reluctant ramblings

I think my focus for this jaunt has a title. Context.

I think I’ll be looking to put everything in context, to study context, and evaluate against my own context. This should be fun. Of course it now means I have only 4 weeks or so to discover what my own context is.

I’ll start by photographing it and talking to selected co-dwellers of my own context – that’s my approach for the time in the UK too, except that the key conversations are pre-determined.

This could be fun.

Audio-iChatted with Rod this morning.
As always, got my thinking bone prodded.

Mental notes:

• Remember to watch the Kristin Johnstadt DVD – for trouble-shooting intentional communities.
• Look into back-story for formation. All very interesting.
• What was I thinking that got me here?
• What were we each thinking at the beginning of this?
• What got me here?
• Is there a common thread?

I think thats about 10% of the conversation…

I know from talking with others that a common answer to “what got me here” is described as a lasting dissatisfaction with the church, however I think its also safe to say that knowing what we don’t want is not a long term recipe for community health and growth.

All very interesting…

My pre-travel thinking has been dominated with the deep search for a theme. Something to deliberately look for, something to guide the way I look at things, and something to shape the way I photograph things.

I run the risk of over-thinking, I know. But if it all gets turned upside down, then thats good too. I’m really documenting all my assumptions, totally preparing to give them up. I’m asking “what am I expecting to see” as a point of reference.

I may or may not document these assumptions here… we’ll see.