keeping up with the jones

andrew jones (aka tallskinnkiwi), debbie and their 5 children called in at cms in oxford today as they head off for a new adventure. andrew is a good friend, a mission leader (and geek), and part of the team i lead at cms. having been settled in orkney for a season it was inevitable they would get restless...

so the next phase in the jones' life is travelling round europe in a van and tents, meeting creative mission leaders and church planters and people that throw good parties to hang out, encourage them, map some of what is happening in europe, research the gaps, catalyse some new stuff, create some networks, tell some stories and so on. they have an incredible overlander truck which is semi-converted and they'll do a bit more on the road. a few people have asked how long this is for but it's open ended - travelling as a lifestyle i guess. the van and jones will be back in the uk next at greenbelt so catch them there if not before.

follow andrew's blog to see how it all goes and if you are doing some creative mission type stuff in europe introduce yourself. cms has historically worked in africa and asia and in recent years done quite a bit in the uk. this adventure is part of a shift to more of a european focus. plenty is still going on in africa and asia (and now south america with the link with sams) but the direction for those areas is to let go control and western leadership and to be a networked family of mission agencies round the world rather than a british governed global agency. if you are a praying type, pray for the jones as they go. got to admire the adventurer spirit. i work with some fun people!

Comments

[cathryn Thomas]

love it... and yah, i'm following and praying.. Caught up with Shannon today on skype... love her new site, gave her some feedback on it...... I keep hoping i'm gonna see the Jones's show up here in Austin with their rig! Man, hand over heart, gotta give 'em major kudos.. 5 kids in a big truck.. converted no less... is a big change from Orkney and and a house! We're doing fellowship here with the Chapman's and the lil community of believers... much less structured, but more relational. I hate the phrase intentional community, cuz any community on a heart level is INTENTIONAL! LOL... I work at a Rehab Hospital - so it's "tent making" and relationships, not involved in a main church, but surfing the Spirit so to speak... Next time i hop the pond to see Shannon, Tamsin and Kerstin... i'll ring ya for coffee or a good beer! If you get to the states in the Austin area, the door is wide open, come and hang. Biggest fun on the Horizon here is that John Crowder (new mystic's you can google) is coming in April for a Holy Spirit party of sorts, i love his stuff and he's a hoot, but shaking things up on the religious end, cuz he talks about "getting whacked" by God and ecstatic experiences in God. i'll blog on it when it happens and post some pics. Blessings dude and thick Shalom! cathryn

[andrew]

thanks jonny for the post and the pics.