Charles Lee Double Whammy

I’ve been meaning to give my friend Charles Lee – the brains behind the Ideation and the Idea Camp - a little shout out here for some time now, so knowing he’s the latest featured guest on the wonderful Something Beautiful podcast gives me a reason to do this. It’s bound to be worth a listen.

Charles has also given a really interesting assessment of his recent speaking gig at a Salvation Army’s Boot Camp for Youth Leaders on this recent blog post.

I was stoked with this particular observation:

In addition, it was encouraging to see a diverse movement of people working together to do good in the world. By far, it was one of the most culturally diverse gatherings I had ever been to. Loved it!

...Something Beautiful...

HT to Charles for the image

Sensational Salvationist Soul

Massive...massive...MASSIVE thanks to Eric Himes, who posted this incredible vid featuring Swedish Salvationist Samuel Ljungblahd, on the WARdrobe Facebook Group*.

(*Adding Salvo gear such as tunics, epaulettes, crests, shields, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets and hats to supplement your daily wardrobe)

Samuel’s dueting with Gospel legend, Kirk Franklin..or rather with one of Kirk’s singers Nikki Ross, and they just hit it completely out of the park! Awesome R&B tinged gospel.

Delighted, too, to see that Samuel gave the “Salvation Army salute” at the end of his amazing performance: a finger pointed heavenwards to indicate that what he did in performance...was actually an act of Worship to his God.

I was just noodling around in the FB group because I love the imaginative and creative way some folks are mashing up The Salvation Army uniform these days, recalling those early, rootsy days in our movement’s history when the uniform was perhaps an outward sign of the renegade, and less of the bowing to convention or internal culture, so Samuel rocking an old style “stand up” Salvation Army tunic with blue jeans got a mention.

Discovering Samuel Ljungblahd was an immense bonus.

Sartorially, the whole WARdrobe thing reminds me a little of Bill Booth Revial Machine in the 70s.

If you are a Salvationist, you might want to check the group out. I hope it makes you smile.

If you’re not a Sally – just enjoy Samuel’s Sensational Salvationist Soul

You Have To Check It Out!

8BIT

I’m just taking a few moments to give a quick shout out to the guys at new Church hotspot and community at 8BIT.

Here’s what they say:

“The 8BIT Network’s Mission is to resource the Church with timely, relevant, practical, and exceptionally valuable content.”

ChurchCrunch – currently their flagship blog- is a place I’ve been checking out under the radar for a little while, and I like what I see, so I’m excited about this initiative.

One of 8BIT’s head honchos, John Lee Saddington, who blogs at Human3rror, already has a raft of cool looking stuff out there in the cloud, so I’d say we’re going to see some really useful, clean and aesthetically pleasing stuff coming from them.

Sounds good to me…ones to watch!

Hook yourself up with 8BIT via Twitter

HT to 8BIT for the image

New tools & woodshedding

Having alluded to my plans to initiate

“some kind of increased & enhanced online activity”

in this earlier post about my life in 2010, I thought I’d sneak out a little about where I am with this, outline some of the useful resource sites I’ve been frequenting and explain – in case anyone reading this doesn’t know – what “woodshedding” is.

First up, my good friend JD Blundell was kind enough to make mention of me planning to beef up my online activity on his post “10 Kingdom bloggers to watch in 2010”, which in turn has turned up on Darren Rowse’s influential Problogger site.

New tools – resources I’m exploring:

Wordpress

A migration to Wordpress is looking likely for my new main blog. It seems to be it’s going to give me what I’m looking for aesthetically and in terms of the bells & whistles I'm looking for. Thankfully I’m picking the brains of buddies who have the technical nonce and good design taste to help me pull together a smokin’ new look!

Problogger

Problogger has been a regular landing spot for me these last few weeks, as it’s quite probably the best single resource out there for anyone trying to intelligently explore how to create revenue streams through their blog. What I like about Darren is that he’s not a fast buck, “get rich quick” huckster, but rather someone who seems to operate with an impressive level of integrity.

Recently I’ve read a post by respected online buddy Fernando Gros about “Pure Blogging”, transparency and honesty where he asks the question

“How upfront are we about our reasons for being in this game?”

This is a timely reminder for me in this transitional period for me and my blog.

Will my new site have a commercial element? Yes it will.

Web Worker Daily

Another great site for resources, ideas and inspiration is Web Worker Daily – great for someone who has recently migrated from office to home office. It’s rammed with good stuff

Freelance Advisor

At this point, I’m spending a little less time with this than the other sites, but Freelance Advisor’s local – i.e. UK - perspective is helpful, and I suspect may be increasingly so. There were a couple of podcasts that were interesting light relief during those early days of this journey when the UK was on lock down because of the January snow.

If it floats your boat check out “Making a living without a job” Part 1 and Part 2

Woodshedding

...perhaps a little off topic, but it you ever were a jazz aficionado, you’ll be familiar with the concept of “woodshedding”, that preparatory time when a jazzer takes them self away to the “woodshed” – a place of privacy and seclusion; hones their skills, works on their chops, does the ground work, practices like fury, getting ready to come unleashed themselves to the world.

I doubt any “unleashing” is going to go on, but this is the place I’m at right now. I’m woodshedding.

The first time I heard the term, I think it was in relation to the mighty genius that was Jaco Pastorius.

You may not want to check our any of the sites, podcasts or links I’ve suggested above....but you really do need to check out Jaco. For me, there has been no better bassist.

Never forget....

Haiti: A response from this Salvationist, a response from The Salvation Army

I’m posting this with a slight sense of hesitancy.

I’ve struggled to say anything at all about Haiti. It’s almost too bad, too horrific..beyond my understanding.

To tell the truth, l was pretty angry with God. I simply didn’t - and still don’t - understand why things like this happen.

However, I have been heartened by the World’s response.

The optimist in me hopes that somehow the future will be better than the past has been for my Haitian brothers & sisters who are hurting and grieving so much right now.

It has been inspiring too how my tribe has once again geared up, rolled up their sleeves and found themselves in the front line, trying to serve those so desperately in need.

In all honesty, I don’t much care if you decide to direct any help you can give for Haiti to The Salvation Army – just help any of the great agencies involved - but I’m happy to promote The Salvation Army’s efforts by including a vid in this blogpost.

Haiti Disaster Relief 60 sec PSA from Communications Bureau on Vimeo.

Happpy Burns Night!

Hoot!

I’ve stumbled upon the excellent work of locally based uber photographer Phil Aylen.

The pics are really....really brilliant. Top quality stuff.

Why "Hoot"?

Check out Phil's Twitter handle.

Love it!

Something Beautiful: Pernell

Something Beautiful is always worth a listen. The guys have for a couple of years now been putting together a really excellent podcast every single week which is a fabulous resource...that has become a community.

Right now, the latest show – in fact the last two shows – feature a good friend, Pernell Goodyear.

Pernell is one of the key guys at the amazing Freeway community in Hamilton, ON, and has brilliant things to say about Jesus stuff, deep community and missional Church as he shoots the breeze with Thomas on this Something Beautiful double whammy.

Absolutely definitely worth checking out Pernell’s story.

It’s real.

HT to Pernell for the pic

Old Forge Vid: Frost, McLaren and Mr Bass

Check out these snippits of stuff from Forge Australia Dangerous Stories 2 National Summit for the emerging missional church from way back in 2007:

Powerful stuff that had slipped under my radar.

TEDx Orenda

It’s a little late, but...just a little catch up on the TEDx event I attended this week in London, compered by leading technology writer Bill Thompson, and with a pre-recorded video introduction by Howard Rheingold, the man credited with coming up with the phrase “virtual communities”.

The speakers & video presentations had been lined up with three headings in mind; Fun, Funding & Functional

FUN

Pat Kane

Talking on the subject of “The Play Manifesto”, and taking his cue from the iPhone cupped in his palm, Pat was cerebral, passionate, engaging, erudite....but ironically enough, not particularly playful. That’s not to say Pat wasn’t dealing with the subject at hand. He was...and with some authority, but it seemed he was pitching a little high, perhaps influenced by the expectation that he was presenting to a room of tech savvy educationalists. My guess would be that the gathered group was perhaps a little more diverse than that, and would have been entirely comfortable with a degree of “fun” and silliness.

However, I’m going to go away and dig into Pat’s website on the subject. He’s clearly got a lot of important and viable things to say about play and technology, so I’m sure it’s worth investigating further.

I’m also going to dig out some of my old Hue and Cry albums. Mother Glasgow will forever remain one of my favourite ballads, and no one does it like the Kane brothers!

The full text of Pat’s talk can be found here.

Hadley Beeman

With a subject of “The Muppets and the Nature of Innovation”, Hadley Beeman explored the universality of those furry creatures, how learning and Human–computer interaction often handled in different ways across the generations and the subsequent tech developments as a result of those studies. The inclusion of the Muppets was at once a clever device for a section headed “fun”, also a tacet acknowledgement that Jim Henson’s Muppet Show alumni and their cousins over at Sesame Street (now 40 years old) have had a massive impact on Western society, particularly that of my generation. I’ve seen mentions already of Barack Obama being the first “Sesame Street President”

Lilly Evans

Next up – via Skype which worked like a dream – Lilly Evans (self described on Twitter as "Late night maven, practical IT geek, telling truth to power, rebel with cause, mother, mother-in-law and wife but teenager at heart") began her “How to let children take part” presentation with a challenge for each of us to find one word to describe ourselves and share with someone sitting close to us in the room. I have to confess, I become so embroiled in the train of thought that question provoked that I largely missed the content Lilly presented. I guess I’ll have to wait for the vids to appear somewhere online to catch up.

James Proud

18 year old (yet looking even younger) entrepreneur and founder of Giglocater was refreshing in his simple, stripped back & straight to the point single slide presentation of “Why school didn’t train me to be an entrepreneur”. James struck me as someone who’d be making his mark whether digital technology was available to him or not. This young gun is a confident and smart cookie, and one to watch in the future.

FUNDING

I’m not sure either Alfie Dennen or Dougald Hind’s slots had much to do with funding. They were both much more inspirational that the dullish “funding” title they found themselves in.

Alfie Dennen

First up, Alfie was able to offer up a raft of creative & sometimes quirky web initiatives he has “given wings” to over the last few years. I can imagine many of these projects were cooked up over late nights bouncing mad ideas around, reaching a conclusion of “wouldn’t it be good if we tried this” or “you, know it might just work”. I like Alfie’s way of thinking. He was more fun than funding!

Dougald Hine

Dougald’s subject of “Engaging the community in meaningful purpose” was the talk that seemed the most natural fit for my word view, and he didn’t disappoint. There was simply so much I could try to recall, that you’d be bombarded with more links and references than you could cope with, so in the interest of getting straight to the source suggest you head here - explore and engage. One thing Dougald did talk about that really resonated with me was his urging that we rethink what shops are for. A lot of shopping now takes place online, so we need to think about how shop spaces will be used in the future. Dougald’s assertion is that “markets” in are as old as human settlement, and are not going away anytime soon as physical places of congregation dialog and exchange. (Perhaps to the some allusions to Ray Oldenburg’s Third Place?)

I would love folks like Something Beautiful’s JD, Thomas and Stewart to have been able to hear Dougald if no-one else at TEDx Orenda . There were so many points of connection that would have been fizzing ‘round the room.

..also kinda reminded me in many ways of the mighty Shane Claiborne. Maybe someone can organize a hook-up?

Check Dougald online for more background.

Sara Haq

Next up was the previously unscheduled yet inspirational Sara Haq came to the stage to talk about her globe spanning journeys exploring creative learning, humanity, social media and shared connections. Good stuff!

FUNCTIONAL

London cabbie Lee Cox talked about the type of learning that is required to acquire “The Knowledge” – the almost mythic and encyclopedic grasp of London’s spidery and organic mess of a road system, as well as giving a useful plug for @tweetalondoncab

Caroline Bosher

Caroline – self styled – “Special Agent on a mission to transform businesses through exceptional branding & connections” seemed somehow a little out of step with the TEDx ethos. There was a small reaction in to the corporate and squarely commercial language in the #TEDx live Tweets.

I missed Maz Nadjim

I had to leave before the end of Caroline’s spiel just to be sure I wouldn’t get delayed as I headed back to deepest Surrey on this first day of being able to safely travel through the snow, so sadly I missed Maz Nadjim.

Another one to catch when the TEDx videos are posted.

...love some feedback from you guys...

Big HT to Digital Maverick for pulling together this excellent evening.

Shalom and Shalvah

Today I read these words written by Eugene Peterson, and in the process learnt a new one – shalvah.

...The words shalom and shalvah play on the sounds in Jerusalem, jerushalom, the place of worship.

Shalom, peace, is one of the richest words in the Bible. You can no more define it by looking up its meaning in the dictionary than you can define a person by his social security number. It gathers all aspects of wholeness that result from God's will being completed in us. It is the work of God that, when complete, releases streams of living water in us and pulsates with eternal life. Every time Jesus healed, forgave, or called someone, we have a demonstration of shalom.

And shalvah, security.

It has nothing to do with insurance policies or large bank accounts or stockpiles of weapons.

The root meaning is leisure - the relaxed stance of one who knows that everything is all right because God is over us, with us, and for us in Jesus Christ. It is the security of being at home in a history that has a cross at its centre.

It is the leisure of the person who knows that every moment of our existence is at the disposal of God, lived under the mercy of God.

If I – and Eugene – have understood shalvah correctly, it works for me, and it’s the place I find myself in at the moment.

Shalom and Shalvah!

Book Haul 2010

Now that my luggage has finally arrived – a week and a half since we got back from the US – I’ll be able to dig into my annual book haul.

Here are my new reads:

The Year of Living Like Jesus...by Ed Dobson

First off the bat, I finally managed to get a hold of a book that I’ve been looking forward to since last year, and have mentioned here numerous times: Ed Dobson’s The Year of Living Like Jesus. Already it’s proving to be an inspirational read.

Clearly, for someone who tries to be a Jesus follower, there’s going to be a lot in there to grab the attention, (Ed starts a book with the words

“I don’t like the word Christian”)

but I think it would be a good read for anyone. As you’d expect from a Pastor, Ed is a great story teller, and he conveys the journey through his year with wit and grace. The guy’s got some smarts too! So far, I’m loving it!

HT too to Brian Kelly for the excellent cover shoots. Brian is a quality photographer!

Then, three titles which explore an area that’s really floating my boat at the moment – blogging, social media tools and how they are affecting the world we inhabit.

Crush It! ...by Gary Vaynerchuk

Only today, I discovered that both Steve Knight & Jason Clarke had given Crush It! - which I bought on the basis of a shout out in the Inc magazine I’d picked up along the way – a thumbs up, so check out what Steve & Jason have to say. I respect their opinion.

Socialnomics – How social media transforms the way we live and do business...by Erik Qualman

I picked this up on the basis of a tip off from Krish Kandiah at last year’s Digimission event. I’ve not had the chance to dip into it, yet, but I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a goodie. Erik was kind enough to reply directly to a Tweet I sent when I bought the book, so he gets props for that if nothing else.

Viral Loop..by Adam L Penenberg

I’ve skimmed through Viral Loop already, having been drawn in by the cover (I know, I know....you can’t judge a book....), but I did start to wonder if this one was a little behind the beat in terms of the corporate examples it cites, but I’ll hold that in reserve until I’ve read it properly. Penenberg certainly has the credentials, as a Professor at New York University. I’m kinda hoping my reservations will be blown away, but we shall see.

The essential

Obviously, I had to get myself a new Moleskine diary for 2010, and a stash of mags to read – Fast Company, Inc, Trailrunner, and couple of editions of DWELL.

Let’s see how long it takes me to get through this lot.

What are you reading at the beginning of 2010?


Check here for more of my ramblings about books.

Headphonaught’s Pix

I wanted to give a little shout out to my good friend & Something Beautiful Podcast co-host Thomas Mathie AKA Headphonaught, who’s experiencing a bit of overdue success with his photography with being used for album artwork and featuring in a book about Glasgow.

I love it when I see friends’ creativity and enterprise being recognized, and Thomas is one of the most creative and enterprising out there!

Good to see, mate..


HT to the Headphonaught for the image...

Reclaim

Reclaim Promo from Communications Bureau on Vimeo.

Today in Atlanta – and into the weekend - The Salvation Army holds the RECLAIM event.

There’s an outstanding roster of speakers and workshop leaders, including missiologist, author & all round top bloke Alan Hirsch, the wonderful Phyllis Tickle and Pete Rollins, who has recently made the move to the US from Northern Ireland.

Hirshy has had numerous mentions on this blog because of the impact of his writing – together with his buddy Mike Frost – on my understanding of what it means to be a missional – sent – people.

I love it when our tribe reaches out to other wise voices to help inform what it is to re-engage with mission...so important for a movement that sometimes struggles with the balance of it's calling as a radical Jesus following mission movement and the challenges of also being a massive global social service agency.

It’s good too that some of the workshop themes are taking on the hot potato of human sexuality. I’m willing to be knocked down on this, because I haven’t researched the facts on this, but I can’t remember a time when a Salvation Army conference has dealt with it in such a head-on fashion. I’m glad the initiative has been taken.

We’re on a journey.

Wish I was there!

I’m looking forward to hearing how it went...

One Word

Last night – along with a roomful of others - I was asked to describe myself in one word. One word alone, and then share it with the person sitting closest to me.

Now, that’s not such an easy task when you are put on the spot and asked to come up with something quickly. Sometimes my brain simply doesn’t come up with the required answer right away.

In my mind I wrestled with a few options for a second or two, and finally plumped for “FOLLOWER”.

Although it was a split second decision, I did struggle with whether this was the best word:

• Was it a little negative? If I’m a follower, does it mean I’m not a leader? Am I carried along at the behest of someone...or anyone?

• If I’m a follower, do I have no thoughts of my own?

• Will this single word convey what I mean to the person I’ve been asked to share it with?

In the end it felt right, because I am a follower – and for me, that has no negative connotation.

I am a follower of Jesus...a follower of The Way

There’s a passage in Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis that sums this up much better than I could:

Everybody is following somebody. Everybody has faith in something and somebody.

We are all believers.

As a Christian, I am simply trying to orient myself around living a particular kind of way. The kind of way that Jesus taught is possible. And I think that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live.

This isn't irrational or primitive or blind faith. It is merely being honest that we are all trying to live a 'way'.

I'm convinced being generous is a better way to live.

I'm convinced forgiving people and not carrying around bitterness is a better way to live.

I'm convinced having compassion is a better way to live.

I'm convinced pursuing peace in every situation is a better way to live.

I'm convinced listening to the wisdom of others is a better way to live.

I'm convinced being honest with people is a better way to live.

This way of thinking isn't weird or strange; it is simply acknowledging that everybody follows somebody, and I'm trying to follow Jesus.

Change

I’ve blogged a little about the life change I’m going through at that the moment here, so having stumbled upon this piece – 10 Ways You Can Embrace Change - from Real Simple* on CNN site, there were a few things that really resonated with me:

(*a mag I’m not particularly familiar with!)

Seek out new perspectives. Zen practitioners cultivate the "don't know" mind; they work to assume they don't know anything and in that way see the world fresh. This is a great way to approach change -- as an opportunity to start anew, to consider all possibilities.

Try something new and slightly scary. Why? Because now is the time to explore what it is that you really like. Catch yourself off-guard and see what happens.

Be skeptical of common wisdom. It's dangerous to live in the aggregate

Shed your old skin. Discard physical clutter, tired ideas, old routines. Seeing things through another's eyes can help.

A few things to ponder there.

How do you deal with change?

Rob Bell Drops in the UK

Good to know that Rob Bell’s Drops Like Stars tour is coming to the UK in March.

This is what Rob says about Drops

We plot, we plan, we assume things are going to go a certain way and then they don’t and we find ourselves in a new place, a place we haven’t been before, a place we never would have imagined on our own, and so it was difficult and unexpected and maybe even.

Tragic and yet it opened us up and freed us to see things in a whole new way. Suffering does that— it hurts, but it also creates.

How many of the most significant moments in your life came not because it all went right, but because it all fell apart?

It’s strange how there can be art in the agony…

The Drops Like Stars tour is a two hour exploration of the endlessly complex relationship between suffering and creativity—

Here’s the line up of dates.

Tickets are available here for London March 17th event

If he’s a new name to you; for more on Rob Bell’s ministry check out Nooma and Mars Hill, or follow Rob on Twitter.

HT to the Rob Bell site for the image

Nomadic digitribe

Today’s Weekend Guardian has an interesting piece about those nomadic types travelling the world whilst kicking it as online entrepreneurs and digital mavens.

I was particularly interested to read the stories of Jon and Lea Woodward, and Viperchill’s Glen Allsopp, who between them have a clutch of online businesses that are definitely worth checking out if you are interested in exploring what it’s like to live, work and connect in the digital space.

Oxted Digerati

Although we live in a small – some would say sleepy –semi rural English town, complete with beautiful Norman Church and park with a cricket green – there’s quite an interesting cross section of bloggers and other social media users here, who are gradually connecting through various Tweet ups and cursory gatherings in local pubs and coffee shops:

• My guess is Big Blue Meanie may have been one of the first of our bloggers. He’s got to be the granddaddy!

• There’s Crossy’s Rural Phloggings for occasional, but rather beautiful photographs of the area.

• Jonathan Jensen blogs on all things mobile & digital at SevenDotZero

• Gavin Dove with his close-to-2500 Twitter followers

Thanks to SevenDotZero we have a healthy and active Twitter tribe who keep each other informed of all the local moving and shaking.

There are also a few SMEs like Footprint web design and Quick Thinking

Am I missing anyone?

I’m happy to be corrected.

HT to Crossy for the excellent Oxted pic

24/7 prayer

...spotted this interesting plate on the freeway during my recent visit to the US.

Just reminded me of the good guys at 24-7 Prayer

TwentyTen: I am released!

OK.

This is a biggie.

During all of the time I’ve been blogging, using Facebook and Twitter etc I’ve been very careful with my online presence to say very little about my previous day to day working life in the electronic music, audio & video product industry…concentrating rather on my life as a follower of Jesus trying to live as authentically as I can.

This was not some secular/sacred issue. I made that online separation simply because I wanted to be defined not by what I “do” in my career, but rather by what I “am”. In fact over the years I have become ever more convicted that it is this attempt at walking the way of Jesus that defines me; weak, faltering and broken as I am.

Now that maxim will apply more than ever:

Here at the beginning of 2010 I become a free agent.

I am released!

My employment came to an end just before Christmas, due to a merger within the corporate group I have been a part of for many years.

Together with my family – and with a lot of prayer – we’ve just been trying to discern where we go from here.

We feel this is gift of God (perhaps more accurately a hefty kick) to make myself more available to Jesus stuff in whatever form that takes. Expecting that there will perhaps be more time than before, I’ve already stepped out and started to take the initiative to get involved in a few things that I have a passion for, and are close to my heart.

It’s time to recalibrate.

Early signs seem to be focussed towards authentic missional discipleship, connection and some kind of increased & enhanced online activity - influenced in part because I have been inspired by those over the last little while who by their living, writing, sharing, creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, grace and love have impacted me more than they will ever realize.

JD, Thomas and Stewart are among that number with the Something Beautiful Podcast and JD’s book, St Peter's Brewery - Chris with Geek-Speak - Sam Radford with his Awaken stuff, Duncan McFadzean with his Seven Men projects, Chris and Dana at Blue Door TV, the remarkable transitional journey of Chick and Margaret Yuill...the list could go on and on!

I've never been much of a bread head, so it will be my passion that will drive this thing. In many ways I want it to be a vehicle to help others, as much as help myself. I'm excited to see how it evolves.

Also, I guess I've been recently quite inspired by former pastor, Problogger and friend of Tall Skinny Kiwi, Darren Rowse, and although I don't expect to be earning 6 figures anytime soon(!!), I am interested to explore just a little of what might be achieved. Over the longer haul, though, I've really been taken by how many of my buddies have just gotten off their butts, and taken leaps of faith...

If we’ve connected in any way since I started blogging YOU are part of my story, for that I thank you.

There’s a phrase that I picked up from renowned missiologist Mike Frost that has real resonance for me and my family at the moment. We are

“Following the Missio Dei into Strange Places”

I am excited about what God has in store for us!

If you want to join me on the journey or think I can in some small way support you on yours, feel free to get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter

We would ask for your prayers.

Much love...in his dust

Angels in Milton Keynes

You will remember that I was inspired by my dear friend Andy Greig AKA Grumpy Old Git to get off my backside and run.

Well, in 2010 I will run again, now and forever in memory of Andy; this time in Andy's home town of Milton Keynes in the Milton Keynes Half Marathon on March 7th:

Please support if you can, and spread the word.

Be an Angel!

TEDx

For me, some of the best hook ups and events often happen quite by accident, so I’ve got high hopes for the TEDx Orenda* event I stumbled on via Solobasssteve’s Retweet about sister event AmplifiED '10 when I was doing some random post midnight web surfing.

Now, Steve doesn’t know me from Adam, but he’s an interesting voice worth following on Twitter...as is his Mum, Joan!

Steve was earmarked as a “maven” and networker by Jonny Baker at the recent Digimission event, so that’s a fair recommendation.

TEDx events have been spawned out of the massively influential TED – Technology, Education and Design - conference initiatives that have brought together in community some of the most fascinating and creative thinkers on the planet.

So, having read about it I was sure pretty much right away that I wanted to get along.

You might want to explore it too if you are interested in the digital space we inhabit, networks of networks or just hearing a sterling line up of speakers, including Pat Kane, now of The Play Ethic.

I'll be looking for Linda!

"In the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," TED has created TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxOrenda where x = independently organized TED event. At TEDxOrenda TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized."

In Clover

Clover 60 Second Video from Clover on Vimeo.

I’ve tried to give credit where credit is due - particularly in the case of Citysalvos – but there have been times when I’ve bemoaned the lack of effective, engaging and aesthetically pleasing Salvation Army Corps (Church) websites out there at the moment. Feel free to let me know if you know of any good ones...

With that in mind, I figured I’d give a shout out to the guys providing some of the best tools I’ve seen out there for Church websites, to encourage anyone involved in this area of their respective ministries – Salvation Army and beyond - to check it out.

For me, Clover websites seem to offer an elegant solution that is genuinely up to speed with today’s web standards.

Check them out!

(and be aware I’m a friend of Clover)