Oral History (1)

 A few weeks ago I was asked by the President of the UK Baptist Historical Society to contribute 5,000 words to an oral history project (which actually will be written!) asking various people who have been Baptists of 'your experience of being Baptist, changes during your lifetime (positive and negative etc.) These written responses would be placed in the Angus Library and available for future historians to provide a more reflective and experiential view of Baptist life in the 20th and early 21st. century.'

The project is not looking for formal material but a record of memories and reflections by those who took part in events - nationally, regionally, in the local church. Accompanying notes suggest that participants say something about: their early life,  development of Christian experience; call to ministry/vocation and how linked with the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB); formation for future work and how they were led to an area of work; details about where they served and work they did; reflections on how they changed and what changes have happened from when they first began. 

Long suffering readers of my blog will know that I have from time to time indulged in blobs of autobiography.  I think the older you grow the more tempting it is to look back and (hopefully) reflect.  As I began my 5,000 words I realized this task would be strongly slanted...describing my life from a Baptist perspective.  Just how much did BUGB impact me?   And how many of my life experiences come from being Baptist?

And I discovered a huge amount of my life experience does come from being Baptist!  Perhaps, it's inevitable when you think how my life started!  I realize some of you may glaze over but I thought some of it might be of interest.... See next posts.