Rob and Maz are doing well and having some great encounters including a cyclist who led them across Derby and the owner of the B and B they stayed in donating £5 to FYT. They are about 60 miles into the trip where the picture was taken and heading to Walsall today.
It is not too late for you to support this event check this link to see a crazy way to get involved
The FYT Virtual Cycle ride has started and Rob and Maz have made it from Macclesfield to Waterhouse and are travelling down the Derby side of Birmingham as of last night they had about 110 miles to go.
It is not too late for you to support this event check this link to see a crazy way to get involved
Just a note to say I have added the Taking Youth Work Seriously The Descent video in the South West website which contains more up to date info The Occasion event in October.
Just to say I have had for two days Pips Big book of blobs (thanks to Martin from Youthwork) and have already found loads to use and been through several with the kids. Blob choir worked really well with question “How do you feel when your singing in church?”Missing in America movie full
I guess the feeling that theological reflection has the ability to change what was an outwardly negative event to a positive inner event is that as we bring God into the situation we can start a redemptive process. One example could be the writings of Rita Nakashima Brock in Journeys by Heart – A Christology of Erotic power where some of the oppression suffered by women that stems from a male patriarchal view of the trinity is examined and challenged. She goes onto use feminist theology to “liberate” Christ from “the unholy trinity” calling for the heart of Christianity to be reinterpreted in non oppressive ways. Taking Jesus as the model of self giving, obedience, love and liberation, she describes two parts to the questions that this raises as we encounter situations. (I would call these theological reflection questions) Firstly there is the question what would Jesus do or have me do in this situation and secondly How do I and others feel right now – What can I do to lessen the suffering? The first is an external question and the second is a question of the heart that moves us towards self possession, a greater connection and an inner redemptive process.
Whilst Brock is addressing some pretty deep theological issues the identification of the two focuses of the questions demonstrates what can happen when we risk entering into theological reflection about any issue (positive or negative) and move beyond the questions of what could I have done differently to the internal questions that challenge our christlikeness and responsibilities for inner growth and change.
Make any sense Ben and Phil?
Been doing some writing today thinking about Theological Reflection and my focus was drawn to how much we can let exterior events affect us negatively but by bringing God into the equation and reflecting on the events in a more disciplined way we can begin a redemptive process and enhance the inner life.Star Trek III: The Search for Spock psp
I was watching the Transformed programme last night. The programme wasn’t all that great but I tend to watch a lot of reality TV when teenagers are in it. SURPRISE NEWS was that a key resource they used to get the young people to talk about their feelings was The Blob Tree, that Pip Wilson devised and was published in Off the the Beaten Track. The blobs are a great resource and so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I have also found out Pip has just produced a new blob resource. 
John has a couple new Brian Bunny up. Check them out here
I came across a good discussion on mission and church and Steve put my thinking on mission infront of church very well in the comments.
misisology is the lense through which ecclesiology dhould be formed not the other way round.
Check out the full discussion here
Getting back in the swing of work except the problems with email when you are away, over 200 to sift through on Monday! Sorting Greenbelt stuff is my main task. Bob and Annette Holman are leading the first Frontier Lecture at Greenbelt this year and will be speaking in The Club Venue at 1pm. NOT TO MISSED part of what they will do will be comparing successful community based mission with the new Green paper (not rizla) Title is Towards a new frontier: Issues that don’t promote shalom. Come along and say hi if you are around.