jonnybaker

yes to mission spirituality

i have an article in the current issue of the international review of mission. i doubt many (any?) of you have heard of it - it's a missiology journal. i have to say i am really chuffed to have a piece published in there. the whole issue is devoted to discussing the pope's evangelii gaudium/the joy of the gospel (which is fabulous by the way). i was invited to offer a reflection on mission spirituality in it and to comment as well on two other global documents on mission - together towards life (which is also an amazing document that the western church should really take on board) and the cape town commitment. so i guess it's a contribution to a conversation in mission studies/missiology and the world church around mission. i mistakenly thought the journal is available free but that was because i was looking online within cms who have a subscription. but i do have permission to send to anyone who i like so email me or leave a comment if you'd like a copy of the article

i was sent a photo of a copy of the journal being given to pope francis so i hope he's read my chapter though i guess i'll never know!

resources for holy week and easter

it amazes me that the artists connected to proost keep on producing wonderful resources. read the update to tell you about easter resources old and new. 

i have been using ian adams 40 temptations resource during lent and he has now written a similar resource to use in the easter season focusing on the resurrection stories and dreaming of a better world - i plan to use it each day for 40 days - there are 40 reflections. it's called peace be with you and this is what ian says about it...

Peace be with you draws on themes and phrases from the stories told in the gospels about the resurrection of Jesus. From the time of their first telling those stories have been seen as invitations to allow the resurrection to reshape the way that life could be lived by reader and hearer. Peace be with you looks again at those invitations, and imagines them as gifts for us now, opening up the possibility of something new.

If you happen to be reading this in the Easter season, after the toughness of Lent, the space they offer may be welcome. But these invitations also come with a provocative edge. Can we find the courage to live in the spirit of resurrection when everything seems to gravitate towards death and destruction?

 holy week is a great chance to reflect on the story of christ's journey to jerusalem and passion and andy freeman has published a collection of reflections to use during that week - meeting tthe gardener.

help kickstart this creative oxford café guide...

hannah davis is launching her project to create an illustrated guide to oxford cafés working with 34 artists - Paint Pots and Coffee Cups: An Illustrated Guide. it's a beautiful book almost ready to roll after a couple of years work. hannah presented the idea at a missional entrepreneurship week on the pioneer course. and we love it when people go away and work up those ideas to make them real. hannah is nearly there. the funding model to help her over the line is kickstarter funding which has a range of options whereby you can pay a range of prices to either donate or pre-order a book to help create enough money to print them. hannah has worked in publishing and is an illustrator herself. the book is being published via her own likeness press - have a look round the site to find out more info and see links to the artists involved. She says this about it

The book will be good-looking, imaginative and practical, used to guide the local and the tourist around Oxford’s cafés and arts scene. Local artists have illuminated the cafés with their work created during and/or after a visit to that café. The aim is to break open the art world for the artists (especially those uncomfortable with the ‘artist’ label), as well as for the public. Our goal is for people to feel a freedom and desire to do more drawing and spending time in cafés, and to enjoy the rich experience of collaboration and community found in cafés and creativity.

what I particularly love about this is the way it builds community and creates a platform for artists to share their work - i.e. it's more than a book. i am heading over to pre-order and help kickstart it. it would be great if as many of as possible can do so to help make this land - the plan is to publish in may 2016 i.e. soon. nearly there!

academic admin role anyone?

we're looking for someone to join our team at cms for a 2 day a week role doing academic admin. details are here. give me a shout if you want any more info.

iceland in colour

so a few people have moaned about my photos of iceland being in black and white - what the problem is i have no idea! i love them in black and white. but i did have some i preferred in colour so here's a smaller set of some shots of iceland in colour... i guess a rainbow does look better in colour?

iceland in black and white

it has been an absolute treat to have a week's break in iceland. jen and i booked this to get a week together to celebrate her finishing chemo, surgery, and radiotherapy and to begin to live life again without solely focusing on cancer and coping with treatment and its effects, though i am not for a moment suggesting there isn't a way to go on the journey for us.

i've wanted to visit for years to be honest. i was slightly unsure whether visiting this time of year would work out but it has been perfect. there is snow pretty much everywhere but it is not deep enough winter that you can't get around so all major roads seemed fine and we even managed one or two slightly hairy ones through the mountains. we only turned back once because of snow.

it's a beautiful country - pretty much every corner you drive round (and if you go hire a car!) is a breathtaking landscape. i have seen other photographers photos and been envious so it was lovely to get a chance to come and take some photos myself. i had a photographer's nightmare - a grease spot on the lens that appeared in every photo but thanks to the wonders of lightroom and finding a camera shop i managed to edit the photos (so that hopefully you can't tell) and have now got the camera sensor cleaned. i never quite know how to add photos online - drip feed or whack them up, select a few favourites?.. but i have opted to add a set in black and white and square format. i will add some colour ones at some point but i think the snow works so well in black and white that it set me off on that track and i stuck with it. there is a set here - iceland in black and white. 

right must pack my bag and head to the airport!

beats driving down the m40!