Hey All,

Unfortunately due to illness around the Easter [and annual Synod meeting] time... not all the plans for Salt [Factory] Live Music Cafe have been able to be finalised!! Which in hindsight we should have stuck with in our decision to back off and do some reflection/discussion about who/what/where/how and why we'd like to continue to shape and gather and be this group!!

So, once more [and hopefully for the last time] WE'VE HAD TO POSTPONE OUR EVENT FOR 19TH APRIL!!! UNTIL A FUTURE DATE...

STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS OF VENUE FOR A REFLECTION/DISCUSSION where I would love to also pilot 'WE BELIEVE' creed writing with the group... Jono bring your camera!! Over food of course...

LIve Music 19th April

Hey all, you can download this jpeg, print it off and distribute to your friends and networks ahead of the event... posters and cards will be done after Easter!! For distribution to friends, groups, churches, cafe's in Newcastle.... guerilla marketing!!

Mybe even a flash mob is in order!!

Salt [Factory] 22nd March at BWP 6:30pm

OK, so our Live Music Cafe is now locked in as an OxFam fundraiser for April 19th because nobody was able to help put it together in time for March!! Instead we need to have a fun meal and a quiet chat about other stuff that needs to be arranged and maybe about how we're going at living out our life and faith where we are...

6:30pm to 9:00pm BWP at Newcastle Harbour on Monday 22nd March

See you there...

I hope to have a simple 'what is Salt [Factory]?' handout for people to reflect on!!

"Shocked" wins 2010 Tropfest

Tropfest 2010

We made our way to Sydney's Domain on Sunday for the finals celebration of the world's biggest short film Festival TROPFEST!! Because of other commitments we'd had to leave via the minibus at about 4pm [well 4.30] and my midweek enquires to RTA and Sydney City Council had me unsure about parking!! However we had a good run and there were multiple parking spaces along the point at Mrs Macquarie's Chair!!

It was another reminder of how brilliant the Domain is when a road on it's one edge can remain open despite 60,000 punters being in the Park.

After part of our crew went MIA to find food [putting the Chinese New Year Parade between themselves and Jono!! in hidsight if I'd known the parking would have been so quickly resolved I would have paused at the drop off to give directions to Subway, Pizza/Pida, McDs, Hungry Jacks and Star Bucks across Hyde Park plus 2 blocks... I was a bit busy sorting the driving, so the rest of us suffered the $12 rip offs onsite!!

Anyhow, the films were played in two batches of eight, with 'Whiteley' the derivative and underwhelming break entertainment!!

Our group liked: "Last Roll of the Dice","My City has Been Overrun by Baboons", "Shocked", "How God Works" amongst others... with "Shocked" announced as winner in the muffled background as we shuffled off the 5 min walk to the bus with prizes being awarded for seemingly endless categories ...

It was a bit early in the life of our activities to generate a lot of conversation/listening about the film themes and what a phenomenon the event itself is AND next time we do something similar the shared picnic is a go!! BUT as we all grab our copy of the DVD with next Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald, no doubt some conversation will follow!

See pictures here later...

NEXT SALT [FACTORY] is March 22nd

A 'Live Music' Cafe in the city as a fundraiser for Haiti... details soon!!

Salt [Factory] Latest

Hey there are about six seats left for the trip to TROPFEST on Sunday!!

Let me know as per the flyer in the previous post if you'd like to come!!

Also the date for March has been advertised as 15th March and it's changed to 22nd March and is subject to some arrangements coming together!!

WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?

Live Music Cafe

Raising money for hurricane stricken Haiti [through a partnership with OxFam]

At either a local Newcastle city Cafe OR the Honeysuckle Rail sheds... tbc this week!!

I am keen to hear from any musicians/singers who'd love to provide short bracket of songs on the night...

STAY TUNED AS BOOKINGS AND PLANS ARE MADE... PLANNING MEETING DATE SOON!!

TROPFEST Trip 21st February

Click on the picture and save because it's the flyer you need with all the info about how to join us on a minibus to TROPFEST on the 21st February in Sydney... free screening, $10 for the bus plus spending money!!

See flyer for how and by when to register!!

DON'T DELAY, SEATS ARE LIMITED!!

"Little Lion Man" Mumford and Sons

PARENTAL ADVISORY STRONG LANGUAGE

More on Initiating Small Missional Communities

Ian Adams previously featured list of features/characteristics/steps into creating small missional communities has been added to and is again referred to by Jonny Baker here

These are all significant things for us to embrace in seeking to slowly but surely establish identity and cred for 'Salt Factory'...

MORE on TROPFEST trip to Sydney soon... and March LIVE MUSIC CAFE suggested as a fundraiser for HAITI following the devastating earthquake!!

"Australia/Survival/Invasion" Day Picnic

After some hasty planning and notice a few of us made it to King Edward Park on Aussie Day [along with several thousand teenagers and young adults with one very impressive construction plastic water slide]!!
Thanks to all who made space to be there... not really a space for Kanga Cricket but a fun time of catching up nonetheless!!
We also chatted about upcoming plans and made some decisions which will be advertised 'very soon' with much more notice now the year is underway!!
Some snaps will be added here soon!!

The Hottest 100 was a feature of the day despite the ABC Shop website having blown news of number 1 a week earlier by advertising the next edition of J mag on its site including pics and interview with the winners!!