Between

Tuesday, 17 September 2019

A Future that’s Bigger than the Past: Chalmers Lectures 2019

Rev Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London and inspirational founder of the HeartEdge movement, will deliver the 2019 Chalmers Lectures this autumn. Entitled ‘A Future that’s Bigger than the Past’, the six lectures will focus on the theology and methods of HeartEdge as a vision for renewal in the Church.

All of the lectures will be live streamed from here starting from 6.00pm today.

Launched at St Martin-in-the-Fields in 2017, HeartEdge is a membership-based organisation, an ecumenical network of partners and a movement for renewal.

The name HeartEdge reflects the group’s purpose - for those working at the heart of commerce, culture and community, with those at the margins and on the edge.

Through joining the network, churches are supported in finding their stories, share resources and connect with others developing their church and community.

A Future that’s Bigger than the Past

The six Chalmers Lectures being delivered by Dr Wells throughout the autumn at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh from 6pm-8pm are:

For Such a Time as This: Locating the UK Church in a global and gospel story – Tuesday 17 September
Investing in the Kingdom: Taking money beyond the benefactor and the steward – Wednesday 18 September
Minding God’s Business: Realigning commerce and Church – Thursday 19 September
Entertaining Angels Unawares: How God renews the Church through the stones that the builders reject – Tuesday 1 October
Let All the People Praise Thee: How the Church may be part of a cultural renaissance – Wednesday 2 October
On Earth as it is in Heaven: Towards a vision for the renewal of congregational life – Thursday 3 October

The final three lectures in the series will be heard during the HeartEdge Annual Conference.

For those who are unable to attend in person, the lectures will also be live-streamed from here, and available in audio format.

For more information, please get in touch with Rev Jonathan Evens, HeartEdge organiser and Associate Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, by email or by telephoning: 020 7766 1127.
Dates

The Chalmers Lectures at Greyfriars Kirk are open to the public and free to attend, or watch online. All dates are from 6pm to 8pm.

Tuesday 17 September
Wednesday 18 September
Thursday 19 September
Tuesday 1 October
Wednesday 2 October
Thursday 3 October

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

Leonard Cohen - The Future.

commission4mission: 'Creation' exhibitions

‘Creation’ is a group show by commission4mission artists at All Hallows by the Tower from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 26 October and Holy Trinity Sloane Square from Tuesday 29 October to Saturday 9 November 2019. The exhibitions can be viewed during the normal opening hours of the two churches. The Private View at All Hallows is on Monday 14 October, beginning at 6pm, while the Private View at Holy Trinity is Monday 28 October, beginning at 6.30pm.

The title and theme for the exhibition can be understood in terms of emotions, ecology, personal, biblical etc. A mix of abstract and representational imagery has been created, utilising assemblage, ceramics, digital illustration, drawing, painting, puppetry and sculpture.

Revd Jonathan Evens, Secretary of commission4mission, says: ‘We have encouraged our artists to reflect broadly on the theme and 25 artists have responded with imagery that ranges from depictions of the Genesis Creation stories to Christ’s birth and our recreation through redemption, by way of flower studies, the creation of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance, and future creation using AI and genetic engineering.’

The exhibition includes work by Hayley Bowen, Harvey Bradley (All Hallows only), Irina Bradley, Lewis Braswell, Cathie Chappell, Valerie Dean (Holy Trinity only), Jonathan Evens, Mary Flitcroft, Maurizio Galia, Michael Garaway, John Gentry, Clorinda Goodman, Laura Grenci, Barbara Harris, Deborah Harrison, David Hawkins, Alan Hitching, Anthony Hodgson, Jacek Kulikowski, Mark Lewis, David Millidge, Dorothy Morris, Jacqui Parkinson, Janet Roberts (Holy Trinity only), and Henry Shelton.

Lewis Braswell, Mary Flitcroft and Jacqui Parkinson are exhibiting with commission4mission for the first time. Lewis Braswell sees creativity as mimicry of the acts of the Creator. Ultimately, he wants to remind the viewer of his or her relationship in the divine dialogue among God and people and to lead that viewer into deliberate conversation. Mary Flitcroft is a ceramic artist whose work is contemplative and abstract. She currently works with porcelain paper clay in very thin, translucent sheets which she folds, tears, cuts, marks and stains with colours. Jacqui Parkinson produces artwork with textiles – usually on a large scale – for public buildings and her work has regularly toured cathedrals. Jacqui’s work is designed to catch the eye and challenge the mind.

Michael Garaway says, “I see creation as an on-going interactive process, which involves exploring and attempting to understand ways of ordering the world, and our views of the world.” His work orders the appearances of specific locations with the use of grid and pattern. Divisions and multiples of a 12mm grid are used to develop and fix compositions, and Celtic step and knot patterns are incorporated in some of the work, linking to a much earlier Christian practice of illumination.

Clorinda Goodman’s ‘Ancilla Domini’ is a resin cast, a hexagonal representation of the Biblical moment when Eve disobeyed God’s command not to touch the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, which led, not only to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, but the growth of the human race and expansion of God’s creation through the world. Thus Eve, as well as the Virgin Mary, can be seen as the ‘Handmaid of the Lord’ in fulfilling God’s purposes for his creation.

‘Christ & Cephas’ by John Gentry is a work about forgiveness, restoration and redemption. In John 21 we read of Peter being restored, forgiven, and, commissioned. In John’s image the triangle on the left of Christ is both Trinity and Fire. The pillar in the centre is the Pillar of Fire by night. Christ’s wounded hand is upon Cephas’ shoulder. Peter holds in his hand a net. In the net are fish, but also tin cans, plastic, glass bottles. The re-creation has been made possible by the redeeming work of Christ who commissions his body to proclaim and live Gospel. The rubbish is a type of sin. What a mess! “Who shall deliver us…?” Alleluia, says John, for saving grace!

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

Bruce Cockburn - Creation Dream.

Windows on the world (513)

Bourton-on-the-Water, 2019

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

Johnny Clegg & Friends - Spirit of the Great Heart.

Saturday, 7 September 2019

Artlyst: A Belonging Project And Exiles Loss and Displacement

My latest article for Artlyst explores connections between A Belonging Project and Matilde Damele's Exiles series. Exiles will be at St Stephen Walbrook from 16-24 September, while A Belonging Project has recently shown work by Elizabeth Kwant and Micah Purnell, with more work to be shown at St Ann's Manchester shortly:

'Screenprints on black plastic bin bags, screenprints of migrants on bold backgrounds painted with house paints named after the positivity and stability they are not afforded, birdcages housing a variety of found and bought objects questioning the freedom consumerism appears to offer, and flags recording the number of detainees at Detention Removal Centres; all exhibited in churches or Cathedrals in London and Manchester. These church-located installations all explore the limits and boundaries, forming our understanding and practices of belonging.'

My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:

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

Barratt Band - Bad Mean World..

Windows on the world (512)

London, 2019

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

Leonard Cohen - Born In Chains.

The Quality of Mercy

I wanted to let you know about the exciting Autumn Lecture Series 2019 at St Martin-in-the-Fields: The Quality of Mercy and invite you to attend any of the lectures that you are able to.

In a time of increasing conflict, division and blame this series will explore the concept of mercy in our world today and what part it needs to play in issues of race, equality, truth and justice and how literature, music, poetry and drama can help shift perspectives and help us see the wider world through others’ eyes. In this series St Martin’s brings together renowned writers, artists, theologians and speakers to address how and if we can discover a mercy that will lead to a deeper humanity and true transformation. The lectures will be followed by the chance to ask questions and a reception in the café in the crypt for further discussion.

For those able to attend we look forward to welcoming you and those you know who may be interested in coming. It is free and open to all and you can reserve a place with Eventbrite: stmartininthefields.eventbrite.com

In addition, as we did last year, all the lectures are being professionally filmed and will be uploaded to the St Martin’s YouTube channel soon after the event has taken place. This is intended to enable churches unable to attend to use the series as part of their own programming. We will also prepare an accompanying study guide for the Lecture Series. In the guide, each lecture will have a Bible passage for reflection, and some wondering discussion points, to enable individuals, as well as groups, to engage with the lecture. We hope that you will be able to use these resources in your own churches and different contexts, so that more than just those who come each evening, are able to benefit from this excellent line up of speakers.

For those able to come to St Martin's there is also the opportunity to see our accompanying exhibition. In a world where retaliation and revenge grab all the headlines, The F Word: Stories of Forgiveness Exhibition tells the stories of people whose lives have been shattered by violence, tragedy and injustice and who are learning to forgive, reconcile or move on. The exhibition is the brainchild of British journalist Marina Cantacuzino and photographer Brian Moody who have collected numerous accounts from across the globe. The exhibition has been seen in more than 550 venues, across 14 countries, to an audience of over 70,000 people.

The F Word aims to open up a dialogue and promote understanding. The Forgiveness Project believes that by listening to the voices of people who have experienced reconciliation and renewal after trauma and unrest, it is possible to see alternatives to endless cycles of conflict, violence, crime and injustice. The remarkable stories in The F Word aim to do just this. See theforgivenessproject.com for more information.

We also have a wonderful programme and great contributors lined up for the annual HeartEdge conference, which is in Edinburgh on 2 and 3 October. 'On Earth as it is in Heaven' features US theologian Winnie Varghese and Asset-based community worker Cormac Russell. Our two-day gathering of the HeartEdge community includes Sam Wells delivering the annual Chalmers Lecture series.

Arrive for the evening of 1 October for Sam’s lecture on ‘Entertaining Angels Unawares: It is More Blessed to Receive’. The two-day intensive then starts the following morning on 2 October prioritising practical input, ideas and resources. We’ve kept costs down and there’s a subsidised rate for HeartEdge members – we hope you’ll make it along. Register here for members rates. More details here, here and here.

Advance news regarding resources is that an additional Inspired to Follow Advent Course (Advent Wreath characters) will be added this Autumn, with a Lent Course (Who is my Neighbour?) following in the New Year. More information about these new resources will follow shortly. See https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/life-st-martins/discipleship/inspired-to-follow/ for the current Inspired to Follow resources. Other future HeartEdge events will be in Milton Keynes and Norwich.

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

Marvin Gaye - Mercy, Mercy Me.

Wednesday, 4 September 2019

Foyer Display: Lois Bentley

The changing monthly display by the artists' and craftspeople's group in the Foyer of the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields for September is by Lois Bentley. Each month a different member of the group or artists linked to it will show examples of their work, so do look regularly to see the changing display.

Lois writes: ‘Held in the Gaze is a film concept that asks through whose eyes the story is being told. I have taken that thought and imagined who we are when held in the Creator’s Gaze – a beloved one in whom He delights. Specifically the artwork responds to a recent sermon on Luke ch11v2 when Jesus was asked to teach the disciples to pray. In the sermon we were invited to consider the Lord’s Prayer as a gift in response to two underlying fears (1) Do I live a purposeless existence, in a random world in a meaningless universe that will implode? (2) I feel so vulnerable , frightened and alone and life could go down the plug-hole at any moment.

This work speaks into those fears. It imagines that God is the one behind the lens and all that I am is coming into focus in three strips of film held up to dry in a photographic darkroom.’

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

Switchfoot - All I Need.