Just a really quick update on the Marcella Althaus-Reid Spoken Word Theology Competition to say that I came second! The judges — playwright Jo Clifford, musician, theologian and URC minister Alex Clare-Young and poet Jay Hulme — chose Naomi Orrell’s “Antiphon for the Trans Body” as the winner and I have to say it was a totally deserved win. Naomi wrote the text (in Latin) and the plainchant melody and she gave a moving and thoughtful introduction to the piece before singing it. Even though I heard her singing only through my laptop speakers (she was at the conference in person and I was online), it sent shivers down my spine. I can only imagine the atmosphere that she created in the venue. It felt like a truly holy moment even from my kitchen.

Naomi works at the York St John University’s chaplaincy and is a project worker for the Student Christian Movement. I see she has a blog on the SCM site. I certainly hope we hear more of her music in the future.

I intend to blog in more detail on the event soon, but I had to go through to Edinburgh tonight to pick up a bed frame and I’m moving house in a week’s time, so I’m rather tired and have rather a lot to do! But I didn’t want the night to pass without updating you, dear readers, and congratulating the worthy winner.