Greenbelt
My 5th Greenbelt this year (2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010). First two were definitely 'talk greenbelts', third was 'worship greenbelt', fourth 'people greenbelt'. This one was a mix of all these elements.
Got going slightly later than intended, but made it to Grangetown station in time to catch the 0945 from Central. Going to Grangetown might have been a mistake -- hoicking the bike up a flight of steps with no runner wasn't fun. Slight routefinding error when I got to Cheltenham, because I came out of the other side of the station than google envisaged but I worked out the problem and retraced my steps. Hit heavy traffic when I turned into Swindon lane, but the advantage of a bike is you can sail past it,* this carried on at the racecourse. Walked across the site and headed up to where the Franciscans have been for the last couple of years and found them (slightly further on due to the general spot not being camped on this year). Asked someone whether space on the far edge of block was free and was told to go ahead. He later came over to offer to help with the poles which was handy. This turned out to be Paul Overend, former Chaplain of Cardiff University and unofficial priest at St Teilo's. Joined the Franciscans for Eucharist at 1230 followed by lunch. My friend Rachel was officially camping with them and so it was good to catch up with her.
Before long, Rachel and I headed off to put signs to the Franciscans up around the site. As we crossed the racecourse to go to Centre course we bumped into Emma Antoine Flood and had a quick chat with her; she's had an interesting few years to say the least. Put up the final sign which involved through the ball of string over a branch which I achieved on the second attempt. I think we then did EP with the Franciscans before I headed down to here the first of Richard Rohr's talk 'the art of looking sideways at the Bible'. As ever this was one of several things I could have done at this point. Key point probably the fact that in a dualist model things don't fit -- 'God, Love, Suffering, Death and any idea of Infinity/Eternity'.
Then I grabbed something to eat, having wandered round the food places between the grandstand and mainstage I decided on beanburger from the first one I'd really looked at. Just as I sat down at a picnic table and started to eat it started to mizzle. Was begining to get grumpy when I looked over my shoulder and saw the most amazing rainbow. Full arch. Various people tried to get photos of it.
Then I head to 'Abide' a new venue for worship with a eco-theme. This was for Earth Abbey's meditation on the Parable of the Soils. This was very productive for me and will actually get a full post to the Vocations filter soon. But the quick version was that we had intro about why the 'soils' not the 'sower' then a quick talk on the importance of good soil for growing. Then a reading of the first part of the parable and time to meditate. I didn't get further than thinking about paths. Then the second part (the explanation) and more silence this time with a chance to call out what we thought were causes of the poor soils in our communities. I remember contributing busyness and something else.
Then a gentle wander back to the Franciscans for compline and then to the YMCA 24 hour cafe for Applecart doing 'In which the crowd gather doesn't give a fig for authority'. miriammoules had arrived by this point (after assorted travel doom) and had settled in the cafe rather than getting lost trying to find the Franciscans in the dark. We contemplated nChant night prayer but decided bed was the order of the day.
Saturday started bright and early with breakfast followed by MP at 8am (arriving slightly late as I hadn't noticed time passing until we heard singing from the Franciscan chapel). I headed down towards the grandstand with the vague aim of going to a Quaker meeting for worship but could't work out the best way in Workshop 2 and then it got to 9:15 so I just headed up to Soul Space and took the opportunity (when I found some paper)** to begin to write up the Soils meditation and where it had taken me. Then the Franciscans were involved in a discussion of 'Pathways for the Spiritual Life' which was interesting, though I was slightly disappointed that the Tertiary who spoke didn't mention the Local Groups when talking about being a Tertiary focussing purely on the rule of life and I was just working myself up to saying something when the session ended.
I didn't rush off to hear the second of Richard Rohr's talks but rather waiting to go and hear Mark Yaconelli in Jerusalem. He was slightly disappointing -- I think because I'm not coming from the sub-culture he is being liberated from. I left a bit early to get back to the Franciscans for the Eucharist being celebrated by +Michael Gloucestr (who as well as being the bishop in whose see Greenbelt occurs is also Bishop Protector of SSF). Got there a bit late in the end after having a random conversation in Welsh with someone who spotted the Gorlan t-shirt I was wearing.
Food happened and then Rachel and I wandered down to centre course and did enamelling in infinite crafts where I made a rather nice keyring cross. Then Rachel had to go back up to man the camp and I headed off to hear talk about liturgy, forgetting that she'd blogged that it was cancelled as it turned out I got distracted by the ship meet at the Tiny Tea Tent though in the end I spent more time speaking to Dot Pipet who appeared (having, as it turned out, trying to hear Maggi Dawn) than to shippies, though Yangzte did come over to chat. Then I followed Miffy off to meet fellow Tertiaries and I was amused to answer 'how long have you been professed?' with 'minus two months'. Actually it was minus 6 weeks at that point. A pint of Confession seemed appropriate.
Then it was back to the first order for EP (with another random conversation (this time in English) which started with food and ended up with me explaining Welsh Nationalism) and then I wandered back down to centre course with Rachel for another session in Abide this time for someone from Centre for Action and Contemplation UK using poetry as a way into meditation. Particularly with the first poem he spoke so much about it that at times it wasn't sure what were his words and what were the poet's. Then Franciscan Compline and then Applecart mark II (In which there was hocus pocus and mumbo-jumbo). Then sleeeeep.
On Sunday morning the Franciscans were leading MP in Soul Space so after breakfast (mmm fried haluomi) I headed down to Soul Space. We then hung around there until heading over to Main Stage for Communion where we found Miriam by use of mobile telephonic devices and a flying fish. Not sure what to make of the Communion (as usual). Some bits where good (film mirrors, joining service sheets to see God, paper fountains during 'Thine be the Glory') but as has been the case in 3 of the previous Greenbelts my anglo-catholic side wasn't sure about the validity. This was probably the worst with no Eucharist prayer per only the singing of Behold the Lamb (The Communion Hymn) by Stuart Townend et al which as Rowan Williams said when we ran into her afterwards had no epiclesis nor (as I said) full words of insitution. She did point out 'Transcedence's Ancient-Future Mass in Centaur*** that evening (at which she was deaconing and preaching). I then mooched in G-Space for a bit before heading over to the Big Top to hear Richard Rohr again. However, the mooching was a mistake. The queue was quite long when I joined it and I didn't get in, so I popped over to Galilee to hear the end of Peter Selby's talk on 'A church of passion and justice'. The thing that stuck with me from this was his comment that had the present regime been in power in the UK when his parents were refugees they probably would have died.
I then wandered into Christian Aid's tax maze and decided to be naughty and avoid the tax, said something to the person behind me,i n a talking to random strangers at Greenbelt sort of way, only to find it wasn't a random stranger but a friend from Aberystwyth. Having completed the maze (which wasn't in fact a maze!) we went back to G source before I headed back to Jersualem for Richard Rohr's fourth talk -- 'looking sideways at Chris' as it was advertised in one place. He started by pointing out that Christ isn't Jesus' surname but a title and using Duns Scotus drew a distinction between the eternal Christ and the Man Jesus. Dot observed to me at one point (after we'd moved out of the rain) 'isn't that rather dualist' and I have to admit I thought it did down play the incarnation somewhat.
By this time Miriam had returned from her swimming with some food and cash which didn't cost and so I bought lunch and then we heading to Choral Evensong in Workshops 2. This was led by Accord an a capella group which as well as traditional choral music (Byrd Mag and Nunc) also did settings of Matt Redman (When the Music Fades) and Graham Kendrick. Then I went to hear Maggi Dawn talking about her new book (Writing on the Wall) about the Bible and culture which partly comes out of conversations with English Lit students at her college who do not have the background in the Bible to get a lot of the allusions of literature.
I then stuck my head into the Wild Goose tent, but didn't stay long as I saw how long the queue for Rev in the Big Top was 45 mins before it was due to start so I went and joined it and sat and knitted! Eventually we got in and after a montage of clips which unfortunately didn't include my favourite line. Then a conversation between an interviewer and Tom Hollander (who plays Adam Smallbone) and James Wood (the writer). One of the questions was about their own faith and the effect of Rev on it. Tom Hollander answered reasonably easily and said that he's beginning to get there. James Wood tried to avoid the question but when pressed said that he'd now identify as a Christian though his level of doubt hasn't changed much.
Then it was over the Centaur for Transcedence which was wonderful -- bells and smells at Greenbelt! A good use of modern technology and ancient liturgy. Pity there wasn't more space for the prayer stations, though getting moving quickly meant lots of incense on the map! (hand washing facility would have been good) and I just made it to the bowls of water, but more time would have been nice. From there it was on to Soul Space for nChant which as ever was wonderful. I had a crepe on my way back to the tent, when I heard a teenage girl saying 'it's actually freezing'. My instinctive response to this is 'Are they exaggerating or can I see my breath?' and it was the latter on this occasion. People later said that they'd seen ice when going to the loo at 3am!
Monday started in Soul Space again with the Franciscans and then I went and listened to Giles Fraser in Hebron on 'The English Civil War**** and the Future of the Church of England'. His basic thesis was that what the English learnt from the Civil War was not to discuss dogma/doctrine but to focus on Ccommon Prayer and live and let live. This is why the Church of England is a big tent. He later contrasted this with the American experience of Civil War which he characterised as being about being right and winning and how these different attitudes affected the two churches in the current discussions. While admitting that ++Rowan isn't English, his approach is influenced by the 'English' experience and thus he is seeking consensus whereas the Americans can't understand why he doesn't go for the justice issue and take a stand on this issue.
Then it was back to the Crafts tent to do some glass painting and indeed wood painting. Then it was a Franciscan Eucharist again and a gentle afternoon before going to Galilee for 'Congregation Monasticism' which was certainly interesting. After EP with the Franciscans, Moose, Rachel and I had a mooch around the site and I bought the nChant book and meditation CD (unfortunately the actually nChant CD had sold out). Rachel and I then headed back up for a final compline and then down for the last Applecart. This was new content and in places didn't quite hang together.
Tuesday, I joined the Franciscans for breakfast and washing up (with two moslings and Rachel singing appropriate words to London's burning) then attempted to gather the signs back up on my bike, but Paul had got two when he went for the van and the others had vanished (though I did reclaim the string from one tree). Then it was time to strike camp. Having sorted out my own stuff I helped the Mooses strike their camp as Mrs Moose had food poisoning. Then off on my bike to catch a train. I had three mins to decide if it was better to go via Parkway or wait 20 mins for the slow train. I went for the former which was a mistake as the London train was delayed due to an obstruction on the line. Otherwise there would have been little in it.
Rachel and I had time for a quick drink in the Tiny Tea Tent before heading back up for
*FCOV sail seeing as it was slightly uphill and I was heavily laden
**I'm sure in previous years paper has been readily available in Soul Space
***Nearly wrote Centuar there -- that's nearly the other Rowan Williams!
****Which did remind me of my Aber Scholarship essay about why 'English Civil War' is inaccurate'
Got going slightly later than intended, but made it to Grangetown station in time to catch the 0945 from Central. Going to Grangetown might have been a mistake -- hoicking the bike up a flight of steps with no runner wasn't fun. Slight routefinding error when I got to Cheltenham, because I came out of the other side of the station than google envisaged but I worked out the problem and retraced my steps. Hit heavy traffic when I turned into Swindon lane, but the advantage of a bike is you can sail past it,* this carried on at the racecourse. Walked across the site and headed up to where the Franciscans have been for the last couple of years and found them (slightly further on due to the general spot not being camped on this year). Asked someone whether space on the far edge of block was free and was told to go ahead. He later came over to offer to help with the poles which was handy. This turned out to be Paul Overend, former Chaplain of Cardiff University and unofficial priest at St Teilo's. Joined the Franciscans for Eucharist at 1230 followed by lunch. My friend Rachel was officially camping with them and so it was good to catch up with her.
Before long, Rachel and I headed off to put signs to the Franciscans up around the site. As we crossed the racecourse to go to Centre course we bumped into Emma Antoine Flood and had a quick chat with her; she's had an interesting few years to say the least. Put up the final sign which involved through the ball of string over a branch which I achieved on the second attempt. I think we then did EP with the Franciscans before I headed down to here the first of Richard Rohr's talk 'the art of looking sideways at the Bible'. As ever this was one of several things I could have done at this point. Key point probably the fact that in a dualist model things don't fit -- 'God, Love, Suffering, Death and any idea of Infinity/Eternity'.
Then I grabbed something to eat, having wandered round the food places between the grandstand and mainstage I decided on beanburger from the first one I'd really looked at. Just as I sat down at a picnic table and started to eat it started to mizzle. Was begining to get grumpy when I looked over my shoulder and saw the most amazing rainbow. Full arch. Various people tried to get photos of it.
Then I head to 'Abide' a new venue for worship with a eco-theme. This was for Earth Abbey's meditation on the Parable of the Soils. This was very productive for me and will actually get a full post to the Vocations filter soon. But the quick version was that we had intro about why the 'soils' not the 'sower' then a quick talk on the importance of good soil for growing. Then a reading of the first part of the parable and time to meditate. I didn't get further than thinking about paths. Then the second part (the explanation) and more silence this time with a chance to call out what we thought were causes of the poor soils in our communities. I remember contributing busyness and something else.
Then a gentle wander back to the Franciscans for compline and then to the YMCA 24 hour cafe for Applecart doing 'In which the crowd gather doesn't give a fig for authority'. miriammoules had arrived by this point (after assorted travel doom) and had settled in the cafe rather than getting lost trying to find the Franciscans in the dark. We contemplated nChant night prayer but decided bed was the order of the day.
Saturday started bright and early with breakfast followed by MP at 8am (arriving slightly late as I hadn't noticed time passing until we heard singing from the Franciscan chapel). I headed down towards the grandstand with the vague aim of going to a Quaker meeting for worship but could't work out the best way in Workshop 2 and then it got to 9:15 so I just headed up to Soul Space and took the opportunity (when I found some paper)** to begin to write up the Soils meditation and where it had taken me. Then the Franciscans were involved in a discussion of 'Pathways for the Spiritual Life' which was interesting, though I was slightly disappointed that the Tertiary who spoke didn't mention the Local Groups when talking about being a Tertiary focussing purely on the rule of life and I was just working myself up to saying something when the session ended.
I didn't rush off to hear the second of Richard Rohr's talks but rather waiting to go and hear Mark Yaconelli in Jerusalem. He was slightly disappointing -- I think because I'm not coming from the sub-culture he is being liberated from. I left a bit early to get back to the Franciscans for the Eucharist being celebrated by +Michael Gloucestr (who as well as being the bishop in whose see Greenbelt occurs is also Bishop Protector of SSF). Got there a bit late in the end after having a random conversation in Welsh with someone who spotted the Gorlan t-shirt I was wearing.
Food happened and then Rachel and I wandered down to centre course and did enamelling in infinite crafts where I made a rather nice keyring cross. Then Rachel had to go back up to man the camp and I headed off to hear talk about liturgy, forgetting that she'd blogged that it was cancelled as it turned out I got distracted by the ship meet at the Tiny Tea Tent though in the end I spent more time speaking to Dot Pipet who appeared (having, as it turned out, trying to hear Maggi Dawn) than to shippies, though Yangzte did come over to chat. Then I followed Miffy off to meet fellow Tertiaries and I was amused to answer 'how long have you been professed?' with 'minus two months'. Actually it was minus 6 weeks at that point. A pint of Confession seemed appropriate.
Then it was back to the first order for EP (with another random conversation (this time in English) which started with food and ended up with me explaining Welsh Nationalism) and then I wandered back down to centre course with Rachel for another session in Abide this time for someone from Centre for Action and Contemplation UK using poetry as a way into meditation. Particularly with the first poem he spoke so much about it that at times it wasn't sure what were his words and what were the poet's. Then Franciscan Compline and then Applecart mark II (In which there was hocus pocus and mumbo-jumbo). Then sleeeeep.
On Sunday morning the Franciscans were leading MP in Soul Space so after breakfast (mmm fried haluomi) I headed down to Soul Space. We then hung around there until heading over to Main Stage for Communion where we found Miriam by use of mobile telephonic devices and a flying fish. Not sure what to make of the Communion (as usual). Some bits where good (film mirrors, joining service sheets to see God, paper fountains during 'Thine be the Glory') but as has been the case in 3 of the previous Greenbelts my anglo-catholic side wasn't sure about the validity. This was probably the worst with no Eucharist prayer per only the singing of Behold the Lamb (The Communion Hymn) by Stuart Townend et al which as Rowan Williams said when we ran into her afterwards had no epiclesis nor (as I said) full words of insitution. She did point out 'Transcedence's Ancient-Future Mass in Centaur*** that evening (at which she was deaconing and preaching). I then mooched in G-Space for a bit before heading over to the Big Top to hear Richard Rohr again. However, the mooching was a mistake. The queue was quite long when I joined it and I didn't get in, so I popped over to Galilee to hear the end of Peter Selby's talk on 'A church of passion and justice'. The thing that stuck with me from this was his comment that had the present regime been in power in the UK when his parents were refugees they probably would have died.
I then wandered into Christian Aid's tax maze and decided to be naughty and avoid the tax, said something to the person behind me,i n a talking to random strangers at Greenbelt sort of way, only to find it wasn't a random stranger but a friend from Aberystwyth. Having completed the maze (which wasn't in fact a maze!) we went back to G source before I headed back to Jersualem for Richard Rohr's fourth talk -- 'looking sideways at Chris' as it was advertised in one place. He started by pointing out that Christ isn't Jesus' surname but a title and using Duns Scotus drew a distinction between the eternal Christ and the Man Jesus. Dot observed to me at one point (after we'd moved out of the rain) 'isn't that rather dualist' and I have to admit I thought it did down play the incarnation somewhat.
By this time Miriam had returned from her swimming with some food and cash which didn't cost and so I bought lunch and then we heading to Choral Evensong in Workshops 2. This was led by Accord an a capella group which as well as traditional choral music (Byrd Mag and Nunc) also did settings of Matt Redman (When the Music Fades) and Graham Kendrick. Then I went to hear Maggi Dawn talking about her new book (Writing on the Wall) about the Bible and culture which partly comes out of conversations with English Lit students at her college who do not have the background in the Bible to get a lot of the allusions of literature.
I then stuck my head into the Wild Goose tent, but didn't stay long as I saw how long the queue for Rev in the Big Top was 45 mins before it was due to start so I went and joined it and sat and knitted! Eventually we got in and after a montage of clips which unfortunately didn't include my favourite line. Then a conversation between an interviewer and Tom Hollander (who plays Adam Smallbone) and James Wood (the writer). One of the questions was about their own faith and the effect of Rev on it. Tom Hollander answered reasonably easily and said that he's beginning to get there. James Wood tried to avoid the question but when pressed said that he'd now identify as a Christian though his level of doubt hasn't changed much.
Then it was over the Centaur for Transcedence which was wonderful -- bells and smells at Greenbelt! A good use of modern technology and ancient liturgy. Pity there wasn't more space for the prayer stations, though getting moving quickly meant lots of incense on the map! (hand washing facility would have been good) and I just made it to the bowls of water, but more time would have been nice. From there it was on to Soul Space for nChant which as ever was wonderful. I had a crepe on my way back to the tent, when I heard a teenage girl saying 'it's actually freezing'. My instinctive response to this is 'Are they exaggerating or can I see my breath?' and it was the latter on this occasion. People later said that they'd seen ice when going to the loo at 3am!
Monday started in Soul Space again with the Franciscans and then I went and listened to Giles Fraser in Hebron on 'The English Civil War**** and the Future of the Church of England'. His basic thesis was that what the English learnt from the Civil War was not to discuss dogma/doctrine but to focus on Ccommon Prayer and live and let live. This is why the Church of England is a big tent. He later contrasted this with the American experience of Civil War which he characterised as being about being right and winning and how these different attitudes affected the two churches in the current discussions. While admitting that ++Rowan isn't English, his approach is influenced by the 'English' experience and thus he is seeking consensus whereas the Americans can't understand why he doesn't go for the justice issue and take a stand on this issue.
Then it was back to the Crafts tent to do some glass painting and indeed wood painting. Then it was a Franciscan Eucharist again and a gentle afternoon before going to Galilee for 'Congregation Monasticism' which was certainly interesting. After EP with the Franciscans, Moose, Rachel and I had a mooch around the site and I bought the nChant book and meditation CD (unfortunately the actually nChant CD had sold out). Rachel and I then headed back up for a final compline and then down for the last Applecart. This was new content and in places didn't quite hang together.
Tuesday, I joined the Franciscans for breakfast and washing up (with two moslings and Rachel singing appropriate words to London's burning) then attempted to gather the signs back up on my bike, but Paul had got two when he went for the van and the others had vanished (though I did reclaim the string from one tree). Then it was time to strike camp. Having sorted out my own stuff I helped the Mooses strike their camp as Mrs Moose had food poisoning. Then off on my bike to catch a train. I had three mins to decide if it was better to go via Parkway or wait 20 mins for the slow train. I went for the former which was a mistake as the London train was delayed due to an obstruction on the line. Otherwise there would have been little in it.
Rachel and I had time for a quick drink in the Tiny Tea Tent before heading back up for
*FCOV sail seeing as it was slightly uphill and I was heavily laden
**I'm sure in previous years paper has been readily available in Soul Space
***Nearly wrote Centuar there -- that's nearly the other Rowan Williams!
****Which did remind me of my Aber Scholarship essay about why 'English Civil War' is inaccurate'