Regular readers will notice I haven't posted that much recently... I guess that's down to 2 things; 1) I have been too caught up in real life... things have been moving rapidly here and changes are afoot (good ones for the community in terms of self-governance etc.) and it has been a very busy time here in Telford and 2) I have had lots to do elsewhere; several speaking engagements, meetings, a booklet of liturgies to put together etc. the next two months promise to be even busier! (to say nothing of the climactic end to the football season! with more to come on Monday!)
Anyway one of the things I've been busy working on is a series of seminars I am leading next week for the Church of Ireland Youth Officers Conference... Five sessions on "Exiles, Exodus and Entrepreneurs"... I don't tend to do full notes, I'm far too undisciplined to stick to them! But I have the main headings and a whole load of quotes as a pdf. feel free to download and digest ;-) I might try to record the sessions (if I can get a mic for my iPod in time) and upload mp3s later.
Technorati Tags: Emerging Church: Mission: Religion: theology
"...(to say nothing of the climactic end to the football season! with more to come on Monday!)"
C'mon, Mark, why did you put this LAST on the list when we all know your priorities:-)
Posted by: mike | 26/05/2007 at 01:33
Yeah... guilty as charged :-D
One team promoted... one to go.... COME ON YOU RAMS!
Posted by: Mark | 26/05/2007 at 08:34
Ok, please will someone tell me WHAT IS IT WITH THE FOOTBALL ? i know i am a girl and all that but i have never understood what it is about football that makes people so fired up. God, yes i can believe.Jesus, yes, but FOOTBALL ? Mark, if you can convert me to football that truly would be a miracle !!!!!!!
Posted by: Sally C | 26/05/2007 at 22:36
At the risk of sounding VERY patroninsing... I suspect it's one of those things which if you don't "get", you never will!
Posted by: Mark | 26/05/2007 at 23:36
You may be right but i am sure part of the problem is that no-one has ever expalined the rules/moves to me and i am sure that watching a game on tv is a poor substitute compared to actually being at a live match, where i suspect you get caught up in the atmosphere, like at a live music gig.
Posted by: Sally C | 27/05/2007 at 17:31
understand the football link, not sure what you are saying with your pdf, far to complicated for me
Posted by: neil warburton | 27/05/2007 at 17:34
Neil, well it is a bit bare, just being the headings and the quotes... not much in the way of explanation. Like I said I hope to record the sessions if I can an make some mp3s
Sally, you may be right... if you have a free Sat. after the summer come to Telford and we'll do our best ;)
Posted by: Mark | 27/05/2007 at 19:21
Thanks Mark, i will take you up on the offer in the autumn when i am well enough.One thing that turns me off football is the completely immoral amounts of money that some footballers are paid compared to the salaries of nurses and firemen and other people whose jobs are so vital and life-saving in comparison.Though some may argue that football makes many people happy..........
I have heard of large Christian prayer meetings and rallys being held in football stadiums. Do you find you can mix football and spirituality ? and do you personally find any spiritual dimension to a live football match ?
Posted by: Sally C | 28/05/2007 at 22:52
At Telford the players are all part-time... but I agree the pay is ridiculous, I blame Jimmy Hill ;-) He campaigned for the abolition of the maximum wage in Football.... about time we had it back! I don't do the whole stadium rally thing, it doesn't say anything about the football club, it's just using a venue and I'm not into BIG gatherings anyway... too much Hype, presentation, expectation etc. not enough relationship, vulnerability, intimacy for me.
The spirituality question is an interesting one... if you mean, the singing etc no, that is just a superficial similarity and I think people read far too much into that kind of thing... if you mean are people expressing a sense of belonging, community and hopes and dreams beyond the everyday etc. I guess so, but that is more than simply being at a game, more about what it feels like to be interconnected with others, share a passion and a dream etc... I suppose it all depends on what you mean by spirituality.
Posted by: Mark | 28/05/2007 at 23:07
football...thats the game with the ball and the players isn;t it?
Posted by: Greg the Explorer | 29/05/2007 at 12:33
So, Mark - when are you planning a trip to Australia - where real football is played and where men are men and sheep are nervous!
Posted by: Greg the Explorer | 29/05/2007 at 12:35