Candlemas Rocker Service...

Clearly Archdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley has the gift of prophecy as the posting on Saturday 29th; 'Middle Age Rocker Service' was somewhat matched by the real thing this Sunday. In many ways 'Middle Aged' is on the gracious side for After The Fire (ATF) and our extra team of acoustic musicians (no Fender Squier but we did have a genuine Dobro) in our nine piece ensemble. Also whilst our repertoire, although ambitious and not quite as adventurous as Voodoo Chile, I must gently point out we did not actually play 'Joy' during the offertory this time...!

Here is the list of spiritual songs we played that formed the Musical Liturgy:

Sometimes - After The Fire
Help - The Beatles
How Deep the Father's Love - Hymn
Ride Back Home - John Mellencamp
Are We Alright - Steve Knightley/Show of Hands
When the Trumpet of the Lord shall Sound - Hymn
I'll Fly Away - Hymn
Dark Side, I'm not an Angel - After The Fire
Time To Think - After The Fire
Meet Me - Rob Halligan
Laser Love - After The Fire
Jesus! What a Friend for sinners - Hymn
Did Trouble Me - Susan M. Werner / Tom Jones
You - Rob Halligan
Here is Love - Hymn

If doubts overcome, then check it out! Download the whole order of service sheet here!

ATF return to the full rock edition later this month, with US made Strats, February 26th, Rock for Fairtrade, Burgess Hill and then a Water project fundraiser here on Mersea Island on 19th March.

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The Farmer's Prayer...

A distraught farmer finds all his cows frozen in the snow. He prays to God for help. A woman appears, puts her arms over his icy cows. They immediately defrost and start walking again. "Thank you so much", said the farmer, "you must be an angel sent by God?". "No", she said, "I'm Thora Hird"...

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The shuffling first fifteen meme...

 

1) Turn on your MP3 player or music player on your computer.
2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
3) Write down the first 15 songs that come up–song title and artist–NO editing/cheating, please.

1. The boy with no name – Travis
2. Are we alright? - Show of Hands
3. Bring 'em all in - Mike Scott
4. He never said - Martyn Joseph
5. Blood red sky - Seth Lakeman
6. Why does my heart feel so bad? - Moby
7. Superhuman touch - Athlete
8. I grieve - Peter Gabriel
9. Black swan song - Athlete
10. Also Sprach Zarathustra - 2001 Space Odyssey
11. Chasing cars - Snow Patrol
12. You (Live 2008) - After The Fire
13. Somebody told me - The Killers
14. '40' - U2
15. Walking into battle with the Lord - Chumbawamba

I supposed I am slightly puzzled this list is relatively contemporary yet my overall library is substantially more varied Intriguing that over 50% are bands that have played at the Greenbelt Festival over the years...

Thanks for the tag Phil, if you haven't been tagged yet, go for it anyway (that's you, that is!).

Priests just wanna have fun!

Filmed in Hungary and set to the very fine music of Blink 182 (explicit lyrics warning!) whose songs were featured in one of my fave TV series 'All the Small Things' as imaginative choral arrangements... h/t Andy Piercy

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Pentecost Baptism Of Fire...

A little bit of Pentecost humour from MrDeity.com discovered via Lesley's Blog

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Back to Pub Sunday...

 

I have to confess to a bit of shyness when it comes to walking into places I am not already familiar with. It is always a joy to be made welcome and last Sunday, visiting a new Parish, I noticed I wasn't the only one who was warmly welcomed. The small team of 'Welcomers' made sure everyone was comfortable, understood what was going to happen, where the facilities were and where to get refreshments.

Throughout the evening the joy of all the key people involved in this new 'Outreach' venture was impressive and reassuring at every level even from the top. During the collection, as the bucket went round, it was made absolutely clear that donations were an extra voluntary contribution which would all go to Christian Aid along with an extra contribution from those taking part.

I was uncomfortable, though. I had a knawing sense of guilt and discomfort that actually this is exactly how churches should 'feel'? However, this wasn't even a church initiative put on in the very splendid new music venue 'The Farncombe Cavern' but one run by the Freeholder's Pub team in Surrey who chose to make their opening night a flag to indicate the start of Christian Aid Week...

The Lord be with you... and make mine a pint

Spotify gets all Social and Local

The brilliant Spotify has just released a new version with enhanced features enabling links to Facebook 'Friends' and ability to listen to your own MP3s... Is this now the genuine iTunes challenger?

More info on Techcrunch here.

PB

Allotment pre-production line...

It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine... Ezekiel (quotation, NOT context!)

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And the greatest of these is Love

Love will try to conquer all! h/t Squiffy

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Re-inventing and Re-imagining Culture...

The incomparable Show of Hands, one of my fave bands, at their cheeky best assisted by the Spooky Men's Chorale re inventing THE 80's classic from the Human League... prompted by SOH recent Folk Award success with the stonking song 'AIG'.

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Putting money where mouths are... for Haiti

Delighted us old rockers, After The Fire, (or ATF) have been approached to play not one, nay, two fundraisers next weekend to raise money for the needs of the folk in Haiti:

Jan 29th 2010 - Haiti Fundraiser - ATF plus two Bands £5 min donation
Essex Youth Camp - Mersea - CO5 8SX - Doors Open 7:30pm

Jan 30th 2010 - Haiti Fundraiser - Touchstone, The Puritans and ATF £5 min donation
St Paul's Catholic College - Burgess Hill - RH15 8WA - Doors Open 6:30pm

Spread the word!

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Nativity! The film exposed...

Thoroughly enjoyed this gem of a British made film directed by Debbie Isitt. Martin Freeman is excellent as the weary primary teacher, Mr Maddens, who gets landed with producing this year's Nativity play for his underachieving school. His regular routines are completely disrupted by the arrival of an over exuberant teaching assistant, Mr Poppy, who unwittingly challenges the staus quo. Meanwhile in the 'posh' school down the road Mr Maddens' former drama school colleague always gets top reviews for his near perfect, yet clinical, productions.

As the story unfolds humour and pathos run hand in hand yielding tears of laughter and heartbreak in equal measure. Despite slipping into some of the ghastly music that Hollywood has shoehorned into Christmas there is an amazing scene towards the end which I felt had deep theological significance alongside the film's overall themes of restoring creativity, self-esteem, inspiration, grace, redemption and forgiveness. How institutions need a Mr Poppy!

Heartily recommended - 4 stars out of 5.

Mad Mersea Mayhem!

 

Scenes at the fourth Mersea Island Boxing Day swim to raise money for the RNLI today... a gorgeous day for it! This event has now grown from a handful of entrants in its first year to nearly 100 watched by a crowd of around 600.

Joy to the world, Heaven and The Beatles sing

And now for something completely different...

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know it's not really The Beatles. Just another bit of fun from Beatles tribute band The Fab Four which made me smile broadly! I predict a review of both the year and decade soonish...?

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Holy mischief...

This mag, Geez, is a bustling spot for the over-churched, out-churched, un-churched and maybe even the un-churchable. Hmmm, I'm liking it already!

Includes contributions from Shane Claiborne whom I blogged about recently.

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Rachmaninov had big hands...

Just a bit of fun, really! Assume he means he drives a big car then?

Check out more here.

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Benedictus Benedicat... Amazing Graces!

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In my upbringing saying Grace before meals was never missed. I have tried to maintain the tradition and am pleased to say, on the whole, have managed to keep it going. I feel it is an important moment to take in our day as we effectively break bread together and to give thanks for our daily manna.

Love this one for brevity:

Good food, Good meat, Good Lord, Let's eat. Amen!

(attributed to Rick Edmondson)

And a poignant one:

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
For faith in a world where many walk in fear;
For friends in a world where many walk alone;
We give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.

(Source: Huron Hunger Fund, Anglican Church of Canada)

Raising my Ebenezer...

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It's OK, I know we ALL know about Ebenezer's and that they are, well, a really good thing! A new start...?

Every so often you read someone's Blog in the morning and it cracks you up! And a substantial part of the joy is the resonance with where you are and where you've got to, so, folks, here it is, thanks to Revd Sam for sending me the link...

Comparative Religious Exam Paper 1 - Modern Christian Songs

Love it!

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Timing!

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ROFL!

Too close for comfort ;-)

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