Fresh Expressions Explored

I'm here at a net cafe in Oxford on a steamy hot afternoon, which is brilliant!! We have visietd Telford and 'Safespace' with Mark Berry and the wonderful community there as we invaded their Thursday night 'community night' including a meal and a simple liturgy which would have included a lot more in depth conversation amongst themselves in our absence!! Enjoyed great conversation about all things Telford, Safespace and life in general!!

We've had today to explore Oxford and I have visited the 'Eagle & Child' pub, a haunt of JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis plus walked through Christ Church Cathederal which was used in some of the Harry Potter fun and whose 'Great Hall' inspired the same in Hogwarts!!

Have learnt stuff about:
Mission shaped church
So called 'pioneer ministry'
Ideas about money
The gift to the UCA that will be 'Youth Workers' with contextual skills
The need to train people for leadership in the 'mission shaped church' differently
i.e. faster, more praxis, a cooperative venture between lay and ordained trainers currently engaged
Pastor could be a great gift to us in the long run to free up people
Presbytery space, permission, resourcing and funding will be key to the future

Visiting 'Safespace' reminded my of my old 'cell group' at home in Newcastle and the ups and downs of our time as group... which I needed to leave when my relationship with Jane broke down [and still miss to this day] as an appropriate and valued faith space!!

There are yet plenty of places to see and groups to experience and then to compare to the US as well.

OK, running out of net time but I do have a daily journal and some videos and pics that will be added here later!!

Onwards to Reading, London and New York before getting home on the 9th September!!