a Church

I can’t do it your way

I’m into relationships

I like it minimalist

Not too complicated

O Please wake up

Strengthen the things that remain

Song – Bob Dylan – From the “Slow Train Comin” – When You Gonna Wake Up

I’m wondering where Tony Blair is in all this? I thought he was the special emissary in the middle east? I haven’t heard his name mentioned once in the news. I wonder of Israel and Hamas are escalating all this because they will find themselves brought round the bargaining table when Barack Obama is sworn in as President of the USA later on this month?

I’m sure if the Palestinian homeland question could be resolved and Israel’s right to exist agreed, we would see a huge shift in the whole relationships between East and West. I often think that we’ve not moved on a great deal over the years. We are still fighting over who own and controls land.

Meanwhile here’s a song from Bono PEACE ON EARTH