GREENBELT

Greenbelt Festival. Wish I had a caravan as cool as this one- but we have some cool tents instead. We are setting up our tent village at Greenbelt in anticipation of a BILLION people camping in our tents and hanging out. Some of the team are setting it up today and will work for a few days here to pay for their tickets.

Looking for me at Greenbelt??????
Look for the mini-Peach- a tall peach colored tent with kids everywhere. Or better yet, look for a tall flag with the name “Obed” on it. Obed was the son of Boaz and Ruth, and our big flag that once said “Opel” (as in Opel cars from Germany) has been deconstructed and adjusted. The flag should be supported by our big white van which will have a tent awning attached to it.
Or just listen for the noise of children and go there – you will find me in a corner with my hands over my ears, rocking gently in a fetal position and mumbling to myself, “I cant take any more noise”.

WALES. I will be the Kiwi who went up a hill and came down a mountain. I am taking the family to Wales (right next door) for 2 days, starting today.
Wales – the land of sheep, green grass, Tom Jones, and lots of other Joneses like us. With any luck, I will find some long lost relatives on my father’side. All I have to do is ask, “Does anyone remember my great great grandfather who worked in the mines last century? His name was JOHN JONES.
I am sure there will be some who have heard of him.
I hope to meet up with Chris Jones of International Teams, who leads the European team from his base in Wales. Everybody in Wales is called Jones. The 17 people in Wales who are not called Jones are the Evans family and their relatives who did not marry Joneses.

When we get back on Thursday, we get to stay at a Bed and Breakfast. Rob and Lily Lewin have given us a gift of one night at a B&B in Cheltenham so Debbie and I can sneak off for a long hot bath, some clean sheets and ONE NAUGHTY NIGHT!

At Greenbelt, I don’t expect any WI-Fi or internet access, so I should fill you in now on what will happen.

Friday at 8pm, our team is leading an alt. Worship experience at the New Worship Venue (I think it is called that). We will be using the journey that our kids created, based on their pilgrimage, and adding video and sound to it. We may set up a DIY VJ station. Travis Read of Highway Video will be there to help us out.

I have to teach on a panel regarding the future of the church – which will be fun- but I can’t tell you where it will be or what day.

COOL EXPERIENCES AWAITING ME AT GREENBELT:
Hearing the Archbishop teach.
Throwing water balloons at the Archibishop at the “I hate Church” seminar.
Homer Simson communion with the Archibishop. (Serious)
Hanging out with the Archbishop.
Sneaking around tents at 3am, pulling out their tent pegs and removing their support ropes, with the Archibishop.

PEOPLE I HAVE NOT YET MET BUT WILL DO SO AT GREENBELT:
Rowen Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury), Mike Riddell, (Kiwi who I should have met by now), Peter Ward and George Cray – teachers.

FRIENDS I WILL SEE AGAIN AT GREENBELT:
Brian MacLaren will be there and we hope to hook up.
Tom Sine is also teaching – be good to see him again.
Dr Elaine, who I met in Budapest. She rocks.
Dave Andrews from Australia – I had dinner with him and his wife 10 years ago in Brisbane, Australia, where they have a community of over 30 houses, all transforming the city in different ways. That was before he published “Christianarchy” and stirred things up so much.
Jonny Baker, of course.
John Smith, also from Australia, is a real character. I saw him last in Tennessee, about 5 years ago. My RV was parked outside his apartment.

Speaking of motor homes, and to honor those of you who are still reading this blog, we have decided to give away our Winnebago to a ministry that could use it. It is currently in Southern California. It has a new motor that cost a fortune, but it needs some work on the carb and a few small things. If you or someone you know needs it AND PREFERABLY HAVE ALREADY BEEN PRAYING FOR IT, please email me with a request and reason why your ministry would like it. We will decide on who gets it by September 7th (my birthday).