The Animator offers a number of “General Interest” workshops including:

Christianity & the Movies

We tend to think of “religious films” as being those films that tell biblical stories but nothing could be further from the truth. What is our Christian story? The basic story is a story of paradise, paradise lost through sin, struggle and ultimate redemption. That’s the plot for most movies as well. In this 3-part series, we look at how Christian themes (including end of the world) are treated in “non-religious” movies and TV series.

Christianity & Harry Potter

You might be surprised at how many Christian themes and values are actually reflected in the Harry Potter films and books. Based on John Granger’s book, Looking for God in Harry Potter: Is there Christian meaning hidden in the bestselling books?, this workshop explores how the Harry Potter series communicate the Gospel for a new generation.  Sessions assume a familiarity with the books or films.

Holy Week – “Hollywood” Style

Have you ever watched movies about Jesus’ last days? What is Jesus like? How is Judas Iscariot portrayed? What role do the Romans and Jewish leaders play? Biblical movies reflect current trends and interests as much as they re-create the biblical story. In this 3-part series, we explore Holy Week in film, focusing on how the biblical story is transformed as it is being re-told.

Indigenous Peoples & the Church

You’ve heard about residential schools. You likely know our relationship with Canada’s Indigenous peoples is not good. But what’s going on? This 5-part series introduces Indigenous cultures, Residential Schools & Beyond, Presbyterian Missions, Healing & Reconciliation Initiatives and Indigenous Christianity.

The Labyrinth

Interested in the labyrinth? Perhaps even leading a labyrinth walk? But you aren’t sure what you’re doing? This  1-session workshop provides some history and context, as well as different ways to use the labyrinth.

Windows Onto World Religions

This 5-part series introduces the major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese Religions, Judaism, and Islam), exploring their appeal, their questions of life, and where they seem to connect with, challenge or contradict Christianity.