A few years ago when I was at college, I often used find myself saying 'don't worry about it just blag it (make it up as you go along).' As I think about the future direction of sanctus1 and the emerging church I have a belief that this sense of 'blagging-it' is a spirit driven principle that allows the creative presence of God to move.
As I read the Bible I often get the impression that God is ‘blagging-it’ and making it up as he goes along! Take the stories where God changes his mind i.e. the story of Hezekiah, where God says that he is going to die but then changes his mind and allows him to live for 15 more years. However, within these blags there is always a sense of the bigger picture and the fact that God wants to be in relationship with humanity and this underlying principle is what drives the blag.
I am often asked 'Where is Sanctus1 going?' and my response is that 'I don't know we make it up as we go along...we blag it'. I am aware that the next step is the most important and it is that step that can cause us to fall. There are dangers associated with being too future focused, such as the present reality is not adequately respected. If the present is not respected the organic growth of the community will not happen. There is also the danger of being so focused on a future vision that a neo-colonialism takes place as set ideas of church are imposed on people rather the church growing and evolving organically.
Yet this is not very strategic and therefore an underlying principle is needed to focus and drive the blag. That underlying principle is a belief in a God that wants humanity to be in relationship; relationship with one another in community and relationship with God through Christ. This desire to create community, a place for people to belong, is the under girding of the blag..
Creative Commons
(deep breath for maiden S1 blog post...)
OK, so yesterday I found out about this thing called Creative Commons. It's basically an interesting way of not reserving all the stuff that copyright normally allows you to. In other words, you can make stuff freely available to people to use, as long as they abide by the rules of the licence that you hold with Creative Commons... I'm not doing a great job of explaining it here - but it is a really good idea, maybe esp. for groups like Sanctus1 to share materials we make and create for other people to use. Oh, just look at their site! It's all explained on there...
Esp. make sure you look at the wacky cartoons... :-)) Nice!
http://creativecommons.org
OK, so yesterday I found out about this thing called Creative Commons. It's basically an interesting way of not reserving all the stuff that copyright normally allows you to. In other words, you can make stuff freely available to people to use, as long as they abide by the rules of the licence that you hold with Creative Commons... I'm not doing a great job of explaining it here - but it is a really good idea, maybe esp. for groups like Sanctus1 to share materials we make and create for other people to use. Oh, just look at their site! It's all explained on there...
Esp. make sure you look at the wacky cartoons... :-)) Nice!
http://creativecommons.org
The Beatmatch revisited
With the terrible destruction of one of my DJ decks (okay, it has suffered some damage that can probably be repaired), I thought I would re-visit this article I wrote in June 2002. Happy reading...
The Beatmatch
Sitting in the studio of what is now Manchester’s Galaxy 102, with its gleaming record decks and a whole (ahem) galaxy of ridiculous jingles that can be fired into the mix at the touch of a keyboard, I feel in awe of the DJ who has just taken the cellophane off a record and, without listening to it first, beatmatches it seemlessly into the disc that is playing.
It is legendary DJ Graeme Park and he is, as the jingles boldly pronounce, “in the mix”. Two years later, I buy DJ decks for the first time, inspired by Parks’ incredible ability to throw two records together and match the tempo with a mere twiddle of knob and a flick of wrist. It’s genius, it’s sexy… and I want it.
I learned to beatmatch (or ‘beatmix’ if you’re into saving letters) on CD decks that were part of Pioneer’s stall at a DJ equipment fair. Two weeks later I bought record decks and taught myself to beatmatch within two hours. How did I do it? I imitated what I had seen Graeme Park do, and many other of his contemporaries like Andrew Weatherall and Sven Vath. And amazing things happen once you’ve learnt to match beats to the exact bass drum. Your friends envy you. Crowds want to be you. And yet… and yet…
Beatmatching is vinyl’s playground bully. Firstly, it tries to impress by flexing its musical muscles and attempting to sound clever. But it isn’t clever when you get a perfect mix but one record has been slowed to half its speed and the other is galloping along like an ass with a bee-stung ass. Beatmatching thinks it’s important, the top don, the dog’s bongos, and yet it has the ability to twist the record arm behind music’s back and blackmail a good tune into whimpering submission. Kylie may mix well into Nickelback, but only when Chad Kroeger sounds like a chipmunk and the Queen of Pop sounds more like Nick Cave. Change the tempo to get a beatmatch, please, but change it too much and you just end up smacking your pitch up.
Secondly, beatmatching is a bully because it intimidates learner DJs into hanging up their decks and surrendering their discs to dust. Beatmatching isn’t everything, and it’s not wimpy just to want to play records without mixing them. No, really. For a start, Aphex Twin doesn’t mix with anything, and neither do most rock tunes that have ever been released. People just want a good tune, whether it’s house, garage or a small brick extension to the rear of the property.
To quote the songwriter, please don’t let me be misunderstood; I chase the perfect beatmatch as much as the next DJ, and my intense concentration and the small pool behind the decks, generated from my resultant sweating, is testament to that. I know I am good at beatmatching, and I go for long, clever and creative mixes wherever I can.
But I also do sets with no beatmatching whatsoever because it’s all about playing amazing tunes that make you laugh, cry, nod your head and break your heart. Compared to Orbital’s The Girl With The Sun In Her Head, Lamb’s Gorecki or Sabres Of Paradise’s Smokebelch, my skills don’t mean jack, no sir.
DJs, know your place.
The Beatmatch
Sitting in the studio of what is now Manchester’s Galaxy 102, with its gleaming record decks and a whole (ahem) galaxy of ridiculous jingles that can be fired into the mix at the touch of a keyboard, I feel in awe of the DJ who has just taken the cellophane off a record and, without listening to it first, beatmatches it seemlessly into the disc that is playing.
It is legendary DJ Graeme Park and he is, as the jingles boldly pronounce, “in the mix”. Two years later, I buy DJ decks for the first time, inspired by Parks’ incredible ability to throw two records together and match the tempo with a mere twiddle of knob and a flick of wrist. It’s genius, it’s sexy… and I want it.
I learned to beatmatch (or ‘beatmix’ if you’re into saving letters) on CD decks that were part of Pioneer’s stall at a DJ equipment fair. Two weeks later I bought record decks and taught myself to beatmatch within two hours. How did I do it? I imitated what I had seen Graeme Park do, and many other of his contemporaries like Andrew Weatherall and Sven Vath. And amazing things happen once you’ve learnt to match beats to the exact bass drum. Your friends envy you. Crowds want to be you. And yet… and yet…
Beatmatching is vinyl’s playground bully. Firstly, it tries to impress by flexing its musical muscles and attempting to sound clever. But it isn’t clever when you get a perfect mix but one record has been slowed to half its speed and the other is galloping along like an ass with a bee-stung ass. Beatmatching thinks it’s important, the top don, the dog’s bongos, and yet it has the ability to twist the record arm behind music’s back and blackmail a good tune into whimpering submission. Kylie may mix well into Nickelback, but only when Chad Kroeger sounds like a chipmunk and the Queen of Pop sounds more like Nick Cave. Change the tempo to get a beatmatch, please, but change it too much and you just end up smacking your pitch up.
Secondly, beatmatching is a bully because it intimidates learner DJs into hanging up their decks and surrendering their discs to dust. Beatmatching isn’t everything, and it’s not wimpy just to want to play records without mixing them. No, really. For a start, Aphex Twin doesn’t mix with anything, and neither do most rock tunes that have ever been released. People just want a good tune, whether it’s house, garage or a small brick extension to the rear of the property.
To quote the songwriter, please don’t let me be misunderstood; I chase the perfect beatmatch as much as the next DJ, and my intense concentration and the small pool behind the decks, generated from my resultant sweating, is testament to that. I know I am good at beatmatching, and I go for long, clever and creative mixes wherever I can.
But I also do sets with no beatmatching whatsoever because it’s all about playing amazing tunes that make you laugh, cry, nod your head and break your heart. Compared to Orbital’s The Girl With The Sun In Her Head, Lamb’s Gorecki or Sabres Of Paradise’s Smokebelch, my skills don’t mean jack, no sir.
DJs, know your place.
Conference for Network Focused Churches
This is a conference that I will be attending at the end of November (unless the baby comes early!) if you are part of sanctus1 and would like to come then let me know.
If you want to book or find out more details then contact c.dalpra@sheffieldcentre.org.uk or see http://www.encountersontheedge.org.uk/ future conferences
Date: November 23-25 2004 (lunchtime to lunchtime)
Venue: Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism, Sheffield
Speakers confirmed: Rt Revd Graham Cray, Bishop of Maidstone, Andrew Jones, Paul Machonochie
Style of conference: mix of plenary, small group, story-telling and worship
If you want to book or find out more details then contact c.dalpra@sheffieldcentre.org.uk or see http://www.encountersontheedge.org.uk/ future conferences
Date: November 23-25 2004 (lunchtime to lunchtime)
Venue: Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism, Sheffield
Speakers confirmed: Rt Revd Graham Cray, Bishop of Maidstone, Andrew Jones, Paul Machonochie
Style of conference: mix of plenary, small group, story-telling and worship
Protest4
It would be fantastic if some sanctus1 people could attend this. Unfortunately I am working that weekend but think we need to be there as it is to London focused.
Protest4 invites those with a similar vision to join us for a preliminary gathering on the weekend of the 29-31st October 2004 at Christ Church, the church.co.uk centre, Waterloo, London.
Phil Lane, an international expert on human trafficking, will be there to help us explore human trafficking, by presenting the issues and facilitating discussion for action.
There will also be input from Kester Brewin (author of ‘The Complex Christ’); Andrew Jones (aka www.tallskinnykiwi.com and an Associate of DAWN ministries); Rev. Dr. Carrie Pemberton (Founder of CHASTE); and a film and presentation from Gareth Higgins (author of ‘How Movies Helped Save My Soul’); Worship installation will be from London Zoo. The weekend will kick off at the church.co.uk centre at 7:00 pm on Friday the 29th.
Protest4 invites those with a similar vision to join us for a preliminary gathering on the weekend of the 29-31st October 2004 at Christ Church, the church.co.uk centre, Waterloo, London.
Phil Lane, an international expert on human trafficking, will be there to help us explore human trafficking, by presenting the issues and facilitating discussion for action.
There will also be input from Kester Brewin (author of ‘The Complex Christ’); Andrew Jones (aka www.tallskinnykiwi.com and an Associate of DAWN ministries); Rev. Dr. Carrie Pemberton (Founder of CHASTE); and a film and presentation from Gareth Higgins (author of ‘How Movies Helped Save My Soul’); Worship installation will be from London Zoo. The weekend will kick off at the church.co.uk centre at 7:00 pm on Friday the 29th.
Last night's Service.
'A Time for Everything' went well last night - It has been a while since I have done a service in Manchester - For the July service I was in Namibia and then August's service was at Greenbelt. So I was rather nervous beforehand...added to that the fact that we were at The Cathedral rather than Sacred Trinity means that the stakes are raised slightly higher. But I didn't need to worry...all went well; I would be interested to hear peoples comments on the space that we used this time. I felt that it was a pity that everyone sat on the chairs as it felt too 'up-front' and less community focused...
However I thought that the content was superb and it was good to have so many visitors...next one is on 31st October...Halloween...in Sacred Trinity.
However I thought that the content was superb and it was good to have so many visitors...next one is on 31st October...Halloween...in Sacred Trinity.
Inclusive church launch Manchester
Inclusive Church Launch for Manchester:
Saturday 20th November 2004
St Peter's House, Oxford Rd, Manchester
The launch will begin at 11am with a presentation by the Revd Dr Giles Fraser: ‘Inclusive Bible, Exclusive Church’. This will be followed by a formal launching of Inclusive Church. After lunch there will be an interactive session considering ‘Where first-where next?’ when we hope to discover how we might meaningfully ‘earth’ and extend, for the people of Greater Manchester as well as for the students of the Universities, the online initiative that already exists (www.inclusivechurch.net).
If you would like to go contact sph.reception@man.ac.uk and they'll be able to provide more details
Saturday 20th November 2004
St Peter's House, Oxford Rd, Manchester
The launch will begin at 11am with a presentation by the Revd Dr Giles Fraser: ‘Inclusive Bible, Exclusive Church’. This will be followed by a formal launching of Inclusive Church. After lunch there will be an interactive session considering ‘Where first-where next?’ when we hope to discover how we might meaningfully ‘earth’ and extend, for the people of Greater Manchester as well as for the students of the Universities, the online initiative that already exists (www.inclusivechurch.net).
If you would like to go contact sph.reception@man.ac.uk and they'll be able to provide more details
iRaq
This image and a number more were in third way this month and are on www.politicalgraphics.org. Fascinating how the ipod graphics have grabbed the imagination of people. This image in particular fascinates me, personally it evokes a number of different emotions and thoughts - It reminds me of the crucifix, there are also strong visual links with the KKK and finally it links with the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.
An image can say more than a thousand words...
An image can say more than a thousand words...
IGod
love this image - It's produced by a company called Marketing Manchester who were commissioned to 'Sell God'
Mission
We're in the process of chatting through the whole area of mission within sanctus, it is something that i am passionate and i think that we need have a missional theology before going on to outwork that mission. If we do mission without the thinking behind it then the danger is that we can perpetuate some of the old imperialistic models of church and mission...so here are few starter thoughts on the theology of mission:
1 - A missional theology starts with a belief in a God of mission...God sent his son into the world in an act of mission. God wants to be in relationship with humanity and consistently reaches out to humanity, this is shown in the Bible and throughout human history. God is a missional God and we are called to reflect God.
2 - God is already active in the world - God's mission did not end at with the sending of Christ. God is continuing in his misison now and our role as missionary people is not to take God into the world but to recognise what God is already doing in teh world and to work alongside God in his ongoing mission, This theology of mission prevents the dualism that has so often characterised Christian mission where we take a 'Good God' into a 'Bad World'
3 - I am becoming increasing convince that the greatest missional tool is 'hospitality' - so often in the world people are not hospitable, not welcoming, not inclusive and hence hospitality is not practiced. I believe the first step to being a missional church is to be a hospitable church.
1 - A missional theology starts with a belief in a God of mission...God sent his son into the world in an act of mission. God wants to be in relationship with humanity and consistently reaches out to humanity, this is shown in the Bible and throughout human history. God is a missional God and we are called to reflect God.
2 - God is already active in the world - God's mission did not end at with the sending of Christ. God is continuing in his misison now and our role as missionary people is not to take God into the world but to recognise what God is already doing in teh world and to work alongside God in his ongoing mission, This theology of mission prevents the dualism that has so often characterised Christian mission where we take a 'Good God' into a 'Bad World'
3 - I am becoming increasing convince that the greatest missional tool is 'hospitality' - so often in the world people are not hospitable, not welcoming, not inclusive and hence hospitality is not practiced. I believe the first step to being a missional church is to be a hospitable church.
A Time For Everything
This Sunday at Manchester Cathedral Sanctus1 are having a service. It's called 'A Time for Everything' and myself and Kolyn have been planning it. It is themed around Ecclesiastes 3 and I'm quite excited by it. It starts at 8pm, come and join us if you wish.
Resonance
Manchester Cathedral are hosting an event called 'Resonance' on 2nd and 3rd October, http://www.resonance.ukf.net. I've been involved in the planning of it with Wellsprings and others from Acorn. Looks like it should be a good event with a variety of zones around the cathedral; listening, storytelling, healingm world, body etc.
Baker plaudits
Blimey. Jonny Baker has blogged on Sanctus1. In fact the Late Late Breakfast service at Greenbelt is his 'worship trick 99'.
Does this mean Sanctus1 has 'arrived'? ;-)
Does this mean Sanctus1 has 'arrived'? ;-)
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