Cars

Details on IMDB.

The story of a racing car rookie who is likely to win the most prestigious trophy in his sport, and be the first rookie ever to do so. This is Pixar animation at its best, unfortuneately its also creepingly disney. By which I mean its overly sentimental and moralising. I've heard a review that said its a film for eight year old boys and the love interest was tacked on to gain a wider audience. Maybe, but its a seamless addition, if its an addition at all. this is a less punchy film than I've come to expect from Pixar, have they lost their edge? No, if nothing else stay for the credits and watch them - that's more like it! There are some good jokes in the film and they are nicely set in the story, I particularly liked the tractors.

Overall its watchable, but not nearly as funny as I was expecting.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Details on IMDB.

There is a plot outline on IMDB, read it if you must, but the plot is not the main reason for seeing this file. The story is darker than the first, but nevertheless great fun and very funny - people were laughing loudly in a very packed cinema. We had to see the second showing after the one we intended to - it's so popular. Worth the wait - YES!

Johnny Depp is now really good at this character - the way he walks, talks, and 'over-acts' as Captain Jack Sparrow is brilliant. There are some excellent 'cartoon' jokes - Jack tied to a pole, and escaping is worth seeing again and again. There are no lines to match "not impossible - just improbable", but the there are plenty of complex statements for our Captain as he lies and cheats and runs away, all to a good ending. Its fast paced fun almost all the way through as each of the characters pursues his or her own aim, with the compass coming to their aid when they're not sure what they really want. Don't expect any surprises there, if you saw the last one the personal relationships will be no surprise at all.

There are some impressive special effects too, the wheel being the most obviously impressive. The black pearl, moored on the beach did actually look real, so if that was blue screen it really was VERY well done. Davy Jones and his crew are also impressive, as is their ship, but I can't believe enough water was displaced when is goes under. Watch that scene carefully and see if you agree.

So to the actors - Johnny Depp easily gets a brilliant, as you will have already guessed. Was Orlando Bloom (Will Turner) wooden - no, but perhaps a little too earnest. Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann) was at her best when pretending to be a boy on the ship, as 'love interest' she was just a bit too obvious. Jack Davenport (Norrington) - belligerent, dark, and evil - but too small a part really. Bill Nighy (Davy Jones), suitably over dressed and somewhat understated, straying into the realms of a Dr Who monster - should have been scary but never quite made it.

Excellent - go see...

Oh nearly forgot the cliff hanger - but no more on that!

The Provocative Church

The Provocative Church
Graham Tomlin
SPCK
ISBN 0-281 05476-2
The book at Amazon.co.uk

This is another book I have to read for my training course. Its is such a good title, I've always believe that the church should be noticeable, challenging, and something that people would look at and like or dislike. Jesus was not the sort of person people ignored – so His church should be like Him. With expectations nicely set I open the book. The first chapter is about evangelism. Hmmm, not quite what I was expecting, but interesting nevertheless. The book continues, with chapters like “King the Kingdom, the Book” and “Evangelism makes me feel guilty” and “Transforming communities”. Its all good common sense stuff, it reminds me of lots of the things I thought Christianity should be when I was first a Christian. There's lots more, and one or two practical examples as well. Most importantly this book comes across as open and honest. For example "Digging beneath the surface of many even apparently successful churches, it doesn't take long to discover a common feeling that our Christianity occupies a parallel universe from the rest of our lives. And the effect on evangelism is huge, as it eventually leaves Christians bored, frustrated and going through the motions. And if that's all Christian life is, then out of kindness to their non-Christian friends, they quietly ignore all the well-intentioned pleas to bring them to church." That of course is not what Christian life should be. Christian life should be different, and the hows and whys are both discussed. So if you really don't want to live a 'provocative' life – or at least be made to think about why and how – then leave this book on the shelf.

Otherwise I recommend you pick it up and read it, go on give it a try.....

Reader Training - Weekend away.

We travelled to St. Marks college to spend the weekend studying and practicing the Pastoral Cycle. Its a tool for understanding issues or problems, and coming towards a resolution, or maybe agreeing that there is no resolution. We were put in groups of four and asked to present an issue. the facilitator helped us to use the cycle on the issue. To do it four times may seem like overkill, indeed thats what I thought at lunchtime. In the second two sessions the process became almost automatic, and the facilitator had to spend less time and effort guiding us. Each session was followed by a break, or a meal. This gave us time to rest our brains. Concentrating that intensely for seventy five minutes is quite tiring. We now have a basic understanding of the tool, and hopefully will be able to use it at some stage before we forget what we have learned.

The training was very good, the facilitator for my group was very capable, and insightful. The overall management of the weekend was pretty good too. The food was nice, if a little old fashioned. The time set aside for 'free' time was useful, and the weather was brilliant. The film shown on the Saturday evening "Sideways" was OK, a nice little story of a couple of teenagers (in their thirties probably) finally beginning to grow up. A number of people said the wine snobbery thing was a bit annoying, some people just drank wine. Personally I think being annoyed by that was part of the film - teenage obsessions are annoying!

What didn't I like? The accomodation. St Marks is designed for children. Sharing a room as an adult is a different ball game altogether, and is something that everyone seemed unhappy with. I had a really poor nights sleep on Friday. The curtains don't close properly, the stairs (which were almost a ladder) have an automatic light, that detected all movement updtairs and switched on the light. So I turned over, and on came the light! I covered the PIR on Saturday, so no light. The bed was also too short, and very uncomfortable. The choice of date was also less than ideal. Some of the participants have young children, and Sunday was Fathers Day in England.

Article for "Spotlight" Christ Church's monthly magazine - June 2006, during the interregnum

Last summer Jo and I spent a week in Norfolk. I got it into my head that I would like to visit some of the round tower churches, they are scattered throughout Norfolk, with some in Suffolk also. It was a very interesting time wandering around the different buildings during the week, looking for evidence of the congregation and the worship at the church. Some were quite sad, 'moth-balled' churches with the buildings and grounds protected, but no active worshippers. We looked at the gravestones for 'Fisher' as well, as we suspect my family may be from the area originally. I wonder what those people thought the future of their church would be? Some of the churches had, very obviously, a large and active congregation. At one there was a notice on the door, which was locked unfortunately, that said the bishop had just agreed to them continuing without a vicar for the next five years. It started me thinking, back in the summer before I had started training, how a church could operate without a vicar for that long. One suggestion I have heard is that there is a very strong Reader, who leads the congregation vicar-like, so that the model is unchanged. A more exciting idea is that the congregation are involved and take responsibility for all the various aspects of the life of the church as their gifts allow. God, we believe, will provide all their needs (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:27-29), so there will be a unique mix of gifted people, all working together, and all the requirements will be met.

This church is in my thoughts for two reasons. The first is common to us all. – Christ Church does not have a vicar, Paul has moved on, and the new person is only just confirmed. It means that a lot of things that we used to rely on are now having to be done by others. I have been very pleased, and give thanks and praise to God, for the number of people who have been willing to take on new (or old) things, and 'help out' in the gap. We've even managed a church weekend away. Of course, all of the things that people are doing is not really just 'helping out',– it's really exercising your God given gifts, for the good of the church (1 Peter 4:10). The other reason is unique to me, in my first year of Reader training. I am in the process of preparing the Ministry assignment. We have to consider what it means to be a Reader, what effect it has on our Ministry, and how that might change in the future. One of the assigned books is "“Bridging the Gap" - it means between the clergy and the people (laity), and it is a very interesting book, but that's not where I see Christ Church. "The Ministry Team Handbook"” takes things much further, and talks about Ministry Leadership Teams, a model for church much more like the one we have - with Cogs having responsibility for each of their specific areas. Reading Don's article in April reminded me of some of the things we used to do. As a new Christian I didn't know that what was happening was in any way unusual but, looking back and getting a wider exposure to some other churches, I think it was quite remarkable. It didn't always work of course -– I remember Peter Sandberg asking my girl friend (Josephine Leaver) and I to lead prayers and us both making a complete mess of it because we weren't properly prepared. I remember a CYFA service that Graeme Knibbs and the team put together, that was barely halfway through by 8pm! The evening congregation was very tolerant, and we didn't keep anyone until 9:30. We were forgiven and invited back to have another go! These things happened over 20 years ago, and I'm still learning about my gifts and my Ministry, and I expect you are too. (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6)

The Da Vinci Code - The Film

Just a short review, because I'm well behind with all my work. I have to say that even though I'd read the book and watched some of the 'de-bunking' programs, I still enjoyed the film. The now famous line about needing a library in a hurry works in the context of the film. Dan Browns story is reproduced well, and the sense of urgency throughout is maintained. An enjoyable tale and well worth the visit. Having said that the film and the book suffer from the same problem. The conclusion is easily guessed, from well before the end. There is also a sense that there should somehow be a twist that just isn't there, so right at the end I felt somehow cheated.

Lets remember its a story, a well woven tale, made of various myths and neatly a cleverly stitched together. That's all - just a story. Its not a documentary, or docu-drama, just a story. So why all the fuss. Well the story undermines the Christian Bible - so I can understand people finding it offensive. Jesus did not take Mary as His wife, Mary did not bear Jesus' child, and most certainly did not end her life in France. Jesus did give His life to save mankind from sin and ultimate destruction. Jesus did rise from the dead to 'prove' what He had done. Jesus did ascend into heaven. Now you know where I stand, why all the fuss. Well its just like the Moslems and the cartoons of Allah. Some people just take their life too seriously - relax and learn to laugh at things instead of becoming so up tight. This story is so unlikely to stop anyone coming to faith, but the people who are demonstrating and protesting just possibly might....

Christ Church weekend away

I'm going to post all my comments etc. here, and will update it as we get closer.
http://www.cct.org.uk/highleigh/

Thursday 11 May
The weekend starts here!!
I have picked up the mini bus for the church weekend. Its another level up in technology from anything I've driven before. It is diesel and automatic which is also a new combination for me, the automatic is also button driven, which is another first. Fortunately it has a steering wheel, a throttle pedal, and a brake pedal - these I know about! To start it you have to have you foot on the brake pedal before you turn the key. That slowed me down quite a bit. When I got home it was too long to park outside the house, so its parked down the road. I'll get a picture for you sceptics later.

I finished work early (ish), and have enjoyed working from home on this lovely day. I have lots to do, and Jo is asking where the directions are. I have lots of other little things to prepare and almost the whole of tomorrow to do it in.

Friday 12 May
What a foolish person, to set out assuming that I knew where I was going and the the map, which showed the whole route in a 5cm square, would be adequate. The M25 was a car park – especially at the junction of the A10. The exits was closed, so we had to go on to the next junction and back through the jam on the other side!. On nearing the conference centre I realised that the directions we had came from somewhere else! “Quite by chance” we happened on the right road and followed the directions to the centre without further incident.

There was a small amount of time to walk around the grounds, and sit in silence – proper silence. Silence you can hear! Simon and Garfunkel were right!

Friday 12 May – Evening Meeting.
Philippians 2:1-18

The reading for the evening- Philippians 2 again (4^th time in about 6 weeks I've been asked to read it, or study it). Steven talked about the Philippians being split, some wanting to go backward towards Judaism, and others wanting to go forward, leaving the physical behind and pursuing the spiritual only. This passage is Paul's antidote to both of those approaches. There was of course lots more to this, but I was trying to get into the spirit of things, take notes, observe the church, and was thinking of those I'd left behind. Here are some other good one liners that I recorded. Oh yes, and trying to spot the matches and contradictions to the sermon I preached last week.

We are not always thankful for everything, but we are always thankful for God

Its how we deal with each other when we disagree

Stephens wife then gave us the story of how she met with Jesus.

Share your story we were told. I didn't; I wonder who did?

Reflection

A good start, everyone appreciates Stephens leadership style, and his easy going personal approach to preaching. I wanted to speak, I felt I had loads to say, but I had a job to do. The reading – and that was all.

Saturday 13 May AM

Joshua 3:14-17

Crossing the Jordan on dry land to take possession of the promise.

There are two ways to react to this passage

“thats not my experience of water:
it doesn't do that
or
isn't God great."

Genesis answers the question “Why are things the way they are today”. This is remarkably

similar to the first Christian studies course I did some 12-13 years ago. It's a helpful approach, you can bet the author didn't have 20^th century physics in mind when he wrote the words.

Joshua 4:1-9
12 men, 12 stones.

The stones are there to prompt the question “What do these stones mean?” so that we can tell the story of Joshua and his entry in the promised land.

There's loads more, but not time to write it just now.... check bak later