jonnybaker

breathing prayer - worship trick 59

thanks to anyone who showed up last night for the worship at LST. if you are interested in any of the prayers and liturgy etc most of it is here - wounded in all the right places...

mike led an opening prayer exercise to help us focus and quiet down. he used a breathing prayer that i really liked so asked where he found it or whther he had written it. it turns out he came across it following some of the lent link i have posted! it's a breathing prayer written by christine sine whose really becoming a fantastic leader in spirituality and creativity and is collating a ton of resources through her blogging, tweeting and so on. anyway mainly because i'll want to remember where this prayer was at some point in the future i am making this a worship trick in series 3 - number 58.

it goes like this...

Breathe in the breath of God

Breathe out your cares and concerns

Breathe in the love of God

Breathe out your doubts and despairs

Breathe in the life of God

Breathe out your fears and frustrations

We sit quietly before the One who gives life and love to all creation,

We sit in awe of the One who formed us in our mother’s wombs

We sit at peace surrounded by the One who fills every fibre of our being

Breathe in the breath of God

Breathe out your tensions and turmoil

Breathe in the love of God

Breathe out your haste and hurry

Breathe in the life of God

Breathe out your work and worry

We sit quietly before the One who gives life and love to all creation,

We sit in awe of the One who formed us in our mother’s wombs

We sit at peace surrounded by the One who fills every fibre of our being

journey into seeing - lent blog post for radio 4

sense making faith is a journey through lent observing the senses. each week takes a different sense. sunday worship on radio 4 is on the theme, then there are a bundle of resources you can download each week. and there is a blog with someone reflecting on the theme each week. i was invited to be part of it and have blogged on this week's theme:

journey into seeing

lent links 2

beyond are on a roll - follwing the advent beach huts they have an easter journey following the stations of the cross but in public space - you can download a map here. i'll probably blog again about stations of the cross nearer easter but if you're anywhere near brighton there are three days with guided walks round the stations including good friday.

good news also from brighton is that garden are getting started again this sunday with the quiet call of what is. unlike vaux i think this is more than just a rumour... brighton seems to be a creative nerve centre for alt worship - come on london get your act together!!!

oxford also seems to be creating a bit of a scene these days. maybe it's always been there but i am noticing it now i work there a couple of days a week. anyway i am very excited about stillpoint a new venture between matt rees and ian adams of home and maybe. this is the blurb...

StillPoint exists to nurture and encourage the practice of Christian spirituality in a variety of ways but particularly focussing on the practice of Christianity as an eastern religion and exploring the contemplative and mystical streams of the Christian tradition.

Its aim is to serve both spiritually searching people who would not previously have considered the Christian way as a path to deepen their spiritual search, as well as people who would already identify themselves as Christians but are looking for opportunities to learn practices that will deepen their interior journey.

there is a launch this weds night with jamie catto of 1giantleap - quite a coup! i am gutted that i can't go as we will be leading a worship evening at LST (not gutted about that but about missing the stillpoint launch!). they are also doing a stations of the cross exhibition in a gallery in oxford - i am one of the contributing artists but more about that nearer the time.

then in manchester there is 40 days of public solitude, another brilliant idea...

and sanctuary in bath are running a lent blog with a post a week. i loved this piece from dave wiles . the poem he writes is in a movie with some of his photos on proost

lent links

give up give out
lenten guide and synchroblog
engage in the beattitudes with cityside
an incomplete idea for lent
love to pieces

lent

lent is underway. i always like this season. there is always loads of great stuff out there in the blogosphere which i hope to unearth and link to over the next few weeks. an easy starting point is to follow my category lent if you want to see previous years' content.

this year grace are not running a lent blog. but if you want something to dip into or follow along the previous three years are here -

2006 | 2007 | 2008.
(because of the way blogs work they start at the end)

i thought i was being organised ordering maggi's book ahead of time for lent but have realised that it is clearly for next year's lent - doh! so i guess i am prepared for next year :-) however true to form mark pierson has produce a wonderful little booklet through lent with a reflection for each day so i will be following along with that. that arrived in the post as a gift so that seemed perfect (thanks mark) - if it's online somewhere let me know!

we have three extra grace evenings through lent exploring the theme of gift further - a film night watching sigur ros film heima and discussing giving gifts in the community, a storytelling night in the new inn and a discussion around giving . the dates are march 5, 19, april 2. leave a comment if you want more info...

and leave a comment if you have come across some great lent stuff online...

lent book

i have ordered maggi's book giving it up for lent...

lent resources on proost

it's two weeks to ash wednesday and the beginning of lent. i always love the season of lent - it somehow provides a good focus for faith in the run up to and preparation from easter. unlike previous years grace are not running a lent blog. we decided to take a break from that. but I'm sure there will be plenty of activity to link to in the coming weeks...

proost's february content is now uploaded. there are a two ambient instrumental pieces from jon birch dust and water, a movie winter from dave wiles which reflects in photography and poetry on death and new life. dave is new on proost. and then a quirky fun movie from andi mac called vampire love which looks at the transforming nature of love with an electro pop soundtrack by ben mcavoy, also new on proost. if you have a valentine's day event this would be perfect!

i was having a quick look through proost resources for lent. 40 is the most popular, the amazing movie by si smith tracing jesus' journey into the wilderness in 40 illustrations. it is also available in a book with accompanying reflection. other movies that might work for lent - beattitudes, space and time, where are you, winter, vampire love, cloud and incense smoke.

on books, tune in chill out, alternative worship and heart soul mind and strength are full of creative prayer ideas. the pocket liturgy series have plenty of lent pieces: ash weds labyrinth in hold this space, 5 blessings for lent in a book of blessings, slow service in grace, lent reflection in sanctus1...

jenny baker's contemplative prayer EP, earthenware's deserts 1-5 with accompanying meditation (see that page to download words), molten meditation and labyrinth (try noise with the vj loop spectrograph) are all in the audio section.

a shift in perspective: elijah in the desert

at grace this saturday we continue our lenten desert journies with a shift of perspective and elijah in the desert

it will be an interactive exploration of the story. we take it in turns to curate/pull it together - this month it's my turn with adam and kathy and i'm looking forward to it...

8pm st marys ealing | directions on the web site | café and guest DJ

lent blog still rolling

the grace lent blog is still rolling along

you are the god who sees

the outline for the feb grace service hagar is now in the grace archive.

i loved steve's blessing you are the god who sees and am making it worship trick 24 series 3

spirit2go: worship trick 23

steve taylor always comes up with creative ideas for advent and lent...

this year he has developed spirit2go. as he puts it the thinking behind it is...

Working toward Lent this year, I have also been seeking a way for people to do spirituality without any physical link to church, while retaining some sense of shared life. How could people do a shared task, but in their own timestyles, yet be encouraged by each other? In the old days it was meet physically, same time, same place. But is that the only way?

there are creative tasks to do and share what you get up to in the comments under each of the assignment blog posts or e-mail them in. i guess you could do this alone, with a family, with friends - a global interactive worship experience of sorts...

grace lent

so lent starts today...

have just got back from norway where the youth ministry training i did seemed to go well (reflections on that to come...)

but a quick mention that the grace lent blog 08 starts today so add it to your reader and follow along.

also this is a bit late for today but jenny is leading a course on desert journies at st marys for six wednesday evenings. no need to book you can just turn up.

we are picking up on two of those desert journies at the next two graces. first up this saturday is hagar.

space and time and contemplative prayer

i have put together a movie with jon birch to go with our track space and time. it's a pretty simple idea - photos of empty seats, chairs and benches to invite the viewer to sit in god's presence and take some space. we made it thinking about lent being a time to focus on prayer. i also thought it would go well as part of my exhibit but having put it next to the photo have decided the photo is more powerful on its own.

jenny is doing a national series of training days for urban saints on contemplative prayer. and so we've recorded three tracks of her leading prayer/meditation exercises - an ignatian examen, a stilling exercise and a breathing prayer. these go to make up the contemplative prayer EP.

these are this month's proost releases and ideal for lent. you can watch and/or listen to samples in the media player. check the list of ideas on the front page of proost for other ideas.

am off to norway tomorrow for the first time for a couple of days to do some youth ministry training. looking forward to it...

am now exhibiting at the moot lenten journeys exhibition

since i first blogged about the moot beyond the wilderness:lenten journeys exhibition i have been invited to exhibit at it. i'll be showing one photo - it's just arrived from the printers and i have mounted and framed it and it looks pretty neat! so if you are anywhere near victoria between feb 12 and 21 have a look in the SW1 Gallery. there are also some other events related to art and spirituality and lent accompanying the exhibition...

40 book - hot off the press, laudamus from COTA and lent resources

i just had a delivery yesterday of '40' the book. many of you will know si smith's wonderful illustrations of jesus journey into the wilderness. i have used them a load of times in worship. they are fantastic for all ages and perfect for lent. if you haven't seen it the movie is available on proost.

well chris goan wrote a script to go with them and contacted si and to cut a long story short have turned 40 into a book - on one side of the page is one of si's illustrations, and on the other is chris's reflection. rather than using lulu which we have done for the pocket liturgies we have done a small print run ourselves. it's available as a download on proost for free if you are a subscriber but it's the kind of book you will probably want in print. so you can order them through proost as well and it's only £7.

this was part of our january release on proost.

the other new january item is laudamus, an album from karen ward's church of the apostles in seattle. this follows a service of morning prayer and evening prayer. cota have led worship at greenbelt and people have really enjoyed what they have done.

i put a list on the front page of the proost web site of resources that we have that are particularly suitable for lent so you might want to have a look at that as well...

beyond the wilderness: lenten journeys

details on the moot lent art exhibition and events are now on the moot community arts pages

Moot Community Arts in association with the SW1 Gallery, Victoria bring BEYOND THE WILDERNESS.
Identify your hidden desires, your soul's yearnings and your long held hopes and dreams in the heart of the city.
Join us for BEYOND THE WILDERNESS - LENTEN JOURNEYS - an edgy collection of visual and performance arts taking you on a Lenten voyage of discovery.
AND IF YOU WANT TO BE THE ARTIST - it's your chance to unleash the poet within, the artist inside and explore your spiritual hunger with others on a similar path.
BEYOND THE WILDERNESS comes from Moot Community Arts and contains:

    * A two-week Lent spirituality course, Tues 12th Weds 20th Feb 08
    * An Art Show, 14th to 21st Feb 08
    * A performance Cabaret, thurs 21st Feb 08
    * A Poetry Workshop day, Sat 16th Feb 08

For more details and to book places, see Moot Community Arts Website

happy fifth to moot

happy fifth birthday to moot!

beyond the wilderness: lenten journeys - events and art gallery space that is mentioned looks good for lent. lent starts early this year (feb 6). so i will blog about grace and proost lent stuff before long...

easter journey

easter journey - my day on the grace lent blog

prayer, deserts and burning bushes

today is my day to post on the grace lent blog. here's what i wrote - prayer, deserts and burning bushes.

doug aitken is one of my favourite artists. new ocean and interiors are simply two of the most astonishing installations i have ever been to. what got me thinking about them was my last blog entry toxicity because doug aitken's work often seems to use narratives of people in the city interweaving and connecting but they often seem to be infused with spirituality. for example i remember one of his pieces in new ocean with a person travelling on a tube journey, an iconic journey for those of us in london. whilst the journey was fast, the girl's face had an incredible stillness and the image cut between slow gymnastic moves which seemed to be in her mind and the journey. i took it she was meditating or at prayer or just being still and the slowed down gymnastic moves were like the rhythm of slowed down breathing that helped her navigate the city space and get recharged for it. i've pictured that image many times as i have travelled on the tube. it makes me think that whilst the city can be toxic, it is entirely possible for encounter with the presence of god in the city. indeed if we can encounter the presence of god in the city it will give us the resources to navigate at 3 mile an hour, god's pace, rather than live at the pace of exhaustion, the city's pace.

anyway that's all by way of an intro as that got me thinking about doug aitken. i have a couple of art books of his. and there are a lot of wonderful images in them. i have scanned in this photograph and am having it as my computer desktop image through lent. i tried to find the image online but can't so have put this one up here [doug if you ever pop by, i hope this is ok - if not let me know and i'll remove it...].

a reflection on the image...

i have been struck by doug aitken's image of an armchair in the desert [i think it's a desert - it could of course be a beach?].
it's a still image.
the chair is un-used and dusty.
in front of it is the edge of a bush.
for some reason it got me thinking about prayer, deserts and burning bushes.

where is god?
prayer is like sitting in the chair and waiting.
the desert is away from it all.
whilst that sounds great, it also looks pretty bleak.
it's a risk to sit and wait.
after all nothing may happen...

the bush isn't burning.
i guess moses passed the bush when it wasn't burning many times - it was an ordinary bush. it was only one time it burned.
but all ordinary ground can be holy, seared with the presence of god. but who can say which piece of ordinary ground will become a window,
a thin place,
a site for the holy,
burning,
electric as the go between god makes the connection?

the temptation is to revisit a site where this happened once,
but god doesn't stay still,
god is moving on,
beckoning forward,
not concerned with nostalgic spirituality.

so i want to sit in the chair and pray,
to go to the desert place,
but i'm not expecting the bush to burn.
prayer may help me see other sites in days to come that may burn with the holy.
prayer may help me hear where god is  calling me to move on next.

i was reading the scripture ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.

maybe the risk of prayer is worth it...

i'll sit in the chair

don't forget...

the grace lent blog is still rolling and some great stuff being posted...