Blame it on the boom, BOOM!!!

BOOM! LOL! JOKES!...

IT'S CHRISSSTTTTTMMMMAAAASSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

First saw this a couple of years ago, but love it so thought I'd share it with the rest of the world lol

The digital story of the Nativity....How it might have played out if there was facebook and twitter and google, etc, etc back then...enjoy!

 YouTube - THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY

Hard Rock Hallelujah!

That's, right, it's back!!!!!.....The UK's original heavy metal carol concert!!! \m/ :) \m/

Hark the herald angles SCREAM!!!!!!!!!.......Come along to head-bang merrily on high, while in heaven angles are screaming!!!

When: ONE WEEK TODAY!!! - Saturday 7th December, 5:30pm.
Where: Grimsby Minster (aka St. James'), St James' Square, Grimsby.
Who:  It's for ALL ages.
Price:  FREE!!!
What the bob?!: All your fave carols as you've never heard them before!!

This year A Very Heavy Christmas is back and bigger than ever!!..With not 1 live band, but 3 bands as well as a soloist. But oh no, that's not all, as well as the usual things you've come to expect from us, we've also got a punk poet and a fire eater this year! BOOM! Remember, it's totally and utterly free, and you'll even leave with a mince pie! Any and all donations go to the YMCA to support homeless people.
So that's FREE ENTRY, LIVE BANDS, what more needs to be said?! See ya there :D 

LINE-UP:
Metonia -bringing their own brand of Hard Rock

 

Grimsby Super-Group -We've assembled a supergroup of three top local lads, who will also be delivering a brace of carols.

Seaside Johnson -bringing something a bit different, there own brand of grungey, sometimes bluesy, psychadelia

Vicky Frost -Emo/Goth soloist.

Eagle Spits -Punk Poet.

Find A Very Heavy Christmas on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veryheavychristmas?fref=ts

 

And finally, here's some pics and clips from previous years...

• Article labelled 'They rocked the house of God!' - http://www.gcymca.com/pages/news/heavychristmas2011.html
• 'Silent Night' with photos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5AORSsBzKg
• Film clips from the first Very Heavy Christmas in 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gch2QCP_w0Q
• 'We Three Kings' audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFp3v1Ta5CQ 

All I Want...

The hierarchy of biscuits!

It made me lol! ..Seems quite accurate really...though there is a lovely lady in one of my churches who often buys me rude biscuits like ones with big fat cows on!!!HAHAHA

This CartoonChurch.com cartoon by Dave Walker originally appeared in the Church Times.

Heavy Metal Thunder!!!

Today my little face and a few ramblings are in Kerrang! magazine -the world's biggest selling weekly rock magazine, and yes, what my cat Kerrang is named after!

I was asked for thoughts on the topic of rockstars turning to God, and metal and God being a positive thing in someones life, to go alongside an article my friend Eleanor Goodman (who works for Kerrang!) was putting together on Head leaving and re-joining the band KoЯn. Some folks have asked if there was a longer piece I'd done and if I'd make it available to read. So here's a few photos of the piece for you to see and read, followed by the, only slightly, longer piece I did for them on this theme....and no, I don't know why I started talking about nuns on rollercoasters either hahaha!!!

(hint: click on each picture individually and they pop up on your computer screen bigger!)

 

I’ve never understood why Head left KoЯn...Or why people even suggest you can’t love God and love metal. Non-one’s surprized if you’re a Christian and you enjoy horror films or gory console games, but when it comes to music, we’re supposed to like dull, manufactured, unemotional, pop drivel! Why?!..especially when Christianity and metal have much in common: joining together, recognising the darkness and negativity in life, trying to move on from it by creating a culture that encourages true happiness and love experienced through the music and community.

I guess rockstars are just like all of us, searching for wholeness, for something to fill the void felt within ourselves –for some this is just metal, but others turn to God. When someone doesn’t have a faith and then suddenly does, their worldview and values are in the mist of huge change and in searching for what their faith means to them personally, many reject all they have known to re-build their lives afresh. Consequently, some reject metal, but when more confident and knowledgeable in their faith, many come back to it, realising it’s no more damaging to their faith than a nun on a roller-coaster –yes, that actually happens!

I know many Christians and metal fans, like myself, who find huge value and support in our everyday lives from a faith in God and a love of metal. Both have positively shaped me and continue to sustain me. Yes, some aspects of the lifestyle might be seen as slightly unsavoury from a Christian perspective, but from a contemporary perspective, not many really, and obviously you don’t have to indulge in them anyway. Ultimately, Christianity is about loving God and loving people; there’s nothing in metal that prevents me, or you, from doing that.

So yes I love metal, I love the music and lifestyle, I love partying in a field with a load of people, I love the thrill of the live music as the bass pulsates around your body, I love moshing, I love wearing black, and you know what, I love God!..people might think that’s a bit weird, but isn’t that what metal’s all about?!

Also in Kerrang!, back in March, my friend Rev Mark Broomhead had an article about 'The Order of the Black Sheep' (www.theorderoftheblacksheep.com) which he runs, and Eleanor asked me to write a reply to that article. So below are photo's of both of those.

Some previous posts with more ramblings on how metal has been brought into ministry and worship, including some pics and clips:

http://thegospelaccordingtogeorges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-book-of-heavy-metal.html

http://thegospelaccordingtogeorges.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/rock-n-roll-angels-bring-thine-hard.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[I've written lots on metal and religion. I began 5-10 years ago with the idea that the metal music scene is similar to a religion and since I've noticed others have recognised this too, such as Metal Hammer magazine encouraging people to write 'heavy metal' as their religion on the 2011 census. In my MTh thesis on this theme, I explained that there's an applied theology within the heavy metal music scene, which I'm yet to see articulated in such a way elsewhere. I hope to expand my work in this area into a PhD and a book.....Soooo......if anyone reading this has the ability or contacts to offer me the chance and finance to do a PhD on this (and not just because I want to be a Doctor of metal!!!..though it'd probably be a doctor of applied theology wouldn't it?!...)  then why not get in touch so I can do this part-time while continuing to be a Christian minister. Thank you -sales pitch over!hahaha]

Times Like These...

Someone said I should share some of my facebook statuses on here, so I thought yeah I could share some previous ones which folks might be interested in/amused by...I'll post work related ones today, and another day some about my time in Africa and then some random ones!...Enjoy!!!
WARNING: This is meant to be light-hearted and make you smile, so please don't take any offence!

2013: 
Had a weird dream last night (like I do most nights!lol), which had the main theme of 'George is too small to be the Archbishop of Canterbury!' Hahaha How strange!!!!!!

Today in my Lent Group we played ‘George’s God-Words’ and in Youth Group we played ‘George’s Musical Forfeits’…both seemed to go down very well.,and I came to the conclusion that everything is better if you stick the word ‘George’ in front of it!!!....vain, me?!..I don’t know what you’re talking about…or rather, George doesn’t know what you’re talking about!!..see…it worked!!!!!!LOL

2012:
So you're a Priest and you like rock & metal music?..Oh yes, I will literally rock the hell out of you!!

Go into primary school to talk to 6 year olds about Bible stories, end up singing with the class Lady Gaga's Bad Romance.......

Some days my job is everything you expect ME to be doing –hanging out in ancient gothic buildings, wearing black, eating biscuits and chatting, praying, cheering people up, in conversations seeped with, and situations surrounded by, aspects of death, grief and pain, and looking for hope and light within the darkness, negativity and hatred in the world, AT OTHER TIMES it involves going to flower festivals!!

Reasons I'm a vicar, reason #10 -because nothing beats THAT feeling of being in a graveyard in the dark at night on your own...

*with a couple arranging a family members funeral*
Question: “Do you allow any music in church for a funeral? Cuz I want AC/DC when I go. I’m a big heavy metal fan!”
Me: “Yeah most things, we’ve had all sorts in the past. And, me too! I go to Download every year and saw Black Sabbath there this summer.”
Reply: “That’s amazing! I also play electric guitar.”
Me: “Me too. I’ve just got a Fender Strat squire. What have you got?”
Reply: “Cool!! I’ve got a Fender Strat and a Les Paul. Do you wanna see them?”
Me: “Obviously!”
*both go to the guitars*
Reply: “Have a go if you want. I’ll turn up the volume on the amp”
Me: “Turn up the overdrive too” *Pick up guitar, start playing*
Reply: “Well, before you arrived, I never expected a visit from a vicar to end up with her rocking out like this!”

2007:

looking forward to the giant puppets and Desmond Tutu tomorrow.

Sweet Dreams (are made of this)

At the weekend I went to somewhere so amazing that even photo's don't do it justice....I went somewhere so fabtastic that my tastebuds nearly exploded.....I went somewhere so amazing that I felt my whole life had been building up to that point, for that moment, for those realms of pleasure....that's right people, I went to The Chocolate Cafe!!!!!!!

I went with my fella Ian.  I had an amaretto and milk chocolate hot chocolate.  Ian had a gingerbread hot choc.  I had hot melted chocolate on brioche.  Ian had a triple bacon sandwich?!....We don't talk any more!!!...ok, we do, but bacon instead of chocolate, what was he thinking?!hahaha

Oh, and here's some photo's which hint at the magic which was experienced.......

 

P.S. I might be slightly exaggerating, but it was pretty epic!!!!!!

P.P.S. The fact it was in a place called Ramsbottom, only served to make me more entertained.....me, childish, as if?! ....Though might I draw everyone's attention please briefly to Luke 18.17 where Jesus is reported to have said, 'Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child, will never enter it.' Enough said!...bring on the jelly and ice-cream now please!!! :)

There for you...

It really is the little things in life :)

Let me paint you a picture...I, like most people, work hard all week, and this week is the same, though I've also had a migraine. Today I went to church at 8:30am, and have just walked in through my door home at 9:45pm. While I ate lunch, I made myself comfy on my sofa under a blanket and watched about 30 mins of TV..when I emerged from my cosy lounge, some kind soul has left me home-made biscuits and cup cakes. The timing, giving a week I've had a migrain and a day that was particularly long, was amazing. The offering, given everyone knows how much I love biscuits and cakes, was amazing. The fact the biscuits were still warm enough that the white chocolate chunks were melting inside, was just lush!!!

I do not know who you are kind soul, but thank you. I really, really, really appreciated it, and am still appreciateing it as I stuff in the last biccy!!! :) They taste delish! Thank you :)

 It really is the little things in life like this that make your day isn't it..just like the random man who stopped to help me recently after I had a car accident going around 70mph on the motorway and hit the middle barrier and another car...more on that later..for now, I will tidy up the crumbs and switch on the magic television box to watch the rest of Madagascar 3...

All the Small Things...

LOL! :)

They offered me the office...

If you replace the words 'coffee' with 'tea' and also 'gin glass' with 'biscuits', this could literally be my desk haha!!!
Do click on the pic so that it'll pop up bigger and then you can actually read it!

Hold your head up high, Rise your fist up in the air, Play metal...!!!

The equivalent of Christmas in the heavy metal world, is Download festival..a music festival where over 100,000 metal-heads and rockers come together to listen to good music, hang out with their friends, meet new people, party and generally have a good time.  I've been to every Download festival since it started in 2003, though those slightly older than me will remember Monsters of Rock festival which also used to take place on the hallowed heavy metal soil of Donington Park, some years before Download began.

This post isn't to write about festivals I'm afraid, and their significance to metal fans, but rather just to share some photo's of my holiday this year!  As I said, I go to every Download and this year was no exception.  I actually try to go to 2 rock/metal festivals a year and the past few years it's been Download and Bloodstock, but for a couple of years it was Download and Sonisphere while that was running, and then right back in the day it was Reading Festival and Download...actually, my first ever festival was Reading 2001..and let's just say, I was certain converted right there and then in an instant! Apart from those festivals, I've also been, while they were running, to Distortion in Nottingham in 2002, and Ozzfest in 2002 which kind of ran briefly at Donington Park sometime between Monsters of Rock ending and Download starting.

Anyway, thought some might want to see some photo's from this year's Download...

This one is taken from Download's website...look carefully, I'm right there in the middle..looking slightly drowned from the earlier down pour!!! :/

This one is taken from my mates Ben Wilmott's photos...

This is one of Ian's pics...

 The rest of the pics are mine

Me n Ian :)

Me n my mate Luke

Me n my very good friend Owl :)

Luke dressed as a power ranger one day, Owl dressed in her much loved silver space suit...oh, and we randomly found a courgette so thought we'd draw a face on it!haha random!

On a ride called 'The Wild Mouse' with Ian and Luke

 

And another picture of me...for no reason! lol

I Dont' Wanna Miss A Thing...

A while ago I made a list of things I want to do before I die...it's going well, I've taught myself to cook and made a roast dinner, and a few others are in the pipe line. (for the list, see www.thegospelaccordingtogeorges.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-final-countdown_14.html )

But, Life isn't about the breaths you take, it's about the moments which take your breath away. [not sure who to attribute this to since I've heard it and similar attributed to various people!]
Life is an adventure and I want to keep living it.  I want to look back at photo's, and reminisce with friends, so I say, 'wow, that was me, I did that!'
This post it to make sure things on the list progress, as well as obviously to add to the list of things I would love to do, so that I'm not just living, but I am alive! 

Yes, I've already done much which would come under this theme, cuz that's the kinda person I am, and I must say that most of the best moments were not even planned, they just kinda happened...there's too much to list, but like, crowd surfing, stroking a crocodile, getting jumped on by monkeys, getting head-butted by a hyena, swimming with dolphins, fly in a wind machine thing, climbing down Table Mountain (and no, I didn't climb the whole way up!), mid-night parties on the beach in Africa with locals, water zorbing, mid-night bonfires in woods, swimming in the sea fully clothed, having snowball fights in the middle of the night, festivals and gigs, playing one of Kurt Cobain's guitars (Nirvana), literally running smack into Rammstein, being in front of the barrier to see Alice Cooper, meeting Marilyn Manson, Corey Taylor (Slipknot) and Brian Molko (Placebo), seeing my favourite bands, going to Japan, paint balling, safari in Africa and South Africa, living in South Africa for 4 months, learning to break dance, meeting Desmond Tutu, etc..too much to even list!

So, let's also remind ourselves what's on the list under this theme:
Sleeping under the stars without a tent,
Camping in a forest (or possibly anywhere) away from civilisation apart from the person/people I go with,
Going on a totally unplanned holiday (like just turn up to an airport with just a rucksack and get the next flight or turning on the computer and getting the next last min holiday and going there wherever it is! Some friends talked me out of this last year saying it probably wasn't my safest idea...so might have to persuade a certain man then that he will have to come along for the adventure!...),
Going in a hot air balloon,
Riding an elephant,
Playing with a lion cub,
Going into space (I put this one again in case any rich people are reading this and would like to treat me!!!LOL...I suspect this is the one on the list that might not happen, but never say never, I say!)

And so, the things to add to the list, so far, are:
Ride on a motorbike (yes it's tragic I haven't done this yet!),
Have a bonfire on a beach,
Go in the sea in the middle of the night,
Sleep in a cave (possible on a beach, possibly anywhere!),
Climb a mountain,
Walk in a desert,
Do something so spontaneous and crazy it can't even be on a list like this,
Go boat kiting,
Go hang gliding,
Do wing walking,
Go zorbing,
Go scuba diving.

Also, I'm open to suggestions, so please suggest...I'll be blogging my progress on all the above..hopefully sooner rather than later.

Hymn of a broken man...

A couple of songs that made me laugh about Church....please don't take any offence, they really just made me laugh! :)  ...so thought I'd share them to make you guys smile too :)

First, Mrs. Beamish stands in Church......

(Mrs. Beamish stands in church expression calm and holy, But when the organ plays, she mumbles hymns extremely slowly....'Don't you dare shake hands with me, or offer signs of peace, You lay a finger on me and I'll call for the police. Don't whisper 'Peace be with You,' this is the C of E, So bend the knee, say thou and thee, and keep your hands off me.')

Next, Parody of Our Modern Church Service...

Oddity.......

Earlier this week I posted the below photo of myself on facebook as I liked the two-tone hair colour I'd achieved...which by the time of posting I no longer had!.....'a change is as good as a rest', as my mum always says!
Anyway, a friend of mine thought the biggest change was that I appeared to be leaning sideways and standing on the opposite wall!!...I replied that, 'My whole life is on the wonk Ben,..it's the only way to be! :)'.  He then suggested I put it on this blog and said he called it, 'Vicar on the Perpendicular'...this little photo and exchange then seemed too good not to post! lol

Vicar on the Perpendicular...thanks Ben!!!! hahaha :)

Seize the Day (or die regretting the time you lost)

One of the various things I do in my current job is help to organise and lead 'Quiet Days'.....yes I know quiet doesn't sound like me, but to be honest, we've recently been discussing changing the names of these as they aren't actually all that quiet!!!  Some people hear 'Quiet Days' and think silence..this is NOT what we do!lol  What do we do then??....we offer a time of relaxation and reflection really, in an informal setting, using relaxation exercises, guided meditations, thought provoking readings, themed thoughts, etc..we often do a craft activity and sometimes circle dancing!..and various other things, as well as having lots of home-made cakes!!!..not made by me, obviously!haha

Anyway, last Saturday we had one of these Quiet Days and the theme was Joy.  Themes we've previously used include the four seasons and the 'I am' sayings of Jesus (e.g. I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, etc).  This year we're using the fruits of the spirit as our theme.  One of the activities I most enjoyed this Quiet Day was getting out a bag full of instruments and listening to 'Ode to Joy' by Beethoven while we all shook our maracas and jingled our bells along!!!...It was most fun!..and I was very impressed by one lady who managed to play her castanet in time whilst also holding a mug in her other hand and casually sipping at her cup of tea!

Anyway, I digress..for a change!  For this latest Quiet Day I made a short film (just under 9 minutes long), which I've entitled;

'Joy - A Happy Life: Some Suggestions for Contentment'.

A number of people who were there asked if they would be able to watch it again and subsequently some who weren't there have asked if they could see it too.  So consider your demand met as below is the film which I've now uploaded to YouTube! :-)  Please bear in mind when you first put it on though, that the first 20-25 seconds are just pictures (that are meant to make you smile!) and it kicks in a bit more after that time.

Joy - A Happy Life: Some Suggestions for Contentment

Some people think I'm Bonkers, But I just think I'm free, Man I'm just living my life...

A friend sent me this on a facebook message in the winter of last year.......I think it still applies!!!!!!!

Together...

Today, in a bid to explain the mystery of the Trinity to Primary school children in a whole school assembly, I got one to make me a sandwich, another to make me a cup of tea and a third to choose the ingredients on the table which would make a chocolate fruit and nut bar...And even if they didn't work as references to the Trinity, as least I got a cheese sandwich (lathered in Flora!) and a (very milky) tea, out of it!!

We began with this.....

 

And ended with this....

And before anyone states the obvious, yes I am aware these are all very simplistic metaphors, but remember the children were as young as 4 years old!
And I felt suggesting the doctrine of the Trinity as one God in three distinct divine persons (but not people!) who are of the one being or essence, without a reference to food or drink, might prove a bit, well, flat!..and with the Trinity there is always the danger of one accidentally slipping into heresy!..and there was no chance I was going to attempt to say the word 'consubstantial' anyway!

[Also, as an aside note, I'm always quite touched by how happy they are at this school when they see it's me doing the assembly that day, but they were even more excited this time as they reminded me, that, 'last time, you set something on fire!'...Well yes, yes I did!haha...intentionally, I feel I should add!]

I feel I must also add that yes I am aware, that the whole God as a sandwich thing, has been parodied by the TV show Gavin and Stacey!!!...and if you don't know what I'm on about, then do see the clip below!..though, it's time they send me some royalties for copying my idea haha!! Can I also add, that obviously I don't shout at people when I compare God to a sandwich (or a cuppa)! Oh, but I do, of course, make the obvious and cheesy reference to Jesus as the Bread of Life!haha..oh well, at least I amuse myself!!!

In the Youth Group however, we made friendship bracelets to remember the Trinity!...But another youth leader, Andy, suggested we should have had Neapolitan ice-cream, d'oh!..how did I miss the chance to have chocolate ice-cream!?!!!