benedson

Greenbelt here I come...

Well almost, I'll be leaving tomorrow morning for Greenbelt09 - and may even put the tent up, depending on the weather! 

Sanctus1 is leading a couple of services, one in New Forms on Sunday at 19:00 and the other is in the Shelter at 11:00 on Monday.  I've seen both services and think they're great! I'm also leading the 'Just-Peace' vigil with Maggi Dawn in the Big Top on Sunday evening at 22:00.  The vigil is an opportunity to reflect and pray for the people and situation in Palestine at the moment. 

Apart from that I'll be hoping that the worship programme runs smoothly and that there are not to many last minute glitches that I have to sort out.  You're likely to find me in the queue for the kids festival, at the beer tent, wine bar, tiny tea tent, contributors patio or marveling at the rice show...aka Stans Cafe.

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Tags: Greenbelt, BenEdson

Fresh Expression - from Communitas to Aggregation

A while ago I had an article published in a journal exploring the hermenutic of communitas - It's a theme that I've also picked up on this blog with regard to it's sustainability - anyway a few years after I wrote a chapter for a book where I explored a variation on this theme: the hermeutic of community.  Both articles were in realtion to Sanctus1 and as I prepare to leave Sanctus1 I've be reflecting back on a number of themes in the life of my time with the community.

The shift for communitas to community is significant, as communitas is essentially an experience of separation for the rest of society.  It happens in isolation, and whilst for the people involved it is a significant formational experience, for those who are not part of it it can feel like a closed off utopian experience for those involved.  It is never intended as a permenant stage of existance and is essentially isolationalist. 

After communitas is a stage called aggregation when the group that has had the experience of communitas rejoins the rest of society and ceases to be communitas.  The first article I wrote was written in 2004-5, Sanctus1 had been going for about 3 years and was still in a fairly fragile state, the second article was written in 2008 and Sanctus1 was less fragile and far more connected in with Fresh Expressions and had a greater national profile.  

Before 2004 there was no Mission Shaped Church Report and no Fresh Expressions Initiative,  Sanctus was mentioned in MSC and essentially through the report and FE initiative was brought into the mainstream.  It was aggregated.  Now, don't get me wrong - I think that this is a good thing (from a sustainability and catholicity perspective) - but something was also lost in this process: communitas.  Aggregation enables a groups to belong to the rest of scoiety, however some will struggle with this.  Communitas appeals to a certain kind of edge person, and the experience of aggregation for them maybe to mainstream and to compromised. 

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Tags: BenEdson, FreshExpressions

Must-do worship at Greenbelt 09

I was asked yesterday to come up with a list of my 5 must-do worship events of Greenbelt this year, as I co-ordiante the worship there.  Well, it was quite a difficult task because there are so many great services and installations around the site but here goes:

Beyond - Ice Age Contemplation.  A worship installation constructed entirely from ice that encourages us to reflect on our place in the long now.  I expect it to be visually stunning and provide the opportunity to pause in the midst of a busy festival.  The other thing that they're doing is a service with light artist Chris Levine I think that this service is going to be the Hidden Gem of Greenbelt so hopefully it's not so hidden now!

House for All Saints and Sinners - Oh Sinner, Where at Thou?  Saturday 21:00 New Forms.  A Blue Grass Liturgy including a banjo player and fiddler!  Will no doubt be a unique moment of the festival.

Agents of Future - Sneak Peeks at Magic Moments, Sunday 17:30 Centaur.  An energetic fun fill collaborative worship experience for all ages that will excite, challenge and inspire!

Earth Abbey - Under the Vine.  Sunday 22:00.  This is the first time that Earth Abbey have been at Greenbelt, I'm excited by their fusing together of ecology and christian spirituality, not to be missed!

Jake Lever and Chris Thorpe - 21:00 each evening in Soul Space.  Visual Art meets inspiring liturgy in these daily reflections in the ambiance of soul space.

 Okay, if you've not got your tickets by now I think that it's about time you did...

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Tags: Greenbelt, BenEdson