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Hi - I'm organising a Gospel Magic training day.

It will be basic and will be in the Midlands but it will be people interested in magic getting together, learning and then doing the stuff in the world so must be good for everyone.

It will be held on Saturday 25th June and the venue will be Tamworth in Staffordshire. Anyone interested drop me a pm or post here for more details.

Vic

When you say Gospel Magic what do you mean? I'd be interested in attending

Gospel magic as I see it is this:

It is standard magic tricks (cards, coins, stage, close-up, escapology, etc.) which is done in a Church setting. I think that it has three facets (at the moment, I'm working on this as a project so this is a work in development).

1. Magic, done by Christians, where the content may have no connection to anything Biblical. This is purely Christians doing magic.

2. Magic which might have a link, often it seems tenuous but a link, that is done as part of street magic, church services, evangelistic work, etc.

3. Magic where the trick is subordinate to the actual message and the point that it is being used to illustrate.

This day will help people to develop basic skills, use magic in services and other Christian events as well as assemblies and the like. It will be followed up in September by what I'm hoping will be a week of magic - taking stuff into schools, novice, intermediate and master-classes and will culminate in a show at the local theatre (don't know who yet - looking for someone.)

The late Pete McCahon was president of the the fellowship of Christian Magicians (http://www.fcmuk.org/index.htm) as is Mark Shortland (British Magical Championship winner 2005).

Hope this helps,

Vic

Oh right, very interesting. I am not a Christian per se, rather a spiritual person with a belief inn the prophets etc but not confined by the church.

What I find most interesting about this is that as a child I spent some time (after being brought up as a Catholic) as a Jehovahs Witness. During this time as a witness Magic was discussed a few times and was always frowned upon by these "Christians". They said that Magic was a deciptful art and as such no christian has the right to decieve another.

I always felt this was wrong as we are entitled to entertain and be entertained and I argued that if you know you are about to be deceived it cannot be a sin as you are in full knowledge that what you are seeing is not what is happening.

Water into wine and all that!!!

I think my point is that it is refreshing to see that Christians aren't all so narrow minded as to think that an entertaining art form that would ahve been around at the time of Christ is deceiptful and therefore has no place in the life of a Christian!!

Water into wine is one of the great uses of a Foo Can and Lotta Bowl combinations - not as good as the original, but serves to illustrate a point.

You ought to see my raising from the dead of Lazarus the goldfish, better still the walking on water illustration went down a storm.

Even better, for much of the stuff I do I have to design and build my own stuff which is an added buzz.

Thanks for comments - take a look at the FCM site (here and US) there's a lot of really good magic being done - and yes, we do get those who rattle on about not doing magic.

There are some good defences (or aplogies as I would call them) regarding magic and Church.

Thanks,

Vic

A quick update for anyone who might be interested (or know someone who's looking to get into magic).

This day has been confirmed as being Saturday 25th June and will be £10 for the day 10:00 - 16:00. The cost includes tuition and teaching sessions and will also include two tricks, so not a bad introduction really.

Anyone wanting more details, give me a shout,

Thanks . . . . Vic

Anyone interested (or know people who might be interested) in this event.

It will take place at St Francis' church, Masefield Drive, Leyfields, Tamowrth - Saturday 25th June.

As posted - times 10:00 - 16:00, there will be teaching sessions, stuff for sale and much more.

Mail me if you'd like to come, there are a few spaces left,

Thanks,

Vic

Just a quick note to say that the day was well attended and will definitely be the first of many, perhaps even a new group, so will keep you posted.

Thanks to those who came,

Vic

hey vic,
I'm just down the road from you in burton, I'm not really a religious person, but if you need any help at the next one give me a shout, i have been studying magic for about 7 years and used to do workshops during the school holidays.

It'd be nice to meet at sometime as you're so near.

There is a magic group starting up from this training day which mean there will be the opportunity to have a beer and talk magic (can there be anything better?),

Will contact you once date is set,

Vic

Hey vic,

Have you ever performed any religious magic in a town called saffron walden? If so, Im sure Ive seen you, in fact you callled me up on stage to check out your straight jacket! If not, oh well, but it would have been interesting.

Sadly that wasn't me

That said have done it in other places in Essex, Herts and Cambs - just missed that place.

Oh well, hopefully we'll still get the chance to meet later this year when I'm up your way - I'll give you a shout when (and will have my straight jacket with me!). That said, I visit Cambridge once a month for supervision sessions - any use?

Vic

HI Vic,

Any more training days coming up? I work as a schools worker and would be interested. Which shops etc do you use for your gospel illusions? Thanks mate.

Brian.

The best place to learn Gospel Magic is the Fellowship of Christian Magicians annual conference. It lasts a week and is on this year Feb 20th to Feb 24th. See www.fcmuk.org for full details