Be on the look out for a GREAT backdrop that Larry Mayhan and I designed. We spill the whole beans in the article plus Larry will have these for sale at the International. Should be in the next issue.

Has everyone gotten the May/June issue already?

Thanks,
Brett Bensley

Yes. It came last week.
ChrisG

Yes, I got mine over the weekend.

I got mine last week...

I do not have mine as of today!!!!!

Rodney

I received mine about 2 weeks ago...First Class, you must not be living right...just kidding.

Yep. I guess "The Secret" doesn't work. I have been thinking positive thoughts about getting this issue since January!

Thanks,
Brett Bensley

Hey gang,

I've been thinking about writing an article for my Magic Beans column on a topic that may produce more heat than light. It's not a new topic but I can't ever remember seeing it tackled in the pages of the Conjurer.

Would you like to see a "think piece" on the wisdom (or lack) of the FCM maintaining an "all-inclusive" position rather than more of a "magic-purist" position? I think you know what I mean - is it proper to keep insisting that we are the Fellowship of Christian Magicians when we really have adopted more of a Fellowship-of-Christian-Entertainers-type position?

There are strengths and weaknesses with both schools of thought. Might be worth an article or two. Or is this old territory and not worth the ink to explore?

Cheers,
Kerry

Kerry,
That topic is one that no matter which side you take, you will make enemies and find people not talking to you. Danced that dance before and it wasn't pretty.

In my humble opinion many of us attending the FCM Convention will be going to non-magic seminars and shows in order to help us be children's entertainers. Looking at the schedule I'm already thinking of a puppet seminar, a balloon one or two, a storytelling slot etc.

In my act I use all of the above, but want to get better at each of them. Yet magic remains at the core, and Gospel Magic is included in my Ministry. Can't remember ever doing Gospel Ballooning etc .... But doesn't mean I won't.

So is an article needed?

I think it's worth an article or three; even if it brings some heat.
Revisiting the topic may provide an accurate view of how the majority of the current members feel about it. If that information, in turn, is applied toward improving the magazine to better serve the organization's members; then all the better.

Kerry
Great article in July/August Conjurer. It has a lot of things worth pondering.

Thanks Kerry for your excellent article in The Christian Conjurer for July, 2008. It certainly does not "hurt" to discuss ways FCM could improve, including the national convention. Great food for thought!

Here are my comments on the FCM convention:

Let me say first off, I am a big fan of FCM. I have gone to FCM conventions since 1971 in New York state, on and off, usually for a partial end of the week. Owning my own business, I cannot afford to take the entire week off. Of course, with my interest being in Gospel magic, the stronger the "magic" portion and magic workshops at the convention are, the better. FCM can be very delighted in the MANY different lectures that go on during convention week, many more than the normal "regular" convention such as the World Magic Seminar or Abbott's Magic Get-Together which I also attend. It really is a good convention.

That being said, I tend to "drift off" during a long puppet or chalk art routines, for exammple, in the evening programs. I really love chalk art or puppets, but once it gets beyond 10 minutes, my interest as a magician wanes.

I would also prefer, because of my schedule, to not drive many hours to Marion on a late Wednesday night (especially at today's gas prices!), and then have for my first "main" evening program in the large auditorium to be the "kids program" every year. Then the FCM convention turns almost into a VBS or summer Maranatha type retreat, where the parents see their children perform, often with little or no experience.

Over the years I have missed the Andre' Kole, Duane Laflin, Toby Travis programs, etc.. all who performed earlier in the week, just to not miss the Thursday night kids' show who had very inexperienced performers (so some of it was not very "good"). Very frustrating for me. I wish they would do that program in the afternoon, still have a "regular" magic convention type program in the evening. I know of no other conventions anywhere in the U.S. that has unexperienced or non-contest winners perform on a main night program near the end of the week.

Secondly, and I may upset some here, FCM is about the members, not the dealers. Of course, I spend a ton at the dealers every year. However, years ago, for example, at Winona Lake, you could "rent" a table in the dealer room for a small fee, sell whatever new or used items you wanted. It was a highlight of the convention for me to see what people were trying to sell- you could pick up back issues of The Christian Conjurer, custom made Gospel effects, old used stuff, etc.. Of course, dealers too could have as many tables as they wanted which was wonderful as well, but they had to freely compete in the FCM "free market" for business. If you have good stuff to sell, then you sell.

It is my understanding none of that is possible now, I am not sure. I believe the number of dealers are limited, and how the dealers are to be open, etc., and you cannot just bring stuff to sell. The flea market is limited to the number of items that can be sold, plus you cannot really sell your own mutliple "custom" items, for example. Of course the dealers do not want the "competion", why would they?

But this is not the Fellowship of Christian Dealers, but the Fellowship of Christian Magicians. Sure, if members were allowed to sell out of their cars or in the gym at tables it might hurt some dealers. But this is not Abbott's (and even there you can sell on the Colon streets), or a convention "owned" by the sponsoring magic companies, it is for the membership. And I know of quite a few FCMers who would like to sell a few really neat Gospel effects, but are not allowed to do it at the FCM convention, unless I guess they become an "approved" dealer.

So in short, although I love all the dealers at the FCM convention, and they have many already, most of these same dealers probably go to other conventions or "magic days" as well. A normal FCMer, who wants to sell maybe $1,000 worth of really neat new or used Gospel items, really is not allowed to sell or compete. Even what the lecturers can sell is strictly limited to when they lecture, etc.. Wal-Mart cannot stop all garage sales, although I'm sure they'd prefer to do that if they could.

So maybe this is just a "dream" on my part, but I think the FCM membership would be enthused by having an open door on any member being able to sell whatever they'd like, ala Abbott's annual Spring "flea market" sales event, where anyone can rent a table for a reasonable fee and sell what they want. And at the end and during the day, Abbott's will auction off any items you choose to have auctioned off. This generates a lot of excitement and is fair to everyone to compete.

Again, I love the FCM, and I encourage everyone to get to Marion. Still one of best and inexpensive conventions I know of, and the lectures and dealers are in fact very good and worthwhile.

I wanted to add to my earlier note if I could. The 2008 FCM convention was excellent this year! There were a ton of dealers- magic, clowning, vent, make-up, photography, even escapes, all terrific. Barry Mitchell's magic booth is always a "must" for me. I also thought the magic lectures that I attended were well thought out- Duane Laflin, Barry Mitchell, Oz and Wilde, Hoby Tyler, Tim Sonefelt, etc. had good, useful information. Oz and Wilde always give out free lecture notes and props, and Hoby's (Paul R.)lecture notes were $5.00 but also included substantial props that could not even be purchased for that amount. The crowd seemed larger than ever which is also good, The Late Show may have to be moved to a larger venue next year. Wow. Don't miss 2009, it is well worth the effort to attend. The facilities are also top notch- and easy to get around- which is needed since activities literally start at 8AM every day and conclude way past midnight. Who ever gets any sleep? A+ to all involved, much appreciated.

I agree, MagicBus. I thought it was a great convention. I wasn't able to attend as many lectures as I would've liked, but from all the reviews, I heard they were great. It was also good to see some new dealers in the dealers area. I hope this continues with even more new dealers next year.
Our crowds at the late show were great this year! I love having the Globe Theater its a lot better than holding it in Baker. I noticed there were a couple nights where they were no seats in the whole place. I'm not sure where else they could put us if it continues to grow and I hope it does. The late show had some fantastic acts this year. I would love to see many of them on the big stage and think they would do an excellent job next year!

Overall, it was great. However, the sleep deprivation gets harder as I get older!

Back to the Christian Conjurer... How can I complain? This issue was the right colors... had a great looking cover... the articles in it were very good! Especially liked the "Beans" thoughts for this issue. We need to LOOK inside with an open hearty and mind. It is the only way we can get better.

Kerry, The questions and comments you made became a GOOD point of discussion with the membership. And it the CC is where that should happen as well as the FCM Forums. All week I heard people talking about how we can make things better.

The Magazine, I think Mike is doing a great job, but then again "Oz & Wilde" always have something in there. But that is because we submit things. We work on it, we prepare them, then we submit them ready to go. We work with Mike and help him with his job which is a tuff one. Not like he has a staff... His staff is the Membership.

I like the size... this is not a magazine... it is a journal. Monthly, that would be great if we had enough material to do a monthly. If the balloon people, the clowns, the jugglers, the face painters, the artists, and all the magicians submitted things regularly then maybe we could go to the monthly.

As Kerry suggested, if we were willing to pay a little more that would help as well. I know I would if we were getting monthly great ideas.

We need to be careful though! I belong to other organizations that do monthly and it seems there is just more adds... I like the meat of the magazine... do not care about the adds.. they are needed but no more adds than material.

Send MIKE & Del your ideas.

By the way!

Kerry, I did not get the PRIVATE tour of the new "HOME" on wheels but I hear it is great.

In HIS love & service,

Just a note that for FCM members who are not from the USA or do not have access to a local FCM chapter, the CC is the main (or may even be the only means) of connection with FCM and Gospel magic.

The editors of the CC have to keep this in mind as it seeks to be an international magazine that caters for FCM members worldwide.

I want to state that I am appreciative of the CC

I think they put yours on a special turtle....

:P

I have submitted things in the past too...but I've also been ignored and have had problems getting responses to my communications with FCM.