well today turns out to be a busy day – sorry if this is lazy so i’m just going to offer up a few links to old thoughts of mine/others…

jesus in amongst the brands is an article i wrote for YS a while back on the tenision in being a christian and relating to a consumer culture. on the one hand christ relates to culture and on the other he subverts it (throwing over the tables of consumption).

a few days back i blogged about buynothingchristmas here with a neat idea for a flash animation to add into all those christmas services…

and this article (pdf) by tom beaudoin is stunning… [broken links]

and i love this wwjw by steve collins

and lastly (again something i wrote a while back) ad liturgy – the idea with this is that it is a call and response prayer/liturgy but it uses the stuff of culture (all the responses are lines from ads) to resist consumption rather than pretending we can live outside of it:

We live after purity
True

In a world of rich and poor, global warming, information overload, cafe direct, nike and gap
You either love it or you hate it

Our life is complex and interlinked not simple and straightforward
It’s as clear as your conscience

Our actions and choices have a knock on effect for others – neighbours near home and far away
Help us in this context to follow you
Always

When our thoughts are filled with dreams of wealth and objects of desire
Think different

When we reach information overload
Have a break

Take some space and time
Everyone needs a place to think

Help us use our withdrawal as a time to learn to love the world more
Stop liking start loving

Make us angry about injustice and determined to make a difference
Just do it

Help us know which concerns to make our own
Because life is complicated enough

When apathy sets in to remember
Every little helps

When individual actions seem too small to count thank you that we are part of your body, the largest global network
Together we are stronger

Give us patience when change is slow
Good things come to those that wait

We long to see your kingdom come
The future’s bright

And your will be done
Whatever it takes

On earth as it is in heaven
A taste of paradise

To the glory of God
Because he’s worth it!