jonnybaker

grace labyrinth and bbq

grace labyrinth and bbq this saturday...

so how do you read the news?

clay shirky was interviewed in the guardian yesterday. i read it in a physical newspaper. that's mainly because jen loves to get a paper most days. in practice though i have the guardian app on my ipod and tend to download it and read it on the train or in the car on the way to work most days. if it was just me i suspect i'd only get a paper on saturday... clay shirky suggests that in fifteen years newspapers as physical things will seem archaic and won't exist in fifty. the behaviour of under 25s is the biggest indicator as they read on screens. i suspect he's right. i was delighted to see the interview because i hadn't realised that he had a new book out (there never seems to be just an interview in the paper - you always think i wonder what is being promoted!) so i have ordered cognitive surplus: creativity and generosity in a connected age. his last book here comes everybody is brilliant. i can't remember who i loaned that to so have ordered another copy of that as well (how many books have i done that with?!).

i have to say though for someone who is writing on the web and surfing the zeitgeist his web site is completely lame - last post april 1 and hasn't yet got round to mentioning a new book...

missional voice magazine

not sure why i hadn't noticed this before but forge canada do a missional voice magazine. you can read all past issues online. there are some interesting interviews with the likes of howard snyder, book reviews and articles...

reflection on keziah

i enjoyed nel shallow's thought from the book of job 

social media boot camp

jason clark sent me an e-mail to say he is hosting a day on social media in september covering these four things -

• What is Social Media, why is it here and why is it important? 
• The main popular tools of Social Media including blogging, Facebook and Twitter 
• How you might better use Social Media for your own communication and life 
• How your organisations, church, and ministry might engage strategically and meaningfully with Social Media

 details here 

back from france...

this week i headed to france for 4 days to join the church of england missioners conference. every diocese has either a team or a missioner or a part time missioner to catalyse and encourage mission in the churches in their patch. it turms out that the cost of trekking on the eurostar to france costs no more than using a conference centre in the uk which is a trés bon discovery. i've not been before. it was a really good time and not just because it was in france (though admittedly that was a bonus!). the spirit of the network is relaxed, fun and passionate. there are lots of great people. paul weston led some teaching sessions drawing insights from lesslie newbigin's work (which btw if you are interested a lot of his work is available free here - newbigin.net ) which made for some great discussions around mission.

paul bayes and rachel jordan lead the network and do a wonderful job. it may be worth bookmarking start the week , a blog where the network shares news of what is happening in mission in the uk. i was reminded on that of the upcoming research consultation in september which i have been invited to write a paper for about which they say

The first of what we hope might be a biennial opportunity to share research about fresh expressions of church.  The consultation is designed for those who shape policy and practice in ministry and mission at national and local levels across the Christian Church in Britain.

i'm not totally decided on what to write a paper on so do leave any suggestions in the comments but my immediate response to the blurb is to say that those who shape policy and practice are spread across the church (both in institutional roles and at the edges) and it could be argued that it is the movement at the edges and the margins that has been the key factor in shaping what has taken place. but it's welcome elsewhere has multiplied change as policy makers have caught up with the action.