Greenbelt 2011: Dreams of Home

Dreams of Home was the theme of this year's GB and in the tent at night after the long walk to the site when it was pouring down and COLD then I must admit, I dreamed of HOME and a hot shower and a warm bed. But most of the time at Greenbelt I felt I was home.

The painting is the view from the flap of our tent on the final morning as we were ourselves packing up and Homeward Bound. So it captures for me something of the 2 homes. The temporary tented home that GB manages to create each year at Cheltenham Race Course and the anticipation of my own home, my place of being as part of family which maybe (hopefully) reflects a dream of a more eternal home...

DREAMS OF HOME

Greenbelt represent a space which generates freedom to explore faith and belief, in the context of music, Art, creativity, Justice, variety, spontaneity, humour, food and drink, challenge, concern, It attracts all ages, all types, children, youth, families, elderly, monks and punks, laity and clergy, speakers and listeners, promoters and punters.

The CMS presence was much smaller than the usual CMS marquee , reflecting hard times. But we were there in G-Source and we had some great conversations with GB punters. We were featuring the Pioneer training, but we were able to also talk to lots of CMS members and supporters as well as ex-Misson personnel. Chuli Scarf, ex CMS Area Coordinator was there to lead Salsa dancing. She is off soon with CMS-Asia to teach cricket to girls in Nepal.

I also spent some time on the Musalaha stall. GB is currently focused on the Wall dividing Israelis and Palestinians and Musalaha represents a small action - taking people of conflicting backgrounds into the desert on camels to leave their baggage behind and to encounter each other. They have been a CMS partner for a number of years.

There are lots of other groups in G-Source: YWAM, Tearfund, Medair, Applecart's 12 Baskets, Mildmay; Retreat Centre, and lots more ....

For me the highlights this year included good wholesome food Nuts (with especially good deals for crew) Mushroom, Dhal, Veggie Berger, Falafel which could be consumed whilst listening to live music in the Performance Cafe; Foreign Slippers, the Ronaldos (a skittle Band) singing Ghost Riders in the Sky ; folk singing from Peter and the Wulf (Pete Ward was the ABC's youth Advisor and used to be a CMS Trustee). Their music 'Foolish Folk' is available for download from bandcamp

Soul space is a GB tradition for quiet creative meditation. There is lots more on offer Taize singalong in the Big Top: Ian Adams was doing a meditation/reading on his book Cave Refectory Road in Abide, next to a Christian Meditation Yurt 'Breathing Space'. And then there is the Worship Cooperative - I dropped in on an excellent session on Curating Worship but I unfortunately missed Pal Singh's Sanctuary (Asian Worship) although I did encounter his Sitar player tuning up on the stairs.

The GB communion is the only event that everyone is more or less expected to attend - vast crowd packed in front of the Main Stage. The collection at the communion service always goes to support Trust Greenbelt. For me there is no doubt that eating and drinking together as an act of worship does create a sense of community, a feeling of home coming.

I didn't get to any main talks this year. I just heard snippets of Rob Bell telling a story about a Jawbone of an Ass on MainStage and Paula Gooder wondering 'Do Angels have wings?' in Jerusalem. Talking of Angels, there was a big push this year for more supporters - Greenbelt Angels account for 15% of Greenbelts income. Do think about becoming an angel....

ART FOR ALL

The Methodist Art Collection was stunning. it was my Greenbelt 11 high: 'Jesus in the Everyday'. Each year there is an art stream 'Art for All' and I have increasingly found a home there - which has maybe helped to ignite an inner passion for drawing/painting. They had 6 areas to visit with a free poster at the end (they ran out of posters but I did it anyway) Angels of the North; a Huge steel and enamel Bowl by Mel Howse (Christian Aid Cathedral Exhibition); an participative 'where the wild things are' mask making which caught people's imagination; a light show Lumina Domestica by Willie Williams; and the Scriptorium , where individuals hand scribed Matthew's Gospel from The Message, as well as the Bible Society's People's Bible project.

IN THE ARMS OF JESUS

a pint of 'Jonah (and the Ale)' in the Jesus Arms, catching up with people I know well, Peter and Grace, Nigel, Katie, Colin - various friends. They used to serve Deliverance, Redemption and the best name in my opinion 'Absolution' There were lots of other ideas for names: He-brews. Ale-Mary, Holy GrAle. Ale-luyah. Unfortunately I missed Beer and Hymns.

I downloaded the #GB11 APP before Greenbelt, but it still didn't get me to things on time. There is far too much to do and to see. Everyone's Greenbelt is different, but then again everyone's home is different, reflecting something of who they are. Greenbelt gives you the space to be yourself .... safe in the 'Arms of Jesus'

Greenbelt: 'spirituality on the edge'

we just had a great mini Greenbelt in Woking as part of our monthly Sat night 'sacred:space', proving that you can take a festival back to church with you.

PROGRAMME

1 Performance Cafe (30) introduction to Greenbelt – The Kitchen - Open Mike. live performance - songs, stories, poems, couch-thoughts, anything goes!

2 Greenbelt punting (30) wander around the venue - Overflow 'G:source' - Prayer:space, Tent Talk, Stalls; Art Gallery; plus Mainstage - Music videos.

3 Community Hymns (30) 'Beer and Hymns' in the 'Jesus Arms' -community singing & Blessing

‘THE KITCHEN’

Food and Drink : Cheese and Wine : Beer and Nibbles

‘PERFORMANCE CAFÉ’

Sam Watts - songs & Reflections

Mike Cope - Reflection and Song

Nigel Griffiths (aka Bruce Cockburn)

MAINSTAGE: LINEUP (big Screen music videos)

Kitaro (Heaven and Earth), Hayley Westenra (Amazing Grace/ Benedictus) / Boccelli (‘Canto Della Terra’), One Giant Leap (unity/ faith); Sinead O’Connor (intro to theology/ Jeremiah/ Isaiah); Sigur Ros (glosoli, hoppipollia); Jeff Buckley (Hallelujah/Grace); Melissa Etheridge (Kingdom of Heaven) Ukulele Orchestra of GB (The Good the Bad and the Ugly); Dayvan Music Video + Foy Vance: (Gabriel and the Vagabond)

We didn't even get a chance to play them all only those in Italics

GALLERY

The Art of He Qi – from Nanjing - 3 paintings

PRAYER::SPACE

East and West video + Aradhna music

Sanctuary: PraiseRepentAskYield

PRAISE a moment to focus on (& hold) the Cross and give thanks using the Prayer cards

REPENT take a stone representing a burden and pause for thought before letting it go in the water.

ASK - light a candle of prayer for someone you are concerned about

YIELD make a personal act of commitment & seal it with a sweet

‘G:SOURCE’

‘Standing in the Long Now’ browse newspapers and programmes - Quotes, Poems, Books

Stalls: CMS (Phil) - Christian Aid (Bob) - Love Russia (Caroline) - A Rocha - Re:roote (Jo)

SEMINAR TENT

Listen to a talk in the Tent (Andy) whilst modelling clay : Mike Yaconelli - Rob Bell - Brian McLaren

BEER & HYMNS:

Community singing lead by Father Ian from All Saints Woodham. Brilliant.

And then finish with a communal blessing to finish a great evening:

PRAYER::BLESSING

John O'Donohue

"It is a very cool thing, a blessing. It has a democracy and equality in it, a sense of intention and well-wishing that is concerned more with the destiny of someone rather than their destination."

A blessing from Juli Allen written at Greenbelt 2008 during the Proost Lounge session.

blessings on you who have entered this space-
who have travelled far and near to be in this space. 
let your soul sigh in this space. 
let yourself be undone in this space.
 let yourself feel the love that surrounds, and permeates, and brings this space together.
 breathe it in and let it wash over you. 
for some, this marks the beginning. 
the beginning of a new year,
 a new song, 
a new season.
 for others it is a close, an end, a period at the end of a chapter.
 hopes have been sparked here.
 dreams have begun here. 
revolutions and relationships have arisen here. 
and as a phoenix, we will descend in all the glorious shades of red, and orange, and yellow. 
this time together...
this space together...
this experience together...
we will take deep, deep down into our bellies 
where a fire will burn that will take us through the next year. 
until we meet again we will carry within us memories that will never leave us.
 embrace what is left in this space,
 and in this time soak up all that you can,
 and be sent out knowing that you are loved and you are blessed.

trax 16 from greenbelt

trax16 podcast 01 September at 16:53 Report

the final trax16 podcast is from greenbelt festival, 2009. join mike, dave and anita as they look back over the life of trax16, remembering some unforgettable moments on the podcast, alongside hearing from some of the top people appearing at greenbelt this year.

gene robinson, the first openly gay bishop of new hampshire, usa gives us a lot to think over and talks about his early youth worker days. we also catch up with rob bell – pastor of mars hill church in grand rapids, michigan usa – and the man behind the nooma dvds.

thank you for your support over the last 3½ years. if you want to download any old podcasts, go to www.trax16.com. thanks for listening!

Worth Listening to for a more youthful perspective on Greenbelt

GREENBELT 3 The Long Worship

Greenbelt is primarily a music and arts with a strong concern for social justice So it has its music and talks, art and literature, film and comedy, youth and children, but there is also a worship and spirituality track.

I started Monday morning in the CMS tent with Sanctuary, part East+West trust from Birmingham. Run by Pall Singh. Sitar playing, simple acts lighting candles, dropping stones / burdens into water, bread and wine. Indian sweet representing goodness. Prayer of St Francis. It was beautifully and meaningfully put together.

Later in the day after putting down all the tents and packing camp for the long jorney home, I was able to visit The Long Worship 'a space to reflect on how God fits into your story and how you fit into God’s story'

A spiraling labyrinth in the centre of the room. Images – an old man shovelling snow in a monastry – ambient mucis in background. Kids playing lego and colouring celtic saints. A wall of words for meaning making. Hanging fabrics, floor cushions. People sitting, kneeling, lying down, stretching, reading, writing, relaxing, meditating, thinking, reflecting. Shoes off for this is holy ground.

Thoughts are not imposed but are free to wander, and fix themselves momentarily on an idea, a connection, a point of contact with the Divine. Moments of Spirit of God

I was grateful for Mark Berry of safespace for putting it together (along I am sure with many friends) a great way of finishing Greenbelt 09

Afterwards I picked up a number of postcards advertising other alt.worship events

ReSource creating church in the emerging culture

Grace big complex worship café afterwards 2^nd Sat 8pm and gracelet small quiet service New Inn afterwards 4^th Sunday 8pm in St Mary’s Church Ealing

Reviv’in seeking God in the Grove – both a journey and an opportunity to meet with God (in Temple Bar, Birmingham) 2^nd Friday of month 9pm til late

sanctum (re;connect) and sanctum (:lite) in Horsham

op/en no bag for the journey in London

critical.mass building and celebrating - responding deeply to a desire to make connections in St Stephen’s Bristol

Transcrndence An ancient Future Mass - a multimedia Eucharist with ambient music, chant, movement and symbol run by York Minster and Vision

Dream Re-imagining Church a creative and open community for people exploring a spiritualit centred on Jesus - dream

And lots of 'inspiring resources that fuel faith' 11 books + 22 albums + 44 videos plus new content for £60pa see proost.co.uk