benedson

Rest-More

Howies have a new t-shirt out:   Rest Less and it annoys me...

I look around at society and I don't see people who need to rest less but people who need to rest more - and I speak to myself here.  Too busy to take time out to reflect and wonder - too busy to rest. I think that it's a concern for us all - burn-out happens, life is out of balance and then we're told to rest-less....

I remember an article on the Howies website a number of years ago about a person who got annoyed with people who stood on escalators rather than bounding up them like tigger on speed.  Personally I think it's important to stop - whether on escalators or in other places and take the opportunity to marvel at life.  So enjoy the weekend and rest more.

Greenbelt line-up

I see that the first few names have been announced for Greenbelt this year.  There are some great names that have already been confirmed, Rob Bell, Brian McClaren and Phyllis Tickle just to name three of the speakers.  I'm really pleased that Billy Bragg is back again, I saw him a few years ago at GB and he was stunning.  No doubt that the political situation at the moment will inspire him!

Worship wise the only name that we have released at this point is The Rend Collective Experiment.  There are about 70 other groups that we are talking to at the moment so if you want to be at the place that I would argue is the world centre of alt. worship then you've gotta be at Greenbelt.  

Book your tickets here.

 

New Monastic Community in Manchester

Follow the launch of New Monasticism as Fresh Expressions of Church a few weeks ago I'm pulling together a group of people who are interested in exploring New Monasticism in Manchester. At the moment there is no long term plan for this to happen but it's a case of dreaming dreams and exploring possibilities.  We're going to meet in the evening on Monday 29th March in the centre of Manchester.  If you're interested in coming along then email me and I'll let you have more details.

 

Symposia Podcast: New Monasticism as Fresh Expressions of Church

I've just set up the Symposia Podcast.  I get to meet lots of interesting people to talk about mission and church, and so I thought that it maybe good to share some of these conversations.  So I've set up the podcast to do this.  Don't expect any regularity...It'll be more a case of me be opportunist...

The first Podcast is from last weeks New Monasticism as Fresh Expressions of Church Book Launch.  There are three podcasts to listen to, the short one is Ian's 10 minute introduction to the book.  The other two are the two halves of the main input from Mark Berry, Philip Roderick, Fr Damian, Ray Simpson and Ian Mobsby.  Each of them does a 5 minute introduction to their community and their chapter in book before we move into a time of Q and A.

 

 

 

Evolution

A stunning short film by John Hicks, with contemporary dancer Marie Gabrielle Rotie

Life open as usual

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New Job

I've not posted this on here yet, but thought that it was about time I did.  If you've not heard from other routes I've got a new job!

The job title is 'Team Vicar and Missioner St James and Emmanuel Didsbury, and Diocesan Fresh Expressions Missioner'.  Ok it's not exactly a catchy job title but it basically encapsulates the two elements of my work.  For two thirds of my time I'll be working with the parishes in Didsbury Manchester, there are many opportunities in Didsbury and part of my role will be to develop contextual forms of mission and help the congregations develop over the coming years.

The other third is continuing my work across the Diocese encouraging and promoting FXC.  I've been doing this for just over a year and now I feel I'm ready to take this onto the next step, esp. as I know that I'll be around for a few more years yet.

New Monasticism - My thoughts on Tuesday

As you may well know I'm hosting the launch of the new Fresh Expressions book on Thursday called, 'New Monasticism as Fresh Expressions of Church'. I'm looking forward to it, the event has sold out and there seems to be a real buzz around the new monastic conversation at the moment.  Yet part of Thursday will be an opportunity to quiz the people who have contributed to the book at their experience of New Monasticism.  

So I've been reflecting on the questions that I may ask them on Thursday night.  I'm largely really supportive and encouraging on the New Monastic conversation, anything that brings together prayer and mission has to be good.  At the same time I've got a few questions that I want to ask and so I thought that I'd share them here first.  (BTW I hope to have an audio-file of the book launch on the blog on Friday)

1: One comment that Martyn Percy made was that an 'an abbot' is a title rich in heritage and monasticism as a concept is one that has deep, deep roots.  Does our contemporary re-imagination of the monastic tradition violate the heritage from which it comes?  Is it too pop...

2: Is there something slightly sanctimonious about the new monasticism conversation?  Is it the bitter pill that Christians think that culture needs to swallow to make it better? Is there a genuine desire to swallow the pill and is this desire matched action?

3: Is it offering a countercultural model of community?  And if so is the best model to engage with society?

4: Does it bring people to faith?  Does it engage with the non-churched?

I'm hoping that the evening also provides an opportunity for the Christian community of Greater Manchester to reflect on new-monasticism in our city.  There is a rich heritage of community engaged missional work, but I'm not so convinced that this has been backed up by a missional spirituality.  I'm looking forward to the conversation that this evening sparks off...

Evangelicals in 21st Century

The EA have carried out a fascinating piece of research into the beliefs and habits of Evangelical Christians in the twenty first century.   I instinctively react against labels and it appears that is in common with younger people who go to Evangelical churches, with a significant percentage not wanting to be labelled 'Evangelical'.  Evangelical it seems has negative associations for many younger Christians...

I'm fascinated by this as I think that theological liberalism, not social liberalism, is also suffering from a crisis in confidence.  For example, I would not label myself either liberal or evangelical as both of them have negative associations with them. I look forward to seeing what emerges in the next twenty years or so when I think that the social liberalism of society will have a significant affect on religious attitudes.  The full report can be downloaded here - go read...