jonnybaker

cms twenty: blah...

this is the third of a series of short reflections celebrating twenty years at cms

see also  1. gold | 2. emerging church 

conversation as been at the heart of all the explorations and adventures in mission i have been part of. that conversation has been with all sorts of people round the world pondering the changes taking place and wondering what god is up to and how to join in. stimulating that conversation have been some amazing pioneers, practitioners, thinkers who have published articles, blogs, books. in many ways the movement co-incided with the ability to communicate via technology across the world. initially that was through email lists, then web sites, blogs, social media and so forth. back in 2003 we hosted an event called blah... which we described as follows:

liquid church on tap with pete ward

CMS presents the first in a series of open conversations reflecting on mission, worship, church and christianity in today's rapidly changing culture. the series kicks off with pete ward, discussing 'liquid church'. pete's recently published book is wonderfully provocative and argues for the need to 'liquefy' congregational life and ministry. in london this is the first major forum where those who have read the book can react and discuss it with pete and those who haven’t can find out what all the buzz is about.

thursday march 6 2003
6:30-8:30pm
drinks and refreshments provided
admission free

venue: CMS partnership house, 157 waterloo road

i love that the first one was pete as he has been such a great friend and had such significant impact on me through his thinking and writing. i think we did blah... simply because pete got in touch to say he had a book and could we do something. it went well so we did another. the second one was a book launch of alternative worship with me, doug gay and jenny brown. and it just kept going for several years with people passing through london. blah events also  started in other places like nottingham, sheffield, birmingham, oxford, manchester. in those days i got to go to lots of them and meet people, drink and chat. that was my job!

i don't want these reflections to simply be nostalgic. so i am trying to pick themes that have something about them that is of lasting value. the thing about blah... that was so valuable was it was a conversation - people sparking off ideas and sharing them. there was also wonderful thinking about mission and theology taking place and it was a delight to have people sharing from round the world as well as the uk guests chipped in from new zealand, australia, usa, france and so on as they passed through. i hope that everything now is still a conversation where we are curious, exploring, theologising, sharing practice and learning from it and one another. we still host an annual pioneer conversations day so in many ways blah... has never really stopped. 

anyone remember blah...? - pioneer witness sessions begin

back in the early days of conversation about emerging church, we hosted a series of events called blah... these were conversational in various cities around england. the very first one was a discussion of pete ward's liquid church i remember. and we had tours with ryan bolger and karen ward and al hirsch amongst other things. seems a while back now!

well if you are in oxford and free in the day time (yes sorry about that) a new series of pioneer witness sessions is starting. the format is simple - someone involved in something pioneering in mission gives a spiel for around 45minutes and then there is 45 minutes discussion, q and a, then a bit of prayer/worship. after the first one people are heading off for a chinese meal. it will be a good chance to meet people.

johnny sertin is first up next week on october 18. there are 12 planned throughout the year. details here... and before anyone asks, yes they will be recorded and we'll put the spiel part up on the web site.

[following steve taylor's comment i looked back at my old blog and found the first three blahs... were pete ward on liquid church in january 2003, doug gay, me and jenny brown launching alternative worship in march 2003 (scroll down the page), and steve taylor on postcards from the missional edge in may 2003! (again scroll down page) - seems a long time ago now!!!]

apple 7 - maggi, kester, ian and i debate the future of the institutional church

apple 7 should be fun/interesting tomorrow night. it's partly in response to my review of Other i think. i fear i may end up sounding like a stuck record. here's the blurb...

In the light of the scandals surrounding the Catholic church, and the decline in church attendance over the past decades, has the classic model of the institution had its day?

Is institutional Christianity an outmoded organisational technology – slow, heavy-weight and rigid – and are there new, more light-weight and adaptable ‘skins’ that provide a more flexible and adaptable service… or is the move towards a more fluid, ‘TAZ’ Christianity no more than a flash(mob) in the pan, lacking substance or ground for genuine action?

don't forget...

this thursday in oxford pete ward and i will be doing a double act exploring mission in consumer culture. it's at cms in oxford from 10am - 1pm, and only £5. more info and book here or you can pay on the door.

How should Mission relate to a consumer culture?

Some like to argue that the Christian faith as an 'alternative way' in an alien market driven world. So the Church is a community of those who resist the prevailing consumerist trend.

But is this the only possible approach? Is it possible that Mission in the West requires us to seek to express or contextualise faith in consumer culture?

This half day will explore the possibilities and limitations of Mission as contextualisation in a consumer culture.

mission in a consumer culture - blah type event with pete ward

mission in consumer culture is a half day at cms on thurs 11 june in oxford exploring mission in a consumer culture with pete ward and then myself and cathy ross responding. you can book online. if you remember the day we had with brian walsh and sylvia keesmaat, it's furthering the discussion around the relationship between faith and culture. pete's latest book is excellent on this relationship - i reviewed it here.

blah... as a series of events/conversations has gone quiet but i guess this is certainly a blah... type of event. here's the blurb

How should Mission relate to a consumer culture?

Some like to argue that the Christian faith as an 'alternative way' in an alien market driven world. So the Church is a community of those who resist the prevailing consumerist trend.

But is this the only possible approach? Is it possible that Mission in the West requires us to seek to express or contextualise faith in consumer culture?

This half day will explore the possibilities and limitations of Mission as contextualisation in a consumer culture.

blah... manchester with pete ward

blah... has been pretty quiet in lots of places (i suspect we're all spinning too many plates) but if you are in manchester there is a day coming up on february 12 with pete ward - participation and mediation. i reviewed pete's book here - i think it's a really interesting book and this should be a great day. we're planning to have a day with pete at some time in the summer in oxford so watch this space if you are down south!

book online

a new season - tomorrow's world, tom sine, mike frost and wounded in all the right places

september has begun, schools start again, and it's back in for a new season after the summer...

there is lots going on as ever. i already mentioned ReSource below if you are looking for mission leadership training. but there are plenty of other things to consider or put in your diary.

if you are youngish (under 40 - i won't be let in!) then cms is hosting a weekend in november called tomorrow's world - follow the link for details. the guest speakers are the padillas, currently missiologists in residence. if like me you don't know your missiologists too well, then rene padilla helped put social justice on the evangelical map - here's the blurb from cms about him...

Dr Padilla has made an immeasurable contribution to the recovery of the Christian conscience.  He has spent his life practising what he preaches: prison ministries, preaching on radio and on the streets, planting churches among slum dwellers and drug addicts, and now playing a key role in the Micah Network.

sounds good eh? the padillas are with cms for a few months so i am looking forward to meeting them and gleaning some wisdom. follow the link for details on how to book.

tom sine is over doing some things in september. he is doing a day in oxford with cms on sept 25 - i can't find details but will get more and post them here when i do but it is definitely in oxford. i so enjoyed tom's last book which i reviewed here. no doubt he will be exploring that. he is also doing 3 sesssions over 24 hours with blah... in manchester from 30 sept to 1 oct - details and book here

cms in oxford are really starting to get some interesting events at the mission education centre - another one is a day enough is enough (pdf), the title inspired by john taylor's book which was as ever ahead of its time.

mike frost is also passing through oxford on october 9 - not organised by cms this time so we can't take credit but i'll be going along. it's part of a tour where he'll also be in london, portsmouth, southampton and bristol (sorry if you are anywhere north of oxford!).

then of course we are back for a new season of grace - our year runs from sept to july with greenbelt in the middle. september is a chance to reflect on and commit together to god and the journey of faith, re-unite around our ethos and celebrate god's presence in the midst of our broken community we love. inspired by 1giantleap with a title lifted from their current dvd it's called wounded in all the right places. come and join us if you are anywhere near by.

subverting empire

good blah... day yesterday with brian walsh and sylvia keesmat on colossians remixed: subverting the empire. i noticed reflections from james and ian...

blah... tour in the summer with brian walsh and sylvia keesmaat

brian walsh and sylvia keesmaat are over in the uk doing some stuff for bristol diocese. we have managed to scoop them up to do three blah... days. i absolutely love their book colossians remixed (i review it here) and have been a fan of brian’s writing over the years. his book transforming vision changed my life! i expect these days to be really good. please spread the word. we are not doing printed publicity – just e-mail, blogs etc. the oxford and manchester days are on colossians remixed and the birmingham day is on romans with some new material. i know already of two other things it clashes with so sorry if that affects you.

people can book online as follows -
Manchester June 5
Birmingham June 17
Oxford June 18

shaping the values of business

upcoming day organised by NET on shaping the values of business on the HMS president again. johnny and mike from groundworks are really good...

A NET event in association with the Blah... network

Mike Morris and Jonny Sertin from Groundworks  facilitate a day on

The Values of Business

Who are you? What are you doing and why?

Saturday 9 February 10:30 - 4:30

A great event wherever you are in your process (an existing business, a startup, or even if you are just thinking about getting started)

The aim of Groundworks is to give a forum to encourage people in their journey, to inspire global collaboration, and connect them with something bigger than the stage that they are currently operating on, and to create space for friendship and mutual learning. This certainly fits with the aims of NET and we are ecxcited to host this day and have them with us.

£15 including lunch

For further info contact Shannon Hopkins or Sam Hardwick

NET is a network of entrepreneurs engaged in social enterprise.  Using business as a platform for change.

NET meetings are now held on the fourth Monday of each month.

Book online here

a space to be honest - blah... oxford

i really enjoyed taking part in blah... oxford last night. the bar in the phoenix cinema was a great space for it. the theme was on emerging church and i was given the task of getting the conversation going which i did by sharing a few stories and reflections. what struck me about the evening is how valuable it is to have spaces to talk where you can be honest and real, ask questions and express fears and so on. i think i take that for granted as i am often in spaces that are like that but it was clearly new for some people there which is great. it was hosted by maybe and home, two emerging church communities in oxford and i hope the conversation continues...

as i was writing this post i remembered ian at maybe saying something about their spirit (what we call our ethos at grace) so i had a read through it and i found it really interesting to read another community's values at their core -

grace | space | wonder | grit | resistance | laughter | presence

blah... lots happening

blah... began as a one off meeting in london a few yars ago to think about faith, mission and culture over a glass of wine after work. it went so well that lots more blahs have happened in london and been spawned in manchester, birmingham, nottingham, sheffield. if you are nearby do join in these...

nov 3 - learning day in london on emerging and fresh expressions of the catholic and/or contemplative traditions

nov 13 - evening in birmingham with ben edson

nov 17 - day in nottingham on new age new mission with steve hollinghurst

blah sheffield have a couple of things lined up but are now using facebook to talk about them so i can't see what they are!

nov 20 - and i'm pleased to be invited to take part in the first blah... evening in oxford being planned by home and maybe

blah... days in london in the autumn

there are two blah... learning days planned in london in the autumn

sept 15 looking at issues around leadership and emerging church with doug gay and maggi dawn should be fab. you can book here. this is part of the blurb

As money for fully paid staff is an increasing luxury, and as the church is seemingly in increasing decline, how can we faithfully re-imagine church leadership and ministry today? And what would an authentic model of leadership look like today in a society where suspicion of hierarchy and of institutions is increasing? What does it mean to be ordained leader and be lay leader? And are these terms even useful today?

and on nov 3 Emerging and Fresh Expressions of the Catholic and/or Contemplative traditions - book here

pilgrimage

not much action on the blah... front in london lately - we'll get our act together again in the autumn but sheffield had a blah on pilgrimage with mark berry and others from telford. a video and notes are on mark's blog

nottingham

this week is hectic to say the least... madly busy spinning various plates. in the midst of it i was pleased i managed to get up for a first visit to blah...nottingham yesterday. they had ray simpson as a guest speaker. he is the guardian of the communtiy of st hilda and st aidan. this is a dispersed celtic community which i find fascinating i must admit and i think some of the new monastic communities have lots to learn from guys like this who are a bit further down the road. they are running a summer school at durham on new monasticism - i'll put more info on here when i find it. tom, the guy who is co-ordinating the blah... there is part of the team at the malt cross, a pub in the city centre which is run by christians. it is a wonderful space - i remember years back when it was run as the potters house. they even have leffe on tap - i am easily pleased i know!

so there's loads of blah happenings...

a few things going on in the next couple of weeks...

this thursday 10 may sees the first evening blah... in london for a while. we've moved venues to the horsebar. come along for a drink and some conversation. ian mobsby will be sharing some nuggets and we are celebrating his book launch. it's free but please book in so we have an idea of numbers. see you there if you are going.

then saturday has a learning day on catholic and contemplative fresh expressions of church. again please book in if you are coming - [update: thius has now been postponed - apparently a number of people wanting to come couldn't make the date so it is being rescheduled for the autumn]

i am heading up to nottingham next week on may 17 to visit blah... there which has just got going. ray simpson is speaking on celtic christianity. he sounds really interesting and is the guardian of the community of st hilda and st aiden. so if you are in that part of the world come along.

blah... birmingham is also planning its first evening for a while on may 23 and have got an amazing evening lined up with aradhna and pall singh. aradhna played at greenbelt the year before last and are incredible. the evening is titled journeys to christ within asian spirituality. if you are anywhere in the midlands get yourself along there.

and also on a blah tip, sheffield have an evening on may 15 on film and the divine

blahs coming up

we have the first evening blah... in london for a while coming up on may 10 with a change of venue - upstairs in the horse pub, waterloo.

ian mobsby will be exploring the significance of emerging & fresh expressions of church from the insights of practitioners. drawing on research findings, ian will explore the trinitarian theology that seems to underpin the projects involved, and explore their dreams & hopes regarding engaging with new/old forms of mysticism of many who are spiritually searching in post industrial western nations.

this is also a book launch/party to celebrate with ian and you can pick up his book at a reduced price. it would be great to have a good crowd.

admission is free. we are no longer providing drinks but there is a bar.

we are changing the way we track bookings so rather than e-mailing to say you are coming please register for the event here. it really helps to have an idea of who is coming.

May 10th | Blah London & Book Launch | From 6.30pm | The Horse Pub, Waterloo

then there is also a blah... learning day on may 12 exploring emerging/fresh expressions of church in the catholic and/or contemplative traditions of the church. here's the blurb:

Over the last year, a number of new and exciting emerging churches or fresh expressions of church drawing on the specifically catholic and/or contemplative traditions have developed and joined other emerging churches coming from or out of a more evangelical perspective. These voices are few - but are nevertheless important voices. This day will then give room to explore how Emerging & Fresh Expressions of Church drawing on the catholic and Contemplative traditions bring particular resources to engage with those who are spiritually searching and what it means to be church.

May 12th 2007 |10-3.30pm | Emerging & Fresh Expressions of the Catholic and/or Contemplative traditions
Venue: Conference Centre, St Matthews Westminster (Home of Moot)
Cost: £8 waged, £6 students and unwaged
Timing: 10am-3.30pm

book/register online here

in some circles there is a criticism or suspicion that fresh expressions of church are just an evangelical thing so it's great this day is happening. don't feel that you have to be catholic/contemplative to attend though. it would be great to network across the traditions.

a few people have been asking me what's happening so now you now. there is also stuff going on elsewhere in the country - check the blah... web pages to see. delighted that nottingham have started a blah... now. their evening with ray simpson on celtic christianity and the move of god today looks really good.

if you are in london tomorrow

don't forget...

the day on the (entrepreneur)ship...

i am really looking forward to the day on the entrepreneur stuff with bill bolton at the end of march. i can't quite believe we managed to get a ship on the thames for the venue - should be fun...

anyway i wanted to give anyone anywhere vaguely near london a BIG REMINDER not to miss out. you can book online here. it helps us if you book in advance so we know numbers for lunch etc. hope to see you then.

bill has written an article on the cms web site where he says

Popular culture in the West is ready for the entrepreneur. Its uncertainty and rapid change is the entrepreneur’s natural habitat.  The greater publicity being given to entrepreneurs shows that society is starting to grasp this new imperative and run with it.

blah sheffield tonight

on my way to sheffield for the first blah... there - contrary to what it says on the web site i am not going dutifully - i am delighted to be invited and looking forward to it! we'll be looking at images and reflecting on the contours of a christian spirituality that connects with everyday life. hopefully very relaxed and conversational. just realised i haven't blogged about this before now - oops. but if it's not too late and you're around come along. sounds like a cool venue as well.