My reflections on Bristol Blah

It seems some time ago already that Blah came to Bristol but the thought provoking stuff is still rumbling around...
the topic that is still going round in my head is that of "flat leadership"
this came up as a question at the end of the sessions, about whether this can really be achieved.
When thinking about Foundation - I think we need to be honest about the leadership structure we have at the moment. My personal reflection is that, even if our aim is to have a 'flat leadership', currently we don't, I personally don't feel we have flat or representative leadership and that rather than pretend we do, we need to be open about who is leading/steering the group.

My next question is whether there is such a thing as flat leadership? In all the alt worship groups and emerging church groups it seems there is always a figure-head, someone who represents the group (ie at the Blah: Karen Ward for COTA, Ben Edson for Sanctus1, Paul Roberts for Foundation) rather than fighting this maybe we should be thinking about how that person(s) can reflect the nature of the group instead of a personal opinion?

Maybe the conversations should be more about how and by whom the decisions are made that this 'figure-head' will represent, rather than how we are achieving what might never be achievable?
Are the people who are steering the group representative of the wider group i.e. men/women, married/single, gay/straight, with children/without children, professionals/non-professionals, employed/unemployed, evangelicals/liberals, intellectuals/real-world doers. Where are the decisions made - in what context? Is everyone who wants a say getting a say? and what is the process by deciding the view we are going with - those who talk the loudest and the most?
And where does God fit into all this?

Foundation go to the beach

These are up a bit late but here are some pics of Foundations' trip to the Gower mid July.


















click on flickr or the picture to see more

The Beat goes on ...

after going to Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh last year, we felt it was only right we supported the local action to remind Mr Blair of what still needs to be achieved! it was a bit of a reunion of those who went last year from Cotham, with the sad exception of Kathy Allen.

speeding fowl

seen on a recent walk

Irish Embassy

Yesterday, as the chair of Bristol Playbus, I was asked to go to the Irish Embassy in London to pick up a cheque for the work Playbus does with Irish travellers in Bristol. I met with the Irish Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the Irish Ambassador. It was a good day out with Guinness flowing freely from about 11am and very little sandwiches to soak it up with! All in all the guests had a very merry day!