Choir 2

Our gospel choir planning meeting went well last week. Seems that interest is gaining momentum - around 18 people already keen to join and we're auditioning for more members next Thursday. We have a potential choir director and we're hunting around for reasonably priced rehearsing space...watch this space for what happens next!

Havana Happy Hour

I've been living in my flat in Battersea for the last 8 months and I love it! Its in a mixed housing development near the river and I was able to buy a share of my flat through a shared ownership scheme with a Housing Association. I'm keen to get to know my neighbours and make new friends. Although I've introduced myself to a few people I have realised that its all too easy just to get up, leave the flat to go to work, come home and not speak to anyone and days can go by without bumping into anyone at all. So, Hazel, one of my neighbours, and I have decided to have a little get together so that we can 'get to know our neighbours'. We've called it 'Havana Happy Hour' as we both liked the culture, cocktails and music of Cuba. We're holding it next Wednesday in my flat and we'll serve Mojitos, Cuba Libres, Havana Beans and Cuban Green Rice. We had great fun drawing and delivering the invitations. We've invited everyone in our block and a few people from another 3 blocks. The day after invites went out 16 people said they will come along!....I'm wondering how many I can fit in my lounge...or what the weight load limit is on my balcony!

Choir

A few friends and I are setting up a gospel choir. We met at the British Gospel Arts choir workshops last year. We enjoyed singing together so much that we didn't want the course to end and kept saying "why don't we set up our own choir?" but didn't know how to go about it. British Gospel Arts is the education branch of the London Community Gospel Choir which runs beginners, intermediate and advanced gospel singing classes every term. They are great fun to do as well as vocally stretching and spiritually uplifting. I was amazed at how gospel music brings together people of different faiths, especially when the songs we sing are explicitly worshipping Jesus. Its the love of the music, the energy, the incredible harmony and bond of friendship which unites us. I'm looking forward to meeting with my friends on Wednesday to talk more about the next stage of set up.

Songwriting and Shalom

I enjoy writing songs in my spare (?) time although I'm prolifically slow! I've written several since 1992 but there was a gap of a few years before I took it up again last year. I must admit I'm about of a technophobe so I'm not yet at the stage of being able to record them and upload them as mp3 files...maybe that's lucky for you because you only get to read the lyrics!

I wrote "splinters" in July 2005 after completing an inspiring course in Applied Christian Studies called Workshop which is run by the Anvil Trust. It connected me with the overarching story of God throughout history and I learnt many things about Jesus which were profound. His agenda, of bringing 'shalom' into the present continues to inspire me. Shalom is 'wholeness' or 'completeness', a sense of everything being as it should be: about people having their material, emotional and physical needs met, justice on an individual and national level and about right relationships between people and between people and God. There's a great definition on the Peacechurch website.

As a follower of the way, I'm constantly challenged by how I can bring 'shalom' into the present in all spheres of my life and with the people I come into contact with. Its a tall order but Jesus expects nothing less.