The Black Box

AGE: Secondary

COLLECTIVE WORSHIP   SPRING 2010

TITLE      The Black Box

BACKGROUND

The "black box" flight recorders have been found from a passenger jet which crashed off the coast of Lebanon recently.

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8484215.stm)

This act of worship picks up on this current news and reflects on the importance given to this ‘Black Box'. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/black-box.htm

Is there an illustration in this that makes us think more widely about our lives and the way we learn from what has gone before?

This act of worship is led by six people in the form of a scripted drama written below. It would add to the effectiveness if the six have had time to practice this several times, especially as the timing is important. If possible, the readers should wear black to increase the effect.

You will need a series of 6 large cards with the letters M E M O R Y written out.

Questions are asked throughout this act of worship with a scripted short pause after each one. However, these questions could be returned to in small groups/tutor groups at another time

The quotation used at the beginning of this drama is found at http://hnn.us/articles/1328.html  The author is unknown.

PRESENTATION

(All six participants - preferably wearing the same black T-shirts - have their backs to assembled group.

Voice 1   (Turns to face the assembled group, says very quietly)

History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.  

(Turns back again as Voice 2 turns...)

Voice 2   (Turns to face the assembled group and getting louder, says)

History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.

(Turns back again as Voice 3 turns...)

Voice 3   (Turns to face the assembled group and getting louder says)

History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.

(Turns back again as Voice 4 turns...)

Voice 4   (Turns to face the assembled group and getting louder says)

History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.

(Turns back again as Voice 5 turns...)

Voice 5   (Turning to face the assembled group and shouts)

History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.

(Turns back again as Voice 6 turns...)

Voice 6   (Turns to face the assembled group and really quietly whispers) History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.

(Turns back again)

All   We should treat history differently. We should treat history differently....How?

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group and then as each speaks they turn to the front again)

Voice 1    Treat ...

Voice 2    it ...

Voice 3    like ...

Voice 4    a ...

Voice 5    Black...

Voice 6    Box ...

Voices 1-4   Like a ‘Black Box?'

Voice 5    Yes. The one that is in every aeroplane.

Voice 6    With plane crashes....history repeats itself but they do try and listen.... every time .... to the "Black Box"

Voice 5    Like the terrible plane crash recently off the coast of Lebanon. The investigators have just found the plane's Black Box. It was 1.3km underwater, 8 km west of Beirut.

Voice 6    Hopefully the Black Box will help them piece together the history of that last flight so those 90 people did not die in vain.

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group and then as each speaks they turn to the front again)

All      We should treat history differently.

Voice 1    Treat ...

Voice 2    it ...

Voice 3    like ...

Voice 4    a ...

Voice 5    Black...

Voice 6    Box ...

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group, pause  and say)

ALL   Black Box

(Then as each speaks they turn to the front again)

Voice 1    It ...

Voice 2    remembers ...

Voice 3    the ...

Voice 4    most ...

Voice 5    important...

Voice 6    details..... Things like ...

Voice 1    Time

Voice 2    Pressure & altitude

Voice 3    Airspeed & magnetic heading

Voice 4    Control-column & rudder position

Voice 5    Horizontal stabilizer

   Voice 6    Fuel flow....

   All    What are the most important things history should remember?

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group, pause and say)

ALL   Black Box

(Then as each speaks they turn to the front again)

Voice 1    It ...

Voice 2    is ...

Voice 3    incredibly ...

Voice 4    well ...

Voice 5    protected...

   Voice 6    with three vital layers:

 Voice 1    Lightweight aluminium housing ...

Voice 2    Dry silica for high temperature thermal protection...

Voice 3    Titanium armour outer shell...

Voice 4    It's tested by firing it out of a canon...

Voice 5    It's tested by burning it for 3 hours at 1,100ºC...

Voice 6    It's tested by being left in a salt water tank for 30 days...

All      What protects our history from being lost?

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group, pause and say)

ALL   Black Box

(Then as each speaks they turn to the front again)

Voice 1    It ...

Voice 2    helps...

Voice 3    improve ...

Voice 4    design ...

Voice 5    of...

   Voice 6    aircraft

   All    What helps us learn from history and improve the design of life?

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group, pause and say)

ALL   Black Box

(Then as each speaks they turn to the front again)

Voice 1    (turn and point at someone in the assembled group)

Do...

Voice 2    (turn and point at someone in the assembled group)

You...

Voice 3    (turn and point at someone in the assembled group)

Have...

Voice 4    (turn and point at someone in the assembled group)

A...

Voice 5    (turn and point at someone in the assembled group)

Black...

   Voice 6    (turn and point at someone in the assembled group)

Box?

   All    Yes! We call it our....

Voice 1    M... (hold up a card with a large letter M on it)

Voice 2    E ... (hold up a card with a large letter E on it)

Voice 3    M ...  (hold up a card with a large letter M on it)

Voice 4    O... (hold up a card with a large letter O on it)

Voice 5    R... (hold up a card with a large letter R on it)

Voice 6    Y... (hold up a card with a large letter Y on it)

   All    What are the most important things we should remember?

   All    How can we protect our memory from being lost?

   All    Can we learn from history and improve the design of life?

(All turn with their backs to the assembled group, pause and say)

ALL   History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time. 

Voice 6    ...but do you think they listened this time?

(Pause to allow that question to sink in. Then only Voice 6 turns to speak)

Voice 6   Lord of time and space, forgive us for the ways in which we repeat the terrible mistakes of those who have gone before us. Help us to listen to the lessons from the past and to remember them as we walk with you into our future. We also pray for all those who have lost their lives in air crashes and for their grieving relatives and pray. In your mercy, hear our prayer,

Amen.