Hi, my name is Lennie Collings; I live in the East End of Glasgow, which I love to bits! I believe that Jesus is an interactive saviour who delights in communicating with us. Jesus is placing within me a growing desire to pursue him, to really know him intimately, and to live out my life in a way that glorifies and emanates the very essence of who he is. I also believe that I am alive in this generation to impact, challenge, nurture and train - socially, morally and spiritually - the current generation, so that they can educate the next generation in realizing the responsibility they carry for further generations.
The outworking of this is through the creative arts. I am the Founder and Director of Ark Theatre Company. We, the team at Ark Theatre, are very excited about the year ahead. We are a relatively new company, who are a professionally trained, vibrant and highly motivated. We have a passion to challenge our social surroundings through producing and performing edgy, gritty and realistic pieces of theatre. Our productions will go into theatres nationwide and also into the national educational system.
We are currently working on two productions, one of which is called 'Broken Pieces' - a play based on the true story of a Glaswegian teenagers experiences, with alcohol, drugs and knife crime. The protagonist was incarcerated for 11 ½ years at the age of 19 because of his involvement in a street fight, which resulted in him taking another man's life. Our production concentrates on the consequences of the characters decision to carry a knife.
Glasgow is number 1. for knife crime in Europe - every 6 hours there is a reported stabbing. Glasgow has a higher knife crime rate than that of New York. Therefore we are initially targeting the East End of Glasgow - a part of the city where there are an estimated 360 gangs in operation. Some members are as young as 12 years of age; they carry knifes because they feel safer. Broken Pieces - which will go into schools in March 2010 - aims to not only challenge but become part of the solution to decreasing the statistics on knife crime
The theatre production is only a small part of what we are doing. We are using it as part of a 'community transformation project'. We have been liaising with the Police, community safety services, youth organisations and churches. I believe that as we work together as a community and unit we will have a far greater impact than if we work alone. As part of the production week we are coordinating a youth agencies showcase event. Every youth initiative that is working within the school area will come and take part in a 'drive' to get the young people off the streets and into the youth program of their choice.
During one of our prayer meetings, at the initially stages of the development of this project, I felt the Lord say to me: pray that it would be the blood of Jesus that would run through our streets, and not the blood from violence 'man' is causing to one another. Out of this came the desire to set up prayer meetings geographically throughout Glasgow and its surrounding areas before the production goes out. We have therefore been gathering different ministries together to pray with a particular focus on the reduction of all aspects of crime.
Please pray for us for continued favour with the police, education system, youth agencies, government, and churches and for funding to come in.
Blessings,
Lennie and the Ark Theatre Team.
lennie@arktheatre.co.uk
www.arktheatre.co.uk
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