Emergent Brethren

Last night, my wife and I watched Wall-E, a movie we got from Netflix. This is an 2008 academy award winning Pixar film about a robot left on earth, after the humans had destroyed it. A probe named, Eva, arrives and a love story begins. Later, you find out that many of the humans that left the planet are in a huge space ship waiting for the time to come back to earth. When Eva discovers a green plant growing on earth, it goes back to the space ship to inform them of the discovery of “life” on earth. This starts the chain of events that brings the humans back to earth to repopulate it. (If you haven’t seen the movie, there’s a lot more to it than what I write here.)

As I watched the movie, I thought, “This is awfully heavy material for a children’s film!” One of the major focuses of the movie was how terrible humans have treated our planet. It shows the planet as a virtual wasteland, filled with garbage made by people. Wall-E is a machine whose purpose if to box and stack-up the garbage to clean things up. While watching the film I thought there are several scenes in it that could be used to illustrate a sermon on caring for creation.

Later on, after we finished watching the movie it dawned on me. . . this is a highly adapted story of Noah’s Ark in a science fiction genre. Garbage all over the earth is symbolic of the flood of water in the Biblical story. Eva is symbolic of the dove sent-out by Noah to find signs of land. The space ship. . .

Have any of you seen this film or used it to illustrate your sermon(s)? What other movies have you watched lately that would be good fodder for a sermon?

This year at Annual Conference, there will be an insight session focusing on media and worship. Assisting in the presentation will be a multi-media pastor from a church in San Diego. During this insight session, I would like to show on how congregations can use of media to enhance worship and highlight the best of how congregations are using multi-media in worship. For more information, you’re invited to download the Information Form. If you would like to submit something you’ve created for worship for possible use in the insight session, please submit it with the Submission Form.

I would really like to give the media artists in our church the opportunity to show-off their best work. I would also like for the members of our congregations to be inspired by the work of others to develop their own ministry. This insight session will help people to network with one another, in addition to being inspired. A DVD of the best submissions will be distributed during the insight session.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me. I look forward to hearing from you! Please refer this information with anyone you know who is developing media for worship! Please check back to this announcement, as I will be updating it in the future.

Thanks!

Jeff Glass
jglass_gb@brethren.org
888-826-4951

Are there any videographers out there? The Congregational Life Team of the Church of the Brethren General Board is sponsoring a video contest for next year’s Annual Conference. The winning video on the 300th anniversary theme will be featured on the floor of Annual Conference either during business or worship.

Each video submitted must be no longer than 3 minutes. More information can be found on the attached entry forms or you may contact me. Submissions are due February 1, 2008 to me. Please send a dvd of your creation to:

Jeff Glass
5460 Gilbert Dr.
San Diego, CA 92115

So, I invite you to be thinking about next year’s theme: Surrendered to God – Transformed in Christ – Empowered by the Spirit; John 12:24-26a and be creative with your talent!

I’m excited about this project to celebrate our church’s anniversary! If you know of anyone who might submit a video, please download the forms and pass them on to your friend.

Blessings to you,
Jeff Glass

300th Video Contest Entry Form

I find music so helpful in communicating the gospel… a few contemporary groups are doing a great job with awesome lyrics that make you think… I highly recommend anything Casting Crowns does… especially their new CD, the Altar and the Door.  And Todd Agnew’s Better Questions Cd is awesome…  I really am challenged by his song “Will there be peace?” and on his Reflections of Something CD… the song My Jesus is inspiring. 

 What music inspires or challenges you?

It was good being at Annual Conference and seeing many of you. I wish there was more time for us to get together to dream about what our church can become, on both the national and local scenes.

I co-led an Insight Session with Russ Matteson on Enhancing Worship through Digital Glass. One of the questions that arose from that Q & A afterwards is what kind of software are people using to develop their media presentations. What do you use? Those at conference named MediaShout, Easy Worship, Powerpoint, Photoshop Elements, Roxio Media Creator, and Adobe Premiere Elements. Another piece of software that was used very effectively in two presentations is Photo Story. Its a freebee at Microsoft.com.

What kinds of software do you use? How often do you plan media presentations for worship?

Blessings to you!

Jeff Glass