"Jump Into the Fog" Easter 24 AM

Here's What Might have Happened in the All Together AM Session at "24"

It's probably time to share the ideas!!

Decorations onstage/band in place before 10am Actor in place before start

Images on loop then "24" Digital Clock

Actor 'frozen' onstage

People bring guitar, plectrum, stand etc and muso becomes active

Plays and eventually band joins with 'Blues Brothers' R&B play on for MCs

MC/s enter and sit on comfy lounge

Welcome people to the space Make a few INTROs tbc

Then lead into…

Suggest they didn’t quite know what to expect and what today was going to be like… 

Carlsberg Bikers clip [2mins]

Milk Crate Drama [4] characters including a biblical time traveller

Communal Worship Songs:

One Lord/A Voice is Heard/Let Me Go Down to the River

Activity Energiser: 'Magic Fountain' Art v Science

Movie Collage [5mins]

Setting the Scene/Acknowledgement Indigenous History [Synod Banners]

Didge Music or Gurrumul Clip

Newsreader Live onstage updating the events in Jerusalem

MCs Interview Leaders about Key Aspects of the Day

Communal Worship Songs:

Keeping My Eyes on You/We Will Love

Group Building Activity including 'Clusters'/Music and Questions

Movie Clip "Pillow Fight"

Prayer Response Activity with Flags

MCs explain LUNCH

Communal Worship Songs:

Faith Hope & Love

EXIT band play off

'Miniature Earth' Newer Version

Thanks to Craig for highlighting this new version of the simple but significant 'Miniature Earth' clip... I've seen it with John Lennon soundtrack and would be tempted to sub in 'The World is a Picture' Josh Pyke for a younger audience!!

Trinity Sunday

Andrej Rublev 1410

It's Trinity Sunday unrolling yet another conundrum about faith in a seemingly and at times invisible God and the 'counter empire' claims of Jesus Christ. No illusions of water, steam and ice here... It's also the closest Sunday to the birthday of the incredibly movement which is the Uniting Church. The three year lectionary cycle brings us to Mathew 28 and the so called 'great commission' to 'go and make disciples of all the nations' given 'all authority in heaven and on earth.'

Resources for

Contemporary worship

Worship House Media Matthew 28

The Work of the People Make Disciples

The Text This Week various resources

Mustard Seeds here

Movies

The Matrix and 'Trinity' 01 02 03

Babette's Feast 01

and about discipleship....

'Amelie' helping the blind man

'The Adjustment Bureau'

'Spiderman' ht to Jon Sargeant where Spidey and Dr Oc are fighting and he's just about spent and the crowd from the train saving step in saying 'you'll have to go through us first'

'Evan Almighty' the scene where 'God' talks about changing the world, one random act of kindness at a time

Children and Youth

See post about Digestives, white icing and red icing to make biscuit UCA Logos

and other ideas

Alt.worship

Use a series of 'stations' around a breakdown of the UCA logo:

1. Black circle

Write words with white or silver texta on the cardboard as your hopes for a world and it's dark places, absence of compassion and grace. Trace a prayer in the bowl of sand alongside.

Maybe using looped 'Fragile' by Sting

2. White cross

The symbol of Jesus 'solidarity' with us as 'one of us' and staying true to the truth despite the risks involved. You could do something around the vertical and horizontal with the discipleship passage on a poster asking how you might build on your vertical relationship with God and the horizontal outworking of that in the world

3. White 'U'

What do you celebrate about the Uniting Church, what's a question, what's a hope and/or a way this U can become more like a completed circle...

4. White dove, red wings...

Peace... prayers for the world.... tealight candles and world map

Red wings, the spirit of God, fire...

Use red cards to write on with white textas/pens and adhere to a black cloth

Pictures of people inviting reflection on who/what how God is active in the world and how we might be invited to join in.

More traditional worship*

I agree with Bill Loader that this passage is significant where consistently Matthew highlights the women [or those who are often discounted] do not doubt in their encountering Jesus contrasted with the male followers who 'ought to know.'

Jesus claims authority from his resurrection [or his ministry in Q] and relates a connection with God which speaks to who has authority and where power is sourced in the battle for hearts and minds in an occupied land. Matthew links God's wisdom but in some ways doesn't keep the threads around 'trinity' despite lots of OT links... Jesus speaks and acts for God and in this story passes on the authority to others... BUT what the heck does that have to do with today...

What the story means is that the followers were 'sent' to teach what they had been taught' and they had been taught about 'relationship' and engaging your whole self in God's activity in the world... and the values of God [God's will some would say].... but still what is that.... it's the challenge of the people of God to be people of compassion and grace, holding judgement, being careful to take the role of servant and building communities based on these values... who or what is God calling us to be at this time in this place?

It's outworking today comes in:

- inclusion [genuinely seeing the face of God in others]

- fair trade and social justice action

- seeking to hear and respond to people's own stories

- asking who we include, what we create and reflecting that in how we gather

- joining the campaign for action on climate change

- opening property up to the community

- etc etc

Making disciples is relational, counter cultural, and begs the gathered group to be asked for their stories so I'd have invited three people from different age groups to share a story with the group about their discipleship with a couple of possible angles... And 'in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit' fits and gives a shape for reflection to this day!!

Choose a traditional selected prayer and handout a sheet breaking open some of the phrases and ask people to reflect on what the words mean for them... who are the communities or people they think of... and what is it they'd 'share' with others and who it is they believe they're sharing!!

Songs/Music

Wherever I Go Robin Mann

God Version 1.0 Robin Mann

Praise with Joy the World's Creator TiS 179

Send Me Jesus TiS 749

Billabongs AHB and TiS suggestions

David Beswick's liturgy and music

Closure of Ministry for Nicole

As a result of shrinking financial resources for our state wide arm [Synod] of the Uniting Church and it's resourcing through the Boards of Education and MIssion [leading to a Board Merger and the collapse of a number of Units and roles into a 5 person Resourcing Team]. The Synod Youth Unit is coming to a conclusion by the end of 2011...
My creative and versatile colleague Nicole is heading off to be the Minister of the Word at Balmain Uniting Church congregation in Sydney [a great thing I believe]!! It's in our tradition to hold what's called a 'Closure of Ministry' worship which recognises the end of responsibilities and a celebration of same... We described it as a simple and meaningful marking of the journey!! Here's what we did at our Centre for Ministry Chapel.
We sat 'in the round' with a central table [black cloth and familiar blue cloth with coloured stars] and it had a crockery bowl and cup and a candle. Across the back of the space there were some 50 photos evoking the aspects and impacts of Nicole's work and some symbolic images. The cloth on the table was sprayed with 'Repo' spray glue. The in house data projector and sound system were in use [except for the dodgy 'hearing loop']!!

1. Opening Words/Call to Worship [Rob]
As we gather here this evening in this place,
acknowledging the traditional owners of this land
and their custodianship since time immemorial,
We need to be reminded of and to hear, the voices of the voiceless.
There are cries of 'quiet desperation', questions, laughter and hope.
There are younger voices from different cultures and contexts.

Will we make space and give permission for who God is calling us to be,
at this time and in this place?

Let's worship God,
A simple celebration and marking of the journey
Opening ourselves to opportunities for justice and love,
of compassion and hospitality.

2. Candle Lighting

"We light this candle as a symbol of Christ's presence with us in the everyday" [Judyth]

3. "Burn Your Name" Powderfinger

Song clip onscreen

4. Welcome/Comments/Apologies [Rob]

a. Welcome to this celebration and marking of the journey for Nicole

as she concludes the 'Youth and Young Adults Worker' role

within the Synod Youth Unit and the Board of Education

b. and c. [various welcome and apology comments]

5. Prayer Activity with "Long Ride" The Audreys [Nicole]

Nic modified a brief intro inviting people to take a card and write a prayer in a word or sentence then place the card on the cloth around the table... all while the song is playing

6. Bible Reading

Luke 24: 13-35 [this weeks lectionary] Charissa

7. "Eric" Story

from 'Tales from Outer Suburbia' Shaun Tan read by Tom

Images onscreen

8. Reflection/Word

- Two sad, despondent travellers on an 11km journey are joined by, in my mind,

a mysterious figure...

- whose natural way is to ask open ?s and so as they journey the stories are told and heard...

- Jesus takes the opportunity and the cues, to share deeply and to walk with...

- As I see it, these travellers have experienced all the dislocation of that Easter experience,

the death of hope, the disappointment, things changing...

- In the Youth Unit we talk about the four fundamental searches of young people [from social researcher, Richard Eckersley in relation to the tasks of a society in relation to it's young]

MEANING IDENTITY FAITH SHAPING and BELONGING

And in events like Summer Camp we engage with fringe young people and leaders for whom that six days IS church OR their engagement with a community of faith where those saerches can take shape for them.

- Into this space leadership, ministry an engagement in God's activity in the world, happens

- To me the mysterious companion, Jesus, models a style of leadership, helping people explore life and faith in all it's 'crap' and celebration

- This journey, this travelling, brings hospitality to the stranger,

warmth as Jesus enters into their lives, walks 'alongside',

cares and offers space for God to speak.

- These too are the marks of Nicole's ministry and who Nic is..

# open questions

# shared experiences

# mentoring

# grace

# hospitality

In the context of younger leaders, tertiary students, campers, ministry agents, under stress, staff and colleagues teams, asking the obvious but uncomfortable, important and caring questions.

Nic has been a colleague and a friend, who when I haven't had a clue, has...

who has witnessed my occasional 5pm stoush with our boss and has been able to say, "you're right, that's not your fault"

We have felt cared for, welcomed and listened to and kept honest...

Jesus examples and called all of us to take these journeys, to hear each others stories, to be engaged in what's really happening for others, to be engaged in what's really happening for others, offering the deeply held love of God in all ways.

9. Closure

Nicole has undertaken the role of 'Youth and Young Adults Worker' since September 2005

and 'here' are a collection of images

representing the issues, energy, ministry, mission, networks and individuals

in and around the Synod Youth Unit in that time...

[come and choose an image and share in pairs back in your seat, why you chose it]

[Tina]

Nicole,

The Synod through it's Board of Education believes that your ministry

now lies in another place, and confirms your call to Balmain congregation

The time has come to mark the end of your particular responsibilities

and to send you eith God's blessing on this new ministry journey.

[Tina added words of affirmation and thanks]

[Nicole]

Hands back symbols and talks to each

Presentation of Gift/Card

Nic shares a few words of thanks

Tina prays for Nic

10. Prayers for the World

You chose a photo and are invited to think about,

who ro what does that image call you to pray for,

place you photo on the table and name aloud what your prayer is...

11. Part of the Sending Out

As we begin to be sent out from this time

This song is offered for reflection and celebration...

12. 'The Wood Song' Indigo Girls

Lyrics on screen

13. Words of Mission/Sending Out

As we mark this moment and continue on our journeys,

let's do that with renewed hope and imagination.

Grace and compassion should be our goal.

Go from here as God's people,

With the energy and spark of God's Spirit,

to live out Jesus example in the world.

Amen.

Lent 4a Postscript Pictures

How they worked once you put the lid back on...

Shoebox lightboxes with peep holes

The Story with comments and highlights for reading

A handout with exegesis and commentary plus a response opportunity

Bowl of Lament with burnt paper and muddy paper with words and an invitation to reflect

'Gurrumul History [I Was Born Blind]' lyrics and questions

Here are some dodgy low res pictures from Sunday relating to Dark>Light Blind>Seeing Faith>Unfaith...

Lent 4a The Blind Man Charlestown UCA

So here's what I've sorted out for worship this Sunday night as an attempt to explore the breadth of John 9: 1-41 The Blind Man and it's broad themes related to 1 Samuel, Psalm 23 and Ephesians 5.

I'm responsible for the 'preaching' so we'll have a 2 minute intro and then loop "Gurrumul History [I Was Born Blind]" by Geoffrey Gurrumul from his solo album [that'll be 10-11mins] to then explore five 'stations' cracking open the themes.

Light/Dark Seeing/Blind Faith/Unfaith

Station #01
John 9: 1-41
Exploring the Bible story with some discussion questions
The story will be blown up onto A2 with highlights, arrows and notes [yet to be done]

Station #02
Handout Sheet to read and sketchbook for responses or questions [as above in jpeg form]

Station #03
Lament/Lent or wooden bowl with ash/muddy paper
The paper will have words written and sitting in the bowl
This Bible story comes in the fourth week of Lent, the time of focus and preparation for Easter
Inviting reflection

Station #04
“Gurrumul History [I Was Born Blind]” lyrics
A world inviting us to see... as you listen

Station #05
Shoeboxes with pinholes
Pictures with light
What do you see, what does this image have to do with mud, light?

Some will involve cloth and tables or easels and corflute around the space...

I'm still designing these as suggested and kindly resourced by egroup participant Megan T
I am thinking of an image in the end of the box, a pinhole in the other and a small LED light in each angled to invite the viewer into the image. The images will reflect on blindness, light, mud and faith... no I haven't finailsed them all and think you'd be best to choose your own images if you felt inspired at midnight on Saturday to have a stab at this... mayne one image will feature here by the time I've finished this post...

Gurrumul History [I Was Born Blind]

I was born blind, and I don't know why

God knows why, because he loves me so

as I grew up my spirit knew

then I learnt to read the world of destruction

united we stand, divided we fall

together we'll stand in solidarity

Ŋarranydja dhuwala

Batumaŋ ŋarranydja dhuwala

Djarrami ŋarranydja dhuwala

Djeŋarra' ŋarranydja dhuwala

Gurrumulŋa m..m

I heard my mama, and my papa crying their hearts

in confusion how can I walk?

Straight and tall in society

please hold my hand

trying to bridge and build

Yolŋu culture

I've been to New York

I've been to LA

I've been to London

ŋarranydja Gurrumul

United we stand, divided we fall

Together we'll stand, in solidarity

Ŋarranydja dhuwala

Barrupa ŋarranydja dhuwala

Dhukuḻuḻ ŋarranydja dhuwala

Maralitja ŋarranydja dhuwala

Ŋunbuŋunbu

Y..e, wo wäŋawu Garrapala Dhamutjpirr, Dhamuŋura

(english) I am Batumaŋ (ancestor)

I am Djarrami (ancestor)

I am Djeŋarra' I am Gurrumulŋa (ancestor) m..m

I am Gurrumul I am Barrupa (my ḻikan)

I am Dhukuḻuḻ (my ḻikan)

I am Maralitja (my ḻikan)

I am Ŋunbuŋunbu (my ancestor)

Y.e wo of the country

GarrapalaDhamutjpirr, Dhamuŋura

Top 5s A tentative beginning to 2011

Although I have a few days holidays left I am beginning to think about 2011 and beyond and enjoy blogging and gearing up for things. I also wrenched my left knee last week so I am doing plenty of lounge surfing and TV catch ups... so this is a good diversion... In 2011 I plan to include a sporadic post of Top 5s to encapsulate resource ideas, thoughts, leadership or some other musing around ministry with young people, culture & context, mission or whatever comes along... kicking off today as I was reminded of an article in our Youth Unit 'MESH' magazine about 'Resources which can change the world' e.g. a pair of rolled up socks for instance.... the article talks about games they can facilitate

TOP 5 Worship Ideas

1. Worship should reflect the missional context, culture and presence of the participants so a Top 5 list will always need to be tested by those parameters rather than just being a list you steal

2. Engaging responses through: grafitti wall; post it notes; taking symbolic cards; dropping a pinch of sparkler powder in a bowl of lit metho soaked clay based kitty litter [be very careful as metho causes severe burns and requires risk assessment and planning alongside competent supervision and practices]; choosing a red or blue jelly bean; taking an orange card and blue card for 2 different responses to remember; creative writing; photo reflections; artwork etc etc

3. Newspaper Prayers with clippings or full copies asking individuals, pairs or groups:

- what's the story?

- what's the story behind the story or what questions does it ask?

- therefore what should we pray for/about?

- how might we act locally to make a difference globally in light of these issues?

4. Brown paper lunch bags, a handful of sand and tealight candles. Making sure they are clear of the bag, these make great instant outdoor lanterns or worship space ambience creators. They can light a path or mark a journey as well.

5. Playback Theatre has been on my wishlist for worship and Bible Study with groups for years. Recently we made time for it twice at our national youth event by selecting a troupe of punters as 'players' who at session end were given 2 minutes to design a skit which demonstrated what they had learnt or experienced in that time.... worked really well and created an immediacy and participation

Perhaps I'll include a resource/book/website idea outside the 5

'The Art of Curating Worship: Reshaping the role of the worship leader' Mark Pierson is a must read I will blog about seperately another day soon... read about it here at this great new website

God ability to make of us what God will... the Potter's House

Not sure I'll end up using this on Sunday night so here it is in case others need a clip at the last moment... the focus is on discipleship and the OT reference is Jeremiah and the reflection on what the potter can do in re-throwing a poorly shaped pot compared then to how God might redeem Israel... lending itself to fun with air dry clay, play doh ro at leasta reflection clip of the Potter at Work!!

The plan would be to offer this as a backdrop to 3mins of creating your own 'pot' [in playdoh on this occasion]

The clip is courtesy of youtube and the song is "Band of Gold" Seth Lakeman!!

Why Should We Care for the Poor? Social Justice Worship

On the 20th I joined in with Gordon UC Youth Group [thanks to Youth Worker Graham Baldock's invitation] to put together their 'quarterly worship' with a social justice focus and particularly looking at the question: 'Why should we care for the poor?'

We're going to put the outline and resources on our website here

It's one of those occasions where I developed new material and now know how the timing works and broadly who the young people are... so of course the next time will be better... we were just a bit pushed for time in the end...

The set up included [2] screens with data projectors, punters sitting on the floor in a semi circle, half lights off and [5] stations around the edge of the space for a planned 15-20min space...

I took a few minutes too long to explain what people were being invited into but once you start that it's hard to know where to stop... then..

1. Spoken Introduction/Call This is our worship. This is not a concert, not a game Not entertainment or an excuse to disappear… This is an opportunity to ‘make time for God’ And to reflect on social justice, Or this particular time, to ask… ‘why should we care for the poor?’ You are invited to listen, to think, to respond, to create… We will experience some thing together, be asked to talk And later to choose ‘stations’ and activities… Before finishing together… This is your time, but others time as well, Give each other the space to connect with God or to wonder… Let’s worship God…

2. "If Everyone Cared" Nickelback from youtube

3. Four Voice Liturgy

Read aloud from where you sit/stand to the rest of the group…

Voice ONE: God cares about issues of poverty and justice… This emphasis on justice flows through the Bible like a river. It’s no coincidence the Bible mentions poverty 2,100 times. This oral and written history of God’s attempts to be in relationship with humanity is filled with examples of God’s values of ‘siding with the poor or those on the edges…’

Voice TWO: Why should we care about the poor? About those who lack our choices? Through history, culture or circumstance? Is what Nelson Mandela reminds us of true? ‘That ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’… God, we give thanks for all we have…

Voice THREE: How do we contribute to poverty worldwide? Cash crops instead of food? Cheaply made shoes and t-shirts? Violence, selfishness, and consumption ahead of clean water? For those things we do or leave undone, we are sorry!! For judging others externally and settling for less, we are sorry?

Voice FOUR: What would you do, if you ruled the world? How would people know what you valued and hoped for? What would you complain about? And who would you choose? God, stir our world… Let’s think, create and pray…

[shared aloud by four punters]

4. "If I ruled the world..." vox pop clip and then discussion in 3-4s

5."What is Poverty?" we spent a few minutes with punters putting together a collage

6. Then 'What is Poverty?' clip and if we'd had time 'What is Social Justice?' clip

7. Dramatised Reading with the story of Zacchaeus...

Dramatised READING: Zacchaeus Luke 19: 1-8

NARRATOR:

It was a pretty unremarkable day in most ways really. This place is only a small town, with a long history, but you pass through here because it’s the only way to the city… It’s not unusual for a crowd to gather but the word was this character had created a stir wherever he went and the ‘usual suspects’ were out to see who all the fuss was about.

ZACCHAEUS:

You couldn’t see, I don’t know what everyone else had come to find, but there was something about him. I seriously almost fell out of the tree I’d scrambled up, when he looked up and invited himself to my place.!! I was up there for my own safety and because I couldn’t see… I didn’t even really hear what he said at first… I was too busy trying to hold on to the flimsy branch. The fact he even looked up was a huge shock! He looked straight at me, no mistake!

BYSTANDER:

Scumbag!! That’s who he is… ripping us off every tax year! Lining his own pockets… I thought someone was going to get crushed when the crowd surged forward. I didn’t hear it, but the whisper went along that the bloke asked to have lunch with that lowlife, Zack!! It’s not bad enough the Romans have ‘their foot on our necks’, but he’s financing them!! He’s the whole reason we’re poor! Jericho would be a different place without Zack! NARRATOR:
Zack hurried down from the tree, sandals flying, I think he fell down the first three branches… The crowd at first were grumpy but slowly drifted off, The disappointment was obvious! BYSTANDER:

Have you heard the rumours? What happened at that lunch? Later that day apparently Zack started giving money away. Te same crowds that jeered earlier were dancing in the streets. Is it real?

NARRATOR:
“I will give half my property to the poor. And I will now pay back four times as much to everyone I have ever cheated.” That’s what was overheard!! ZACCHAEUS: He didn’t just look at me, he really saw me… for who I am? In the face of that I really couldn’t keep cheating people the way I had been… You can’t buy self respect and I was tired of being alone in a crowd… This town will have to blame someone else for it’s troubles from now on…

8. Didn't have time to show "Teenage Affluenza" World Vision clip

BUT did speak about some Biblical stories about God's values and Jesus obvious siding with those on the edge including the poor... and how it's also our call... including the notion of how close we all are to poverty... one choice, one argument, one mishap!!!

8. STATIONS TO EXPLORE [20min]

1. Map and tealights World map on the floor/table with candles Place a candle anywhere in the world that needs our prayers. Could be infront of existing big screen or DVD Sarah McL ‘World on Fire’ on loop

2. Photo Reflection 6-8 laminated A4 photos What do these images say to you about ‘poverty’ Write a post it note response Maybe a think global act local, a prayer [stick on the wall]

3. Mural Projected on the wall The data projector image is on a bed sheet/calico Punters use fabric textas or ??? to draw what’s projected and colour in but to add comments, signature, commitments, or questions, prayers

4. Bible Passages/Snippets on canvas Writing about the ‘values’ of the Kingdom of God And how we/you might live them out…. On the canvass

5. Make Poverty History Have some $2 MPH bracelets plus photo frame scrolling images

Have fairtrade chocolate there for people to eat while they reflect on what you could do to think global act local e.g. 40hr Famine> Donate old clothes> Buy copies of Big Issue Simply Sharing Week> Lent Event> Fairtrade> soup kitchen etc

We finished with a glimpse of a world celebrating change and equality through "Dancing" Matt Harding clip

"Lungs" Florence and the Machine

This is an amazing album of thoughtful and catchy tunes which all evoke images of alt.worship experiences right from the first listen. It's emotional, deep and inspired!!

Part Tori Amos, ENYA and yet modern in sound, the welsh lilt creates a transcendent mood!!

I look forward to developing some experiences around several of the tracks

"Curating Worship" by Jonny Baker

Inspired by the same conversation/presentation with Mark Pierson as many others of us, Jonny Baker has continued to play with the idea of worship envisaging, planning & leadership [in it's broadest sense] as being like the other uses of the term 'Curator'!!

This book is in part an exploration of that idea and then also a series of interviews/chapters from a range of practitioners!!

Steve Taylor has beaten me to the punch with a review which you can read here

"Shoefiti and Flying Kicks'

Tristan sent me the link to an ABC story about a film to feature in the Melbourne Film Festival which explore the folklore phenomenon of pairs of sneakers hanging by their tied laces over powerlines that most will have seen somewhere.... turns out a number of the explanations may be true and it just depends.... is this a drug house, has someone lost their virginity or does it signify gang territory? It's certainly a worldwide phenomenon!!

Read the ABC story here and read about the film here

The Mystery of Flying Kicks - Trailer from Closer Productions on Vimeo.

"Change" Reflection/Worship

I prepared a Reflecton/Worship for our BOE Staff Meeting today as it was about my turn again. The theme was 'change' given our upcoming 'integration' of the Boards of Education and Mission.

The start was the clip for the Greg Laswell song "How the Day Sounds" which you can check out here

The I shared this reflection/prayer...

“CHANGE” A Reflection
Do we dare? Could we possibly?
Create a space for collaboration, an engaging conversation
A safe space, which is not necessarily comfortable, but honest

This is the space God calls us to,
Where we shift from “I” to “we”
From ‘excellence’ to ‘authenticity’
From the centre to the edge
From the church, intentionally into our context

As we face changes and stare at the future
How does the day sound?
Not just, what are we doing? But, who will we be?
Not simple but complex, not imposed but planned
What costs will we recognise and how will we carry those

In this time of reflection
We are invited to recognise the past and move on
To envisage a future we can participate in
To identify culture and behaviours of value
And to challenge their absence where we find it

What story will we tell?
What space will we make?
What tension will we confront?
What risks will we take?

We spent a brief moment observing what we could learn from a Wordle of our BOE Synod 2010 Report... pictured above

Then there were [4] Prayer Activities to do while we listened to "Changes" a new track from Sarah McLachlan from "Laws of Illusion"

1. Brown lined paper for writing what makes the meeting a 'safe space'

2. Bowl and sandpaper for tearing off strips for 'confessions'/things to let go of

3. Bowl of 'Time Out' bars to take and eat while pondering how you'll take time out:

to listen

to collaborate

to be creative

to recreate

4. Lighting candles for 'others' beyond ourselves

Reading Romans 12: 1-21 and comments

Then we got into our meeting and closed it by re-reading the reflection.

Worship/Reflection at "Transformers"

At our 'inservice' conference this week I had the opportunity to develop a 15 or so minute reflection/worship choosing from the next five weeks of lectionary so that for want of a better reason the participants had stuff to use in coming weeks in their context and could relax into the learning, knowing that would pay off later on!!

I was stepping in to one spot we hadn't allocated so it was put together overnight!!

We began with the clip of "Fireflies" by Owl Citywith it's catch phrase about the world 'slowing down.'
Then a simple prayer,

"Surreal, tactile, mysterious and loving God

We worship you in our actions and in our lives

We bring our hopes and our disappointments,

We know your love in our everyday,

And we look for your imprint beyond what we can see.

Help us to make obvious space for you in our lives

And to share the truth of what’ you’ve doing with usIn places you’ve been

before we came along AMEN"

Then a Lament and Owning Up with a lyrical clip of "Fix You" Coldplay

[I didn't do the spelling!!]

Three people read parts of Luke 7:36-50

I played the 'Enough Rope' snippet of the Waifs to female members talking about being called onto stage as back up singers for Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' on Heavens Door'And how surreal it was where one saw it as being 'in' a Dylan song and the other saw it as a missed opportunity.

I talked about this anecdote and discipleship where there are opportunties to be 'in the moment' and we sometimes will get it and sometimes miss depending on a whole lot of things BUT Jesus was one who got it, like when he turned to the woman and spoke to Simon, accepting, noting and caring for her!!
I shared about the 'Bluesfest Easter' experiment and my 'Easter moment' listening to Kev Carmody play "Cannot Buy My Soul"!!

We shared a 'mission moment' by discussing in pairs who or what or where God might be calling us into a mission or discipleshipmoment in our community where we were each from.... being sent out by a re-read first prayer!!

Organising Worship for this Sunday

OK so there's an obvious song for this Sunday exploring a vision of a world lived according to the values of God where all see grace, inclusion, acceptance etc... and this clip is one of the best at showing the mood of the track... BUT I probably can't go there or I'll just be subject to stereotyping and undo good work in recent months... so I'll just have to put it here... instead...

It'll get a run if it survives thinking of other ways to start my section of things!!

Ordination Visuals

"Ordination" 12.12.09

Here's an outline of what we collaborated on today for my Ordination. It was a cooperative effort between the Presbytery and a range of people I was able to ask to be involved... a lot of permission was sought and given [unlike the restrictive and paranoid reworking that is the Ordination Service provided by the Assembly Worship Working Group 2009 version... more on that another day]

The space was set with [4] corners, a centre table focus and three visual screens around the space
Theme: Michael Leunig's "How to Get There"

HOW WILL YOU GET THERE...
"Go to the End of the Path Until You Get to the Gate"
Opening Audio-visual "Viva La Vida" Coldplay [new version] with a range of images themed to the song and around the notion of call, vocation and journey... during which the 'worship leaders' and members of Presbytery came in with sticks and cloth carry bags of the elements of worship for the centre table... each was unwrapped and the elements set out...

Welcome and Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners [the Awabakal people] [Nerida]

Presentation of the Ordinand [Felicity]
Narration of Steps to this point [Gwen]

Communal Song "Here I Am Lord" Dan Schutte
which I can never sing thru as it associates with a range of past experiences and deep emotions

CONFESSION
"Go through the gate and head towards the horizon"

Charge [Chris]

Prayer [Felicity]
After the opening lines we planned a few people to bring stones from the table and place them in the previously filled baptismal font... while my previously blogged about 'ballet' video played as background... while there was a minor glitch...

Forgiveness

SERVICE OF THE WORD
"Keep Going Towards the Horizon"

Micah 6: 6-8 [Maz]

PREACHING OF THE WORD
"Sit Down and Have a Rest Every Now and Then"

The STORYTELLER [Geoff]
Clip from 'Batman Begins'.... where are you? and story about the congregational prayer calling for God to speak as a sheep had entered the rural church and sounded 'baa baa baa' reflecting on how we hear God?

Rob reflects on 'Who Do You Say That I Am?'
Where I spoke about what a week it had been and who might be most surprised to be here today for THIS....
I talked about Jesus as the one who saw us for who we are and valued us...
That we are called to live out the values of God
AND that whatever step today was, which had begun in the mid 1980s with a surf convo about 'how do you get to be a Youth Worker?'.... it was a continuation, a new standpoint but the same journey... and that my delibartions had been kept honest by the bloke who wasn't there today... Dave Edwards... who would not have been taking this step, shared our humour about this being a 'turn to the darkside' and how Dave would have convinced someone to join our procession in Darth Vader costume...

Prayer and beginning of questions [Felicity]

THE SONGWRITER [Phil]
Who wrote a new version of a Mumford and Sons track, calling it... "Timshel" or 'I Shall/You Shall'
[lyrics and tune next post]

Second Question

THE PREACHER [Nicole]
Reflecting on Luke 9: 18-24
Nic spoke eleoquently about the 'who do YOU say that I am?' question seeking to convey the plural in the question and the notion that we answer by our actions not just what we'd say...

Third Question

PEOPLES RESPONSE
"But keep on going, just keep on going"

Creed
We believe in God
Who is never confined to our beliefs
and never held fast in our dwelling places.
Our God is the mystery of the divine and human bound together
Of power and vulnerability
of crucifixion and resurrection.
Our God is the wonder of truth and compassion
Of liberation and responsibility
Of eternal wisdom and costly grace.
We celebrate God.
[Dorothy McRae McMahon]

Question four

Ordination Prayer and Laying On of Hands

Communal Song "Holy Spirit Rain" Michael Earl/Phil Newton

Declaration of Ordination

Spoken Blessing [contemporary Aaronic blessing words]

A NEW BEGINNING
"Keep on Going As Far As You Can"

Prayers of the People [Rah]
Who has until now been painting in one corner with a canvass on the theme of having newspaper in one hand, Bible in the Other plus iPod and other contextual connections in action...

Presentation of Gifts
UCA Stole [Felicity]
Bible [Jenny]
My own designed Stole kindly made by Karen Mitchell Lambert [Graham]
Pottery Plate and Cup [Chris from Adamstown]

EUCHARIST

Offering

Contemporary sharing fo words between Felicity and Rob in inviting Communion participation
Included singing of 'The Communion Song' from NCYC '99 and performance of 'Aboriginal Lord's Prayer' and 'Kyrie eleison...'

Communal Song "Stories of Hope" [Rob H and Phil N]
Stories of Hope ©2007 R. Hanks P.Newton

A Dmaj7
Stories of faith calling us to explore
A Dmaj7
What matters now is who we might be
Bm Dmaj7
It has to be believed to be seen
Bm D A
God’s story of love who could ask for more

Bm D A
Stories of faith [calling us onwards]
Bm D F#m
Stories of love [our example to follow]
Bm G F E A Dmaj7 A Dmaj7
Stories of hope [showing there is a way]

We can all see what love has done
Jesus stands in solidarity
Actions louder than words making history
The values of God won’t be undone

(Chorus)

Dreams come and go around what might be
Hope against hope inspiring all things
We travel along despite our struggles
God’s call comes alive in you and in me

Story of faith [calling us onwards]
Story of love [our example to follow]
Story of hope [showing there is a way]

Blessing

Plus after the Blessing there was a viral video of "Best of Both Worlds" Midnight Oil and opening comments from Peter Garrett [Waveaid performance]

Videos to follow!!

Ordination Saturday

If I had any energy I'd blog about some of the creative plans we have for my Ordination on Saturday but there will be a full outline 'sometime' next week!! Essentially I suggested a seemingly unrelated set of elements for a variety of reasosn ans the great bunch of friends/colleagues/practitioners I'm coillaborating with were able to see the common thread of 'journey' that was the one thing I had gleaned...
We are using the Michael Leunig cartoon 'How to Get There' in it's progression, to map the worship journey through Micah 6: 6-8 and Luke's version of the 'who do you say that I am?' story!!
Well, the rest can wait... and then I'm going to write my feedback letter to the Assembly Working Group responsible for the dreadful worship outline provided as the rules and guide for such occasions... it's practically censorship and to my mind these guides are one of the great untouched areas when it's all mission, change, new forms, context and discipleship in other spheres... then we revert to wordy rubbish for our peak moments...

An Upcoming Event

There's probably much more to write about the fact that having entered into a 'flexible discernment process' within the Uniting Church for those already 'specified' as Youth Workers... it has just been agreed that I be ordained a 'Minister of the Word'!!

Therefore 12.12.09 is the day and YOU are invited... hope YOU can make it!!

"How Can We Be Church in Secular Society?" PART 2

"The world is changed, I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, I smell it in the air"
Galadriel LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring, who expressed not just knowledge of history but feelings, permeating the times.

Likewise Chris, who asked this question, knows it's true, but also sees and experiences the change. Change from several confident decades to a more complex and confused time.
[Leaving many with nostalgia for the 'good old days' or the way things used to be]
But if they were so 'good' where are all those people now?

The ground has shifted, what is the HUGE gap?
The GAP between the culture of the CHURCH and the culture of the SOCIETY/WORLD!!

I can't say I know the answer, but I know 'some things' and am grumpy enough to assert some of them. Things I have copped FLAK about for years!! BUT let's explore those together in this space and the table activity!!

The reading from Matt 9: 17 reminded us, no-one puts new wine in old winskins, they BURST!

There is a HUGE hunger for SPIRITUALITY, just not church
There is a need to REFRAME the ANCIENT message [in post modern forms]
e.g. the reframing of 'Fall at Your Feet' ballet clip with an activity of 'Confession' is a reframing or juxtaposition to experiment with the experience of the prayer...

We're called to be servants, to make a difference through practicing our faith in day to day ways,
AND it's NOT ALL DONE @ CHURCH!
i.e. Luke 14: 34
" salt is good, but if it no longer tastes like salt, how can it be made tasty again...?"

In "8 Track Church in a CD World" Nash offers [3] purposes of the church:
1. Offering the truth of God's grace and love to it's culture/context
2. Enhancing the spirituality of its members
3. Cultivating caring community [living out a world lived according to the values of God]

Those changes referred to:
#Spirituality as evidenced at least by TV: Ghost Whisperer, Greys Anatomy, Medium, LOST etc
Movies: Da Vinci Code/Angels & Demons, Seven Pounds etc

#Absolute truth is dismissed/refuted
#The Christian faith is marginailsed
#There are changed and changing patterns of community [choices]
#Multi-faith context e.g. note the change to disaster commemorations, Steve Irwin's Funeral
#Church no longer dominates the cultural scene
#Technology, globalisation, pluralism, privatisation, individualism

People express this in different ways e.g. "Raise the Alarm" The Living End

OK [a] to [z] UNRELIABLE HINTS> CHANGES> RESPONSES
Acknowledging thse need unpacking...

[a] We need to foster active faith development and increase spiritual vitality
[b] Move away from the battel between TRADITIONALS and PROGRESSIVES
[c] ASK
What kind of 'community' are people looking for in the 21st C?
What will people want, what does God expect?
[d] Change from the MODERNS appeal to REASON and SHIFT from the values of the inerrant
Bible, to HOW DOES YOUR BELIEF, give you MEANING?
[e] Worship needs to deal with real stuff
[f] 60s/70s re-evaluation of the world led us to the confusion of STYLE over SUBSTANCE
[g] Decrease focus on denominationalism where people are finding meaning in 'movements' and
especially those engaged in social action/community development
[It's a time of polarisation between those who narrow in on the Bible and those who open up]
[h] People want a new REALITY and to ASK,
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES GOD ACTUALLY MAKE?

MORE FALLOUT
[i] 'THE GRAND NARRATIVE HAS BEEN FLATTENED' and we have competition
[j] Traditions/Programs are not the answer
[k] BEING a COMMUNITY of LOVE and GRACE means? move OUT of the ruins,
WATCH
LEARN
ASK

[l] The BIBLE ITSELF holds the answers, BUT by using it as a mirror, to ask who we are,
where do we locate ourselves, what STORY are we TELLING?
The challenge of MOVING to the MARGINS
[m] JESUS taught, hung out, shared hospitality, RECONCILING
PRACTICE the RADICAL INCLUSION OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD
clothe, feed, set free, LOVE ENEMIES [different clothes, words, values, culture, context]

HOW CAN THE HALL SPACE be that kind of SPACE?
Be people living out the values of God NOW!

[n] Rediscover the foolishness of the cross
GOD's story that cannot be EXPLAINED
[we can't explain the UNIVERSE]
GOD's STORY is the story out of which I LIVE MY LIFE!

[o] New definition of SPIRITUALITY [maybe the DANCE with GOD imagery works for you?]
It's a journey, not one point
Pre packed evangelism is dead [resuscitated by a vibrant faith community]
Some CHURCHES must and will DIE [making space]
[p] Live out PRACTICES of our faith in your journey
LIVE - PLAY - LEARN - GROW
[q] Get OUT of the CHURCH
[r] Less propositional truth, more EXPERIENCE of God
e.g. my crazy idea of Easter at the 'Bluesfest' at Byron Bay with a bunch of young adults
Engage in the biblical story exploring HOW peoples lives are TRANSFORMED
[s] ASK, HOW DO THE SACRED STORIES OF OUR FAITH, CHANGE MY LIFE?
[t] INSTEAD OF HOW DO I PROVE THEM, HOW DO I LIVE IN LIGHT OF THEM?
[u] Practice joyful worship
[v] Live out Faith - RISKS
Learn from other Christian traditions
Learn from history
Celebrate Communion
Observe 'sabbath'
focus on 'spiritual direction'
[w] Risk things like the 'EMERGENT MANIFESTO'
opt to be vulnerable
being taken advantage of
absorb pain and suffering
receive the gift of inconvenience
ask CREATIVE ?s vs Clever ?s
[x] Practice communal ethics
Focus on experiences
Develop narrative/missional theology
Practice relational leadership
Be aware of non-linear 'formation'
Be 'Community'
[y] and [z] Do your EXPLORING> PRAYING> THINKING> RESPONDING...

Background References:
"An 8 Track Church in a CD World" Nash [1997]
"An Energent Manifesto" Paggitt & Jones et al [2008]
Various bits of Loren Mead's work
"Shaping a Future" NCLS Kaldor et al