Taize Prayer/ Songs

12+

with Hanna van Dijk-Alāč

Taize prayer is a form of contemplative spiritual practice, rooted in the Christian tradition, and originally developed in the context of an international and intergenerational praying community in France. Taize songs share words of scripture, often with multiple language options, and are usually repeated to build a sense of peace and meditation. Come and explore contemplative prayer through calming songs. We’ll try a few.

about the facilitator

Hanna has been a Cahoots participant for years and is sharing her first session this year! She has loved Taize prayer ever since she encountered it for the first time while working at Queens U, living in Kingston. The local Catholic Church would have Taize nights: a choir singing in the dark with candles and she thought it was like heaven. She then visited the Taize community in France in 2001 and is excited to share this year!

Playing with emotions and concepts through clay sculpture

All Ages

with abi lyon wicke

Do you like to create? Are you interested in expressing yourself in a unique way? Come get your hands messy while keeping your mind and heart open as we explore the possibilities of emotion and expression through clay. No need to stress about expertise as this is a safe and open space for anything you have to bring to the workshop.

about the facilitator

abi lyon wicke (she/her) is a maker of things, a keeper of gardens, chickens and bees. She spends her days learning alongside her children, rescuing, repurposing and mending things with her partner, Chris, tending life in many forms and trying to evolve.

Jasper Wicke (she/they) began drawing as soon as she could hold a crayon and has rarely been without a drawing tool in hand in the thirteen years or so since that time. Jasper has been described as an old soul but they also brim over with youthful enthusiasm and a passion for tending what is broken in our world.

Jasper and abi both love to encourage others in their creative pursuits. This will be their second co-facilitation of a Cahoots creative workshop together.

Dance our Dreams and Desires for this World

12+

with Sheilagh McGlynn

Let’s take some time to focus on our visions and dreams for our ourselves and for our world. Come and dance those intentions using the free form flow of conscious movement. We will follow our time of movement together with creating an artistic representation of that vision (collage, drawing, etc) that can take home as your vision board. Come and move, dream and tap into your creative spirit! No dance experience is necessary, just an openness to move and be moved.

about the facilitator

Sheilagh has been involved in the Student Christian Movement of Canada since she was in high school. She found her faith identity in working for change in this world. She has worked in church settings (Youth Ministry and Campus Ministry) and in the last decade as a Psychotherapist. She loves helping people reveal their truest potential – finding their calling, expressing themselves fully, or celebrating the gifts they have to offer the world. She has found self-care through movement and playfulness and is looking to offer some of that to Cahoots participants.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Drag Story Sharing Time and Face Painting

(all ages)

with King Julez (Julian Munro)

Spend some time with King Julez and learn about what it means to be a drag clown and student in ministry! Children will be able to listen to storytime, scriptures, skits and share in expressing themselves. All will have a chance to paint themsleves as their own drag identity and there will be opportunities for participants to draw/colour up different reflections to each piece of reading (on paper and/or their face).

about the facilitator

Julian/ King Julez is the chair of Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble, a national non-profit organization that works for full inclusion and affirmation of 2S-LGBTQ+ folks in religious spaces and in all of society, and a board member for Student Christian Movement. After getting a BA in Diversity and Equity, King Julez is studying their Masters of Divinity and Masters of Pastoral Studies at Emmanuel College in Toronto. Drag as a spiritual practice embodies theology and works to express understandings of God’s word in new and exciting ways while paying homage to the queer artists that paved the way so we can exist freely in the world today.

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