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Cinema as Theological Partner: Advent in Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men

18+

with Jamie Gibson

What is the future of humanity in the face of declining ecological conditions, credibility of institutions, and empire? In a world where communication increasingly comes in the form of audio-visual media, what does it mean to respond to a movie theologically? Film is both a valuable resource and dialogue partner, capable of tapping into popular culture and conveying deep spiritual ideas. In Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men (2006), the director seeks to describe the cause and effects of a politically- and socially-disenchanted society. Set in 2027, the film’s dystopian image of mass infertility is eerily similar to our present-day. In this workshop, the facilitator will exegete Children of Men and convey the film’s plot as an analogy for the Advent narrative of the New Testament. Using the film as an allegory for contemporary social despair, the facilitator will explore ways in which people of faith can re-enchant their spiritual and secular communities. This workshop is advised for those 18 years and older, given the sensitive content of the film discussed.

about the facilitator

Jamie Gibson is a graduate student at Emmanuel College in Toronto. Jamie has worked as an activist and as a spiritual caregiver to activists, he is a songwriter and performer, he is a student-minister in the United Church of Canada. Jamie’s interests include outreach to non-religious people and developing a message of justice and hope in the midst of the decline of empire, the credibility of institutions, and ecological conditions.

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An Amateur Cartography (learning from strategic failures)

12+

with Isaiah Ritzmann

Just as in our personal life, our failures in activism have a lot to teach us. At this workshop we will have opportunities to share and discuss our strategic failures as activists (when we tried to make the world better by doing a thing, but it didn’t work), and what we individually and as group can learn from them. The workshop’s title comes from a Weakerthans lyric “armed with every precious failure – an amateur cartography.”

about the facilitator

Isaiah Ritzmann (he/him) has been part of the Cahoots “extended family” since the inception of the festival in ———–. A facilitator of community-based learning on sustainability, democracy, & degrowth in Kitchener, Ontario (Haldimand Tract), he also helped co-found a home-based hospitality network called Open Homes that serves newly arrived refugee claimants. A deep believer that God’s pedagogy includes our strategic failures, he’s excited to explore these in conversation with others.

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A Musical Journey Through Homelessness, Precarity and Mental Health Crisis

12+

with Chris Clarke

Come to sit and listen to stories and songs that will thematically march around experiences with homelessness, precarity, and mental health crises. Chris will weave together moments of reflection, dialogue and prayer throughout. This is likely to be a heavy session that will discuss severe mental health struggled so bring an open heart and only attend if you have the emotional capacity.

about the facilitator

Chris is a singer-songwriter from Toronto, ON trying to figure life out. An original and long-running part of the Cahoots organizing team he is enjoying seeing Cahoots from a slightly different perspective. Chris is extremely eclectic with a broad range of interests and has worked lots with children and folks experiencing homelessness.

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Work that Reconnects: Gratitude, Grief, Hope and Action

12+

with Sarah Shepherd

For as long as there have been problems in the world, there have been faithful people seeking to make changes. The Work that Reconnects is a methodology that grew from the need to acknowledge and honour the spiritual and emotional components of justice work. through a specific cycle of gratitude, honouring our pain for the world, visioning new responses, and committing to our own contributions, we deal with our pain and exhaustion and find renewed strength.

Come and explore this creative and interactive process, which also touches on concepts such as Systems Thinking and Deep Time/Ecology. Be open to hearing and sharing your own areas of pain and struggle in a supportive space.

about the facilitator

Sarah (she/her) lives in Tkaronto and did an intensive training in the Work that Reconnects in 2011, which resonated with her background in justice work as a Quaker, Anglican, and then–United Church national staff member. She is passionate about pollinator gardening, community-building, and singing.

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Gospel Choir! (group harmony singing)

(all ages)

with Josh Lyon

Participants will learn some new songs to sing together, and experience the joy of singing in harmony, specifically in the Gospel Music idiom. Songs will be taught in a call and response fashion, so there’s no requirement for reading music ability.

about the facilitator

For the last year or so, Josh has been running a community drop-in non-performing Gospel choir in Kingston for folks who want to sing in harmony together just for the pleasure of it, with no prerequisites for attendance other than being willing to sing Gospel songs with gusto! Despite being an accomplished musician but not primarily identifying as a vocalist, Josh has found a new joy in leading folks in harmony singing together. He has also lead the music team during the Cahoots morning gatherings for the last bunch of years and been part of the Cahoots Worship and Gathering Committee. He is an elder at a little church in Kingston called Next, and likes to spend his time in the woods and in or near water as often as possible.

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Ultimate Frisbee

with Hugh Brewster + Jubilene Brewster-Wild

Back by popular demand! No experience necessary – you will learn how Ultimate works and together we will play this game where mutual respect is valued and demonstrated.

about the facilitators

Hugh chases flying plastic with friends as often as he can. He has facilitated ultimate frisbee workshops across Ontario. Jubilene is a dancer who loves the feeling of chasing down well-thrown hucks.

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Photography: or how losing an eye helped me see better

(10+)

with Lyf Stolte

Sometimes we think that reducing our senses in any way puts us in danger. Whether it be from predators (like in the days of yore) or the busyness of city life today, it seems that we need all of our senses to take the most advantage of the world around us. Well, artists from across the ages have shown us time and again that is not the case. In this workshop, the participants will be led through exercises that teach through limitations. Please bring a camera of some device (phone, film, digital) and an open mind!

about the facilitator

Lyf has been a joyous participant of the Cahoots Festival since 2015. Each year he comes to new revelations and his spirit is renewed. The joy and community of Cahoots are infectious in the best ways. Since 2016 he has been the official (kind of?) photographer of the festival. He really is excited to share his passion and budding talent with those who are interested.

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Beyond Rules: Christian Ethics as Skills

(16+)

with Michael Buttrey

Becoming a better person is less like ignoring the devil on your shoulder, and more like learning to play a musical instrument. Learn about ethics as skills we can apply, using the langugage of ‘virtue’ rather than rules or precepts. Bring along your memories learning ethics, your questions about how churches and society understand morality, and the willingness to re-imagine some good old-fashioned words like “prudence” and “temperance”.

about the facilitator

Michael Buttrey is finishing a PhD in Christian Ethics at the Toronto School of Theology and work part-time for an Anglican Church and for the Canadian Council of Churches. He is passionate about adult education, books, Star Trek, and tabletop role-playing. In recent years he has collaborated with others on open letters addressing the mishandling of sexual abuse by institutions like the Anglican Church of Canada and Regent College. Michael grew up in the Mennonite Church and still thinks faith and progress is best explored through grassroots dialogue and solidarity, not hierarchy.

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Good Music, Good News: Participatory Music and the open, inclusive, beautiful family of God.

(all ages)

with Chris Clarke, co-facilitators

Participatory music reflects the best of the beautiful, open, inclusive kin-dom of God! In a welcoming and barrier-free circle, we will make some joyful noise as a community, finding our voice together. Then, we will work together to imagine what participatory music looks, feels, and sounds like in your context, and offer some of the tools that will help you towards facilitating your own circle or other event. Bring any combination of voices, instruments, dancing shoes, poems, songs. Leave behind (as much as possible) your self consciousness and need for perfection.

about the facilitator

Chris is a singer-songwriter trying to figure life out. He’s been on the Cahoots organizing team every year until this year and is excited to see the festival from a new perspective. Chris is extremely eclectic with a broad range of interests and has worked lots with children and folks experiencing homelessness.

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Friendship Zone: Make It and Give It Away!

(all ages)

with Emma Pipes

There is a song that goes like this, “Love is something if you give it away…you end up having more.” This DIY session will provide participants with a chance to make a friendship bracelet for someone you met at the festival or someone in your life. Emma will provide beads of different sizes, colourful embroidery thread and rubber bands and stretchy cords. You may make your own bracelet and be willing to make something for someone else. Perhaps a new friend at Cahoots, a parent or a sibling needs to know they are thought of by you! You are welcome to bring projects you are already working on!

about the facilitator

Emma Pipes is a minister in the United Church of Canada and has been part of the SCM world since attending university. Her passion for creating God’s little kin-dom here at Cahoots has led to friendships, compassion and care for others in the world.

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