Early registration for Soularize ends tomorrow. This is going to be a hoot but I dont think I can make it this year, even though I have a lot of friends who will be there.
I am also bummed that I cant make it to TOMFEST which starts today I think. Actually, they changed the name to Portico.
Tim is leading the DJ night and he asks for prayer:
Tim and Xeia say:
"Really we are simply a group of freaks who have found a niche this year :) we would appreciate prayer!
please pray about the festival, it IS a Christian-run fest, most of the bands are followers of the Way, but there are humans there, and where they go, sin follows.. please pray for the impact that these bands can make, that they would be bold with His name not only on stage, but in how they walk and talk and set an example to the thousands of kids there.
please pray that this year wuld be a year of artistic discovery and worshipful release of gifts and talents.. that our humble efforts (simply a group of artist types somewhat organized intoo an installation/worship expression/interactive opportunity) would bear fruit greater than we could ever expect.. (thru Him alone..)
also, we would appreciate specific prayer for saturday night, every year at this festival they have a token 'dj' night, incorporating some aspects of dj and rave culture into the flow and stream of subculture already evident (punk, goth, hiphop, avant..everything loud and colourful).. this year we seem to have been given this task .. we hope to lift up His name, to show how not only are many lovers of Jesus in this culture, but that God inhabits the praises of His people within it's expression.
we hope to run from a contemplative possibly liturgical ambient-media environment to a loud, Jesus -celebrating expression of rhythm, colour, light, sound, texture, harmony..
in His sweet Name and arms..
tim and xea westcott"

Greenbelt Festivals - The Fishtank

Greenbelt Webcam will keep you connected to the Greenbelt Festival this weekend.

Top Ten Signs Your Group is Getting TOO Small.

10. You can follow up on all group members without leaving your house.
9. Your daughter sets out her dolls, so there is only one empty chair.
8. During Prayer time you find yourself quoting Matthew 18:20 "Where two or three are gathered..."
7. Every Chair is the empty chair.
6. Your usual waitress at the restaurant where your weekly men's small group meets asks, "Will anyone be joining you this week?"
5. You over hear your son explain to a friend, "Naw, she doesn't always talk to herself. Just during small group discussions."
4. You say, "Tonight we're going to pray for the empty room." instead of the empty chair.
3. When you join in prayer and you have to hold your own hand.
2. You decide to grow the group by encouraging schizophrenia.
1. Worship involves: You, a guitar, and 5 cardboard cutouts.

-from Volume 1, Issue 14 of Small Group Dynamics-Byte Size, a free twice a month email from The Small Group Network @ .

A journey to Quebec (Canada) and New Hamshire to discover, and bless emerging networks of simple churches....

Link for a skateboarding outreach that is growing out of the life of our network.... Go Elizabeth!

Czech flood relief. Here is a list of organizations that will accept your donations on the Prague Post Online. I am in Prague right now and I have updates on my blog at Tallskinnykiwi.

Next week, 23-26 August, EPL will gather 55 young prayer leaders from 14 European nations in Herrnhut, Germany for a time of prophetic prayer and fellowship. We believe it's a 'kairos' time to see the birth of youth prayer movements all over Europe. Please stand with us in prayer: that the Lord will accomplish all that is on His agenda and that the Holy Spirit will move mightily. At the moment Saxony is suffering severe floodings and the centre of Dresden (that most of the participants have to cross) is under the water. So we could also use some extra prayer for travel mercies. More information on the event: http://www.joelnews.nl/connecteurope.htm.

This week in Joel News the first contribution on postmodern expressions of Church. Two more contributions will follow. Also interesting: Operation World for youth.

SLOT Festival is on today in Poland. Pray for fine weather and no flooding. I am back in Prague, Czech Republic where there is the highest flood waters for 130 years. Some of the city is underwater. During a prayer walk around the city of Prague 6 weeks ago, one of the Czech girls saw the waters rise into a flood. Now it has happened. What do the prophets say?

Help get the word out. Rudy Carrasco of Urban Onramps and Harabee Christian Family Center is partnering with other to put on the first Young Latino Leader Summitt. It is being held September 3-7, 2002 at the Anaheim Marriot Hotel in Anaheim, California. As the website asks, "Who will Step up and Lead the Latino church of the future? Who will plant innovative churches to reach the 2nd and 3rd generation Latino?" Join over 3,000 pastors and leaders from all over the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and Northern Mexico for this historic gathering. TOGETHER we will launch a movement among "nuestra gente," lead a national dialogue, and create relevant models of evangelism for engaging our changing culture

This came to me from Spencer Burke at TheOOZE.

SOULARIZE: A LEARNING PARTY OCT. 15 - 18, 2002 MINNEAPOLIS, MN

EXPLORE the mystery, adventure, and community of ministry in our emerging culture. Join other artists, musicians, storytellers, church leaders, church planters, theologians, and community advocates. Over the past four years at Soularize, people have found refreshing and challenging ways to connect with other church leaders who are wrestling with ministry in the 21st century (whether you call it postmodernism, emerging generations, or the next church). Soularize 2002 will expose you to the latest trends, tools, authors and speakers and have the surprise moments that have made Soularize a unique and inspiring conference.

AUGUST 31ST IS THE END OF EARLY REGISTRATION for Soularize 2002 at $199 per person ($125 spouses). If you've been thinking about going, you might as well save some bucks and sign up now! (There are special discounts for multiple team member registration too.) After August 31, the cost is $249. http://www.TheOoze.com/Soularize

We know we?re reaching leaders in the emerging culture that are bi-vocational-if not multi-vocational-so scholarships are available based on need.

Soularize's unique edge is our speakers and experiences. For example:

THE REVEREND BERNICE KING, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is one of our featured keynote speakers.

THE DAMAH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TOUR--three days after the 2002 winners are announced, we will host the first stop on the 2002 Tour of this festival of spiritual experiences in film. http://www.damah.com/films.html

SOULARIZE WORKSHOPS come from our community, so it's virtually all the authors, speakers and friends that you've come to recognize, and a chance to meet in person many of those names or aliases you've run into on the phone or online. Brian McLaren, Liquid thinking, Rudy Carrasco, Tom & Christine Sine, Dan Kimball, Denise VanEck, Chris Seay, Karen Ward, Tony Jones, Holly Rankin, Mark Oestreicher, Heather Kirk-Davioff, Jordon Cooper, Joel Vestal, Andy Harrington, John Franke, Doug Pagitt

LARGE SCALE PUBLIC ART--Tour guides/docents will help us explore the emotional, aesthetic and spiritual impact of art in the largest urban sculpture garden in the U.S. and how the church might contribute to the arts.

INTERACTIVE LABS including video editing, digital photography, art expression, cyber café, theology pub, song-writing studio, experiential worship installations and screening room (bring your own videos). If you are a musician, you might want to consider joining our house band "The Dirty Worship Band" led by Tim Taber formally of The Prayer Chain.

15 MINUTES OF FAME - many conferences have representatives from companies come and tell you what you need, trying to sell you their wares. At Soularize we reverse the roles. Publishers, record companies, stock art buyers, etc. come to discover the new resources of the emerging culture. Bring your CD-Rom, your manuscript, your demo tape, or instrument and you'll have a chance to meet and talk with people that you'd have a difficult time meeting outside of the Soularize context.

If you love to learn in a hands-on relational way, and like the idea of a schedule with longer lunches and open evenings for discussion with fellow travelers, I hope that you'll check out the website and that we'll see you in Minneapolis in October. http://www.TheOoze.com/Soularize

Freakstock (01.-04.08.02) It has been a great festival again. Around 5000 people have been there. Every day GoD encouraged me and gave me a hopeful heart... It was good to be with many of my friends again, to be with my family (jesusfreaks.com). (Read also Andrews weblog.) Great to see for me was that there are similar groups in Chile (Christock) or Norway (SubChurch, dpFestival). SubChurch in Oslo and JesusFreaks Germany have the same roots: Martin Dreyer and his wife (JF) and also Morten Holmquist (SC) have been on this houseboat from YWAM in Amsterdam (maybe in 1990?), where they hung around with David Pierce and his band No Longer Music. After coming home Martin started the JesusFreaks and Morten the SubChurch - without knowing of each other! But GoD made his thing: The groups are very similar to each other, also in Chile. Good to see that we are not alone on this planet, with this idea in our heart which GoD gave us.

Greetings of peace to those in the Way all around the world. I am posting today to ask for your prayers for some of least of these among our brothers and sisters.

I attended a Christian boarding school in Pakistan growing up. Some of the best days of my life were lived in this crazy place called Murree (named after Mary the mother of Jesus--tradition says that she traveled there with Thomas and other pilgrims after the death of her other son James in 62--there is a tomb for her in Murree). Murree Christian School was attacked by terrorists Monday. Many people were killed.

• Please pray for the families of those killed. These deaths impact the families in many ways. The families are already a persecuted minority being poor Christians in Pakistan. With the passing of their father or older brother in this incident many have now lost their primary source of income.



• Please pray for the continued safety of the students and staff at MCS.



• Please pray for the families that are giving their lives and children for the message of peace in Pakistan.



• Pray for the attackers in this incident and for fortitude for those in the Way in this situation that they would find a way to love their enemies and in so doing enact the divine in their midst.

I'll be updating my blog with links to the story as they come available--theyblinked.blogspot.com.

Peace to you my friends,

Dan

a couple of great sites

sorry - i seem to be hogging the space. i'm away on holiday tomorrow for two weeks though so that will give you a break! anyway two great sites to check out that i have put pieces about on my blog. they are clubbers temple and flicker.

london get together tonight

tonight in london there is a get together of alternative worship groups round the capital. it seems there are at least ten that we know of - amazing! i guess we're kind of spoiled. i should have put this on the blog a while back but forgot... oops! but anyway here's the info

Good biology says "Cooperation increases survival chances". So Vaux and Grace and Epicentre are inviting anyone interested in mutated church to join them in a transgenic experiment upstairs at Horse (not with a Horse). Intended as an informal opportunity to talk-shop, exchange ideas and develop relationships. We want London Zoo to be a place where the M25 alt worship scene can come together in a relaxed context. To encourage, cross-fertilize, sharpen and envision.

Upstairs at Horse: 124 Westminster Bridge Road, SE1
Transport: Lambeth North (30 secs) Waterloo (5 mins)
Time: 1/8/02 8pm

probably worth mentioning too that there is also a get together for anyone involved or interested in alternative worship on the monday night at greenbelt 8pm in seminar tent 2.