... no, not from the day WW1 was delcared, but the birth of respected Baptist minister, college Principal and theologian R E O White was born... his date of birth was 4th August 1914, the day war was declared.

Back in the day, when I was a ministerial student (as we were then called) I worked in a church where one of the members was one George Farr, then in his nineties, the former Principal of Manchester Baptist College before its merger with Rawdon to form Northern and a respected OT scholar with a love of Deuteronomy.  I used to amuse me to hear him speak of "Freddie Bruce" and "Reggie White", scholars we knew only as FF and REO respectively.

On my shelves I have a number of REO White's books and pamphlets - but back then I'd never have imagined that I'd serve the church where his widow is still a member all these years on.

As the old hymn says "time like an ever rolling stream will bear us all away" (20th century inclusivised version) and for most people REO White (and George Farr for that matter) are just names on the covers of dusty tomes in college libraries.  But behind those names are men who laughed and cried, who toiled over sermons and spent hours in prayer, who listened to the heart cries of church folk and who spoke their minds on occasion.  My fleeting contact with George Farr, and longer contact with REO's wife and daughter have been a privilege and a blessing for which I am very grateful.

One hundred years on from the birth of REO White, who knows which future ministers may have been born, women and men who will take the baton on into another new century long after we have all been forgotten (except, of course, by God)

The last few weeks have been more than a tad manic.  If I've been working "illegal" hours, then some of the Gatherers have been doing double that, selflessly devoting themselves to ensuring our Glasgow 2014 events were a success, as well as working full time, caring for others, doing their usual church volunteering and so forth.  I hope that as many as possible of them are resting today.

Yesterday's live stream event of the cycle road races meant that the first person (me plus my poor overnight guest!) arrived at church at 7:30 a.m. to set up the projection equipment, by 8 a.m. the other tea members had arrived and begun to set cups and cakes, to put cloths and flowers on tables and prepare for... well who could guess?  A few strategic tip-offs to Police and Event Officials (no one ever mentions G4S when they get it right...) and we were guaranteed at least some customers.

I headed off to the netball final with my guest, mildly anxious in case no-one came and it would be "all my fault".  I was so relieved to arrive back mid-afternoon to find the place buzzing, bin sacks stuffed with useed paper cups, and the resort to 'biscuits as they've eaten all the cake".  The atmosphere was electric for the final couple of laps of the men's road race, with heart-stopping moments as the leader suffered a puncture and needed an agonsingly slow wheel change.  With almost everyone on their feet, the spontaneous applause and cheer as he crossed the line was amazing.

Then a gear change, we mopped the floor (people had come in dripping with liquid sunshine), rearranged the chairs and waited to see who, if anyone would come for the Songs of Praise service.  I suggested we put out 40 chairs with the option to put out more if needed... in the end there were 50-60 folk there,   The singing was absolutely amazing, the readers clear and with great emotional intelligence.  There was a calmness and sense of oneness, perhaps epitomised by singing Cwm Rhonda for which we had both Welsh and English words; if you listen carefully to the recording, you can hear a lovely Welsh-language soprano blending with the English-language of Nigerian, Canadian, Chinese, Northern Irish, Scots, English, and undoubtedly others.

Then, job done, we all went home, very tired and very happy.  I like to think Jesus, who probably popped in wearing a hi-viz jacket, or as the mother of a small soggy child, smiled and fwlr welcome in our Gathering Place.


We don't know how many people passed through our doors yesterday, but maybe as many as 200 all told.  Our friends at the Church of Scotland down the road who were literally on the race route estimated they had around 400 watching their live stream.  I reckon that's a good job!

Now and then I look at the stats for this blog, including the 'key word searches'.

One last month was "do any Baptist ministers in Scotland wear a dog collar?"

The answer is "yes, at least one, and sometimes: wedding, funerals and hopsital visits"

I wonder what curious searches this month will bring??!

This week has flown by in a blur worthy of a 100m sprint - between watching a lot of live sport (netball, lane bowls and hockey), getting ready for Sunday (printing colouring sheets, service leaflets, advertising via soical media etc) and trying to keep on top of the washing, if not the ironing, I have been very happily and busily employed.

1st August is evidently Yorkshire Day and Lammas so all manner of wierd and wonderful celebrations going on across these islands.

A few minutes ago we taped and tacked the ethernet cable in place ready for Sunday's live stream... I really hope the internet holds up and doesn't crash out on bandwidth or anything else!  Across this part of Glasgow ovens are producing yummy smells as cakes are baked.  Traffic cones have spring up overnight in readiness for the road closures... it will be exicting.

Glasgow has done itself proud, there is no doubting that for a pico-second, and I've had an absolute ball.  The climax has to be Sunday which draws together so much that matters to me...

• Mission in many modes: cakes, drinks, loos, live stream and kiddies colouring
• Worship: Commonwealth songs of praise
• Life in its fullness: my friend and I watching the netball finals

All too soon it will be a memory but this 1st August as white rabbits hop around the white rose county in lammas sunshine, there is much fr which to give thanks.

She that juggleth too many balls shall surely drop at least one.

Ooops, egg on face moment - forgot about one meeting and went to another instead... having way too much fun this week doing way too many things.  Thankfully all now sorted and nearly back on track.

Quick 'hello' to Kiwi readers and thank you for lovely, encouraging email message... have enjoyed watching the Silver Ferns in action at Glasgow 2014 and expecting to see them in the final on Sunday :-)