From Friday evening to Monday evening (August bank holiday) I have:
Laughed and smiled with more intensity than I have when you put most of the summer together.
Eaten an eclectic range of festival food.
Heard challenging activist ideas that make me want to step up my protesting game.
Had SO many conversations with strangers from all over the country.
Experienced LGBTQ+ inclusion and celebration like never before.
Listened to some beautiful live music.
Learnt more about fringe theologians and ways of turning the Bible on its head.
Looked up at the stars from my sleeping bag.
Networked with organisations I look up to.
Been swept up by poetic eloquence.
Started and almost finished a new notebook.
I spent my bank holiday weekend at Greenbelt Festival.
https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/
And as I write this having been home a couple of weeks then I am already booked on to go again in 2020. With the deeply depressing state of British politics and a very difficult couple of days mentally and physically then I want something to look forward to in the coming months! My health for most of this summer has made me an observer of sunshine, holidays and friends catching up with one another.
But for a weekend then I went as wild as I sensibly could and extroverted my heart out.
I booked Greenbelt in October 2018 because I wanted to add another experience to my strong independent woman collection. To go to a festival on my own with no commitments to others was a first and I loved it.
Have been to several conferences on my own and travelled to South Africa and Australia solo, but have always been met with people/ projects at each airport.
Greenbelt is a festival built on the crossover passions of art, faith and justice.
At different moments during the long weekend then my love of each of these was drawn out, celebrated and met with encouraging solidarity.
The title of this blog post is 'wit and wisdom comes at a cost' and this speaks not only to the emotion and physical cost that came personally to me - had to take two full bed days to begin to recover. But also the messages of Greenbelt if taken in a serious and practical way come at a cost. The ideas and ideals espoused should make us uncomfortable. Reviewing our privilege, our cultural norms and our understanding of the Bible shouldn't ever be static...
Have linked as many of the people/ organisations/ talks as I can.
They are the best way to give you a flavour of what I got up to. Would reccomend investigating any that take your interest, feel free to send me a message if you want to know more about my reaction/ questions/ response to any of these events. I went to more than is listed, but these were some of my highlights!
Art
Spoken word Poetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxGWGohIXiw
Live Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25TKskR9qLY
Comedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8QE5s-P5ts
Woke Hip Hop Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVkfAlCGhIQ
Faith
Holy Mothers of God: https://winchester.academia.edu/MarikaRose?fbclid=IwAR361nR1ZrTuol-NFCXoR3VKQmCHvDjgG7YTP_rDD0SBrmTbG6UNZO7MSdE
Shameless Conversation: http://www.nadiabolzweber.com/
Single Friendly Church:https://www.singlefriendlychurch.com/
Justice
People vs Tech:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3xuOMB7v2CIgxVrPv_WDFWTDmCh0imO93YDX6uqN9M/edit?usp=sharing
Civil Disobidence:https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/product/how-civil-disobedience-can-change-the-world/
Art as a form of protest or propaganda? : https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/product/is-protest-art-just-propaganda-or-is-all-art-a-form-of-protest/
Hanging out with the Outsiders: https://demos.co.uk/people/jamie-bartlett/
Prayer Requests:
- I am now just over a week away from moving back to Bath to start my placement with St Michael's.
So prayers for my brain and body as I adjust to changing context and circumstances would be great.
- For EVERYONE engaged in politics whether that is a party member, MP or peer or journalist or activist. The temptation to turn away is strong but the need to hold those in power to account must always be stronger.
- For Mia as she starts GCSEs this year.
- For Mum as she does starts her Return to Nursing course, going to uni for the first time.
- For Dad as he starts his new job as Dean of Aston Law and Business School.
- For Tom as he continues with his foundation degree and looks for a placement.
- For Richard White and his family who have recently moved to Bath to become the new minister at St Michael's.
Thank you for supporting me in this slightly chaotic but beautiful summer. Thank you for making it to the end of my twenty ninth blog post - have an adventurous week!
