LICC's Christmas/ Advent e-mails are always a treat, and this year's is no exception.
divine presence
When did God become fully human?
When an egg was fertilised?
When cells divided?
When Mary felt her first kick?
When Jesus took his first breath?
When did God become fully human?
When he chose to resist temptation?
When he entered the kingdom as a child?
When he fought, by not fighting back?
When he hung with us; for us?
Here is a gift of true worth: divine presence. Amid the white noise of a world surfing the airwaves; amid the narrow casts, broadcasts and podcasts; caught in the radio signals, mobile downloads and webcasts; up with the static and the crackle of interference… one simple signal still pulses from ages past, like a heartbeat:
Are you receiving me?
Are you receiving me?
Are you receiving me?
Happy Christmas from all of us at LICC.
Brian Draper
Join Sanctus1 for Midnight Mass...
Sanctus1 invite you to:
‘Midnight’
An journey into Christmas.
A fusing together of the ancient and modern at this time of celebration.
Saturday 24th December, 11:30 p.m.
Sacred Trinity, Salford.
Christmas message...?
Check out the trailer for the new superman movie:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/supermanreturns/
Happy Christmas!
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/supermanreturns/
Happy Christmas!
Farm-o-meter update
Look how well we're doing! And there's more to come at the Christmas party this Saturday, next Tuesday's shared service, and Christmas Eve Midnight service!
Surprise, surprise Polly Toynbee doesn't like Narnia
Have a read of this. And here's a taster...
"Of all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to? Poor child Edmund, to blame for everything, must bear the full weight of a guilt only Christians know how to inflict, with a twisted knife to the heart. Every one of those thorns, the nuns used to tell my mother, is hammered into Jesus's holy head every day that you don't eat your greens or say your prayers when you are told. So the resurrected Aslan gives Edmund a long, life-changing talking-to high up on the rocks out of our earshot. When the poor boy comes back down with the sacred lion's breath upon him he is transformed unrecognisably into a Stepford brother, well and truly purged....
"Of all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to? Poor child Edmund, to blame for everything, must bear the full weight of a guilt only Christians know how to inflict, with a twisted knife to the heart. Every one of those thorns, the nuns used to tell my mother, is hammered into Jesus's holy head every day that you don't eat your greens or say your prayers when you are told. So the resurrected Aslan gives Edmund a long, life-changing talking-to high up on the rocks out of our earshot. When the poor boy comes back down with the sacred lion's breath upon him he is transformed unrecognisably into a Stepford brother, well and truly purged....
Sanctus2nds:14 days to go...
Sanctus2nds is an intergenerational service that Sanctus1 run every 2nd Sunday, this Sunday it's in Sacred Trinity and is called '14 days to go...'and will be an exploration into advent.
The service starts at 4pm and all people are welcome.
Sanctus2nds will also feature an under 5's play space.
Must I paint you a picture...
...of how happy Sara and I are now that my birthday sends Amazon parcel has arrived in the office?
It contains, amongst other things (Sweet Hereafter DVD, Crash DVD, The Time Traveller's Wife, The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds CD), Billy Bragg's "Must I paint you a picture?" collection CD.
Like pigs in the proverbial in our office now...
It contains, amongst other things (Sweet Hereafter DVD, Crash DVD, The Time Traveller's Wife, The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds CD), Billy Bragg's "Must I paint you a picture?" collection CD.
Like pigs in the proverbial in our office now...
Farm-ometer - what for how much?
As promised a list of what you can buy for how much...
Sanctus1 Farm-ometer
No Item £per item
2 Ox 105
10 Cow 72
4 Goat 62.5
5 Bee hive 40
8 Rabbits 12.5
3 Sheep 12
35 Fruit Trees x 20 6
48 Chickens x 6 5
7 Days Training 5
Oh and there'll be no lovely photo this week till next Monday because tonight we're all out at Cord
Sanctus1 Farm-ometer
No Item £per item
2 Ox 105
10 Cow 72
4 Goat 62.5
5 Bee hive 40
8 Rabbits 12.5
3 Sheep 12
35 Fruit Trees x 20 6
48 Chickens x 6 5
7 Days Training 5
Oh and there'll be no lovely photo this week till next Monday because tonight we're all out at Cord
II - This Wednesday
This Wednesday night (7th December) it is II. II is a night of electronica and creative media that Sanctus1 promotes and hosts in Cord in the Northern quarter. Starts at 8pm and finished at 11, entry is free.
Come along and bring your friends.
Come along and bring your friends.
I've started a blog...
I've started my own blog...don't worry I'll still post on this one! But need my own thinking space too...
Farm-ometer update
So here's the update on where the farm is at this week. We've added:2 beehives
some trees
3 rabbits
and 1 day of training.
Check back here next week for another update!
The end of an era
Dear City Life reader
It is with deep regret that we announce that City Life magazine is to close.
City Life began publishing in December 1983 and has been bringing you all your essential Manchester listings since then. We are grateful to all our loyal readers for their support over the years.
The magazine will be published for the final time on 7th December 2005.
Thanks you once again for being a loyal City Life reader.
Kind Regards
CITY LIFE STAFF
It is with deep regret that we announce that City Life magazine is to close.
City Life began publishing in December 1983 and has been bringing you all your essential Manchester listings since then. We are grateful to all our loyal readers for their support over the years.
The magazine will be published for the final time on 7th December 2005.
Thanks you once again for being a loyal City Life reader.
Kind Regards
CITY LIFE STAFF
Farm-ometer
We're suspending the sending of Christmas cards and presents at Sanctus1 this year in favour of farming! No, silly - not moving to the Good Life or the country but buying a farm from Send A Cow.
They say, "You may like to give a farmyard in your own name, or perhaps you could encourage your church, club or workplace to raise £2,000 that will bring a secure future to upto 250 people currently trapped in poverty. Your symbolic Christmas farmyard will be distributed over all the countries in Africa where Send a Cow works."
With our £2000 we're buying ....
10 cows
2 pairs of goats
A team of oxen
3 sheep
4 flocks of poultry
5 hives of bees
600 fruit tree saplings
7 days of training
8 rabbits
And I'll try and post a picture of fabulous farmyard (made by Mary and Sarah) as it fills up week by week. You can pledge at Tues/ Wed evenings and any Sanctus service between now and Christmas.
HAPPY FARMING EVERYONE!
They say, "You may like to give a farmyard in your own name, or perhaps you could encourage your church, club or workplace to raise £2,000 that will bring a secure future to upto 250 people currently trapped in poverty. Your symbolic Christmas farmyard will be distributed over all the countries in Africa where Send a Cow works."With our £2000 we're buying ....
10 cows
2 pairs of goats
A team of oxen
3 sheep
4 flocks of poultry
5 hives of bees
600 fruit tree saplings
7 days of training
8 rabbits
And I'll try and post a picture of fabulous farmyard (made by Mary and Sarah) as it fills up week by week. You can pledge at Tues/ Wed evenings and any Sanctus service between now and Christmas.
HAPPY FARMING EVERYONE!
Snow in Manchester
It's snowing and here's a picture of our street. Gonna take Jude out to build his first snow man when he wakes from his nap...
Vigil for World AIDS day
Sanctus1 along with the other city centre churches are having a vigil for World AIDS day. The Vigil is on Tuesday 29th from 6 pm - 7 pm in St. Anns. There will also be a prayer station in St. Anns and Methodist Central Hall over the next few days for people to pray for those affected by HIV and AIDS.
Credo - An exploration into belief
This Sunday at 8pm we have a Sanctus1 service. It's called credo and starts at 8 pm in Sacred Trinity.
Emergence
While reading an article on Constructivism, an approach to social science, I found this footnote on emergence, which interested me...
"Emergence, an increasingly important concept in physics, meant that physical and biological systems are partly indeterminate (even though they respond to laws); accordingly, once they cross a threshold of complexity, they can spontaneously organize themsleves into more complex, self-sustaining and self-reproducing structures. 'Weather is an emergent property; take your water vapour out over the Gulf of Mexico and let it interact with sunlight and wind, and it can organize itself into an emergent structure known as a hurricane. Life is an emergent property, the product of DNA molecules and protein molecules and myriad other kinds of molecules, all obeying the laws of chemistry' (Waldrop, 1992:82; see also Kauffman, 1995:24*). In the social world I take emergence to mean that 'in contrast to the past which is closed, as it were, the future is still open to influence; it is not yet completely determined' (Popper, 1982a:56, 130*). In other words, the social world is emergent because we humans can reflectively and ofter suprisingly affect it with formulated human knowledge. Metaphorically speaking, then, human knowledge can produce instabilities that generate the propensity for self-organization."
(Emanueal Adler (1997) "Seizing the Middle Ground: Constructivism in World Politics" European Journal of International Relations 3:3)
I think it's the idea of complexity and the effect that people's ideas have on what would otherwise be a fairly straightforward social development. Does this have any relationship to the emergence of churches?
*Not referneced in full for reasons of brevity but I can if you like
"Emergence, an increasingly important concept in physics, meant that physical and biological systems are partly indeterminate (even though they respond to laws); accordingly, once they cross a threshold of complexity, they can spontaneously organize themsleves into more complex, self-sustaining and self-reproducing structures. 'Weather is an emergent property; take your water vapour out over the Gulf of Mexico and let it interact with sunlight and wind, and it can organize itself into an emergent structure known as a hurricane. Life is an emergent property, the product of DNA molecules and protein molecules and myriad other kinds of molecules, all obeying the laws of chemistry' (Waldrop, 1992:82; see also Kauffman, 1995:24*). In the social world I take emergence to mean that 'in contrast to the past which is closed, as it were, the future is still open to influence; it is not yet completely determined' (Popper, 1982a:56, 130*). In other words, the social world is emergent because we humans can reflectively and ofter suprisingly affect it with formulated human knowledge. Metaphorically speaking, then, human knowledge can produce instabilities that generate the propensity for self-organization."
(Emanueal Adler (1997) "Seizing the Middle Ground: Constructivism in World Politics" European Journal of International Relations 3:3)
I think it's the idea of complexity and the effect that people's ideas have on what would otherwise be a fairly straightforward social development. Does this have any relationship to the emergence of churches?
*Not referneced in full for reasons of brevity but I can if you like
Baumen interview
Baumen was interviewd in the Guardian last week and I've been meaning to blog about it for a while...anyway here it is, fascinating that he starts with the book of Job and includes a fantastic quote from a polish proverb, "Guest in the house - God in the house. Eat! " How's that for hospitality!
Thatcher era in graphs
How cool is this BBC Thatcherite graph machine?...
My fave so far is coal production vs VCR ownership.
My fave so far is coal production vs VCR ownership.
Welcome to Jude's baptism... the service will start shortly.
Well I said I'd post a couple of photos but just haven't had time till now.
These shots were taken by Al Lomax (ta matey!) and really just give a flavour of the service itself, more than listing content and ideas...
These shots were taken by Al Lomax (ta matey!) and really just give a flavour of the service itself, more than listing content and ideas...
National Gathering in Manchester
National Gathering, Manchester, 24-26 February 2006
A unique national gathering for those actively involved in emerging / alt worship expressions within the United Kingdom.
The weekend will be interactive, aiming to be a catalyst where the focus will revolve around:
Networking
Providing a forum for the exchange of knowledge and practices, encouraging collaboration and learning from one another.
Understanding
Reflecting theologically where we are at, where we have come from and mapping a possible future.
Mission
Examining cultural practices and considering how the movement may be of greater significance to those around.
The weekend will run from Friday 8 pm through to Sunday 1.30 (there is an optional lunch 1.30 – 3.30).
Cost: £40 (not including meals)
Places limited to 100 so please book early.
The weekend has been planned by a group of involved in various emerging / alt worship expressions.
If you are interested in going please email nationalgathering@xalt.co.uk and we will send you a booking form and more details
Lambeth and the Tate
I'm still in London and have been at a meeting all day at Lambeth Palace. Jane Williams spoke this morning...she was fascinating.
It's a beautiful winter evening and I've got a couple of hours to kill before another meeting so I've walked along the side of the thames down to the Tate Modern to visit the turbine hall. It's got the installation by Rachel Whiteread installation Embankment in it. I'm currently blogging from the floor in the centre of it, surrounded by these huge sugar cubes!!
It's a beautiful winter evening and I've got a couple of hours to kill before another meeting so I've walked along the side of the thames down to the Tate Modern to visit the turbine hall. It's got the installation by Rachel Whiteread installation Embankment in it. I'm currently blogging from the floor in the centre of it, surrounded by these huge sugar cubes!!
Blah...
Last night's blah seemed to go well, basically i went through some of the changes that are going on within wider culture re. re-enchantment, then looked at 'occulture'. Occulture is a word that has been used by Prof. Chris Partridge at University college Chester in his book "The Re-enchantment of the West'. He takes the word Occult and broadens it out to include all things new age and then looks at the way that this has influenced contemporary culture. I used a couple of examples - A Prayer for England by Sinead O'Conner and Massive Attack, within which sinead prays to 'Jah' - God within Rastafarianism. Also looked at some of Paulo Cohelo's writing.
Then we looked at revised cultural correlation theory before specifically looking at the MBS festival in Manchester city centre. Particularly exploring at The Jesus Deck, Everyday Angels, Healing and prophecy...All fascinating stuff.
I think that it is excellent that Sanctus1 have a stand at MBS but also think that the smaller festivals that are far more local and probably a better way to go in regard to mission. Also had a interesting conversation with Paul Thaxter for CMS regarding how we discern where the spirit of God is working in this context, and i guess what is not of God...There is a danger that we sacralize the new age movement and say that it is a movement of God and fail to discern the negative trends that are within this culture too.
Then we looked at revised cultural correlation theory before specifically looking at the MBS festival in Manchester city centre. Particularly exploring at The Jesus Deck, Everyday Angels, Healing and prophecy...All fascinating stuff.
I think that it is excellent that Sanctus1 have a stand at MBS but also think that the smaller festivals that are far more local and probably a better way to go in regard to mission. Also had a interesting conversation with Paul Thaxter for CMS regarding how we discern where the spirit of God is working in this context, and i guess what is not of God...There is a danger that we sacralize the new age movement and say that it is a movement of God and fail to discern the negative trends that are within this culture too.
blah... tonight
I'm speaking at blah... tonight, then I'm in London for a couple of days catching up with a few people and at meetings. May blog if i can find some wifi in the big smoke...
Hot chocolate sells out!
...well nearly. After a very successful night cafe at Nexus on Saturday we ran out of whipped cream and marshmellows, to the disappointment of chocolate starved night clubbers(!) Will people still be wanting chocolate, coffees etc once the controversial licensing act comes into action a week tomorrow? Apparantly less than 1% of drinking establisments have actually applied to be open 24 hours, but a fair number have seeked to stay open a little later. One can only wait and see to discover the effects that this will have in our communities. For us here at Nexus it is providing a rather exciting time, including a visit from a film crew this Saturday night. By being a non-alcholic city centre venue, currently open later than most pubs and clubs on a Saturday, we fly in the face of the binge drink culture. People actually enjoy talking to their friends over a hot chocolate - who'd have thought!
Water, water everywhere...
I was kind of waiting for Ben to maybe post something here about Jude’s baptism, which took place on Sunday at Sacred Trinity as part of our monthly Sanctus2nds service. But in lieu of anything that he might post later in the week, I just wanted to write a bit about it here (as one of the proud godmothers!).I’m sure that some photos and more words might go up here tonight or this week. In the meantime, make do with a photo of the Frank water that we baptised Jude in as part of the service. Lovely bods those Frank people - efficient, friendly, delighted that we were using their water for something so special... They were at Greenbelt too!
Anyway, go see them - www.frankwater.com
Priest Idol
I’m sure that much wordage in the blogosphere shall be used to describe, discuss and dissect this piece of Channel 4 progamming.
The blurb reads: “A church in Yorkshire is in crisis. If the new vicar is to fill the pews, he’ll need all the help he can get.” He's a young American priest moving to Barnsley, say not much more... The show started its three-week series last night.
But I can’t resist putting up my two words here… patronising crap. For everyone involved, but especially directed by the programme makers (and editors) at the people of Lundwood, where it was filmed.
Really Channel 4 – I’ve come to expect better of you.
(sigh)
Shhhh...
Go here to read and contemplate David Cannadine’s great opinion-piece on the benefit, varieties and scarcity of silence.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4429278.stm
But do it quietly for goodness sake...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4429278.stm
But do it quietly for goodness sake...
Ninja tune videos
People are often asking me where we get the videos from that we use in Sanctus1. One of my favourite sites is the ninja tunes site. The herbaliser video for something wicked has seaming (from sanctus1) singing on it and you can also check out homelife - her band.
I've used Funki Porcini's video 'The great divide' with a call to worship being said on top of it, and i may use the Hexstatic video distorted mind (ft. Juice Aleem) at next weeks blah. If you look through them and find any other good ones then let me know...
I've used Funki Porcini's video 'The great divide' with a call to worship being said on top of it, and i may use the Hexstatic video distorted mind (ft. Juice Aleem) at next weeks blah. If you look through them and find any other good ones then let me know...
times they are a changing...
I turned up about 30 mins late for a meeting yesterday with Jude (our little boy), I sat down and looked up to see 5 women ministers and me with the baby!!
"Lie with me"
...is the title of an art illustration in Piccadilly Gardens (where Private Sanctuary used to be). The artist invites you to lie with her (on condition that you remove your shoes). It explores the connection through our feelings with each other as human beings without necessary talking to each other, but just being with each other. The experience got me thinking about our connections and encounters with others: where are the places of encounter in today's society? can they be created or can they only emerge? Anyway, I thoroughly recommend the exhibition!
Sanctus2nds:Jude's Baptism
Sanctus2nds is an intergenerational service that Sanctus1 run every 2nd Sunday, this Sunday it's in Sacred Trinity and is Jude's (our little boy) baptism.
The service starts at 3pm and all people are welcome.
Sanctus2nds will also feature an under 5's play space.
BBH and Holidays
I've was away on holiday last week and then speaking at the BBH conference this week, so apologies that i've been rather quiet on the blogging front.
The BBH conference was good, I spoke on Santus1, emerging missiology and the MBS fair - all seemed to go well. Roy Searle from the Northumbria Community was also there and made a couple of throw away comments that really stimulated my thinking. Firstly, we need to get away from the thinking of being purpose-driven, Christ was not purpose-driven but purpose-led. We are driven too much in our life's and hence we suffer from burnout etc. and fail to have time just to be...
Secondly, Roy said 'he used to call people dropping out of churches 'backsliders', he now identifies them as a movement of God...
Met a few interesting people and heard about something called 'space' down near Eastbourne, a group who seem to be doing some really creative things in their early stages of life...
The BBH conference was good, I spoke on Santus1, emerging missiology and the MBS fair - all seemed to go well. Roy Searle from the Northumbria Community was also there and made a couple of throw away comments that really stimulated my thinking. Firstly, we need to get away from the thinking of being purpose-driven, Christ was not purpose-driven but purpose-led. We are driven too much in our life's and hence we suffer from burnout etc. and fail to have time just to be...
Secondly, Roy said 'he used to call people dropping out of churches 'backsliders', he now identifies them as a movement of God...
Met a few interesting people and heard about something called 'space' down near Eastbourne, a group who seem to be doing some really creative things in their early stages of life...
Eden coming
There's a huge front-page-of-Society Guardian piece about Openshaw's Eden project today.
Read it here: http://society.guardian.co.uk/socialexclusion/story/0,11499,1606107,00.html
Read it here: http://society.guardian.co.uk/socialexclusion/story/0,11499,1606107,00.html
question from the forum
From MJ, http://www.churchetc.blogspot.com/:
"Do you think that a traditional church such as the Cathedral could have services with elements of sanctus, or do the two ends of the scale have to remain seperate?"
Interesting question. What do we do? What makes us distinctive? Are we integrated with traditional church or separate from it? Discuss.
"Do you think that a traditional church such as the Cathedral could have services with elements of sanctus, or do the two ends of the scale have to remain seperate?"
Interesting question. What do we do? What makes us distinctive? Are we integrated with traditional church or separate from it? Discuss.
love your neighbour
Quote of the night (from Dave):
"God told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, and then He gave us our families to practice on."
"God told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, and then He gave us our families to practice on."
Stock images
Oh and have just been reminded to post these urls which link to free stock/ copyright-free photography sites:
http://www.sxc.hu/
http://www.morguefile.com
http://www.bluevertigo.com.ar/bluevertigo.htm
Promise I'll get on with some proper work now...
http://www.sxc.hu/
http://www.morguefile.com
http://www.bluevertigo.com.ar/bluevertigo.htm
Promise I'll get on with some proper work now...
Earth a little lighter...
(as Ricky Ross said once)
How coooool are these - recycled trainers!
http://www.antiapathy.org/wornagain/home.html
And I believe that most New Balance trainers are made here in the NW -
http://www.newbalance.co.uk/
Be nice to your feet!
How coooool are these - recycled trainers!
http://www.antiapathy.org/wornagain/home.html
And I believe that most New Balance trainers are made here in the NW -
http://www.newbalance.co.uk/
Be nice to your feet!
Sanctus1 Service - The Urban Harvest
There is a Sanctus1 service this Sunday. 8pm in Sacred Trinity, the theme in the Urban Harvest - Hope to see you there.
blah...manchester
Kester was on form last night at blah, he stimulated some interesting conversations about the urban environment and the body of Christ. Here are his notes from last night.
Be nice to the world and those in it...
I promised a couple of people that I'd post this after last night's session to start a series on the environment.
Living Generously - http://www.generous.org.uk/ - is a Greenbelt project to help us all live more integrated and sustainable lives.
And Onya bags - http://www.onyabags.co.uk/ - are made of parachute fabric and can fold up into the smallest of spaces - meaning you don't ever need to take another plastic carrier bag.
All good.
Living Generously - http://www.generous.org.uk/ - is a Greenbelt project to help us all live more integrated and sustainable lives.
And Onya bags - http://www.onyabags.co.uk/ - are made of parachute fabric and can fold up into the smallest of spaces - meaning you don't ever need to take another plastic carrier bag.
All good.
Blah...manchester - Kester Brewin
“Only Connect...”
We are delighted that Kester Brewin will be joining us for the third blah... manchester. Kester splits his time between teaching in inner London, and writing. He is the author of “The Complex Christ” and a contributor to Third Way Magazine. In 1998 he co-created the ‘Dream-Space’ weekend in London, out of which the alternative worship group Vaux was born. A collective of artists and city-lovers, Vaux has explored urban theology for seven years before deciding to close. Kester blogs at
http://thecomplexchrist.typepad.com/
He will present “Only Connect...” Why God’s future is urban.
A guided discussion on city spaces, networks and the spirituality of the urban exoskeleton.
blah...manchester is a series of conversations hosted by CMS in partnership with The Church Army and Manchester Diocesan Board of Education in 2005 on mission, worship, church and Christianity in today’s rapidly changing culture. It’s a time to keep listening, chatting and reflecting as God beckons us into the future.
Thursday 20 October
6:30-8:30pm
Drinks and refreshments provided
Admission free
Drinks served from 6:30
Input begins at 7:00
We have a limited number of places. It would help us to know in advance if you're coming, so please book a place and turn up!
E-mail blah@sanctus1.co.uk
Venue: Nexus, Dale Street, Manchester, M1 1JW
Oxygen Bar
For the next two saturday Nights we're having a trial of an Oxygen Bar in Nexus. I'm gonna have a go on it and see if it does anything...they've had them in the US for a while and they're all the rage in Japan. This will be the first one in Manchester, so we'll see how the trial goes and then play it from there.
Sanctus2nds: Fire
Sanctus2nds is an intergenerational service that Sanctus1 run every 2nd Sunday at 4 pm in Sacred Trinity.
Open to people of all ages, Sanctus2nds is a sanctuary for creativity, reflection and socialising. Sanctus2nds will feature a cafe space to refresh your body, a creative space to inspire your mind, and a prayer space to nurture your soul; building an environment to encounter Christ.
Sanctus2nds will also feature an under 5's play space.
There is a service this Sunday, 9th October, called "Fire". Hope that you can come.
Final day at MBS
The last day at MBS went well, hooked up with Mark from way out west, he's planning something at a local MBS fair in Telford.
I was struck even more by the fact that people just want to be listened to. The simple act of listening to people is a profound act of missional engagement. I would listen to people's concerns, hurts and problems- ranging from heart attacks, to low energy levels, to depression and so much more - people simply wanted the opportunity to be heard. I'd then pray for them, it may include a pray for healing and on a number of occasions people broke down in tears. They loved being prayed for, being valued, being given time. People seem to be starved of time, rushing from one thing to another - It is rare to be given another person's time. Time is a great gift that we can offer and that was the simple gift that we offered at MBS
One thing that did happen, which i'm still processing. A woman came in with a dicky knee - we prayed for her and she left in joyful tears, in a state of shock, but without a dicky knee...
I was struck even more by the fact that people just want to be listened to. The simple act of listening to people is a profound act of missional engagement. I would listen to people's concerns, hurts and problems- ranging from heart attacks, to low energy levels, to depression and so much more - people simply wanted the opportunity to be heard. I'd then pray for them, it may include a pray for healing and on a number of occasions people broke down in tears. They loved being prayed for, being valued, being given time. People seem to be starved of time, rushing from one thing to another - It is rare to be given another person's time. Time is a great gift that we can offer and that was the simple gift that we offered at MBS
One thing that did happen, which i'm still processing. A woman came in with a dicky knee - we prayed for her and she left in joyful tears, in a state of shock, but without a dicky knee...
lastsupper
From the site of the guy who was featured in the Guardian's Bubble Project feature:(http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1581674,00.html)
PS Anyone got any strong feelings about the paper's new Berliner format? I actually quite like it now...
Buckfast beauty
We've just come back from two weeks hols in the south of England, camping - a week in the New Forest and a week on Dartmoor. And we went to Buckfast Abbey and saw this window in their chapel. It's huge. And with the late September sun shining through, it made for a genuinely spiritual experience. This pic could never do it justice but thought I'd share it anyway...
buckfast abbey
buckfast abbey
Doris the New Age Guru
I came across Doris today....she's also a poet, here is one of her poems:
The Mind Body Spirit is all that we have got,
We're selling all the answers - To what? We know not what!
Some of us think that God's the way, others Aura Soma,
And then there's those can meditate until they're in a coma!
Some do stargate therapy, others fairy cards,
Masai Barefoot sandalwear and oils from Neals Yard,
Reiki Masters, dreamcatchers, Goddesses all aflame.
And you can buy enlightenment upon a new board game!
It's organic this and that and joss stick smells abound,
Aloe Vera massages with tinkly healing sound.
Some of us come to chat, or gossip moan and mingle,
And some have other motives especially if they're single.
But one thing is in common, we've come for love and light
To have a celebration and share a happy flight,
The Mind Body Spirit is all that we have got,
We're selling all the answers - To what? We know not what!
Some of us think that God's the way, others Aura Soma,
And then there's those can meditate until they're in a coma!
Some do stargate therapy, others fairy cards,
Masai Barefoot sandalwear and oils from Neals Yard,
Reiki Masters, dreamcatchers, Goddesses all aflame.
And you can buy enlightenment upon a new board game!
It's organic this and that and joss stick smells abound,
Aloe Vera massages with tinkly healing sound.
Some of us come to chat, or gossip moan and mingle,
And some have other motives especially if they're single.
But one thing is in common, we've come for love and light
To have a celebration and share a happy flight,
MBS - Day One
The first day at MBS seemed to go well. It was quieter than usual, i think because it's Friday - It will no doubt be much busier over the next two days. I was there this morning and a team of other Sanctus1 people took over this afternoon.
Had some fascinating conversations with people. A lot of the people there are hurting in one way or another and really appreciate the fact that somebody is prepared to listen to them and pray with them. However, it can be quite intense and that is why i think it is important to have a team of trained people working with you. I prayed with a person who had suffered a bereavement recently and others who were suffering in one way or another. They would never go to a church to be prayed for and hence it is so important that we are there is this place with them. However, I'm also aware that they'll then go onto another healer or a reiki master and ask for healing there...this creates a massive tension in me. i still believe that we should be there but really do struggle with this aspect of it.
I spent a while talking with Alison of Everyday Angels, she is a fascinating woman. She channels angels, she paints them and then takes a message from them that they want to say to the world. the one pictured below is called " Light of the world" and the words that Alison has channel are very similar in places to John 1...fascinating. Here are some of the words:
Look into my Heart and there
you will find your True Love
So what is going on? Is this a movement of God as some people have said? Is this re-enchantment from God? I'm not sure, there is a tendency that Christians have to sacralize the societal forces at work at that moment. I am reluctant to say that this is a movement of God, i think that God is working in it but there are some other parts that are ungodly and need to be challenged. The new age movement is a great opportunity for the gospel but it is also a damning criticism of the failures of the church, before we challenge the ungodly parts of new age spirituality we need to first look in a mirror and recognize our failings.
Had some fascinating conversations with people. A lot of the people there are hurting in one way or another and really appreciate the fact that somebody is prepared to listen to them and pray with them. However, it can be quite intense and that is why i think it is important to have a team of trained people working with you. I prayed with a person who had suffered a bereavement recently and others who were suffering in one way or another. They would never go to a church to be prayed for and hence it is so important that we are there is this place with them. However, I'm also aware that they'll then go onto another healer or a reiki master and ask for healing there...this creates a massive tension in me. i still believe that we should be there but really do struggle with this aspect of it.
I spent a while talking with Alison of Everyday Angels, she is a fascinating woman. She channels angels, she paints them and then takes a message from them that they want to say to the world. the one pictured below is called " Light of the world" and the words that Alison has channel are very similar in places to John 1...fascinating. Here are some of the words:
Look into my Heart and there
you will find your True Love
So what is going on? Is this a movement of God as some people have said? Is this re-enchantment from God? I'm not sure, there is a tendency that Christians have to sacralize the societal forces at work at that moment. I am reluctant to say that this is a movement of God, i think that God is working in it but there are some other parts that are ungodly and need to be challenged. The new age movement is a great opportunity for the gospel but it is also a damning criticism of the failures of the church, before we challenge the ungodly parts of new age spirituality we need to first look in a mirror and recognize our failings.
Manchester Mind Body Spirit Festival
The annual MBS festival in starting tomorrow and Sanctus1 has a stand there for the third year running. I'm going to blog about it each day, my experiences and any flashes of inspiration that I have whilst there.
Today was just the set up and once again I'm amazed as to how commercial the place is - It's simply a trade fair that is selling spirituality. Our stand is called Re-generate (£700 for the weekend) and we're next to Everyday Angels and an iridology stand. Opposite us is the British Academy of Sound Therapy and Juliusz W. It's a real melting pot of spirituality, I'm looking forward to having a bit more time to explore tomorrow.
It's interesting to look at who it is attending the MBS fairs, over the weekend there will be about 10,000 people from all over the North West attending the event. On the whole research has shown that more women will attend than men and they are spread over a wide age range, although there tends to be more younger women than older women.
Most people want to know what we're offering and why we're there. We have a sign up that says 'Free Healing' and when people ask about it we say that we're there to offer prayer for healing that is rooted in Christian Spirituality. People either say Ok I'll give that a try and we chat with them and then pray, or they say no thanks and then more on to explore the other installation in the stand.
My experience has been that people are really pleased to see us there and are pleased that the church is in that environment. I doubt that the people that we encounter will ever come to Sanctus1, but they may come to one of our film nights or to one of our club nights. We aim to give people a positive experience of Christian spirituality and Christian community - I believe that this is the first step in mission.
Today was just the set up and once again I'm amazed as to how commercial the place is - It's simply a trade fair that is selling spirituality. Our stand is called Re-generate (£700 for the weekend) and we're next to Everyday Angels and an iridology stand. Opposite us is the British Academy of Sound Therapy and Juliusz W. It's a real melting pot of spirituality, I'm looking forward to having a bit more time to explore tomorrow.
It's interesting to look at who it is attending the MBS fairs, over the weekend there will be about 10,000 people from all over the North West attending the event. On the whole research has shown that more women will attend than men and they are spread over a wide age range, although there tends to be more younger women than older women.
Most people want to know what we're offering and why we're there. We have a sign up that says 'Free Healing' and when people ask about it we say that we're there to offer prayer for healing that is rooted in Christian Spirituality. People either say Ok I'll give that a try and we chat with them and then pray, or they say no thanks and then more on to explore the other installation in the stand.
My experience has been that people are really pleased to see us there and are pleased that the church is in that environment. I doubt that the people that we encounter will ever come to Sanctus1, but they may come to one of our film nights or to one of our club nights. We aim to give people a positive experience of Christian spirituality and Christian community - I believe that this is the first step in mission.
Sanctus1 Service: Warm Welcome?
We have a service this Sunday night. It's in Manchester Cathedral and starts at 8 pm. It will be exploring the story of the prodigal son.
Missiology of the emerging church in the UK
I'm speaking tonight at the Manchester Theological Society on 'The Missiology of the Emerging Church in the UK through the Narrative of Sanctus1' It ties in with an article that I've written for a new theological journal called the International Study of the Christian Church.
Anyway, if you fancy coming along it's in the Cathedral visitor centre at 7:30 tonight.
Anyway, if you fancy coming along it's in the Cathedral visitor centre at 7:30 tonight.
Connecting with Contemporary Culture
Sanctus types might be interested in this event (can't find anything else on the LICC website at the mo). Sadly I can't make it...
Connecting with Contemporary Culture
Saturday 15th October, 9.30-4.30 p.m at Altrincham Baptist Church
How can Christians engage biblically with the culture we find ourselves working and living in? With Mark Greene. Seminars include Corporate Business, Media, Multifaith Society, and Urban Life. £20 for the day (including lunch). To book a place, or for more details contact 0161 941 2018 or licc@altrinchambaptist.org
Connecting with Contemporary Culture
Saturday 15th October, 9.30-4.30 p.m at Altrincham Baptist Church
How can Christians engage biblically with the culture we find ourselves working and living in? With Mark Greene. Seminars include Corporate Business, Media, Multifaith Society, and Urban Life. £20 for the day (including lunch). To book a place, or for more details contact 0161 941 2018 or licc@altrinchambaptist.org
Sell church - ah ha ha ha, geddit?
Hello, my blessed friends.
Have you ever thought about how to make Jesus all lovely for the non-churched heathen? B3ta, one of the best sites on the interwebular superspaceway, have set a challenge for their Photoshop-obsessed users; how do you sell church in a modern society?
Click here for dozens and dozens of ideas from B3ta-heads. Warning: this is not for under 18s or for the easily offended! Among the clever ideas there are matters of an, erm, adult nature. B3ta is entirely uncensored and you should not clickety-click if you are disgusted. By anything. Sanctus1 cannot be held responsible for external links, etc etc. Backtrack, backtrack, disclaim, disclaim. Phew. That should do it.
Still, there are some fab ideas. My fave is the one on page 5 offering free Burberry caps for all. "Check it!"
Have you ever thought about how to make Jesus all lovely for the non-churched heathen? B3ta, one of the best sites on the interwebular superspaceway, have set a challenge for their Photoshop-obsessed users; how do you sell church in a modern society?
Click here for dozens and dozens of ideas from B3ta-heads. Warning: this is not for under 18s or for the easily offended! Among the clever ideas there are matters of an, erm, adult nature. B3ta is entirely uncensored and you should not clickety-click if you are disgusted. By anything. Sanctus1 cannot be held responsible for external links, etc etc. Backtrack, backtrack, disclaim, disclaim. Phew. That should do it.
Still, there are some fab ideas. My fave is the one on page 5 offering free Burberry caps for all. "Check it!"
Sanctus on the telly again...
It was the media launch for back to church sunday today it featured Sanctus1 and Nexus. Nexus is a new venue that we're opening in the northern quarter that will be a venue for Sanctus1, creative arts and a Night Cafe.
Anyway we were on telly this lunchtime, - I saw Kol, Eva, Eyan, Ruth, Jude, Cris and myself. It was on 'Granada Reports' and will probably be on again this evening. I also think that we're on drive time on GMR and the sunday morning show too. Bring on the BBC!!!
see this for more
Anyway we were on telly this lunchtime, - I saw Kol, Eva, Eyan, Ruth, Jude, Cris and myself. It was on 'Granada Reports' and will probably be on again this evening. I also think that we're on drive time on GMR and the sunday morning show too. Bring on the BBC!!!
see this for more
"Jesus Guevara"
An article on the Beeb online this morning highlighting this campaign by the Church Action Network, which shows baby Jesus in the pose of the classic Che photo: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4244036.stm
But hasn't this been done before about 5 years ago with the "Meek. Mild. As if." campagin?... (eg http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chap/episcope/graphics/can1999.gif)
A case of nothing new under the sun?
But hasn't this been done before about 5 years ago with the "Meek. Mild. As if." campagin?... (eg http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chap/episcope/graphics/can1999.gif)
A case of nothing new under the sun?
What's in my head?...
Some random thoughts that passed through my head on the way to work this morning, included:
On seeing a guy wearing a WWJD band – would Jesus buy a Bluetooth headset, have a camera phone, wear a tight-fitting trendy T-shirt, and run out in front of traffic to cross the road? Maybe…
Ten things that I would do if I was the Chief Exec of Manchester City Council (but this is the basis of a whole post on its own and something I’m going to think on more)
But mainly, how darn busy it was this morning… Now I was a bit later than I am normally on my walk to work. But still. I passed or was passed by at least a dozen people on the canal, when usually it’s only one or two. The pavement got to the point of busyness where I opted to walk in the gutter – actually something that I’d choose to do more often if the mad bus drivers and maniacal cyclists of Oxford Road would stop trying to mow me down when I did.
And why was the busyness of the pedestrian traffic particularly on my mind this morning? All because of a film book – Tom Shone’s Blockbuster. Buy it, read it, you’ll love it.
For last night before going to sleep, I read his chapter covering the blockbusters of 1992-94 and their legacy. And there he mentions Spielberg’s Jurassic Park as being amongst the Maestro’s worst work (which that year thankfully also helped birth a late-twin worthy of his usual – Schindler’s List). For it has struck Tom Shone, and thus me, that most of Speilberg’s greatest works are those that involve people. Crowds of normal folk, the masses, “that guy who wants to start a McDonalds franchise on the moon” (as he said of Close Encounters’ main character) and on a more individual level, just the average American John Doe. There were hundreds of dinosaurs, but hardly any homo sapiens. And normally this is what he does so well with people in his films – observe, examine, beautify.
So seeing all these people engaged in the beautiful minutiae of their lives, bustling to work, shopping, catching buses – mundane as it might seem – gave me cause to stop and wonder…
On seeing a guy wearing a WWJD band – would Jesus buy a Bluetooth headset, have a camera phone, wear a tight-fitting trendy T-shirt, and run out in front of traffic to cross the road? Maybe…
Ten things that I would do if I was the Chief Exec of Manchester City Council (but this is the basis of a whole post on its own and something I’m going to think on more)
But mainly, how darn busy it was this morning… Now I was a bit later than I am normally on my walk to work. But still. I passed or was passed by at least a dozen people on the canal, when usually it’s only one or two. The pavement got to the point of busyness where I opted to walk in the gutter – actually something that I’d choose to do more often if the mad bus drivers and maniacal cyclists of Oxford Road would stop trying to mow me down when I did.
And why was the busyness of the pedestrian traffic particularly on my mind this morning? All because of a film book – Tom Shone’s Blockbuster. Buy it, read it, you’ll love it.
For last night before going to sleep, I read his chapter covering the blockbusters of 1992-94 and their legacy. And there he mentions Spielberg’s Jurassic Park as being amongst the Maestro’s worst work (which that year thankfully also helped birth a late-twin worthy of his usual – Schindler’s List). For it has struck Tom Shone, and thus me, that most of Speilberg’s greatest works are those that involve people. Crowds of normal folk, the masses, “that guy who wants to start a McDonalds franchise on the moon” (as he said of Close Encounters’ main character) and on a more individual level, just the average American John Doe. There were hundreds of dinosaurs, but hardly any homo sapiens. And normally this is what he does so well with people in his films – observe, examine, beautify.
So seeing all these people engaged in the beautiful minutiae of their lives, bustling to work, shopping, catching buses – mundane as it might seem – gave me cause to stop and wonder…
Sanctus2nds: Exodus.
Sanctus2nds is an intergenerational service that Sanctus1 run every 2nd Sunday at 4 pm in Sacred Trinity.
Open to people of all ages, Sanctus2nds is a sanctuary for creativity, reflection and socialising. Sanctus2nds will feature a cafe space to refresh your body, a creative space to inspire your mind, and a prayer space to nurture your soul; building an environment to encounter Christ.
There is a service this Sunday, 11th September, called "Exodus", hope that you can come.
Cultural magpie-mixing
Great news that the Beeb are finally making more than 100 clips available for ripping, mixing and sharing. Get going kids!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4225914.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4225914.stm
II
This Wednesday night it is II. II is a night of electronica and creative media that Sanctus1 promotes and hosts in Cord in the Northern quarter. Starts at 8pm and finished at 11, entry is free.
Greenbelt
Here are some photos from Greenbelt. They are from our service and also the installation in NF2. The installation was stunning so thanks to all who worked so hard to produce it.
Greenbelt was excellent, really great to catch up with a few people from all over the country. Particularly enjoyed Pete Rollin's talk but will be downloading it later this week as it was so rich that there are a number of points that I want to reflect on.
The experience of Greenbelt changes each year, Ruth and I went 4 years ago when we moved to manchester and there was just us and a washing machine. All on our own in a field of 6,000 other people. The year after a few other people from sanctus1 attended, then a few more the year after and then this year there were about 45 of us camping together...It is great that so many people can be part of the Sanctus1 Greenbelt experience.
Greenbelt was excellent, really great to catch up with a few people from all over the country. Particularly enjoyed Pete Rollin's talk but will be downloading it later this week as it was so rich that there are a number of points that I want to reflect on.
The experience of Greenbelt changes each year, Ruth and I went 4 years ago when we moved to manchester and there was just us and a washing machine. All on our own in a field of 6,000 other people. The year after a few other people from sanctus1 attended, then a few more the year after and then this year there were about 45 of us camping together...It is great that so many people can be part of the Sanctus1 Greenbelt experience.
Greenbelt
This year's greenbelt was the best ever for me. The atmosphere was very positive, the change in the layout made a lot more sense, the organic beer tent was perfect and I caught up with plenty of SoF/Holy Joes people from the past. That's not even mentioning the fab services I went to, and the fab Sanctus1 people I shared so many memories, drinks and jokes with.
One of the best bits for me was the long standing promise I made to myself to climb the hill overlooking the site, get to the "shark fin"tree and call a mate whilst dancing around like an idiot. I accomplished this task with Lucy on the Friday, and with the aid of Eyan on the other end of my phone, I was that tiny dancing speck on the horizon.
I didn't have a camera, and ran out of battery before I could take a photo from my phone, but have found a dramatic picture of the scene from the top on GB's website. Pretty good huh? I'm very tempted to organise a zip wire to be set up so people can go shooting down from the hill onto the campsite. But alas I can already see Rob's list of reasons why this is an appaling idea on Health and Safety grounds, not to mention the furious, or incredulous reaction from GB themseleves. It will, I fear, have to remain an item filed under "bonkers" in the darkened recesses of my mind.
But it's a thrilling idea, is it not?
Greenbelt reports
Just got back from Greenbelt. One thing that we did was a service called Useless beauty. Click here for a review. We also did something in New forms II, i'll blog about that when i get some images...
Greenbelt
I'm off to Greenbelt today and I'm looking forward to it. Sanctus1 is doing three things there. A service in New Forms 1 called Useless Beauty on Saturday at 6pm, A worship installation in New Forms 2 called Do It Yourself and a text worship service. See earlier post.
Here's my must see list...
Lawrence Freeman
Richard Rohr
Maggie Dawn
Bill Drummond
In regard to worship, i think that I'll be at Moot, COTA, home, Aradna and Dream...
But what I'll probably end up doing is sitting in the organic beer tent or the Tint Tea Tent looking after Jude and catching up with some good friends; and that's what i really enjoy doing at Greenbelt
Here's my must see list...
Lawrence Freeman
Richard Rohr
Maggie Dawn
Bill Drummond
In regard to worship, i think that I'll be at Moot, COTA, home, Aradna and Dream...
But what I'll probably end up doing is sitting in the organic beer tent or the Tint Tea Tent looking after Jude and catching up with some good friends; and that's what i really enjoy doing at Greenbelt
Nice turn of phrase...
One of my colleagues, who knows I'm a Christian and do my "church thing" on a Wednesday rather than a Sunday, just asked, "So are you Godding it up tonight then?"
Nice one! :-D
Nice one! :-D
What is Success?
I've been thinking a bit about success over the past few days. I often get asked to do presentations on sanctus1 and after I've given the presentation somebody usually ask me how many people come to Sanctus1? I find myself quite uncomfortable with the question because essential the person is asking: 'Are you a success in numerical worldy terms? I was then searching the web for references to Sanctus1 and I saw that we were referred to as 'one of the most successful emerging churches in the uk'.
I am uncomfortable with the language of success within the church.
We live in a success driven culture and unfortunately the church has taken on a lot of the values, a success driven church, Christ is the antithesis of this attitude. The language of success is not the language of Christ, Christ’ life was about radical failure. Failing to be the type of messiah that people were expecting, failing to overthrow the roman authorities, failing by hanging out with the failures, a life of upsetting the successful, a life of radical failure.
A life that ended with death on the cross, failing to live up to all the expectations, letting everyone down and being denied by his closest friends. Dying on a cross all alone rejected by friends and rejected by Father, crying out ‘ my god, my god why have you forsaken me’. why have you rejected me? Christ knew radical failure and that radical failure is what we are called to.
And yet paradoxically it is in the failure that there is success, it is in the defeat that there is victory. We tend to rush to Easter Sunday in our desire for success and forget the success in the failure of Good Friday. A day where a person was prepared to put every person on this planet above himself, a day where God became a servant for all, a day where Christ embraced suffering, embraced the beatings and embraced the cross. In Christ’s failure he was a success.
I am uncomfortable with the language of success within the church.
We live in a success driven culture and unfortunately the church has taken on a lot of the values, a success driven church, Christ is the antithesis of this attitude. The language of success is not the language of Christ, Christ’ life was about radical failure. Failing to be the type of messiah that people were expecting, failing to overthrow the roman authorities, failing by hanging out with the failures, a life of upsetting the successful, a life of radical failure.
A life that ended with death on the cross, failing to live up to all the expectations, letting everyone down and being denied by his closest friends. Dying on a cross all alone rejected by friends and rejected by Father, crying out ‘ my god, my god why have you forsaken me’. why have you rejected me? Christ knew radical failure and that radical failure is what we are called to.
And yet paradoxically it is in the failure that there is success, it is in the defeat that there is victory. We tend to rush to Easter Sunday in our desire for success and forget the success in the failure of Good Friday. A day where a person was prepared to put every person on this planet above himself, a day where God became a servant for all, a day where Christ embraced suffering, embraced the beatings and embraced the cross. In Christ’s failure he was a success.
Text Worship
I've been working on the Text Worship service that we're doing for Greenbelt over the past few days. I'm quite excited by it, so if you're going to be at Greenbelt then join in with the fun.
Awww
It's that time of year again. BBC News Website is running it's annual Photographer of the year competition. Round one has kicked off with this rather cute one included.
Bless.
Taize founder stabbed to death
Just seen this on the moot blog. Tragic.
Please pray for Taize and also for the Manchester Diocesan Youth Pilgrimage to Taize as they are currently there.
Please pray for Taize and also for the Manchester Diocesan Youth Pilgrimage to Taize as they are currently there.
Whither the weather...
Oh yes, GB WeatherWatch is back again… ;-)
http://uk.weather.com/weather/local/GL53?x=0&post=Gl53&code=code&y=0
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2030
http://uk.weather.com/weather/local/GL53?x=0&post=Gl53&code=code&y=0
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2030
A new country
Has anyone dicovered yet the genius that is Danny Wallace and his new show on BBC2 (Wednesdays at 10pm). Its called "Citizens Required" and basically King Danny I has made his own country complete with national athem...
Yesterday was dark and dingy
My temperament was rather whingey
Things had got me wonderin'
Why I lived in London
Anyway - My days were grey
Now I welcome all and sundry
Everyone can join my country
Listen if you're near them
Maybe you can hear them say...
You've got to...
Teach the world to sing
Danny Wallace is the king
For justice and politeness are the laws that he will bring
Where the order of the crown
Is to frown upon the frown
We done a constitution and we even wrote it down...
Although the nation may be small
It's the nicest of them all
A land of opportunity
Where crime's against the law
Every subject do your part
With your hand upon your heart
A Kingdom-come-democracy to start...
Everyone is just the same
It doesn't matter who you name
Anyone can be a dame, or sir, or lord
(But not King)
People gather round completely
Listen as I tell you sweetly
All across our nation
Join the recitation with me...
You've got to...
Teach the world to sing
Danny Wallace is the king
For justice and politeness are the laws that he will bring
Where the order of the crown
Is to frown upon the frown
We done a constitution and we even wrote it down...
Although the nation may be small
It's the nicest of them all
A land of opportunity
Where crime's against the law
Every subject do your part
With your hand upon your heart
A Kingdom-come-democracy to start...
You've got to...
Teach the world to sing
Danny Wallace is the king
For justice and politeness are the laws that he will bring
Where the order of the crown
Is to frown upon the frown
We done a constitution and we even wrote it down...
Although the nation may be small
It's the nicest of them all
A land of opportunity
Where crime's against the law
Every subject do your part
With your hand upon your heart
A Kingdom-come-democracy to start...
(Followed by general cheering & laughter, clapping and a joyious jump in the air)
Topical- maybe. Simple- yes. Hilarious- definitely.
Route marching, and other pedestrian stories
At last, my walk to work has been restored! Lower Ormond Street is open to pedestrians again (and cars, tsk).
It has the most lovely but simple old warehouse building on it. And it’s becoming one part of my new walk to work ritual. For those of you who’ve read this sort of thing from me before, I was really in love with my ritual of a certain walk from my old flat to my old office, most of which was loaded with personal and spiritual meaning and overtones.
Now we’ve moved both flats and offices, it’s not been the same… But slowly slowly I feel like I’m beginning to build an attachment and meaning to my half hour walk each way every day. And having Lower Ormond Street back on it is one such step – after 9 weeks of them finishing the two abutting buildings (on an old car park and an empty lot) which has meant the road has been closed.
I would post a pic or a map, but there’s nothing sensible out there on the web already, so I might try and take one on the way in tomorrow… It’s just round behind Oxford Road and the station, for anyone who knows where that is, near the site of the old Little Ireland from the 1800s, and not far from the Student Village building.
It has the most lovely but simple old warehouse building on it. And it’s becoming one part of my new walk to work ritual. For those of you who’ve read this sort of thing from me before, I was really in love with my ritual of a certain walk from my old flat to my old office, most of which was loaded with personal and spiritual meaning and overtones.
Now we’ve moved both flats and offices, it’s not been the same… But slowly slowly I feel like I’m beginning to build an attachment and meaning to my half hour walk each way every day. And having Lower Ormond Street back on it is one such step – after 9 weeks of them finishing the two abutting buildings (on an old car park and an empty lot) which has meant the road has been closed.
I would post a pic or a map, but there’s nothing sensible out there on the web already, so I might try and take one on the way in tomorrow… It’s just round behind Oxford Road and the station, for anyone who knows where that is, near the site of the old Little Ireland from the 1800s, and not far from the Student Village building.
Which church model are you?
(Two posts in as many hours - that's how bored/ distracted I am!)
Saw this on the Moot blog and thought it might be interesting to see whether S1 members come up with the same answers or not... Go try and then post the results? I'll stick it on the List as well.
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=49752
Saw this on the Moot blog and thought it might be interesting to see whether S1 members come up with the same answers or not... Go try and then post the results? I'll stick it on the List as well.
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=49752
Banksy is a legend and a mystery, and he strikes again.
This time in Palestine, painting pictures on the Israeli security barrier. Genius.
There's a rather lame PR-ed version of the story on the BBC site at the mo (http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4748063.stm) but if you want to see his telling of it go to: http://www.banksy.co.uk/news/index.html
But his work's not just funny or weird or graffiti or "destructive to property"- it's art, it's social commentary, it's campaigning. And I wish I was half as clever and/or half as ballsy as him.
This time in Palestine, painting pictures on the Israeli security barrier. Genius.
There's a rather lame PR-ed version of the story on the BBC site at the mo (http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4748063.stm) but if you want to see his telling of it go to: http://www.banksy.co.uk/news/index.html
But his work's not just funny or weird or graffiti or "destructive to property"- it's art, it's social commentary, it's campaigning. And I wish I was half as clever and/or half as ballsy as him.
Double or blog?
Blimey! Apparently there's a new one every second...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4737671.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4737671.stm
Nexus website launched...
I've blogged a few times about Nexus. If you want to see more then visit their website.
www.nexusonline.org.uk
www.nexusonline.org.uk
Another Place
I took today off work and went over to Sefton with Ruth and Jude to see Anthony Gormley's installation 'Another Place'. It was superb. It was low tide so all the figures could be seen and it felt quite erie. 100 figures looking out to sea as if they were waiting for something and yet so static; temporarily permanent in an ever changing landscape.
cAPS lOCK
Anyone else seen the cAPS lOCK trend going on in emerging church of late? I've seen hOME and fEAST this week alone.
OK so that's only two (!) but are there any more I've missed? Or any other trends in naming that we can spot?
OK so that's only two (!) but are there any more I've missed? Or any other trends in naming that we can spot?
Blah...Manchester
Last night's blah...manchester went really well. Andrew Jones led the evening and spoke on Aggregation: the emerging church according to manchester. The event was packed out and people were discussing the issues and seemed to be have their thinking provoked. I'm gonna blog further about the content later, thoughts etc. and have some snaps etc. but no time at the minute, maybe in suburb later. Good to see Andrew and connect with him and hear what he is up to...
hOME sweet hOME...
hOME is "a new expression of church for an emerging culture in Oxford". I'd heard about them from a mate in Oxford but only looked them up after I was purusing the Moot blog today, which has a link from Ian to their site...
They have a nice site and their work looks like an interesting take on a fresh expression. But most of all, and given the internal discussions we're having in Sanctus1 at the mo, I was interested in this - their structure:
http://www.home-online.org/index.php?page_id=navstructure&title=Overview
Fascinating and ambitious! It's the sort of thing that I'd want to know how it's developed in a year or more's time, and how it devolve in the first place... In fact just the sort of Greenbelt discussion I hanker after (getting close now!), since it's rare to get that number of emerging church communities in one place. I presume there'll be a Zoo this year - anyone know if there's any plans?
They have a nice site and their work looks like an interesting take on a fresh expression. But most of all, and given the internal discussions we're having in Sanctus1 at the mo, I was interested in this - their structure:
http://www.home-online.org/index.php?page_id=navstructure&title=Overview
Fascinating and ambitious! It's the sort of thing that I'd want to know how it's developed in a year or more's time, and how it devolve in the first place... In fact just the sort of Greenbelt discussion I hanker after (getting close now!), since it's rare to get that number of emerging church communities in one place. I presume there'll be a Zoo this year - anyone know if there's any plans?
Visions of community
This article (beware, it's a PDF) from SCM's excellent magazine Movement is a good introduction to different types of 21st century Christian communities:
Whether it’s the church, the Body of Christ or the ‘kingdom of God’, or a new network set up outside traditional structures, Christian visions of a better world are always centred on how we relate to one another in community. Deb Curnock explores how Christians are inspired to live and work together, and looks at new ways of building community in a postmodern urban society.
Church to festival
I found this article on the Greenbelt website and thought people might be interested in it - essential asking what is church and where is it going at the moment, which is quite a pertinent question for us. How to move beyond institutionalism..? Because I suppose we look at the church in Acts as a model, but that was when the church was still new - my church history is pretty limited - but they had churches in different places but one church. Now we have lots of churches in each city and it doesn't often feel like one church. How do we have diversity within the global church and still be one church?
http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/index.php?p=452
http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/index.php?p=452
Telling tales...
Dave Robertson, a performance storyteller who's worked with S1 people before, is taking up residence tonight at St Ann's, if you're interested. 7.30pm and £4.
It's as part of St Ann's In The City, their inaugral festival...
See you there?
It's as part of St Ann's In The City, their inaugral festival...
See you there?
Collective
I bloody love this site. The Beeb - if it didn't exist you'd have to invent it...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/
Sanctus1 Service: Useless Beauty
“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” An exploration of beauty and meaning in our lives.
Sunday 24th July: 8 p.m.
Sacred Trinity Church, Chapel Street, Salford.
Fundamentalists rule (but only 31% of the time)
I was a little bit startled by one of these Internet personality test deelys to discover I am 31% fundamentalist.
It's called What Is Your World View and it is here:
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=23320
My result: I am a 'cultural creative'. I am, apparently, modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion (ha ha ha ha) but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. I am very spiritual, even if I am not religious. "Life has a meaning outside of the rational," it says. I am also Postmodernist and Existentialist.
If you attend Sanctus1 and you don't come out as a cultural creative, you may have extra biscuits next week for not being predictable, heh heh.
(I am... Cultural Creative 75%; Postmodernist 69%; Existentialist 50%; Romanticist 44%; Idealist 44%; Modernist 44%; Fundamentalist 31%. I'm only Materialist 13%. That's a shame. I'd like to cover more than 13% of my body with material, but if the clothes have to come off, then the clothes have to come off... see you next week in my bikini.)
It's called What Is Your World View and it is here:
http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=23320
My result: I am a 'cultural creative'. I am, apparently, modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion (ha ha ha ha) but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. I am very spiritual, even if I am not religious. "Life has a meaning outside of the rational," it says. I am also Postmodernist and Existentialist.
If you attend Sanctus1 and you don't come out as a cultural creative, you may have extra biscuits next week for not being predictable, heh heh.
(I am... Cultural Creative 75%; Postmodernist 69%; Existentialist 50%; Romanticist 44%; Idealist 44%; Modernist 44%; Fundamentalist 31%. I'm only Materialist 13%. That's a shame. I'd like to cover more than 13% of my body with material, but if the clothes have to come off, then the clothes have to come off... see you next week in my bikini.)
St Ann's Festival
I am part of the staff team at St Anns, the city centre parish church. Next week they are having a festival - it looks fantastic.
www.stannsfestival.com
www.stannsfestival.com
It's too hot...
I know that that's a fairly trivial thing to blog about but it doesn't stop it being true. And I felt like moaning about it.
Feel better now. If not cooler.
Feel better now. If not cooler.
Women Bishops
This looks interesting...
Dispatches: Women Bishops.
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Tonight
Channel 4
"Is it Christian for women to be bishops? This July, the ruling synod of the Church of England is due to debate the issue. It is a decision that pits faith against feminism, and tradition against human rights. In this film Christina Odone, feminist, fervent Catholic and journalist, confronts the argument that could tear the Church apart."
Dispatches: Women Bishops.
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Tonight
Channel 4
"Is it Christian for women to be bishops? This July, the ruling synod of the Church of England is due to debate the issue. It is a decision that pits faith against feminism, and tradition against human rights. In this film Christina Odone, feminist, fervent Catholic and journalist, confronts the argument that could tear the Church apart."
Oh those summer nights...
There is something rather pleasant about having a barbecue on a beautiful summer evening, being able to surf the web, send emails and blog via wifi in the garden. Whilst enjoying a glass of chilled white wine and some Razorlight in the background...blizz....summer in Manchester.
Bombs and poverty
I've been pondering how to respond to the bombs of yesterday. Firstly i want to offer my prayers for those killed, injured and traumatized by the events of yesterday. I also want to join with all the other voices in condemning the bombing, a cowardly, malice act that was an insult to Islam.
I also don't want to loose the importance of 'Make Poverty History' and the G8 summit that is happening today. The events of yesterday just increased my sense of urgency about what needs to be done by the G8 leaders and by us: the citizens of those G8 countries. It is tragic that at least 50 people were killed in the bombs, it would be even more tragic if this derailed the G8 as they fight against global poverty.
Please pray for those who suffered yesterday.
Please also pray for the G8 leaders as they work to prevent the suffering of tomorrow.
I also don't want to loose the importance of 'Make Poverty History' and the G8 summit that is happening today. The events of yesterday just increased my sense of urgency about what needs to be done by the G8 leaders and by us: the citizens of those G8 countries. It is tragic that at least 50 people were killed in the bombs, it would be even more tragic if this derailed the G8 as they fight against global poverty.
Please pray for those who suffered yesterday.
Please also pray for the G8 leaders as they work to prevent the suffering of tomorrow.
Today
I spent most of today at work hoping that someone from Sanctus1 would blog or post to the list about the bombs in London but no-one has, and I suppose that could be because no-one knows what to say. I'm going to try to say something but it's difficult to know what.
I feel relieved that no-one I know was hurt, as far as I know. But it's really frightening. Matt (my husband) has gone out to work tonight as a paramedic and I think, what if there's a bomb in Manchester and he gets killed? Is this a one-off response to the G8 or is it the start of a serious terrorism campaign? Today made everyone in my office remember where they were when the bomb went off at the Arndale centre and who they knew who had a lucky escape.
On Radio 4, they talked to some muslims who remembered how they were treated with suspicion after the attacks on the world trade centre and who are frightened of returning to that climate of suspicion. I also wonder what effect this will have on our civil liberties. Is this the price to pay for a free and open society?
For the past couple of years they've said an attack on London was inevitable and no-one really belived them - either naievety or a sense of cynicism at the scaremongering that does go on. And now it's happened and it feels like the world has changed somewhat.
And I remember this morning coming into work with my paper and talking about the olympic bid and mocking slightly the overwhelming joy, and then at lunchtime reading my paper which celebrated that while listening to the reports on the radio about the terror and death in the same city.
So I don't really have anything to say, but I feel better for saying it.
I feel relieved that no-one I know was hurt, as far as I know. But it's really frightening. Matt (my husband) has gone out to work tonight as a paramedic and I think, what if there's a bomb in Manchester and he gets killed? Is this a one-off response to the G8 or is it the start of a serious terrorism campaign? Today made everyone in my office remember where they were when the bomb went off at the Arndale centre and who they knew who had a lucky escape.
On Radio 4, they talked to some muslims who remembered how they were treated with suspicion after the attacks on the world trade centre and who are frightened of returning to that climate of suspicion. I also wonder what effect this will have on our civil liberties. Is this the price to pay for a free and open society?
For the past couple of years they've said an attack on London was inevitable and no-one really belived them - either naievety or a sense of cynicism at the scaremongering that does go on. And now it's happened and it feels like the world has changed somewhat.
And I remember this morning coming into work with my paper and talking about the olympic bid and mocking slightly the overwhelming joy, and then at lunchtime reading my paper which celebrated that while listening to the reports on the radio about the terror and death in the same city.
So I don't really have anything to say, but I feel better for saying it.
Sanctus2nds: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...
Sanctus2nds is an intergenerational service that Sanctus1 run every 2nd Sunday at 4 pm in Sacred Trinity.
Open to people of all ages, Sanctus2nds is a sanctuary for creativity, reflection and socialising. Sanctus2nds will feature a cafe space to refresh your body, a creative space to inspire your mind, and a prayer space to nurture your soul; building an environment to encounter Christ.
There is a service this sunday, 10th July, called "Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. Hope that you can come.
When is a Fresh Expression not a Fresh Expression?
The new archbishops initiative in evangelism is called fresh expressions. You go to the web-site and register your fresh expression on their database and hey presto - You're a fresh expression...Fresh expressions is very broad, it is not just emerging church but incorporates new monasticism, cell church, children's church etc. and this is to be commended.
I did a search yesterday in the Manchester region and there was at least one church in there that was not (IMHO) a fresh expression. It is a standard Anglican parish church. I hear that they want 10,000 fresh expressions registered in the next 5 years and i am wondering whether this quest is becoming the golden chalice and the process of discernment is suffering. I think that this is dangerous as the energy and excitement that is currently around fresh expressions could be lost as people become disillusioned and realise that in some cases we are just re-branding the same product.
Don't get me wrong, i think that fresh expressions is fantastic but I would rather see 10 authentic fresh expressions of church rather than 10,000 re-branded parish churches...
I did a search yesterday in the Manchester region and there was at least one church in there that was not (IMHO) a fresh expression. It is a standard Anglican parish church. I hear that they want 10,000 fresh expressions registered in the next 5 years and i am wondering whether this quest is becoming the golden chalice and the process of discernment is suffering. I think that this is dangerous as the energy and excitement that is currently around fresh expressions could be lost as people become disillusioned and realise that in some cases we are just re-branding the same product.
Don't get me wrong, i think that fresh expressions is fantastic but I would rather see 10 authentic fresh expressions of church rather than 10,000 re-branded parish churches...
Make Poverty History - Edinburgh
A few of us from Sanctus1 were in Edinburgh on Saturday for the Make Poverty History rally and march. It was a fantastic day: I got up at 5:45am to get the coach, followed by a few hectic hours with 225,000 other people, before getting the coach home to catch the final song of Live8 and then the England vs Aussie draw at cricket. What a day...
The was a really positive feel to the day. Loads of people from different walks of life coming together for this unique moment in human history. I really hope that it makes a difference and that the leaders of the G8 will listen.
The only slight downside was the Social Workers and Respect, who were trying to piggy back the event for their own agenda. To me it is incredibly sad that people cannot see beyond their own party politics to the bigger picture.
The was a really positive feel to the day. Loads of people from different walks of life coming together for this unique moment in human history. I really hope that it makes a difference and that the leaders of the G8 will listen.
The only slight downside was the Social Workers and Respect, who were trying to piggy back the event for their own agenda. To me it is incredibly sad that people cannot see beyond their own party politics to the bigger picture.
Signs you’ve been in Manchester too long…
1. You go mad when somebody who is not from Manchester says 'mad fer it', "Nobody says that EVER!" you scream.
2. You say 'mad fer it' when back in Manchester.
3. You support Man City out of principle.
4. You see Coronation Street stars all the time and think nothing of it.
5. You think Londoners are 'soft southern ******s'... until they kick your head in at a footie match.
6. You get a freckle and consider yourself 'sun-tanned'.
7. You deny that it rains all the time... as you struggle home with the shopping in yet another torrential downpour.
8. People start yawning when you talk about how great Manchester is.
(thanks for this one Sec C!)
2. You say 'mad fer it' when back in Manchester.
3. You support Man City out of principle.
4. You see Coronation Street stars all the time and think nothing of it.
5. You think Londoners are 'soft southern ******s'... until they kick your head in at a footie match.
6. You get a freckle and consider yourself 'sun-tanned'.
7. You deny that it rains all the time... as you struggle home with the shopping in yet another torrential downpour.
8. People start yawning when you talk about how great Manchester is.
(thanks for this one Sec C!)
Our Big Brother, who art in television...
Big Brother, who art in television, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Send us this day our Loafers and the vicious.
Forgive us our trespasses, and Shove thy neighbour as thy neighbour would shove you.
And lead us not into temptation, for We are the trite of the world.
And so In nomine Patri, Filii, et Fratri Magni, in the name of the Father, Son and holy votes. Sod'em all, I'll be gone tomorrah.
Amen.
(an amusing follow up to the previous posts about BB being a Christian parable for our times from the BBC Magazine Monitor/ Blog: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4110266.stm)
Thy kingdom come, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Send us this day our Loafers and the vicious.
Forgive us our trespasses, and Shove thy neighbour as thy neighbour would shove you.
And lead us not into temptation, for We are the trite of the world.
And so In nomine Patri, Filii, et Fratri Magni, in the name of the Father, Son and holy votes. Sod'em all, I'll be gone tomorrah.
Amen.
(an amusing follow up to the previous posts about BB being a Christian parable for our times from the BBC Magazine Monitor/ Blog: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4110266.stm)
Sanctus1 Service
Sanctus1 invite you to:
Covenant:
An exploration into exclusion and embrace.
Date: Sunday 26th June
Time: 8 pm
Location: Sacred Trinity, Salford
Big Brother and Sister
An interesting take on how a C4 boss thinks that BB is a modern parable...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4118204.stm
Personally I think that this series is not that compelling (and that's coming from someone who watched all the other series avidly).
But whilst we're on the subject of TV - how good has Doctor Who been! Belatedly watched the last episode last night and IMHO thought that that had more to say as a modern parable than 13 strangers getting drunk, making false displays of affection and arguing about cleaning up... It showed us what happens when you have the power to look into the heart of time and space, how to take responsibility with a kiss, and the possibilities of dying to live again.
(And to David Tennant, with those new teeth - Barcelona here we come...)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4118204.stm
Personally I think that this series is not that compelling (and that's coming from someone who watched all the other series avidly).
But whilst we're on the subject of TV - how good has Doctor Who been! Belatedly watched the last episode last night and IMHO thought that that had more to say as a modern parable than 13 strangers getting drunk, making false displays of affection and arguing about cleaning up... It showed us what happens when you have the power to look into the heart of time and space, how to take responsibility with a kiss, and the possibilities of dying to live again.
(And to David Tennant, with those new teeth - Barcelona here we come...)
Evaluation of the emeging church from Alan Roxburgh
This is probably the best, most balanced assessment of the whole emerging church movement that I have seen, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses...
Plus Ben and Sanctus1 get a mention! (It seems to be a follow-up article to Ben's jolly to California back in April).
Plus Ben and Sanctus1 get a mention! (It seems to be a follow-up article to Ben's jolly to California back in April).
Blah...manchester - Andrew Jones
“AGGREGATION: The Emerging Church According to Manchester”
We are delighted that Andrew Jones (AKA Tall Skinny Kiwi) will be joining us for the second blah...manchester. Andrew Jones is one of the leading global voices on the emerging church and emerging culture. Originally from New Zealand, he has ministered around the world for the last 20 years and has pastored churches in Australia and USA and is currently living of the Orkney Islands. He is the Project Director of BOAZ, a Consultant for BGCT and an Associate of DAWN Ministries. Andrew blogs at http://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com/
He will present “AGGREGATION: The Emerging Church According to Manchester”
blah...manchester is a series of conversations hosted by CMS in partnership with The Church Army and Manchester Diocesan Board of Education in 2005 on mission, worship, church and Christianity in today’s rapidly changing culture. It’s a time to keep listening, chatting and reflecting as God beckons us into the future.
Tuesday 26 July 6:30-8:30pm Drinks and refreshments provided Admission free
Drinks served from 6:30
Input begins at 7:00
We have a limited number of places. It would help us to know in advance if you're coming, so please book a place and turn up!
E-mail Ben Edson on:
blah@sanctus1.co.uk
Venue: Church House Training Suite, Fourth Floor, 90 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2GH.
(For directions see www.multimap.com)
Freecycling...
No, not gliding down hills with your feet off the pedals... this is much more fun!
Freecycle is a website/ organisation where you can list stuff that you want to give away. Like a free version of Loot/ E-bay. Nice!
There was an article on the BBC Magazine today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4553057.stm
And the Manchester "branch" is here - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ManchesterFreeCycle/ - but they are all over the UK, and international too.
Freecycle is a website/ organisation where you can list stuff that you want to give away. Like a free version of Loot/ E-bay. Nice!
There was an article on the BBC Magazine today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4553057.stm
And the Manchester "branch" is here - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ManchesterFreeCycle/ - but they are all over the UK, and international too.
Happy Birthday, Aung San Suu Kyi!
Aung San Suu Kyi is 60 tomorrow. She is the leader of Burma's pro-democracy opposition which, despite winning 82% of the seats in Burma's last general election in 1990, has never been allowed to take office. Burma is ruled by a military junta which has kept her under house arrest or in detention for nearly 10 of the last 16 years (source: The Guardian, 18 June 2005)
So she's spending her birthday alone. I'm sending her a birthday card, c/o the Burmese (or Union of Myanmar, as they prefer to be known - the name's a political thing too) Embassy, with my name and address in it saying "happy birthday, wishing you freedom and democracy". Just to remind them that we know their regime is illegal and oppressive. Here's the address:
Aung San Suu Kyi
c/o Mr U Nay Win
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
19A Charles Street
Berkeley Square
London
W1J 5DX
It's a small thing, but letters to political prisoners do make a difference. Amnesty International use the following quote from a former prisoner of conscience in the Dominican Republic: "When the first 200 letters came, the guards gave me back my clothes. Then the next 200 letters came and the prison director came to see me... The letters kept coming; three thousand of them. The President was informed. The letters still kept arriving and the President called the prison and told them to let me go". Please do this small thing to make a difference.
Sarah
p.s. in the amount of time it's taken to read this, you could have found a card and written it...
So she's spending her birthday alone. I'm sending her a birthday card, c/o the Burmese (or Union of Myanmar, as they prefer to be known - the name's a political thing too) Embassy, with my name and address in it saying "happy birthday, wishing you freedom and democracy". Just to remind them that we know their regime is illegal and oppressive. Here's the address:
Aung San Suu Kyi
c/o Mr U Nay Win
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
19A Charles Street
Berkeley Square
London
W1J 5DX
It's a small thing, but letters to political prisoners do make a difference. Amnesty International use the following quote from a former prisoner of conscience in the Dominican Republic: "When the first 200 letters came, the guards gave me back my clothes. Then the next 200 letters came and the prison director came to see me... The letters kept coming; three thousand of them. The President was informed. The letters still kept arriving and the President called the prison and told them to let me go". Please do this small thing to make a difference.
Sarah
p.s. in the amount of time it's taken to read this, you could have found a card and written it...
Googlism
It doesn't work for Sanctus1, but I wonder...
http://www.googlism.com/index.htm?ism=sanctus&type=2
We spend so much time searching about the true meaning and nature of the Sanctus1 community... and all the answers are here!
http://www.googlism.com/index.htm?ism=sanctus&type=2
We spend so much time searching about the true meaning and nature of the Sanctus1 community... and all the answers are here!
The Jesus Deck: Mind Body Spirit 2005
We're going to be at the MInd Body Spirit fair again this year. It's a three day festival and yesterday we had some training for the team of people that are going to be staffing the stall. I really enjoy the weekend and find it absolutely fascinating experience and enjoy the dialogue with spiritual searchers.
This year we're thinking of using 'The Jesus Deck', a pack of Tarot cards that John Drane told us about. The cards have no major arkana cards, there are only four suits of 13 cards each, plus two non-identical jokers, on each card is an image and a piece of Biblical text.
Luke, the first suit, starts with the birth of Christ.
Matthew continues the story with Jesus's earthly mission & miracles.
Mark tells the story of Holy Week & the Crucifixion.
John shows us the Risen Christ.
I think what we'll do is have a table with the cards on face down. We'll then ask people to select one and when they do we'll tell them about the story that it relates to in the Gospels.
At other MBS festivals we offered healing from a christian tradition and a variety of spiritual installations. The Jesus Deck feels like we're taking it a step further and hence I'm a bit more cautious. Has anyone out there ever used them? Or do they have any constructive advice on them?
This year we're thinking of using 'The Jesus Deck', a pack of Tarot cards that John Drane told us about. The cards have no major arkana cards, there are only four suits of 13 cards each, plus two non-identical jokers, on each card is an image and a piece of Biblical text.
Luke, the first suit, starts with the birth of Christ.
Matthew continues the story with Jesus's earthly mission & miracles.
Mark tells the story of Holy Week & the Crucifixion.
John shows us the Risen Christ.
I think what we'll do is have a table with the cards on face down. We'll then ask people to select one and when they do we'll tell them about the story that it relates to in the Gospels.
At other MBS festivals we offered healing from a christian tradition and a variety of spiritual installations. The Jesus Deck feels like we're taking it a step further and hence I'm a bit more cautious. Has anyone out there ever used them? Or do they have any constructive advice on them?
URGENT!!! - bookings for Edinburgh rally, July 2
Hello peeps.
If you want to come on the organised coach up to Edinburgh (and have the delightful company of me, Eva and Ben on the bus), you only have 24 hours! Swans Travel coaches website stops accepting bookings tomorrow (Friday 17th) at 3pm...
https://swanstravel.com/oxfam/oxfam.asp
If you want to travel up with us, we are taking the coach which leaves from the Manchester pick-up point (presumably city centre).
This leaves at 6am and returns at about 6pm, more detail on the site.
I know some people are making their own way up... For more information on the rally, check out the official website:
http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/edinburgh/
More media appearances...
I'm going to be on TV on Sunday... On the Heaven and Earth show again, which is on BBC 1, I think. Apparently we're talkking about pic 'n' mix spirituality, which should be interesting.
Sanctus@Nexus
We're about to launch our third Sanctus1 group (21st June). It's gonna be on a Tuesday night at 7:30 in Nexus (just off Oldham Street, in the Northern Quarter). There are about 10 pioneering people from Sanctus1 who are going to launch this new venture. It is also exciting as it is in partnership with the methodists in the city centre.
It's a neutral space and I think it will be far more accessible to those who have no experience of Church. We're also going to be working with the methodists to open the Night Cafe later in the summer, which will be in Nexus and hopefully allow people to feed into Sanctus@Nexus.
It's a neutral space and I think it will be far more accessible to those who have no experience of Church. We're also going to be working with the methodists to open the Night Cafe later in the summer, which will be in Nexus and hopefully allow people to feed into Sanctus@Nexus.
Sanctus2nds: Handle with Care
Sanctus2nds is an intergenerational service that Sanctus1 run every 2nd Sunday at 4 pm in Sacred Trinity.
Open to people of all ages, Sanctus2nds is a sanctuary for creativity, reflection and socialising. Sanctus2nds will feature a cafe space to refresh your body, a creative space to inspire your mind, and a prayer space to nurture your soul; building an environment to encounter Christ.
There is a service this sunday, 12th June, called Handle with Care. Hope that you can come.
All fm
I was on the radio (ALL FM) this morning, talking about Church Army and Sanctus1 - I quite enjoyed it. It was fascinating to dialogue with a person (who has never been to Sanctus1) about his perceptions of it. He picked up some interesting points of heterogeneity and about consumer church, which I thought that I dealt with very well!!
The hardest part was picking three pieces of music to play, in the end i decided on:
Inspiral Carpets - This is how it feels.
Spiritualized - Lord can you hear me?
Groove Armada - Think Twice.
The hardest part was picking three pieces of music to play, in the end i decided on:
Inspiral Carpets - This is how it feels.
Spiritualized - Lord can you hear me?
Groove Armada - Think Twice.
II - A night of electronica and creative media
Here's a flyer for the next II. II is a club night in Cord, in the Nortern Quarter, that is hosted by Sanctus1 and is fantastic! The next one is on Wednesday - 8th June from 8-11.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)