GB05

Another year at Greenbelt - and i am shattered!

A great festival, more people than we've had for some years, huge variety and diversity of humanity who come and take part/watch/drink tea in the vicintiy of a huge variety and diversity of events, seminars, music, cabaret, dance, art, stalls, literature, panel discussions, worship, prayer. The list goes on.

After 18 (or perhaps 19, my maths is bad despite my genius IQ - tried another IQ test which i will post on this blog just because it does my ego a huge amount of good, despite the fact there is no substance to such a test). Anyway, after a nearly 20 year attendance at Greenbelt - consecutive, mind you, none of this year off namby pamby nonsense - i realised i have a somewhat more mature view of what goes on than I did previously. By this i mean i can pick and reflect and choose and dismiss and consider and enthuse and whatever in a way i couldn't over previous years. It means that i felt more duriing Greenbelt this year and did less running around trying to get to talks or bands or events. It means that i put a lot of effort into putting together the sessions/interviews/panels/reading groups i was a part of or leading and that the putting in of effort was even more worthwhile than the actual sessions themselves. It means that not getting to see the wonderful, radient, beautiful Kendall Payne and her wonderful, radient, beautiful voice and sublime songwriting wasn't the major disappointment it might have been in previous years as i had the chance to catch up with a good friend and talk about some stuff which was very important whilst Kendalls dulcet tones wafted around the background.

It was a good festival, though there were some parts i found difficult - the panel debates were hard work - partly because of the shape of the venue, partly because Holy Joe's works best when not amplified (!), partly because some of the conversation seemed more circular than need be, partly because i think we missed some of the crucial issues we should have talked about re: forgiveness and 'diy church' which were the two i got to. Kudos to HJs for putting on the gritty debate in the way only it can, but needs work to make it work next year.

I loved the stuff at the literary venue 'Between the Lines' - see the new link on the right of the page - which really did seem to have a diversity in itself, but was a well thought out programme in a well run venue - I don't just say that because I spoke in BtL but because it was a delight to work with the people there - professional, friendly, concerned with the subject matter, engaging with the speakers. Not that I have every had anything other than that from my previous experiences in any venue at GB but the identity of BtL gave it an extra edge which also gave something of a 'value added' vibe. It also had a very groovy indeed red and yellow striped marquee - pictures on the GB website, if this works, at -http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/gbphotos/displayimage.php?pos=-208, http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/gbphotos/displayimage.php?pos=-744, http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/gbphotos/displayimage.php?pos=-899,

All in all a great few days.

Should mention now that there is a link to technorati below thiswhich is part of the virtual collage for GB 05 - not yet really got to grips with this stuff but thought i would try to join in.

More soon

Comments

Kathryn said…
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
she says, light dawning eventually...you're /AL/...now i get it...and we emailed/blog commented to each other about a year ago...and I sat there and listened to both those HJ debates (and tried to hide as our dear friend steve went into car crash mode...he knows I can't bear to look when it gets like that!) and...and....
Yup. Well. Glad to have sorted that.
It /was/ a good GB, wasn't it? though I failed as always to see so many people I'd hoped to spend time with...not to mention not getting to the talks I wanted to. Didn't even see you were doing a Bible and Lit one...bit cross about that, as an erstwhile English grad fallen on theological times. However, very pleased with myself that I can now put face to name...and relieved to hear that there is someone else aspiring to my depths of administrative incompetence. Had a grumpy letter from the Church Comms on just that theme yesterday :-(
Alastair said…
annie, you may not come back to read this, but thanks for the comment.

kathryn - hi and welcome (meant to say this when i first read your comments)

HJs debate did tailspin somewhat! It was quite a profoundly disappointing debate in lots of ways...

Good GB, enjoyed it, but more than anything it prompted lots of thought.

I would offer you a copy of the Bible and Lit talk but i wrote it rather than typed it - and it was probably greatly improved from my notes due to a) interruptions and b) adrenalin and thinking on the hoof

I didn't think that the Church Comms sent out any other kind of letters but grumpy ones.

where is your blog then????

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