abbotsford.org.uk

Paint and stuff

I had a good wee afternoon with my daughter painting stuff for Sunday. It's not all put together but lots of paint was used and good fun had. So next Friday if your child wishes then there will be more scenery to paint for the next part of the story. 3pm-4.30 at the latest for the painting. Juice available and on tap. Old clothes should be worn and that goes for the parents too.

The story is Noah on Sunday. Nothing like having a topical Biblical story.

Live Earth

Just a wee reminder of a wee pop concert happening across the globe next Saturday. It's going to be green. Very.

A jolly painting idea

I'm wondering is there are any 5-12s who may be interested in doing a little messy painting on Friday afternoon. I need a little scenery done for the services over the next few weeks and we could get the painbrushes out and get on with it together and then maybe, wo knows, we might end up with burgers or pizza or finger likin' chicken...

Carbon Shoelaces

Well not quite carbon but very lovely white shoelaces with "cut the carbon' written across them. This is the accessory for summer 2007. It supports Christian Aids Carbon March which is going to be the longest protest march in history. You can order them in a weekend or so and get them at church. Donation of £2 (or more!). Of course you don't need to wear them only in your shoes but also round your wrist or anywhere else you fancy.

Chocolate Teapots for 1st July

I'm in a quandry. Should we go with the passages the lectionary gives us over the month of July which continues the story of Eijah or should we pick different passages that are more summery? Last year we got the congregation to choose the stories if you rememebr by voting in the order of service who they'd like to meet at the cafe the following week. Remember we had Hard Rock Cafe and the uice and stuff as people arrived). So I do't know what to do.

I really don't have a single thought about the five weeks other than a couple of songs that we'll learn. Maybe we could do just that: music but I'll guarantee that won't go down too well.

So what shall we do?

- Siblings in the Bible: Esau and Jacob, Mary and Martha, Moses and Aaron, Cain and Abel, Peter and Andrew, James and John?

- symbols in the Bible: water, bread and wine, cross, stones, light, fig trees, fish?

- journeys in the Bible: Abraham from Ur to Haran, Hebrews from Egypt to Promised Land, Jesus from Carpernium to Jerusalem, Paul from Jerusalem to Rome, Elijah from The north to the south.

- food in the Bible: fruit (Genesis), Bread and wine (Jesus), Lamb and unlevened bread (Exodus), fish and loaves (feeding 5000), oil & flour (Elijah)

- Golden Oldie hymns (all dodgey but folk will sing them anyway): What a friend, great is thy faithfulness, crown him, how great thou art, jesus loves me

- celebrations in the Bible: wedding of cana, passover, return of the arc, the escatalogical banquet...

- Children in the Bible: boy with the loaves and fish, Jairus' daughter, Isaac, Ishmael, David.

So what do you all think? Any of these a possibility for the five weeks in July or is there another tack altogether like having it all in the hall round coffee tables, or have Sunday School type worship with a song or so to start with and then we all do crafts like yesterdays CAOS taster, or we all watch a film together and then discuss, or get speakers in to unpck something (not so good for children). I really am open to every suggestions. The Worship Party has just suddenly taken to cyber space.

Paddling Pools, sticky fingers and the best story yet

What a great morning with stuff going on everywhere. A good number of people (more next time please) all trying things they'd never done before. That's what brings life: new experiences. It was all fabulous with excellent samba drumming that was really popular (we were only going to run one workshop because of the numbers but more turned up and we got two very full workshops) and brilliant stories and they were brilliant. Again two workshops of that. Then we had willow sculpting which is all incomplete at the moment but we'll just have to spend some more time on them, plus lots of potato printing and goo. Then there was lunch. It was all great. I've tonnes of photos which I'll post later tonight if I have time.

So those that were there, please do leave your comments here because it will be good to hear how it went for you and we can use some of your comments on future publicity (names and addresses withheld of course).

And those that weren't able to come, these are always good events so just look out for the next one.

Two requests

Looking for two pieces of help from folk if they can...

1. If anyone who is coming to the Big Taster Day on Saturday, has a pair or ten of small garden pruners that we could borrow then that would be fabulous. You'd get them back and a new pair if yours go missing.

2. I need some inspiration about the summer services. I think I'll organise a worship party to work out some stuff but I need a general idea that can shape the four services. Last year we did the cafe and we could do that again but you know me, I'm always reluctant to do something twice. How could we do the cafe sufficiently differently or who could we do the summer services completely differently? Big Brother style? Do lots of singing? Deck the place out like a beach with lots of sand and we could all wear sun hats and bear feet and build sandcastles at the front. That last one appeals possibly. Any ideas...?

3. (I know there were only two thing but this one comes free) If anyone has any shoes they don't want, then I'll take them off you willingly. Just bring them along to the services over the next few weeks. Any kind of shoes will do. THe greater variety the better.

And did any one know that a trainer hung by a piece of string is the sign of a drug dealer? I ask because I'm involved with a piece of installation art that involves shoes hung from a ceiling with fishwire and the idea generated that comment.

Big Taster Day

Good news on Saturday's CAOS event because we now have performing for your creative and visual arts:

1 story teller
1 samba drummer
1 craft daft group

and...

1 willow sculpter.

It's going to be fabulous and I hope there will be a million people there though that number won't get fed very well. So lots to see and do on Saturday. Do tell as many as possible because they really will miss out on some excellent stuff. I've even got my mum and dad coming too.

Jesus

Had an interesting Living the Questions discussion tonight about Jesus. So what's your image of Jesus: 5 foot, strong personality, either a bit mad or a bit of a power freak, certainly not a church planter or having any intention of starting a church? These are some of the things we wondered about tonight. At the end of it Jesus ended up being a lot more human, more accessible, a better saviour and more likely to be real than the other images we have.

Agree?
Disagree?
Does anyone care?

Big Taster

Just a wee reminder of the Big Taster Day for CAOS our community arts project on Saturday at 10.30am-1pm. Lots going on with Samba Drumming, story telling painting and stamping and cutting and eating and free registration for the summer stuff and possibly one ot two other things as well if I can get them organised.

In the church on Saturday morning. Taste and see...