This week BUGB launched their new-look website.  Gone is the intense green and instead we have gentle shades of blue.  And a new logo, about which I have to confess I am not sure.  I 'get' it, and it does, as claimed, have all the elements of the old logo, but I'm not sure I like it.  Undoubtedly it is 'cleaner' and more 'contemporary' but I can't help feeling the attempts to keep the 'old' symbols of cross, water and fish have resulted in something a bit contrived.  See what you think:

The site is easy to navigate and I was quite taken with the use of an external resource for the 'what is a christian' section, which is not dogmatic or narrow and does not exalt any one understanding over any other on 'hot topics'.  Of course there is also a section that explains more about what Baptists (Anglo-Cymraeg variety) are like.

I like the new site a lot more than like the new logo!  As rebrands go, this one seems positive - a softer, less clinical feel, easy navigation and not too defensive.  Having recently done some user testing for another website that was being relaunched, I have the teeniest inkling of just how complicated it is to design something that works on diverse platforms with varied browsers.  I think there is some tiny glitchette with Windows 7 and Firefox as each time the page loads I get a black rectangle top left for a few seconds, but overall it seems to working very well.  Huge thanks to all who worked so hard to design, test and launch the site, which I look forward to using for a long time to come.

You can have a look at the website here

Well, I have not made as much headway on my writing up as I would have liked, but today I have finally written and submitted a 200 word abstract for the paper I might be giving in New Zealand next February.  We'll just have to wait and see.

I have also begun to pick up a few threads of church-related stuff, which is rather nice, though makes me keenly aware of how much catching up there will be to do when I return in a couple of weeks time.  Something I was working on today required me to check addresses in my church directory... which I had put away so carefully it took ages to find it!

Lots of exciting stuff in the offing - just need to stir my stumps a bit more and get the writing up done and the thinking cap back on.

Yesterday evening I had the privilege of attending the 'farewell dinner' for Rev. Dr Jim Gordon as he steps down as principal of the the Scottish Baptist College (SBC).  The photo, left, unashamedly stolen from Graeme Clarke's Facebook upload, shows Jim giving a witty and thoughtful after dinner speech.

Jim's links with The Gathering Place are long and varied... he was a student at SNC when it was on our patch and the Principal was one REO White, a member of our little church, and whose widow remains much loved among us.  Jim studied for his PhD at New College (Edinburgh) under the supervision of Rev Prof David Fergusson, who grew up in our Sunday School.  And so the links continue and interweave with other connections, such as his first pastorate being at one of our daughter churches, and he having been the minister in Aberdeen of the student who lived next door to me in Manchester...  In 2009 when I first met the Gatherers, Jim was the interim moderator, bringing his wisdom and humour to the task of finding a suitable minister to be entrusted with this special church.  I already knew Jim a little, having first met him at a Baptist theology conference some years earlier.  Since I settled here, he has continued to be a good friend to the church, and to me, and I like to think our links with the SBC will continue on into the future.

Knowing Jim is a privilege - and I could wax lyrical in some sort of eulogistic tribute.  Suffice to say, a skinny fairtrade latte and cupcake with Jim is a fine example of living wittily - and, if he happens to read this, long overdue.

I also stole this photo from the SBC Facebook page, not sure who took it, but it is the amazing cake made for Jim...

May God bless you, Jim, with some much deserved space for rest and recreation, and whatever shape you portfolio ministry may take, may it delight you and bless others.

Writing up is moving forward, and I have generated 3000 words so far this week.  This probably sounds better than it is, but I can now just about see my way clear to writing up the original research stuff.  Phew.

One of the things that emerged quite strongly in response to some of the questions is the limitation of 'word-centred' spirituality to serve in times of major illness, especially where fatigue and/or brain-fog are involved.  Some respondents found this a problem othera allowed themselves to embrace silence/stillness and or used music as a medium for reflection, prayer, etc.

Yesterday I realised Iwas starting with a cold, and after a disturbed night it is full-blown this morning.  Whilst I don't feel ill, I do feel rough, and the thought of sitting typing all day is unpleasant (and would probably render utter trash).  Way back when, my boss always insisted we went home if had colds, partly because he didn't want us sharing them with others, but partly because he knew rest was the best medicine

So I will do the sensible thing... switch off the laptop, drink plenty of fluids, keep warm and rest... some gentle music may accompany my day, or it may not.  Tomorrow I can return to typing with renewed vigour and creativity.

Do you think Jesus ever got a cold?  Or a tummy bug?  Or some other annoying minor ailment?  And if he did, how did he respond?  Hmm...

As my sabbatical enters its final weeks, and as a few bits of preparatory stuff have to be picked up ready for my return to church, the emphasis shifts from doing and visiting to writing and reflecting.  The list of things I ought to be writing is rather long, but is also positive...

• a synopsis/proposal for a conference paper arising from my empirical research
• a short paper to feed into someone else's research into churches whose ministers have major health issues or worse
• a short paper (or two or three) for BUGB/BUS/BMJ* arising from my empirical research
• a short paper for the BUS on all my sabbatical reflections as they very kindly gave me/us a £400 grant towards costs.
• a short paper for church on the findings from my visits to Bath and London
• a short paper for church summarising all my sabbatical work

That's a lot of writing!  I think I have some useful 'findings' to share in various places, it's just that I have got out of the habit of sitting and writing anything very much, so I need to give myself a kick up the proverbial to get started!  And the sun is shining in the 'dear green place'...

Well, I had better jump to it! (after I've made another pot of tea... :) )

* for anyone medical who reads this, BMJ in this context means the Baptist Ministers' Journal, not any other publication with a similar set of initials