Wed 1 Went to Hay yesterday with Brinley and had interesting talks on the way and on the way back about history, politics and some of Brinley's experiences as a head. I couldn't really place the Festival site in Hay - I suppose the old fire station bookshop is about half a mile further on. The crowd looked like a Guardian readers' convention - which I pretty soon found out it really was: the Guardian is the main sponsor of the event and copies of the paper were on sale in an attractive tote bag. It was reassuring to see straight away that the misprints just keep on coming. The first thing I read was a double interview with Peter and Christopher Hitchens complete with misplaced apostrophe in it's within seconds. That and the sneering tone put paid to the Guardian for me.

The lecture by Geza Vermes was short and lisible: it struck me that the historical discourse is really the same as he'd have given when I was in college - Pinchas Lapide he ain't! The same alignment of Tacitus and Pliny the younger with a carefully nuanced and cautious use of Josephus. That's about as far as it goes excpet he was a little more confident than would be usual about the editorial ambitions of the gospel writers. I think it would be well possible for Vermes to have a friendly dialogue with Rowan Williams on the differing viewpoints of the evangelists as against their polemical ambitions and with Hengel on some of the details of Roman and Jewish practice and ways of looking at the law. So, from a scrolls man literally nothing about the scrolls and an offhand put down of the Gnostic texts. In fact a scathing attitude towards all things Greek - perhaps he might have been a little more conciliatory towards the idea that Greek was within the Jewish milieu rather than outside just waiting to impose itself. Anyway, I'll read his books now. And that's the idea. Queues of people at all the signing. I laughed at an Irishman sitting and earnestly reading to the camera as people milled around. Had a brown bread flavour ice cream - a delicacy in these parts.

When I got home, brushed up on two songs by Black (Colin Vearncombe) which have the stamp. Rachel said that Wonderful Life sounds like a religious song or rather, she corrected herself, like a song that could be used at a family service. She's right there - we'll work on that. But that wasn't one of the two: 'I can laugh about it now' and 'How can you be lonely'

Thursday 2 Up to London for Sony and Ruth's wedding. We're leaving about nine so that should leave plenty of time on the M25 probably.

In the afternoon, we went up to Leigh and Franks to look at the vineyard as part of Welsh Wine Week. Frank was saying they shoudl be able to have a quarter of a ton of grapes this year and make about 200 bottles out of that. Some lovely wood turning objects done by Ian Morrison but lots of them labelled (on the bottom) not for sale. All the same Catherine got a little bowl in light coloured wood.

Great evening at the Lindsays' yesterday. Very good eats to start with then a barbecue after which we sat around and had songs round the table - Cha cha cha, I can laugh about it now, Frozen man, Satisfied mind, Think for yourself, Handyman etc.

Sat 4 The wedding turned out to be a bit of an endurance test. We got away about ten and then there were all kinds of diversions before the M25 and then at Heathrow to get to the M4. In the end we got back around two. Still, the effects of this cold are making themselves known. It's only today that I don't feel groggy and that makes it ten days since I spent that day in bed and it was already a cold even before that.

The wedding itself was great though and marvellous to see Sony and Ruth. We did some music in the service with the Belvedere musicians and Sony's youngest brother, Evans on drums. A good turnout, Stewart on top form - who coul ask for more.

Now we turn our attention to the Raglan festival. I've suggested Richard Thompson's 'Withered and Died' to Catherine for our half hour spot on Saturday but we need to get together with Roger at some point, preferably more than once. And there's the little matter of the Raglan Baptist Church part of the afternoon to sort out. There's Koolkats- I should be able to manage that and then the BBQ and The Core . . .

Sun 5 Really exciting committee meeting for the Raglan Festival yesterday morning. The ticket sales are really taking off, the polo shirts for the festival look great, there is a real buzz around the place and lots of press interest. I had the idea of getting one of the shirts signed by all the participants and auctioning it off - it could be quite a collectors item in future years. Rob Wixey has offered to do the BBQ so things are coming together there as well. In the evening we started to get the songs together for our half hour slot. 'Is your love in vain?', 'Both sides now' and 'every grain of sand to start'

In the afternoon we went down to Barry to Steve's wedding, taking Tracey with us in the car. The Raglan contingent was about 17 and it would have been good to have a chance to bring greetings on their behalf but it was nice to see so many there all the same.

Mon 6 An encouraging day yesterday. I ended a sermon on koinonia with 'He ain't heavy' by the Hollies and that made a big impression. Still roughly thirty people away I suppose because of the half term holidays but a good ambiance nonetheless. In the evening we were a small dozen and I sang 'Paid on the Nail', Of the atternders, come to think of it, four weren't yet members so we need to do a bit better than that.

This week my diary is fairly cleat but I need to do quite a lot for the festival including rehearsing with Catherine. Then I need to pick up on some visiting I couldn't do while I was at the worst of that cold. I need to sort out the graduation and also that Cheltenham gig with Huw and Catherine.

Tue 7 Rehearsing for the festival last night and it's beginning to sound great. We had to do a bit of work on 'I drove all night' but it seems to have paid off - we'll just have guitar bass and drums on it chugging away while Johnny does Roy Orbison. Went to the Beaufort afterwards and had a good chat about music generally, backgrounds and so on with Matthew, Doug and Jon. We need to rehearse again tonight. I foolishly offered to play trumpet on 'Dance the Night Away' so I'll have to practice my Fsharp major scale!

Spurgeon on Psalm 150 is helping me think about the Sunday service at the Raglan Festival. A psalm not about music in all its aspects but abut life in all its aspects.

Wed 8 Rehearsed with Catherine in the morning and it's the same old story - we could happily sing for ever if you could get away with a string of reflective even slightly melancholy numbers. In the end though we managed to sort out a half hour set with plenty of quality and also quite a bit of communication. Then we went off to Monmouth and ended up having lunch in a new cafe at the end of Church Street - Pilgrims. We saw the pavement table and it was such a sunny day.

Evening to Hill HOuse once again. We had one sour run through on the back of a breakdown in Kind Hearted Woman but the second, more pared-down run through was much better and even really good. It boils down to a 45. Then John will sing a few and Johnny some others and I think it comes to a little over an hour.

Fri 10 Had to go to the dentist yesterday. I'd had it assessed as a simple broken tooth I could probably fix myself with some TCP and putty but first of all a block injection about as effective as any I've ever had. Them when he started rasping, I could still feel it and he gave some more needle and it's turned into a root canal filling!

After that, we went up to Brynithel to the old church and walked up to the top - great views right over the valleys in all directions. Then we went to Catherine's mother's to have some lunch and then to the Garden Festival. It was a wonderful day.

When I got back the stuff from Cardiff University about graduation was there. It is months late but they must have sent the original stuff to France even though on the forms for the viva you needed to fill in your address at various dates quite clearly. Well, I resisted the temptation to order the robes at £650!!!!!! On the other hand I did take out a week's rent because it happens to include the date for the new vicar's induction.

Today is the start of the Raglan Festival. I'll be going to the school later on to see the production and listen to the handbell ringers. It only took a bit of effort to identify village talent and then the ball started rolling.

Sat 11 The festival started at the school yesterday afternoon with their orchestra, drumming group and production of The Selfish Giant. Then we moved the stage. In the evening, we all got together with the Committee and David Davies to have photos at about 7.30. A great mood of anticipation - our MP was to play the first chord of the festival with a - 'What's this thing called?' 'A plectrum'. Later on, on stage: 'I'm going to play the first note of the Raglan Music Festival with this plectrum.' A sense of foreboding, however. The first act, Chris Radnor is a great guitarist but you can't hear a word of what he's singing. The vocal sound is very muffled. An impression only reinforced in the Tom Fairnie set of one hour where it was not really possible from where I was sitting to make out what any of the songs was about - although I think there was one about love. A great pity because once again, he's a great guitarist - you could tell that and had a melodious voice. But people talked all the way through it. Next up was Keybuggle - a good solid rock band again a little underpowered vocally. A good hard rocking version of 'Superstition'. Then the Loco All Stars - great fun, great musicianship all round. So, don't get me wrong, it was a marvellous start to the Festival and now off I go to events all day and then the set in the evening.

Sun 12 The afternoon at the church was pretty good. The KoolKatz turned about abougt midday and went on at 2. There were quite a few gaps in the audience and quite a stiff reaction to the music but all that changed in the second half when people began calling out encouragements and clapping the solos and by that time it was more or less full downstairs with a few upstairs too. The BBQ was ready when people came out of the concert around 4 which was a nice touch. Huw turned up at the BBQ and we hatched a plan for the evening and came up with the idea of a follow on concert perhaps in September using the night out scheme. The Core turned up with a lot of equipment including enormous red disco speakers. I didn't get much of an opportunity to hear them but they had a fabulous drummer and showed videos of skateboarding and surfing which was a great touch. About half full downstairs? I think this is basically a good afternoon format but if we could tighten it up and allow an hour for the BBQ and preparing the second concert it would go better.

We were first on in the evening and there were plenty of sympathetic people so we felt quite encouraged. The sagging second part of the set was improved by getting Huw on to do 'All along the barley' and of course 'The Tinker Song' - the chorus people sing the first time they hear it! The Frequent Flyers were next up and as I said to Kathy Stewart afterwards - so professional, so relaxed! Eddie Walker closed the evening with some ragtime, blues etc. Interestingly, Catherine felt a group of very vocal young blokes just to the side of the stage were not interested and quite disruptive while I perceived them as involved and interacting with Eddie Walker - a fascinating difference of opinion.

A big day now, a service in three hours, baptismal class and then the Songs of Praise and then the closing event.

Mon 13 A great day yesterday. There were loads of people away in the morning but we still had a pretty good service on the subject of worship seen as more than music. The Songs of Praise in connection with the Festival was pretty well full with just a few spaces upstairs and I suppose about ten musicians on the platform. We spent an hour practising and it seemed to go very smoothly. When I got to the Beaufort the sound check was quite hard to achieve because there were so many of us on stage but finally the sound was great although we had to cut the set quite a bit in view of an 11 pm cutoff. The other bands were great EP - very nice chaps and a rhythmically light sound. The Bitchpups - very tall, very tight meticulously arranged three piece surely destined for a deal. Stayed around chatting till about 1.30 - a great success.

Thur 16 Went to the Beaufort for my birthday. Had the scallops as a starter - very plentiful and delicately flavoured with slamon too. Salmon main course - very good but found the lemon sauce a bit aggressive. We shared a waffle for afters. A good evening out.

Fri 17 Went to Cardiff but it was a gloomy day of drizzle so it was a bit depressing. I got the James Taylor CD with 'Frozen Man' and 'Cha Cha Cha' as well as Kirsty McColl 'Electric Landlady' and 'The best of the Mamas and Papas'. Did a big shop at Tescos in the end.

In the evening, Matthew and Johnny came round - we tried through James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful' and then 'Writ in Water' and a few others. The two guitars sounds great and Johnny picks up songs half way through a first hearing. Perhaps they're just predictable songs! The idea is to take these songs to the Tuesday fortnightly thing at the Beaufort and I'd like to record 'Writ in Water' and 'All shall be well'. Matthew has got a lot of good ideas for riffs and chord sequences etc.

The Family service is coming together for this Sunday. It will include short talks by Mel and Ian and plenty of music.

Sun 19 An interesting time coming up in relation to Chernobyl. The children arrive for their final visit later on this week in the wake of a meeting where only a couple of new people turned up when the serving team had really been hoping to identify new hosts and new responsible people. Then at the end of July Vladimir Feldman one of the leaders from the Mogilev church is coming to go the Baptist World Alliance congress in Birmingham. I think there will be a lot of deep thinking about the future and probably a lot of pastoral discussions.

Mon 20 Very good family service for Fathers' day yesterday. We had a couple of sketches by Dramatic, a children's talk by Mel, a moving reflection by Ian Scott and a new song sung by Catherine - all that with the usual complement of music. A very bright atmosphere. One or two people came for the first time so even though there were about 25 to 30 regulars away - yes, really! - there is the satisfaction of knowing that the pool of attenders is increasing all the time. I hope that next Sunday we'll see a lot of first timers at the church BBQ at Jane Lindsay's house. I learned James Taylor's 'Sugar Trade' over the weekend but it may well be a bit too dark for the set and it's yet another song in D. One good thing is that it is in 3/4 time so provides some variety from that point of view.

I will be looking at Psalm 145 this week - Mel's talk was based on that and because I am preaching on prayer in connection with the Anatomy of the Healthy Church, I was struck by one of his comments that to a good father you can tell anything and that's like God.

Tues 21 Reading The Art of Performance by Frances Young. I'd been drawn to this on the one hand by the promise of a musical link up between period performance and the use of the Bible and on the other hand by my good memories of reading Frances Young on vulnerability during the latter stages of the PhD. Unfortunately, the musical link doens't seem to be at the centre of the book but a kind of veneer of illustrations. All the same, there are some good desciptions of the way the Fathers used the Bible, particularly Origen and one or two reflections on canonicity that are thought provoking. After all, why condemn Marcion for rejecting canonical books when the canon was still fluid?

Wed 22 Finished the book. It redeemed itself in the final chapter where it's suggested that performing the Bible - I suppose preaching - is like giving a cadneza in a concerto. Using all your technical skill to work on the existing material and bring a new perspective to it for the listening and participating orchestra of the community.

Got the PA system from Jonathan Kear and set it up in the chapel. It sounds pretty good really so we shoudl be able to do a set at the church picnic although it's quite hard to decide whether twenty minutes or two hours would be appropriate. Play it by ear, I suppose.

Sat 25 Home Mission celebration evening in Rhiwbina. It wasn't sell supported at all - there were nearly as many on stage as in the audience but the format seems to me to be a good one. We aimed at a Later with Jools Holland type feel and I think we achieved it: a cheerful compere, the acts all set up and ready to go on stage. Short sets. Close Quarters were once again very accomplished - Come fly with me, Autumn Leaves, Like Someone in Love, Lady is a Tramp - the Hope Band were tight musically and Cambrensis fine. A good acoustic very detailed.

Mon 27 Busy weekend. At the school fete it reained for about the first half hour but it was great after that and there was plenty of interest in the Holiday Club - incidentally there has been a lot of fuss about the DVD that goes with the club because there's not really a clear link with the pirate theme: loads of people are saying they can't use it. I saw it yesterday and laughed out loud a few times but it is a bit off the wall even though it throws in loads and loads of tiny references to Bible verses and incidents. At one point, the apostle Paul and Timothy are in a rock band and Paul cries out from the bass guitar, 'Come on Timothy, stir up that gift!' I roared! Anyway, at the fete I got talking to Jonny Quick and on the back of that went to the Crown for an hour in the evening to sing with him and Matthew. Had a great time and got into conversation afterwards with a couple of people who said more or less that they'd like to come to church but would be too apprehensive of what it would be like - exactly the point made in the 'Anatomy of the Healthy Church'. One guy said, 'I'd come every week if you played that (gesturing to the guitar).' I said 'I do . . . amd we have trumpet, trombone, sax, flute, violin, drums when there's a drummer, bass, piano, two guitars.'

He didn't turn up on Sunday morning though. Lots of people did and we had a bracing morning with an exposition of Psalm 145 which I enjoyed very much giving even though I had a bit of a sore throat after. And then we had to go to the church picnic and sing after that so I had a very sore throat by the end! The singing went down well though. The little PA system from Jon Kear was crystal clear in the open air with lots of power to spare. Needless to say, it was a better sound than at the Beaufort and we did quite a lengthy set 'Is your love in vain; Who knews where the time goes; Every grain of sand; cha cha cha; he is not distant; barriers down; wild world; I found a love' then we had Roger Leaver up to do 'Wild Rover' and Derek for 'I get a kick out of you.' What we need now is a couple more lively numbers to finish sets. I think we'll have a go at 'Sunshine Superman' and 'When I get to the border.'

Tues 28 After going to Nevill Hall, went to Norton to take the PA back and chatted with Jon Kear about the extent of his work. He mentioned that the Lewis children had been to his youth clubs and I marvelled - I still can't see how all those rural places fit together. Then he said some kids came from Llandewi Rhydderch! Quick! An OS map. I remembered that my mother worked at Llnadewi as the school secretary in the sixties. We went to London and visited the Houses of Parliament with the then MP in 1967. Ursula Verrier was the head then but although you meet a few people from there, none so far remember those days.

Next Sunday - the question 'What do you seek' in John's gospel in the evening communion service and in the morning something based on the Great Commission in Matthew - I think the contrast between the venal world of the bribed guards and the mountain top.

Thurs 30 Went to the BBC yesterday for Wednesday Word. Arrived in plenty of time but got an irrational fear that I was an hour late and that I had to be there at 8.20 rather than 9.20. Solved that by listening to BBC Radio Wales when Roy Noble came on at 9.00. Went for the paper in the garage up the road fromn the BBC but they've stopped doing them. When I got to the studio I thought the producer was very brusque: 'You'll be going straight iu and Roy will announce you straight away etc.' I even reacted to that with an exaggerated display of being flustered, ruffled feathers. But of course Roy was his usual self and we had a little chat on the air about the colour of our hoover and the graduation ceremony. The talk went well and apparently the producer thought it was good anyway. But there was the unmistakable feeling of being an intrusion into that programme unlike the clairvoyant they have on later in the programme for hours.

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