sofachurch

Creative evening :: Making a nature sculpture

2010-07-22T16:04:00.003+01:00

This evening we'll be making beautiful sculptures from the stuff we collected last month on our ramble in Wybunbury*. Please come and have a sculpt! If you can bring glue guns, string, pliers etc it would be helpful.

*those who came on said ramble will know that there is a slight problem, namely that none of us actually collected anything. We'll manage somehow.

The Shawshank Redemption...

2010-07-15T13:25:00.003+01:00

...is the film for this evening. I don't want to give away too much about it, but it is a classic! It is rated 15 for language and a little violence.

What would Jesus watch?

2010-07-07T18:25:00.004+01:00

This week we'll be thinking about TV and other broadcast media and what Jesus would choose to watch. God TV? Would he keep up with the soap operas to find material for parables? Would he watch the football? Songs of praise? Nothing at all? Come and have your say!

Divided we fall? :: Sexuality, 1st July

2010-06-20T12:50:00.003+01:00

We are continuing our series titled Divided we fall? which explores the issues that Christians often fall out over. This time we'll discuss sexuality - is the only valid expression between a husband and wife, or does God not care about specifics as long as we are acting in love?

8pm at the Duke of Gloucester.

Walk, 24th June

2010-06-18T13:17:00.000+01:00

Weather permitting we'll go for a nice walk and collect nature-stuff that we can dry out and make a sculpture from next month.

Film night - Monsters Inc, 17th June

2010-06-11T13:16:00.000+01:00

Where would Jesus holiday? 10th June

2010-06-08T22:06:00.000+01:00

This week we'll be looking at Where would Jesus holiday? Certainly he'd do well to steer well clear of these dodgy nuns!... As the holiday season approaches, how should trying to follow Jesus influence our decisions about where we holiday, or even should we holiday at all? Come along & discuss!

Divided we fall? :: Evolution, 3rd June

2010-05-31T13:03:00.000+01:00

We'd like to invite you to our third monthly gathering, Thursday 3rd June at the Duke of Gloucester.

We want to create a place for Christians from all churches (or none) in the area to meet up and socialise while discussing some of the really thorny issues of the faith in a friendly way. If you'd like to come then we'd love to see you at 8pm, either tomorrow or another week - it will be on the first Thursday of each month.

We are continuing our series titled Divided we fall? which explores the issues that Christians often fall out over. This time we'll discuss whether living things were created supernaturally by God or whether they evolved naturally by Darwinian selection, or maybe somewhere in the middle.

There won't be a talk or anything like a sermon, but we'll provide a sheet of thought-provoking quotes and scriptures to help get conversations flowing. I've attached the quotes to this email so you can have a look beforehand, or if you can't come but are interested anyway! There should be something in there that you can agree with and disagree with; let's unravel it together.

Cooking together, 27th May

2010-05-21T13:12:00.000+01:00

Repeating the successful evenings we've previously done, we'll cook a meal and then eat it.

Film night - Fight Club, 20th May

2010-05-14T13:04:00.001+01:00

This is an amazing film about dissatisfaction with modern superficiality and a quest for something deeper and more true. Very funny too. However, it is quite violent in places and has an 18 rating.

Sellotape sculptures!

2010-05-07T21:11:00.002+01:00

Where would Jesus shop? 13th May

2010-05-07T12:58:00.000+01:00

Sellotape sculpture, rescheduled to 29th April

2010-04-27T12:45:00.000+01:00

The idea is you wrap cling film around an object, then layers of sellotape. When ready you can cut away the tape layer, making a translucent shell that you can put fairly lights in. Come and have a try - please bring a big roll of tape and an object to be your mould.

Divided we fall? :: The Bible, 6th May

2010-04-20T13:04:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone,

We'd like to invite you to our second monthly gathering, on Thursday 6th June at the Duke of Gloucester.

We want to create a place for Christians from all churches (or none) in the area to meet up and socialise while discussing some of the really thorny issues of the faith in a friendly way. If you'd like to come then we'd love to see you at 8pm, either tomorrow or another week - it will be on the first Thursday of each month.

We are continuing our series titled Divided we fall? which explores the issues that Christians often fall out over. This time its the turn of the Bible - is it God's inspired word, or is it something quite different?

There won't be a talk or anything like a sermon, but we'll provide a sheet of thought-provoking quotes and scriptures to help get conversations flowing. I've attached the quotes to this email so you can have a look beforehand, or if you can't come but are interested anyway! There should be something in there that you can agree with and disagree with; let's unravel it together.

Here are the topics that we'll be covering in future events up to the summer:

June 3rd :: Evolution
July 1st :: Sexuality

Film night - Footloose, 15th April

2010-04-09T12:41:00.000+01:00

Footloose is a 1984 American film that tells the story of Ren 'Footloose' McCormack, played by Kevin Bacon, a teenager who was raised in Chicago. Footloose moves to a small town where the local government has banned dancing and rock music. Ren and his classmates want to have a senior prom with music and dancing. They must figure out a way to get around the law and Reverend Shaw Moore, played by John Lithgow, who blames rock music's influence for the death of his first child. Rating 12A.

What would Jesus vote?

2010-04-07T11:56:00.002+01:00

Right? Left? Centre? Green? BNP (who claim him as a supporter, bizarrely)? Would he just spoil his ballot paper in protest? Come and discuss with us this Thursday.

Divided we fall? :: salvation

2010-03-31T21:59:00.003+01:00

We'd like to introduce you to a new monthly venture that is starting tomorrow at the Duke of Gloucester pub in Crewe. We want to create a place for Christians from all churches (or none) in the area to meet up and socialise while discussing some of the really thorny issues of the faith in a friendly way. If you'd like to come then we'd love to see you at 8pm, either tomorrow or another week - it will be on the first Thursday of each month.

There won't be a talk or anything like a sermon, but we'll provide a sheet of thought-provoking quotes and scriptures to help get conversations flowing. We are starting with an Easter themed debate; just how narrow or broad was Jesus' redeeming act? I've attached the quotes to this email so you can have a look beforehand, or if you can't come but are interested anyway! There should be something in there that you can agree with and disagree with; let's unravel it together.

Here are the topics that we'll be covering in future events up to the summer:

May 6th :: The Bible
June 3rd :: Evolution
July 1st :: Sexuality

Glass Painting

2010-03-22T20:50:00.001Z

This week we'll be glass painting. If you have any old glasses or bottles that you'd like to jazz up - maybe an Easter present?... - then bring them along. Of course we'll be looking for God in this activity too (though not in the bottles themselves - that would make him a Genie lol!)

V for Vendetta

2010-03-17T19:48:00.003Z

This month's film is V for Vendetta. It is set in an imaginary near future where Britain is ruled by a fascist, totalitarian regime but I don't know much more than that! It is rated 15 for strong violence and some bad language.

Duke of Gloucester

2010-03-02T19:42:00.001Z

This week we'll meet at the Duke of Gloucester (map), normal time. See you there!

The animations!

2010-02-26T22:55:00.002Z

Animation evening :: 25th February

2010-02-19T14:03:00.004Z

Back by popular demand! Click here to see the mini films we made last time.

SofaChurch resumes...

2010-02-10T19:51:00.003Z

...on the 18th February. We'll have a time of alt. worship and then discuss how we would like it to develop this year. I've had some ideas, and I hope you all have a bit of time to give it some thought before then.

Really hope to see you there!

Cafechurch Chester

2010-02-09T19:39:00.006Z

It is hard to believe that a year ago we were about to hold our first cafechurch meeting. A lot has happened in that time and there has been much discussion concerning alternative venues and a more 'focused' approach.

However, you may be interested in a new cafechurch that has just started in Chester. Its hosted by Jon Newell, who had been the Costa Coffee Manager in Crewe but was transferred to a new store in Chester's Retail Park over the summer. Do check out their website to find out what is planned for the next few months. Maybe we could pop over and support them one evening.

Winter break

2009-12-23T19:42:00.002Z

Hi everyone. As discussed at the last meeting, SofaChurch is going to have a rest from Thursday evening meetings until February 18th. I'll send an email round with some more details, please get in touch if you have any questions. Merry Christmas, see you all soon.

Bridge to Terabithia

2009-11-21T09:21:00.001Z

26th November

"Imagination is a wonderful thing. It leads us to places and events far beyond our experience. It allows us to dream and to hope. Movies and books often tie into our imaginations to help us on our way to these strange and wonderful places. Imagination can seem like an escape from reality, but often imagination provides the hope that allows us to move to a new way of living."

Read a full review here.

Finding God outside Church :: in the poor

2009-11-19T16:31:00.001Z

This evening we'll continue our series on ways of encountering God outside church by looking at the idea of the 'sacrament of the poor'; we'll listen to a recording of an amazing talk by Tony Campolo that really moved me when I first heard it, and then bat around some ideas.

Fashion update!

2009-10-26T20:36:00.002Z

So sorry to have to cancel the meeting last week. We'll re-try this on the 12th November. This evening we'll be discussing how to find God in relationships.

---

Blame Geoff. Week before last we were discussing how to find God in the Arts, and we listed art forms that we haven't yet touched upon in SofaChurch, so we could try one in the bonus fifth Thursday (29th October).

So, we are going to try fashion design.

Please bring:

An item of clothing that you can 'improve'
Sewing things
Scraps of material
Scissors
Mannequins (optional)
Anything else you can think might be useful

The Mission - 22nd October

2009-10-21T16:36:00.002+01:00

This month's film is The Mission, an oscar winning story about the experience of a Jesuit missionary in 18th Century South America.

Finding God outside Church :: in nature

2009-09-28T20:12:00.002+01:00

And we might even have a game of conkers!

Lemon Tree - 24th September

2009-09-21T21:51:00.000+01:00

A few years ago at school we had a talk from an Ofsted inspector to help us prepare for a forthcoming inspection. He told a story where he was chatting to a pupil at a school he was inspecting. He told the pupil that he was impressed by the beautiful flowers along the main drive leading to the school. The pupil replied "Oh, you mean the Ofsted flowers!"

The other day I was looking at the God TV website and I noticed they have a current campaign to raise money to plant a million trees in Israel to "prepare the Holy Land for the return of the King". They are asking people to donate £15 to buy a tree, and they currently have over five hundred thousand trees pledged.

Now, I don't want to be judgmental, but from what I know about Jesus there would be many other things he would prefer us to spend fifteen million pounds on in preparation for his return. How about doing something to help people who are starving, like he told us to? I don't think he would be very pleased that his followers were pissing around planting Ofsted flowers when they should be trying to advance the kingdom that he will bring in completely when he returns. Do they think it will be a nice surprise for Jesus, that they have managed to keep this campaign a secret from him? The instigators of this camapaign say that "We believe this incredible prophetic action will be a blessing to the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Through this simple act of obedience God will reward us beyond all we could ask or think, for he who blesses Israel shall be blessed. (Numbers 24:9)". Leaving aside the question of whether we shouldn't be trying to bless the Palestinian people a bit to redress some of the vast injustices they have suffered, this quote reveals that the true incentive for this is simply to get a good return on your money - you invest £15 and you'll be guaranteed much more in return thanks to a spurious and selective interpretation of a verse in the book of Numbers. I don't know how much of your £15 "God TV" takes, but I'm guessing that it is not nothing. The whole thing makes me mad.

Anyway, rant over, this leads me to introduce September's film, The Lemon Tree, a story about the troubles in the West Bank and the security wall. It is supposed to be a great film, with much to discuss afterwards.

A Churchless Faith - 10th September

2009-09-07T21:40:00.000+01:00

I'd like us to think through some of the points raised in Alan Jamieson's book A Churchless Faith, which analyses why so many people choose to leave evangelical/charismatic churches and to consider if we can develop our 'outreach' to such people.

Challenge 4 :: Grow

2009-09-05T09:24:00.001+01:00

Grow something that we can either eat or decorate the table with at the Christmas celebration meal.

Challenge 3 :: Bible

2009-09-05T09:23:00.001+01:00

Read, study and reflect on Isaiah chapters 1 and 58

Challenge 2 :: Talk

2009-09-05T09:22:00.002+01:00

Talk to someone who doesn't ever go to church about their spirituality; where do they find depth and meaning in life?

Challenge 1 :: Journal

2009-09-05T09:19:00.003+01:00

Keep a journal of times in your days when you do find God. This could possibly take the form of a gratitude journal, where you make a habit of each day writing down three things that you are grateful for that happened that day. As well as your own personal journal please feel free to leave comments here so that others can share your experiences.

Finding God outside Church

2009-09-05T08:54:00.001+01:00

A group of us discussed the forthcoming theme last Thursday and came up with some areas to look at and some challenges. All of this is designed to help up to recognise 'thin places' - times where the barrier between this life and the spiritual realm becomes thin and permeable. Here are the areas we'll investigate in the coming weeks:

17 September :: Finding God outside Church - in the mundane
1 October :: Finding God outside Church - in nature
15 October :: Finding God outside Church - in the arts
29 October :: Art project
5 November :: Finding God outside Church - in relationships
19 November :: Finding God outside Church - in the poor
3 December :: Finding God outside Church - in rites of passage
17 December :: Celebration party

We also came up with four challenges/homework tasks/assignments. These are optional, of course, but highly recommended! (I think we'll scrap the idea of collating the work into a book, too few people in the group seem up to that.)

Tim - sorry, in updating this I have deleted your comment about Dave Tomlinson's book Running in to God. We'll refer to that throughout, no doubt.

Greenbelt review

2009-09-04T20:32:00.004+01:00

(With apologies to those who didn't come and are sick of all the talking about it)

I thought I'd make a space on the blog for people to share some of their highlights from GB; what they enjoyed, learned, times of encountering God.

I came across two very interesting articles in the Guardian today. I think that both should be generally of interest to sofachurchers even if you didn't get to the festival.

A very English revolution - In Greenbelt we see a new style of Christianity, defined by the idea that the modern world is a resource rather than a threat.

An atheist goes to Greenbelt - What happened when we sent a staunch atheist to a Christian arts festival to talk with evangelicals? Can Jessica stay out of the arms of Jesus?

Also making the news was the revealing of the results of a survey to find the 10 worst Bible verses:
The Bible's bad bits: silent women, mass murder and a weary concubine.

The Lion King...

2009-08-26T13:15:00.002+01:00

...will be this month's film. Thursday 27th August. Come and relive a classic.

The sculptures

2009-08-23T11:23:00.000+01:00

After surviving two sessions of plier induced blood blisters, flying screws and hot glue burns, this is what we created!

The brief was to make a sculpture to represent the addictive nature of communications technology; how it can a real draw for us and very hard to let go of. So we made kind-of technology demons...

The photos are on the sofachurch flickr page.

Mulling over a cuppa!!

2009-08-16T13:13:00.004+01:00

On Thursday (13th) a group of us met at Tesco's Costa for a cuppa and to review cafechurch over the past 6 months. There was a general concensus that this exciting new project has been well-received, offering a refreshing alternative to more 'traditional' forms of church, enabling folk to chat informally about a wide range of contemporary issues and to build friendships. Although we discussed the possibilities of moving to an alternative 'venue', we all agreed that continuing in a neutral, community environment would make it more accessible.

Anyway, in our short time together a variety of interesting issues were raised, that we feel warrant further discussion. And what better place to do this than here on the blog! So here goes:

Do you think cafechurch should be targeting a specific sector of the population? If so, how will this influence the topics covered, time/format of each event etc?
How can we increase the profile of cafechurch within the community?
What role does 'evangelism' have within contemporary culture?
How should we best deal with the financial implications of running a cafechurch project: the fees, publicity and administration costs, and 'who' should actually pay for the refreshments at each event etc?
In what ways can we raise the profile of prayer?

Your contributions to this discussion will be greatly appreciated, particularly as we prepare for more cafechurch events over the coming months. Thank you!

Sculpture phase II

2009-08-16T10:48:00.002+01:00

This Thursday (20th) we'll be making something out of the bits of old unwanted communications technology that we dismantled previously.

One of our core values of SofaChurch is creativity, and this is a great opportunity to get together as a group and make something out of nothing, and in doing so worship the God who makes good things out of bad.

You don't have to have come to the previous meeting to come this week, they are stand alone events. If you can bring a glue gun that would be very handy.

cafechurch, August 13th

2009-08-07T11:53:00.001+01:00

There will be no cafechurch next week, but keep watching this space for news of the next event.

Sculpture update

2009-08-07T11:45:00.004+01:00

We had a great time dismantling old printers, TVs and modems and we now have a big box full of interesting bits. We decided to do the actual creating of the sculpture in three weeks' time, so if anyone is free to come along on 27th August and help you'd be very welcome.

Sunday closing

2009-08-02T12:55:00.003+01:00

This afternoon will be our last SC:Sunday get together for the meantime. It might be that we want to restart things again at some other time, but for now it seems that we're all that bit too busy/tired!

We'll be at the SC room today at 2pm for anyone who wants to join us for a walk.

munch:itch:ouch

2009-08-01T00:04:00.002+01:00

Just to publicise a new website I've done for those with children who suffer, like Kitty, from food allergy induced eczema. Please pass the address on to anyone you think it might help.

munch:itch:ouch

Sculpture

2009-07-26T19:25:00.002+01:00

On Thursday 6th August we'll have a go at creating a sculpture out of old communications technology waste - old TVs, computer bits etc. A bit like the Wee Man in the picture, but not quite on such a big scale perhaps. It should be really good fun, suitable for all ages.

I put a post on Freecycle for stuff five minutes ago and have been offered four TVs already... If you have any junk sitting aroung waiting to be dumped please bring it along. We could also do with borrowing hot glue guns (to stick stuff together, not to be built into the sculpture...) if anyone has one please.

Incidentally, there are some great other art ideas on this website. I love the idea of moss grafitti!

August plans

2009-07-26T18:10:00.002+01:00

We are nearly at the end of the second of our long discipleship themes; we have now thought about how we should deal with money and technology as followers of Jesus. I hope that everyone has found something useful in these. The next theme will be 'Seeing God in Everyday Things', more on that later. But I thought that we'd wait until September to start this and do some more creative, fun, kid friendly things through the summer holidays.

30 July :: Celebration meal, 6.30 at the Fishburne's
6 August :: Sculpture project
13 August :: cafechurch at Costa Coffee, Tesco's Crewe, 7pm
20 August :: Film night -The Lion King
27 August :: Photography
(29-31 August :: Greenbelt festival - contact us if you'd like to come too)
3 September :: Start of the new theme - Seeing God in Everyday Things - coming up with tasks

Monthly Sundays?

2009-07-25T08:03:00.002+01:00

Hi gang!

Just a quick post to sound you out on some thoughts Andy and I have had.

SofaChurch:Sundays have been very minimally attended for some weeks (though it's always a treat to see you, Andrea!) We were wondering if we need a bit of a re-think. We'd appreciate your thoughts regarding the following possibilities. Thanks all.

* Keeping SC:Sundays as they are

* Changing it to a different day of the week

* Making the events monthly (ensuring they are well publicised)

* Dropping the socials for the meantime

Communications technology celebration meal

2009-07-21T22:58:00.004+01:00

We're nearing the end of this topic, and as normal we plan to mark the end with a meal together and a chance to reflect and recommit ourselves to God. I thought that this time we'd have a barbecue at our house. Children very welcome! It will be on Thursday July 30th, with an earlier start of 6.30. It would be very useful to know how many of you can come so I can buy the right amount of food, so please let me know. As normal the food will be as local and ethical as possible.

Gran Torino

2009-07-21T22:56:00.002+01:00

This week's film is Andrea's recommendation, and is supposed to be very good. Starring Clint Eastwood, 15 rating.

RSPCA Open Day

2009-07-19T12:07:00.002+01:00

For today's Sunday outing we'll be going to the RSPCA open day at Stapeley Grange. Highlights include animals aplenty, stalls and the Allsorts dog display team. Meet at the SC room as normal at 2pm.

Greenbelt freshers

2009-07-17T19:21:00.003+01:00

This is a post for people who've been to Greenbelt or have camping experience (you don't have to be a SofaChurcher, btw) to post their tips to help everyone else. I'll get the ball rolling...

Positive uses of technology

2009-07-16T16:54:00.002+01:00

A slight change to the published schedule; we should be finishing off the current series with a celebration meal this evening, but we're not organised enough for it this week and haven't given anyone warning. So that will have to be in two weeks' time.

So this evening we'll have a look at the topic we tried to do last time - how technology can be used to enhance our lives as followers of Jesus. Come along and pick up some new ideas and share your own. The meeting will be led by Susie.

Sounds like us, Mr Bell

2009-07-11T20:27:00.003+01:00

I was just listening to a talk by Rob Bell* (how holy for a Saturday night?) on the Mars Hill podcast and this section jumped out at me. I instantly nabbed the Mac from a bemused Andy (who was only trying to find a new house for us) to tap it out for you to read.

This could certainly be written about me: how about you?

"For parents, sometimes you'll hear the story: "I'm so concerned about my child, they've gone off on a search; they've left the church; they've gone off and they're reading this speaker or this one," and there's a tear in the parents' eyes. "We raised them, they went to church, they went to Sunday School, they heard all the stories: what's happened?"

I would argue that what happens naturally, developmentally, when you've grown up around a particular faith tradition, is that you've grown up knowing, which is different from knowing.

And so oftentimes, what the search is and what looks like a departure, may actually be the most healthy thing imaginable, because this kid - this adult - may have come to a point of realising that, "I know, but I don't know; and it's not enough for me to just know about, I want to know."

And so sometimes what happens is that the Christian community freaks: "They're reading this, they're exploring this, they're talking about this!" When the Christian tradition should celebrate that this person is not satisfied just to 'know about', they want the full epigonosis** enchillada!

And at the very moment when as Christians, we should celebrate someone who says, "I actually want to know what it is that I believe and I want to live it. And I want to sift and sort and I want to know what's out there, because I want to have an authentic understanding of my own journey and what it means to believe and live in the world." At that moment, the church should be cheering the way because there's no fear.

Instead the church freaks, shuts down and reinforces all of the closed, narrow-minded stereotypes this person has in the first place. Because perhaps what's happening - perhaps - this person has realised that I don't just want to know, I want to know. And we should celebrate that impluse wherever we find it."

* Main speaker at Greenbelt this year - yay!

** Greek term meaning something along the lines of 'super-knowledge' (makes more sense in the context of the rest of the sermon)

Because I'm worth it...

2009-07-08T23:20:00.003+01:00

Pick up any magazine at this time of the year and you'll be sure to find at least one article telling you how you can lose those surplus pounds to look great in your bikini on the beach.*

If, like me, you've had just about enough of feeling crap about your body and eating in crazy, unhealthy ways in order to try and look like a 12 year old, come along to this weeks' Cafe Church where we'll be looking at the whole area of body image and self-esteem.

Highlights include a 'his and hers' interview featuring our very own Rev. Austin for the boys' view, and yours truly giving the no-holds-barred experience of being a girl of the Kate Moss generation.

Why do we spend so long worrying about our appearances? Who gains from our preoccupation with image? Why is beauty considered so much more desirable than other traits? Why can we only start to feel good about ourselves when we look a certain way? And how might God prefer us to think about our self-worth?

Hope to see you all there for more question (and tiffin square**) chewing over.

* Er, what bikini? And what beach?

** Unless you're on said bikini diet, that is.

Sunday rest

2009-07-05T10:30:00.000+01:00

Anyone around this Sunday afternoon for some Sunday afternoon fun?

Thought I'd check who's around before planning the activity. And the picture? Oh, any excuse to show off my beautiful boy.

Engaging with technology

2009-07-01T12:26:00.003+01:00

This weeks' SofaChurch will continue our look at technology and the effects of communications technologies in particular on our lives.

This week we'll be thinking about the more positive sides of new technologies, focussing especially on how, as Christians, we can keep up to date with and exploit newer methods of communication to get some positivity out there.

Hope to see you there.

Dogma

2009-06-22T20:02:00.002+01:00

This weeks' film is Dogma, produced by controversial Catholic producer and film star, Kevin Smith.

(I'll ask Andy what to write about it as my recommendation would be along the lines of: "Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Salma Hayek and Alan Rickman - something for everyone there.")

So, to quote Andy:

"The film is a very irreverant and crude comedy that explores how God and humans relate to each other. It caused an outcry in Christian circles when it was released. It's certainly not for you if you can't tolerate bad language (it's an 18 because of the copious amounts of swearing - sex and violence is fairly minimal)."

Portrait

2009-06-18T17:57:00.001+01:00

Couldn't resist showing you this caricature done of me at a family party the other night - genius, huh?

I'll get a picture of Andy's up here soon too (though he's less than keen: you'll soon see why...)

Railway walk

2009-06-16T10:35:00.004+01:00

This Sunday we'll be wandering along Alsager's beautiful Salt Line railway.

Bring waterproofs, comfy shoes and a picnic tea. We'll meet in the SC room as normal, between 2 and 2.15pm.

(Sorry about this next bit, but you have to do this sort of thing when you're doing a Christian blog post:)

There'll be no sleepers on Sunday afternoon, as we're on track for a sunny weekend. We'll be chuffed to see you all there, but don't forget your snack to chew chew (etc).

cafechurch :: Street Doctor

2009-06-08T20:10:00.000+01:00

On Thursday 11th June we are holding our next cafechurch event at Tesco's Costa Coffee in Crewe. This month our theme is Street Doctor; come and discuss ways of staying healthy and how to lead a balanced life.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SC:Sunday gets Messy

2009-06-08T20:03:00.003+01:00

On Sunday 14^th (this Sunday) we will be having Messy Church for all ages at St Andrew’s Church Hall on Bedford Street in Crewe* 4.00-6.00.

At Messy Church there are craft activities, games, refreshments, worship and a meal together. Great for families to come together with ready made fun!

This time the title is ‘1+1+1=1?’. How can this be right?!? Come along and find out.

Book your tickets in advance – Children 4 years old and over 75p, all 16 and over £1.25. Contact Revd Austin on 01270 215866.

*Instead of meeting in the SC room as we usually do, we'll head directly to St. Andrews Church Hall.

SC:Sunday is a load of rubbish

2009-06-06T13:18:00.006+01:00

Hi all! Just so you know, this Sunday is guaranteed to be a load of rubbish...

The plan is to turn cardboard boxes into something else - literally whatever you fancy. Boxes and a variety of crafty bits will be provided, but if you have any unwanted bits kicking around at home, please do bring them (cans of paint/tester pots/tissue paper/wallpaper/buttons/wrapping paper etc).

If the weather's as bad as it is today, we'll stay in the SC room; if it's too nice to be indoors, we'll head either over to the church field or to our back garden and get creative (and messy - hoorah) there.

Hope you can all come!

Pie Rolling 2009

2009-06-03T21:24:00.002+01:00

The pinnacle of the Cheshire sporting calendar takes place this Saturday - the annual Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes. Please come! if you haven't been before, its a great little village event with Morris Dancers and the like, culminating in a competition where you have to roll a pie the furthest distance down the hill.

Festivities begin at 1pm, first pie rolled by the Mayor at 3pm.

I haven't entered for the last two years but am making a comeback this year. If you would like to enter you need to buy a ticket from the Post office or either pub in Wybunbury. Next step for me is to dust off my wooden practice pie and get to work on my rolling technique...

Is SC like patchwork?

2009-06-03T17:57:00.004+01:00

A piece of patchwork is made from many fabrics that used to be part of bigger pieces of fabric - some sheets, some shirts, others dresses. The best patchworks are made of many different patterns, colours and textures. Although most of the squares are completely different in appearance, in a conventional patchwork each square needs to be exactly the same size.

Patchworking starts small. You kick off by gathering loads of different fabrics that you like and think would work well together.

You cut them into squares, then sew a few of them together to make a long row. Then you do another long row. You sew those two rows together along the long edge. As the rows are sewn together, the patchwork becomes stronger.

As you work, the squares that used to be on the edge of the patchwork gradually move into the centre of the new whole. But that doesn't make them any more important than the new squares arriving on the edges.

One patch on its own is no use at all. It's only when the patches are attached to each other that they complement each other, become beautiful and have the potential to be useful again.

A small patchwork can look lovely as a placemat. A bit more work and it can become a nice tablecloth. A lot of time and effort later you've got a quilt to cover a double bed. All lovely items and very pretty, but each completely different in its appearance and uses.

Some people don't go much for patchwork. Others think it's stunning and spend a fortune buying quilts and cushion covers. Perhaps part of the appeal of patchwork is the sense of history and work behind the finished piece and the stories behind each square - what they used to belong to and how they came to be part of the new whole.

Nantwich pond

2009-05-29T11:33:00.000+01:00

Here's the plan for this Sunday's jaunt: we'll meet at the SC room as normal (between 2 and 2.15pm), then we'll make our way to Nantwich for a ramble along the river and around the pond, ending up at Shrewbridge Road park. There's a good playground for the kids and some lovely willow trees for us to sit under and have a drink and a chat. (Don't forget to bring a drink and snack for you and your family.)

Looking forward to seeing you all then.

Community thoughts

2009-05-29T11:04:00.003+01:00

Hi all. This post may sound incredibly scary, but please read on and don't be too frightened (yet!) These are nothing but very early tentative musings...

I was just listening to Kitty's Disney album, and on it is a song I think from the Piglet's Big Movie, called A Few Good Friends. The lyrics keep 'nudging' at me in a way that sometimes things can do. This is making no sense at all, so I'll explain...

A few years back, Andy and I heard a guy at Greenbelt (I know, I know - enough with Greenbelt) called Tom Sine. He talked about ideas of Christians living in community. To sumarise his ideas (and completely butcher his book, Mustard Seed Versus McWorld) his thinking is that by sharing resources, people stand a better chance of affording housing, having more disposable income to be generous with and don't have to work every hour under the sun to pay huge mortgages leaving no time for voluntary work or fun. The other bonuses of the idea included shared childcare for families and more of a sense of family for singles.

I think the idea is that everyone sells their homes (if they have them), clubs together and buys either the land to build on, or an existing suitable building. Then each family/couple/individual has their own private flat with all the normal rooms in it, but there are areas for the group to share: a common room/lounge, laundry room, garden, veg plot, dining room etc. They might then decide to share use of cars/computers/garden equipment/babysitting services, have a rota for once a week communal meals or whatever they wanted.

I just wondered what everyone's initial reactions were. I'm not suggesting we do this (at least not formally - tee hee). Just putting the idea out there to see what your immediate reactions are.

Go on then - let's be having it. I tend to be quite an idealist, so do be honest and tell me if you think this is plain crazy, stupidly risky and would never, ever work in a million years...

Church sign fail

2009-05-27T19:15:00.001+01:00

Both of these are from failblog.

Television, drug of the nation?

2009-05-27T19:04:00.002+01:00

The week after Atonement we'll discuss television as part of our ongoing reflection on communications technology. Is is a harmless way of relaxing and sharing in a culture, or is it a pernicious way of controlling our minds?

Atonement

2009-05-27T18:43:00.000+01:00

This month's film is Atonement - rating 15. Thursday 28th May, 7.30. As usual, after the film we'll discuss how it can inform our faith.

Canal walk

2009-05-21T13:33:00.002+01:00

This Sunday we're planning to go for a wander along Nantwich canal if the weather's not too bad. We'll gather at the SofaChurch room at 2'ish, then make our way there at about 2.15pm. After the walk, we'll head back to the room for a cuppa until 4.30/5pm. Hopefully the weather will be a bit brighter than it was last Sunday!

BTW, if the weather is terrible on any of the Sundays, we'll stay in the SofaChurch room and either play board games together or Andy will organise some fun running-about type games in the hall for the kids (and big kids) while we natter.

Going Public in Private

2009-05-18T18:55:00.004+01:00

This week as part of our communications technology theme we'll listen to a really interesting Greenbelt talk by John Bell of the Iona Community. He goes into various issues of relevance to us in our journey, it is highly recommended listening. Please join us if you can. If you cannot I can lend you a CD, or you can buy an MP3 recording of the talk here for £2.

As manifest in me-centred worship and the mobile phone, our inner selves are now fodder for public consumption. What are the pros and cons of psychological and spiritual nudity?

Communications technology discipleship tasks

2009-05-16T19:17:00.000+01:00

Here are the challenges for out new theme - how communications technologies can enhance and detract from our journey of faith. I hope that there is something here to grab you all. No obligation, of course, but it would be great if as many people as possible have a go.

1. Have a technology fast. Give up some form of technology that you might be a little bit addicted to, and see if God talks to you in the gap. What that means will vary from person to person. It could mean no TV for three months. It could mean no email after 6pm. It could mean no mobile phone for weekend. It would be great to hear how you found it.

2. Create some silent time and space to meditate on these Bible verses:
1 Kings 19:11-14
Luke 5:15
Psalm 4:4

3. Try out a new form of communication technology in worship. Make a Nooma video. Make a video-link with another church. Podcast SofaChurch. Start twittering.

4. Write down your reflections and make a pledge to do something differently with regards to your use of communications technology.

With all of this, again we aim to publish the responses as a way of marking the progress we've made.

In the mean time, please post your thoughts, ideas, tips, resources on the blog so that we can share our ideas.

All that Jazz!!

2009-05-13T19:21:00.000+01:00

On Thursday 14 May we are holding our next cafechurch event at Tesco's Costa Coffee in Crewe. This month we are having a Jazz evening, with a live performance from our very own Geoff Etherton. There will of course be the usual table quiz and interviews, but also plenty of opportunity to simply chat over your favourite Costa beverage with friends and maybe even sample a slice of cake (Jo and Chocs heartily recommend the Coffee and Walnut!)

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SofaChurch:Sundays

2009-05-13T19:11:00.003+01:00

Hi all

Our SofaChurch:Sundays plans kick off this Sunday for anyone who's free.

We're awaiting permission to meet up in the SofaChurch room for future outings, so for this time we'll meet up at our house (email us if you don't have the address) between 2 and 2.15pm. We'll decide on the day what we fancy doing, as the weather might influence our plans.

Spread the word, and hope to see you all then for a companionable and joyful (if not terribly peaceful) Sunday afternoon.

SofaChurch:Sundays

2009-05-05T20:33:00.002+01:00

Farm vists. Canal walks. Museums. Rounders. Barbecues. Decorating. Hill walks. Messy church. Gardening.

An idea I would like to run by everyone is having a weekly mid-afternoon get together on Sunday afternoons, suitable for all ages.

What do you think?

New theme -Communications technology

2009-05-03T18:34:00.003+01:00

For our next three-month theme we will look at aspects of technology such as television, mobile phones and the internet and examining if they are enhancing or damaging our spiritual discipleship. This week (7th May) we'll start it off by coming up with the specific focusses and deciding on the tasks.

Photography

2009-04-25T10:32:00.006+01:00

Since this month is a five Thursday month we're having a bonus creative evening. Since it's going to be lovely and sunny* I thought we'd do some photography outside. Bring a camera if you have one (digital or film - doesn't need to be anything special) and computer connecting lead, I'll get together some gear too. No particular skills or knowledge required!

*in our hearts, not meant to imply any weather foreknowledge.

Update - the results can be seen here.

We had three themes to cover:
Beauty in the everyday
Contentment
The dying church

Greenbelt 2009

2009-04-24T11:19:00.006+01:00

Let's all go!*

It's over August Bank Holiday weekend (28th - 31st August) and tickets are 15% cheaper if you get them before April 30th.

Good stuff this year includes Rob Bell, Tim Hughes, John Bell, Doug Horley (for the littlies) and The Band With No Name (for the bigger littlies). There may also be some women there.

If you've not been before, let me describe my Greenbelt to you. It's a time to kick back in a field and get a bit scruffy. A time to breathe in lungfuls of air and forget your to-do lists, as you listen to words and tunes that make you remember what's important and what's really not. It's a time to eat cheesy crepes with greasy fingers and feel the sun (and rain) on your face. Best of all, it's a time to experience the huge relief of discovering that there are hundreds of people who think just like you do.

For more info, visit the Greenbelt website.

*If money is an issue but you and/or your family would like to come, drop us an email and we'll come up with some sort of cunning plan...

Juno

2009-04-19T15:57:00.002+01:00

This month's film is Juno - a comedy about a teenager who gets pregnant. It is supposed to be very engaging and life-affirming. Thursday 23rd April, 7.30.

Low Sunday

2009-04-19T15:02:00.001+01:00

From Maggi Dawn:

It's Low Sunday. One week on from Easter. Traditionally the day when we remember Thomas, the disciple who doubted.

It isn't true, but many in the Church seem to believe that doubt is the antithesis of faith. In fact, the opposite of faith is not doubt, but unbelief.

"Dubious questioning", wrote Coleridge, "is a much better evidence than that senseless deadness which most take for believing. People that know nothing...have no doubts. Never be afraid to doubt, if only you have the disposition to believe, and doubt in order that you may end in believing the truth."

Money discipleship challenge

2009-04-19T11:04:00.005+01:00

I have a plan. And as as an ex-'shopaholic', it's an exciting one.

You know the U2 song 'Beautiful Day'? There's a line in it that goes, "What you don't have, you don't need it now." Well, my plan for this challenge is to stop shopping for crap I don't need. Because if I'm honest, I probably do have everything I need by now.

I've been on my new 'not-shopping-for-crap-I-don't-need' regime for a few weeks now and it's really rather nice. Instead of mooching around shops, I'm finding all sorts of other things to do with my time. Kitty and I are exploring the local area, checking out new playgrounds and watching grazing bullocks. We've been snooping round derelict houses and collecting shells and pine cones. We've planted seeds and watched bulldozers in action. I've found bits for the garden on Freecycle and paid visits to people I've not seen for a while.

And I've decided to just forget fashion; I'm too old to keep up these days anyway. The plan is to buy the clothes I need, only when I need them. (Hopefully M&S will start selling Fairtrade versions of my staple boys uniform polo shirts soon.)

Anyone else got a money resolution to share?

Discipleship celebration meal

2009-04-13T10:22:00.004+01:00

This Thursday is the end of our money discipleship theme. The plan is to mark the end with a celebratory act of worship together to commit all that we have done, thought about and pledged to God.

(I am somewhat reluctant to use the word 'celebration' considering the incredibly hard time that many of us have been through this year. I am not thinking of celebration in a brainless 'everything is blissful and if you disagree we'll pray for you' that many of us will recognise from other churches that we have been involved with. Easter reminds us that life can and will be a mixture of wonderful moments mixed in with brutal sadness. We can, however, celebrate the occasional glimpses of hope that we can see in the middle of awful situations. God will redeem this messed-up world, and we can celebrate this bigger picture with faith. And if any of us do not have enough faith at the moment then maybe the rest of us can hold them up.)

I'm open to suggestions, but my current idea is to have three aspects to the evening.

First, if everyone could bring along what they have done with the four tasks. We can display the arty ones and collect the text ones together, and I can hopefully get the book together for a couple of weeks' time.

Second is cooking and eating a meal together, using ingredients that are cheap and either local or fair-trade. I've got this in mind followed by a chocolate tart. I think I know how to get hold of ethical ingredients for these. If anyone wants to to help get the ingredients please let me know, otherwise I'm happy to get them. Bring your pasta makers if you have them!

We will finish with something to commit ourselves as disciples and share what we are going to do differently (task four).

We can also discuss what our next theme will be!

Please pass any comments or suggestions my way.

PS It would be great if people could prioritise this evening over other SofaChurch meetings - I'm not saying that you must all come, but if you only come to, say, one in four please try and make this the one! Simply because it would be lovely to have your company.

Pink thinking

2009-04-01T19:57:00.005+01:00

Hi friends. I've just read an inspiring interview with openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson in Third Way magazine and after enthusing to Andy about it, he suggested I share my thoughts with you here.

I've thought a lot about the issue of homosexuality within the church, as I have a friend who is a vicar's daughter who has struggled with homosexual tendancies for all of her adult life. I've always been unsure what my view is on the issue. When you've been brought up in an evangelical home, it's sometimes hard to work out which of your feelings are inspired by a 'Godly' sense of what's right and wrong, and which are just the church's views that you've unthinkingly swallowed.

But after reading the interview with Mr. Robinson, I've decided where I fall on the issue. And it's a good feeling to have reached a conclusion that sits so comfortably with me.

You can read the interview here. As the interview is available online, I don't think Third Way will mind me reproducing below the bits of the interview that particularly struck me.

Q. What do you say to opponents of your ordination who say you have departed from both scripture and tradition?

(Heavily edited!) A. ...What I would say is that we have been guilty over the centuries of making life harder for a lot of people, whether it be the mentally ill, the left-handed, women or children or whatever; and I think we are simply in the process of seeing the error of our ways and correcting a misunderstanding.

Q. Are there other sexual practices we now regard as being forbidden by scripture but which in 20 or 30 years’ time we may find acceptable?

A. No, I don’t think so. I am committed to monogamy and faithfulness in relationships. Some would argue, ‘Oh my God! If we give in on this, the next thing is we’ll be having threesomes and foursomes and sex with animals and children.’ That is absolutely absurd. No one is saying that anything goes. What we are saying is that faithful, monogamous, lifelong, intentioned relationships don’t always have to be with the opposite sex.

Q. Would you agree that this is a very serious issue? If you’re right, your opponents are guilty of placing unnecessary burdens on people; but if they are right, you are guilty of encouraging people to feel comfortable about adopting a sinful way of life.

A. They would argue that I am walking away from God by doing the opposite of what God wants and that I will pay an eternal price for it. I guess it’s important to say that I am so sure of God’s love that I am literally betting my eternal life on it.

I love that: 'betting his eternal life on it'! Fantastic.

Two things have helped me reach my position on this. The first happened when Andy and I got together. We'd been dating for a few months, he living in Southampton and me in Reading. We'd reached the point where we wanted to be nearer geographically, so I went down one weekend and made appointments to look at flats.

We looked at several, all overpriced and nasty. (At one memorable viewing, I asked the landlord about a hole I spotted in the bedroom wall; my mind was made up when he explained that his room was just the other side of the wall...) The idea that I might move into Andy's flat dropped into our heads. But living together pre-marriage, whether we shared a bed or not, didn't sit at all happily with my (then!) good girl Christian sensibilities. I thought God would be against the idea. Not to mention my parents, who I assumed wouldn't agree to it in a month of Sundays.

But time passed, and I felt peaceful about the idea. It felt okay with both of us; my parents were really happy with the idea of me being safe and looked after; Andy's church were fine with it. Looking back, I see that our relationship pre-marriage was a matter for us and God and no one else. What the church had drummed into me about pre-marital flat-shares, may not necessarily have been God's view on it.

The second thing to make me wonder happened recently. As you know, Kitty suffers from flares of eczema. I went into her room the other morning after hearing that she'd woken up to find her covered in blood. She'd worked the sleeves of her sleepsuit up over her elbows so that she could claw the itchy skin on her arms to the point that the skin was grazed and bloody. As I looked down into the cot, and she looked up at me with wide solemn eyes, I was aware that she expected to be told off; she knew she shouldn't have scratched and that I didn't like her doing it.

But of course I didn't tell her off; I love her. It's not her fault she has eczema that itches. I picked her up and cuddled her as normal. Without her noticing, I gently tugged her sleeves back over her arms, ignoring the bloody stains.

It occurred to me that that's how God feels about my sin. He understands that I have scratches that need itching. Perhaps in a perfect world we'd all be straight, but we're not in a perfect world and God knows that. We get eczema; we itch. And I'm convinced that he understands when we can't resist scratching those itches. Maybe it's not the end of the world to him either, because he's so much bigger and grace-full than we can get our heads around.

Jesus of Montreal

2009-03-19T18:44:00.003Z

Our next film will be Jesus of Montreal - I must confess that I haven't seen it yet, but I have heard amazing things about it, it has a very SofaChurch philosophy apparently. It is an 18 and is in French with subtitles, just to warn you.

Money discipleship task - write a household budget

2009-03-15T16:49:00.001Z

Make a household budget (not including absolute amounts of money, but percentages).

On Thursday 19th March Nan Watson will be leading a little workshop on budgeting. Nan gives financial advice at the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Potatoes

2009-03-15T16:40:00.003Z

Here's a complete list of all of the things I've grown in my life:

1. Cress on cotton wool in Primary school

Percy Thrower I am not. But I decided to set myself a challenge today to grow some new potatoes. So I've bought some seed potatoes, dug in some compost and planted a few.

If anyone else would like to join me on this agricultural odyssey I'd appreciate the company! I have some spare seed potatoes I'll bring along on Thursday that anyone can have. I am clearly no expert, but I think you just need a smallish patch of soil or a pot. Maybe a nearby roundabout? Dig in! (sorry)

Chewing Over the Credit Crunch

2009-03-02T12:21:00.007Z

Our next session of cafechurch is on Thursday 12 March 2009 at Tesco's Costa Coffee. We will be exploring together the impact of the current financial crisis on our lives. The 'expert witness' for the evening will be Joe Watson from Crewe's Credit Union.

First drinks will be on sale at 6.45pm and last drinks at 8pm.

This is a very salient topic at the moment, as many of us are being affected by it. It may also be a popular talking point at work, with neighbours and also friends. So why not bring them along!!!

Hope to see you there!

Film Night - Prince Caspian

2009-02-23T00:02:00.000Z

Thursday 26th February will be a film night taking in the brilliant Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian.

Seeing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe first is not essential, but may help introduce the characters and concepts.

Prince Caspian stands alone well as a good film with much theologising to be done for those so inclined.

It's also two and a half hours long - so a 7:45pm start would be recommended. Certificate PG - so children would be welcome - but a late finish due to length.

Amish

2009-02-21T09:41:00.003Z

Emily talked at SofaChurch the other night about a programme on the Amish people called Trouble in Amish Paradise.

Andy and I watched it last night and found it fascinating. It threw up all sorts of questions for me, regarding God's provision to faithful people, how we show our love by our actions and how we choose to think about money, possessions and lifestyle in the thick of consumerist culture.

Above all, it struck me that here was a young family (who any of us might be friends with), trying to make sense of what the Bible says within the context of their upbringings and in a world that shouts very different messages. Not unlike us, perhaps?

SofaChurch:Share

2009-02-20T09:33:00.005Z

One great idea that has come up from our discussions on money is that we should set up a list of objects and talents that we would be prepared to share with the group. This would hopefully save money (it might prevent us from having to buy an item that we need) and would also be a good means of being generous to each other.

I think that the best way of making this list is to create an online spreadsheet using google.docs - this would allow us all to access this file and read it, add to it, search it etc. I've created a basic framework for this and will add my stuff to it later on. I've sent an email to everyone I have addresses for with an invite; if I have accidentally missed anyone please let me know.

Please dive in and add anything that you would be prepared to share with the group - could be anything from baking a cake to lending a circular saw!

Of course, when you are on the receiving end you have a duty to respect the equipment and look after it and return it when you agreed to in the condition you borrowed it.

Tough money questions to ponder...

2009-02-19T18:15:00.006Z

These are based on the brainstorm we had two weeks ago. Please feel free to add to this list and to share your thoughts in the comments.

Rich v. poor

* How do we get away with ignoring Jesus’ commands to give away our coats, sell everything we own, etc?
* Does God want everyone in the world brought up to our level or does he want the rich brought down a bit too?
* How can we justify spending thousands of pounds on our cars, when that amount of money can save thousands of lives in a poorer country? If we could see starving children next to the car in the showroom, would we think differently?
* Regarding the poor, are we guilty of ‘bed-bug thinking’? (ie. we all know that they’re there, but we prefer not to ponder the issue.)
* Is a British child’s life worth more than a Zimbabwean child’s life, for example?

What the Bible says about money

* It could be argued that tithing is an excellent discipline. In what ways might the tithing principal fall short?
* Jesus told us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat/drink/wear. How easy is that to do when you are severely cash-strapped? Does God provide?
* Hearing of others’ generosity in their giving can be inspiring and can encourage us to re-think our lifestyle. But Jesus says that when giving, our left hand shouldn’t know what the right is doing. Can it ever be okay to talk frankly about our giving?
* Does God communicate to us about money? How? Does He talk in exact figures?

The early church

* Should we be more like the early church in having everything in common and giving to whoever is in need? What difficulties might arise from this?
* How radically are we called to live?

Wealth within the established church

* Would Jesus be happy with the amount of money we spend running our church buildings?
* What changes could we make to the way things are currently done?

Ethical buying

* What items can we easily buy ethically?
* How can we shop for clothing ethically without breaking the bank?
* Can you shop ethically on a tight budget?
* Which is the most important pressure: to be green or to support the people involved in manufacture?
* Is it better to buy quality items that will last longer even though they are more expensive? Should Christians therefore be interested in changing fashions?

Materialism

* When did the cult of materialism take hold, historically?
* What are the differences between our generations’ attitudes to money and those of people of the older generation? What has happened to cause the shift in attitudes?
* What are your buying weak spots? How do you hope spending in these areas will make you feel? Does it work?
* Do we ever reach the point where we have enough stuff?

Advertising pressures

* What strategies do advertisers use?
* Do you think adverts still work now we’re all so media-savvy?
* Should Christians de-face adverts?
* Should Christians expose themselves to the pressure of adverts, either on TV or in magazines?

Greed

* Wesley decided early on in his life how much money he needed to live, then gave the rest away. As his income increased, he lived on the same amount, and was able to give more away. If we were attempting the same thing, how might we be tempted to break this rule?
* What sort of possessions that belong to others might we covet?
* What luxuries would you find it hard to give up?
* How much is our perception of what we need influenced by the belongings and lifestyles of our contemporaries?

Prosperity gospel

* Why is this so popular?
* What should we do about it?
* In what ways can ‘prosperity thinking’ influence our thinking at times?

Being responsible with money

* Is it ever okay to borrow money as a Christian?
* Is being in debt a problem with God?
* What do we do if our lifestyle is more expensive than our income?
* Should we help someone out of debt if their bad choices have got them into trouble in the first place?

Gambling

* Is it ever okay for Christians to gamble? (e.g stockmarket, lottery, dog racing, sweepstakes, raffles.)

Government’s role (lending etc)

* How do you think the government should respond to the current financial crisis?

Happiness

* What is it that makes us happy - the act of purchasing or the acquisition of something that we want?
* What are the issues for Christians in indulging in retail therapy?
* Is there a level of wealth below which you cannot be happy?

Time

* “Time is money”. How far is this true?

Sharing talents within the group

* What are some of the practical issues that arise from planning to do this?

Money discipleship task - the challenge

2009-02-18T14:19:00.003Z

Think and write about how you can be a better Christian in the way you buy things. Suggested word limit of 500 words.

Money discipleship task - reconstructing an advert

2009-02-18T14:12:00.003Z

Make or re-make an advert that tries to reverse the message of normal advertising (you need more stuff, this product will make you happier, more attractive...)

You might like to look here for inspiration - adbusters.org

Money discipleship task - Bible study

2009-02-18T13:02:00.001Z

Matthew 6 - explore what this passage means to us today, especially the money related bits! Suggested word limit of 1000 words.

You can read the text online here in the NRSV version, which is my personal favourite.

Other (more right-wing!) translations can be found here

I have some commentary books which people are welcome to borrow.

Please feel free to share any thoughts, questions or resources in the comments.

cafechurch launch

2009-02-12T12:30:00.006Z

On Thursday 12 February 2009, cafechurch is officially launched in Crewe. This is a new SofaChurch initiative and will be happening each month. Our first session is entitled "Love actually... is all around" when we will be exploring the changing face of relationships within contemporary society.

All are welcome to come along to Tesco's Costa Coffee from 6.45pm until 8pm: a chance to chat over current topics from a faith perspective, informally and over a tasty cuppa.

Hope to see you there!

Discipleship theme - Money

2009-02-06T13:44:00.004Z

For the next three months we'll be exploring how we should deal with money as disciples of Jesus.

There are four set tasks, and a selection of extra things that you can contribute. We will discuss these in meetings, and through the blog, and in any other ways that you wish to arrange. Remember that absolutely everyone is welcome to take part, not just those who made the first session. There is no compulsion, though - feel free to join in with as many or as few as you can (though please make the fourth one a priority) Where possible, and with your permission, we will collate the responses and publish them in a little book. If you could have things to me by April 2nd that would be great.

I'll create a new blog post for each of these tasks so that we can add comments and share thoughts, questions and resources.

Bible study - Matthew 6 - explore what this passage means to us today. Suggested word limit of 1000 words.

Creative task - make an advert that tries to reverse the message of normal advertising (you need more stuff, this product will make you happier, more attractive...)

Practical task - write a household budget (not including absolute amounts of money, but percentages)

Challenge - think and write about how you can be a better Christian in the way you buy things. Suggested word limit of 500 words.

First theme

2009-01-30T19:52:00.000Z

With the new framework (as Tim neatly puts it) we will be considering a challenging theme together for three months or so, designed to make us think about how we choose to live deliberately as disciples of Jesus.

But where do we start?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on the topic you think would be the best to kick this all off so I can prepare some resources and so others can get things together too. Then we can spend the evening of the 5th February deciding on the scope of the tasks we'll work on.

The ideas so far are...

Status anxiety: importance of appearance, snobbery, self esteem, wanting to be respected
Money: responding to the recession, budgeting, world poverty
Communications technology: making our private lives public, virtual worlds, addiction
Environment: reducing carbon emissions, cutting waste
Relationships: society, friendship, sex, abstinence, homosexuality
Materialism: values, advertising, greed, shopping addiction, gadgets
Food: ethical sourcing, food miles, growing, chemicals, excess, fellowship, communion

Homer, Cartman and Bob Part 3: God, The Devil and Bob

2009-01-28T09:00:00.000Z

The last Thursday of January 2009 (29th) wraps up the God 'n' cartoons series with God, The Devil and Bob.

Take a series dealing with a raft of moral and theological issues, put it into accessible language and characters, and it gets dropped by the TV networks after only three episodes are aired. Had their names been Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie the story of the show would have been different.

God, The Devil and Bob should be compulsory in Religious Education classes in my opinion, as it puts some really important basics of belief and morality across with quite a punch.