Seen and Unseen - Controversial art: how can the critic love their neighbour?

My latest article for Seen & Unseen is entitled 'Controversial art: how can the critic love their neighbour?'. It makes suggestions of what to do when confronted with contentious culture:

'Cultural comment is as much about love for neighbour as any other aspect of Christian life. Our charitable hermeneutic was summed up for us by St Paul when he wrote of going through life looking for “whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable”. Sister Wendy Beckett, the cultural commentator who most recently has best exemplified this charitable hermeneutic achieving huge popularity as a result, wrote of “a beautiful secret … that makes all things luminous … a precious gift in this confused and violent world”.'

For more on a charitable hermeneutic see here and here. For more on responses to controversial art see here and here.

My first article for Seen and Unseen was 'Life is more important than art' which reviews the themes of recent art exhibitions that tackle life’s big questions and the roles creators take.

My second article 'Corinne Bailey Rae’s energised and anguished creative journey' explores inspirations in Detroit, Leeds and Ethiopia for Corinne Bailey Rae’s latest album, Black Rainbows, which is an atlas of capacious faith.

My third article was an interview with musician and priest Rev Simpkins in which we discussed how music is an expression of humanity and his faith.

My fourth article was a guide to the Christmas season’s art, past and present. Traditionally at this time of year “great art comes tumbling through your letterbox” so, in this article, I explore the historic and contemporary art of Christmas.

My fifth article was 'Finding the human amid the wreckage of migration'. In this article I interviewed Shezad Dawood about his multimedia Leviathan exhibition at Salisbury Cathedral where personal objects recovered from ocean depths tell a story of modern and ancient migrations.

My sixth article was 'The visionary artists finding heaven down here' in which I explored a tradition of visionary artists whose works shed light on the material and spiritual worlds.

My seventh article was 'How the incomer’s eye sees identity' in which I explain how curating an exhibition for Ben Uri Online gave me the chance to highlight synergies between ancient texts and current issues.

My eighth article was 'Infernal rebellion and the questions it asks' in which I interview the author Nicholas Papadopulos about his book The Infernal Word: Notes from a Rebel Angel.

My ninth article was 'A day, night and dawn with Nick Cave’s lyrics' in which I review Adam Steiner’s Darker With The Dawn — Nick Cave’s Songs Of Love And Death and explore whether Steiner's rappel into Cave’s art helps us understand its purpose.

My 10th article was 'Theresa Lola's poetical hope' about the death-haunted yet lyrical, joyful and moving poet for a new generation.

My 11th article was 'How to look at our world: Aaron Rosen interview', exploring themes from Rosen's book 'What Would Jesus See: Ways of Looking at a Disorienting World'.

My 12th article was 'Blake, imagination and the insight of God', exploring a new exhibition - 'William Blake's Universe at the Fitzwilliam Museum - which focuses on seekers of spiritual regeneration and national revival.

My 13th article 'Matthew Krishanu: painting childhood' was an interview with Matthew Krishanu on his exhibition 'The Bough Breaks' at Camden Art Centre.

My 14th article was entitled 'Art makes life worth living' and explored why society, and churches, need the Arts.

My 15th article was entitled 'The collective effervescence of sport's congregation' and explored some of the ways in which sport and religion have been intimately entwined throughout history

My 16th article for Seen & Unseen was entitled 'Paradise cottage: Milton reimagin’d' and reviewed the ways in which artist Richard Kenton Webb is conversing with the blind poet in his former home (Milton's Cottage, Chalfont St Giles).

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

Feargal Sharkey - A Good Heart.

Seen and Unseen: The collective effervescence of sport’s congregation

My latest article for Seen & Unseen is entitled 'The collective effervescence of sport's congregation' and explores some of the ways in which sport and religion have been intimately entwined throughout history:

'[Dr. Mark] Doidge notes that “Regular congregation at a sacred space to perform collective rituals creates a ‘collective effervescence’ where the individuals become a community and identify themselves as such”. He also notes the similarities with sport which provides a “way of understanding who we are - who we socialise with, how we see other people, and the ways in which we interact with others” – and which is, like life, “about rivalries and competition, solidarity and teamwork, division, and unity”.

 
These similarities can lead some to privilege sport over religion but Doidge argues that sport “should recognise that religion is a key part of many people’s identity and sense of self, and work hard to be inclusive for all”.'

My first article for Seen and Unseen was 'Life is more important than art' which reviews the themes of recent art exhibitions that tackle life’s big questions and the roles creators take.

My second article 'Corinne Bailey Rae’s energised and anguished creative journey' explores inspirations in Detroit, Leeds and Ethiopia for Corinne Bailey Rae’s latest album, Black Rainbows, which is an atlas of capacious faith.

My third article was an interview with musician and priest Rev Simpkins in which we discussed how music is an expression of humanity and his faith.

My fourth article was a guide to the Christmas season’s art, past and present. Traditionally at this time of year “great art comes tumbling through your letterbox” so, in this article, I explore the historic and contemporary art of Christmas.

My fifth article was 'Finding the human amid the wreckage of migration'. In this article I interviewed Shezad Dawood about his multimedia Leviathan exhibition at Salisbury Cathedral where personal objects recovered from ocean depths tell a story of modern and ancient migrations.

My sixth article was 'The visionary artists finding heaven down here' in which I explored a tradition of visionary artists whose works shed light on the material and spiritual worlds.

My seventh article was 'How the incomer’s eye sees identity' in which I explain how curating an exhibition for Ben Uri Online gave me the chance to highlight synergies between ancient texts and current issues.

My eighth article was 'Infernal rebellion and the questions it asks' in which I interview the author Nicholas Papadopulos about his book The Infernal Word: Notes from a Rebel Angel.

My ninth article was 'A day, night and dawn with Nick Cave’s lyrics' in which I review Adam Steiner’s Darker With The Dawn — Nick Cave’s Songs Of Love And Death and explore whether Steiner's rappel into Cave’s art helps us understand its purpose.

My 10th article was 'Theresa Lola's poetical hope' about the death-haunted yet lyrical, joyful and moving poet for a new generation.

My 11th article was 'How to look at our world: Aaron Rosen interview', exploring themes from Rosen's book 'What Would Jesus See: Ways of Looking at a Disorienting World'.

My 12th article was 'Blake, imagination and the insight of God', exploring a new exhibition - 'William Blake's Universe at the Fitzwilliam Museum - which focuses on seekers of spiritual regeneration and national revival.

My 13th article 'Matthew Krishanu: painting childhood' was an interview with Matthew Krishanu on his exhibition 'The Bough Breaks' at Camden Art Centre.

My 14th article was entitled 'Art makes life worth living' and explored why society, and churches, need the Arts.

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

New Order - World In Motion.

New music from Pissabed Prophet and Steve Scott

Check out new music from Pissabed Prophet and Steve Scott issued today:

New Pissabed Prophet track Hornet is taken from their upcoming mini album Apple. Apple is a micro-album of songs grown from the seed of Waspdrunk (a track on Pissabed Prophet's self-titled debut album) which releases December 1, 2023. Pre-order Apple here: https://pissabedprophet.bandcamp.com/album/apple. Read my review of Pissabed Prophet here. 

Rev Simpkins from Pissabed Prophet will be in concert, Friday 17 November, 7.00 pm, at St Andrew’s Church, 11 London Road, Wickford SS12 0AN. No ticket required – donations requested on the night. Suffolk-Essex musician, Rev Simpkins, presents an evening of acoustic music of great imagination and charm, inspired by the history and geography of East Anglia. The Rev will perform songs from his acclaimed folk albums Big Sea and Saltings, before his band Pissabed Prophet, formed with Dingus Khan’s Ben Brown and Nick Daldry, takes to the stage to play their first ever acoustic set. The Rev’s sweeping melodies, rich harmonies, and fascinating lyrics have won him both a cult following and national acclaim. This is a rare chance to experience the breadth of the Rev’s work in one evening.

Upon completing art school in the mid-1970’s, Steve Scott moved to the United States at the request of a small record label and began recording songs. He now has eleven albums of original work released on several small independent labels. The work ranges from rock music to more experimental poetry and spoken word, performed over electronic loop based compositions.

His latest album “The Way Of The Sevenfold Secret” is a cycle based on a 1926 booklet by Lilias Trotter, a British artist and a Protestant missionary to Algeria. “Secret” begins with a pair of set pieces that read like memories as much as they do poems. The remainder of the album works through seven movements (plus an epilogue) that mirror Trotter’s writing.

Each poem is accompanied by subtly haunted tones that reinforce the presence of something more than Scott’s words. There are extended moments beyond the words that seem to invite reflection and internalization – as if the sounds that swirl around Scott mimic the role of Virgil leading Dante through the Inferno, Purgatory, and ultimately, Paradise.

I worked with Steve, through commission4mission, to organize some of the different `Run with the Fire’ art exhibitions and events held in and around London, during the Olympic summer of 2012. You can learn more about `Run With The Fire’ by clicking here, here, and here.

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

Steve Scott - Rainbows At Midnight.

An intentional desire to welcome others

Here's the sermon I shared at St Catherine's Wickford this morning:

I wonder if you attended the Olympic or Paralympic Games in 2012 and were greeted by the cheerful faces of the 70,000 red and purple-clad Games Makers and further 8,000 London Ambassadors who were a key feature of those Games. The majority of Games Makers gave up at least 10 days to volunteer and took on a wide range of activities including welcoming visitors, transporting athletes and working behind the scenes.

As a Church, we can learn from the wonderful welcome given out by the Games Makers. As Archbishop Stephen Cottrell wrote in his book ‘From the abundance of the heart’: "There is a fantasy about evangelism: people hear the gospel, repent, and look around for a church to join. Then there is the reality: people come into contact with the church, or have some inkling of the possibility of God, and enter into a relationship with the church, either through its activities, its worship, or just friendship with its members. In the loving community of these relationships, faith begins to grow. Or to put it more succinctly: belonging comes before believing. Therefore, right at the heart of any effective evangelistic ministry must be a warm and generous attitude to those who are currently outside the church community and a place of welcome and nurture within it."

Archbishop Stephen has also said that in recent years we have re-discovered that for most people becoming a Christian is like a journey. This changes the way we approach evangelism. For the most part it will mean accompanying people on that journey and this is why the story of Jesus on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24. 13 - 49) is instructive for us in thinking about evangelism.

When Jesus encounters the two disciples on the Emmaus Road on the evening of the first Easter Day, he meets them where they are but Luke tells us that "their eyes were kept from recognising him" (Luke 24. 16). He joins their conversation and walks with them while they are going in the wrong direction. He listens to them before he speaks. His first question is one of open vulnerability to their agenda: "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?"(Luke 24.17). In response to their questions and accounts of what has happened he then breaks open the scriptures, explaining to them "the things about himself "(Luke 14. 27). Arriving at Emmaus he "walks ahead as if he is going on" (Luke 24. 28). But they invite him in, and as he breaks the bread their eyes are opened. They then rush back to Jerusalem. They can’t wait to share with others the good news they have received.

Luke’s account provides us with a rich and challenging story about evangelism which is hugely relevant for the situation we face today because: "our own culture here in Essex … is not so dis-similar to the ones the first apostles encountered outside the comfort zone of the Jewish faith: a smorgasbord of beliefs, a general interest in things spiritual, a lack of confidence in the meta-narratives that had previously been trusted so much. In this sort of world becoming a Christian will be like a journey, and much of our work will be helping people to make the journey; and much of that will be removing obstacles from the path."

God longs for reconciliation with the whole of the creation and with every person on earth; he is therefore an evangelist. His great love for the world and his purposes for the world have been revealed in Jesus Christ, and through his death and resurrection Jesus has already done everything that is necessary for us to enjoy eternal life with God. The ministry of evangelism is our sharing with others the good news of what God has already done in Christ and the transformation it can bring to the world and to our lives here on earth and in eternity. It can involve specific ministries (such as a place of nurture where people can find out about Christian faith), but is also shaped enormously by our witness as individual Christians as we walk with others in their individual daily lives.

"Becoming a Christian is not just learning about the Christian faith: it is about becoming a member of the Christian community, and it is about relationship with a God who is himself a community of persons. Therefore, right at the beginning of the journey, people need to experience what it means to be part of a pilgrim church. Before people can become pilgrims themselves, they need to feel happy to travel with us and be open to experiencing life from a Christian perspective."

"Nurturing a generous attitude of welcome to newcomers is something that needs to be worked at over many years … Welcome is not just what we do when someone comes through the door. It is an attitude which seeks to get inside the shoes of the other person so that they can be welcomed and accompanied at every point of their journey."

Archbishop Stephen likes "to use the term ‘Travellers’ to refer to people who are beginning to explore the Christian faith, because it describes those who are on the way. They may not yet be coming to church, but they are committed to taking the next step. For many people the best next step is a course of enquiry where they can enter into dialogue with the Christian faith in the company of other Christian people."

In May we are going to begin a new Enquirer’s course called Being With. Being With is about sharing stories about our lives and hearing the stories of others. These stories are the small things that mean a lot to us and they can also be the most challenging and life changing moments of our lives. There’s a space for every person’s life in this course. The course is based on the belief that to find the meaning of life we need each other. We need to spend time being present and attentive to others who may be different to us and to ourselves and the world around us. As we do this, we can discover a way to be attentive to God and discover that God is present to us.

So, we are talking here about three specific forms of welcome: the welcome someone receives when they first encounter the Church or an individual Christian; the welcome involved in travelling with someone else on their journey to God and beyond; plus the welcome which can be provided in a enquirer’s course like Being With.

Just like the Olympics and Paralympics, the Church needs welcomers. The traditional role of welcomer to services in the Church of England is that of the sidesperson. We can see from all that we have thought about so far today why that is such an important role. We might not all have a ministry as a sidesperson but we can all get alongside others on their journey towards God in the way Archbishop Stephen has described and as Jesus did with the two disciples on the Emmaus Road. How, I wonder, can you get inside the shoes of those you know so that they can be welcomed and accompanied at every point of their journey towards God?

Finally, could you encourage people to join our Being With course by making people feel comfortable and safe, putting them at ease so they can bring their questions and feel challenged but not pressured. These are all ways in which we can use our time and talents in God’s service and so be a transforming presence in our homes, community, workplaces and world.

Archbishop Stephen suggests we need to have become a church where evangelism is in our DNA and where we have learned ways of doing evangelism that work in the different and varied and fast changing contexts that make up our diocese. All these involve an intentional desire to welcome others and share with them the good things that we have received from Christ. To do that, like Jesus on the Emmaus Road, we need a warm and generous attitude to those who are currently outside the church community and a place of welcome and nurture within it.

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

T Bone Burnett, Jay Bellerose, Keefus Ciancia - A Better Day.

Discover & explore: Robert Stuart de Courcy Laffan (Sport)

Today's Discover & explore service at St Stephen Walbrook, explored the theme of sport through the life of Robert Stuart de Courcy Laffan. The service featured the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields singing Come, my way, my truth, my life by Vaughan Williams, Be thou my vision by Chilcott, Forever by Chris Tomlin and Go forth into the world in peace by Rutter. 

The next Discover & explore service is on Monday 6 March at 1.10pm when, together with the Choral Scholars, Sally Muggeridge will explore the theme of charity through the life of Chad Varah.

Today's reflection was adapted from ‘Research Notes: A Noble Ally and Olympic Disciple: The Reverend Robert S. de Courcy Laffan, Coubertin’s ‘Man’ in England’ by Steve Bailey, Director of Sports, Winchester College, and published in OLYMPIKA: The International Journal of Olympic Studies Volume VI – 1997:

'In 1892, at a jubilee of the French Union of Athletic Sports Societies, Baron Pierre de Coubertin introduced the idea of a modern Olympics. His idea was fairly vague, and it seems that even Coubertin himself did not have a clear idea what form such games would take. Two years later, Coubertin organized a meeting which brought together 79 delegates from 12 countries to discuss how to revive the Olympic games. The meeting established the first International Olympic Committee, and the basic framework of having the games every four years, with the first to take place in Greece, was decided upon.'

'At the Le Havre Congress of the International Olympic Committee in 1897 Robert Stuart de Courcy Laffan represented the Headmasters’ Conference - the association of headmasters of the English Public Schools. Laffan was an unlikely “Olympic” emissary; as neither a physical educator nor an exceptional athlete but he … brought … to Le Havre a message of the true commitment for the value of organised physical activity …

When Laffan spoke … the effect of this newly found ally led [Baron Pierre de] Coubertin to be “... convinced that a new collaborator of the most invaluable quality had come down from the heavens to help us.” … the friendship that developed between Coubertin and Laffan was to be “profound and stable … In his presentation Laffan spoke of the broader value of sporting activity. He said that it was through physical exercise that man came to know himself better, and that this in turn would lead to the establishment of the Brotherhood of Man.

The endorsement of both the spiritual and physical benefits of sport were much appreciated by the audience. He presented a different slant on the potential contained within the concept of Olympism: a more overtly philanthropic aim which would have been recognised by the audience as highly palatable to their respective supporters at home.

Robert Laffan was made a Member of the International Olympic Committee in 1897 and, following the first visit of the IOC to London in 1904, he was central to the founding of the British Olympic Association a year later. He acted as Honorary Secretary to the BOA from 1905 until his death in 1927. Robert Laffan dedicated his life to the Olympic Movement, blending his work seamlessly with his strong religious faith … He became Rector of St. Stephen’s, Walbrook in 1899, and was able to balance his service between the needs of his parishioners and the struggle to ensure that the Olympic message was made more widely known.

Laffan was not a figurehead or helmsman … but he was an extraordinary workhorse. It was said of Laffan that he possessed a “silver tongue” - what we might commonly call today “the gift of gab.” The inscription on the 300 year old clock presented to Laffan by his co-workers on the British Olympic Council after the London Games thanked him for the “...kindly, tactful and wholehearted
manner” in which he had carried out every duty. He is said to have served “nobly and disinterestedly.”

To Laffan there was significant spiritual meaning in this timely arrival of new opportunity … Robert Laffan attributed many qualities to the Olympic Movement as the vehicle for the improvement of mankind’s ability to live and work together. Sometimes unrealistic in his claims for what is now such an important world phenomenon, Laffan provided great inspiration for others in the early days by devoting all his enthusiasm and working capacity to help pave the way for the future. In his view the Olympic Movement existed to achieve: . . .the perfect physical development of a new humanity; the spreading all over the world of a spirit of sport - that is the spirit of the truest chivalry; and the drawing together of all the nations of the earth in the bonds of peace and mutual amity.

To Laffan the Olympic Movement was everything: It is to me a privilege in itself to have been allowed to do something for what I consider one of the greatest concerns on earth, the cause which has as its supreme ideal ‘Peace on earth and goodwill towards men’.'

The Declaration on Sport and the Christian Life produced by Sport and Christianity argues that: Sport has its basis in a divinely-given impulse to play and deserves a rightful place in Christian living. People play sport primarily for the love of the game, the thrill of competition, and the sense of community that comes from participation. When played and watched in faithfulness to God sport occupies a legitimate place as part of the created world and helps express our relationship to God and to one another.

Laffan, however, dreamed of a greater purpose for the Olympic Movement. One that was re-articulated by Pope Francis in 2016 when he said: Sports make it possible to build a culture of encounter among everyone for a world of peace. I dream of sports as the practice of human dignity, turned into a vehicle of fraternity. That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between people and contribute to peace in the world.

Intercessions:

Eternal God, giver of joy and source of all strength, we pray for those who prepare for sporting competition. For competitors in training, their loved ones and the many thousands who support them. In a world where many are rejected and abused, we pray for a spirit of tolerance and acceptance, of humility and respect at all sporting events and for the health and safety of all. May we at the last be led towards the love of Christ who is more than gold, today and for ever. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God our Creator, we pray for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and for all sporting events around our world. Almighty God, you created humanity in your image and delight in our talent, skill and flair: give us grace to celebrate the achievements of our fellow men and women. Give determination and equity to competitors, gratitude and charm to winners, grace and mercy to those who do not come first, and thankfulness and admiration to observers; that in all our best efforts your creation may be glorified. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God, our Protector, whose Son travelled as a refugee and walked the streets of Jerusalem as a pilgrim, we pray for all who travel to sporting events around the world: for competitors and coaches, cleaners and caterers; for umpires and judges, city guides and security guards; for audiences and volunteers. Grant them safe travel and journeys filled with enriching encounter. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The Blessing

God give you the strength to run with perseverence the race marked out for you, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

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

New Order (Feat. John Barnes) - World In Motion.

Blogs: cryingforavision & Stride magazine

cryingforavision is a blog by Steve Scott which aims to develop an ongoing conversation about arts, cultures and faith. I worked with Steve, through commission4mission, to organize some of the different `Run with the Fire’ art exhibitions and events held in and around London, during the Olympic summer of 2012. You can learn more about `Run With The Fire’ by clicking here, also here, and here.

Scott is a British mixed-media artist, writer, lecturer, and performer. Upon completing art school in the mid-1970s, Steve moved to the United States at the request of a small record label and began recording songs. He now has ten albums of original work released on several small independent labels. The work ranges from rock music to more experimental poetry and spoken word, performed over electronic loop based compositions.

Stride magazine was founded in 1982 by Rupert Loydell. Since then it has had various incarnations, most recently in an online edition since the late 20th century. You can visit the previous site which is gathering dust over at http://stridemagazine.co.uk. As of May 2016 Stride magazine is published at http://stridemagazine.blogspot.co.uk/. Rupert Loydell is the author and editor of many books. You can read about his Shearsman titles here and his Knives Forks and Spoons titles here.

Loydell was the managing editor of Stride Books from 1981 to 2011, and continues to edit Stride magazine online. After leaving university, he was a freelance writer, editor and artist, and also spent time as Exeter arts development officer, and wrote several creative writing modules for the Open University. He worked at the universities of Bath, Warwick and Plymouth and for the Royal Literary Fund before joining the English department at Falmouth University in 2006.

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

Steve Scott - This Sad Music.

Lack of step-free access at Newbury Park and Seven Kings stations

The Seven Kings & Newbury Park Resident's Association (SKNPRA) has recently written to the Mayor of London about the lack of step-free access at Newbury Park and Seven Kings stations.

It is our understanding that Newbury Park Station, amongst others, were designated to have lifts installed some time ago. However, as confirmed by a poster at the station in November 2009, these plans were dropped due to financial problems which TfL were experiencing at the time. The Yellow Advertiser reported in December 2009 that “workmen at Newbury Park station have begun filling in lift shafts after cash for disabled access ran out”. The reported £4.6 million already spent on the project appears to have been wasted.

Our members believe that this would be a good time to revive the plans for Newbury Park Station and have identified numerous reasons for this:

1. The financial situation of TfL is now much improved. This being augmented by income from the Olympic Games sale of tickets, both from the IOC directly and the general public.

2. The improved facilities at Stratford particularly the lift installations on all platforms have been of great assistance to disabled people. In many cases enabling them to attend the Olympics and the Stratford Westfield shopping centre.

3. The installation of two lifts at Newbury Park Station, we understand would be a simple and cheap operation (perhaps the reason it was selected in the first place) as comparable to some other stations.

4. It is also worth noting that Newbury Park station is the first point of entry to the underground system for people living in Romford and further along the A12.

5. It is one of the few underground stations in the area with significant car parking facilities, 456 spaces, including 6 disabled bays.

6. The district has an ageing population and hence a large number of people who are disabled. Unlike many other stations which have either lifts and/or escalators for part of movement from platform to street Newbury Park has neither. Therefore many are prohibited from using the station altogether for this reason.

We believe that the cancellation of this work and the changes to the Crossrail plans for Seven Kings station mean that local residents have moved from a position where step-free access was promised for both stations to the current position of many continuing being denied access to the public transport system in the area. We believe this to be unacceptable in the 21st Century. We believe too that there is considerable support in our approach from local MPs, MEPs, Councillors and Transport Unions as well as the general public and we will be sharing our correspondence with them.

SKNPRA will hold its AGM at St John's Seven Kings on Monday 17th June at 8.00pm.

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

The Dream Academy - Power To Believe.

Ron Jeffries: A slice of this and a bit of that

Local author Ron Jeffries has published a new book entitled 'A slice of this and a bit of that'. It includes chapters about ‘Health and safety fanatics’, ’Moonlight skating in 1917’, ‘The day the Olympic Torch came to Redbridge’, ‘KIPPERS!’, ‘The day God did not come to the Park’, ‘When Sainsbury’s gave me something for nothing’, ‘The Olympic experience’, ‘I have been robbed in Nigeria’, ‘Of Fairlop Fair revived’, ‘Too expensive for Ilford’, and a series of ‘Fables for the Twenty-first Century’.
An extract from one of his 'Fables for the Twenty-first Century' to do with Building Regulations can be found by clicking here.

All Ron's books, including Aldborough Hatch: The Village in the Suburbs – A History, are available direct from the publisher: Ron Jeffries - Tel: 020 8599 7250; Email:

ronjeffries@live.co.uk.

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

Over The Rhine - The Laugh Of Recognition.

Post Olympic and Paralympic events

We enjoyed an excellent Men's Breakfast at St John's Seven Kings this morning hearing from three of our Games Makers about their experiences at the Olympic and Paralympic Games - Senthur Balaji was at the Excel Centre for the Olympics, Doug Feather at the North Greenwich Arena for the Paralympics and Bob Keenan who was a driver at the Paralympics. Our Mothers' Union branch will also be having a presentation shortly from other St Johns' members who were Games Makers and on Wednesday 7th November (7.30pm) we will host a deanery Sports Thanksgiving Service.

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

Coldplay - Yellow. 

Patronal Festival

At St John's Seven Kings we have just enjoyed a very special Patronal Festival which included a well attended and very enjoyable Barn Dance, an excellent sermon on telling your story from Rev. Chris Wragg (a former member of St John's, who is now Vicar at All Saint's Squirrels Heath), a presentation to our Reader Jean Richards on her 70th birthday, a Confirmation Service for our cluster of Anglican churches led in inimitable style, with Olympic and Paralympic imagery, by the Bishop of Barking, a combined choir from the four cluster churches, and original songs written by our own Lester Amann. Our congratulations to all those, from the four churches, who were confirmed tonight by Bishop David.

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

Curtis Mayfield - Back To Living Again.

Transforming Presence: Evangelising effectively

Earlier in the week Boris Johnson thanked the "unbelievable" volunteers at the Olympic and Paralympic Games and said London should capitalise on and learn from their "energy". The cheerful faces of the 70,000 red and purple-clad Games Makers and further 8,000 London Ambassadors have been a key feature of the Games. As we know from those of our congregation at St John's Seven Kings who volunteered, the majority of Games Makers gave up at least 10 days to volunteer and took on a wide range of activities including welcoming visitors, transporting athletes and working behind the scenes.

Meeting volunteers at the North Greenwich Arena, Mr Johnson said: "I think the reason why the Olympics have been such a success is because the people of London have made it one. The volunteers have been tremendous and I want to thank all of them. The important thing now is to look forward. We have to think about how to keep the energy in the volunteering life of the city. They have done an amazing job in welcoming people to London and we can learn from that."

As a Church, nationally and locally, we can also learn from the wonderful welcome given out by the Games Makers. As Bishop Stephen has written in his book From the abundance of the heart: "There is a fantasy about evangelism: people hear the gospel, repent, and look around for a church to join. Then there is the reality: people come into contact with the church, or have some inkling of the possibility of God, and enter into a relationship with the church, either through its activities, its worship, or just friendship with its members. In the loving community of these relationships faith begins to grow. Or to put it more succinctly: belonging comes before believing. Therefore, right at the heart of any effective evangelistic ministry must be a warm and generous attitude to those who are currently outside the church community and a place of welcome and nurture within it."

In Transforming Presence Bishop Stephen says that in recent years we have re-discovered that for most people becoming a Christian is like a journey. This changes the way we approach evangelism. For the most part it will mean accompanying people on that journey and this is why the story of Jesus on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24. 13 - 49) is instructive for us in thinking about evangelism.

When Jesus encounters the two disciples on the Emmaus Road on the evening of the first Easter day he meets them where they are but Luke tells us that "their eyes were kept from recognising him" (Luke 24. 16). He joins their conversation and walks with them while they are going in the wrong direction. He listens to them before he speaks. His first question is one of open vulnerability to their agenda: "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?"(Luke 24.17). In response to their questions and accounts of what has happened he then breaks open the scriptures, explaining to them "the things about himself "(Luke 14. 27). Arriving at Emmaus he "walks ahead as if he is going on" (Luke 24. 28). But they invite him in, and as he breaks the bread their eyes are opened. They then rush back to Jerusalem. They can’t wait to share with others the good news they have received.

Luke’s account provides us with a rich and challenging story about evangelism which is hugely relevant for the situation we face today because: "our own culture here in Essex and East London is not so dis-similar to the ones the first apostles encountered outside the comfort zone of the Jewish faith: a smorgasbord of beliefs, a general interest in things spiritual, a lack of confidence in the meta-narratives that had previously been trusted so much. In this sort of world becoming a Christian will be like a journey, and much of our work will be helping people to make the journey; and much of that will be removing obstacles from the path."

God longs for reconciliation with the whole of the creation and with every person on earth; he is therefore an evangelist. His great love for the world and his purposes for the world have been revealed in Jesus Christ, and through his death and resurrection Jesus has already done everything that is necessary for us to enjoy eternal life with God. The ministry of evangelism is our sharing with others the good news of what God has already done in Christ and the transformation it can bring to the world and to our lives here on earth and in eternity. It can involve specific ministries (such as a place of nurture where people can find out about Christian faith), but is also shaped enormously by our witness as individual Christians as we walk with others in their individual daily lives.

"Becoming a Christian is not just learning about the Christian faith: it is about becoming a member of the Christian community, and it is about relationship with a God who is himself a community of persons. Therefore, right at the beginning of the journey, people need to experience what it means to be part of a pilgrim church. Before people can become pilgrims themselves they need to feel happy to travel with us and be open to experiencing life from a Christian perspective."

"Nurturing a generous attitude of welcome to newcomers is something that needs to be worked at over many years … Welcome is not just what we do when someone comes through the door. It is an attitude which seeks to get inside the shoes of the other person so that they can be welcomed and accompanied at every point of their journey."

Bishop Stephen likes "to use the term ‘Travellers’ to refer to people who are beginning to explore the Christian faith, because it describes those who are on the way. They may not yet be coming to church, but they are committed to taking the next step. For many people the best next step is a course of enquiry where they can enter into dialogue with the Christian faith in the company of other Christian people."

This is often a course like Alpha, Emmaus or the START! course, which we currently use and, as a place of nurture, needs to be a safe place, where people are at ease, where they can bring their questions, and where they will feel challenged, but not pressured. People need to feel comfortable: they need to feel that their questions and concerns are taken seriously.

So, we are talking here about three specific forms of welcome: the welcome someone receives when they first encounter the Church or an individual Christian; the welcome involved in travelling with someone else on their journey to God and beyond; plus the welcome which can be provided in a nurture course like our START! course.

Just like the Olympics and Paralympics, the Church needs welcomers. The traditional role of welcomer to services in the Church of England is that of the sidesperson. We can see from all that we have thought about so far today why that is such an important role. We might not all have a ministry as a sidesperson but we can all get alongside others on their journey towards God in the way Bishop Stephen has described and as Jesus did with the two disciples on the Emmaus Road. How can you get inside the shoes of those you know so that they can be welcomed and accompanied at every point of their journey towards God?

Finally, could you help welcome people to our START! courses helping to create a place of nurture, making people feel comfortable and safe, putting them at ease so they can bring their questions and feel challenged but not pressured. These are all ways in which we can use our time and talents in God’s service and be a transforming presence in our homes, community, workplaces and world. This Sunday in Stewardship month is the time to think about the time and talents God has given to us and how we already use them and can use them for his glory in the future.

Over the next two years there will be training provided and opportunities available for getting involved in the ministry of evangelism. The London 2013 Festival is an initiative of the churches in London in partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse. Equipping Christians in "whole of life discipleship" by providing training to develop evangelistic lifestyles and verbal skills in sharing the Gospel will enable Churches to connect with and serve, communities and civic society across London, providing a commitment to the social and practical needs of Londoners. This will culminate from 4^th - 6^th October with public events to invite people to hear the good news of Jesus simply explained by Franklin Graham - with a chance to respond.

Then in 2014 it will be the Centenary of the Diocese of Chelmsford, a year of celebration and outreach, and Bishop Stephen is inviting every benefice in the diocese to put on a mission weekend, where we can celebrate our faith and invite others to consider the claims of Christ. Again, in 2013, there will be training events, one for every deanery, so that in every benefice there can be a small team of people who have been trained in putting on small scale evangelistic events and understanding something of how we accompany people who want to find out more about the Christian faith.

By 2025, Bishop Stephen says we need to have become a church where evangelism is in our DNA and where we have learned ways of doing evangelism that work in the different and varied and fast changing contexts that make up our diocese. All these involve an intentional desire to share with others the good things that we have received from Christ. We need to commit ourselves to be faithful in this ministry because it is of the essence of what it means to be faithful to Christ. 

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

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More.

Transforming Presence: Inhabiting our world distinctively

The opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics and the opening ceremony for the Paralympics have all raised issues of what it means to be British; what there is in our history and culture that can be seem as being distinctively British. Between them they have included our green and pleasant land, the weather, the industrial revolution, scientific and technological discoveries, multi-racial popular culture, the Suffragettes, the NHS, popular music, the Queen, James Bond, Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Stephen Hawking.

While all these have something to do with being British, do they sum up what is distinctive about the British? John Major famously described Britishness as being,"Long shadows on county cricket grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and old maids bicycling through the morning mist." Would we identify with that, living where we do? Perhaps not! By contrast Gordon Brown stated that "Britain's roots are on the most solid foundation of all - a passion for liberty anchored in a sense of duty and an intrinsic commitment to tolerance and fair play." We might be more likely to agree but how distinctively British are those values? Aren’t they values that many around the world would agree with and practice, can we really claim them as distinctively British?

All of which goes to show that defining what makes us distinctive is a difficult task but it is one that our Bishop is asking to undertake together as Christians. Bishop Stephen has written a document for the Diocese called Transforming Presence which aims to give us four strategic priorities to focus on as a Diocese for the next 10 to 15 years.

Bishop Stephen’s hope is that every Christian and every Christian community in the Diocese will begin to prayerfully consider its own response to these priorities and to engage in a continuing conversation across the diocese as we seek to discern what sort of church God is calling us to become. Our Ministry Leadership Team has suggested that we begin thinking about our response to Transforming Presence by studying it in homegroups (some of our groups have already done this and others will begin shortly) and by having a sermon series on it during September (our Stewardship month).

The first priority is the issue that we’ve already begun thinking about together this morning; inhabiting the world distinctively. In Romans 12 Paul speaks about the new life in Christ describing the members of the church as being "one body in Christ" (Romans 12.5) He goes on: "We are members of one another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given us." (Romans 12. 5b & 6) From verse 9 onwards he describes the marks of true Christian living and discipleship. He is saying that the Christian church is the Body of Christ in the world and each individual Christian a member of it, each called and equipped by God for ministry and service. It therefore follows that every Christian has a ministry and that every Christian should live a distinctive life.

Living that distinctive life is the way we worship God and it happens as we stop conforming to the standards of the world around us and instead let God transform us inwardly by a complete change of our mind. Of course this kind of inner transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be achieved by our hard work alone but there are certain things we need to do in order to create the fertile ground in which the Spirit can bring our faith to life, enabling us to live out our faith and give a reason for the hope that is in us.

First among these is prayer. More than anything else, we need to place a new priority on becoming a people of prayer, whose daily lives are formed and punctuated by our relationship with God in Jesus Christ. He is the centre of our lives, and new life in Christ is nurtured and shaped by a life of prayer and a commitment to worship and the discipleship that follows from it.

Therefore – and before anything else – teaching people to pray, encouraging greater biblical and theological literacy and developing a diocesan rule of life must become our priorities and must be reflected in the work that is done at every level of diocesan life: in every church school, in every parish community, in every chaplaincy.

Developing a diocesan rule of life would be so that there is a unity between us over the sort of lives we should be leading as God’s people in this place and some sort of mutual accountability. This rule will encompass those aspects of Christian living that we consider annually during Stewardship Week such as giving, participation in worship, ministry in our daily lives and also the way we inhabit the planet itself, including issues of ecological, social and political wellbeing.

"Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. Love one another warmly and be eager to show respect for one another. Work hard … Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers. Ask God to bless those who persecute you . .. Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise. If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody … conquer evil with good."

So giving generously to God, others and our world using our treasure, time and talents is what Stewardship and a Diocesan rule of life would be all about. God loves a cheerful giver, we are told, and whoever shares with others should do it generously.

So, the way we inhabit the world as Christians should be about this kind of generous living and the rule of life would form a basis of expectation about what it means to be a Christian in this diocese but, of course, this does not mean that we are somehow better than other people or that generosity itself is distinctively Christian. It is manifestly true that there are all sorts of good and generous people who are not yet part of the Christian community. It does mean, however, that there should be something distinctive and attractive about the way we live our lives. Conversely, if our lives are indistinguishable from anyone else’s it is then little wonder that people conclude that the Christian faith is our hobby; a fascinating and exhausting pastime, but not the life changing transformation that should be evident in the lives we lead Monday to Saturday.

By 2025 Bishop Stephen wants this to change and says that without this inner transformation no other worthwhile change will happen at all, and we will simply carry on managing church decline as gracefully as possible. None of us want that to happen although we all recognise the challenges we face as Christians and as a church. We did not choose to be born or to live in such an age; but if we let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate us, its injustices anger us, its possibilities inspire us and its vigour renew us then it will be as though we were born for such a time as this.

If we live distinctive Christian lives, as Romans 12 directs us and as Bishop Stephen encourages us then we can make a difference where God has placed us, here at St John’s, here in Seven Kings, here in our family, here in our workplace, here in our diocese, here in our nation, here in our world. Let us pray …

Saviour Christ, in whose way of love lies the secret of all life and the hope of all people, we pray for quiet courage to match this hour. We did not choose to be born or to live in such an age; but let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate us, its injustices anger us, its possibilities inspire us and its vigour renew us for your kingdom's sake. Amen.

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

Woven Hand - In The Temple.

Clack and Pouka: Olympic exhibitions

I've enjoyed seeing Olympic-related exhibitions in Central London today featuring two commission4mission artists.

Chris Clack is part of exhibitions at Westminster Abbey, St Margaret's and Methodist Central Hall celebrating the Cultural Olympiad with a range of artistic forms from sculpture, carvings and glasswork to art installations, photography and paintings in various medium. The exhibitions are in partnership with More Than Gold, the agency established by all the main denominations to help churches make the most of the Games. The ‘Westminster Arts Inspired by the Games’ Festival is open throughout the Games and incorporates work from a number of celebrated artists from around the world. Details on contributors can be found at http://www.morethangold.org.uk/art.

Pouka is currently exhibiting paintings and sculptures (including the 18 metre long 'I AM' painting) at the African Village in Kensington Gardens, just opposite the Royal Albert Hall, which is there for the duration of the Olympics. The African Village is a village of stands presenting the cultural and artistic diversity of the African continent through an exhibition area and a restaurant open to the general public.

At Methodist Central Hall Westminister I also saw both Key of David - a huge canvas, 18 feet high by 72 feet long painted by artists from every corner of the globe - and a selection of work from the Methodist Collection of Modern Christian Art. This latter exhibition offers the public a rare opportunity to view works from this impressive, yet little known, collection. On show are artworks by key twentieth-century figures, including, but not limited to: Graham Sutherland, Edward Burra, Eric Gill, Patrick Heron, Elizabeth Frink, Jacques Iselin, Georges Rouault, and Craigie Aitchison.

Finally, I enjoyed seeing this year's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei plus To The Light, a retrospective of work by Yoko Ono exploring her influential role in contemporary art across a wide range of media and showcasing her continuing interest in the relationship between the roles of artist and viewer.

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

John Lennon - Woman.

Reaching Beyond, More Than Gold and Run with the Fire

The Reaching Beyond exhibition is at Bow Road Methodist Church (2 Merchant Street, London E3 4LY) until 1st September 2012 and includes the work of about twenty artists, with works in various forms including paintings, icons, sculptures, mosaics, cartoons and fabrics. The works will be augmented week-by-week with the winning works of the young people’s art competitions and the poetry competitions. Admission free. Normal opening hours 12 noon to 6.00 pm Monday to Saturday.
Reaching Beyond is an artistic event in East London (visual arts, poetry, community involvement), which is culminating in the exhibition at Bow Road Methodist Church. The exhibition site is in the heart of the East End, and about a mile from the Olympic Park. The title, “Reaching Beyond”, is intentionally open to a wide range of interpretation.

Key elements of the project are:

• Poetry competitions for adults and young people (via the Internet)
• Young people’s art competitions for local boroughs
• A journey with The Visitor (a small piece of sculpture) around East London boroughs
• The exhibition of work by contemporary artists with roots in a variety of cultures
• Kerbside painting and carving, and other participative arts activity on the exhibition forecourt beside the A11
• Events at the exhibition, such as art workshops, talks, explorations by groups, etc.

Through More Than Gold there will be almost 700 free performances by Christian musicians, dancers and visual artists from over 30 nations during the 2012 Games. A key hub of activity is Westminster where there is –

• A global collective of art at both St Margaret's and Methodist Central Hall
• Daily live performances on the Abbey Green and afternoon performances in the Chapel at Methodist Central Hall

This is a partnership with Westminster Abbey, Methodist Central Hall and St Margaret's to create a Westminster Arts Festival inspired by the Games. Click here for your guide to visual artists who are contributing to this rich programme.

A huge canvas - 18 feet high by 72 feet long painted by artists from every corner of the globe - is among an amazing array of artwork inspired by the Olympic Games and now on display across Westminster in Central London.

Exhibitions at Westminster Abbey, St Margaret's and Methodist Central Hall celebrate the Cultural Olympiad with a range of artistic forms from sculpture, carvings and glasswork to art installations, photography and paintings in various medium.

The exhibitions are in partnership with More Than Gold, the agency established by all the main denominations to help churches make the most of the Games.

The ‘Westminster Arts Inspired by the Games’ Festival is open throughout the Games and incorporates work from a number of celebrated artists from around the world.

‘With such a wide array of nations represented at the Games, it is exciting to see artists from around the world collaborating on these art exhibitions. The displays, housed in iconic London churches, are important because they help connect themes from the Christian faith with the Olympic vision,’ says Andy Frost who leads More Than Gold’s Creative and Performing Arts team.

Westminster Abbey features the work of the British-born sculptor Eleanor Cardozo, combining her classical training in sculpture with personal sport experience: ‘With twenty years as a professional sculptor I have used my knowledge of the human anatomy and my experience as a gymnast to create a collection of bronze gymnasts to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games. Each sculpture perfectly conveys the Olympic philosophy of combining in a balanced whole, the body, will and mind,’ Eleanor Cardozo said.

Next door to the Abbey, St Margaret’s Church hosts a free exhibition which features a range of artistic disciplines from textiles to fine art.

Methodist Central Hall will host two exhibitions during the Games, one of which is a huge canvas 18 feet high by 72 feet long. This piece is comprised of 141 canvasses painted separately by individuals and groups of artists from every corner of the globe. The canvas, entitled Key of David holds the biblical promise that it ‘opens doors that no one can close and closes doors that no one can open’.

Bryan Pollard, a Creative Director from New Zealand, has orchestrated the artists to create a piece which ‘truly celebrates the unity amidst diversity spirit that is a trademark of the Olympic Games’ Each artist joining this international project sees their personal contribution as a living testimony of their creative gifts given by a Creator God.

Run with the Fire is an arts project for the 2012 Olympic year organised by CANA, commission4mission and Veritasse based on the image of fire which links the Church's Pentecost celebration with that of the Olympic runner. Run with the Fire provides a digital art exhibition for use in Olympic-themed events and can be purchased by clicking here.

The latest Run with the Fire iniative is a community art exhibition with creative workshops  organised by Army of Artists at St Aubyn Church, Chapel Street, Devonport, PL1 4DP until 5th September. This is an exciting arts project and exhibition engaging churches, schools and community groups and is a creative response to three symbols of the Olympic Games; its motto 'Higher, Faster, Stronger’, the 5 rings representing a continent connecting during the games, and the Olympic Flame standing for peace, unity and friendship, which is spread as the flame is passed from one torch bearer to another. Run with the Fire is a creative response to these symbols; celebrating the stories, faith and skills that we pass on from one generation to another, building relationships, embracing life and connecting different communities.

There has been further press coverage of Run with the Fire through interviews with Steve Scott.
An interview Steve gave to Church and Art Network, in which Run with the Fire is featured, is included in their latest e-bulletin as a case study.
Steve has also been interviewed about his wide ranging career in art, music and poetry, including his involvement with Run with the Fire, in the current edition of Down The Line magazine.
Steve has some fascinating things to say in this interview which can be downloaded by clicking here.

Both are in addition to the Transpositions interview with Steve which we featured in an earlier post. Click here to read this interview.

For the latest news of Run with the Fire go to http://runwiththefire.blogspot.co.uk/.

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

Brandon Flowers - Crossfire.