Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #15 / 29.7.09

What’s my role…
Over the past few weeks and months I’ve been building up a new fan page on Facebook for Urban Saints. It started slowly but now is gathering pace with people posting their comments, photos, videos from the various summer activities. The big focus at the moment is on Re:Act - complete with a live internet radio broadcast from the fun day sites! We’re also flagging up the holidays happening at the moment and all the other summer activities too. What started as something of a side project is fast becoming a major way to communicate with our leaders and young people!

Elsewhere in Urban Saints
We’re currently launching another new mentoring & training course called Kinetic. It is aimed at young people who have a calling to leadership. It is a twelve-session course, designed to be completed with a mentor to help guide emerging leaders through the joys, challenges, successes and pitfalls of being in leadership – of any kind, not just leading in a cell or youth group. Go to urbansaints.org/trainingprogrammes to find out more about all our mentoring courses…

How can you help?
We’re about to launch a new service of prayer requests via Twitter! If you want to support the work in prayer and have a Twitter account, follow @pray4change – alternatively, you can get a paper copy from the office or download the prayer diary from www.urbansaints.org

My wife's keeper

My lovely Michelle came home from keep-fit tonight and grandly announced that she was going to go to see My Sister's Keeper with Lauren tomorrow.

To be honest, I didn't know whether to feel gutted for losing my wife for a whole evening or relieved that I don't have to go see it myself!!

Stop press: Just read that Lovefilm are sending us Watchmen on DVD so I think I'll be watching that with a supermarket curry for one...

Back to your roots

This coming weekend there's going to be one amazing festival... right in my back garden!

Well, obviously not literally (cos it would be pretty cramped and the bands and most of the punters would crush all the nice plants and flowers we put in today) but Sonisphere comes to Knebworth, just a few miles from where I now live. Unfortunately, the budget doesn't allow me to go (although I'm wondering if there are any spots near the site where you can hear it...) and it has really sparked something within me.

Over the past few weeks and months, I've been reading about the event in my local 'chip wrapper" (The Comet) and apart from the surreal feeling of reading articles about the world's biggest metal bands in the local rag, I've been hankering back for my past life. When the summers were long and my hair was longer and I used to go to PROPER gigs and festivals...

My first gig was to see Terrorvision back in 1994, at the Forum in Kentish Town - a venue I've never been back to since. I got teased in my best man's speech for booking seats to see Rage Against The Machine (it was all that was left...!). I saw Foo Fighters first ever UK festival appearance at my first Reading festival in 1995. Apparently I saw the Stone Roses final gig at Reading in 1996. I travelled from Liverpool to Nottingham on my birthday to see Faith No More and had to stay in the oddest Bed & Breakfast - a very restrained end to a crazily unrestrained evening at Nottingham Rock City...

My last visit to a music festival like this was to see a day of the 2003 Reading Festival and I already felt a little out of place, rocking out to Linkin Park surrounded by all the kids! I've since been to a few gigs but they mainly seem to be big stadium / arena gigs from bands that were around back then playing smaller clubs. Apart from the fact that these are seriously damaging affairs for the wallet, I also feel like I miss those smaller gigs. The more intimate settings. The sense that you were part of those "in the know" and much closer to the action. Every time I see festival coverage on TV now, I long for the days when I could be there... and now Sonisphere is in danger of pushing me over the edge!

I shared this longing with my friend Kish at this weekend's Blokes Breakfast and he was very enthusiastic about "going back to our roots" and the possibility of doing some gigging. Later in the day, he texted me to suggest we keep an eye out for a suitable opportunity to see a really heavy band live! So, now I may get my wish. My only concern is that when I used to go to Brixton Academy for example, I always used to see these older guys, standing at the back and not really getting into the gig experience and wonder why they were there. I just hope I don't become one of THOSE guys... ;-)

Making a fool of yourself

Usually our videos don't have much of a story. But then this was no 'usual' video! Get yourself comfortable and read up about the making of the 'pink hoodies' mini-movie...

I guess it all started a few weeks before when I was thinking about how we do our promotion. We're very good at making slick corporate videos but it made me wonder whether people actually 'want' to see them. What we needed is one of those videos that people want to see, laugh and pass it on to their mates. But what could we use as a subject for this video?

Around the same time, it was announced that we were looking at ordering a new shade of hoodie - a rather too vibrant 'hot pink' colour - and it split the office about its merits (mainly between the ladies - who loved the idea - and the guys - less so!) It got me thinking that selling the pink hoodies to the ladies should be simple but how could we make them appeal to everyone? Perhaps we can make a video that amuses and promotes?

So, next we needed an idea. I was sitting at home one night and saw the 80's classic, Ghostbusters and I had this image of a pink hoodie closing in on an unwilling man, like the Slimer ghost speeding towards Bill Murray's Dr Venkman. I mentioned this to a couple of colleagues who encouraged me to develop it and the new batch of hoodies arrived just a few days before Chris came in for work experience and we were off.

Chris and I sat down on the Monday/Tuesday and we threw some ideas around, looking to see what might work. At one point, the hoodie 'monster' had a name ("Robin Hoodie") but we abandoned this so that we didn't have to do any backstory. We soon had a definite 'story' with the highlights written out on a sheet of paper - a beginning, middle and end - and that was pretty much as it ended up. We cut out some more complicated elements - like making up some special effects "gunge" (in truth, the "ingredients" arrived too late to make it up!) and covering my editing room with pink post-it notes, as well as scattering pink 'props' around the office - and for some of the parts of the script we improvised to save time too but if you read our original notes, you'd be able to see most of it in the final video...

There was one particular part of the script I wasn't looking forward to. I had to wear some hot pink nail varnish. Not only that but first, I had to get hold of some hot pink nail varnish! I sent a carefully worded email to a few selected ladies in the office that I thought could help me (to minimise the embarrassment factor). Sarah replied within seconds and then I explained exactly what I needed. Almost as an after-thought, I asked her to bring in some remover too. She seemed taken aback... "Oh, YOU'RE going to wear it! I thought maybe you wanted us to wear it. In that case, I've got a great matching lipstick too if you want it...!" I declined. Later, I got a blank email with the following title: "I'm happy to paint nails for you if you want". It's not a message I EVER expected to receive at work!

Wednesday was the day for filming. We knew that lots of the team - including many of the regional folks - would be in and we set about making sure we made the most of the day. At morning prayer time, I announced that we would be filming and would be grateful for all and any cooperation and would try to limit the disruption. It was particularly challenging because the new Regional Support Workers were all in for their inductions and it must have been a strange introduction to life at Urban Saints! Overall, it was a great fun day with lots of people forgoing their dignity to get involved! It was also one of the hottest days of the year so far - well beyond 30 degrees - so it was especially amazing that people agreed to wear hot hoodies for their starring roles!

I imagine that everyone who took part would have their own story about the day but the things that stuck in the mind for me were the following. Firstly, there was another guy on work experience called Ian who had been in the office to shadow our Business Manager but he ended up having a fairly crucial role in the whole thing! Then there was Fiona's star turn as the first victim - so convincing was her performance that one of the book shop staff came out thinking someone was really in trouble! We really struggled to get the shots in the front doorway filmed too as there were lots of meetings on and a lot of people coming and going (and getting in shot!) Then there was Sarah's own role. I was meant to run through a doorway and as I went to run downstairs (to safety!), she was coming up the stairs, forcing me upwards instead. And it worked. But, when we filmed it we only had 5 minutes to get it right and when we did it we told her to go too early and so I was proper running to make sure I got to the doorway ahead of her, half expecting to crash into her as I did! In the end, it came out perfectly, with Sarah appearing out of the bright sunlight...

The last full set of shots we did were up on the roof - my own particular "untimely end" and my date with the nail varnish! One of the reasons why we had chosen to wait until the end of the day, was so that I didn't have to be seen wearing the pink nails by too many other people (oh, the irony!). But this meant that my "nail-technician" had long gone home. So, after doing a practice runthrough on the flat roof of the office, I sat in the shade of the doorway, applying my own pink nail varnish! In terms of precision (especially with my left hand), I might as well have been wearing boxing gloves to do it! We filmed a few longer shots while I waited to dry and I kept having to encourage Chris and Patrick (my tiring, but still willing, crew) away from the edge of the roof. The last thing I wanted was a neighbour or passer-by to report two suspicious men on the roof of the building and have the police burst in to find a man painting his nails pink...

By now things were getting really hot. I was the only person who had to wear their hoodie outside of the office and the air-con and despite being nearly 5pm, it was still around 30 degrees. By the time we got to my final moments, I was sweating buckets. In the very last shot, I was lying face-down on the roof and the stone was so hot that I couldn't actually stay on it more than a few seconds at a time. So we did a few takes and then bolted for the shade. And the bottle of nail varnish remover...!

So, that's the tale. The story of how a vague idea became something pretty spectacular. I hope it was a great experience for Chris. I know it was the best work experience week I've ever done. I guess the only problem now is coming up with an idea to top it for next time!

The future's... delayed

Was doing a little bit of a "blog-tidy" when I came across this post from back at the beginning of '07... 'The future's bright'

Thirty plus months on from this and today I'm writing the intro to our new podcasts and looking to do a trial "live-stream" of video from Urban Saints HQ to see if we can successfully launch our weekly 'show'. We're also talking about streaming our daily prayers so that the team outside of Luton can join in too!

It has taken some time to apparently move only a few steps but we are finally closing in on that exciting future...

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #14 / 22.7.09

What’s my role…
Plans for the Media Academy have accelerated somewhat in the last few weeks. We have a new video (see below) and the promotional flyers have just arrived. Some of the team met yesterday to discuss adjustments to the programme and possible improvements for the 2009 holiday / course. The main thing we need to pray into is that we get enough bookings (to run it all!) and some funding or backing to source enough equipment to allow everyone to get involved and really get the most out of it! Know anyone, between 13 & 19 years old, that is in to media or music? Please let them know about this…



Elsewhere in Urban Saints
Studentscape is a new course, written in conjunction with Fusion, to help young people make the transition from school to university and to live an effective Christian life as a student. It’s a mentoring programme that helps prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of them. Aimed at the 18-25s age group, it is broken down into 13 sessions that can be completed during the first year of university or any other time for that matter. If you have members of your group going off to uni in the Autumn why not consider getting them a copy?!

How can you help?
If you are getting this message and regularly reading it and mentioning us in prayer, then that is enough for me. However, if you want to be more involved or find other things we do or how you can get MORE involved, please do get in touch! Thanks!

Pre-season lull

The pre-season period is not especially exciting for a "middling" Championship fan. Even our brief sojourn into the top flight didn't produce an exciting pre-season (just heightened the sense of dread as the lack of footballing 'messiahs' became apparent).

We might get the odd player here - an obscure Frenchman on trial, a Slovenian left back, a couple of solid if unspectacular signings - and there but most of our excitement revolves around who are we going to lose our grip on! Or more to the point, which of our players is going to get signed by Sheffield United next?! There are still question marks over 4 or 5 of our best players and, in truth, it is still too early to tell. Most of the deals will probably take place between now and the start of play in August.

Still there's always the 'high profile' friendlies to look forward to... no disrespect to sticking goals a-plenty past Borehamwood, Tring & Wealdstone but you really want a couple of juicy fixtures to get your teeth into. This year, Real Zaragoza pulled out on us and the closest we have to a glamour game (unless you count the local derby with our neighbours St Albans City...) is a home match with Parma. Hardly earth-shattering stuff. The WFC new kit is not even that exciting...

Elsewhere in the footballing "dress-rehersals", Man City are buying every striker who's got Premiership experience and a big price tag. Michael Owen is scoring for United. Everyone else is just kinda getting on with it. Can't really be bothered to do the research to work out the most interesting new signing of the pre-season either! Think I'll just sit back and see what happens really. Meh!

The big wash-out?

It should have been a fantastic idea. We'd invited our neighbours to a community barbeque, as part of The Big Lunch and as an opportunity to meet some of those who live around us. But at the point this video was shot, it was looking like a total disaster! Only one 'neighbour' had braved the weather, our gazebo was leaking and our barbeque was in danger of being snuffed out before we even began...

Scroll back to Wednesday and we'd put flyers through every door in the street and a few of the surrounding roads, wondering if anyone would show. We closely monitored the local forecast through the week (going through a rollercoaster of emotions!) and when we left HCC this morning, it had been raining but it had briefly stopped. As soon as we rolled out the grill and unfurled the gazebo, it started again and once we'd sheltered inside no. 124, it didn't look like it was going to stop!

We drank tea and ate cakes and prayed, determinedly, that the clouds would roll away and sure enough, at the first break in the showers, we pressed on. The barbeque was lit, the gazebo raised to full height and even our first guest had arrived! Then the heavens opened again - despite our protestations - and soon we were standing under umbrellas, under the gazebo! Cue the video...

It was a disaster. A proper wash-out! We had to relent. We ARE British after all, but this was ridiculous and we requested that the food be cooked inside and gradually things were being ferried back to the safety of the house. But Tim & I could see blue sky and we still believed!

Gradually the rain stopped and the neighbours started to surface. A trickle at first - thanks Greg & Lisa! - but then soon people were coming from all over, to connect and reconnect and generally be neighbourly. In the end we had about 25 guests plus those of us from the Keats Way home group and it was a great success! Food, drink & conversation flowed until nearly 5pm. A couple brought us some wedding cake, from their celebrations the previous day! One lady kept me updated on England's progress (or lack thereof) in the Ashes test. Another person had a tale to tell that was so full of amazing "coincidences" that it would make your eyes pop out! A young couple, just engaged, brought us a cake fresh out of the oven. We had a lovely afternoon, despite a few extra light showers, and Michelle & I returned home happy but exhausted. In fact, she is asleep on me now...

There is a bit of clearing up to do but it will have been totally worth every bit of it!!

Don't you just love the great British summer?!

Yesterday & tomorrow

Tomorrow we are hosting a street BBQ in our road as part of our HCC's '40 Days of Community' and The Big Lunch.

Unfortunately, yesterday we had the most immense thunderstorm in Hitchin...

We're hoping & praying the two don't combine tomorrow or our 'Big Lunch' could be more of a damp squib!!

Walking in a geeky wonderland

What I got from 'Christianity in the Digital Space'...

As I travel home on the train, trying to use the intermittent free WiFi from 'National Express', I left pondering what has been a weird and wonderful three days. But in between the techie language and the mind-bending theological discussions, what have I actually learned? What can I take away from my time at the symposium (or 'Geek Camp' as I affectionately - honest - call it!)?

My eyes have certainly been opened to possibilities and my mindset of what 'church' is / does has been shaken, if not totally challenged. I've felt lost and out of my depth more times than I care to recall and I guess that I've also, theoretically, agreed to become a monk!

It was a packed schedule but it all felt very social with it and lots of dreaming and scheming - plus the opportunity to actually experience what is like to have a church service online. It never quite descended into the realm of "geek-stereotyping" (with the exception of the ever-present volley of laptops and iPhones and the occasional Python quote...) but that says more about the range of people present and why they were there! Theologians rubbed shoulders with youth workers; individual web users and "digital natives" with representatives of church dominations and organisations and everyone approaching this new territory from a slightly different angle.

Overall I'm left with three main thoughts amidst the "electric dreams".

Firstly, that I'm affirmed to keep exploring this stuff. I started on this journey as something of a distraction and to explore its potential and I doubt I've got much further even after this conference. But it does make me realise that this time has not been wasted. This technology is rapidly growing and developing and we can't ignore it. Our young people aren't going to. So neither can we afford to. If our leaders can keep up with the technology too then we can serve them in different (arguably better?) ways but more of that later. We need to be tracking this stuff and few others in Urban Saints have the time or the inclination for that matter to do this.

Secondly, the technology itself is fascinating yet accessible. I'm a big fan of Twitter already but it wasn't until Christianity in the Digital Space that I started to see its potential for meetings, gatherings and even training in Urban Saints. We had a Twitterfall - a list of all the updates on a particular subject - running in the sessions and people were commenting on the presentations, asking questions and generally sharing their opinion via Tweet. But not only this - because it was being streamed (broadcast) over the internet, people from around the UK and the world could do the same. Imagine how Urban Saints gatherings or meetings might look like if we used this stuff?! And, that's just the beginning, trust me...

Finally, though, I'm drawn to the people behind the 'tools'. The pioneering missionaries and disciples... A symposium like this can easily become a theoretical exploration or a theological exercise but it needs input from the very people who are already out there doing it. I met some very interesting and perhaps unlikely people who are living and connecting with people in the online environment. Many are finding it hard to find support and encouragement from those of us in the 'mainstream' and others, shamefully, are being rejected by us. I guess it is no surprise as people find all extreme mission fields hard to get their heads (and their beliefs?) around. There are many a missionary in a "foreign" land who feels isolated from the very culture they are part of, in the name of Christ, but also cut off from their 'home' and the traditional church. We need a network for all these brave and bold missionaries and disciples to seek that support and encouragement they so desperately need. Without it, the wedge between them and the rest of us will only widen and arouse more mistrust and suspicion. I am no pioneer myself (perhaps an ambassador, but no more than that...) but I believe we have to reach out to those who already reach out to the very digital natives we've been discussing.

Welcome to the brave new world!

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #13 / 17.7.09

What’s my role…
This week, I spent three days in Durham with a bunch of theologians, leaders and web practitioners, discussing ‘Christianity in the Digital Space’. It was fascinating to explore some of the current and new technology together. It got me thinking about how we might apply some of them to the way Urban Saints connects with our young people, and with our supporters and how we communicate with each other. I look forward to suggesting some changes to the way we work and to what the reaction is to it here!

Elsewhere in Urban Saints
We are currently working to set up centres around the UK where young people can gather to be trained and mentored. The plans are still in relative infancy and so these Training Hubs are still being discussed and dissected. However, when they launch they will offer the option for all young people, regardless of where they are in their faith journey, to come and be trained on one of our mentoring courses. They will also have the opportunity to get involved in a practical expression of mentoring too, like helping to run a big youth event, so they can apply what they’ve learned. Watch this space for further news on this…

How can you help?
Have you ever considered being a volunteer with Urban Saints? You don’t have to be a youth or children’s work expert – all you have to be is willing and ready for anything! There are so many ways to help – at events, on exhibition stands, making videos, cooking, writing, giving out refreshments, doing admin or helping run a group. All you need is a passion to see young people reach their full, God-given potential! Apply Here…!

Theologians & flatulence!

Christianity in the Digital Space - Day 3 - Durham

The third and final day with my web-colleagues in Durham closed with a faux "Dragons Den" for online projects, ranging from the simplistic (a spontaneous "Flash Church") to the more elaborate (Virtual Purgatory, anyone?!). The final session epitomised the spirit of the whole three days with serious vision rubbing shoulders with the more tongue-in-cheek playfulness that we had been discussing.

"RT @RevMarkBrown: NT Wright, one of the world's greatest theologians is speaking & @drbexl is tweeting bout canine flatulence.. LOL #digisymp" (sample of the day's Twitterfall)

The rest of the day had been wrestling with some of the theological questions and trying to determine what might come out of the symposium. The Principal of St John's College, David Wilkinson, challenged us to determine what the Spirit is doing in the Digital environment and likened the this pioneering mission field to Philip's experience with the Egyptian on the desert road.

Then the Bishop of Durham, NT Wright, came to receive the various reports from the event and offer some reflections on the subject matter. He spoke very eloquently before being 'grilled' by those present. His responses were considered and measured - perhaps more than you'd have thought from someone who had missed the majority of the preceeding discussions.

There was much to commend that came from the symposium but the overriding sense was that the conversation should continue. In fact, it had to continue. Not only between us but also with the wider church and with others already working online all over the UK and the world. Above all, we concluded that the theologians and academics MUST keep connecting with those working at the coalface to avoid it all becoming an intelluctual affair while those already "out there" on the desert road of the digital space need support, encouragement, feeding and guidance from our learned colleagues...

Does Church work?

Today at the 'Christianity in the Digital Space' we heard the presentation of a National survey on UK Biblical Literacy, arranged by CODEC. It wasn't the most riveting presentation but the results were very interesting indeed. Perhaps unsurprisingly the conclusions were that the majority of the UK population have little or no Biblical literacy - despite the fact that the stories are taught in school and our calendar is built around major Christian festivals. But the really scary thing is that, while this is not surprising among those who do not consider themselves as "church-goers", there is very little distinction between these people and the those who DO describe themselves as church attendees.

So what is happening? Are congregations not listening?! Are UK memory levels taking a hit? Or are UK churches just struggling, plain and simple, to teach Biblical knowledge? Does this reflect the way that Biblical "teaching" is done? Is it a problem with the way we view the Bible?

So often, churches have talks that reference small chunks of the Bible out of context without explaining the story that surrounds. It is a sad indictment of such an oral tradition of story-telling - the tradition that Christianity is built upon. Well, guess what, it doesn't seem to be working! Even church-goers aren't getting the stories... How do we expect that people outside the church will 'get', engage with and apply these stories of our faith?!

What future has the Bible got?

Christianity in the Digital Space - Day 2 - Durham

'Does the Bible have a future?', 'Will these technological revolutions make a difference to the poor and marginalised?' plus questions about spirituality, community and mission in the digtial arena dominated the discussions of day 2 in Durham. I still feel a little out of my depth at this gathering of "techie" minds but managing to not let anyone know yet!

More fascinating discussions today as Mark Brown led us through a session on the changing role and structure of the Bible in this web culture. He suggested that there could soon be "instant" Bible translation thanks to technologies like 'Google Translate'; personalised Bible translations (skewed to our individual interests and character!) and even a new "semantic" web technology which will connect each piece of data on a web page compared to just connecting the pages! There's plenty to ponder here and much to question and caution (particularly what happens to 'context' when all the Bible is connected together?) but it opens up great new possibilities.

Then we spent some time in smaller 'conversations' in which among other things, we discovered that there are too many introverted techies here! It was fascinating to explore the challenge of creating, encouraging and supporting community online. I also found myself in a conversation about an online monastic order - not quite as weird as it sounds and actually quite intriguing.

There is no doubt that, while I might struggle to understand the full implications of this symposium, I am grasping the need to become a digital 'immigrant' (someone who has not been brought up with this technology but is learning it as I go) & learn from the digital 'natives' (those who have).

Today, as we draw towards tomorrow's close, I'm left with two quotes ringing in my ears...

"The challenge is that we inhabit this digital space, become part of the culture and learn the language" - Mark Brown
(this for me sums up why we are all here)

and...

"Jesus came for the marginalised and poor and they need to see the benefits of what we're talking about here" - Colin Greene
(which stops this whole event becoming some weird exercise in middle-class time-wasting)

Is there anybody out there?!

Christianity in the Digital Space - Day 1 - Durham

The evening bells of Durham Cathedral are echoing around the place. A very clear reminder of 'church' in the physical space. But I'm here in this university town to learn (and share?) about church and Christianity in the Digital Space. Whatever that really means. After the first day of this 'symposium', I'm still not entirely sure but I'm keen to hear more.

The internet allows us to break down boundaries of geography and social awkwardness for our spiritual communities. But are we making full use of the potential for encouraging community and reaching out to people who can't/won't engage with the church? So far, I'm not sure. There seems to be a lot of examples of people who are trying to use the 'new tools' to reinvigorate the more traditional expressions of church. Online church though still seems to resemble what we recognise as church. But who is really pushing the boundaries to see how we can reach and engage with people who would find the 'culture' (even an online version of it) alien? Perhaps there will be more of this tomorrow?

In the meantime, there are interesting questions about who has authority (control?) & authenticity when it comes to internet spirituality & can you be one 'persona' in the real world and another in the virtual? Hoping there will be more reference to how young people engage with this technology / media but then perhaps that is why I'm here - to prompt that conversation?!

Now, I'm lurking at the back as an online service from St Pixels is being shown / experienced - good but I think would still miss the 'real' human contact and shared experience... Having said that I think I need to have some major "mindset" surgery on how I view church and community, so what do I know?!

More thoughts tomorrow...

To err is human

I can tell you this story now because the job I was doing is now over & passed but this time last week, I would have been ashamed to admit... Mainly because they are basic camera errors. Perhaps you'll find the insight interesting (and the people concerned will forgive me).

If you are in any way interested in movies (like me) and have read articles, watched interviews or listened to DVD commentaries, you may have heard mention of shots or sequences that went wrong or that had to be 'salvaged' during editing or just plain bodged on the day. There's a whole raft of stories about things done in Star Wars due to lack of money, time or skill on the part of the filmmakers and there's even examples of where a 'bodge' can end up better than the original script/intention - see the infamous 'whip/sword/gun fight' in Raiders of the Lost Ark brought about because of a major case of diarrhoea...

But these are mainly the exception and usually errors or misunderstandings are just plain stressful. We, at Urban Saints, are not immune to these situations either. This was clearly the case last Friday as I can now explain:

It hadn't started well. I was due to take Chris - with me on work experience - off to an activity centre for the final 'act' of his week. We were filming some cheap & cheerful intro clips for this weekend's Spree camp. Problem was that my meetings had overrun, my 'presenters' had phoned to say it was raining and were we still planning to show up and we hadn't packed any of the props. We reassured them we were coming - rain or no rain - and got packed up ASAP but by the time we left we were already nearly an hour late with around an hour's travelling to do. A couple of traffic jams and wrong turns later and we've arrived - a full two hours later than we'd arranged.

We arrive to see Fiona (Presenter 1) in a full climbing harness and hard hat so clearly there is no time to lose. The first thing I'm told is Ellen (Presenter 2) has to be home by 5 so that means we've only got 90 minutes, rather than the 3 or 4 hours I was expecting. We're going to have to shoot and move on, shoot and move on. All in one go, no mistakes, no re-takes. And then they put climbing harnesses on us too! Unfortunately, I'm about to commit at least two classic errors...

So, the opening shot of the video is an introduction at the top of the abseil tower before our presenters disappear off down the wall with a flourish. To make things easier, we'll film them setting off, get them to stop halfway and then go down and film them landing etc. Up the tower we go, carrying all the camera kit up the several stepladders only to head back down again once Fiona and Ellen are halfway and carry on filming as they finish their descent...

Now I'm attached to a rope at the top of the tower, while our intrepid duo ready themselves for a one-off 'drop'. We've got to get this in one go and I get them to do a practice to make sure the sound is right. I practice 'following' our stars down over the edge and although I'm not especially worried by the height, I am worried about losing my grip and seeing the £2000 camera literally following them! Time is ticking though so we need to get going. There's hardly any light on their faces so I switch on my rarely-used 'back-light' function (technically Error #3, as I forget to turn it off in a later shot, leading to a really washed out look...) and we're ready. We shoot - they yell, then disappear over the edge, stopping a few feet down, while we go back down the ladders with harnesses and caribinas clanging.

Now we're at the bottom of the tower looking up as they drop to the ground, detach their ropes and stride off, looking like Charlie's Angels. At this point I decide it is a good idea to check that our "one-off" shot has recorded correctly. Disaster - the sound is bodged and there's no way to fix it! Error #1: Should have let the camera roll while we we're setting up to avoid giving the potentially unstable opening millimetres of the miniDV tape the chance to ruin the whole shot. Decide we can salvage it, of sorts, by repeating opening line on the ground and then cutting to their descent (see final video - below). But having watched the footage back I then commit Error #2: Forget to ensure tape is at the end before hitting record and end up recording over some of the descent too...

Needless to say, what you see next is the result of what WAS filmed (and is probably still more than adequate) but could have been SO much better but for basic errors and poor time-keeping! Let this be a lesson to us all (it certainly was for me!) and let's say no more about it...

How much is a sense of humour worth?

I've been very encouraged by the pleasant comments about our silly little spoof video. Everyone's been very supportive and I'm sure we've also sold a few hoodies off the back of it. However, a question was raised at our team meeting today that got me thinking. At what point does something, that isn't directly intended to support our volunteers or generate income, become a "waste of donor's money"?

We walk a fine line as a youth organisation between what is 'good' because it directly effects and/or invests in young people and children and what is 'good' because it appeals to young people and their interests. On this particular occasion, I think this latest video "ticks enough boxes" (especially as it was made as a work experience project as well as a marketing opportunity) to justify its own existence. But what about a stupid video made just for the sake of raising a smile and showing our playful, (to quote Matt's own words) "more human side"? Can an individual donor feel aggrieved that we are frittering away their generous gift or does this sort of thing actually help people to connect easier with the people who serve the mission and calling of Urban Saints? After all, if Urban Saints could be run much cheaper by using robots, would that make it the correct decision to replace the staff with them?!

It would be interesting to hear some perspectives on this - especially as all different charities are run and funded differently and because people have very strong feelings about what charities should and shouldn't do with their donations. Ultimately, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to make the choice about whether they start (or stop) giving towards an organisation like Urban Saints. But is there a danger that when can both be 'under-' and 'over-' sensitive to this all at the same time?!

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #12 / 8.7.09

What’s my role…
One of the things that I am responsible for at Urban Saints is supplying news stories and announcements to the (mainly Christian) press. This role seems less about the ability to write (which I believe I am developing) and more about the ability to get to know the people who ‘edit the news’ (which I’m less efficient at!). There is also a challenge to be available (as a movement, rather than just me) to comment on other news stories from a Christian / youthwork perspective. For me, this next quarter will see a review of how Urban Saints does this, especially now that people read much more of their ‘news’ online and you have to respond to items immediately. I’ll try and keep you posted…

Elsewhere in Urban Saints
Today, we kick off three of our six Spree weekend camps. We’ve got sites / teams in the South West (Taunton), Midlands (Kettering) & Wales (Llanelli) with hundreds of young people and leaders heading their way. Spree is a weekend for whole groups to attend with their leaders, and offers a programme full of games, sports, craft, water fights, adventure activities, inflatables, worship, prayer, teaching, food and lots of fun. The original Spree weekends in the South East and South West have been running since before the dawn of Urban Saints but now we have grown to six (with Spree North and Spree in the Borders completing the set!) and Spree represents the single biggest interaction with our target audience in one place – and sees the most faith development of any one event in the Urban Saints’ calendar. Spree is just amazing!

How can you help?
Please consider taking just a few minutes to pray for Urban Saints and the work that I’m involved in. Let me know if you’d like any specific prayer points to guide you… Thanks for your support!

Paul Windo @ Urban Saints / #11 / LATE!!!

It couldn't last for ever... Apologies, but those more observant among you will have noticed the severe, almost Virgin-Trains-like delay of my latest offering. Normal service will resume but this does mean you're going to get two in just a few days...!

What’s my role…
Last week was a BUSY week. I had Chris Brassett with me for his work experience. I try to make my work experience placements as fun as possible but was also aware that I had loads to get done so wanted to make sure any projects I involved him in, would actually have use to the organisation. As a result, among other things, we did a green-screen trial run for ‘The Big Picture’, filmed some intros for this coming weekend’s Spree event (including being strapped to the top of an abseil tower!) and made the following video to promote our new ‘pink’ hoodies…



I’ll let you be the judge of how useful Chris’ week might have been!

Elsewhere in Urban Saints
I’ve eluded to this project before but here’s the full details about ‘Storyline’. This DVD-supported resource has just gone to the duplicators and Gibbo has put an amazing amount of work into it. It is a 12-part journey through the whole story of the Bible, aimed at teens. It uses animation, music, drama, vox-pops, interviews, testimonies, video montages and more conventional paper-based meeting plans to unpack various aspects of the bigger picture of the Bible (‘The Big Picture’ is the kids version of this.). It’ll be available shortly, both as part of Energize and as a stand-alone resource for youth groups, so watch this space!

How can you help?
Support is about so much more than money – your time, as a volunteer, and your prayers are even more valuable – but without sufficient funding, many of these opportunities will have to be cancelled. Even a few quid a month can make a massive difference. Thanks for your support – please get in touch if you’d like to do more!

Car washing again

"You might not ever get rich/But it's better than digging a ditch"

NOT in my experience! My nearly-annual car washing (this time with vacuuming inside and glass cleaner too!) saw me sink to new lows in this particular field.

Those of you that have followed my exploits for a while will know that I have questioned the logic of car washing and paying for the privilege BEFORE but this weekend, not only did I manage to clean it (but not quite clean it and even where I cleaned the grime away, there were still the ever-present white streaks) but this time my 'free' car wash cost me more than just my time.

During my enthusiastic attempts to prove that I didn't need to pay some bloke at Sainsburys a fiver to wash my car, I managed to knock a whole cup of tea in my favourite mug over and it smashed all over the floor, spraying my car with the majority of the caffeinated beverage...

I officially give up!