'Devozine' Website

Faith practices and themes that connect with teenagers are central to the simple and underrated resource 'Devozine'!! It now has a website presence here and it puts basic discipleship exploration directly in young people's hands and could extend into group day or weekend camps...
The magazine has North American and Aussie writers with daily explorations and developed themes on weekends that all engage young people in a small colour magazine style which is available in Oz through Mediacom here

Human Foosball

   There are loads of activities you may only be able to afford once a year or as a contribution to a local Fete but they can add a spark to an otherwise standaryouth event or program. 'Human Foosball' is just one option alongside: horizontal bungy, barfly, Sumo, Boxing etc.
   Planet Entertainment is just one provider here in NSW whose catalogue I receive but there are other companies with similar array or options.
Warning: one colleague has reminded to be careful in referring to an 'adult' jumping castle and clarify that I mean a normal jumping castle rated so adults can safely use it rather than a questionable inflatable shape more akin to the Hell's Angels Annual Picnic or Summernats in Canberra!!

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

"A New Culture of Learning"

For a couple of years I have been trying to track down the name of a guest on ABC Radio 702 'Conversation Hour' [now known as 'Conversations'] who worked in Schools in western Sydney. My memory of the dialogue was not so much about schools and education but the framework he advocated for learner centred education and creating spaces for engagement. I particularly recalled talk of designing and redesigning schools, refurbing foyers, atriums and libraries as inviting learning spaces...

I had trawled the podcast list but was 'looking for a needle in a haystack' and just this week stumbled on the right one which while labelled with a topic sentence, didn't step out and hit me, previously... I'm talking about Greg Whitby and I've re-engaged with his podcast and am even more sure that his contextual skills and insights have direct relationship to the task of faith formation, discipleship and engagement with young people. Greg would be a great resource for thinking about what kind of environment you'd want to create for ministry and mission with young people where you are!!

For ministry, mission and indeed discipleship to grow I am convinced there needs to be 'space', permission and validity... Greg speaks to all [3] in a school education setting and I believe would be an excellent catalyst to our conversations.

To this end I was pursuing him to come and share his insights with a bunch of Youth Workers in August... we have since hatched a slightly different plan, just as I've found Greg... now I'm thinking how else this might work...

In the meantime his website included a post about a book which I thought could similarly speak to our discipleship task... many Christian books are caught up in where they sit on the theological spectrum more than the idea they are attempting to address and this one would lead to a process of asking how it informs or challenges your existing ideas or something new you hope to hatch... you can then bring your own biases onboard!!

It's called "A New Culture of Learning" by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown and you can read more here or Greg's post here

To mark this theme I have just downloaded the book via the Kindle Store to my iPad!!

OTW Newsletter Ideas

I have just sent out the latest and probably last edition of my "Off the Wall" Youth Workers Newsletter from the Synod YOUTH UNIT NSW/ACT Uniting Church in Australia as the Unit winds up during the rest of 2011 with our Boards of Education and Mission merging and a new 5 person Team replacing a whole host of roles due to shrinking finances... ho hum!! 'OTW' is a title of mine so it may appear elsewhere with another focus but not to this target audience...

The point is I wanted to share some ideas here!

Movies worth USING:

1. 'The Kings Speech' M 1hr 58mins

Course language but great story

2. 'Source Code' PG 1hr 33mins

Thriller with great questions

3. 'The Adjustment Bureau' PG 1hr 48mins

great questions, but challenge the films premise and imaging of 'the plan'

4. 'Rio' G lhr 36mins

Great story and message about care for creation

5. 'Thor' PG 1 54mins

Latest Marvel story with a moral, building up to the Avengers

Look past the wooden acting

Songs worth Hearing

1. 'Price Tag' Jessie J feta B.O.B.

priorties, values, outlook

2. 'I Feel Pretty/Unpretty' GLEE

covering the Sugababes on self image

3. 'Maybe' Sick Puppies

who am I? who will I be?

4. "Plans' Birds of Tokyo

more mood than specifically the lyrics, about hope, plans, future

5. 'Pray' acoustic version Justin Beiber

Could be useful with younger groups as I channel my own daughters love/hate relationship with the Beiber!!

Story Cubes

As you know I love a good story and used to enjoy making up bedtime ones for Lucy who would get to nominate what must and must not feature... courtesy of the creative and inspired Steve Taylor I bring you 'Story Cubes'...

Throw the dice and start with "Once upon a time..." and feature all nine symbols... or use one of the other methods featured.... or use the iPhone App [about $2.49]...

Steve reminds that it can be used to grow creative Biblical storytelling also... check that out here

"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

"A New Kind of Youth Ministry" Chapter One

'Reculturing Evangelism: From Carnivals and Bridges to Sharing the Journey"

In this first chapter Chris Folmsbee's main point is a questioning of 'event based' evangelism. In programs it doesn't really model how to live out and share your faith except in further events. It really relies on 'someone else' doing the work.There are questions about how you measure success.

This has often led people to shift focus to 'friendship evangelism' which can also have an impact. Often labelled as 'bridge building,' Folmsbee conetnds the issue there is the imagery of conencting two points which otherwise coudn't. It doesn't allow space for God to move and for authentic relationships to be a basis for sharing.

What Folmsbee calls 'life dynamic evangelism' is really just young people seeking to be part of God's mission and activity in the world, not seeing people as 'them' and 'us' and living honestly committed to God.

It means being: inclusive; active; honest and humble; and joining others on the journey. This is about living out your faith, not just special events.

AND more specifically in the aussie context:

a. young people needing to see how faith connects to life

b. teaching faith practices [portable faith] not relyig on 'high' moments

c. rediscovering faith language that makes sense

d. remembering young people don't know the 'story' and need help to see how it fits together

e. faith needs to be experienced in community and rediscovered through relationships for their own sake and not so as to exert 'influence' [see 'Unfiltered Relationships' Andrew Root]

f. Balance your agenda with a learner centred sensibility

g. answer questions people are actually asking

h. by all means share 'Jesus' but in actions and words

i. look for where God is already active in the world and join in...

and so on...

"A New Kind of Youth Ministry" Introduction

In the 'Introduction' Chris Folmsbee does well at expressing the restlessness many of us feel about youth ministry in models that belong in the 1950s and for which our resistance attracts criticism. 'Restless' has become my normal state in recent months/years... not in an 'I'm over it!!' way but I mean with the state of things and our inability to make strides as the wider church, in reinventing ministry which is missionally and contextually sharp!!

Talk learner centred, non event based, discipleship and people stare at you as if you've just torn pages from a Bible!!

Folmsbee describes one restless experience after another and notes his encounter with the Tony Jones book "Postmodern Youth Ministry" and it's different take on the issues.

What he eventually begins to introduce us to is the notion and task of RE-CULTURING youth ministry. This is "a strategic and intentional process of change that involves concentrade critical assessment, passionate idea generation, implementation of new ideas and practices and the ongoing evalutaion of the changes implemented" and borrowing from 'Leading in a Culture of Change' Michael Fullan we're reminded it's not about one innovation after another but implementation of new ideas. The transformation is ongoing and extensive.

That's all great jargon but it's really saying that instead of entertainment, the latest technique or creative program idea... reculturing is about changing ministry with young people to genuinely reflect the context we're in!! To help earth it a little [this is still just the intro] Chris answers the conference q&a 'what will it look like?' with a few initial images:

- churches will embrace pomo youth ministry with optimism and hope

- churches working with their community towards discipleship regardless of doctrine

- Youth Workers would see themselves primarily as Spiritual Directors not program directors

- youth ministries would think tehologically before methodologically

- students would live out the vision of God's restorative mission, not just talk about it

- Youth Workers serving young people in cooperation with families & churches rather than in conflict with them

- youth ministries teaching for spirtual formation vs information

To name a few.....

"A New Kind of Youth Ministry"

I am currently reading/listening to Chris Folmsbee's book by this title [as part of my pile of 5-6 books on the go!!] It's great, timely and might just be the text to distribute to a bunch of our Workers and Leaders to get a conversation going about 're-culturing' or reinventing UCA youth ministry for the current times. It's full of things we've been advocating for and doing but as ever it's a coherent narrative of the times rather than an intuitive response to one off happenings along the way [which inevitably cause people to question your ideas] not that Chris' learnings and changes are immune from criticism!!

Chris writes succinctly and makes sharp observations about his context where not all the angles fit here in Oz but the point is valid for slightly different reasons.

I will review Chapter by Chapter from here... and am cavassing colleagues to see if there's energy foir a workshop/discussion day before years end where some of this could be explored as reflective practice for people in their contexts. We'd offer tools not just advocacy and ideas wedded to people's own situations...

The book will be available to be borrowed from the Camden Theological Library at North Parramatta which is open to posting books to any UCA person... just give me a week to finish it!!

Row 'M' Seat 30 "As It Is In Heaven"

I have had some space this week to write some resources I've been meaning to catch up on... including this discussion guide and resource for the great Swedish film "As It Is In Heaven."
The film operates on lots of levels and is only enriched by the direct messages for those engaged in 'church' community!!
A pdf will be downloadable soon from the Youth Unit website here but is here for saving as a gif file!!

I look fwd to a group discussion again this coming week with colleagues at the 'Formation Intensive' at Nth Parramatta!!

'Breathe' National Inservice Conference in Adelaide

Despite being hopefully in the last throes of a four week chest infection I am in recovery and still thinking about 'Breathe' which I attended only by sleeping most of the day and trying to catch Steve Taylor's input sessions!!
I have previously blogged that it was Lucy and Ellie's 8th and 5th birthdays that week but having discussed it with them I had decided there were a limited range of speakers I'd list who would see me still attending. Steve makes that shortlist as I have enjoyed reading his stuff over the years and knew his input would be affirming, expanding and challenging... and it was... despite my limited 'out loud' engagement.
I have learnt that I best process input by 1. drawing or writing while listening and 2. interacting. adding comment or asking questions and both of these in preference to small group interactions. It was frustrating not feeling energetic enough to engage in that until the second last day BUT I continue to think about the implications of stuff.
It's cost me $115 in books already between Andy Crouch's "Culture Making" and 2 or 3 John Drane books about 'spirituality'.
I have heard of them before but in living up to my 'lethargic academic' self description and not really liking reading I have ignored them and many other books.
"Culture Making" sounds just like some stuff I bang on about and will help me extend my work on 'stories' and accessing creativity for worship and discipleship so we are engaging with culture not simply as critics or consumers but 'culture makers'.
My symposium paper picked up the theme of "Movie Tickets, Ipods, Satchels and Imagination" and will be a theme I develeop further and deeper, like my storytelling stuff. It includes an outline of the philosophy behind our NCYC Bible Study and other uses of music, movies, story, art and exploratory spaces!!
More on Steve's input soon!!

"BIG" GAMES BOOK

As soon as the games are finalised and the covers come back from the printer there will be a new collection of some old favourite games, icebreakers, GTKY questions etc mixed in with recently invented ones and put together in this collection to serve groups, events and camps in coming years.

It will probably sell for $19.95 tbc and builds on the excellent work of a number of keen writers and contributors.

Writing Week: Games Book

This week [while wrestling with a sore throat that's limited my results] I set aside in my diary as a writing week!! I get lots of creative ideas along the way and with changes we've made to our focus this year there has been time to schedule for some work on those ideas!!
They include:
"Splash" discipleship Diary
A movie resource lectionary
HSC Survival Stuff
"Things I've Learnt in Ministry with Young People"
and
"A Giant Games and Community Building Book"

Many years ago Gary Topic edited a book from a variety of sources including a dozen or so I my own favourites.... add Egad Ideas, New Games for Community from Christine Gapes etc etc PLUS my own focus on group building, GTKY questions and you'll have a great companion for the evolving "Batteries Not Included" website...
I'm editing out dodgy 80's double meaning names, violence and ones that don't reflect a contemporary understanding of personal space and permission.
It did cause me to reminisce about an old favourite... 'Musical Hugs'!! Essentially it's musical chairs but you split the group by gender and if the boys are standing in a circle or oval shape then the girls stand opposite and circle around while the music plays. When the music stops... hug a boy! Boys are removed so there's always one or more less and vice versa when it's the girls turn!!
Yes yes I know! But some of my favourite memories of Camps and Communities come from playing this game in the right spirit!
Others are saying... what's wrong with that... well, we all get on well with others to a greater or lesser degree and when this game gets going you end up with no choice about who hugs you, how hard and what sort of fight ensues. People would opt out and be cajoled by peer pressure to join in... we know that after the hormonal Christianity of the 80s there are those with esteem issues who used to use this game to pump up their ego in unhealthy ways. Imagine 2 girls left where one is the hot object of desire on the part of half the boys in the group, the other is a quiet shy girl who for whatever undeserved reason is not as popular... its writ large in the body language, comments and reluctance as this round unfolds!!
We did go through an era of asking less keen participants to tap their shoulder as a sign they'd prefer just a touch on the shoulder rather than a hug... but it's still fraught with unintended consequences!!
At the same time, when this game was played with the best intentions in a spirit of fun it is quite hilarious and the groups used to chant for it at every opportunity... they were fun times! Right up there with bonnet sliding, tree stump exploding and cracker night!
Stay tuned for a publication date after more rounds of editing and writing weeks!!

"Telling Stories" Social Justice Stuff

Last saturday we did the workshops for "Telling Stories" at Mt Colah and promised people access to some of the info re Social Justice which Bradon used plus the details of the simple guide to capturing/converting Youtube clips...

I promised to load it all here but think it'd be easier to direct you to Bradon's blog here so you can find what works for you!!

Row M Seat 30 "The Boat That Rocked" M

OK, so you should be able to download this gif as a readable resource for discussing the film!!

Unreliable Idea: Faith Shaping Diary

In recent weeks and months I've had a few creative ideas [some have made it to these pages] and hopefully a few will 'see the light of day.' This is not the usual sense of too many ideas, too little time BUT rather that I believe the ideas come from having successfully made some space for reflection and thinking stuff through and also from the increasing sense of wanting to work on stuff that's actually energising and closer to my motivations and purpose... can't go wrong that way I reckon!! They won't happen without collaborators though!!
So the current idea [while I distribute 'We Believe' invitations for another one] is that of a diary based tool for encouraging young people to explore, grow, question, resource and take action about their own faith and life!! I guess it's inspired by "Ways to Live," our QLD counterparts work on 'The Fridge' and 'SKey' coming out of their 'Growing Apostles' and the current energy being put into the notion of 'portable faith' but a general sense that young people are basically needing to explore faith for the most part 'outside' or independent of the existing church... well that bits not rocket science!!
Places making genuine space for young people, starting new things and helping young people find identity, meaning, belonging and shaping faith are the exception NOT the rule!! The beauty of this idea is can only be enhanced by integration into a group or program or place!!
THE IDEA.... I have purchased a 'Week to an Opening' Diary and will now roll out invitations to young people and those engaged in ministry with young people to provide content for what would become a non year specific diary with stuff to explore, questions, websites, topics, activities etc...
I think there's wisdom in a seven area compendium but I also think there's wisdom in a daily, weekely, monthly discipline or option including the motivator that ocassionally you've skipped a bit and it's time to revisit....

I'll be doing a survey of a significant number of young people about topics, needs, questions, ideas... inviting artists, writers etc to contribute..... who knows....

It doesn't have a working title yet... I call it 'Splash' but...

"WE Believe" steps up

This week I will start to invite some participants into my next crazy idea!! 'WE Believe'

As previously blogged I hope to build up a space of 'affirmations' or creedal statements with A3 portrait photos of the authors AND the invitations are ready!!

I'd be open to receiving contributions from individuals who would like to contribute and invite readers to think of young people they think would have important, insightful, creative or authentic things to share.... let me know!!

Unreliable Ideas: Collecting some other posts

MOVIES WORTH DISCUSSING

‘Australia’ rated M
In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.

In 1939, the aristocratic Lady Sarah Ashley travels from Great Britain to Australia to meet her husband Maitland Ashley in northern Australia. The husband's drover comes to the city of Darwin to bring Sarah to their farm; however, when they reach Faraway Downs Farm, they find that Maitland was murdered. Sarah befriends Nullah, who tells her that the administrator Neil Fletcher is stealing her cattle; has killed her husband; and is working for the cattle baron King Carney. Sarah fires Fletcher and his men and together with Drover, Nullah and a group of loyal employees, they ride together to take the cattle to supply the army and win a tender in times of war. But the ambitious Fletcher has other intentions and uses Nullah to press Sarah.
www.imdb.com

I may be alone in this but I really enjoyed the film and think it’s got some great themes and insights in trying to describe the Australian pschye, story, values, influences and history in a fable of ‘Gone with the Wind’ proportions.
Is it the best work Baz Luhrmann’s done? No way
Does Nicole Kidman deserve the slaying she’s received in the media? No way

There are tearful moments, schlock, corn, wide landscape expanses, insights into indigenous culture and a cameo or feature from just about every recognizable Aussie actor in history!! Step aside from the hype and give it a chance… though at 2hrs 40 it is an ordeal!!

‘Gran Torino’ rated M
Walt Kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough-minded, unhappy an old man, who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor Thao, a young Hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Thao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood.
www.imdb.com
This film is about cultural and generational change, themes of redemption and relationships.

‘Seven Pounds’ rated M
'Ben Thomas' [Will Smith] has a secret where even the previews talk about how he took only seven seconds to ruin his life. We pick up the unfolding story in this film where it seems Ben has chosen a range of people to help out in life, seemingly out of his capacity as an IRS [Tax Ofice] Case Worker.
This moving film comes from the 'Pursuit of Happyness' team and has a similar grain and feel whilst Will Smith works hard to create the depth and complexity of his character who is surprised by the girl he meets who is in need of a heart transplant.
As the truth about Ben and the reasons for and nature of his helping become clear, this turns into a very moving and thoughtful story of one persons attempts to make a real difference in the lives of others.


Will Smith quote:
"Usually with the films that I make there are ideas that I connect to, but lately I've been dealing with the bittersweet in life because it feels more natural. You don't ever get it really the way you want in life. That really fascinates me. As an actor, there are certain parts of a character that you create, and you train yourself to have those reactions and then it becomes hard to stop them when the role is over. You have to retrain yourself. My character in this film is like hot grits. You know you can't shake them off and when you do, it hurts."

SPOILER ALERT
While I found the story had weaknesses and some aspects were simply implausible, it is a 'fable' in the truest sense and offers reflections on:
life
mistakes
that things don't always go well

There are challenges awaiting many thoughtful viewers and the films climax is sudden and definitive!!

‘Defiance’ rated M
On the run and hiding in the deep forests of the then German occupied Poland and Belorussia that was World War II, the THREE Bielski brothers find the impossible task of foraging for food, weapons and survival, not just for themselves but for a large mass of fleeing Polish Jews from the German war machine. The Bielski brothers, living with the fear of discovery, contending with neighboring Soviet partisans and knowing whom to trust take on the responsibility as a guardian angel that is a fascinating insight into the true events of a small independent group of defiant band-of-brothers. Consisting of women, men, children, the elderly and the young alike hiding in makeshift homes in the dark, cold and unforgiving forests in the darkest times of German occupied Eastern Europe, Defiance is a beautiful reflection of dedication, sacrifice, desperation and hope.
www.imdb.com

‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’ tbc
“Once again I ask too much of you Harry!” Dumbledore
Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts turns out to be quite the exciting year. First off is the arrival of a new teacher at Hogwarts, Horace Slughorn, who is a bit more useful to Harry than he realizes. Next, Harry obtains a Potions book which used to be belong to the very mysterious Half-Blood Prince. Harry finds that the Half-Blood Prince's ancient scribbles are written along the margins of almost every page, giving Harry advice on how to improve greatly on his Potions work, and also teaching him a few helpful (and dangerous) spells along the way.

Amidst this, Harry is starting private lessons with Professor Dumbledore, during which Harry learns the dark secrets of Voldemort's past, hoping that they could use these secrets to find a way to defeat him.

Harry's year gets even more stressful with the suspicious actions of Draco Malfoy, who has been sneaking around the school doing, so Harry assumes, Voldemort's bidding. Harry quickly becomes determined, and slightly obsessed, to find out exactly what Malfoy has been up to and putting and end to it.

Yet, during this time, Harry and his friends go through daily life, busy with school work, Quidditch, (in which Harry has been made captain of the team) and of course, romance. Ron has found a new girlfriend, Lavender Brown, a perky (if not obnoxious) Gryffindor student, and Hermione is not happy about it. Ron and Hermione's friendship takes a toll throughout the school year and Harry, as usual, is stuck in the middle. Harry, meanwhile, is facing a romantic dilemma of his own: he realizes he is falling for his best friend's sister, Ginny Weasley, who is unfortunately dating Harry's classmate, Dean Thomas. Harry's pining for Ginny and Ron's hilarious relationship with Lavender give this story a large dose of reality.

Throughout all the school drama, however, the obvious darkness of Voldemort's impending rise to power is always apparent. The incredible action-packed climax is sure to leave the audience stunned and, inevitably, prove that you shouldn't trust everybody who you think is good and also prove that not everyone can manage to survive.
www.imdb.com

As the Harry Potter series becomes darker and more layered the movies are for older and older readers/young people. There continues to be controversy in Christian circles [and no doubt some will criticize our choice to consistently draw attention to these films].
The plain truth is the books and films have been hugely popular and have maintained the theme that although the premise is one of magic, the test is of very human values and choices… indeed these stories are about ‘who we are and who we will be’!!
We must be engaged in our culture and context seeking to find where God is emerging and allowing God to transform, question and cajole us through whatever medium God’s values are in evidence! Don’t miss the boat!

‘Pink Panther 2’ tbc
Steve Martin seems very excited in the chat show circuit about the results of his second tilt at Inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther series!! Peter Sellers and friends are a hard act to follow!
My own story through High School was one of attending every Pink Panther film with good mate Graeme or others and literally leaving the film having fallen to the ground, rolled in the aisles and laughed until we cried and our sides ached! Some of those films have travelled better than others but the innocent premise and sight gags just struck a chord!!
The one snippet I’ve seen involved Clouseau, the bumbling French detective ‘standing in’ for the Pope at St Peter’s until he stumbled over the balcony, snatched the corner of a carpet banner hanging down and entertained the gathered throng with his attempts to escape a fall and certain death. It did look funny!

‘Terminator Salvation’ tbc
Set in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.
www.imdb.com Warner Bros Films

Aussie Sam Worthington joins Christian Bale, Helena Bonham Carter and others in this latest installment co-written by James Cameron but Directed bu McG.

An action movie fable which always has surprising potential for thinking about the consequences of our values, decisions and societal choices!!

To go deeper with credible movies and use films well in worship, discipleship and youth ministry programs you should check out:
The Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com
Darren’s Digital Orthodoxy http://digitalorthodoxy.com/index.php?Doo=ContentView&id=1
Hollywood Jesus http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/
US site with reader contributors and [1] often helpful slant on lots of good films
Rotten Tomatoes http://au.rottentomatoes.com/
Usually succinct and honest reviews
Damaris http://www.damaris.org/cm/home/damaris
Reviews, clips, Talk Sheets etc
UCA NSW Synod INSIGHTS magazine
http://insights.uca.org.au/reviews/resources/a-m/faithandfilmresources.htm
Film and faith resources and reviews from Adrian Drayton
100 Films with a faith angle, see what you think http://artsandfaith.com/t100/
Or to find sites fitting your impressions, explore http://www.cmu.ca/library/faithfilm.html

MUSIC WORTH HEARING

“Life in Technicolor/Lost/Viva La Vida” Coldplay
Check out the latest clip for ‘Life in Technicolor’ as Coldplay laugh at their own reputation for ‘over the top’ concert experiences as the local church hall marionettes explode into a full on rock show.

“No Line on the Horizon” U2 album
OK, the word that comes ot mind is “underwhelmed”
Someone should have gone to Morocco, walked into the studio and said to Brian Eno “put down the headphones, step away from the panel and walk out of the room backwards and you get to live!”
Basically U2 have produced quite an ambient record with a few interesting tunes out of familiar themes without really including a track which will reverberate around the world and take their reputation, concerts, efforts towards a better world or soaring faith explorations to any greater heights!!
That said I liked “Surrender” and “Cedars of Lebanon” as tracks for use in coming weeks and at Easter, without any sense of “must do”!!

“You Found Me” The Fray
Although already nabbed by various TV dramas to wallpaper their adverts, the Fray have again produced a track of self examination, connection and a mood which invokes serious thinking about who we are, how we connect with others.

“Caught in the Crowd” Kate Miller Heidke
News Ltd, the Education Dept and other partners in NSW/ACT have been running an ‘anti bullying’ campaign with a range of sports and media stars and their stories. Along came Kate MH with performances on radio capturing the attention of teachers and parents as a song written from the perspective of the bystander, apologizing for inaction in the face of bullying at school!!

“Raise the Alarm” The Living End

“Whoa, whoa...
I may not believe in God,
It doesn't mean I'm a lesser person.
I still have a heart,
And I know what it feels like to be broken.

I may not believe in Jesus,
But I believe in sacrifice.
Life doesn't always stand a reason,
And no one ever gets a chance to live it twice.

But I'd rather risk my fate,
Than to lose my faith,
In the lovin', the hatin',
The constant debatin',
The chaos, the calm.
Raise the alarm.”

So what’s that lyric doing on this list?
Well, the deal is, what do you make of this perspective?
How does it challenge an exclusive view of the Christian faith as guardian of values,, morals and all things good?
How do you see this song lived out in the lives of people today?

What is ‘the good news’ in this context?
How do we have the discussion about being good c.f. being a builder of the world lived according to the values of God out of the perspective of afith in that God and personal relationship with Christ inspiring your reflection and action.

“The Fear” Lily Allen*
Superficiality, fame, getting ahead… is this what it takes?
Explore values, pop culture but be warned about the lyrics and language*

“Use Somebody” Kings of Leon
Ready to move from the superficial to something of substance?

“Right Round” Flo Rida feat. Keisha
Different readers will relate to different songs. From an analysts point of view this song is an interesting grab of pop culture in a cover with the usual rap workover!!
On another level it’s yet another track about values, what matters,a dn looking for direction in life. It’s just hit No 1 in the ARIA charts at the time of writing.

RESOURCES
NOOMA DVDs
Rob Bells’ series of 7-14min reflections on various topics relating to discipleship, life and faith are on the whole edgy, open, sharp and useful for reflection, discussion, worship and making a point beyond the superficial.
Not very title in the series is as useful as others and tastes, perspectives and needs will vary BUT the website has great summaries and preview clips to point you in the right direction!!
http://www.nooma.com/

Bushfire Reflection Resources
Check out Darren’s coherent collection of stuff from a variety of sources in the wake of the Victorian Bushfires and relevant to follow up for any kind of natural disaster
http://blog.digitalorthodoxy.com/?p=1015

“Downtime: Helping Teenagers Pray” Mark Yaconelli
From his stream of contemplative youth ministry resources and ideas

Changemakers TEAR
http://digitalorthodoxy.com/index.php?Doo=ContentView&id=186
Read about the study series at Digital Orthodoxy

WEBSITES

‘Fresh Expressions’ treasury of resources from this C of E/Methodist movement for creating new forms of church and transformation across the UK
http://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/index.asp?id=1

http://www.pastor2youth.com/
http://www.thesource4ym.com/
http://www.youthspecialties.com/
http://www.youthministry.com/
http://www.egadideas.com/
http://blog.digitalorthodoxy.com/
And sign up for the Youth Leader Email with regular ideas and resources
http://www.rethinkingyouth.blogspot.com/
http://280slides.com/

After the Fires

The one task that remained for me [besides some requests from Getty Images] was to thumb through the books on my shelf from the indefatiguable Dorothy McRae McMahon and find some crafted words for more traditional settings that I could/would adapt as single slides on various walls in a stark space.... on our youthmultimedia egroup Robert Stringer posted Dorothy's work to share.....

IN THE GRIEVING
After the fires

You will need:
A large bowl of water
A small leafy branch
A basket of leaves and cut flowers

Opening Sentences
As we gather here today in grieving,
our hearts cry out the hard questions for God.
“Why?” we ask into the heavens.
“Why would this happen to the people and the land?”
Our tears are joined in loss and pain,
as we look around us and see the ruins of life.
Our faith trembles in confusion,
as we try to hold onto certainties,
in the midst of the challenges to hope.
Where are you, loving God?
Come to us now and weep with us
as we face the harsh realities of this time.
A silence is kept
Our tears and the tears of all the people
are joined with the tears of God.
A bowl of water is lifted high and placed on the Communion Table

Hymn or song

Prayers of confession
O God, who understands the deepest fears in our souls,
when tragedy strikes and the innocent suffer,
we cannot help but struggle.
What will others ask of us, who are your people?
Will we know what to say if they talk with us about you?
How can we interpret the universal upheavals before us
and the terrible despairs that spread abroad in our community?
Silent reflection
Forgive us as our faith falters, O God.
May we honour what lies before us,
rather than trying to offer easy answers or trite responses.
Stand beside us, Jesus Christ
and heal us, Holy Spirit, we pray.
Amen



Assurance of pardon
The minister takes the branch,
dips it into the bowl of water
and walks down the aisle sprinkling water on the people.
We are never separated from the love of God.
Jesus Christ has walked our way, with all its realities.
The tears of God will become the water of life,
for us, and for the world.
Thanks be to God.

Readings

Sermon

Hymn or song

Affirmation of faith
Let us stand and say what we believe:
We believe that we are never left alone.
God, the Holy Parent,
holds us in the hollow of a loving hand
and cradles the whole world in compassion.
Christ, the Human One,
walks beside us and bears within,
every grief and pain which is ours.
The Holy Spirit hovers like a dove of peace,
breathing healing and kindness
over the stricken people.
This is our God,
the One whose life is never defeated.
Soon we will see before us
the rising of good and hope.
This we believe.
From this will we live.

Prayers of Intercession
Let us lift our lives to God
and pray for all those
who long for those they have lost,
for treasures which they will never see again,
for homes which are nothing but smouldering ashes
and for the land itself as it mourns this day.
As we make our prayers,
let us place these flowers and leaves
in and around the bowl of tears,
as a sign of the renewing of the people and the earth
which is to come.
The people bring their prayers
O God, in Christ Jesus,
as you experienced in your journey on earth,
there are times when it is hard to believe
that life will ever rise in strength again.
Grant us the faith to believe that this will come, O God.
Make us your true witnesses to love and grace.
Amen.

Hymn or song

Let us go from here
As the bush springs green again,
restoring its beauty to us as a gift,
as the seeds are broken open by the fire
for the beginning of new life,
and as we bring together all that is among us
for the future in this place:
Let us go from here,
stronger than when we came,
holding on to those who have lost the most,
ready for all that is to come
and walking firmly into a new day.
Let us go in courage, hope and peace,
surrounded by the love of God.

BLESSING
And may the Holy God surprise us on the way,
Christ Jesus be our company
and the Spirit lift up our feet.
Amen.