City of Angels

Saw this on my friends' Kev & Linsey's blog, who are themselves committed to serving the urban poor. This snap shot from Skid Row in LA is representative of many cities . . .

Rowan Williams and Zac's Place.

"As far as the Church of England is concerned, Rowan Williams has said he wants to be remembered for the Fresh Expressions initiative when people look back at his time in office. Speaking during an interview for a York Courses audio CD, the Archbishop says that encouraging new forms of church was one of his first thoughts when he arrived at Lambeth in 2003. He also added that it was important to go to where people are, and be willing accept a 'mixed economy' church with fresh expressions and more traditional forms of church sitting side by side."

He also states in the interview that during his time as a bishop in Wales, is when he first became aware of both the need for different forms of church and that it was already happening in Wales. Virtually from day one, (1998), he has been an enthusiastic supporter of what we have been trying to do through Zac's Place, for which I am very grateful and it also seems it may have been one of the contexts that encouraged and challenged his thinking as he launched the Fresh Expressions initiative.

Listen to Interview Excerpt Here

Original Post Here, Monday, 12 October, 2009

"The work going forward at Zac's Place is in every way innovative, courageous and important for the community in general as well as the Christian community. I have been privileged to watch the development of this initiative over several years and would want to pay the most sincere tribute to the dedication and vision of those who have been running it."

Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, October 2005

Zac's Place Story on Fresh Expressions Website

Fresh Expressions Oct 2009, Podcast - Zac's Place Feature

Here's a direct link to the recent interview for the Fresh Expressions Podcast this month. I think it gives a reasonable representation for where Zac's Place is at, at this moment in time and something of the history.

Main Feature..

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Australia Dates . . . .

Whilst attending to some God's Squad matters in Australia later this month, I will also be dropping in on the following places for a bit of banter; if you're in the area it'd be good to meet up. Four states, four gatherings.

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Weds 4 Nov, 7pm - St. Martin's, Collingwood, Melbourne, Vic.

Really looking forward to returning to see my fellow dreamers and risk takers. St. Martin's was the place of my ordination and is the home of God's Squad and sister church community of Zac's Place.
215 Wellington St. Collingwood, VIC 3066 - Cnr Otter St, opposite the Housing Commision flats - (Melways ref: 44 C4)

Sat 7 Nov, 8am - Yass Breakfast Meeting, Yass Motel Convention Room.
Yass, NSW.

Sun 8 Nov, 10am - Tuggeranong Baptist Church, Canberra. ACT
33 Jenke Circuit, Kambah, ACT 2902
Phone: (02) 6296 1587
Email: tbchurch@internode.on.net

Sun 15 Nov, 6pm - Southport Church of Christ, Brisbane, Queensland
Queensland Academy Health Sciences (QAHS), Edmund Rice Drive, Southport, Brisbane, Queensland.

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OTHER RECENT NEWS:
Zac's Place Podcast Interview by Fresh Expresssions Here (2/10/09)

Fresh Expressions Feature and Podcast

Fresh Expressions are running a Zac's Place Feature on their web site this month.

There is also a Podcast which may be of interest - features interviews and sound bites from muggins and also others at Zac's - there's also the virtually uncut interview as a podcast extra available too.

Am really pleased with the coverage, and we enjoyed Alicia's visit and the time she took to listen to everyone's story was much appreciated. Hope you find these items helpful - particularly regarding the history and foundational principles of Zac's Place.

Finland - The Long Walk Home

The recent return visit to Finland for the God's Squad Euro Run was always going to be special - seven nations, eight languages - one purpose. One lasting memory will a long walk in silence through the forest to a wigwam arrangement where we gathered around a fire a shared communion together. One of those times when stuff happens and it's very difficult to explain.

Check out the God's Squad blog for more images and comment.
(Thanks Dale for the pic)

Bryn Haworth Tickets Now Available

Bryn Haworth Tickets are now available for the event on 17 October, on line via paypal at this Zac's Place link for the price of £6. Just print out the order and bring it with you.

Alternatively tickets are available in person at Zac's or by post for £5 until 13 October. Thereafter, all tickets and any door tickets will be £10.

Postal tickets should enclose an SAE and a cheque payable to 'Exousia Trust' to Zac's Place, Gospel HAll, George Street, Swansea, SA1 4HH.

70,000 in the choir . . .

Am not always the biggest fan of congregational singing but this was a pretty good effort at the Millennium Stadium . . .
You'll have to check out other people's footage for the whole song - including a very Welsh orientated intro; but here's an excerpt . . . .

Bryn Haworth Returns to Play Zac's Place

Gospel / Bluesman Bryn Haworth returns to play Zac's on Sat Oct 17th

Check his MySpace page out to have a listen and read his biog.

Tickets will be available in person at Zac's Place (07971 218644) and there will be a discount for advance purchase - check back in the next few days for details.....

The 'Winter Blues' gig will be a solo performances showcasing Bryn's exceptional guitar skills and songwriting - his reputation at one of the best slide guitarists around will only be endorsed. A sample from his last gig at Zac's is available to listen on our myspace page (see links on right).

Any profits from this event will go directly into the ongoing work of Exousia Trust at Zac's Place.

Throw Away Prayers

Having done about 400 of the 550 miles that day, I figured I was due a break of longer than it took to refuel the bike. So, I rode about 300 metres down past the pumps and parked in shady spot before launching back onto the Dutch motorway.

Short moments of still, quiet, reflection are precious on a long journey. As traffic thunders past on the other side of the trees, I quench my thirst and get some sugar intake.

As I begin the ritual of putting on my helmet, shades and gloves before firing the trusty HD into life, I notice a small scrap of paper on the tarmac below the bike.


On closer inspection, it’s a paper dart with the words, ..’please pray for . . ‘ visible on the upside of one of the wings. I recognised it as similar to the little prayer card things that are often in the chapel in prison.

As I stooped down and opened it, I read the scrawly pencilled words also in English; ‘..nobody, because there are no god.’

Some years ago, Tom Petty sang, ‘Even the losers get lucky sometimes’. Maybe also, even now, the throw away prayers don’t necessarily fall on deaf ears.

Summer Updates

Just a few news updates for Zac's through the month of August. ...

Thursday eve Coffee Bar will be on a break through August, resuming 3 Sep. Some will be providing a soup run at around 9pm in town instead.

Tuesday 'Tribal Gatherings' will be on a break on 18 & 25th August and on 4th and 11th we welcome representation from 'Fresh Expressions' (the joint Methodist and Anglican crew exploring different concepts of church community), to see what we are up to and get some stories for their monthly podcast.

Discussions also continue about the options for starting a monthly Sunday night gathering at HQ this Autumn - more to follow . . . .

Facebook Feedback

For those on 'Facebook' you like to know that there is a Zac's Place 'group' - a space available for comment and discussion.
It has been encouraging to read comments, particularly about people's first experiences of Zac's Place - as folks folks have come along for many and varied reasons.

Here's a recent entry for your encouragement:
"My first experience of Zac's place..........hard to remeber. To be honest I was so off my face during that period ofmy life......? One thing that i will never forget is that it is where I first found Christ. Not in a head knowledge way but in a deep, heart knowledge. It was the first place I found Gods unconditional love, acceptance and grace in action. Not people talking it but people living it. Authentic faith and deeds in action."

For Facebook users you'll find the group here: Zac's Place Facebook Group

Final Curtains

This past week has as usual been varied at Zac's Place. It has however been particularly marked by the final performances from JEMS Drama School here at Zac's - infact not just here, but anywhere as Jayne winds the school up after ten years of wonderful creativity. As usual the kids pulled all the stops out and last thursday's final night was not just a great performance but also very emotional; especially as some of the older kids have been involved for the whole ten years. Many of the folks that come through this building are tortured souls, so I shall miss the sound of laughter from the fifty or so drama school youngsters even more so.

As I write and prep for tonight's Tribal Gathering at Zac's - with the images of Michael Jackson's Memorial Service in the news, (but not much about the 7/7 victims), we'll ironically be looking at 'lament' and 'grief', (in the context of Old Testament geeza David in 2 Samuel 1); Lament and grief are two things I really don't think we're very good at in our culture. Tragedy is easier to deal with if it's a news story or a spectacle . . . lament is possibly what we should do with our questions and struggle when there aren't any obvious answers, but we cling to a bigger picture.

On a lighter note, it was good to welcome year ten students to Zac's this afternoon, from a local school, to come and hear some stories and look at the artwork - Doris continues to be a star attraction - based on, yup, 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted'!

A Window Into Zac's Place

Zac's can be a bit of a mad house sometimes, it's also a haven of peace in a storm and a punch bag amid pain.
One of our regulars at the Tribal Gatherings, Liz, is also a regular blogger.
Here's a link to her blog, with a filter on it for the Zac's related posts, in which she share's her reflections and observations amid the kaleidascopic experience. Feel free to take a look if your interested:
Liz's Zac's Place Reflections . . . .

Tony Campolo Interview

Ok - He's an American and he's a preacher. But don't let that put you off. He's vastly different to most of them.
He's as passionate about advocating the rights of the poor and vulnerable as much as ever. Now in his 70's, here's a very recent radio interview link that he did last week with BBC Radio Wales. You'll need 20 mins or so, but it's well worth it.

Tony Campolo - BBC Radio Wales 14/6/09

The Gospel According To Nick Griffin . . .

Having seen the BNP's Nick Griffin being interviewed late last night on Sky news, as the European election results were being announced, I am a little confused. Mr Griffin stressed the importance of the UK being a Christian country and all residents should adopt Christian principals such as his own. I wonder which principals he means? Could it be the loving your neighbour or indeed your enemies ones? Or maybe it's the cross cultural connections that Jesus made cutting across all religious and racial divides when he spent time in the company of Samaritans amongst others? Absolutely bizarre. There We Are Then.

Street Football Wales - fundraising concert in Swansea

A Night to Remember!!!


Street Football Wales (SFW) to host a fundraising concert in Swansea.

As part of SFW's continued efforts to raise funds for the Street Football league and the Homeless World Cup Team, a concert has been arranged to take place on Saturday May 9th at Llewellyn Hall, Swansea YMCA. The Morriston Phoenix Choir will be performing alongside the Swansea Young Single Homeless Project Dance Troupe, the Disconnected and special guest Steve Balsamo!, (of The Story's, Jesus Christ Superstar and also currently performing with Jon Lord on International dates).

There is a lot of work involved in preparing for the concert and those involved in Street Football Wales continue to give up a huge amount of their free time in an effort to ensure the success of the league and the Welsh Dragon's participation in the Homeless World Cup.

If you are reading this and are in or around Swansea, come along and support SFW - tickets for the concert are a bargain at £5 each! Order your tickets by contacting streetfootballwales@hotmail.co.uk.

SUPPORT IT IF YOU CAN . . . . . .

Apprentices On The Road - Spring Harvest

Most of what I seem to get involved in is pretty well out there on the fringes when it comes to church related activity. Spring Harvest however is an exception, having been involved in numerous capacities since it's very early days in the late 70's. For those not in the know, SH is an annual multi week church based conference style family event spanning many denominations and attracts around 45,000 people in total each Easter. It's accommodated at Butlin's sites in Minehead and Skegness. There's bits of it that make me cringe and frustrate me, but I can't deny that certainly as a younger person there were some key moments for me in my Christian journey that Spring Harvest helped shape and it continues to encourage many in their faith and I am pleased to have the opportunity to be involved.

Over the years having been on the youth team as a speaker, detached youth worker, musician and in more recent years the pastoral team. In this role I have been running 'Just Looking' groups, specifically for those who attend SH who question much of what they see and want a safe space to ask questions and discuss life, faith and whatever else comes up. In practice this means over the course of the week about twenty folks come along and enjoy honest and open discussion not too disimilar to our Zac's tribal gatherings on a tuesday eve - but without the chaos!


In the wider programme the theme was 'Apprentice - walking the way of Christ' - the logo for which was a pair of old boots. As the week went on my own boots gradually desintegrated - if only replicating the way of Christ was as straightforward as that!

Is This A Road I Have To Go Down?

To continue the Holy Week theme,I couldn't resist putting in the following clip from local fella, Steve Balsamo singing 'Gethsemane'. Captures the the moment fantastically...

Performance of this show-stopping song at Ahoy, Holland in June 2004 by Steve Balsamo, who starred in the London West End Revival production of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1996/97 at The Lyceum, and tours and records with The Storys currently.

Hero To Villain? - Palm Sunday Reflection

Today is what in the Church Calendar is called 'Palm Sunday' - celebrated a week before Easter. Traditionally it's the day when we reflect on Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem amid the welcoming enthusiasm of the crowds that had caught on to Lazarus' raising among other things.

This scenario and the following Easter week is full of contrasts - betrayal and trust, love and hate, denial and faith, justice and coercion, mercy and brutality. I can't help thinking of the bizarre turnaround from the outpouring of emotion of the 'Palm Sunday' moment to the same crowd calling for His execution one week later. Sure they wanted a deliverer, but Jesus didn't fit the mould for their kind of warrior saviour. The crowd wavered in it's support and opinion over these days, but the message and actions of Christ remained constant as indeed it still does - amid our often wavering still.

The full horror and delicate beauty of the Easter week is not contained in a sanitized pic and mix saviour to make us feel good for five minutes to suit our wants, but in the stark reality of a sacrificial ragamuffin saviour bringing hope to a weary and wounded world. How we see the Christ of Easter and how we see the people around him at that time, will have a huge bearing on how we may or may not choose to follow Him. Me, I'll hang on to the hope that while everything around Christ was shifting he stayed true to what needed to be done and for that I am eternally grateful.

Sean
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The Palm Sunday story is contained in Chapter 12 of John's Gospel which can be found here
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2012&version=65