Tikhtak

The wonders of prezi.com

I am preparing to do a teaching session on youth work next week for SEITE(South East Institute of Theological Education) to a group of people going into the ordained ministry. (Future Curates and Vicars ) The content is still a work in progress but I have discovered a great free tool (Thanks Jim) to do my presentation. It is called prezi.  It is a very simple concept. Rather than separating all the information into windows, like a power-point does, prezi keeps all the information on a big canvas and you simply zoom in and out. Check out my effort so far.

The Church on the streets....led by a donkey!

On Sunday Holy Trinity Church, Clapham was led through the streets by a donkey. It is of course done to remember Jesus entering Jerusalem  before his trial and eventual death a week later. I have come to really enjoy this parade through the streets. I bet for many people who no longer go into churches, it is possibly the first time they have seen a church congregation, and certainly one being led by a donkey! As we walked carrying palm branches and singing hymns I couldn't help thinking what other passerbyes must be thinking. This is possibly the most radical thing we do as a church these days outside of its four walls, And it really does feel daring, dare I say almost evangelistic!! Actually I do think it is very evangelistic and a great way to communicate to the community around what we believe in. The message of Jesus' life is being pictorially demonstrated in a very clear, dramatic and  creative way.  We should do this more with other events in the church year and let people in on what exactly goes on, in the inside of our churches. Check out more pics here

Violence is never the answer!

This is the title of a short film created by the students of Hillingdon Tuition Centre to finish off our tender project. The process has been a lot of fun and challenging at times. Amy my co-leader and I arrived for the last session on Wednesday ready to film, only to encounter a mini revolution. One of the key players was still at home in bed and had to be called by a teacher to come in. Another two of the cast point blank refused to be in it and we had to re cast on the spot, pulling in a new pupil and a really naughty one who up to this point had opted out and just messed around. However the moment we started to film the different scenes everybody got into it and created something rough and ragged, but really authentic. One of the funniest scenes to shoot was at a local bus stop. We had to create a dramatic scene where a boy attacks another boy for beating up his sister. As cars and buses passed us, they seemed to keep slowing down and we noticed that the buses were not stopping at the stop. Eventually as a few old ladies started to gather nearby I had to explain that we were only filming and it wasn't really kicking of. Below I have copied the screen play that the children themselves devised from pictures that we brought in. I will have to wait for permission before I can show any of the film.

Hillingdon Tuition Centre

Tender’s Trust Project 2010

‘Violence is Never the Answer’: A Film by the Pupils of Year 10

Roles:

The ‘good’ brother: Harry

The ‘bad’ brother: Joe

Good brother’s girlfriend: Sahar

The sister: Amy/Miss Watson/Miss Grose

The sister’s boyfriend: Cade

The good brother’s friends: Grant and Joe

Directors and Cameramen: Mark and Reese

Editors: Dave and Joe

 

Scene One (The Park)

Harry, Grant and Joe are sitting together discussing Harry’s relationship.

Harry fears that he may have an STD due to his promiscuity in the past. He’s now with a girl that he really cares for and he wants to make sure he doesn’t pass anything on to her.

Grant and Joe suggest he starts using a condom even though his girlfriend’s already on the pill.

Meanwhile......

Scene Two (A House)

Harry’s sister is round at her boyfriend’s (Cade’s)  house.

While Cade is in the shower, she finds a condom in the pocket of his jeans

When he comes out of the shower, she decides to immediately confront him (We only see his face as she berates him - See script)

The confrontation ends in violence – the sister is hit by her boyfriend as he gets more frustrated (Final shot = hand from flat to fist)

Later that day......

Scene Three (A Living Room)

Harry and Joe come home to find their sister with a black eye, sitting on the sofa.

Joe immediately goes crazy and leaves the house to find the boyfriend and beat him up.

Harry decides to stay and comfort his sister. They discuss her options – does she want to stay with him, if so – why? Does she want to call the police? He advises her to call a helpline to talk things over.#

She tearfully hands over the condom that she found in her boyfriend’s pocket. Harry pockets it himself.

While this is going on,  Harry’s girlfriend calls. She hears a girl in the background and refuses to believe that  it’s his sister. Instead of going crazy straight away, she asks him to come home and talk to her.

Harry makes sure his sister is ok, and leaves.

Scene Four (Harry’s girlfriend’s house)

Harry’s girlfriend asks him to empty his pockets, and finds the condom...suspecting the worst.

They begin to have an argument, and – at first – we think we’re seeing history repeating.

However, Harry remembers comforting his sister, and manages to calm down his girlfriend.

They have a calmer, adult conversation during which Harry manages to explain himself and the confusion with his sister. The couple make up.

Cut to.....

Scene Five (The Bus Stop)

Joe has just managed to find Cade waiting at the bus stop.

He approaches him aggressively, pushes him to his knees and holds a knife to his head. Both are very emotional.

Cut to Cade’s face – he apologises for what he’s done and pleads with Joe not to kill him – he saya that he’s realised that violence is never the answer.

Joe hesitates, we see a change take place in him, and eventually he pulls the knife away from Cade’s head and runs in the opposite direction.

Cade collapses in relief.

Slogan at the end of the piece :  VIOLENCE IS NEVER THE ANSWER

"Mixing the Jam" at HTC Clapham

On Friday night we ran a "jam session" at the Mix Youth club. Thanks to Dom Dickinson, who brought along his drums and base I think we nearly lifted the roof off the church. There was a lot of creative energy in the air and a real motivation to have more of the same. Over the last few years we have wrestled with trying to find ways for our teenage young people to express their own voice in the church. While we may welcome this in theory it may be more of a challenge in practice. Watch out church this could be the start of something new!  

Going Underground in the Scooter Cafe

Yesterday I visited the Scooter Cafe in Waterloo after some time. When I worked for CMS in Waterloo road we would often go there for a social Italian hot chocolate or even conduct meetings there over coffee. Looking inside from the street at first glance it looked like a scooter shop with an assortment of old scooters on display, however as you walked inside you realised there was a bar and area with tables. It  had a real bohemian atmosphere and felt a bit "underground" and "anti-establishment" feel. Visiting yesterday it has perhaps lost this feel a little in exchange for fewer scooters and more sophistication, However it has unearthed a basement bar area, which is reached by some ornate winding iron stairs and this has added a further bohemian feel to it. I took a picture of Kamal Bhai (Irfana's Cousin's husband) ascending the stairs. For all you old scooter regulars it is well worth a return visit and for any would-be visitors, don't only take my word for it, check out these reviews and more pictures of this gem of a place in Lower Marsh near Waterloo.