Does anyone have some ideas about a spiritual application to the ABC Blocks? The only one I have thought of is a lesson on the Trinity; Almighty Father, Beloved Holy Spirit, and Christ our Savior. I appreciate any ideas.

You can talk about the ABC's of Salvation

A= "All" have sinned. (Rom.3:23)
B= "Behold" the Lamb of God. (John.1:29)
C= "Call" upon the name of the Lord. (Rom.10:13)

The box represents Heaven.

See earlier posts on the ABC Blocks, Duane Laflin has an excellent version I believe on his three part DVD series on Gospel magic. Who goes to heaven (heaven being the box): A: Anybody (no) B: Believers (yes)- block appears there) C: Club people or people who may attend Church but do not believe (no).

Thanks, I should have done a search first.

It is amazing how many hidden gems Duane has contributed through his written works and DVD's. While I use very few of his routines just seeing his creativity on display helps spark my own thinking and use of Scripture.

Well, are you coming to ADVANCE? He'll be there! Would love to meet you!

Steve

If you check out this site:

http://www.ChristianMagician.org

There is an excellent varaition of the A-B-C Block effect presented by Randy Craven, I think. Roger may be able to chime in and provide clearer direction/correction.


peace,
phill

Randy is our film editor as well of Now That's Magic!, he actually shoots the footage in the basement of his house. Randy takes standard tricks often, then totally remakes them to what he wants to say. If you ever see one of his programs, you most likely will not see anything that he has not come up with himself, very creative guy... Randy is working on getting some more programs done, should be more posted hopefully shortly... he does all his film editing at his house too on his own equipment.

I have an idea for the ABC Block routine. A=All Mighty Father B=Beloved Holy Spirit C=Christ our Savior. The Trinity (Godhead) is presented and the kids repeat the names. "Now I am going to show you what happens when you become a Christian" (Cover and uncover blocks)
"Oh no the Beloved Holy Spirit has vanished." Go on and talk about where did He go etc. "I am so worried..." Then walk out deep into the audience and produce the Beloved Holy Spirit block from under someone's chair or pew. "That's it, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us when we become a Christian." Then close with some encouraging thoughts about our new live in Christ with the Holy Spirit as our Comforter.
What do you think?

MadderMax -

Enjoyed the theme centered around the Holy Spirit. Great idea.

><> J
Kid

Is there not a simpler theme for this type of Effect, including the more complex Conradi Blocks and even Monkey Bars: Man often loses or abandons spirtuality in balance with mind and body gets gets his priorities "out of order"; or through laziness or a desire to "fit in" with societal pressures (popularity/peer pressures)gets things mixed up. Did not Jesus offer a new covenant becasue man had jumbled up the old one?

Most magic tricks can touch on this theme in subtle ways -- the Patter adapted to the audience and setting. Of course, I am new here, and this may have been expressed mnay times.

I use Duane Laflin's basic ABC Blocks excellent story line if in a Sunday School class situation where I want to include the important area of missions. Duane uses a decorative box from overseas. From Hobby Lobby, I got a beautiful little "picture box"- a wood box with four glass picture holders on each side of the box for the placing of photographs. The times that I have used it I told the kids about THUMB (showing my thumb), which represents the unreached people groups of the world: Tribals, Hindus, Unchurched (such in former Soviet Union), Muslims and Buddists, all of whom we need to reach for Christ. And in each picture slot on the outside of the box- I placed a picture of a person representing that people group (except for U for unchurched). Man in a turban, for example. It is so cool. I got the pictures from Operation Mobilization's "Operation World" book for children- a large picture book that features some of the countries from the massive reference book Operation World (a great resource if you are going on a missions trip). So when I show the "heaven" box ala Duane's routine, I show each side of the box per the THUMB illustration and how we need to pray for and reach out to these areas of the world. Hobby Lobby is a great resource for magical looking materials, I also got from there some little candle "pedastals" for the placing of the sponge balls for the excellent Sponge Ball Stage routine. You can also buy little round wooden rings at Hobby Lobby, which nicely prevent a large sponge ball from rolling off the table when placed on it during the routine. Works perfect. The wooden rings are normally used to hold large round bowling ball type art work. I was very, very fortunate to obtain a few weeks ago from the estate of FCMer "Bilvan" (Bill VandeWerken) his Abbott's Florabella, so hope to use that with Laflin's/Arthur Stead's "The Blessings of Love." I filmed months ago "The Blessings of Love" using simple silks and a change bag- that should be appearing someday on Now That's Magic! (hopefully in the next two months). Randy has enough footage for at least two more complete Gospel magic programs (with MagicBob, SuZie, Randy, Duane Laflin DVD clips, and myself), but Randy edits them in his spare time- and it takes a tremendous amount of time to put together in sequence each program- I have no clue how Randy does it so precisely at his home. Psalm 67! (the missions Psalm).

I use the ABC blocks two ways. First A= All B= Believers C= Church The second is A= Agnostic B= Believers C= Church Who gets to go to heaven of course the B block believers.

Thanks for everyone's responses. I am doing this in VBS in a couple of weeks.
I will use the theme; "Almighty Father, Beloved Holy Spirit, and Christ our Savior" When the Beloved Holy Spirit disappears, I am going to have the kids look under the seats and see if we can find the missing (Holy Spirit)block.
Someone finds it and I will close with "I should have known the Holy Spirit leaves heaven to dwell among us when we become Christians."

I noticed too that Duane has his version of ABC Blocks in his "Greater Magic" book as well.

Clever to have the block planted in the audience. Like the concept.

Something to consider in the future. I don't remember the maker, but I bought a set of blocks to do the effect that didn't have letters on them. I put the A, B, & C on them myself with adhesive letters. The result was a very nice set of blocks. Rather than "ABC"...one could put say F for Father or G for God...S for (Holy) Spirit...and J for Jesus. That way they don't have to "remember" the letter code translation. Or they could have illustrations on them representing each as well. Just a thought for customizing the effect.

Thanks, Kif. I read you will not be able to attend the FCM convention. I am sorry I will not be able to meet you. This will be my first FCM convention, looking forward to going.

Kif,

where did you get the blank blocks from?

I'll already considering making a set for Santa from 4"x4" chunks of wood when I finally get home. I like the idea of pictures for F, S, J - much easier to remember and also to undertand in different languages.

I did my research a little more in depth this time and found the effect and maker...the effect is called "Traveling Blocks" by Viking Haenchen. I covered the box as well...as I'm not a big fan of "stenciled props."

My loss not getting to met you. Have fun at your first FCM...and there is one thing I'm fairly certain of...it won't be your last one. I'll catch you the next time.