Worship Unplugged # 63 Fishing Line Prayer

Another creative surprise at Camp was the effectiveness of a prayer activity using coloured art paper which was different colours each side, cut into A5. Punters wrote prayers and then used masking tape to stick them on an angle onto a length of fishing line strung from a ceiling lighting bracket to the floor, secured by being tied to a bread knife.

Standing back it looked like the paper was hovering unassisted in a line from floor to ceiling!!

Simple things done well!!

Worship Unplugged # 62 Magnetic Poetry 'Stop Animation'

At Summer Camp we had a mixture of pre=planned simple creativity and ideas generated by campers in specific planning sessions in their Learning Groups. One small group worked together on a simple prayer using magnetic poetry...

Rather than stop frame video they took some 60 snaps with words changed and we added them to 'keynote' with soundtrack and auto animation!!

"Haiti" A Disaster

Missed all the earthquake happenings while away at Summer Camp except we did use some translucent paper and printed images with a candle for a moment of reflection!!
If you were leading worship this weekend you could do worse than:

1. print some images from the news [not the sensationalist rubbish we've seen] on translucent paper, loop and tape it and place it over some candles as a focus for prayer and reflection
2. Use a world map with Haiti marked on it and some basic facts which would likely revolve around the poverty and health issues a part of normal life there.
3. Use the map for some candle lighting
4. Choose a Scripture/Psalm of lament Psalms 60, 143 as suggested at Rethinking Youth Ministry for discussion/reflection
5. Use suitable songs for audio-visuals or prayer space e.g. "Life Uncommon" Jewel, "Watch Over Me" Bernard Fanning, "The World Where You Live" Crowded House
6. Collect some images including Haiti pre and post quake to offer alternative visions
7. Use small rough stones to symbolise the buildings and invite people to hold a stone, to think of the life and times it represents, to pray and to take it home as a reminder not to forget what's happened
8. Take up a special collection
9. Plan an event within your community in the next month to raise further funds for Haiti
10. Stay with the story in coming weeks unlike local news here which quickly switched to our royal visit

Worship Unplugged #62 'Plan Be' at Salt Factory

Peacemaker

Mercy

Meek

Lament

Justice

This Tuesday night 22nd from 7pm to 9pm at 'The Dockyards' cafe at Newcastle's Honeysuckle Wharf we'll be sharing a meal and our reflections on pictures related to the Beatitudes and specifically the single words related to them through Dave Andrews simple but brilliant 'Plan Be'.

Above are 'some' of the pictures and you can check out the book and all related resources here and Salt Factory is here

The rest of our time will be discussing dates and plans for the rest of the year!!

"Water" Themed Worship this week

Did some work this week on a 'water' themed worship or really 'living water' and used some things from recent ocassions but put them together in specific ways to be the happening that followed a 'workshop with the key group from East Maitland Uniting Contemporary Worship.

Pre worship live clip of "Ocean" John Butler Trio [youtube]
Four Voices Call asking for volunteers on the spot

VOICE ONE:
This is our worship
This is not a concert, a film or a play,
We set aside time to ‘be’ and to ‘know’

VOICE TWO:
What difference does God make?
How will we be the people of God in this place?
In all places?

VOICE THREE:
What do we celebrate? What do we lament?
How is the metaphor of ‘water’ meaningful for us?
God make yourself known to us

VOICE FOUR:
We own up to being less than we can be,
We accept the promise of God to forgive us,
May we live as forgiven people, with grace and freedom to share
God be with us in our time together...

Then introduced my Photostory 3 reflection on "Magnificent" U2

Having already used a 'confession' or 'owning up and being forgiven' word, we added reflection time with tracing or pouring in a tub of water while listening to "Wash Me Clean" Bernard Fanning

The Band led Communal Singing

Read part of "Previously" storybook as a reminder that we all have a 'previously' or a story of what went before...

"Woman at the Well" video from youtube and the Twist DVD
[5]questions.... who is this woman? what else strikes you? what did jesus mean? who else is this woman? how should we respond?

John 4: 7-15 read in [3] parts

Song/s

[9] Stations

[a] Words on Cards, to react/reflect on
[b] “Previously” to read
[c] “Water” doco/”Water” Blue King Brown clip AV write ‘post-it-note” prayer youtube
[d] Magnetic Poetry
[e] “NOOMA” DVD 'Today' looped
[f] Bible Passage on paper/further reflection Qs
[g] ‘Who is this Woman ?’ picture reflection
[h] “Pasha Bulker” Bob Evans looped with lyrics on paper
[i] Leunig Prayer OFFERING

SONG

FOUR VOICE SENDING OUT
VOICE FIVE:
Give us a blank piece of paper God
On it we will write our hopes and our questions.

VOICE SIX:
Shape us, guide us, through distractions, poor choices
and our own agenda
Help us find meaning in your story and make it our own through your Spirit

VOICE SEVEN:
Send us out to share our humanity, ourselves
Help us be sources of ‘life giving’ water in Jesus example

VOICE EIGHT:
Help us a create a new and different story,
So we move ourselves and others from “quietly screamed desperation”
To a different place.
AMEN
*Thoreau

FINAL SONG

Worship Unplugged # 61 'Choose Serving Over Self Interest'

At one of my local congregations [Charlestown] I was up for one of on average two worship services per year. The locals are focusing for about six weeks on 'stewardship' and I was invited to consider taking that approach from my own perspective... which I was happy to do.

Colleagues on the 'youthmultimedia' egroup passed on a number of helpful suggestions and I found a few bits n pieces amongst an enormous ammount of 'dross'.

While I thought the tag was inadequate the "24" styled clip from Worship House Media about how we spend our time was a helpful substitute for a second 'reading'. The "Opportunities" clip from 'The Work of the People' was a simple observation that when we miss a chance to 'serve' we set off the bitterfly effect of missed opportunity that could be part of the living out of a world lived according to the values of God. I inserted an unexplained snippet of Trevor's assignment from 'Pay It Forward.'

There were a few more aspects as we explored the notion that stewardship was an activity of bringing about a world lived according to the values of God [reflecting on the parables about mustard seeds, yeast and the pearl] from Matthew 13: 31-33 44-46.



Simple definition "choosing serving over self interest"

It's about using your gifts and abilities from a standpoint of thinking about others

Wrestled with and didn't include a reflection time using 'Life Uncommon' by Jewel

Instead chose "Opportunity" Pete Murray/John Mayer from the ARIAs

Added [3] other Photostory videos of images so had four videos in one Powerpoint slide

We earthed the simple definition in a difficult exercise of ranking sceanrios by 'importance'

Drew out the need for communal action and different gifts in the activity




How would rank the importance of:

Giving money to the ‘Fred Hollows Foundation’ charity for eye surgery in the third world
Giving money to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal to rebuild the community
Getting involved in Meals on Wheels visiting older people and delivering their lunches
Joining an Aboriginal Reconciliation Group to work on a communitye event
Being at a Family members Dinner to catch up with relatives you don’t see often
Giving money to your local church activities and mission carried out by teams of volunteers and leaders
Installing solar electricity roof panels contributing power to the grid and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Buying only fair-trade coffee and chocolate from a local green grocer
Talking to a friend about why you’re part of a community of faith and what God’s call means to you
Spending time at your local pub listening to a friend talk about a few of their hassles and current relationship
Encouraging someone you know to give something a go that they are thinking about and would be great at
Writing letters to your local mp about an issue you see as important for the future of your communty

Worship Unplugged # 59 'Speakerdogs'

Creative genius Wes Champion agreed to help out with our junior leader Saturday night program at this years 'Kids Campout' and in the creative process was reminded of a string of ideas that come out of a keen and geek filled fascination with designer toys!!

Needing to work on paper... 'Speakerdogs' that looked like TVs on legs [with speech bubbles] are cutouts you decorate individually and WE used them as a tool for an audio-visual 'prayer of thanks.'

The punters decorated, cut out and glued their speakerdogs and we set up a white backdrop to photograph them. We used 'Photostory 3' so the uploaded pictures and soundtrack were created as window media in minutes. The prayer drew applause the foillowing morning!!

These could be used for reflection, small groups, community building or an entire worship built around the creation and finishing phases...

Worship Unplugged # 58 Tracing Artwork

Here's an idea I found looking at clips and ideas for a Camp theme of 'Telling Stories'

The story was about a community building project using the histories of notable local figures from the neighbourhood in question but one way the people participated was to trace an artists black and white portrait outline projected onto the community space wall using an overhead projector [a data projector would work]!! They seemed to start with the black outline and then add colour later...
People stood in front and obscured parts of the picture but only as they worked on the part they could see...
I imagine callico or white cloth banners, painted mdf sheets or the whole youth centre wall adorned with relevant artwork or mural!!
As the project unfolded there was a buzz or energy as people met each other, talked about what they were doing and the the story of the picture they were drawing!!
Check out the original story here

Worship Unplugged # 57 Collage Art

I spied this great idea reading the 'Sarcastic Lutheran' otherwise known as Nadia Bolz Weber!! The idea is to have an artist/drawer sketch an outline for a poster/banner/home made icon and mark what colours are needed where... in the original case it was an advent reflection so colour 'wish books' or shopping catalogues were cut up and pasted on as needed to create a textured and vivid image for relfection or focus.

This idea could be applied widely for different themes> pictures> digital images> banners> a worship station> etc>

"We Believe" Affirmations

"We Believe" is the working title for my latest bit of inspired madness!! A number of recent experiences, reminders and ideas have inspired me to work on a photographic and written artspace project that will be handy at a few events I'll be part of in coming months.

The 'Rebuilding Afghanistan' photo display, our 'Affirmations' Station activity at NCYC09, Trinity Wall St 'Our Neighbours' pics, how I might get 'Salt [Factory]' rolling and a need to actually achieve something in Mark Hillis' "Next Gen's" project have all come together in an idea I think can be done reasonably simply.

"Affirmation" by Savage Garden was a catchy pop tune with a long series of "I believe...." statements which has inspired a number of groups and events to use it's lyrics to encourage young people to either write their own, or contribute to a group, 'affirmation'> belief statement> creed!

My plan is to invite a bunch of young people to write an affirmation> belief statement> reflection> or creed AND I'll take their photo and curate a space and a display for worship, reflection or as part of a bigger event!!

So look out....

Worship Unplugged # 56 Google Earth Prayer

Over three Bible Studies at our biennial national youth event [NCYC] we used Google Earth to plot the punters specific prayers alongside some related to news of the week. Each place was pinpointed and as the globe rotated and zoomed in and out we planned a musical soundtrack for reflection which for time sake became a live backing. This was typical of Tristan D's creativity following the usual response of "or we could..."

Video for NCYC09

Just to avoid doing more prep work right now I thought I'd post one of the audio-visuals I've prepared for Bible Study at NCYC09 in Melbourne... way too much to do, way too little time!!

It's for "Ugly" theme day as an open ended intro about us 'getting ugly' in response to who Jesus spent time with and who we are called to be and what we're called to build... the world lived according to the values of God!!

Worship Unplugged # 55 Prayer Hands

Here's one idea I didn't get to do at the recent Advent Retreat! It was inspired by one photo from the 'We're Not Afraid' website that began in response to the 2005 London bombings.

It involves inviting everyone to write a prayer or response on the palm of their hand with a permanent marker and taking photos of each hand. Poison ball activist and U2 doppleganger Bradon tells me they walked the proverbial tightrope recently at North Rocks by doing this all on one evening... you see you take the photos and plug them into Photostory with a sound track and you have an instant audio-visual for prayer, reflection or sending out!!

The North Rocks mob were asked 'what can you offer?' It could be a response to any challenge or invitation, prayers of the people, a commitment, 'one' word...

Worship Unplugged #54 World map and Textas

I have written previously about the 'prayers for others' idea of inviting people to place a tealight candle on the map while being inspired by an audiovisual with images from news that week and beyond!

I was thinking about simpler and different alternatives so I suggest using permanent markers to invite people to write a word, symbol etc on the map... in sharing the idea my NCYC Bible Study collaborators noted that you could still re-use it in the future and I wondered about working your way through the colours from lighter to darker... then we thought about laminated maps with whiteboard or temporary overhead transparency markers...

What about a large callico map and washable markers!!

Worship Unplugged #53 The Rythm of the Song

Called on to lead a reflective worship at this week's Uniting Church NSW/ACT Synod Inservice Conference for Workers in Ministry with Children, Youth, Young Adults and/or Families [called 'NEXT BIG THING']... colleague Bra[y]don harked back to some work from Nooma's Rob Bell in describing God as being like a song, a tune, a rythm and about aligning ourselves with that rythm [or not].
Bradon introduced the background to a song and invited us [as we listened to the track] to try to write the song within us... a little unsure how it would go.... it was brilliant!!
Or is that just a comment out of my recent experience as a muscially challenged person in writing some lyrics for friends to put tunes to and being used to the challenge...

If I can find my post it notes in the packing I have the beginnings of my third communal singing song... it was inspirational!!
I'm making it Worship Unplugged idea #53

Worship Unplugged #52 Wax Hand

This worship station involves pressing a willing volunteers hand into a large enough quantity of playdoh or clay so as to create a mould of the hand that will have a rebuilt edge where the wrist is embedded or be OK by just pressing in the palm. You can choose to mould the palm or back of the hand depending on what you hope it will be used for or symbolise.... e.g. place written notes on the palm of the hand, put a little pillar of salt in it, have it hold a picture.... whatever!!

Melt wax, add colour as required, then pour the wax into the playdoh mould when its not at it's hottest!! Leave to set and return to find a creative full sized top or bottom half of a hand when turned out and over!!

Worship Unplugged #51 "Magnetic Poetry"

After years of thinking 'I must get a set of those' I have finally splashed out and bought myself a set of the original 'magnetic poetry' with 4000 words on tiny fridge magnets for use as a reflection tool, discussion starter and worship station!!

Here's just one place to buy your magnetic poetry sets

Worship Unplugged #50 T Shirts or Underwear

Opportunities for response or self expression in worship are many and varied. I am always looking for unique, visual, tactile and creative ways to allow this and to fill the worship space visibly with the evidence of activity...

Picture a clothesline ir series of same where pegs hold up a collection of either underwear or t-shirts which have been written or drawn on and hung up by participants given some focus activity, prayer or question for response...

Light coloured undies or t-shirts, brought along, purchased as fairwear, obtained from the Op Shop or ???

This could be supplemented with famous/celebrity contributions for a cause and auctioned for charity... they could all be in response to an issue that is also prayed for and fundraised for!!

Some child abuse support groups have used the t-shirt idea for their programs

Worship Unplugged #49 "Ocean" John Butler Trio live

My next audio-visual I'm happy to share when it's done will be to this brilliant piece of music from John Butler which I first encountered on his 'One Small Step' fundraiser CD. Great guitar playing evoking the sights and sounds of the powerful Western Australian Ocean...

Advent

So here I am at the end of week one of an extended holiday!! I return to work after Australia Day at the end of January!! I decided after 8 years in my role to 'take a breathe' before the next 3 year extension and lets see what we can do.... We are not doing more than day or overnight trips because I can tell you now I just need a huge rest!!

So I find myself with advent ideas and nowhere to use them... some from previous years, some new and crazy!! Though my posts over Dec/Jan will slow down I consider this fun and not work so you'll see stories, news and music IF I feel like it...

ADVENT IDEAS
1. "Christmas Must Be Tonight"
I am very strong on trying to interpret Christmas in the Aussie climate and culture so Paul Kelly's 'The Band' cover as a single B side on 'Won't You Come Around' is a great tune.

2. "The North Wind"
This carol demands the writing of your own verses to actually introduce some element of Jesus story and to contextualise its singing in a given year.

3. ABC Radio 702 Christmas Carol CDs
Where listeners/groups have recorded music... my favourite is Wiley Park Public School kids doing 'Silent Night' with a little rock a billy piano... I have 2 volumes which are still around...

4. Audio-visuals
Available from http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/ [after you wade thru the americanisms] and http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/index.php?ct=site.home rather than scamming some of them from youtube which does have other options also

5. "Nine"
From Jonny Baker and the Grace folk... something I will use one year...

Worship around the nine lessons used in 'lessons and carols' services only this time you invite nine participants who volunteer, to choose a piece of music that relates to the 'lesson' or bible reading for them and then to design a worship 'station' or activity connecting both or springing off them... I understand that people are invited to experience all NINE in the worship time and space

6. Upside down Christmas Tree
Bring food and small prezzies for those in need and distribute the to advertised community groups. The UCA links with 'Target' thru our UnitingCare name and local congregational partnerships.

7. Refugees
A valid focus for Advent 2007
I guess people have already started lighting Advent Candles in wreaths.... but you could focus on the plight, struggles and hopes of refugees through the Advent themes of HOPE< ANTICIPATION, PATIENCE and OBEDIENCE

8. Australian Images
While I am no fan of Buck and Champs [Colin Buchanan and Greg Champion] CDs the Holden Ute does evoke some strong local images as transport for Santa. Use crayon and other artforms to draw backdrops, cards, AV slides etc to fit with an Aussie Christmas

9. FarSide
I still rate Gary Larson's Christmas art amongst his finest work and the funniest Christmas images around... I have previously blogged about how "unbeknown to most theologians a fourth wise man was turned away for bringing fruitcake..."

10. Prayer for Others
Here at Christmas time is a chance to have a red hot go at listing all the international situations that need prayer and action for change in 2007. Our best chance to demonstrate our missional sensibilities with mixed audiences of visitors in worship!!

11. U2
"Peace On Earth"
"Wave of Sorrow"
See previous posts on both these songs BUT the second one comes as a brilliant Intercession track reflecting as Bono says on the story of Solomon and on his experiences in Africa those many years ago!!

The 20thanniversary remastered album, and limited edition 2 CD set are out... BUT I have waited and ordered the Deluxe version wit the Paris concert DVD and booklet as an advance Chrissy present from money I believ is on my way... due here 2 weeks ago but always held back by the marketers until 18th December!!

12. BBQ
Hold one in your main street, on the front lawn of your church, or in your own backyard BUT hold one somewhere so your faith community shares with the rest of the community on some level... maybe even be inspired to do what my collaborators in the Smartartz colelctive are doing...

13. TEAR Fund Art Installation and Music
Outside a local shopping centre there will be music, a shanty with advertising for TEAR Gift Catalogue and the plight of refugees the world over... a bbq we hope and t-shirted volunteers reminding people that hyper consumerism is not the entire message of Christmas!!