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Follow our Network

Thanks to a Facebook Status… (and check out @natwivity)

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Category : Christian, Digital Media

If you talk to me of God…
…Please offer me more than a rulebook, theories and ideas, vague promises of a greater understanding later on. I need something that has meaning in my here and now
If you talk to me of Gods son…
…Please offer …me more than a newborn in a manger, or a teller of tales, gentle bearded hippy with a considerable fondness for children and a greater capacity for being misunderstood. I need someone who has meaning in my here and now.
If you talk to me of Gods spirit…
…Please offer me more than a hovering dove, beautifully pictured in stained glass, stained glass has not much day to day usefulness.
What I need is a friend who will come alongside me, love that will never let me down, and a leader I can follow with confidence to the ends of the earth.
If you talk to me of that God.
Then
I will listen.

————————————————————————————————————————-

WHO’S WHO in @Natwivity?

JOSEPH

Meet Joseph, a young unmarried man who lives and works in Nazareth, Galilee. As the story unfolds he begins to understand how he, an ordinary carpenter, will play his part in saving the world. Joseph is in a relationship with Mary.

Mary

Mary, a young girl brought up in an ordinary household. She is preparing for her future with the young and handsome Joseph. Still living with her parents, every relationship Mary knows is about to change.

WISE MEN

The Wise men embark on a journey following a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event. Their journey takes them to towns, palaces and a stable as they encounter danger, deceit and surprise. Their camels are packed with all sorts of Eastern wonders and valuable gifts.

Shepherds

A 0-AD Bethlehem shepherd is considered to be an outcast in society. Living in caves on the hills of the town, they work from dawn til dusk protecting and keeping their flock.

Elizabeth

Liz is Mary’s older cousin. Through shared experiences they find support and comfort in each other through challenging times.

Innkeeper

Bethlehem’s busy! A census has been decreed by the Emperer Augustus and those that call Bethlehem home return to respond. Guest houses and inns fill up and this manager is set for a busy few weeks.

Herod

He’s the most powerful character wrapped up in this story until he hears of a threat to topple his authority. Jealousy seethes through his veins and his actions jeopardise the fate of things to come.

T-Mobile Welcome back (thanks @simonjenks)

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Category : Digital Media, Event, Experimentation, Inspirational

What a lovely video… almost makes me want to go back to T-Mobile (still have 6 months on contract!)

And wow… look how much effort it is to arrange a real flashmob!!

Digital doesn’t mean the end of the book….

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Category : Digital Media

The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.

The BigBible Project #Interview @thechurchsofa

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Category : Career, Christian, Digital Media

I was very privileged to be the first person to be interviewed by The Church Sofa (the other week I was interviewing The Church Mouse and Mr Catolick, lots of interesting ‘brands’ coming out there):

The Big Bible Project Interview

Well.. a couple of weeks ago I heard something called “The Big Bible Project” mentioned on Twitter… it was then mentioned by Church Mouse… and the rate they’re going I’m sure more people will hear of The Big Bible Project soon.

One thing has led to another and we’ve managed to get ourselves our first interview, please read on and find out about the Big Bible Project, and have a think if you’d like to get involved.

Please enjoy our interview with Dr Bex Lewis;

What is the Big Bible Project?

The @BigBible Project is an ecumenical project, promoting Bible reading within a community setting, whether that be online or offline. It is part of the #Biblefresh initiative, which is a movement of churches, agencies, organisations, colleges and festivals which has a vision to reignite and re-enthuse the church in its passion for the Bible. For many in our churches the Bible has become tedious and toxic rather treasured, trusted and true. The aim of the Biblefresh initiative is to encourage a greater confidence and passion for Scripture across the Church, in 2001, a year which celebrates the 400th anniversary since the publication of the King James Version of the Bible.
The #BigRead2011 will make use of Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone: Matthew, encouraging people to meet together in housegroups to read the Bible. The Big Read offers opportunities to go much bigger and much more creative and join in online (inter)nationally. From quiet sitting rooms with Bibles and books, to coffee shops and internet chatrooms across the world, we will offer tips & tricks on how to gain confidence in new media, so that you can engage with the project as much as you like. If you want to just read the book, or just download the housegroup materials, that’s all good. If, however, you are keen to understand the possibilities and options offered by the online world, we aim to help you get online, offering inspiring interviews, tips, tricks & training to enable you to engage with the Bible online. We plan to launch it with a Mardi Gras event on Shrove Tuesday, and will provide a ‘party pack’ for that!

Read full interview and check out the Big Bible Project for yourself.

Thinking, inside the box (@timeshighered)

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Category : Academic, Career, Digital Media

Richard Klein, who became BBC Four’s controller at the end of 2008, is always on the lookout for new ideas.

“We appeal to viewers who have curious minds, and we reach parts of their brains other channels don’t reach,” he says. “We are always interested in covering mainstream subjects, but we go in deep. One of the natural places to look for people who have a credible, authoritative position and who can argue a strong view of the world is in the academy.”

He and his team recruit suitable academics in a number of different ways. Some are already well known via their books, public appearances and the media. During BBC Four’s autumn/winter season, Robin Lane Fox, reader in ancient history at the University of Oxford, will present a bold new interpretation of the origins of Greek mythology in Greek Myths – Tales of Travelling Heroes. Lisa Jardine, centenary professor of Renaissance studies at Queen Mary, University of London, will be examining the ethics of science through the archives of her father, Jacob Bronowski, in My Father, the Bomb and Me.

WTF (Church – wrong or right?)

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Category : Christian, Digital Media, Experimentation

This picture has been doing the rounds as a sign of a church not being aware of ‘culture’ – however, looking at their Facebook page, I think they are only too aware of what WTF means: “A Wake advertisement hangs outside the north side of the SUB on Thursday. The First Family Church sponsors Wake, which is for college-aged Christians.” An interesting take on getting publicity – not sure what I think of that – always thought FCUK was in rather poor taste…

Simon Cohen, TEDxTeen

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Category : Charity & Social Action, Christian, Digital Media

TEDxTeen 2010 – Simon Cohen from We Are Family Foundation on Vimeo.

I had the privilege of meeting Simon this morning. I’m looking, for @bigbible, to do something like his Tole-Rants (so impressive), but I need to do it on a shoestring… The guy is engaging, interested, incisive, insightful and all round good guy. Here he is in action changing the world…

A Reflection on the First #MediaLit Course

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Category : Christian, Digital Media, Event

“Have you ever wondered how the media works, or watched a TV programme and asked yourself what values underpin it? Ever pondered the ethics of media production and consumption?  Is there a theology of communication? How might the church engage with and support those who work in the media? Ever thought about how the national church engages with the media? How do church press offices work? Could your local church engage more effectively with the media? What might the digital future look like? How might social networking develop? Today Twitter and FaceBook,  tomorrow…?

MediaLit gave the opportunity to explore all these issues and more. Based in the wonderful setting of St John’s College, Durham,  MediaLit was a week long, intensive course – both hands on and theoretical – which brought together media practitioners, journalists, the Churches Media Council, those exploring how to use social media in relation to Christian faith, trainee ministers, vicars and other interested parties.”

Read the full reflection by Kate Bruce and indicate your interest in future MediaLit courses. Find Kate on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/johnschaplain

Bex’s Bio for @bigbible

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Category : Career, Christian, Digital Media

In my third day working for CODEC, I ensured that my bio was available on the CODEC site, so here’s my new role for St John’s College, University of Durham:

  • Bex Lewis  – Email ; Twitter ; Blog
  • Blended Learning Project Manager, ‘The Big Read 2011’

Bex has a background in history, completing her PhD in ‘British Home Front Propaganda Posters of the Second World War’in 2004 at the University of Winchester, where she’d done her first degree in History with Education Studies. Bex built her first website in 1997, has built many more, and has undertaken accessibility and usability projects. She, however, is more interested in people/ communication/ popular culture than programming, and therefore was delighted when social media took off, and she is the Director of ‘Digital Fingerprint’, a social media consultancy.

As well as a ‘digital resident’, Bex is a polymath – she is the social media consultant for ‘Super Fun Days Out’, and has promoted interdisciplinary research, undertaken the LICC Toolbox course, and written for Damaris Culturewatch. After 7 months travelling around the world (Asia, Australasia, South America), she worked a summer season as a Tour Leader with Oak Hall Expeditions in 2008. She continues to work at the University of Winchester, as a ‘Blended Learning Fellow’ (finding tools for teaching using an appropriate mix of technology and face-to-face) with Associate Lectureships in Media Studies (particularly digital literacy) and History, alongside funded projects in student-skills and change management.

Bex is working for CODEC for 50% of her time throughout the 2010/11 academic year to develop ‘The Big Read’ on from its successful launch in the North-East over Lent 2010. The project will look to use the best mix of tools from the online and the offline worlds to encourage more engagement with the Bible, and draws upon Tom Wright’s forthcoming book ‘Matthew for Lent’. The project is supported by The Methodist Church, Premier Radio and SPCK, and Bex can generally be found at the Premier Radio offices in Pimlico Tuesday/Wednesday.

Join the project on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bigbible.

Guest Post on @thechurchmouse #medialit

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Category : Christian, Digital Media, Event

“A few days ago Pete Phillips from CODEC guest blogged on the Church and Media Network Conference, and mentioned an upcoming course organised by CODEC and the Church and Media Network, called as MediaLit.  The course describes itself as “an opportunity for first class training and resources in media for ministry for those engaged in formal pre-ordination training, those already engaged in local or national ministry and anyone concerned to connect Christian faith with communication in a digital age. ”

MediaLit has now taken place, and Mouse wanted to bring it to your attention.  Below is a guest post from Dr Bex Lewis on what it was all about.  Bex has a PhD in Second World War posters (http://ww2poster.co.uk), teaches History & Media Studies, whilst working on Blended Learning projects for the Universities of Winchester & Durham.”

Read the full post here.