The Days We Left Behind

Albert Bogle April 13, 2026 0 1

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The Days We Left Behind: When an Empty Building Becomes an Open Tomb

Paul McCartney’s latest release, The Days We Left Behind, provided the perfect soundtrack for a picture that recently popped up in my WhatsApp feed. It was a photo of my former church, St Andrew’s in Bo’ness. The church door was standing ajar; on the entrance step sat the old Christmas tree, now transformed into a cross and beautifully decorated with fresh flowers.

For many, many years, a cross has adorned the chancel steps of that building. But now, since the building has been designated "surplus to requirements," the church stands empty—at least to the casual observer. Yet, the memories of the days we left behind deserved to be remembered once more this Easter.

A Message in the Doorway

Kate and her team recently returned to the church, opened the doors, and decorated the cross, placing it outside for all to see. It served as a vibrant reminder: the congregation may have left the building, but that open door is our "open tomb."

It reminds the community in Bo’ness and further afield that the congregation has gone out into the world to share the good news that Jesus is alive. They have left the building, but they have taken the cross with them.

Surplus to Requirements?

Just as the tomb became "surplus to requirements" for the living body of Christ, our church buildings do not define the limits of our faith. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the legacy of this fellowship continues through the ministry of Sanctuary First, the Vine Trust, and the newly formed Parish Church of Bo’ness and the numerous ministries that first started out of this place.

God is shaping many new and vibrant ministries that can look back fondly on "those days we left behind" without being anchored to the past. Those days bear witness to the fellowship and bonds of love that bind the community of St Andrew’s together. These bonds have taught us that the true strength of a fellowship lies in its willingness to give itself away—to be willing to "die" in one form in order to be raised in a brand new way.

As the well-known Scottish psalmist Ian White so perfectly puts it:

The cross still stands, even after all these years. The cross still stands, calling you, calling to me, Calling to everyone to turn and believe.

Share Your Story

We had many marvellous years celebrating the power of the Resurrection and its ability to change lives at St Andrew’s Bo’ness. Perhaps as you read this, you are someone who remembers those Easter Sundays in Bo’ness.

We would love to hear from you in the comments. What do you remember about worship in St Andrew’s? Were you baptised or confirmed there? Was it a TGI Sunday or a Sanctuary First service that sticks in your mind? Was it  Avenue Youth Programme or Bounce Higher, or perhaps Shalom Counselling? Maybe the BBs or the Guides or the Brownies? the Mens’s Group or the Tuesday Club? Let’s hear the stories of a community that may have left the building, but still holds fast to the cross.