steve

Roadmaker

Somebody had a picture in their mind about me - a Roadmaker on knees building cobbled pathways.

Somebody that didn't actually know me very well. My role to make roads for folks to adventure on - I like that metaphor a lot.

theroadmaker.com - how about that!

Going to bath

Off to Bath, a wonderful city ! Speaking on mission in a postmodern context - got time on train to prepare and pray. Toby's birthday so want to get back for that too.
I'm so convinced that for public speaking etc.. preparation of spirit or in the Spirit is so much more important than prep. of mind. Hope now to do both - also meeting a good friend Alexander Campbell of Simplechurch.co.uk fame, great guy, great city. Whatever you are doing this weekend. God bless you and yours. Steve

Gandhi - him speaking in1931

Gandhi was such a believer - listen to him expound his faith in a personal and loving God. You'll need to have downloadedthe BBC media player

Waiting for nightchurch

Sitting outside the cathedral in a street café waiting for the first nightchurch gathering to start.
Got most of practical stuff sorted, I really want to focus now as Archbishop Rowan says "finding out what God is doing and joining in".
Had a good week eventually - my toe bone was mangled, broke, infected (something like that) so a bit uncomfortable but getting better.
I actually right now feel the prayers of lots of my friends as the coffee slips down. Thanks to all who are praying for nightchurch - it feels like it's saying something unique, something that needs to be said.
Got a good weekend ahead with the kids too

called a liberal and a fundamentalist within one hour

Yes I have been labeled a theological fundamentalist ( extreme, narrow minded, religious right, etc.. ) and then within the hour by another group of people a liberal ( extreme, broad-minded, religious left ) - how fascinating is that! I can take that as a good sign - Jesus too was accused of opposing extremes - or I'm not communicating clearly enough - but it is becoming the air we breathe.

Nobody hits this paradoxical ground better than Brian McLaren "Generous Orthodoxy"

A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, ... Emergent, Unfinished Christian (Emergent YS)

as you can see from his crazy title ... so rather than expound this paradox myself - just buy the book.

But in some ways I do want to be a liberal - concerned for the poor, full of compassion, acceptance and concern towards others and also I do want to be more conservative - a belief in the basics of the Christian message and good news - "God loves and made us, We've screwed up a bit or a lot, Christ can put it all back together and bring healing and reconciliation. "

So that liberal/conservative paradox is here to stay - apologies to those I have confused.. Labeling is dead dangerous, we do "best of my label" against "worst of your label".

new nightchurch publicity - what do you think?

Child Protection Downloads

These are some downloads for the students from Friday's session on Child Protection  - in pdf or powerpoint .

Also the Health and Safety Document on 5 steps to Risk Assessment and a also blank proforma to use in MSWord or pdf

Also some Do's and don'ts

Bargain !!

Happy Reading.. questions contact me

Download child_protection_swym_2007.pdf

Download child_protection_training_swym_2007.ppt

Download 5_steps_to_risk_assessment.pdf

Download risk_assessment_sheet.doc

Download risk_assessment_sheet.pdf 

Download dos_and_donts_regarding_child_protection.doc

Download referrals_brainstorm.doc

some of our holiday vids - a bit naff but lots of fun

another image testing flickr posting

image_00022, originally uploaded by stvjones1.

up the hill again

image_00015

image_00015, originally uploaded by stvjones1.

this is some of the jonestribe on top of a rather large TOR in Dartmoor at 8am in the morning - having camped in the middle of nowhere - a great morning.

big summer

I just realised I haven't blogged for a while and it's been an amazing tine since I last posted. Had a great time a Greenbelt with loads of friends new and old to meet - I do love that festival .

Had some news that has kinda changed nearly everything - both me and Exeter Network Church have decided that my role with them wasn't working so I'm finishing next week - wow !! I was really trying to be super-man and initiating so many new things - nightchurch , ENC and my businessgenerous - which basically still wants to change the world.

So I'm free now to pursue this passion of a movement of businesses/entrepreneurs committed to the exponential distribution of ecoproducts and services with a whole load of personal / leadership and business development resources thrown in !! I'm really excited by the whole thing and am looking for partners etc... contact me if you fancy a new challenge and share this passion.

I am sad that me and ENC didn't work and hope to remain part of ENC for the near future as we see what NIGHTCHURCH will evolve into.. I love the guys and gals at ENC .

Had a great summer hols with kids and it's been packed with stuff ..

• 2 weeks on beach in cornwall
• camping under stars on dartmoor
• trout fishing - Natty caught 4 , rest of us zero
• dartmouth regatta and red arrows
• some real memories for the kids
• greenbelt and wedding in manchester of my cousin