jonnybaker

40 thoughts

i always like the season of lent. lent means spring and is simply a season of the church year in the run up to easter. traditionally it is a time of preparation for easter with a focus on discipleship. we have often used it in grace to reflect together on something in a bit more depth. this year we will be using ian adams 40 temptations for a few reflections and discussions over meals. 

there are always new creative things that appear each year. i always used to have more time to blog these kinds of things but will try nd mention one or two...

first up 40 thoughts - this has to be the simplest - one thought of a few words x 40 - nicely presented by tim watson. here's no 19... proost has this as a freebie in a pdf here. i am adding this as a worship trick - 61 in series 4

margins to mainstream, mainstream to margins

a couple of weeks back i was invited to lead the opening worship/reflection/prayer at the fresh expressions gathering at southwark cathedral. (the last time i led anything there was with grace at the time of our lives festival in 2000!) the title of the conference was from margins to mainstream which i think is provocative - i am certainly trying to get the gravity flowing in the other direction in most of what i do. anyway i posted something in facebook about what those at the margins might say by way of blessing to the mainstream and vice versa. of course lots of people refused to play the game and deconstruct the whole thing which i get. but anyway i asked harry baker to take what had been said and weave the comments into a blessing which he did. several people have asked for it so it's posted below. 

the worship pieces for those who asked were 

but in silence by flock (chris and harry) which led into silence

before the silence i shared that the reading for the day was one phrase 'christ with us' inspired by sam wells latest book (which is amazing btw) a nazereth manifesto in which he says the word 'with' is the most important theological word. during the silence i shared some images of christ to reflect on that notion of christ with those at the margins and those at the mainstream - christ the king which i suggested was a mainstream image, and christ the migrant a more marginal representation (i like this take of the holy family as boat people). 

we then prayed by writing prayers on luggage labels with the word hope on one side and grief on the other - and placed them in a suitcase to offer prayers for the journey in whichever direction of travel we were heading (margins to mainstream, mainstream to margins).

and then harry concluded with this blessing

Margins to Mainstream, Mainstream to Margins
Mainstream to Margins, Margins to Mainstream

Can you hear me?
Lean a little closer.
Let’s talk!
Would you like a cup of tea?
We need you and we want you.
Wish you were here!

Margins to Mainstream, Mainstream to Margins
Mainstream to Margins, Margins to Mainstream

I Inhabit both and I don't feel at home in either
One persons margin is another persons mainstream
One person's edge is another person's centre.
Some of us were made to be edge-dwellers
We are all on the margins of something
Let us do our thing
We are so very much more than a label.
There's enough God for everyone
Come inside and learn from previous mistakes.
Come outside and learn from something new.

Margins to Mainstream, Mainstream to Margins
Mainstream to Margins, Margins to Mainstream

May we be open to embrace other people’s margins
May we be open to embrace them into our mainstream
Some of us were made to be edge-dwellers
Some of us are at home in the centre.
Margins to Mainstream, Mainstream to Margins
May we be open to conversation between the two

i am making it all a worship trick - no 60 in the very sporadic series 4!

birmingham trinity and we will cross the road

at the recent new parish conference in birmingham, lou davis was painting throughout and created this birmingham trinity, an improvisation on rublev of course and she says this about it...

The icon is said to represent the Trinity, the three angels being those who visited Abraham. As I walked round Birmingham, I had a sense of being a guest there, at one moment isolated, then next welcomed by the city. I felt as Abraham did, being invited to take a place at the fourth side of the table and commune with God in that context, a welcome wariness. There are bits and pieces of Birmingham in the picture, probably some actual dirt from the streets – as we took texture rubbings from the pavements and walls, and in the repeating patterns. You may recognise the circles as the pattern on the Selfridges building which dominates that part of the city, reflected everywhere in windows and street furniture. Then just round the corner is a bit that’s frightening at night – as overheard by one of our artists.

I kept to a palette of greys, with the occasional point of bright colour, as we had observed in the city itself. It’s deliberately half realist, half abstract, because that’s a style I’ve been reaching for as an artist, it’s something I appreciate in others work and want to reproduce myself. The realism gives you a hook to understand it and the abstraction sets you free. I want to create a balance between the two.

i love that...

at the same conference tim watson wrote some liturgy and poetry on the theme of new parish neighbourhood which you can download here - if you look online realise it is two pages. the first is a poem and the second a call and response liturgy called nobody crosses the road.

i am making these a worship trick - remember those?!

the simplest things...

grace last saturday was a repeat of what we call communion by numbers which follows through a communion service round tables in a café style. there are a series of numbered envelopes on each table and when a bell rings you open the next envelope and follow the instructions. it's very simple to set up and run but sometimes the simplest things are the best...

the outline for the service and all the bits and pieces we used this time round are here

the first one we ever ran i think is here which is of course a worship trick

put down all your weapons

the last grace was close enough to low sunday (is there a low saturday?). and steve collins led a wonderful grace SENSEOFDOUBT inspired by the story of thomas for whom easter didn't happen. the outline of the service is here in the grace archive and includes some gems...

it was a reminder for me how sometimes simple can be very powerful - there was a slideshow with words and a fabulous soundtrack to accompany it and plenty of space - the tracks are listed and you can download the slides. one beautiful track i hadn't heard before (and got rebuked for shazzaming when i should have been meditating upon it!) was weapons by son lux which has the extraordinary line which i have thought about since and indeed used yesterday with pioneers at cms...

put down all your weapons
let me in through your open wounds

this was a prayer

We thank you Lord for the story of Thomas
showing us that faith was never easy
and that doubt never breaks your love for us

We lift up to you our demands
show me,
prove it,
give me a sign NOW
our doubts
may your peace be with us

We offer you
Our fumbling answers
when others tell us
you are not
proven
may your peace be with us

We offer you
Our pain
And reticence
When we hold back from rejoicing
Because others can’t
may your peace be with us

We ask you
To meet those
In need of peace
In need of blessing
In need of an end to their waiting
may your peace be with them

We do believe,
help us overcome our unbelief

am making the whole thing a worship trick - 58 in series 4...

we've got poets! worship trick time (first in ages)

i have been reading soil and soul by alastair mcintosh. it's amazing. it's the story of how he and others set up the isle of eigg trust and managed against the odds to help the residents of the isle of eigg to clear their laid from the estate. it's a reminder that you don't have to settle for the way things are and in relation to money and power this is so important. it's a also an incredibly spiritual book - on the relationship to land, community life. he is inspired by walter wink's trilogy on the powers which suggests that in the face of any domination system a process of liberation involves naming the powers, unmasking the powers and engaging the powers. 

i have been thinking particularly about the internalised scripts and messages people tell themselves that end up imprisoning the imagination. if we are to be free this internal stuff has to shift - we have to learn to believe a different script, a different story. i have been reminded of this through lent as ian adams daily prayer series temptations in morning bell (see here for photos of all the scripts) has been a simple taunt/script that is precisely this kind of thing. it's a wonderful series and it got me thinking what my own taunts or scripts are that stop me from being free. certainly the islanders are not initially free in their own minds and a big part of the liberation is enabling them to begin to believe a different narrative about themselves and their relationship to the laird and the island. once that happens victory seems inevitable. 

my favourite paragraph in the book that produced a massive grin on my face was where alastair is reflecting on how ridiculous the situation is - the trust has no resources and the odds are stacked against it. the laird has power, money, control, friends in high places and so on. but there is this great moment where macintosh says with utmost sincerity 'but we do run on poetry'!!! i loved that. the community bards have been the story tellers at the heart of life on the islands so it's with a good basis. but this struck me as wonderful and so like the nature of the kingdom of god and indeed at this moment so like the easter story. 

so… last night we had a meal with friends from grace in our kitchen remembering the last supper jesus had with his friends. that was a meal about liberation from a domination system - a passover meal - remembering the slaves exodus from pharaoh's tyranny. jesus of course reframes it for his own life and death opening up liberation. well after discussing ian adams taunts and what we might need freeing from we proceeded to write a liturgy to share with bread and wine round the meal. it was simple - start a line with 'we've got…' and add something and then one with 'you've got…' and add something. what we came up with is below and of course it is called 'we've got poets'. and i think it's worthy of being a worship trick - 57 in series 4. try adding your own lines!

you've got the answers
we've got poets

you've got tunnel vision
we've got a wide horizon

you've got control of the media
we've got a pen

you've got cities of cement
we've got music

you've got the power to make people afraid, to keep them contained and compliant
we've got a different story, a creative resistance, relationships that sustain and nourish us

you've got management
we've got compassion

you've got viciousness and aggressiveness to scare
we've got meaningful relationships that heal and lift us

you' make people rely on handouts
we've got allotments

you've got surveillance
we've got openness

you've got appetite
we've got creativity

you've got the present
we've got future hope

you've got isolation
we've got mail

you've got iphones
we've got iphones

you've got destructiveness
we've got the power to rebuild with gratitude

you've got lawyers, superinjunctions, court costs that bankrupt the innocent
we've got citizens advice bureaux, amnesty international, pro bono solicitors working into the night

you've got shoulder pads and hello magazine
we've got a real example of a selfless life

you've got control of several churches
we've got a small group

you've got a porn empire
we've got our bodies

you've got the time and date
we've got a relaxed attitude to the whole thing

you've got the reactionary press hooting and braying at anyone different fighting on behalf of the powerful
we've got underground whispers, blogs run on love and creativity, networks of people who want a better world

you've got machinery
we've got mustard seeds

you've got tradition, the way things have always been done, the status quo
we've got a different story, anew way of doing things, a vision of how things can be better, more equal, more free

you've got no idea about anyone else
we've got each other

you've got Whole Foods™  
we've got bread and wine

you've got death
we've got resurrection

this hasn't been crafted - just a spontaneous piece of liturgy... we were set off on what i think was quite an interesting thought by the line about iPhones and thought an equally interesting liturgy would be to have both things the same all the way through. you've got a story we've got a story etc but maybe that's for another time...

love that makes no sense

grace last night was based around a poem by karlie allaway - for fools and dreamers. it was also valentine's day so love had to be the theme… we had fun writing in love hearts words associated with love whether in our experience, our culture. 

i had hoped to set up a slideshow scrolling round the images that people could post to instagram with a hashtag #gracelovefeb15 but forgot there was no wifi in the church. but i can share with you a couple of ways i found to do that - go to liveflow and type in that hashtag. the other designed for events - ii.do - you can use a trial version. it's designed for use at weddings. what is rather neat is that they then send you a link to an album after the event and that's on the free version - so the album is here - ii.do album

you can also see a photo album in the grace facebook group. or my instagram

it was a lot of fun - i am adding it as a worship trick - 56 in series 4.

II, V, | I [improv and perfect cadence]

was quite a magical grace on saturday night especially as it was chris read's debut curating. the evening was on the theme of ruah - the creative breath of god and a double bass was improvised all night to symbolise this. then there were a series of cards with a sequence of numbers on which represented a mood/feeling as interpreted by chris. the numbers are chord sequences - don't worry about it if that makes no sense. grace is II, V, | I - perfect cadence. people could choose and/or were given a range of cards and on the back expressed hopes, dreams prayers for the year gone by and the one ahead. these were then randomly lined up with a regular return to grace and  the sequence of cards improvised as a musical flow carrying those hopes and prayers by chris on guitar and the double bass. all rounded off with a new flock tune with chris joined by sam on cello which was also quite amazing in the space... steve has a ropey video here.

i am making the improvised cards a worship trick - 55 in series 4

advent - a gem

this is beautiful - katie pearce has designed a lovely advent calendar with daily posts on themes such as drudge, ache, wait, dark following the journey of mary and joseph and other characters in the story with scripture, reflection, song, image and thoughts...

all incredibly tasteful. follow along. each year it seems i stumble across something new in advent, a new creative soul expressing a fresh take on the old story. katie is hugely talented and i am very happy to say she is training with us on the pioneer course at cms :)

i am making this a worship trick 54 in series 4

happy 21st grace! and a worship trick - place mat liturgy

we realised last night that it was grace's 21st birthday! had a wonderful meal with friends led by steve summers. its become an annual thing now to have a service in the context of a meal in the main space of the church. i really love doing this. one neat innovation last night which i am making a worship trick (53 series 4) was that the words and prayers were written as a place mat - such a simple idea that i am sure will be repeated! i didn't have my camera, only a phone but you get the idea...

music out of the ground - worship trick

at last night's labyrinth at grace chris read dreamed up the idea of music out of the ground - at various points headphones were there to stop and listen. ipods (in plastic bags) were buried in the ground with a track set to loop. in fact all the ipods were playing variations on the same track - cello, guitar, vocal, spoken word. they were from a forthcoming ep that chris and harry baker are putting together of contemplative poetry/soulful music combinations - watch out for it on proost later this summer. anyway it's about time for a worship trick - so this is no 52 series 4. steve has a photo set here

the design of the labyrinth is the one at ealing common by mark wallinger

in spite of us

lovely prayer from cheryl lawrie (as ever...)

In spite of our doubts,
may we recognise you in our midst:
wounded, bloody, and resurrected

in spite of our doubts,
may we know when we come face to face
with the love that is greater than all deaths

in spite of our doubts,
may we reach out to touch the wounds of the world’s pain
trusting that when grace and love surround them
they will become part of Christ’s resurrected body.

and in spite of our doubts,
may we live as though we are, too.

[worship trick 51, series 4]

practising spirituality through apps - examine

i remember when we created the labyrinth at st pauls cathedral how surprised i was that lighting a candle on a laptop by clicking on it with a mouse felt right - it was conducive to prayer, it mediated a spiritual encounter. that was back in 2000 and the world of digital technology has changed enormously...

on saturday at grace at home in the world we were exploring ignatian spirituality and in the grace facebook page is a list of suggestions of resources for people to follow that up. we did an examen at grace and one that was mentioned was an app called examine which i have since added to my phone and intend to try and use. it enables you to do the ignatian examen and it tracks the previous 90 days so you can get a sense of the flow. i'll let you know how i find it. i am making it a worship trick - 50 in series 4.

but it got me wondering what apps people use for prayer and spirtuality on a regular basis. perhaps if you have some you use, you could leave a comment, a tweet, or facebook message? it might also be that you have ideas for an app?! in which case add those as well.

word on the street

absolutley love this advent calendar - a word is made of jam jars containing water or irn bru to write a word backlit in a café window in glasgow which changes everyday. it's made by heidi gardner, peter gardner and elijah smith. thanks to doug gay for the tip off. so simple! am making it worship trick 49 series 4...

jacob's ladder - an advent calendar in sound

love this advent calendar in sound. it's an absolutley huge amount of time and effort that must have gone into creating it. the intro on the blog explains it all but essentially a speaker a day is added through advent to jacob's ladder. it's by artist sunil chandy and if you are anywhere near penge or beckenham in london go visit...

and of course this is a worship trick - 47 series 4.

#XmasByNos - tweeted grace christmas by numbers - worship trick 46 series 4

in our twentieth year in grace we are revisiting some old themes in a new playful way. last night's grace was a rework of communion by numbers. in the original, a liturgy was followed through by opening a sequence of envelopes around tables in a cafe style and following through a service together. the twist this time round was that each table needed to follow the hashtag #XmasByNos on twitter and instructions arrived via phone or ipad. it worked wonderfully well. and it was particularly amazing to have a few people joining in at the same time from other parts of the world. if you follow the hashtag you can see the instructions, link to some photos, see the tunes played and rework the service yourself.

at the bottom of this post here there are links to the various prayers used including a eucharistic prayer for christmas. i wasn't involved in the planning - it's always fun to arrive at a grace not knowing what is going to happen...

i am making it worship trick 46 in series 4

advent/christmas tunes - playlist from grace

at grace last night i was asked to create a playlist. the service was tweeted and i kept updating tunes i was playing, but a few people asked for the list so here it is. please add your own suggestions in a comment (and no christmas naffness please!)... (and i am making this a worship trick - no 45 series 4). i will blog separately about the service.

FACT magazine silent night electronic mix from 2009 
Elements Of Light - Photon
Always Waiting - Michael Kiwanuke
Believe in Me - Colonel Red
Center Your Love - Machinedrum
Oh Spirit Animate Us - Dr Dee
Power of God - Jaimeo Brown
Digital Pilgrimz - Chronicles In My Soul (this is the latest from Grace's very own Matt - available on itunes here )
Silent Night - Nathan Fake
Dreams Today - Efterklang
Gabriel's Call - Dubh
Blackout - Heights of Abraham
Story of Light - William Orbit
Gabriel - Roy Davis jnr
Gabriel - Lamb
O Come O Come Emmanuel - Sufjan Stevens
Angel - Massive Attack
Nothing To Be afraid Of - Lazyboy
Let Your Light shine - The Relatives
Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down - Robert Plant
The Creator Has A Masterplan - Routine
Masterplan - Diane Browne and Barrie K Sharpe
Prince of Peace - Galliano
Stoned Together - Kruder and Dorfmeister
Jesus is For Losers - Calamateur 
Overdose of the Holy Ghost - Clark Sisters
Jesus Gonna Be Here - 5 Blind Boys of Alabama
Fourtet - For These Times
Cody Chesnutt - Til I met Thee

thanks to david derbyshire who has set up a spotify playlist of the tunes that are available on spotify here

forseeing - worship trick 44 in series 4

love this piece by tina hodgett over at her blog and am making it worship trick 44 is series 4 (yes they are still going).

forseeing: a christmas reflection

Life giver bread breaker storm sleeper blame taker

Scroll reader mask exposer sheep steerer wave treader

Temple razer truth wielder light exuder crowd amazer

Life enhancer, drinker, dancer

Cross bearer dazzle wearer law lover wine renewer

Story weaver, hurt healer, death drinker, God revealer

Lone lamb finder, Satan binder

Sight restorer, desert victor, sin forgiver, hymn singer

Morning pray-er, bondage breaker, bone straightener, peacemaker….

Bubbling up with joy river

Death defeater, grace ladler, never sinner, heart burner

Tempest husher, Spirit breather, show stealer, table turner…..

Mary worships.

Baby cries.

All the future in their eyes.

alt.advent - 26 movies!

i am excited to let you know that we have a new resource on proost for advent - alt.advent - it's 26 movies animated by jon birch telling the advent story. here's the first as a sample.

these are ideal to share round the meal table with a family or household or to share in a community or church. they look great on a laptop or ipad. the cost works out at 50p a movie which can't be bad. enjoy!

we do of course have several other wonderful advent resources - quite a few are featured on the home page but scroll through the advent and christmas seasons on the site.

you can access all of this content when you like for a year if you subscribe for the ridiculously low price of £60.

we have a proost twitter account and are running a twitter prize draw for a free subscription. all you need to do to have achance of winning is to follow @ProostTweets before 20 december.

thinking about space and what it says about how a community is organised

steve has also posted a piece called triclinium and tribune (catchy title?!). i love the way he thinks about space as an architect and then asks a series of questions about how that might reflect the values, leadership and relationships in the community (or not!). i am making this worship trick 42 in series 4