The best of the summer fests

If you’re a festival fanatic, you’ll be most disappointed to hear there’s no Glasto this year. But never fear, there are plenty of other live music events to liven up your summer.

Whether you prefer rock, indie, jazz, dance, pop or a good old mix, you’ll be sure to find something to keep you swaying in the sun.


Here are a few of Liberti's favourite Christian and secular fests:

Christian events

Greenbelt

Greenbelt has attracted some pretty big names from the music industry over the years including: U2, Moby, Goldie, Jamelia, The Proclaimers, Daniel Bedingfield, Amy Grant, Athlete, Sixpence None the Richer and Delirious?. Although it started out as a purely Christian music festival, Greenbelt is now attended by believers and non-believers alike – 21,000 of them in fact.

Geeky festival fact

Greenbelt was one of the main catalysts for the Jubilee 2000 movement, which called for the cancellation of third-world debt.

Date and venue

August 24-27 at Cheltenham Racecourse.

New Wine

Participants at this year’s New Wine event will include: J John, Danielle Strickland, Francis Chan, Rosie and Tim Bunn, Carl Beech and Maggie Ellis. Fantastic entertainment has been planned for Gems (0-2s), Pebbles (3-4s), Groundbreakers (5-7s), Rock Solid (8-9s) and Boulder Gangers (10-11s) and this year will see the launch of a new evening celebration venue for young adults.

Geeky festival fact

Among its other great resources, New Wine has its own on-site radio station to keep visitors up-to-date at all times.

Dates and venues

July 21 to July 27 at Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet; July 28 to August 4 at Newark & Nottinghamshire County Showground, Newark; July 29 to August 4 at Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet.

Soul Survivor

Soul Survivor is a five-day event that attracts around 28,000 visitors each year. It primarily targets teenagers and young adults, but it’s fun for grownups too. This year’s speakers will include: Suzie Brock, Gavin Calver, Jeannie Morgan and Patrick Regan.

Geeky festival fact

There is also a Midlands-based soul band called The Soul Survivors so make sure you don’t get them mixed up.

Dates and venues

July 27-31 at Stafford Showground; August 7-11 at Bath & West Showground; August 12-16 at Bath & West Showground.

Secular events

Bestival

Describing itself as a “boutique music festival”, this three-day event is a by-product of Rob da Bank's Sunday Best legacy. It’s more eclectic than some of its predecessors and is well known for its fancy dress themes, Bollywood Cocktail Bar and Hidden Disco.

Those who don’t fancy camping might prefer Bestival’s Tipi, Yurt or PodPad accommodation options.

Geeky festival fact

Organisers recently introduced a Breastival baby area for new mothers.

Date and venue

September 6-9 (ok, so it’s not strictly summer!) at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight.

Latitude

First held in 2006, Latitude is a relative newcomer in the festival arena. But what it lacks in history, it makes up for in fantastic music, theatre, art, comedy, cabaret, poetry, politics, dance and literature. Last year’s acts included Florence and the Machine, Ardal O'Hanlon, Simon Armitage, Vivienne Westwood, Pet Shop Boys, Kate Nash, Sigur Rós and Andrew Motion.

Geeky festival fact

Latitude is run by Festival Republic, which runs the Reading and Leeds festivals and is also contracted to run Glastonbury.

Date and venue

July 12-15 at Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk.

Benicàssim

Our favourite overseas secular event takes place on Spain’s east coast between Valencia and Alicante. The weather is likely to be a bit more reliable than at UK festivals and if (in the unlikely event) you fancy a break from the music, you can head to the beach. Among the acts at last year’s fest were: Paolo Nutini, The Strokes, LeFreak, Bombay Bicycle Club, Mumford & Sons, Arctic Monkeys, Tinie Tempah  and a load of European acts I’ve never heard of but I’m sure are awesome. 

Geeky festival fact

The name “Benicàssim” comes from the Arabic for “sons of Qasim” (whoever the heck Qasim is).

Date and venue

July 12-15 in Benicàssim, Costa Azahar, Spain. 

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

Rising to the challenge is tougher than it sounds

So here we are on day 24 of Lent, and of the 40acts challenge. Last time I wrote about it, we were on day two, and I hadn’t actually fulfilled either of the tasks.

I’m afraid this was a pattern of things to come. Each day I open the email and think about how I’m going to carry out the acts. But then I invariably forget all about it once I open the next email. That’s not to say I haven’t done any of them, though. 

I’ve picked up litter (day 24), paid a visit (day 23), made someone smile (day 22), simplified by getting rid of unnecessary possessions (day 21), been polite on the road (day 20), loved my bags by reusing them (day 19), shared a joke (day 18), ‘wasted’ time with others (day 14), prayed (day 13), passed it forward (day 12), left my comfort zone (day 11), shopped locally (day 9) and nurtured myself by reading the Bible (day 6).

I haven’t necessarily done them in the right order or on the right day, but I’ve done them nonetheless. In fact, I’m trying to make a habit of most of them. They’re not just things to do once; they are patterns I want to build into my daily life. It will take discipline to do so, but who doesn’t want to be more considerate, generous, kind and friendly?   

But what about the tasks I’ve skipped over? Well those are the ones I struggled with as they require a bit more thought and preparation. I haven’t given up on them, it’s just a case of getting round to it. Here’s my plan of action:

Day 1 Create a giving jar. I’m ashamed to say I still haven’t done this. I will do it today, though, and empty everything I have in my purse into it (except my library card – I need that!).

Day 2 Cross a social divide. I probably have done this involuntarily, but I want to do it deliberately. I’ll keep you posted.

Day 3 Share your skill. I’ll need to find someone who is lacking one of the skills I have and devote an afternoon to teaching them. Watch this space.

Day 4. Grab a cuppa. I’m yet to buy an extra cuppa to share with a homeless person, and if I’m honest, I think I’ll struggle with this.

Day 5 Buy Fairtrade. I plan to do it purposefully by stocking up on choc and wine!

Day 7 Be spontaneous. This isn’t something I’m good at, but random acts of kindness/generosity are certainly an admirable aim.

Day 8 Donate your holiday. Any ideas of how I can give a day’s holiday to help someone out?

Day 10 Go screen-free. I’d much rather play a game/sit and chat than watch the box. I just need to find someone who feels the same!

Day 11 Send a thank you note. My granny is long overdue a thank you note for giving me her car. Shame on me.

Day 16 Organise a swap. This is at the bottom of the pile at the moment. I do have stuff to swap, but the word ‘organise’ puts me off – it’s really not my forte.

Day 17 Make an emergency kit. I have a first aid kit in my car, but I need to think of a kit I could put together to benefit someone in need.

It’s easy to avoid doing the tasks that seem to go against our natural strengths, but these are probably the ones we need to focus on the most. I’ll let you know how I get on – feel free to do the same in the comments below.

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

Who knew prayer could be a crime?

It seems as though every time I read the news these days there’s a story about how Christianity is being sidelined in the UK.

There was the story about BBC director-general Mark Thompson, who said Christianity is treated less sensitively on TV than other religions because it is more “broad-shouldered”.

A Catholic himself, Thompson believes broadcasters are far more cautious when representing other belief systems because the threat level in the complaints received is significantly greater. He claims the BBC would never have broadcast Jerry Springer: The Opera – which depicted Jesus in a nappy – if had featured alluded to Mohammed.

Then there was the piece about Christians wearing crosses to work. ‘Equalities’ Minister Lynne Featherstone told government lawyers to oppose the assumed ‘rights’ of Christians to wear crosses at work when they try upcoming cases at the European Court of Human Rights. The Strasbourg court is set to address Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin’s cases.

British Airways employee Ms Eweida was suspended from work in 2006 after refusing to remove the cross she wore to work, while Ms Chaplin was banned from working as a nurse at an Exeter hospital when she refused to conceal or remove the cross she wore.

The British government’s submission to the court is that: “In neither case is there any suggestion that the wearing of a visible cross or crucifix was a generally recognised form of practising the Christian faith, still less one that is regarded (including by the applicants themselves) as a requirement of the faith.”

However, the Equality Commission, headed by former Labour politician Trevor Phillips, is backing the two women, and David Cameron and Boris Johnson have also spoken out in support of the two women.

In my opinion, the worst of a bad batch was the story about prayer being banned before council meetings. Atheist Clive Bone, who left his post at Bideford Council because of its "refusal to adjust" its prayer policy, tool legal action in 2010. He contacted the National Secular Society and their lawyers argued that non-Christian council members were being "indirectly discriminated against”.

The judge said that: “The council has on two occasions by a majority voted to retain public prayers at its full meetings. But that does not give it power to do what it has no power to do.”

He acknowledged that the pre-meeting prayers were optional, but ruled that this turned meetings at Bideford Council into: “a partial gathering of those councillors who share a particular religious outlook, or are indifferent to it or – as in the case of Mr Bone – too embarrassed to leave in public”.

Now I’m not saying Christians should be given special treatment, but I do think we should be respected the way people of other faiths, or no faith, are. I don’t wear a cross myself, but I see no reason why a person can’t do so in the workplace; they’re not forcing other people to believe what they believe, or to wear a cross themselves. And optional prayer before meetings – the key here is the word “optional”.

As Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, points out: "Every time there is a survey of religious beliefs in this country, around 70% of the population profess a faith and to saying private prayers.” He added that the House of Lords open with prayer and thinks this practice is unlikely to end.

And Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "While welcoming and respecting fellow British citizens who belong to other faiths, we are a Christian country, with an established Church in England, governed by the Queen.

"Christianity plays an important part in the culture, heritage and fabric of our nation. Public authorities – be it parliament or a parish council – should have the right to say prayers before meetings if they wish. The right to worship is a fundamental and hard-fought British liberty.”

What’s going to happen next – a ban on carrying Bibles in public? The abolition of songs that mention God? The complete segregation of Christians and non-Christians? Ok, I’ve gone too far there. But it worries me that people feel so threatened by Christianity. It’s as if people feel they will somehow be overpowered and forced to believe something they don’t want to.

If we’re expected to be tolerant of all-things non-Christian, why can’t non-believers simply return the favour?

No turning back

I don’t pretend to be a Bible scholar, but I had a revelation recently.

Here’s the scene. Two angels turned up in Sodom, and Lot invites them to stay with him. 

During the night, a load of men from the town come to the house demanding sex with the visitors, but their rapacious advances are thwarted and Lot and his family are allowed to flee the city. 

In fact, they left hand in hand with the heavenly guests.

The angels then warn the family to flee without looking back, but wifey can’t resist and becomes a salty pillar.

I must admit, I’ve always found this a bit hard to accept. In the grand scheme of things, Lot’s wife glancing over her shoulder doesn’t seem like a massive crime.

If I had been fleeing something awful, I might have been tempted to see what was going on behind me. So why the harsh punishment?

Well, first, she had specifically been told by the angels – God’s messengers – not to look back. Second, looking back can be pretty dangerous if you’re in the process of fleeing. If you don’t keep your eyes on where you’re going, you are liable to fall.

Ultimately, though, I think looking back symbolised a form of ‘backsliding’. She couldn’t completely cut herself off from her old life. Perhaps looking back might have led to turning back. Or maybe she was thinking about the possessions she’d had to leave behind. It seems you can take a girl out of Sodom, but you can’t take Sodom out of the girl.

It’s worth remembering that looking back not only brought Lot’s wife to a sticky (or salty) end, it had long-term repercussions. In her absence, her two daughters got their dad drunk and slept with him. Both conceived and gave birth to sons whose descendents were the Moabites and Ammonites – who were constantly at war with the Israelites.

Thankfully, I’ve never been turned into a pillar made from any kind of condiment. But I’ve certainly been guilty of looking over my shoulder and finding myself getting sucked back into circumstances and thought patterns God has already delivered me from.

Knowing that He’s done everything to save us from danger, sin, our pasts, broken relationships and so on, why do we look back? After all, Lot’s family aren’t the only ones to have been saved from a bath of burning sulphur.

So why do we look for ways to say connected with the very things God has delivered us from?

Rather than thinking about the past, we should be grateful for our salvation and eagerly look forward to the future and to eternity with our heavenly father.

We all stumble at times, but keeping our eyes on the path ahead will help to prevent any major painful and dangerous falls.  

This still leaves the question of why Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt, of all things. I’m sure there are plenty of theological explanations, but I’m going to offer my own (probably flawed) theories.

Pillars

Pillars were used in the Old Testament as a marker, or a “witness”. Jacob set up various stone pillars to mark important venues, and God himself appeared as a pillar of cloud and fire to lead the Israelites.

Pillars carried esteem and were largely depicted positively in biblical terms. Psalm 114:12 says that “our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace”. But in this instance, it seems the pillar in this case was designed to act as a warning to anyone who saw it (including Lot and his family) that they were to take God at his word.

Salt

Salt was a coveted commodity in biblical times for preservation purposes and to improve the taste of food. It was used to purify offerings to God and was celebrated for its healing properties. The Bible tells us to season our conversation with salt, and in Mark 9:50, Jesus says: “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other”.

But salt was also used in the Bible as a means of destruction and cleansing. In Judges 9:45, Abimelek destroyed Shechem and scattered salt over it. This symbolised both destruction and a completely fresh start. Becoming a pillar of salt fits with this symbolism, but unfortunately Lot’s wife had to lose her life to become a lasting representation of this.

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

Show me the money!

Some Christians have a problem discussing finance because they feel it is a “worldly” concept that will inevitably corrupt the soul. 

The word “prosperity” is often dismissed as an Americanism that doesn’t match up with biblical teachings.

I strongly disagree with this. Jesus mentioned money more times in the gospels than any other topic apart from the Kingdom of God. If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me. According to my calculations, the word “prosper” is used a whopping 49 times in the Bible, while “prosperity” is dropped in on 17 occasions.

We need to remember that it is the love of money that is “the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), not the money itself. We all need cash to put food on the table and to keep a roof over our heads, but that doesn’t give us carte blanche to become greedy and covetous. We are called to rule over our money rather than letting our financial circumstances rule us; to stop comparing ourselves with others and to value people over “stuff”.

The Bible tells us we should be “wise stewards” of our money (Luke 12:42). In other words, we should not spend beyond our means and we should use our cash to live honourable and generous lives. In actual fact, the more sensible we are with the money God has already blessed us with, the more he will entrust us with in the future. So if you need a few extra quid, maybe it’s time to readjust the way you view the money that’s already burning a hole in your pocket.

As Christians we believe that everything in the universe was created by, and belongs to, God. So whatever we earn, we should remember to give thanks for it and use it for His glory, not to keep buying endless pairs of shoes (is it just me that struggles with this particular temptation?).

The Bible makes it clear that we should tithe, which means giving the first 10% of our income to God. I’ll discuss this at length some time soon, as it’s a topic that needs a bit of careful consideration. It also tells us we should use it to help others, particularly orphans and widows; basically, anyone who is in real need.

This is really just an introduction, an overview of the topic, which by now I hope I’ve convinced you is one that is close to God’s own heart.

In future editions of Liberti magazine I’ll be covering all aspects of finance in the future: mortgages, debt, government benefits, credit cards, cashback sites, pensions, inheritance tax, shopping, budgeting, ISAs, online banking and anything else I can think of. If that doesn’t float your boat, I don’t know what will!

Hopefully, I’ll also be able to tailor this to the financial needs of you lovely Liberti ladies by covering issues such as the gender pay gap, childcare costs and upcoming changes to women’s car insurance legislation.

Most importantly, I’ll endeavour to present all of this from an interesting and biblical perspective. So let’s get ready to shake our money makers (what does that even mean?) and cash in on everything God has promised us.

After all, it was God who came up with the “live long and prosper” (Exodus 20:12) philosophy, long before Star Trek’s Dr Spock started using the infamous Vulcanian greeting. So let’s say a firm farewell to money worries and a hearty hello to healthy bank balances!

Read more from Joy in the upcoming edition of Liberti mag.