Over the summer I am due to lead a set of three united evening services, and my thought is to explore some different styles or genres of Christian spirituality.  Suffice it to say there are as many variations on this theme as there are writers on it, and I have more books than enough to play with.  However, nothing that uses a three-fold pattern (typically five or more are identified).

So, I am looking for any ideas that might fit any of the following broad areas of spirituality ...

• British and/or Scottish...
• Baptist and/or (Scottish) Presbyterian...
• Urban and/or city...

Answers on a postcard, blog comment or any other way you know of reaching me would be fantastic.

This Sunday our title is "Beyond 400 - Remembering Our Future" - and is part response to the BUGB-BMS Assembly, part church meeting and totally 'Being Baptist'.  It's a bit experimental and a bit 'old-is-new' as we rediscover early Baptist praxis.  Alas, as I've prepared my reflection (i.e. short sermon) this Rolf Harris song has kept popping unbidden into my brain....

Now the ladies of the harem of the court of King
Caractacus, were just passing by.
All together, now the ladies of the harem of the court
of King Caractacus, were just passing by.
Now the ladies of the harem of the court of King
Caractacus, were just passing by.
Now the ladies of the harem of the court of King
Caractacus, were just passing by.

Now the noses on the faces of the ladies of the harem
of the court of King Caractacus, were just passing by.
All together, now the noses on the faces of the ladies
of the harem of the court of King Caractacus, were just
passing by.
Now the noses on the faces of the ladies of the harem
of the court of King Caractacus, were just passing by.
Now the noses on the faces of the ladies of the harem
of the court of King Caractacus, were just passing by.

Now the boys who put the powder on the noses on the
faces of the ladies of the harem of the court of King
Caractacus, were just passing by.
[Repeat 4 times]

Now the fascinating witches who put the scintilating
stitches in the breeches of the boys who put the powder
on the noses on the faces of the ladies of the harem of
the court of King Caractacus, were just passing by.
[Repeat 4 times]

Now if you want to take some pictures of the
fascinating witches who put the scintilating stitches in
the breeches of the boys who put the powder on the
noses on the faces of the ladies of the harem of the
court of King Caractacus...

...you're too late! Because they've just... passed...
by!

[From: http://www.elyrics.net ]

I blame Paul Fiddes... it was a quote from him that sparked this memory!

It's probably just me, but whenever I use the Royal Mail "Track and Trace" website I have a little chuckle... you have to be a Baptist who reads theology/church history to get what I'm on about.  Between that and FiddesPayne cake decorations...

The Glasgow West End Festival is a big thing for us, as we play a full and active part in offering a range of community events.  This year the festival lasts the whole of June and we are offering no less than six contributions. 

Yesterday I picked up a programme and was pleased to see that many of our events had landed plum spots on the pages - slap bang in the middle of one page, first item on another and so on.  I also took a little bit of time to see what we were in 'competition' with.

Our children and families event is the same day as a number of others, but is one of the few that is free and the only one in direct competitnio is charging.  It should be brilliant fun - an indoor beach party for which I have just been recruited to make smoothies...!

Our midweek event is a cupcake decorating extravaganza, and seems to be about the only free 'food based' event taking place.  The only direct competition is a 'cupcakes and cocktails' thing over the road from us, with a professional cake decorater, but it's in the evneing and costs £25 a head!  Coffee and Cupcakes for free... no  contest!  We have already had a booking for half a dozen... yeay!  I may or may not be at this one - I'm double booked - but my planning team have some fabulous ideas to make it go brillirntly - and we have a practcie run next Wednesday for which I am baking...

A new event is an afternoon story-telling for adults with a professional story-teller who will share folk tales, history and more.  This should be really good - I love listening to stories, and I'm sure we will be packed out.

Our other three events are well-established favourites. Two Sunday afternoon 'Philosophy Cafes' with invited speakers on topics of interest will be sure to draw in a capacity crowd (note to self - short sermons those days!) and the Choral Communion for Midsummer is a place of calm and stillness attracting those who simply want to chill after a busy day.

It's all good.  And it will keep us all VERY busy.  I'm glad I have some holiday before it... even if I have two conferences to fit in during it!!

Sitting on my desk at church is a DVD from BMS, waiting for me to decide when and how to use it.

Undefeated is resource linked to the paralympics and centring on issues of disability, especially in the world's poorer nations, but not forgetting the challenges and questions closer to home.  I am quite enthused by the resource and hope I can find a good way of working it into our autunm schedule.

Find out more here

I have pinched the promo clip (legally I hope, it does have a 'share' option)