An article I wrote for franciscan magazine can now be viewed online at http://www.franciscans.org.uk/franciscan/franciscan-january-2013. 'Facets of faith' explores the gospel in modern and contemporary art and is complemented by articles written by others associated with commission4mission for this special Arts themed edition. These include: 'Father Andrew the artist: Plaistow friar, who never lost his boyhood enthusiasm for all things artistic' by Steven Saxby and 'Re-imagining the gospels' by Helen Gheorghiu Gould.
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Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat.
Showing posts with label saxby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saxby. Show all posts
Monday, 17 June 2013
Friday, 8 February 2013
Congratulations: Steven Saxby
Congratulations to Steven Saxby who has been appointed as Executive Officer to the London Churches Group with effect from 1 March. He will also remain as Priest in Charge of St Barnabas, Walthamstow, a church which is a member of London Citizens, active in the CitySafe campaign and a key member of Walthamstow Migrants Action Group.
Steven has a strong record of social action, ecumenical and multi faith engagement that will stand him in good stead in his new role. This includes as Waltham Forest Faith Communities worker (2002-2003) and later line manager for his successors (2003-2007), developing the Faith Forum for Waltham Forest, serving on the Local Strategic Partnership and advising the local authority on faith matters since 2002. He also founded the London Boroughs Faiths Network in 2002, which is still going strong.
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Neil Young - Rockin' In The Free World.
Steven has a strong record of social action, ecumenical and multi faith engagement that will stand him in good stead in his new role. This includes as Waltham Forest Faith Communities worker (2002-2003) and later line manager for his successors (2003-2007), developing the Faith Forum for Waltham Forest, serving on the Local Strategic Partnership and advising the local authority on faith matters since 2002. He also founded the London Boroughs Faiths Network in 2002, which is still going strong.
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Neil Young - Rockin' In The Free World.
Thursday, 13 December 2012
Facets of faith: the gospel in modern and contemporary art
My most recent article has been written for the latest edition of franciscan, which is published three times a year by the First Order brothers and sisters and includes articles on Franciscan themes, as well as book reviews and news of the Society.
My article is called 'Facets of faith: the gospel in modern and contemporary art' and features the work of Ally Clarke, Caroline Richardson and Sergiy Shkanov.
Two other commission4mission members have also written articles on the arts for this edition of franciscan. Steven Saxby has written about Father Andrew the artist - the Plaistow friar who never lost his boyhood enthusiasm for all things artistic - while Helen Gheorghiu Gould's article entitled 'Re-imagining the gospels' includes interviews with Mark Lewis, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb.
To order a copy of the magazine contact the subscriptions secretary at franciscansubscriptions@franciscans.org.uk.
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Gungor - Brother Moon.
My article is called 'Facets of faith: the gospel in modern and contemporary art' and features the work of Ally Clarke, Caroline Richardson and Sergiy Shkanov.
Two other commission4mission members have also written articles on the arts for this edition of franciscan. Steven Saxby has written about Father Andrew the artist - the Plaistow friar who never lost his boyhood enthusiasm for all things artistic - while Helen Gheorghiu Gould's article entitled 'Re-imagining the gospels' includes interviews with Mark Lewis, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb.
To order a copy of the magazine contact the subscriptions secretary at franciscansubscriptions@franciscans.org.uk.
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Gungor - Brother Moon.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Manipulative inter-action on behalf of forgotten communities
Great to see Steven Saxby and Chris Connelley featuring in a story from The Guardian about community organising.
Steven Saxby says his church joined in December to benefit from the network of organisations that Citizens UK engages with in the field of social action. He wants to help immigrants who have been in this country for years, but are paid below the minimum wage and have no permanent right to remain.
Chris Connelley came on the Citizens UK training course because he is a founder of Take Action for Seven Kings and has been campaigning against the closure of Goodmayes library. He has used the techniques taught to good effect:
"The threat to Goodmayes library has been lifted as Redbridge council has removed it from its cuts prospectus after the most massive local campaign – 5,000 signatures in three weeks. I used a number of the methods and ideas from the course. Our sense is that they worked and established powerful new relationships ... which we are all now resolved to build upon and strengthen."
Paul Trathen has said recently that he remains unconverted about Community Organising, liking the idea but being unsure that it resists becoming bullying. I'm reminded on the subtitle to my Dad's second book which was, A Study in Manipulative Inter-action on Behalf of a "Forgotten Community". As a community work pioneer in the UK, he was upfront about what he was doing and took some flack for his honesty in saying it. The reason it is necessary, however, is because the complex and sometimes arcane nature of local and national government processes mean that it is incredibly difficult for those who are already disadvantaged in society to have their voice heard. The idea of community organising, as I understand it, is to train people in understanding and using those processes for the benefit of the local community which does, inevitably mean a degree of confrontation and manipulation through those processes. This is, to my mind, an important element of challenging those who hold power.
The Seven Kings and Newbury Park Resident's Association campaign to resist the closure of the toilets in Seven Kings Park reaches its climax tonight as our Secretary, Audrey Shorer, and Membership Secretary, Mark Kennedy (who has organised the campaign), speak at the Council meeting where the budget (and its programme of cuts) are to be finalised.
The campaign, which has seen close to 1,000 signatures collected for its petition over five days, is featured in the current edition of the Ilford Recorder. Mark Kennedy has said: “The response we have had from the local community had been fantastic.”
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The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It.
Steven Saxby says his church joined in December to benefit from the network of organisations that Citizens UK engages with in the field of social action. He wants to help immigrants who have been in this country for years, but are paid below the minimum wage and have no permanent right to remain.
Chris Connelley came on the Citizens UK training course because he is a founder of Take Action for Seven Kings and has been campaigning against the closure of Goodmayes library. He has used the techniques taught to good effect:
"The threat to Goodmayes library has been lifted as Redbridge council has removed it from its cuts prospectus after the most massive local campaign – 5,000 signatures in three weeks. I used a number of the methods and ideas from the course. Our sense is that they worked and established powerful new relationships ... which we are all now resolved to build upon and strengthen."
Paul Trathen has said recently that he remains unconverted about Community Organising, liking the idea but being unsure that it resists becoming bullying. I'm reminded on the subtitle to my Dad's second book which was, A Study in Manipulative Inter-action on Behalf of a "Forgotten Community". As a community work pioneer in the UK, he was upfront about what he was doing and took some flack for his honesty in saying it. The reason it is necessary, however, is because the complex and sometimes arcane nature of local and national government processes mean that it is incredibly difficult for those who are already disadvantaged in society to have their voice heard. The idea of community organising, as I understand it, is to train people in understanding and using those processes for the benefit of the local community which does, inevitably mean a degree of confrontation and manipulation through those processes. This is, to my mind, an important element of challenging those who hold power.
The Seven Kings and Newbury Park Resident's Association campaign to resist the closure of the toilets in Seven Kings Park reaches its climax tonight as our Secretary, Audrey Shorer, and Membership Secretary, Mark Kennedy (who has organised the campaign), speak at the Council meeting where the budget (and its programme of cuts) are to be finalised.
The campaign, which has seen close to 1,000 signatures collected for its petition over five days, is featured in the current edition of the Ilford Recorder. Mark Kennedy has said: “The response we have had from the local community had been fantastic.”
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The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It.
Monday, 14 June 2010
Mixing Church & Politics
The Bishop of Barking (with Anglican and Ecumenical partners) is to host a seminar for church leaders on encouraging vocations to public life and political office entitled Mixing Church and Politics at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, SW1H 9NH on Tuesday 20th July from 10am to 2pm. The details of this free seminar are as follows:
10am-10.30am – Registration (entrance free)
THE ISSUE:
10.30am-10.45am - Opening address by Rt Revd David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking
10.45am-11am - "Traditions of Christian engagement with politics", Revd Dr John Perumbalath
THEOLOGICAL INPUT
11am-11.30am - Bible Study with group work - Dave Landrum, Bible Society Parliamentary Officer
11.30am-Noon - “Seeing Politics as a Christian Vocation”, Revd Dr Margaret Joachim
FURTHER REFLECTIONS
Noon-12.30pm - informal reflection over lunch (provided)
12.30pm-1.10pm – Questions to a panel including representatives from the main three political parties (inc Jon Cruddas) plus Jonathan Bartley (of Ekklesia), Caroline Alabi (of Hope not Hate) and Sister Josephine Canny (of London Citizens)
NEXT STEPS
1.10pm - Group discussion and plenary on identifying actions for the future
1.40pm - Closing reflections and devotions led by Bishop David
2pm - Close
To register or for more information, contact: Father Steven Saxby, St Barnabas Vicarage, St Barnabas Rd, E17 8JZ; stevensaxby@btinternet.com; Tel: 020 8520 5323.
"After the past eighteen months confidence in political life in our country has reached an all time
low. The Christian community needs to take responsibility in calling out vocations to public life and supporting politicians in this high Christian calling." Rt Revd David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking.
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Paul Weller - Wake Up The Nation.Sunday, 13 September 2009
c4m webpage update (21)
This week's posts on the commission4mission webpage give the opportunity to sample Henry Shelton's current Stations of the Cross exhibition at St Barnabas Walthamstow and to find out about the work of Peter Webb in original commissions and community artworks at St Marys Woodford.
Regarding the Shelton Stations, Revd. Steven Saxby writes:
"I have been given permission by contemporary artist Henry Shelton to negotiate terms with any church interested in purchasing his Stations of the Cross, currently on temporary exhibition here at St Barnabas and previously displayed in York Minster. Henry and I are very keen to find these wonderful contemporary and spiritually engaging paintings a permanent home in a proper church context.
You can find information about and photos of some of the Stations via http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html. St Barnabas already has a splendid set of Arts and Crafts Stations. We realise that not every church would be happy to display the non-Biblical Stations and would be willing to sell the set excluding these. Henry is also open to painting a final Station of the Resurrection for any church which would want this as the final Station.
The link above also contains information about Commission4Mission which several of us in Chelmsford Diocese have founded as a means of encouraging the commissioning of art and its benefits in furthering the mission of the church. The organisation was in part founded to raise money for a children's hospice. Experience is several places suggests that in return for some record within the church, all sorts of people are willing to give generously for the purchasing of art in memory of loved ones. We are seeking around £300 for each painting, half of which will go to charity. The paintings have a much higher commercial value. We are also open to negotiating a lower price and of suggesting ways of raising funds for the purchase.
If you, or anyone you know, might be interested, please let me know. The paintings are on display here till the end of September for anyone who would like to come and see them. I trust that the Stations will be a tremendous aid to some church in its devotion to our Lord and in its mission to the world."
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James Macmillan - Seven Words from the Cross Part III.
Regarding the Shelton Stations, Revd. Steven Saxby writes:
"I have been given permission by contemporary artist Henry Shelton to negotiate terms with any church interested in purchasing his Stations of the Cross, currently on temporary exhibition here at St Barnabas and previously displayed in York Minster. Henry and I are very keen to find these wonderful contemporary and spiritually engaging paintings a permanent home in a proper church context.
You can find information about and photos of some of the Stations via http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html. St Barnabas already has a splendid set of Arts and Crafts Stations. We realise that not every church would be happy to display the non-Biblical Stations and would be willing to sell the set excluding these. Henry is also open to painting a final Station of the Resurrection for any church which would want this as the final Station.
The link above also contains information about Commission4Mission which several of us in Chelmsford Diocese have founded as a means of encouraging the commissioning of art and its benefits in furthering the mission of the church. The organisation was in part founded to raise money for a children's hospice. Experience is several places suggests that in return for some record within the church, all sorts of people are willing to give generously for the purchasing of art in memory of loved ones. We are seeking around £300 for each painting, half of which will go to charity. The paintings have a much higher commercial value. We are also open to negotiating a lower price and of suggesting ways of raising funds for the purchase.
If you, or anyone you know, might be interested, please let me know. The paintings are on display here till the end of September for anyone who would like to come and see them. I trust that the Stations will be a tremendous aid to some church in its devotion to our Lord and in its mission to the world."
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James Macmillan - Seven Words from the Cross Part III.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
c4m webpage update (20)
This week on the commission4mission webpage we have stories about the dedication of our first completed commission and about the opening of our current exhibition.
Our first completed commission, two paintings by Henry Shelton, was dedicated on Tuesday 1st September as part of the dedication by the Rt. Revd. David Hawkins (Bishop of Barking and Patron of Commission For Mission), Rt. Revd. Mgr. David Manson (Vicar General, Brentwood Diocese) and Revd. Roy Jackson (Superintendent Minister, Romford Methodist Circuit) of the new St Luke's Chapel at Queen's Hospital, Romford.
A set of Henry Shelton's Stations of the Cross are currently on show at St Barnabas Walthamstow as part of the E17 Art Trail. Steven Saxby writes about how thrilled he is to have them displayed at St Barnabas.
At the Greenbelt Festival there was much talk about eradicating the gap between what we believe and how we act. So it has been encouraging to return from a Festival celebrating the creativity of the Arts to these two specific expressions of that God-given creativity that commission4mission has incubated and brought to birth.
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Pierce Pettis - Grandmother's Song.
Our first completed commission, two paintings by Henry Shelton, was dedicated on Tuesday 1st September as part of the dedication by the Rt. Revd. David Hawkins (Bishop of Barking and Patron of Commission For Mission), Rt. Revd. Mgr. David Manson (Vicar General, Brentwood Diocese) and Revd. Roy Jackson (Superintendent Minister, Romford Methodist Circuit) of the new St Luke's Chapel at Queen's Hospital, Romford.
A set of Henry Shelton's Stations of the Cross are currently on show at St Barnabas Walthamstow as part of the E17 Art Trail. Steven Saxby writes about how thrilled he is to have them displayed at St Barnabas.
At the Greenbelt Festival there was much talk about eradicating the gap between what we believe and how we act. So it has been encouraging to return from a Festival celebrating the creativity of the Arts to these two specific expressions of that God-given creativity that commission4mission has incubated and brought to birth.
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Pierce Pettis - Grandmother's Song.
Saturday, 18 July 2009
c4m webpage update (16)
This week on commission4mission's webpage you can find summaries of the presentations that Rosalind Hore and I gave at last week's Art & Spirituality networking event - click here for Rosalind's presentation and here for mine. My presentation was essentially a summary of the material that I have covered to date and which I intend to cover in future in my 'Airbrushed from Art History' posts. The third presentation from Mark Lewis will be posted shortly.
Also included was a post of the licensing service for commission4mission committee member, Steven Saxby, as priest-in-charge of St Barnabas with St James the Greater, Walthamstow. Steven has been tremendously supportive of commission4mission since its inception. He suggested our name, introduced Henry Shelton's work to the Waltham Forest Deanery, linked us up with St Andrew's Leytonstone, and in September will display Henry's Stations of the Cross in St Barnabas as part of the E17 Art Trail. Henry Shelton was among those community representatives welcoming Steven into his new role and did so on behalf of commission4mission.
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Moby - Study War.
Also included was a post of the licensing service for commission4mission committee member, Steven Saxby, as priest-in-charge of St Barnabas with St James the Greater, Walthamstow. Steven has been tremendously supportive of commission4mission since its inception. He suggested our name, introduced Henry Shelton's work to the Waltham Forest Deanery, linked us up with St Andrew's Leytonstone, and in September will display Henry's Stations of the Cross in St Barnabas as part of the E17 Art Trail. Henry Shelton was among those community representatives welcoming Steven into his new role and did so on behalf of commission4mission.
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Moby - Study War.
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