Andi Swift

More than Gold

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:50:00 +0000

More than Gold – Creative & Performing Arts

SJI is the lead agency for the Creative and Performing Arts activities that will be part of More than Gold, the UK Church’s response for the London 2012 Olympics.

The 2012 Olympics gives the UK church an unprecedented opportunity to engage with contemporary culture. More than Gold aims to harness the creativity of the Church, to connect with people around the 2012 Games.
The Creative and Performing Arts team will give local churches and national Christian arts groups an opportunity to serve in the context of mission initiatives including Community festivals and Hospitality Centres.

How can performers and artists get involved?

More Than Gold is producing a list of performers and artists for local churches to book. Those who would like to be included should contact joydacosta@morethangold.org.uk
We are also working on a booking process for international performers. Artists who want to know when this process is ready should contact joydacosta@morethangold.org.uk

How your church can use performers or artists

The ways you can use creative arts to engage with your community include:

1. Buy tickets for the following events

Saltmine Theatre Company will tour with In Their Shoes – a collaboration with a Muslim Theatre Company. The theme is it’s possible to get along with others in spite of our differences. And focuses on a pair of sports trainers the Muslim (Stripe) and Christian (Spot) that neighbours are fighting over. Ideal for primary schools and all age community events. Details at Saltmine Theatre Company
Lantern Arts Centre will tour with their version of Dangerous Jouney. In celebration of 2012 Games, the team has revised the classic Bunyan play based on one man’s race. With music by Paul Field, this production is relevant for all ages. Details at Lantern Arts Centre
Riding Lights tour nationally between March and June 2012 with Monsieur de Coubertin’s Magnificent Opymlic© Feat! It goes back to the roots of the modern Games, bringing together the company’s church-linked audience with a new audience of people passionate about sport. Do download full details on a PDF click here. Those interesting in hosting should contact mailto:jessica.lawson@rltc.org?subject=Riding%20Lights%20-%20Monsieur%20de%20Coubertin%E2%80%99s%20Magnificent%20Opymlic%C2%A9%20Feat!
Act 4 have Star Citizen 2012, a record breaking interactive games show for primary schools, community groups and churches. It connects with the 2012 Games by encouraging children to reach for their potential. Details at Act 4

2. Book artists for local events
Click here for the a list of musicians, comedians and theatre groups you could book for your local events in the UK
3. Book international artists
Up to 1,000 performers may be coming from overseas to serve churches free of charge. Priority will be given to churches in host cities and towns including those with official Live Sites.
Churches interested in hosting international guests should contact joydacosta@morethangold.org.uk

Pentecost Festival - 18-27th May

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:54:00 +0000

http://www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/programme-now-available/

Pentecost Festival is a Christian led festival based in London. It is co-coordinated by registered charity, Share Jesus International(SJI) in partnership with Christian Aid and various churches and Christian organisations across the UK. Pentecost Festival is the largest Christian led festival in London and will be running from the 18^th-27^th May 2012 across central London venues. It attracts thousands of people and showcases what the Church in the UK is all about.

Previous highlights of Pentecost Festival have included; a BBC1 live Pentecost service broadcast at All Saints church Peckham viewed by over a million, a live music stage in Leicester Square for three consecutive years and 16,000 people attending an evening of worship in the O2 arena hosted by Jesus House church, Holy Trinity Brompton Church and Hilsong Church.

In short Pentecost Festival is…..

…arts, music and drama, it’s comedy, sport and film, it’s debates and discussions. Its a celebration of the diverse communities in London and an opportunity for people to discover more about Jesus. It offers something for everyone and everyone is invited regardless of age, faith or cultural background so come along, bring your friends, your congregation and your family and get involved!

What is Pentecost?
Pentecost is an important event in the Christian calendar that signifies the birth of the Christian church and the coming together of people from various cultural backgrounds to be united by one language and faith. Pentecost Festival celebrates Pentecost by:

Highlighting Pentecost and celebrating the Church’s birthday
Representing the multiculturalism and diversity of the Christian faith
Taking the Church out of it’s buildings and onto the streets and public places of London
Demonstrating God’s priority for justice and compassion

Promised Land

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:33:00 +0000

PROMISED LAND TO BE PREMIERED AT CSUK NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Latest news on the CSUK National Conference, being held 15 - 17 June near Woolacombe, is that we are going to be showing the European Premiere of Promised Land, the latest film from Walking on Water.

The film is shot in Israel and features Tom Curran, Al Merrick and Pat O'Connell. We are also hoping to have Todd Morehead at the premiere, who also features in the film, to present it and take any questions about the film and surfing in Israel.

You can check out the film trailer at http://promisedlandthemovie.com/

Remember to book before your place at the CSUK National Conference before 16 May to take advantage of the early bird discount!

You can book online at http://www.christiansurfers.co.uk/register/

Overcoming Cynicism

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:26:00 +0000

Most of us at some stage in life have said we don’t want to grow old and cynical.

When we were younger most of us probably observed older people and commented how cynical or bitter they are towards life. We vowed we would never end up like them.

Some of us probably have parents that have become like this, it may express itself as constant negativity with simple comments like – “you can’t have a slate floor, everything you drop will break” or they may constantly make judgements on the church you attend “The people that go there are so pretentious and fake”

For me, i used to be rather negative about the Church and Christians and if I was to put a label on it I would say I beame rather cynical, i am glad this has changed recently! Others may become cynical about Faith itself, they may have been a Christian all their lives but now face an illness and been prayed for and healing hasn’t come and so they question their faith and ultimately whether God exists at all.

Even as Christians we can find ourselves saying "Why bother?" or "There's no use trying” This is just the way it is." You see, when hope fades, cynicism is often waiting in the wings and it is something we all need to deal with before it takes over our lives and we lose our passion, joy and sense of wonder. One person put it like this "Cynicism is cancer of the spirit. The bad cells of sarcasm attack the good cells of hope and, if undiagnosed, will eventually destroy them."

So what has this got to do with you? Well as an individually I want to encourage you to keep running the race for which God has called us to with hope. This hope is anchored and rooted in Faith and rests in God and God's promises, even if we don’t see the visible signs today.

You have to remind yourself that we are all human and work in progress, 'At all times,' Jesus declared, 'we should pray' and not 'lose heart,'

God will complete the work that has been started in you. In Him we have everything we need. We need to replace the cynicism in our lives with hope, faith and love.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So if you find yourself been cynical – read the word.

Priorities in Life

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:48:00 +0000

Have you ever had someone explain to you how life can be represented as a 24 hour clock?

Basically you add up all the hours you spend doing essential things like sleeping, eating, going to school and even grooming and from that you start to understand how little time we all have.

Even by the age of 25 you will have lived 213,600 hours but taking out school, sleeping and eating you will only of had 6.2 years ‘spare time’!!!

The average life expectancy of a man in the UK is 77.7 years, and if you represent that life as a 24 hour clock spare time only accounts for 4 hours!

So the question is what are you going to do with your 4 hours?

You know it’s never too late to start doing something new.

At the age of 93 Theodore Francis Green retired from the U.S. Senate. At that time, he was the oldest senator in the history of the institution.

At the age of 93 P.G. Wodehouse worked on his 97th novel, got knighted, and then died.

Strom Thurmond, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, won re-election after promising not to run again at age 99.

At the age of 85 Caleb in the Bible said – Give me my mountain!

It’s also never too late to start again if trials have hit you,. Simon Cowell was bankrupted at 35! And look at him now.

What will you do with your 4 hours??

There's a Party....but you're not invited

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:54:00 +0000

Do you ever feel that the world is tuning, there's parties everywhere but you are never invited?

Its one of the things we have struggled with most since moving from Yorkshire to Berkshire almost 8 years ago.

But its somthing we have learned to live with. As i was thinking about this earlier today i thought of David in the Bible, when Samuel came to look for the next King.

In 1 Samuel 16 we read how Samuel came to Bethlehem under the guise of offering a sacrafice. This would have been a tremedous event which everyone in Bethlehem would be aware of and be excited about.

Its like a party that is happending and all your friends are invited and excited about.

At this particular 'Party' Jesse invites all his sons except David.

David would be fully aware of the party as he sat in the field looking after the sheep.

Unknown to David, Samuel is searching him out as he is presented to each of Jesse's sons. Finally Jesse says to Samuel “There is still the youngest,” . “He is tending the sheep.”

Jesse probably thought...We didnt invite David he's the little Kid, insignificant, he's part of the Family but we didnt invite him to the party, we thought he would prefer looking after the sheep.

You see, even when you arent invited to the Party...God wants you there. Your name is on the VIP list.

There is a Party and You ARE invited.

Fact or Truth

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Sometimes we can be so caught up in the facts of life, that we forget the Truth of the Word.

We can look at the natural things around us and forget to speak faith in to the situation. You know we can bring heaven on earth by speaking out the Word, the Truth. In Habakkuk 3, the prophet Habakkuk speaks about there being no fruit on the vines and no figs on the fig trees, these are facts, but he goes on to say that he still rejoices because he knows the Truth. The truth is that God can lift you up; he can take you up to the high places. The Truth is God watches over you, and miracles start to happen when we start speaking the Truth into situations.

In Joshua chapter 10 verses 13 we see that God can even stop the sun in it tracks, he can take a huge army and whittle down to 300 men and still win the battle.

What are you facing right now, that in the natural looks like you are defeated? Speak the Word of Truth.

By that I mean read the bible and start speaking out passages that you read. Romans 8 is a great place to start, No weapon formed against me will prosper, I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength. Stop looking at Facts and speak the Truth.

Habakkuk 3
New International Version (NIV)
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.

Building and Growing

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:58:00 +0000

I am called to be the best me I can be, and you are called to be the best you that you can be but sometimes we try and do things that simply aren’t what we need or are supposed to do. We are co-labourers with God, and there are two separate dimensions we need to consider when we do ‘stuff’. The things that God is responsible for and the things we are responsible for. We are responsible for planting, building and producing programs, God is responsible for growing your church, the presence of God and moving people in their hearts. Whether you are a small group leader, lead a church or you are involved in mission – the best advice I can give you is to not worry about numbers, who has attended and who hasn’t. That’s God’s responsibility, for you – have you planted the word? Have you produced a program and done the best you can with your tasks? If you have, now it’s up to God!

Let’s not try and grow what we should build or try and build what we should grow. We easily get burnt out or discouraged if we start to worry or immerse ourselves in the things that God is responsible for. Take this as an analogy:

We Build Friendships….

Love is Grown….

1 Corinthians 3 (New International Version)

5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Let\'s Go!

noreply@blogger.com (ajswift) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 05:20:00 +0000

Let\'s Go!

Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs, even though chequered with failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory or defeat.