Welcome to the grrreatest show on earth

Is this an exaggeration? Is this going to change life as we know it? or just a good old bit of Jon hype? This Saturday (17th July) sees Bathampton Celebrate 200 years of the canal being opened. now I don't claim to be an expert in anything (definition of an expert is a drip under pressure!), I can't even say I hear this on QI so it must be right. So the following can be taken with a pinch of salt.

200 years a lots have changed, I guess the village itself must have been only a few houses when digging started, men in hob nailed boots, sweating and working hard are now exchanged with people in flip flops chilaxing. I guess the main idea of the canal was to transport goods around the country a type of motorway, now we see stag and hen parties, exchanging roller coasters and pubs to a leisurely cruise for the weekend. Can you see the Michael McIntyre of the day making jokes of canal transport and being stuck behind a coal barged? So 200 years are being celebrated this year on Saturday on the school playing fields with a fete and music, it's going to be fun because it's a village celebration and that's why it's going to be one of the greatest shows on earth, leaving you breathless (but let's hope not in anaphylactic shock!) When Bathampton parties, it's a group of friend old and new enjoying life and each other. if medals were given out to communities, Bathampton would get GOLD!

See you at the next event - Jon

4 months since I've been on the Blog!

Ouch, 4 months is quite sometime away. But I haven't been idle, just quite busy and the though of writing some wise words to entertain, inform and provoke, became an ever increasingly bigger mountain to climb. Had I been suffering from the ill fated writers block, staring endlessly at blank pieces of paper (or computer screens) waiting for inspiration to flow, but ending up thinking how much weigh could sellotape hold before it snapped. Thankfully I didn't try, well, that was only because I couldn't find any weights! There was only one thing to do, and that was just start tapping and see what happened, so here it is, my first blog for 4 months.

It's a strange phrase from strength to strength, but surprisingly that is what has been happening here. The youth work is going well, our main youth club night on Wednesdays see at least 20 young people and our Sunday night Bible Studies (YF) we now are using crowbars to get them to leave. We also have a great head of steam with the Sunday morning Pathfinders who are going to be leading the 10:30am service on 25th July, The week long holiday club for the primary aged children and a weekend of celebration of the canal (16th - 18th July) sees a very hectic, but greatly exciting couple of weeks ahead.

looking forward to see you at the next event - Jon