Wikio - Top Blogs - Religion and belief

Tuesday, 25 May 2021

HeartEdge May Mailer

May HeartEdge Mailer is at the post. Usual mix of ideas, encouragement, plus this month - politics and preaching, 'Woke' church, plans for post-pandemic church, Greg Smith on flags, Val Barron on commercial, Sami Award on doing Palestinian theology - plus an extract from the new book by Carla Grosch Miller...

Have a rummage here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natalie Bergman - Paint The Rain.

Monday, 24 May 2021

Mission Summer School


12 - 16 July 2021

Engage more deeply with the theology of mission and explore how it relates to your own practice.

Register at https://bit.ly/3pHkwWE

Programme
  • Input structured around the four Cs of Commerce, Culture, Congregation and Compassion.
  • A mix of teaching and conversation with leading scholars and practitioners including Dupe Adefala, James Butler, Andrea Campanale, Revd Heather Cracknell, Professor Maggi Dawn, Revd Jonathan Evens, Rev Richard Frazer, Shannon Hopkins, Revd James Hughesdon, Zaza Lima, The Ven. Rosemarie Mallett, Professor Anthony Reddie, Dr Cathy Ross, Rachel Summers, Revd Dr Sam Wells, and Revd Erica Wooff, among others.
  • Workshops to engage with the themes and issues presented.
  • Encounters with churches, organisations and projects (HeartEdge and Fresh Expressions) to get a hands-on feel for how it works out in practice including: American International Church, Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, Forest Church, Notre Dame de France, Sacred Space Kingston, St Barnabas Ealing, St John’s Waterloo, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St Paul’s Marylebone, and The Table Southall, among others.
A week aimed at practitioners wanting to engage more deeply with the theology of mission and explore how it relates to their own practice. Also for those already studying providing an opportunity to be immersed in the theology and practice of mission.

Structured around the four Cs of Commerce, Culture, Congregation and Compassion from the book ‘A Future Bigger than the Past’ by Sam Wells, each morning Sam will teach on each of those areas providing the framework for the day. Participants will encounter churches/groups/organisations with a particular focus on the day’s theme. This might include viewing activities, meeting people involved, hearing testimonies from the work, and engaging with some of the challenges and complexities involved.

Each evening we will invite to people to be part of a conversation about the theme of the day. We will open-up these conversations about practice and theology to include participants in discussion. The evening programme is also offered as a stand-alone strand for those unable to join the main summer school.

The mission summer school comes from partnership between HeartEdge and St Augustine’s College which provides in-depth and experiential engagement with the theology and practice of mission.

Covid restrictions

Due to current Covid restrictions the week will be delivered online.

Registration

£70 – Mission summer school (Monday – Thursday, 9.30am-12.30pm, a variety of afternoon tasks taking a couple of hours, 7.30pm-9.00pm, and Friday, 9.30am-4.00pm).

£10 – Evening programme only (Monday – Thursday, 7.30pm-9.00pm).

Register at https://bit.ly/3pHkwWE.

Artlyst - Louis Carreon: Sampling Art History

My latest interview for Artlyst is with Louis Carreon. With a background in tagging, rapping, skateboarding and surfing, Californian-born Carreon is a street artist who is currently sampling art history, and its religious iconography in particular. Inspired by Hip Hop, Carreon riffs off imagery appropriated from the likes of El Greco, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Peter Paul Rubens and Michelangelo Merisi Caravaggio to disrupt and re-present images of the greats in ways to which young people can relate:

'After years of trial and tribulations and many downfalls, redemption was my only Salvation. Truly at that time believed I had to be in pain to produce, to write poetry and to paint. I didn’t know myself and I didn’t believe I could create while working on positivity, health and wellness and a positive future. So as redemption is tattooed across my chest, the story of redemption is what gives me the light and encouragement to give it all to God and leave it out of my hands and to ride this light on this narrative. I used to be a loser now I’m choosing to win...

I am a student always, keeping it humble. I have had God work in my life and am a true believer in prayer. My prayers do come true but in ways that are different from what I expect, meaning that I have to figure out the difference. I am a different person every day, especially with art, being susceptible to energy and change. Art is a current that comes through people’s bodies in movement and the visualization of memories. Some people can only paint their life or what comes through their bodies and memories. For me, crawling out of addiction and crime, redemption was the only story that had authenticity. I create things that take away pain and give peace. Painting is my redemption and keeps me alive.'

As an exclusive to Artlyst the interview features the first full image of Carreon's new and first sculpture 'David Reincarnated', an 8 ft high, 4,000 lb. contemporary reworking of Bernini’s David in marble, with David dressed for the streets of LA. This piece is both evidence of contemporary religious inspiration and a challenge to museums and galleries to acknowledge that reality.

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -
Articles -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bob Marley - Redemption Song.

CTiW Pentecost Service


Churches Together in Westminster held their annual CTiW Service of the Word for Pentecost yesterday which this year was very kindly being hosted by St Mary le Strand church.

For the benefit of those watching the recording, a service sheet is available on the CTiW website (http://ctiw.london/2021/ctiw-service-of-the-word-for-pentecost/) or from CTiW.net@gmail.com and you may also wish to have a candle ready to light during the service. We are grateful to Canon Peter Babington, Priest-in-Charge and the people of St Mary le Strand for hosting this service.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taizé - virtual choir : Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Saturday, 22 May 2021

Windows on the world (328)

 


London, 2021

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jorge Ben - Brother.

Friday, 21 May 2021

Living God's Future Now - w/c 23 May 2021








'Living God’s Future Now’ is our mini online festival of theology, ideas and practice.

We’ve developed this in response to the pandemic and our changing world. The church is changing too, and - as we improvise and experiment - we can learn and support each other.

This is 'Living God’s Future Now’ - talks, workshops and discussion - hosted by HeartEdge. Created to equip, encourage and energise churches - from leaders to volunteers and enquirers - at the heart and on the edge.

The focal event in ‘Living God’s Future Now’ is a monthly conversation where Sam Wells explores what it means to improvise on God’s kingdom with a leading theologian or practitioner.

The online programme includes:
  • Regular weekly workshops: Biblical Studies (Mondays - fortnightly), Sermon Preparation (Tuesdays) and Community of Practitioners (Wednesdays)
  • One-off workshops on topics relevant to lockdown such as ‘Growing online communities’ and ‘Grief, Loss & Remembering’
  • Monthly HeartEdge dialogue featuring Sam Wells in conversation with a noted theologian or practitioner
W/c 23 May 2021

Sunday

Inspired to Follow
Zoom
Sunday 23 May, 14:00 (BST)
Register here.
‘Inspired to Follow: Art and the Bible Story’ helps people explore the Christian faith, using paintings and Biblical story as the starting points. Session 19: Death of Stephen. Text: Acts 6:8 – 7:60 (extracts). Image: ‘The Martyrdom of Saint Stephen’, Possibly by Antonio Carracci, about1610, NG77.

Theology Reading Group
Zoom
Sunday 23 May, 18:00 (BST)
Register here.
Purgatorio (Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, following the Inferno and preceding the Paradiso. Explore and discuss Dante’s The Divine Comedy with Sam Wells, St-Martin-in-the-Fields congregation and HeartEdge partners.

Monday

Biblical Studies
Zoom
Monday 24 May 19:30 -21:00 (BST)
Register here.
Join Simon Woodman on two Monday evenings each month for a Biblical Studies class: a lecture followed by discussion, with handouts, looking at the Gospels and Acts. This week: Lecture 10 Luke-Acts.

Tuesday

Art, Scripture and Contemporary Issues
Zoom
Tuesday 25 May 14:00 -15:00 (BST)
Register here.
In a short series, curators for the Visual Commentary on Scripture will speak about their experience of curating for VCS. In this session Susanna Snyder will speak about her experience of curating the Ruth 3-4 exhibition exploring why she made the choices and decisions she did in relation to questions such as: How are we to respond to refugees and migrants? How should we understand and inhabit boundaries?

Sermon Prep Sally Hitchiner and Sam Wells
Livestream
Tuesday 25 May 16:30 -17:30 (BST)
Live streamed on the HeartEdge Facebook page here.
A live preaching workshop focusing on the forthcoming Sunday's lectionary readings in the light of current events and sharing of thoughts on approaches to the passages.

Wednesday

Public Health and Church Engagement post pandemic
Zoom
Wednesday 26 May 10:30-12:00 (BST)
Register here.
In this series of workshops, The Revd. Dr. Gillian Straine CEO of The Guild of Health and St Raphael will be exploring the potential of the church and people of faith to be agents of healing in our post pandemic world. Workshop 3 explores best practice in the healing ministry, including how to pray for healing, the healing sacraments, and how to create an healing atmosphere; exploring the different approaches, and looking at some of the diverse experience of healing.

Community of Practitioners workshop
Zoom
Wednesday 26 May 16:00-17:00 (BST)
Email Jonathan Evens here to take part.
This is open to all, including ordinands and lay leaders. Church leaders join in community, share and reflect together on their recent experiences in the form of wonderings with one of the HeartEdge team and book discussions.

Thursday

Being With Neighbours Internationally
Zoom
Thursday 27 May, 16:00-17:00 (BST)
Register here.
This workshop shares practical examples of how to be with neighbours internationally in a way that leads to mutual flourishing for the whole congregation. We will hear stories from US, UK, Africa, Europe and beyond to inspire our ministries. We will end with a short liturgy of thanksgiving.

Friday

Shut In, Shut Out, Shut Up Season 4: Ableism, Faith & Church
Zoom
Friday 28 May, 16:30-18:00 ( BST)
Register here.
Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against disabled people. Like racism and sexism, it classifies entire groups of people as 'less than'. In this groundbreaking 4th series of Shut In, Shut Out, Shut Up we explore the context, culture and practice of ableism in faith and church. Come and join the conversation with Fiona MacMillan and Rev Dr Hannah Lewis and Dr Rachel Holdforth.

Coming Up

Mission Summer School - 12 – 16 July 2021
Zoom
12-16 July 2021
For more details and to reg click here
An opportunity to engage more deeply with the theology of mission and to explore how it relates to your own practice.Input structured around the four Cs of Commerce, Culture, Congregation and Compassion. A mix of teaching and conversation with leading scholars and practitioners including the Revd Dr Sam Wells, Professor Anthony Reddie, Dr Cathy Ross, and Revd Heather Cracknell, among others. Workshops to engage with the themes and issues presented. Encounters with churches, organisations and projects (HeartEdge and Fresh Expressions) to get a hands-on feel for how it works out in practice.

For more information please have a look at this video of Sam Wells telling us more, here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tsegue Maryam Guebrou - Homeless Wonderer.

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

The return of (G)race

Conversations about (G)race is back with Chine McDonald on home and Greenbelt, the power of personal story, redeeming white spaces, uncovering African spirituality & facing up to whiteness. Just an inspiring discussion! With Azariah France-Williams & Winnie Varghese. Produced by Rosie Dawson for HeartEdge, have a listen here.

Earlier episodes in the series are:

3. Sharon Lewis 'Afro-Futurism and recovering faith'

"Your work, the spirit is pulsating through it... it's deeply spiritual..." Writer, director and award-winning film maker, Sharon Lewis in conversation about God and race with Azariah France-Williams and Winnie Varghese. "Black History Month perpetually keeps us in the past... in an iconography we're repressed... We did rebel! We did fight back! We survived and thrived! We were not decimated in terms of spirit... The very basis of Black Future Month is that we exist..." Sharon, Azariah and Winnie on Christianity colonised (and releasing colonial attitudes), coding the future, extending sci-fi, giving up Jesus and recovering Christianity and the church, being angry... and dodgy haircuts...

2. David Neita 'Barriers, boundaries and finding home'

UK based poet and lawyer David Neita in conversation with Azariah France-Williams and Winnie Varghese. “I belong to the Lord – so this is my space…” How to build a space that is welcoming, diverse and hospitable. Plus, poverty, inequality and the importance of poetry to navigate the justice system… And birthing something creative into the world.

1. Broderick Greer 'Black imagination, white reactions'

Broderick Greer Canon Precentor at Saint John's Cathedral in Denver, Colorado US in transatlantic conversation with Azariah France-Williams (UK) and Winnie Varghese (US). Talking God and race - on black resistance, black dignity and joy - and 'being the allies'. Plus the ravages of white supremacy and finding freedom. And how do you pronounce (G)race?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Valerie June - Pushing Against A Stone.