We started the evening playing games on the Wii (as we’ve done before) and then tucked into refreshments. But the evening was not only billed as a Christmas Party – it also incorporated the long awaited Retro Amicus evening. During the early years of Amicus we videoed some of our favourite activities, and so we decided to dig up the old videos and watch them together. It’s a real joy that seven years after Amicus first started, many of our founding members are still with us as regulars. So we watched some of those early videos whilst cringing and laughing in equal measure. We’ll see if we can get the techie cogs working away and get some of the early video clips online for your viewing pleasure.

Simon has worked really hard since we finished filming our latest video project last week (1, 2, 3, 4) and so we were able to view the finished article.  We’d previously seen the out-takes which were great, but not a patch on the final thing.  Here it is in all its glory!

We closed the evening with a Christmas/Advent meditation: words by James Hawes; picture by Vladstudio; music by Ryuichi Sakamoto; and production by Ricky Rew.  Click through the meditation below:

We were also graced by a visit from Mark who came along to share the food and drink, and to present each member with a New Testament to commemorate the 125th Anniversary of The Boys’ Brigade.

Next Week: It’s Christmas!!

We return on 7th January 2009 with the Big Fat Amicus Quiz – this time organised by Nick Jones!

Merry Christmas!

We welcomed Amber along this evening for the first time – she’s been helping out in the Anchor section for some time.  Goodness knows what she made of it all, having missed the first three sessions.  We hope to see her again next week.

For devotions , as a result of her Laryngitis, Nicci blessed us with an amazing mini-sermon on the words of Jesus in Mark 6:31.

We ended the evening with a couple of rounds of french cricket, before trying a few games of dodgeball (ala Dodgeball the movie).  It seemed to go down well – we may try it again, but only with sponge balls, not wrenches…

Next Week: Christmas Party, incorporating Retro-Amicus Videos. It’s being organised by Maddy, Chris & Matt, but you have a part to play too.  As discussed tonight, please bring along either savoury nibbles or sweet treats, or drinks.  We hope to be joined by a multitude of Uni bods too.  It should be an amazing evening including some of the very earliest Amicus videos (back when the video camera had to be carried on your shoulder!), some great food, fantastic fellowship, and lots of Wii.

Also, next Tuesday we’ve been invited to join the BB Christmas party from 7-9:30pm on Tuesday at WECC.  You don’t need to bring anything – except yourselves and bags of energy.  See you there!

[This update was almost entitled "I've come to wipe your nipples" but I feared that might be a little to racy for some.]

This week we continued producing our second Amicus film. We still have at least another weeks work beforeit is completed – but we’ll be having a rest next week. There are no photos to see, and not much more to report on than last week, except that Simon has produced an out-takes video to keep us going until the real thing is ready.

Thanks to Simon for the extra work he put in last night to ensure we had maximum time to spend on filming. Above and beyond…

As the only entry for last week’s Caption Competition, Nick Bosdet won a Snickers bar. If you come up with a funny/creative/off-the-wall caption next time – it could be you!

Well done to Yolanda for leading devotions for the first time. I really can’t remember what it was about because we were all laughing at her so much – is that bad?!

Next Week: Cake People