Run with the Fire in Harlow

The Run with the Fire digital exhibition on Olympic/Pentecost themes can be viewed on Saturday 25th May, 10.00am – 5.00pm, at St Paul’s Harlow (College Sq, Harlow CM20 1LP). This viewing is part of the Arts Festival for the Barking Episcopal Area and the Heart 4 Harlow Festival. 

The day's events also include lectures on the ‘Christ in the Wilderness’ paintings of Stanley Spencer by Bishop Stephen Cottrell (10.30am) and on John Piper by Mark Lewis (11.45am). Refreshments are available from 10.00am. 

A Photographic Exhibition by Harlow Seniors Photographic Group can also be viewed. This exhibition will be at the church from Wednesday 22nd May - Wednesday 5th June (except Sundays), Weekdays 10am - 12noon, Saturdays, 10am – 5pm. 

Other events which feature in the Festivals include:

commission4mission will be creating a pop-up gallery at 20 Broadwalk in Harlow Town Centre. The exhibition will be open from Thursday 23^rd – Monday 27^th May, 10.00am – 4.00pm and a lunchtime reception will be held on Saturday 25^th May from 1.00 – 3.00pm.

Heart 4 Harlow Festival Launch – Thursday 23rd May, 6pm, Water Gardens Harlow CM20 1WG. Launch by the Chair of Council Maggie Hulcoop & a Beatles tribute band.

 
Schools Art - Weekdays 9am - 4.45pm, Gibberd Gallery, The Water Gardens, College Square, Harlow CM20 1WG. Artwork by local schoolchildren.

Korban – Friday 24th & Saturday 25th May, 7.30pm, Harlow Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Harlow CM20 1LS. From the producer of the critically acclaimed 2011 Private Peaceful comes an original telling of the life of Jesus, with drama, dance and music. A large cast of actors and musicians deliver a newly envisioned portrayal of the revolutionary's remarkable story.

Village Fair of visual arts – Saturday 25th May, Water Gardens Harlow. Organised by the Harlow Arts Council as the beginning of their month long Art Festival. 

Live stage entertainment – Saturday 25th May, Water Gardens Harlow. Featuring local bands, choirs, soloists & dancers. Plus Charity Stalls in Broad Walk, Children’s Fun Fair in the Market Square & Open Week – end at the LeisureZone.

Flower Festival – Saturday 25th May, 10am onwards, St Mary’s Church, Hatfield Broad Oak CM22 7HG . Includes: Celebrity grand opening (10am); Car boot sale (am); Farmers’ market (am); Hog roast; School choir singing (11am); Parachuting teddies (11.30am); Dog show (1pm pedigree classes, 3pm novelty classes); Variety of stalls; Wood turners; Activities with artist in residence Pauline Brakspear; and Children’s activities.

Big Lunch & Community Praise – Sunday 26th May, Various Harlow Town Centre venues. Bouncy castle and Games from 12.15. Lunch from 1 pm. 

Flower Festival – Sunday 26th May, afternoon only, St Mary’s Church, Hatfield Broad Oak. Includes: Festival lunch in the marquee (tickets can be purchased in advance, tel 01279 718281); Afternoon tea and cakes; Organ music (church is open from 2pm); Art exhibition and sale. 

Flower Festival – Monday 27th May, 10am onwards, St Mary’s Church, Hatfield Broad Oak. Includes: 10km road race (11am) (to register, visit www.hbo-10k.org.uk); Children’s 1 mile fun run (12.30pm); Barbecue (with pre-race bacon butties); Crafts market; Wood turners; Variety of stalls; Activities with artist in residence Pauline Brakspear; Harlow Falconry display; Kung fu demonstration; Children’s activities; Grand raffle draw (pm). 

On Monday 27^th May Colin Burns and Jonathan Evens will be contributing music and poetry to a performance evening at Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath which will also include music from the six churches and poetry from Jane Grell, Mal Grosch and Jenny Houghton.

The Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival is an initiative which began in 2011 and involves quality events from a variety of Arts genre as a way of embracing and celebrating performing and visual arts and engaging with the local communities, their people and arts culture. The Festival is organised annually but in a different part of the Episcopal Area each year and in parallel with an already established community arts festival within the Area. This third Festival runs parallel to the Heart 4 Harlow Festival. 

Run with the Fire in Sacramento

First Baptist Church of Sacramento along with C.A.N.A. (Christians Arts Networking Association) are presenting RUN WITH THE FIRE, a digital display of international artwork along with examples of local art on May 11 at 6pm and May 12 at 10:30am.

Steve Scott, of CANA, writes:

"RUN WITH THE FIRE is a mixed format and mixed media art exhibit combining international art digitally displayed along with (stellar!!) local artworks on the walls of the beautiful and historic First Baptist Church of Sacramento at 2324 L street , Sacramento CA 95816.

RUN WITH THE FIRE opens at 6pm on May 11th and again at 10:30 AM on Sun the 12th (although, strictly, the walking around and looking at art won't begin til I've concluded my remarks about that splendid fellow Bezalel!!) please come on out and celebrate community, creativity and spirituality with us."

Olympic Big Draw

News of use made of the Run with the Fire digital exhibition continues to come in. The most recent information comes from St Gabriel's Aldersbrook who organised an Olympic Big Draw event.

Their Vicar, Fr. Martyn Hawkes, wrote that this was a fun experience with quite a few children coming along. He enjoyed the digital exhibition, which they bought in to provide some inspiration and additional material for the curious to see. It proved a good part of their Olympic activities over the summer and he was grateful for its production.

Festival showings of 'Run with the Fire'

The Run with the Fire digital art exhibition will be shown at two events in the Art Festival for the Barking Episcopal Area and the Woodford Festival.

A Celebration of Poetry will be held on Friday 12th October, 7.30pm, St Paul's Woodford Bridge, Cross Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 8BT. There is no admission charge and the evening will include local poets, published poets, musical/storytelling interludes and a showing of the 'Run with the Fire' Olympic-themed digital art exhibition. Among those reading their poetry are: Tim Cunningham, Jonathan Evens, Jane Grell, Malcolm Guite, Alan Hitching, and Jennifer Houghton.

commission4mission Art exhibition - Saturday 13th October, 10.00am - 7.30pm, The Atrium, All Saints Woodford Wells, Inmans Row, Woodford Green, IG8 0NHNo admission charge. Exhibition of art works by members of commission4mission, an arts organisation which aims to encourage churches to commission contemporary art. Includes the 'Run with the Fire' Olympic-themed digital art exhibition. This exhibition will include work by Jonathan Evens, Alan Hitching, Mark Lewis, Janet Roberts, Francesca Ross, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. This exhibition is being held prior to an evening concert at All Saints by the Meljon Singers (https://www.facebook.com/events/246345185469093/).

Click here for more information about other events in the Woodford Festival.

Summer Art Workshops

Here are photos from some of the summer creative workshops run at St Aubyn Devonport as part of the Run with the Fire project run by Army of Artists.

Oxfam donation

The 'Run with the Fire' project has recently been able to donate £229.89 to Oxfam.

For more than 60 years Oxfam has been turning donations such as ours into positive action which is transforming the lives of some of the world's poorest people.

Together Oxfam and their supporters have helped farming families to get more from their land, given children the chance to go to school, and ensured that opportunities are open to everyone - even the most vulnerable - in communities around the world. They've also campaigned for changes in policies, both locally and internationally, which will ensure that poor people's efforts are properly rewarded.

'Run with the Fire' poem

Run with the Fire

Stripped down - free of weights and encumberance -
muscles taught and trained, eyes on the prize -
on track, no turning back - forgetting what is behind,
straining toward what is ahead, winged feet
bearing tongues of flame - inextinguishable flickers
of hope, the torch passed on through generations,
message of victory - peace, goodwill to all.

How lovely are the feet - run red-raw, blistered
and calloused, dust-encrusted yet lithe as leopards
and fleet as foxes - which pound the mountains,
hills, valleys and plains, echoing through history
from Marathon to London via Jerusalem.

Jonathan Evens