So now you know what's been going on there.
Building work at Nexus
Whilst clearing up my desk at work (prior to departure for Cambodia, read all about it here) I came across an old report that my company did...
So now you know what's been going on there.
So now you know what's been going on there.
Sanctus' litte elfers...
I give you the Sanctus1 leadership team as you've never seen them before...
Christmas Meal Photos
On Wednesday night we had the Sanctus1 Christmas party. It was a great night and you can see the photos here.
'Not all who wander are lost'
Whilst we were in California - more specifically in the Anza-Borrego Desert - I found this Life is Good T-shirt and couldn't resist. The reference is an apt reminder to me of my own spiritual journey - and that of plenty of others I know, not least some fellow Sanctimonians (copyright, Richard Trouncer). It's got a further resonance for anyone who's ever 'wandered' in the desert: the stones, rocks and sometimes tree trunks that are lined alongside the edge of each and every path mean that you can't really get lost... In fact, at times it's a bit more like the straight and narrow.
Closer to LA itself, I found this Tshirt made by Mission Playground...
I like to think the only thing missing from it is the Sanctus1 logo. ;-) So, who says's shopping can't be a spiritual experience?
But... I think even those two purchases pale in comparison to these beauties!
technorati tag: life is good, mission playground, anza-borrego desert, sanctus1
Weather with you...
I hate the Manchester Hilton building.
IMHO, it's a clunky slab of uninspiring glass that dominates the south end of Deansgate. I have to walk past it several times a day to and from home, work, the pub... I particularly hate the step half way up the back that increases the floor area of the flats above and gives the bar a creepy see-through floor section.
But some days its ugliness catches my eye as the weather transforms it. And sometimes it even reflects my mood back at me. The other day (above) its steely flint-grey appearance reflected my own gritted-teeth-head-down week...
And occassionally it has its head in the clouds (literally).technorati tag: manchester hilton, manchester weather
Turin Brakes/ Nessun Dorma
OK, it's nothing like the last post, but this too was also lurking at the bottom of my inbox, waiting for a wider audience...
I *know* it sounds like it should be a ridiculous mess, but I just think there's something about it that works.
Go listen.
technorati tag: turin brakes, nessun dorma
I *know* it sounds like it should be a ridiculous mess, but I just think there's something about it that works.
Go listen.
technorati tag: turin brakes, nessun dorma
FLOWmarket
Having tidied my desk, its drawers, and the floor surrounding my desk, I finally turned my attention to my inbox...And lurking somewhere near the bottom from the end of the summer, I found a note to blog about FLOWmarket. A colleague had come across their products for sale in a gallery in Denmark and been wowed. Put off by the price tag, she didn't buy anything, but did come back to encourage us rifle through their site one slow afternoon.
I think it's wonderful stuff. Product? Art? Provocation? Challenge? Pretension? You decide.
technorati tag: flowmarket, consumerism
The God Delusion or The Dawkins Delusion
The next two weeks in sanctus1 should be very interesting! We're exploring the rise in atheist fundamentalism and the Christian response to it.
Here are the details of what we're doing:
Wednesday 28 November - 7:30 Nexus and Sacred Trinity – Exchange .
Theme: Atheism explored – a week looking at some of the primary objections to the Christian faith.
Wednesday 5 Dec - 7:30 Nexus - Engage (Food followed by an after dinner speaker)
Theme: The God Delusion – A Christian Response to Atheism
Here are the details of what we're doing:
Wednesday 28 November - 7:30 Nexus and Sacred Trinity – Exchange .
Theme: Atheism explored – a week looking at some of the primary objections to the Christian faith.
Wednesday 5 Dec - 7:30 Nexus - Engage (Food followed by an after dinner speaker)
Theme: The God Delusion – A Christian Response to Atheism
Variety: births
Arriving in LA, I'd been keen to see a copy of Variety, the film bible. To an Empire reader, it seems so foreign and mysterious.
So when I got back to the UK, I added their feeds to my reader and delved into the world of "for your consideration" and more. To my delight, they publish birth announcements - and this one, for a boy with a "pro" mom and "non-pro" dad particularly tickled me:
"Tracy Brennan and James Dreher, a boy, Dashiel James Dreher, Oct. 2, Los Angeles. Mother's an agent at CAA; father's non-pro."
technorati tag: variety, birth announcements
So when I got back to the UK, I added their feeds to my reader and delved into the world of "for your consideration" and more. To my delight, they publish birth announcements - and this one, for a boy with a "pro" mom and "non-pro" dad particularly tickled me:
"Tracy Brennan and James Dreher, a boy, Dashiel James Dreher, Oct. 2, Los Angeles. Mother's an agent at CAA; father's non-pro."
technorati tag: variety, birth announcements
Insight Film Festival Winner!!
Last Wednesday was the first ever insight film festival. I was part of the steering team for it and we had a fantastic day with the judges at Nexus before the prize was awarded by Michael Wakelin. The judges selected the winner and it was a 12 minute film called 'Fire and Clay' by Balti and Havana. You can view the winning piece here.
We're now beginning to think about next year and how we can both enlarge it and get further funding...
We're now beginning to think about next year and how we can both enlarge it and get further funding...
LA la land...
Just got back from a little over two weeks in Los Angeles - city of angels, city of dreams, city of the stars, city of contrasts, city of freeways, city of tomorrow - aka LA la land!
My head's too full and too jetlagged to blog much about it, but am sure I will as I start to process and reflect on the experience.
technorati tag: los angeles
Insight Film Festival
Over the last year I've been involved in planning the Insight Film Festival. The festival invites young people to make a film about the power of faith, they then submit it and the films are judged by a panel of experts who choose a winner. The prize in £1000.
I understand that this year there have been a number of excellent submissions. The prize giving is this Wednesday in Nexus and the prize will be awarded by Michael Wakelin, head of Religion and Ethics at the BBC. It should be a great event, so if you're interested in coming you can buy tickets here.
Images from Findhorn
Most of you know that i was at Findhorn last week, anyway whilst there i took a load of photos with my DSLR that you can see here. However, there were times when i didn't have my DSLR with me so i had to resort to the phone...here is one of my favourite images.
The first one was the sign above the bread board and reads:
Be gentle when you touch bread,
let it not be uncared for, unwanted
too often bread is taken for granted
There is much beauty in bread:
beauty of sun and soil;
beauty of patient toil;
wind and rain have caressed it,
Christ often Blessed it -
Be Gentle when you touch bread.
The first one was the sign above the bread board and reads:
Be gentle when you touch bread,
let it not be uncared for, unwanted
too often bread is taken for granted
There is much beauty in bread:
beauty of sun and soil;
beauty of patient toil;
wind and rain have caressed it,
Christ often Blessed it -
Be Gentle when you touch bread.
new website - any comments?
I've been redesigning the website over the last few weeks with the aim to make it simpler and more accessible. Have a look here:www.sanctus1.co.uk/sanctus1home.htm
any comments - the blog will also be redesigned in the next few days and i think i'm gonna change it to typepad...
any comments - the blog will also be redesigned in the next few days and i think i'm gonna change it to typepad...
Sanctus1 tonight!
Please bring something with you this week...
This week you are invited to bring something that holds meaning for you, or something that you might cherish – it might be an object or a piece of music that reminds you of something important in your life. It could be special photo, or a picture, or a
specific Bible passage.
Bring a poem
Bring a painting
Bring a song
Bring a dance
Bring a video
Bring a photo
Bring a word
Bring a prayer
Bring yourself and be...
Wednesday 7.30pm at Nexus and Sacred Trinity – Doors open at 6.30pm
A night to explore one another’s creativity (owned or borrowed) and within it to discover a creative God.
Followed by drinks at Sam’s Chop House
This week you are invited to bring something that holds meaning for you, or something that you might cherish – it might be an object or a piece of music that reminds you of something important in your life. It could be special photo, or a picture, or a
specific Bible passage.
Bring a poem
Bring a painting
Bring a song
Bring a dance
Bring a video
Bring a photo
Bring a word
Bring a prayer
Bring yourself and be...
Wednesday 7.30pm at Nexus and Sacred Trinity – Doors open at 6.30pm
A night to explore one another’s creativity (owned or borrowed) and within it to discover a creative God.
Followed by drinks at Sam’s Chop House
Failure
Tonight in Sanctus1 we are exploring the place of failure in our faith, life and our culture. It should be a fascinating evening, we'll be starting at 7:30 in Nexus.
p.s. - I'm not a big fan of this poster...
p.s. - I'm not a big fan of this poster...
Control
Anton Corbijn’s Ian Curtis/ Joy Division film, Control, lived up to (very high) expectations last night. Beautifully crafted and shot, it was a period piece as much as any Merchant Ivory - the difference being this was Macclesfield, Salford and Manchester in the 1970s.
Of course, knowing the ending made it a very intense experience from the off. But Corbijn's tenderness and vision made me ache and finally weep for that damaged young man, isolated and alone despite (because of?) his fame.
It was an ultimately fatal, bad mix - the lows of epilepsy, medication, marriage and adultery, and the itinerant lifestyle of the music scene. But as needed, there was humour writ right through it all – not least, a brilliant one-liner about The Fall’s Mark E Smith.
To complete the full Mancunian experience, there was also a fist fight in the cinema during the screening last night! A drunk bloke, who was heckling, commentating and singing (!) his way through the film, finally got shouted at by another bloke down the front and a spot of bother ensued. And I have to say, after we’d escaped the film having got through the rest in reverent silence, we thought it had rather added to both the tension and the moment...
technorati tag: control
Loading Bay
The flyer says it all really - a new cafe round the corner from work (near the unis/ by Sugden Sport Centre, in the same building as SandBar). And yes the latte was good...
Commercialism, Christianity and, er, fish
I spotted this amid a great series of photographs on the Grauniad website; you could be browsing for, ooh, minutes. Photo taken by Hector Georgiou.
10 today!
I do something amazing. I give blood.
So goes the National Blood Service strapline. Today was my tenth donation, and they gave me a pin badge! I'm A negative which means that I'm quite rare (ok, not *that* rare) - there's only five days stock left of my type at current levels because it needs to be replenished often. Group O is the most common which means it's in demand the most.
It takes less than an hour all told (forms, test, feet up, free biscuits, the lot) and it only involves one needle (and one tiny prick on your finger). Almost anyone between the ages of 17 and 60 can become a new blood donor. You get a free cup of tea and biscuits, and a warm feeling inside.
Only about 5% of the population who are able to do give blood: you could well be one of the 95%. I started giving because of someone who need a tranfusion after giving birth - someone had gone along and given a pint for her when she needed it without any of us knowing. I know I'm not the only one who's grateful...
technorati tag: national blood service
Jesus loves you
This gave me extreme giggles. Subtle humour courtesy of Some Grey Bloke. Contains swearing.
blog birthday
Nothing like missing mentioning our 3rd blog anniversary by 24 hours...
:-S
Oops.
technorati tag: sanctus1
:-S
Oops.
technorati tag: sanctus1
Tribe
We've just started a series in our sessions called "Tribe" - I think we'll be looking at topics and themes for the rest of this month around it.
We're covering belonging and indentity, rites and rituals, contemporary gang culture, the 12 tribes of Israel, and of course Bruce Parry's excellent BBC series.
I've found it a stimulating and challenging theme to reflect on. As one of my anthropology mates commented the other day, the people who benefit least from any research are the researched tribe or people themselves - of course they already know everything about their own rituals, rites, behaviours, culture... (or do we?)
Tomorrow, we're sharing food and having a service at Nexus from 7pm, covering some of these ideas - you'd be welcome to join our tribe for it...
technorati tag: tribe, sanctus1
We're covering belonging and indentity, rites and rituals, contemporary gang culture, the 12 tribes of Israel, and of course Bruce Parry's excellent BBC series.
I've found it a stimulating and challenging theme to reflect on. As one of my anthropology mates commented the other day, the people who benefit least from any research are the researched tribe or people themselves - of course they already know everything about their own rituals, rites, behaviours, culture... (or do we?)
Tomorrow, we're sharing food and having a service at Nexus from 7pm, covering some of these ideas - you'd be welcome to join our tribe for it...
technorati tag: tribe, sanctus1
How, for 15 seconds, I was almost going to Russia
"Hello, R0b C0tter1ll."
"R0b? It's J0hn. We've just got the go-ahead for the site visit to Astrakhan."
"Astrakhan??"
"-. I didn't tell you about Astrakan?"
"No."
"Ah. Let me check my notes. OK, you're not going to Astrakhan. Forget this call ever happened."
"OK."
"Speak to you soon."
"Fine. Bye."
"Bye."
"R0b? It's J0hn. We've just got the go-ahead for the site visit to Astrakhan."
"Astrakhan??"
"-. I didn't tell you about Astrakan?"
"No."
"Ah. Let me check my notes. OK, you're not going to Astrakhan. Forget this call ever happened."
"OK."
"Speak to you soon."
"Fine. Bye."
"Bye."
mercurial nonsense...
Things that you might have missed during the Mercury Music Prize, and the mania following Klaxons win (did you know that the Guardian gave their album a one star review in January?!):
Jools Holland pocketed the cheque before announcing the winner, and produced later on whilst interviewing the band to genuinely delight cries of “The cheque! The cheque!!”. I thought the Stormtrooper-style plaster cast added to the vaguely futuristic gold lame look the band had been sporting. And they appear to have Edward Scissorhands as a drummer…
In other notable Mercury nonsense:
Seb Rochford – aka The Hair!
Fionn Regan – his acceptance speech: “From the trenches and the moats, for this drawbridge, thanks.”
Natasha Khan – where does her voice come from? Spooky.
Young Knives – suited and booted in a city slicker version of their usual country jacket attire.
Only the Arctic Monkeys weren’t there to perform live - shame. That’s what winning the Mercury does – means you get so big you have to tour the US.
Everyone else did admirably but nothing more or less than we expected of them, namely, Jamie T, The View, New Young Pony Club, Maps, and Dizee Rascal.
And at last and least, we come to Amy – in her very own “she was there” shocker! She was also sounding and looking good, but the classic moment, caught on camera but off mic, was her mouthing to Jools post-performance, “Have I won?”
Amy, Amy, Amy – what is there left to say? Instead I’ll direct you to the prescient lyrics (given that Amy’s aged only 23) of Sir Andrew of Lloyd Webber in Evita’s High Flying Adored:
High flying, adored, what happens now, where do you go from here?
For someone on top of the world, the view is not exactly clear.
A shame you did it all at twenty-six.
There are no mysteries now,
Nothing can thrill you, no-one fulfill you.
High flying, adored, I hope you come to terms with boredom -
So famous, so easily, so soon, is not the wisest thing to be.
You won't care if they love you, it's been done before.
You'll despair if they hate you, you'll be drained of all energy.
All the young who've made it would agree.
technorati tag: mercury music prize
Jools Holland pocketed the cheque before announcing the winner, and produced later on whilst interviewing the band to genuinely delight cries of “The cheque! The cheque!!”. I thought the Stormtrooper-style plaster cast added to the vaguely futuristic gold lame look the band had been sporting. And they appear to have Edward Scissorhands as a drummer…
In other notable Mercury nonsense:
Seb Rochford – aka The Hair!
Fionn Regan – his acceptance speech: “From the trenches and the moats, for this drawbridge, thanks.”
Natasha Khan – where does her voice come from? Spooky.
Young Knives – suited and booted in a city slicker version of their usual country jacket attire.
Only the Arctic Monkeys weren’t there to perform live - shame. That’s what winning the Mercury does – means you get so big you have to tour the US.
Everyone else did admirably but nothing more or less than we expected of them, namely, Jamie T, The View, New Young Pony Club, Maps, and Dizee Rascal.
And at last and least, we come to Amy – in her very own “she was there” shocker! She was also sounding and looking good, but the classic moment, caught on camera but off mic, was her mouthing to Jools post-performance, “Have I won?”
Amy, Amy, Amy – what is there left to say? Instead I’ll direct you to the prescient lyrics (given that Amy’s aged only 23) of Sir Andrew of Lloyd Webber in Evita’s High Flying Adored:
High flying, adored, what happens now, where do you go from here?
For someone on top of the world, the view is not exactly clear.
A shame you did it all at twenty-six.
There are no mysteries now,
Nothing can thrill you, no-one fulfill you.
High flying, adored, I hope you come to terms with boredom -
So famous, so easily, so soon, is not the wisest thing to be.
You won't care if they love you, it's been done before.
You'll despair if they hate you, you'll be drained of all energy.
All the young who've made it would agree.
technorati tag: mercury music prize
Greenbelt communion liturgy
Here is the liturgy and the service sheet that we used for the sunday morning service at GB.
tRUTH and mEANING
The nature of truth/ Truth and meaning/ Meaning have been playing on my mind for various reasons, both during and after Greenbelt (“Wow, deep stuff!” I hear you breathe…).
As ever, when there’s something on my mind, I see markers of it everywhere. Today, within a few hundred metres of each other, I walked past my favourite piece of Mcr graffiti – a tag that reads “? This is the age of broken images”...
and, a new flyposter that’s appeared in the last 24 hours...
Today, both seemed to be divine interventions (“what can it mean? what does it mean?”) in a way that I think might make Pete Rollins and the Ikon crew nod sagely…
(BTW, I still don't know what Pete said in his GB session, I just know it was really, really good.)
technorati tag: greenbelt, ikon, pete rollins
As ever, when there’s something on my mind, I see markers of it everywhere. Today, within a few hundred metres of each other, I walked past my favourite piece of Mcr graffiti – a tag that reads “? This is the age of broken images”...
and, a new flyposter that’s appeared in the last 24 hours...
Today, both seemed to be divine interventions (“what can it mean? what does it mean?”) in a way that I think might make Pete Rollins and the Ikon crew nod sagely…
(BTW, I still don't know what Pete said in his GB session, I just know it was really, really good.)
technorati tag: greenbelt, ikon, pete rollins
Greenbelt Communion 07
Well we did it! Sanctus1 led the main communion service at GB this year, it's probably the only time in my life where i'll lead worship for 15,000 people and it was a fantastic experience. All seemed to go to plan and the service ran smoothly. Love and Joy Gospel choir were stunning and gave the service a real sense of energy, Fuse Factory on the arena stage gave the arena an ambient feel. People from Sanctus led the service well and the whole service felt coherent and lasted 70 minutes.
Thanks to all involved, esp. those who stuffed the 1,000 worship bags - without you it wouldn't have happened!
My highlight was the final song, How Great Thou Art, I felt quite tearful - this huge event that i have been working on for six months or so had come to an end, and it had worked. The crowd seemed to be loving it and i had a real sense of God during the event.
In the pouring rain of another Thursday morning...
"You’ll never see the hacienda. It doesn’t exist. The hacienda must be built."
I suspect Tony Wilson's funeral notice should have read: "Flowers, or donations to Christies. But please, no tribute gigs..."
technorati tag: tony wilson, the hacienda
Greenbelt - see you there?
Not long now...!
You can meet up and worship with us twice on the weekend - on Sunday morning at 10.30 (yep, we're doing the festival communion - gulp!), and also for a Sanctus2nds service. Be great to see you at both/ either.
And with my weather obsession (Ben says I need help!!), I'd also point to the excellent metcheck for updates...
technorati tag: greenbelt, sanctus1
You can meet up and worship with us twice on the weekend - on Sunday morning at 10.30 (yep, we're doing the festival communion - gulp!), and also for a Sanctus2nds service. Be great to see you at both/ either.
And with my weather obsession (Ben says I need help!!), I'd also point to the excellent metcheck for updates...
technorati tag: greenbelt, sanctus1
Anthony Wilson. RIP
Anthony Wilson, Music Impressario (BBC Radio 4), PopMogul (BBC Radio 2), founder of Factory records and the Hacienda, has died at the age of 57. He had been suffering from kidney cancer and was apparently fed up with everyone suddenly being nice to him.
He died on Friday evening at the Christie Hospital surrounded by family.
Icon of the Resurrection
On Weds night in Sanctus we spent a bit of time exlporing this Icon:
Here are some thoughts on it that I shared on the evening. The Icon was originally painted in the sixth century and has been repainted a number of times throughout Christian history – this example here is far later. I think that we need to view Icons both visually and symbolically - we immediately see the visual and we’ll have a reaction to it, we’ll either like it or not, but underneath that is the symbolism and the theology.
As well as being called the resurrection some call this Icon ‘The Descent into Hell’, in Christian tradition throughout the centuries one theory is that when Christ died he descended into hell, where he finally defeated Satan. At the bottom of the Icon we have an image of hell – two men, (other have images of Satan) representatives of humanity – were trapped their – on either side of them are the broken open gates of hell, around them are fragments of the lock that Christ has broken through. He is helping two people out, pulling them from their coffins to join him, these two people are Adam and Eve, and he is restoring them to God. The fall is being overcome by the resurrection.
In the centre is Christ – he stands on a bridge, in some images the bridge is far some precarious than this one, he is stood in front of a doorway. This is the door way to heaven. It leads to the mountains – the dwelling place of God. Christ is the doorway and shows the way- I am the way the truth and the light no one comes to the father except by me…
There are a number of other figures around the image, to the right of Christ are David and Solomon – the two Greatest Kings of Israel, next to them in John the Baptist. On the other side the left and two great figures of the Jewish faith Moses and Isaiah, and standing next to Christ is a figure who I think is Peter. This is therefore a timeless Icon, whether in the past or the present the door way to heaven is open to all people.
I want you to notice how the light is radiating from Christ – it highlights all the others, they are glowing because of the light of Christ. The light of Christ is so dazzling that Eve cannot even look at him.
This icon can be divided into three, Hell is at the bottom; a waiting place such as purgatory in the centre where, the saints and patriarchs are waiting for entry to heaven; and then at the top is heaven and the way to enter heaven is through the door way opened up by Christ. It is a timeless Icon, through which we cover all of biblical history.
As I seek to interpret this Icon, I find the image of Christ as a bridge helpful. In this picture he opens us Heaven - he becomes the bridge to heaven. He also conquers hell and becomes the bridge out of hell. Finally he bridges the fractured relationship between Adam and Eve. It is often noted that in Genesis Adam quickly seeks to blame Eve for the fall, a sign of human sin and selfishness. Christ seeks to repair this relationship as he seeks to repair all relationship. Therefore this is a Icon of resurrection but not only the physical resurrection of Christ but also the resurrection of dead broken relationships.
Here are some thoughts on it that I shared on the evening. The Icon was originally painted in the sixth century and has been repainted a number of times throughout Christian history – this example here is far later. I think that we need to view Icons both visually and symbolically - we immediately see the visual and we’ll have a reaction to it, we’ll either like it or not, but underneath that is the symbolism and the theology.
As well as being called the resurrection some call this Icon ‘The Descent into Hell’, in Christian tradition throughout the centuries one theory is that when Christ died he descended into hell, where he finally defeated Satan. At the bottom of the Icon we have an image of hell – two men, (other have images of Satan) representatives of humanity – were trapped their – on either side of them are the broken open gates of hell, around them are fragments of the lock that Christ has broken through. He is helping two people out, pulling them from their coffins to join him, these two people are Adam and Eve, and he is restoring them to God. The fall is being overcome by the resurrection.
In the centre is Christ – he stands on a bridge, in some images the bridge is far some precarious than this one, he is stood in front of a doorway. This is the door way to heaven. It leads to the mountains – the dwelling place of God. Christ is the doorway and shows the way- I am the way the truth and the light no one comes to the father except by me…
There are a number of other figures around the image, to the right of Christ are David and Solomon – the two Greatest Kings of Israel, next to them in John the Baptist. On the other side the left and two great figures of the Jewish faith Moses and Isaiah, and standing next to Christ is a figure who I think is Peter. This is therefore a timeless Icon, whether in the past or the present the door way to heaven is open to all people.
I want you to notice how the light is radiating from Christ – it highlights all the others, they are glowing because of the light of Christ. The light of Christ is so dazzling that Eve cannot even look at him.
This icon can be divided into three, Hell is at the bottom; a waiting place such as purgatory in the centre where, the saints and patriarchs are waiting for entry to heaven; and then at the top is heaven and the way to enter heaven is through the door way opened up by Christ. It is a timeless Icon, through which we cover all of biblical history.
As I seek to interpret this Icon, I find the image of Christ as a bridge helpful. In this picture he opens us Heaven - he becomes the bridge to heaven. He also conquers hell and becomes the bridge out of hell. Finally he bridges the fractured relationship between Adam and Eve. It is often noted that in Genesis Adam quickly seeks to blame Eve for the fall, a sign of human sin and selfishness. Christ seeks to repair this relationship as he seeks to repair all relationship. Therefore this is a Icon of resurrection but not only the physical resurrection of Christ but also the resurrection of dead broken relationships.
.org?
Just thinking out loud here... why is Sanctus1 a .co.uk domain? I've just checked and .org and .org.uk are available.
Should we move from the commercial to the err... organisational?
...Lev
Should we move from the commercial to the err... organisational?
...Lev
"Cut God some slack"
A cleverer and wittier man than me poses and half answers the question I've always wondered:-
Who buys all those best-selling "anti-God" books given that they would seem to be aimed only at the market of strident atheists in need of reinforcement?
UPDATE: He reckons he knows now...
technorati tag: freakonomics, steven levitt
Who buys all those best-selling "anti-God" books given that they would seem to be aimed only at the market of strident atheists in need of reinforcement?
UPDATE: He reckons he knows now...
technorati tag: freakonomics, steven levitt
Lego into the world and make disciples of all nations
Here's a faithful rendering of the last supper, Lego style, by Italian artist Udronotto.
With an impressive array of Lego recreations on his Flickr page, it won't be too long before Crimewatch sign him up to do their reconstructions.
Speaking of crime, Udronotto seemed to have stolen the idea from someone else in the first place...
Changes - this Sunday
A post about, um, you know, heh heh, er, um ... sex
At Sanctus 1 this week, our groups looked at four news stories, and asked probing* questions about the media's attitude to religion.
The stories were:
- Shambo the TB-infected bull and the battle by Welsh Hindus to save the sacred animal;
- The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles paying out hundreds of millions of pounds to sexual abuse victims;
- A teenager losing her fight to wear a saving-sex-for-marriage ring in school;
- A gay youth worker winning a tribunal case against the Church Of England.
Personally, I'm glad the catholics are paying out to the poor victims. I'm delighted the youth worker has exposed the church's appalling attitude to gay people. I'm pleased the teenager has lost her "right" to flout school policy. I think I'm happy about Shambo being saved, but then again I'm not a farmer.
However, my fellow Sanctimonian and occasional train buddy Myn made a good point when we were chatting about this yesterday: Why, oh why, oh why are all the Christian stories to do with sex?
Have we not enlightened ourselves? Are we still so nervous as a religion about the Bible and, um, you know, naughty stuff? Is it safe yet for me to remove my chastity belt?
*no innuendo intended, honest
The stories were:
- Shambo the TB-infected bull and the battle by Welsh Hindus to save the sacred animal;
- The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles paying out hundreds of millions of pounds to sexual abuse victims;
- A teenager losing her fight to wear a saving-sex-for-marriage ring in school;
- A gay youth worker winning a tribunal case against the Church Of England.
Personally, I'm glad the catholics are paying out to the poor victims. I'm delighted the youth worker has exposed the church's appalling attitude to gay people. I'm pleased the teenager has lost her "right" to flout school policy. I think I'm happy about Shambo being saved, but then again I'm not a farmer.
However, my fellow Sanctimonian and occasional train buddy Myn made a good point when we were chatting about this yesterday: Why, oh why, oh why are all the Christian stories to do with sex?
Have we not enlightened ourselves? Are we still so nervous as a religion about the Bible and, um, you know, naughty stuff? Is it safe yet for me to remove my chastity belt?
*no innuendo intended, honest
Steeple does a Jack-Jack, police move in 'like nutters'
Baptists have come under fire from God, as you can see in this rather startling piccie.
Lightning zapped the steeple of the First Mount Olive Free Willy Baptist Church earlier this week. Well, okay, it's 'Free Will' not 'Free Willy' but I think the latter is funnier and I will be writing to tell them so.
Bishop Oscar E Brown was inside the building when God struck. "We heard a thump, but we didn't think anything of it." He continued his meeting inside the church while the steeple flamed like the baby from The Incredibles.
Police were hunting for a murderer nearby (this is America remember), but broke off to warn people inside the church of their impending doom. "Some church members peeked from windows and looked at us as if we were a bunch of nuts trying to break in," said one officer.
The steeple collapsed into the church (true). The whole building exploded while the congregation and a plucky dog jumped to safety just in the nick of time (false).
So next time you are condemning someone to burn in hell, just remember there are God-fearing Christians burning in Baltimore too.
Good on you Gordon.
I, for one, am pleased that there is to be a review of the super casino plans for East Manchester, and that the talk is that the proposal is 'dead in the water'. The BBC reports that Manchester MP's and the city council are not that pleased. East Manchester MP Graham Stringer said that the people of Manchester would not be happy; this person from Manchester is happy!
Huh?
Can anyone help? What does this mean?
The 35-storey tower and a smaller 7-storey block has been christened
‘Gravity’ to reflect the development of the area as a desirable residential
zone.
Now, I know I was educated under the old system whereby facts had relevance, rather than how they made us feel. But I always thought that gravity had something to do with mass, acceleration, and Newtonian physics, having something to do with planets and fundamental forces and is calculable by a natty formula:
Yup, another "iconic" development is heading our way. Joy.
Chorlton Beer Festival: a Fresh Expression of Church?
The Third Chorlton Beer Festival is happening this weekend. As ever, it is at St Clement's church, in Chorlton and will be attended by "churched" and "unchurched" alike. Now, I know people from both of these "communities" who would be opposed to a beer fesival at a church: where the emphasis in that sentence lies, depends on which group you are in... Interestingly, those who are there don't seem to mind either way.
There's a hogroast too.
There's a hogroast too.
End of the story? Sony says "sorry"
Just an update on an oh-so-last-month story that some who visit here regularly might be interested in - Manchester Evening News reported on Friday that Sony has said "sorry" to the cathedral for its use in a video game...
On a slight aside, I do find it interesting to see which stories live on in the media for a long time, which get followed up some time later, and which get quietly forgotten.
technorati tag: manchester cathedral, sony
On a slight aside, I do find it interesting to see which stories live on in the media for a long time, which get followed up some time later, and which get quietly forgotten.
technorati tag: manchester cathedral, sony
Heaven and Earth Show
I'm going to be on the heaven and earth show on Sunday. They filmed me today at Nexus. I'm a bit nervous about it as I'm not sure how it'll come across. It's meant to be a bit polemical so hopefully that will come across well. It's a response to a piece by Terry Waite that'll appear in The Daily Mail on Saturday.
I'm also quite cautious about some of their camera shots...I may be seen as a bit wacky! I'm gonna be portrayed as the young crazy one and he'll be the institutional man.
I'm also quite cautious about some of their camera shots...I may be seen as a bit wacky! I'm gonna be portrayed as the young crazy one and he'll be the institutional man.
Spot the Difference
The sign on the leftis from ISO3864 and BS5378. It is internationally recognised and has been carefully designed and reviewed to ensure clarity and comprehension. It has been around for over 25 years.
The sign on the right is the New and Legally Required sign that all buildings in England must display from Sunday onwards (including Grade 1 Listed churches and cathedrals).
Now, you mught say "what's wrong with the new sign?". Well, on the face of it not a lot. But why has it been felt necessary to create a new sign? What was wrong with the old one? And why is it necessary for anyone displaying the current, internationally recognised sign, to remove them and replace them with the new Tony Blair recognised sign?
Incidentally, I'm not sure that I understand why smoking is the only offence that it is necessary to warn against. Where are the signs saying "No killing: it is against then law" or "No glorifying terrorism or terrorists"?
As usual, suitable comment at the Cartoon Church
angels...
The service on Sunday went well - a lot of people commented on it afterwards... So I thought I'd post some of the ideas/ liturgy here.
We looked at four functions of angels during the service - Voice, Protector, Agent for Change, Messenger. Confession was about not being able to hear the voice of God - with that clip from Dogma of the Metatron appearing to Bethany, followed by If God Would Send His Angels/ U2. Agent for Change was two clips from It's A Wonderful Life - and prayers. Messenger was the women at the tomb, and sharing bread and wine. Plus we had a wonderfully cheesey slide/ music combo of angel images to - yep you guessed it - Robbie Williams!
And I wrote this spoken introduction:
Angels - they were created first, but we humans became the most revered. At one time God had spoken directly with Adam and Eve in the garden, but that was before the trouble… and after they were thrown out, God put a cherubim at the gate to guard the way back to the Tree of Life.
As Adam and Eve’s generations of descendants wandered the earth, angels came from God to bring messages, inhabit dreams, give protection, show God’s judgment, care for those in need, and provide divine guidance. They were not The Lord, and yet they were The Lord’s earthly presence.
Hagar – Abram and Sarai’s Egyptian maid servant – first saw the angel of the Lord. She was pregnant with Ishmael, Abram’s first son, but ran away because of Sara’s mistreatment of her. The angel of the Lord met her at a spring in the desert, told her to return home, and that her son’s numerous descendants would become a great nation.
From that runaway pregnant maid servant, to the protection of Daniel in the lions’ den,
From the guidance of the nation of Israel through the wilderness, to the feeding of Elijah,
From Gabriel’s visitation to Mary, to the announcement to shepherd’s of the birth of a baby,
From Abraham’s three visitors, to the end times of Revelation,
Angels are among us.
technorati tag: angels, sanctus1
We looked at four functions of angels during the service - Voice, Protector, Agent for Change, Messenger. Confession was about not being able to hear the voice of God - with that clip from Dogma of the Metatron appearing to Bethany, followed by If God Would Send His Angels/ U2. Agent for Change was two clips from It's A Wonderful Life - and prayers. Messenger was the women at the tomb, and sharing bread and wine. Plus we had a wonderfully cheesey slide/ music combo of angel images to - yep you guessed it - Robbie Williams!
And I wrote this spoken introduction:
Angels - they were created first, but we humans became the most revered. At one time God had spoken directly with Adam and Eve in the garden, but that was before the trouble… and after they were thrown out, God put a cherubim at the gate to guard the way back to the Tree of Life.
As Adam and Eve’s generations of descendants wandered the earth, angels came from God to bring messages, inhabit dreams, give protection, show God’s judgment, care for those in need, and provide divine guidance. They were not The Lord, and yet they were The Lord’s earthly presence.
Hagar – Abram and Sarai’s Egyptian maid servant – first saw the angel of the Lord. She was pregnant with Ishmael, Abram’s first son, but ran away because of Sara’s mistreatment of her. The angel of the Lord met her at a spring in the desert, told her to return home, and that her son’s numerous descendants would become a great nation.
From that runaway pregnant maid servant, to the protection of Daniel in the lions’ den,
From the guidance of the nation of Israel through the wilderness, to the feeding of Elijah,
From Gabriel’s visitation to Mary, to the announcement to shepherd’s of the birth of a baby,
From Abraham’s three visitors, to the end times of Revelation,
Angels are among us.
technorati tag: angels, sanctus1
free greenbelt ticket!
If you are looking for a free ticket to greenbelt the new forms cafe is looking to recruit a team of stewards in the new forms cafe venue. It's the venue that I've been involved with over the last few years and where sanctus2nds will be leading a service. You'd also get some meal vouchers when working too. leave a contact e-mail below if interested. it's an indoor venue and where a lot of the alt worship is happening on site.
Next Up...
Oh good grief.
THE BRITON’S Protection, one of Manchester’s finest and most popular pubs. Listed on the National Register of Historic Pubs.
A property developer wants to put the pub on a concrete raft and shift it against the wall of Jurys Inn. The Council are keen to have another tower here to mark the ‘gateway’ to the city from Princess Parkway and the Planning Department has indicated to the developer that they would look favourably on the proposal. Past experience of the Labour Exchange site and the Whitworth Street site would suggest that this will make the proposal a shoe in for approval.
Hey, why not just bulldoze everything older than 1996 and finish off what the IRA started?
We can flatten that horrible old Town Hall for starters, and build a lovely new, gleaming glass-and-steel 48 storey tower which is more fitting to a Modern, Thrusting and Vibrant 21st Century City...
100 days
100 days.
We wait for news (which you used to bring us).
We sign petitions, we lobby, we hold vigils, we blog.
We wait in hope.
technorati tag: alan johnston
We wait for news (which you used to bring us).
We sign petitions, we lobby, we hold vigils, we blog.
We wait in hope.
technorati tag: alan johnston
Insight Film Festival
For the last few months I've been helping to plan a film festival based in Manchester. The festival is called 'Insight' and asks people to make a film about or exploring the passion of faith in contemporary culture.
The top prize is £1,000 and you've gotta be under 30 to enter. There are some high profile judges and a public screening, so it's ideal for young upcoming film makers.
See here for more details.
The top prize is £1,000 and you've gotta be under 30 to enter. There are some high profile judges and a public screening, so it's ideal for young upcoming film makers.
See here for more details.
Last Orders in Nexus and II in TV21
This weeks Sanctus1 is on Wednesday and starts with the opening night of the new exhibition at Nexus - Last Orders. Doors open at 6 close at 8.
Then we move onto II at TV21 on Thomas Street in the city centre:
A night of electronica and creative visuals in TV21. Come along...it's a great night out and an opportunity to meet with Sanctus1 people.
Then we move onto II at TV21 on Thomas Street in the city centre:
A night of electronica and creative visuals in TV21. Come along...it's a great night out and an opportunity to meet with Sanctus1 people.
More on the Cathedral and Sony...
Here is the BBC article.
I agree with the Cathedral's stance on this one. The computer images that are inside of the cathedral are without a doubt Manchester Cathedral, and i think that this is a good opportunity to promote debate on violence within computer games.
Running around the city centre randomly shooting people on a computer game is horific, because the cathedral is used doesn't make it any more horific but gives legitimate grounds to be critical of the myth of redemptive violence.
I agree with the Cathedral's stance on this one. The computer images that are inside of the cathedral are without a doubt Manchester Cathedral, and i think that this is a good opportunity to promote debate on violence within computer games.
Running around the city centre randomly shooting people on a computer game is horific, because the cathedral is used doesn't make it any more horific but gives legitimate grounds to be critical of the myth of redemptive violence.
Cathedral treads the path of most Resistance
Manchester Cathedral has hit out at Sony after the church was used in the hugely successful Resistance Fall Of Man game for the Playstation 3.
In the game, there is a shoot-out between rivals inside the cathedral, with hundreds killed in the bloodiest way possible.
The Cathedral said: "For a global manufacturer to re-create one of our great cathedrals with photo-realistic quality and then encourage people to have guns battles in the building is beyond belief and highly irresponsible."
Sony said: ... ... ... *tumbleweed*
I'm not sure about "photo realistic" if the screenshot above is anything to go by. In the Battle Of Manchester Cathedral (I'm copyrighting that), gunmen open fire at you from the roof. Once you've despatched them, you have to shoot your way into the cathedral before collecting ammo. You have to blast your way to an alleyway, returning to the Cathedral to top up your life level if you need to.
Sony didn't ask permission and the church is threatening to sue.
But shouldn't the cathedral get 'with it', and isn't it sending the wrong message to non-believers by being so outraged? I'm sure they wouldn't object if BBC Cardiff asked to film Doctor Who there, and that's often about the annihilation of billions. They should put up a blue plaque in honour of the PS3 game.
Then again, isn't it about time we the church spoke out against a culture that allows big business to promote values of violence and, in the case of much of the rest of pop culture, misogyny, crass materialism and racial stereotyping. Guns are bad. Good on the cathedral on tapping into the new Banksy mentality of people wanting flowers not bombs.
What do you think? Let the debate begin.
Not so bright
Your account is now overdue. It appears that we haven't received payment for the outstanding amount on your bill and will now bar your phone. This is despite that fact that we promised not to do this, while we investigate a call apparently made from India, for which you were charged, even though you have never been to India in your life.
It seems that our investigation team is rather busy sorting out problems that several of our customers are having with another of our recently rolled out services.
To make a payment, please call 178 from your phone. After navigating out tortuous menu system and finally finding an option that will allow you to talk to an operator, you will be informed that calls from your phone have been barred, so you can't sort this problem out either.
Your custom is important to us. Or at least your money.
webby five word acceptance speeches...
Neat! Here's some I like...
News
BBC News - Webby: Alan, we're thinking of you.
Newspaper
The Guardian - Webby: Please free Alan Johnston now.
Science
HubbleSite - People's Voice: houston we have a winner
Artist of the Year
Beastie Boys: Can anyone fix my computer?
Lifetime Achievement
Meg Whitman: Bidding starts at 99 cents.
Lifetime Achievement
David Bowie: I only get five words? Sh*t, that was five. Four more there. That's three. Two.
Person of the Year
Chad Harley & Steve Chen: YouTubers, this is for you.
Social Networking
Facebook - People's Voice: im just here for bowie
Fashion
ZOOZOOM 'The Original Online Glossy' - Webby: not just a pretty face
Lifestyles
DIYNetwork.com - Webby: Now let's get hammered.
Religion and Spirituality
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly - Webby: to all our colleagues, thanks
Religion and Spirituality
What Is Enlightenment? - Webby: get enlightened, or die trying
Youth
Nick.com - Webby: have sex, make more kids
technorati tag: webby awards
News
BBC News - Webby: Alan, we're thinking of you.
Newspaper
The Guardian - Webby: Please free Alan Johnston now.
Science
HubbleSite - People's Voice: houston we have a winner
Artist of the Year
Beastie Boys: Can anyone fix my computer?
Lifetime Achievement
Meg Whitman: Bidding starts at 99 cents.
Lifetime Achievement
David Bowie: I only get five words? Sh*t, that was five. Four more there. That's three. Two.
Person of the Year
Chad Harley & Steve Chen: YouTubers, this is for you.
Social Networking
Facebook - People's Voice: im just here for bowie
Fashion
ZOOZOOM 'The Original Online Glossy' - Webby: not just a pretty face
Lifestyles
DIYNetwork.com - Webby: Now let's get hammered.
Religion and Spirituality
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly - Webby: to all our colleagues, thanks
Religion and Spirituality
What Is Enlightenment? - Webby: get enlightened, or die trying
Youth
Nick.com - Webby: have sex, make more kids
technorati tag: webby awards
Logos agogo
Well I'm no expert on design but the new London 2012 Olympic logo is abysmally bad.
I am, however, an expert on usability in design and functionality, and well, the new London 2012 Olympic logo is abysmally bad.
I am, however, an expert on usability in design and functionality, and well, the new London 2012 Olympic logo is abysmally bad.
Whit weekend
Another bank holiday is upon us, and with the usual sense of meterological timing, the weather is due to break on Saturday evening.
Is anyone planning / was anyone planning anything exciting? Or maybe we are all intending to celebrate the Festival of Pentecost or the olde Englishe tradition of Whit...?
A thought: maybe the celebrant on Penntecost Sunday should wear traditional robes of Goretex.
Antony Gormley eat your art out...
I was going to post something today on last night's activity around ascension using Gormley's new piece Blind Light (amongst other things) - but Ben's said it all already (and better). Go read.
technorati tag: sanctus1, ascension, blind light, antony gormley
technorati tag: sanctus1, ascension, blind light, antony gormley
Mr and Mrs Average
This just landed in our inboxes at work courtesy of a tabloid journalist looking for story-fodder...
“Are you, or do you know, Mr or Mrs Average? We are looking for someone who can answer yes to most of the questions below, and do a feature with them asking them their views about the world etc…
Do you know the words to God Save the Queen (first verse and chorus)?
Are you married with two children?
Do you own your own home, worth approx £190-210k?
Do you have more than 80 contacts on your mobile phone?
Do you work over 40 hours a week?
Do you own a Ford Fiesta?
Do you have 14 close friends?
Do you consider yourself working class?
Are you repaying debts or loans totaling more than £3,000 (excluding mortgage)?
Does your home contain one of the Harry Potter books?
Do you have three or more TVs in your house?
Do you go to the toilet six times a day?
Do you sleep approximately seven hours a night?
Do you think you're a good driver?
Do you do less than 30 minutes sport/continuous exercise per week?
Do you know how to cook at least four meals, including spaghetti bolognaise?
Do you drink at least three cups of tea a day?
On average, do you one foreign holiday a year?
Does your daily commute to work take 20-30 minutes (one-way)?
Do you believe in God?”
And thus I was left staring slightly open mouthed at the screen...
Average? How exactly? And as average as whom - your peers, our parents, the rest of the UK? How can that list be representative of the national average person – living up to your working-class roots by owning a £200k house, driving 25 minutes to your 8 till 6 job in your Fiesta, and coming home to spag bol cooked by your partner (eaten with your two kids), and a chapter of Harry Potter before your 7 hours kip? Squash on Tuesday, beers on Friday, church on Sunday, do it all again next week. Depressing really – a bit like that new Alpha ad…
Think hard now – do you know ANYONE who is all those things, let alone that person being you? (If so, and for some inexplicable reason you do want to take part, I still have the journo’s email!)
And yes, at the risk of starting another blog/ email meme, have a look down that list and see what you can answer yes to… Might tell you something about yourself, or indeed something about that list and our national priorities and interests.
I don’t know if I find it comforting (an affirmation of my place in the national collective identity) or worrying (an affirmation of the fact that I’m not so different to everyone else) that I answered yes to 14 of these, and no to 6. And no I’m not telling you which...
technorati tag: mr and mrs average, normal
“Are you, or do you know, Mr or Mrs Average? We are looking for someone who can answer yes to most of the questions below, and do a feature with them asking them their views about the world etc…
Do you know the words to God Save the Queen (first verse and chorus)?
Are you married with two children?
Do you own your own home, worth approx £190-210k?
Do you have more than 80 contacts on your mobile phone?
Do you work over 40 hours a week?
Do you own a Ford Fiesta?
Do you have 14 close friends?
Do you consider yourself working class?
Are you repaying debts or loans totaling more than £3,000 (excluding mortgage)?
Does your home contain one of the Harry Potter books?
Do you have three or more TVs in your house?
Do you go to the toilet six times a day?
Do you sleep approximately seven hours a night?
Do you think you're a good driver?
Do you do less than 30 minutes sport/continuous exercise per week?
Do you know how to cook at least four meals, including spaghetti bolognaise?
Do you drink at least three cups of tea a day?
On average, do you one foreign holiday a year?
Does your daily commute to work take 20-30 minutes (one-way)?
Do you believe in God?”
And thus I was left staring slightly open mouthed at the screen...
Average? How exactly? And as average as whom - your peers, our parents, the rest of the UK? How can that list be representative of the national average person – living up to your working-class roots by owning a £200k house, driving 25 minutes to your 8 till 6 job in your Fiesta, and coming home to spag bol cooked by your partner (eaten with your two kids), and a chapter of Harry Potter before your 7 hours kip? Squash on Tuesday, beers on Friday, church on Sunday, do it all again next week. Depressing really – a bit like that new Alpha ad…
Think hard now – do you know ANYONE who is all those things, let alone that person being you? (If so, and for some inexplicable reason you do want to take part, I still have the journo’s email!)
And yes, at the risk of starting another blog/ email meme, have a look down that list and see what you can answer yes to… Might tell you something about yourself, or indeed something about that list and our national priorities and interests.
I don’t know if I find it comforting (an affirmation of my place in the national collective identity) or worrying (an affirmation of the fact that I’m not so different to everyone else) that I answered yes to 14 of these, and no to 6. And no I’m not telling you which...
technorati tag: mr and mrs average, normal
Naked Bike Ride
Unfortunately my Bike was stolen a few weeks ago but if it wasn't...
'Naked Bike Ride 2007 Manchester
June 8 at 7pm we will be riding naked to protest oil dependency.
We will meet at 6pm at The basement, 24 Lever street, then ride naked through the streets of manchester.
Hope to see you Bare!
Meg Fenwick
Manchester Naked Bike Ride Coordinator'
HT Mancubist
'Naked Bike Ride 2007 Manchester
June 8 at 7pm we will be riding naked to protest oil dependency.
We will meet at 6pm at The basement, 24 Lever street, then ride naked through the streets of manchester.
Hope to see you Bare!
Meg Fenwick
Manchester Naked Bike Ride Coordinator'
HT Mancubist
Happy 45th Birthday, Alan Johnston...
To Our Own Correspondent, Alan: "For more than 50 years on this programme, the news has been broadcast from our own correspondents. Today - with apologies to you - I want to send a message to one of our own. Day 66 of Alan Johnston's captivity is also his 45th birthday. Most likely there will be no candles or cake. But my hope is that somewhere, somehow, Alan will be able to listen. His family, his friends, his colleagues all miss him. We want him home. Our birthday wish is his immediate release. Happy birthday Alan."
(Jon Williams, World Editor, BBC News, Jerusalem)
technorati tag: alan johnston
(Jon Williams, World Editor, BBC News, Jerusalem)
technorati tag: alan johnston
Alan Johnston - send him a birthday message...
Another way to show that you haven't forgotten Alan Johnston's abduction - 64 days today since he vanished - the Media Guardian site reports:
The BBC's kidnapped Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston turns 45 on Thursday and the corporation has issued an address for people who want to send birthday cards as a show of support. Johnston has not been seen since he was seized at gunpoint in Gaza City on March 12.
Last week, he was named broadcasting journalist of the year at the annual London Press Club awards, where the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, paid tribute to Johnston and the courage of his family. Readers who wish to send cards should post them to the World Affairs Unit, Room 410SE, BBC Bush House, Strand, London, WC2B 4PH.
technorati tag: alan johnston
What's all this then?
There's this chap called Ben Hall. He is: "... one of Britain’s foremost wildlife photographers. By focusing almost exclusively on the British Isles, Ben has developed an intimate understanding of our natural heritage and how to represent it visually. His images are often surprising, always striking, awakening people to the diversity of Britain’s natural world."He's WELL good!
Check out his snappy snaps here.
Check out his snappy snaps here.
Alloy Metal's God Is Green
This is the new single God Is Green by punk-dance beat combo Alloy Mental, remixed by Belfast boy wonder Phil Kieran (yes, Stephen, there's more than one).
The single's out on Monday. Expect a storming Glastonbury set later this year.
last chance to be the change...
This is on tomorrow - and since it's going to rain on the bank holiday, here's a chance to do something indoors!
See you there?
Sanctus1 and Be The Change presents the Change the Dream Symposium
Where on Earth are we going?
And what can we do about it?
These are two of the questions that lie at the heart of Change the Dream. It explores the link between three of humanity’s most critical concerns: environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment.
Using video clips from some of the world’s most respected thinkers, inspiring short films, and leading edge information on the state of the planet and its people, the day allows all of us to gain a new insight into the opportunity we have to shape the direction of our world with our everyday choices and actions.
Monday 7 May (bank holiday), 10.00 - 4.30
Nexus, Dale St., Manchester, M1 1JW
0161 236 0100
Cost: £10 (£5 unwaged) - any profits will be donated to suitable charities.
Fairtrade tea/ coffee provided. Lunch not included – bring or buy your own.
For bookings and info, please email bethechange@sanctus1.co.uk
technorati tag: be the change, sanctus1
See you there?
Sanctus1 and Be The Change presents the Change the Dream Symposium
Where on Earth are we going?
And what can we do about it?
These are two of the questions that lie at the heart of Change the Dream. It explores the link between three of humanity’s most critical concerns: environmental sustainability, social justice and spiritual fulfillment.
Using video clips from some of the world’s most respected thinkers, inspiring short films, and leading edge information on the state of the planet and its people, the day allows all of us to gain a new insight into the opportunity we have to shape the direction of our world with our everyday choices and actions.
Monday 7 May (bank holiday), 10.00 - 4.30
Nexus, Dale St., Manchester, M1 1JW
0161 236 0100
Cost: £10 (£5 unwaged) - any profits will be donated to suitable charities.
Fairtrade tea/ coffee provided. Lunch not included – bring or buy your own.
For bookings and info, please email bethechange@sanctus1.co.uk
technorati tag: be the change, sanctus1
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