Appreciate the chance to guest post some insights form my recent trip to europe on the WCA blog yesterday. Check it out….
God can use rocks, but…
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Category Archives: Travel
On my way to Europe
I have the amazing fortune of making two trips to Europe this spring. Today, I am flying to Stockholm for the beginning of a 12 day trip with John Burke. We’ll be in:
- Stockholm
- Helsinki
- Tallin
- Oslo
- London
The full details are here.
If you’re interested enough to follow along, I’ll be posting updates in three places:
- Travel Stuff: http://www.facebook.com/craiglwhitney
- Personal Reflections: http://www.impactpoint.cc/
- Ministry/Planting insights: https://www.elichurchplanting.com/blog/
What is a pomodoro?
My wife and daughter went shopping in San Francisco yesterday. They sent me this – a picture of a Pomodoro cafe. Can’t tell you anything about the food. I can tell you that “pomodoro” is just Italian for “tomato” and the Pomodoro Technique is a time boxing strategy for organizing your work and increasing your productivity. The author, Francesco Cirillo, is Italian and named the process after the kitchen timer he used – in the shape of a tomato.
Form and Function redux
Just thought I’d let you know my post on “Form and Function” is on the Willow Creek Association/Global Leadership Summit blog.
http://wcagls.blogspot.com/2010/03/function-trumps-form.html
They were such great organizers and host for our trip. Really appreciate they’re team and what they do!
Form and Function
10 planes, 9 cars, and 8 trains later I am home from Europe and slowly recovering from the jet lag. I wanted to post one thought that has really stuck with me – the interplay of form and function. During 12 days of travel, in 5 countries I had never been to, I was constantly confronted with new forms.
- Food – I ate some great meals, but they weren’t always what I expected. Hotel breakfasts included sliced meat and cheese which always made me wonder if I’d slept late and arrived for lunch. Sandwiches came with one slice of bread and you ate them with a fork and knife. Pancakes were filled with meat and cheese and you ate them for dinner.
- Transportation – I visited 5 countries and never needed a rental car. For the most part trains covered the distance from airport to hotel. When they didn’t a taxi ride meant a very well kept Mercedes not a “will it survive the 2 mile trip” Chevy.
- Toilets – forgive me for going there, but I honestly found this a fascinating illustration of form and function. How complicated can a toilet be? They all worked different, some had levers you had to work more than once. Some had buttons you pushed. Others had rods you pulled. I don’t remember seeing a single motion sensor flush, which is now found in almost every public restroom in America.
Though not what I was familiar with, each of these things served the function intended. The food nourished my body and tasted good too. The trains and taxis got me where I needed to go, often with great ease. The toilets – well they served their purpose. The lesson – many forms can accomplish the same function and the function is what matters.
I believe we would be so much more effective if we applied that lesson to the expression of our faith. Jesus said, love God, love people, make disciples. Three functions that can be accomplished with a multitude of forms – some of which we have yet to imagine. If only we would realize that we are free to do just that.
Worship at Stamford Bridge
I attended my first professional Football (soccer) game today. Quite the introduction to a sport I know very little about – Manchester City vs. Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London. I’m not sure I’ve ever done anything that made me feel like a person must when attending church for the very first time.
- I had no idea where to go so I found myself looking for ever sign as I worked my way through the sea of people hoping not to step on someone’s toe.
- I had even less idea what to do. Stand up, sit down, clap… I quickly figured out to just stand or sit when the person in front of me did. Clapping seems obvious except they had these claps like I remember from when I was a kid at camp – I didn’t want to be the one person to clap after everyone else stopped, so I just didn’t.
- They sings worship songs at football matches. You may thing that’s an exaggeration – trust me, it’s not in the least. Problem is, I didn’t know the words (though I recognized a few choice ones) or tune to any of the songs, so of course I couldn’t sing along.
- Having never played the game, I didn’t understand much of what I was watching, but everyone around me obviously did.
- Only one person spoke to me, a high school student from Reading sitting right behind me. I was amazed how much just a little conversation and his enthusiasm to share the game, put me at ease.
- I switched seats at halftime to sit in an empty seat next to Dave, who had most generously provided my ticket. It made a huge difference to be next to someone I knew – even if I had just met him an hour before.
I have a new appreciation for the person who finds their way to church for the every first time and a renewed commitment to do everything I can to make them feel welcome.
Silent Disco
After dinner last night with the Benham’s, John Burke and I went back to Kerith to observe what they were doing for students. Let me say first of all, wow! Probably the best visual demonstration of Ephesians 4 I have seen in a long time – and the proof of that Godly wisdom is in the fruit: students leading a ministry that is leading students to faith.
One of the activities was a room for Silent Disco. I had to ask 3 times – what kind of disco? I thought I was missing something in the English accent. I heard right. People dancing in a room, all together, yet each is listening to their own music on their own headset and thus dancing to their own beat with their own style. If you can imagine that – even more wrap your mind around it – you can begin to dream about the shapes and forms of community the next generation of believers will create.
Things I learned today
I am sitting in my hotel looking out over the lights of Bracknell. Rolling around in my head are the things I learned today:
• Flying through Chicago in February is a game of chance. I landed in a blanket of snow and made it to my departing gate for London in 15 minutes. John landed and spent an hour on the tarmac waiting for a gate to get off his plane and missed his flight.
• London is very diverse. If you counted ethnicity on your hands at Heathrow you’d run out of digits in just as many seconds.
• Driving on the left side of the road is not so bad – until you come to an intersection. Making a right turn in the left lane in traffic will really mess with your head.
• English pubs were built for short people. I’m 5’ 10” on a good day and I had to duck through every doorway at dinner.
• The people of Kerith church are amazing hosts. I am sitting next to a plate of fresh strawberries and white chocolate as I write. Thank you Simon and gang!
Mostly I learned that you can fly half way around the world and the need of Jesus’ church is the same – capable leaders who are willing to ask what will it take to see lives change and the church flourish, and then willing to go do it.
Across the Pond
Tomorrow I make my first trip across the Atlantic. I am really looking forward to seeing 5 great cities: London, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and Amsterdam. Even more, I am looking forward to meeting church leaders who are working faithfully to reach people and invite them into God’s kingdom. I hope to post my thought here, pictures on Facebook, and a few quick insights on Twitter.