jonnybaker

review of jvt quotes in ecclesial futures

thanks steve taylor for a review of jvt quotes (click where it says pdf) - the fact anyone thought to review such a thing is saying something! sadly the cards are sold out. it was a very limited run for a lockdown project. but i did put the images with quotes in a photo album here if you are interested. you are welcome to use them. he picks up on the gendered language - i was in two minds about that but chose to stick with john taylor's quotations rather than change them - he was writing in the 1960s.

ecclesial futures is now online and available free which is great to see

new pioneer hub in birmingham

i am really delighted we (cms) have a new pioneer hub in birmingham - the newbigin pioneering hub that will be starting the cms certificate in mission this september. it will be hosted by ash and anj barker and is a partnership with the united reformed church, cms and seedbeds. there is a taster day this saturday (short notice) do have a look at the prospectusget in touch if you are interested and do pass on to anyone in the area who may be interested. it's open to anyone to join.

who do you think you are?

it was so wonderful last week to get to spend a few days in scotland with pioneer practice tour packing in 5 gigs in 4 days along with gav mart. we were hosted by steve aisthorpe who had helped pull together the itinerary. he even had a van so it was like a proper tour bus :)

each location was different but my biggest takeaway really was that in each location the start point seemed to be us being told that there's not really a lot of pioneer practice going on, but by the end of the session when we had invited stories to be shared it was clear that all sorts of things are happening and bubbling up around the edges. it feels a good time (at least from the outside) in that networks are forming, there is a pioneer scotland facebook group, and so many good people involved across the board in encouraging, networking, training across denominations and streams. and crucially imaginative practice. scotland you have enough in your hand.

we bumped in to various scottish phrases along the way - it reminded me of kate fox's watching the english book where she explores phrases to get at englishness. i wish i'd written them all down. but one that stayed with me was 'who do you think you are?' - which was some peoples way of saying it is a hard culture to stick your head above the parapet. and yet when we did a poll on pioneer practice the top answer in every location was it's about seeing and imagining. so those gathered really seemed to embody something different, or at least their answer to that question was 'a possibility people' (for those old enough to remember that is a nod to a late late service rant which of course was a scottish liturgy).

thank you for having us! this is a rare moment when we had a minute to catch our breath on montrose beach - thanks to gav for the pic

no gigs this week, but back into the fray the week after with newcastle and bristol - yes i know not exactly good planning on my part! 

love it when a plan comes together - gather angelsey june 2-5

gather wilderness on anglesey is from june 2-5. i was in cumbria last week and a couple of people there who know anglesey for holidays said this gathering is cheaper than you could find anything to just stay on angelsey on that peak weekend. i must admit i can't wait. it's a gorgeous location, beaches nearby, a light programme with plenty of space to collide with others and hang out. this latest flyer has a bit more info on it. there are around 100 coming so far which will be perfect but there's plenty of room for some more. it's the double bank holiday weekend. it's open to anyone - i say that because someone i spoke to assumed you need to be in a cms network - not so. if you want to hang out and be with creative pioneering types come along. all we need now is the sun to shine!

this year's conversations day - a new sort of hybrid

every year at cms we host a conversations day. we pick a theme relevant to pioneering mission and practice and invite a bundle of contributors to explore it through workshops, talks, conversation and art. the very first one was on the pioneer gift out of which we published the book of the same name and every year since we have either published a book or edition of anvil. last year's was the wonderful and crazy gather online festival in which we explored pioneer practice.  it's been a great space for colliding with other pioneers or those interested in pioneering and having a chance to reflect together and dig deep into something.

this year has escalated into being hosted simultaneously in penrith and in oxford on tuesday april 5 so you can attend either one in person. the places are inevitably a bit more limited than previous years due to social distancing requirements in venues so book early if you are craving that on site experience. but there is also an online option and in that you will be able to choose any of the sessions from either the north or south versions! so it's new kind of hybrid which should be fun. and for those of you in more remote locations it makes it accessible.

the theme is exploring issues related to flourishing in pioneering mission and sustainability. see the link below where that is expanded on and there is a list of contributors.

register for oxford, penrith or online here

for those of you in the cms pioneer starfish network (i.e. you have done some training with us in oxford or in a hub) make sure you select the reduced starfish ticket. and if you are a current student select the free online ticket option.

london pioneer gathering march 3

there is a london pioneer gathering on march 3. i am loving getting out and about a bit now and reconnecting with people so looking forward to it. it's also a chance to hear tina hodgett reflect on the pioneer spectrum which she is one of the creators of. she will be in conversation with ric thorpe and i am assuming there will be some reflection on how planting and pioneering fit into the wider ecosystem. you do not have to be anglican or in london diocese to come by the way! hope to see you there if you are in or around london. it's free - please register so we know how many to expect

the go to guy...

i was delighted to hear harvey kwiyani sharing his story on the comb bbc world service podcast and being described as 

the go to guy for african church leaders looking to reach out to communities around them

i have been friends with harvey for several years now and learned loads from him. it's a delight to have him leading the african diaspora route through the ma at cms. we are half way through the first year and it couldn't have gone better really. one of the issues he discusses is that in terms of revitalising the church in post christian britain, africans bring a wonderful gift of faith. but the challenge is that very often the churches they grow replicate the culture of the leaders so become largely nigerian or ghanaian say. it is then harder for others to join and feel at home and can be hard to engage well in the community. there is such a great connection with pioneer training because pioneers are asking a similar question. they are on their own adventure of the imagination to see how faith can connect with all sorts of people and communities where they are without those people having to cross the threshold of church which can seem very strange or foreign. 

the pioneer training at cms is wonderful and we are so privileged to get such creative people who join us. if you are interested in the diaspora ma or the pioneer training we do we have an open day coming up on february 28 - actually that's a misnomer it is an hour and a half online! love to see you there.

 

change - last in the pioneer practice webinar series this thursday

on thursday it is the final in my pioneer practice webinar series. i remember last year the series i did took over my january and this year's been no different but it's been fun and so many people have turned out! i have three guests - ed walker, betsy blatchley and tina hodgett. we'll be exploring change both in terms of how you create change in the world but also how you navigate systems or the powers that be which seem resistant to change. i'll be interviewing the guests and doing some exercises - one of the exercises will be trickster's wheel of ruses that i have created for a photo group i'm in but it's so good i want to try it out on the guests! 

it's not too late to register and if you do you'll get sent links to the first three webinars to watch. hope to see you there. 

i apologise that i have not managed to get my act together for any other blog entries since starting the webinars but i'll get back on it including an exciting announcement.

build - webinar 3 this thursday

this thursday is the third in the webinar series on pioneer practice. the answer above is from a survey i did asking what tools help you in pioneering. build is this week's theme. i have three guests - one to talk about building a congregation, one a social enterpise based out of a church and one a business for good. they are idina dunmore, meg fry and steve baker. do join - you can register here. i keep getting asked if people can see previous weeks - the answer is yes you will get sent links to those if you are registered.

see - week 2 of pioneer practice this thurs evening

thank you so much everyone who came along to last week's webinar and especially the guests. the chat was buzzing! in the poll of which of 5 things best described those present in relation to pioneering the top answer was 'seeing and imagining new possibilities'. so i am delighted to say that 'see' is the theme of week two where we will be exploring how you see possibilities, come up with ideas and use imagination. i have four guests this week related to three projects. susannah baker and khadeja, sue steer, and anna hembury. come and hear their inspiring stories of practice. i am looking forward to it.

if you missed week 1 you are still really welcome. register here and you will be sent the webinar info the day before. and you will get sent a link to week 1 so you can catch up should you wish to though no pressure to do so. hope to see you there. the series is a partnership between church mission society and heartedge.

be you - pioneer practice webinar week 1 this thursday

i am really looking forward to the pioneer practice webinar series. week 1 is exploring the idea of be you (and as it's the first an intro to pioneering and how you might get started). i have three guests joining me. it will be informal, chat show style. it's free to join - register here and if you do register you'll get links to any weeks you miss. 

the series will follow the four themes i explore in the book pioneer practice - be you, see, build, change. it's a partnership between cms and heartedge.

towards a pioneering diocese

in pioneer practice one of the themes i explore is change. for those who see new possibilities and make new paths to make what they see happen (i call them pioneers) they almost invariably find themselves navigating change in a wider system or organisation. this is as true of pioneers in the church as it is elsewhere. in research i did with pioneers which is in the book the top answer given as to what is most likely to derail pioneering was the powers that be. and yet in my experience very little training is given on systems and culture change and how to navigate those powers. we do some in leadership at cms but i think we could do more. there is actually quite a bit written in this area around organisations which are somewhat different and there are definitely insights to be gleaned though not everything translates - this piece in anvil is excellent by way of example. i have been reading quite a lot in this area recently as it seems to me that not just pioneers but a lot of leadership now at least in the church space requires this ability to navigate change, adaptability, resourcefulness, flexibility, imagination, awareness of systems and culture change and so on. and yet leaders are largely trained to lead worship, teach, do pastoral care and so forth. 

all that is to say i was delighted to read a blog post by tina hodgett on enabling culture change in a diocese in the church of england towards a pioneering culture. her blog has a series of 16 suggestions and the gold is further developed in the attached paper which you can download at the bottom of the article. whether dioceses have the appetite for this i am less sure but i hope some might! anyway it's definitely worth a read and trying to provoke a conversation about if you are involved in a diocese. tina worked in diocesan structures in bath and wells diocese so it comes from her own experience and learned wisdom.

the pioneer journey - graduation 2021

huge congratulations to cms pioneers who graduated yesterday. it was wonderful to be able to celebrate with a mix of on site and online (the new hybrid normal). two also became lay pioneers in the church of england admitted by bishop guli of chelmsford. every year since we started graduations we have given students a tile made by artist iain cotton. there are now eight iterations of it which is fun - it has a life as a project that continues... the tiles always mark a pioneer journey on a landscape - making a way where there is no way. this year's has a boat crossing a sea and the jounrey is graced with a touch of gold. iain has done such a great job with these and this year's is just beautiful. if you want one come and study a course with us at cms pioneer mission leadership training!!!

gather wilderness june 2-5

after last years gather event online we have decided to gather in person this year making the most of the double bank holiday first weekend in june courtesy of the queen. it's in a beautiful location and that time of year the weather should be great for camping and hanging out. we have worked out we can make it work for about £100 a head which we hope is doable. it's family friendly too.

more details and book here

we have an amazing site organised on anglesey in wales, with breath-taking views and sunsets, where we will gather around conversation, fireside inspirational talks and family activities. it's a chance to recharge, reconnect, be inspired. it's an opportunity for bringing conversations together around pioneering activities, enterprise and community building. it is a space that you can connect with others - friends old and new.

 

as well as the hanging out we'll have a few speakers, hosted conversations, a dj, acoustic musicians, a small local bar, foraging activities, local beach walks and activities for young people.

 

i cannot wait! hope you can make it 

 

we will also be hosting conversations days again this year both in the north and south of england in april with an online option to boot so this is not replacing those in case you were wondering. more info on that in the new year.

 

webinar series is back in january - pioneer practice

last january i ran a series of four webinars just imagine exploring creativity and imagination which was a lot of fun. i am pleased to say i am hosting another series this january on pioneer practice. it's a partnership with heartedge and the guests and conversations will explore the themes of pioneer practice and the areas heartedge focus on. register here (it's free). the dates are

• 13 January: Be You
• 20 January: See
• 27 January: Build
• 3 February: Change

here's the blurb...

As a pioneer, you see something — a possibility, an idea, a way that things could be better or new of different. Then you make something happen out of what you see.

This webinar series explores over four weeks how pioneering happens in practice. Its focus is how things happen on the ground. Each week Jonny will have two or three guests and get into the gritty day to day of how they pioneer. It’s ideal for you if you have started something or if you have an inkling or an idea you want to explore and get started. It would also be really useful to attend with a couple of others who you might pioneer something with. If you are a church leader it would be great for you too and do think of people in your church who might have the pioneer gift, whether they know it or not, and encourage them to come along.

That idea might be starting a new Congregation — the Church of England, for example, is encouraging every parish to pioneer one. It might also be an idea related to Compassion in your community. It might be related to Comerce as a way of making good in the world through enterprise. Or it might be related to Culture. These are the four Cs of the HeartEdge network.

recordings will be made available for those signed up to the series so if you can't make a session you can catch up. hope to see you there!

register here

the gift of african diaspora churches - new edition of anvil

the latest edition of anvil journal is online and free as ever. i read the articles over the weekend. it's powerful and inspiring exploring the contribution of african diaspora churches to mission in britain. find some time, grab a coffee and have a read. it is edited by harvey kwiyani and colin smith and i was delighted to see contributions from a current and former student too! 

harvey leads the new route through our ma which is now up and running with 10 students signed up. they study three modules related african christianity, theology, mission and three related to pioneer mission. it's fully online so you can study it now from anywhere in the world.

turning a dream into reality

fresh expressions have revamped their web site. as part of that i contributed an article turning a dream into reality. drawing on pioneer practice i offer some very simple steps for how to see a possibility for a fresh expression and give that idea legs. if you are unfamiliar with the term fresh expression it is a new form of church formed primarily for people who don't go to church hopefully done in a way they can feel at home in. 

getting out and about - pioneers in penrith and london

i loved getting out and about a bit in the last couple of weeks. it was brilliant to be on the first weekend of the second round of the cms certificta in pioneer mission with the northern mission centre. and it was wonderful to join the graduation of the london pioneer school. there are a few photos and short blog about it on the cms pioneer blog here

a landscape full of both promise and potential danger

john and olive drane have written a review of pioneer practice that is published in cms' newspaper the call. it is been added here on the pioneer blog - stories that will stir your soul. thank you to them for such a positive review - they have been encouraging about it from day one. here's how they describe it

There is an abundance of advice on practical issues for would-be pioneers, along with an honesty and realism that reflects the difficulties as well as the joys of working with God in spaces where no church has ever gone before. 

"get yourself a copy!" is their advice which i obviously agree with :) if you do want to it is available from getsidetracked.co

 

a beautiful carpet of inspiration for us to walk on...

thanks to gill poole for the enthusiastic review of imagining mission. if you want to know what the book is about she goes through chapter by chapter for an in depth review. gill describes it as a beautiful carpet of inspiration to walk on... that has wonderful perspectives that invite us into a conversation...

if you have not looked at the book i am really proud of it - don't be put off by the obscurity of john taylor - you don't have to know about him or think it's historical. it's a book written for this moment riffing on his creative writing and ideas.