This is a dump of all the text from my old blog site, in case you can't find where I used to live.
jonnybaker
I found Jonny's blog from his book Alternative Worship by SPCK, although others have recommended it before. I have also been reading Richard Lyall's blog. Its always challenging to read the passion of others, when so often organising a different style of worship can take so much time and effort that you can forget that love of the moment when Jesus walks into the room and he takes over (especially as it usually ends up with me at the front).
Am also considering changing from blogger to something like typepad, as all I have here are words. Any thoughts or suggestions?
# posted by gathering @ 10:56 AM
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Another blog I am enjoying using, another Richard, another curate, another ex-Trinity person too!
Richard Lyall
# posted by gathering @ 9:11 AM
My big fat Greek wedding
Watched this film last night, and have to say we quite enjoyed it. It is fairly typical for the genre (girl meets boy, culture clashes, parental disagreements etc) but quite funny none the less. The film handles the culture issues quite neatly, in that Tula doesn’t find true happiness by rejecting her Greek heritage lock, stock and barrel.
Interesting scene? Chapter 13 has Tula talking to her brother before the wedding. He says “Don’t let your past dictate who you are, but let it be part of who you will become”.
Could I use it? I think it could be useful to show the sense in which we all have a story and a background (even if Ian’s background is not really explored), which is part of who we are, not just something for us to reject or cast off.
# posted by gathering @ 9:09 AM
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Friday, May 14, 2004
The May Celebration was postponed, so I have a little more time to think about which clips to use, but in the mean time I am doing a presentation to Deanery Chapter using clips. At the moments I am considering the following DVD excerpts
Red Hot Chilis from Slane Castle to convey the importance of celebration.
The last few scenes from The Truman Show to demonstrate the perception of Christianity ("Christof") as repressive.
U2 singing Sunday Bloody Sunday (also from Slane Castle) to show the desire to protest and lament.
The "smug marrieds" dinner party scene from Bridget Jones' Diary to represent the fear of those who like to give the impression of having their lives all sorted out.
I was also going to talk a little about the values of post-Modernity, and have been finding quite a bit of useful information in "A new kind of Christian" by Brian Maclaren (thanks to those who have recommended it to me).
# posted by gathering @ 1:02 PM
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Planning for Celebration 8th May 2004
In January we used video clips to demonstrate some of the facets of the spirituality of those in their 20s and 30s. In May we are going to look at how we can make connections between some of the facets of youth spirituality.
In “Threshold of the future” Michael Riddell identifies several characteristics of this spirituality. In the time available we will not be able to think about all of these, but it is intended to consider some of them as follows.
Closing scene from “About a boy” demonstrating a desire for community.
Smug Marrieds scene from “Bridget Jones Diary” demonstrating the desire to be loved.
U2 singing “Sunday Bloody Sunday” showing the desire to protest and lament.
The mayor in the shop window scene from “Chocolat” for the idea of grace crossing boundaries.
It would be useful to show something about the desire for celebration as well, but some work needs to be done finding a suitable clip.
# posted by gathering @ 9:40 PM
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Initial thoughts for the GATHERING 23rd May 2004
Have chosen the idea of "Be Yourself", encouraging us to think about who we are before God.
# posted by gathering @ 6:54 PM
Thursday, April 29, 2004
richardwhite
Thanks Richard for the blog and the idea!
# posted by gathering @ 9:43 AM
Worship for Holy Week
As a response to hearing the story of God's promises in the Old Testament, followed by the reading of the Passion narrative, we held a quiet act of creative worship on 7th April.
We read the Passover story (I used an extract from Tom Wright’s little book about communion "The meal that Jesus gave") emphasizing the sense of belonging.
We passed round broken pieces of Ryvita (yeastless bread). I put three pieces on a plate on a central table with the middle piece broken symbolizing Jesus broken member of Trinity. There are various Jewish websites that explain some of this.
Silent prayer for our selves "still in slavery" . Slave to...
Fear for future
Concerns for someone we love
Way we let God down again and again
Reading from Romans 5:1-6
Invite people to come and get a piece of rocket or watercress and dip it into a bowl of salty water (the tears of the slaves). Some music was played during this.
Lament ...but doesn't make suffering easy!
Psalm 40
Silence
Reading from Romans 6:1-4
We then had the opportunity to renew Baptism vows and taste some Honey (as in Eastern tradition after baptism) to recall the sweetness of God's promise, and we played a long piece of quiet music.
Reading from Ephesians 5:1-2
We finished with the Grace
Playlist: "Strange place for snow" by E.S.T. and "Solo piano" by Phillip Glass
# posted by gathering @ 9:17 AM
the GATHERING 25/4/04
the GATHERING met for the second time on April 25th. The theme was prayer, and different ways in which we could pray.
We started with some worship, and reading 1 Peter 5:17. We then thought about issues, fears, anxieties, with time to write them on a piece of paper. After some quiet people had the opportunity to offer their individual prayers up to God, casting their anxieties upon Him by putting the paper through a shredder. We all joined in Amen each time.
We then thought about hopes and dreams, similarly offering them to God, but this time by sprinkling a pinch of incense onto some charcoal.
We prayed for others, and sent them a txt or a postcard when we had finished, and we prayed for ourselves.
Playlist: "In a beautiful place out in the country" by boards of canada and "Play" by Moby.
# posted by gathering @ 9:09 AM
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