The party was great. We were wondering how to integrate the Bilbo and Frodo Baggins theme and also the missional conversation about the web but things manages to composite quite nicely. Each one of the 30 or so guests identified themselves, or were given an identity, and wore their LOTR badges. It was amazing to see the variety of people there – pastors, geeks, software engineers, people working with the poor. It was nice to see them all in the ‘Fellowship of the Ring’, thinking together.
Brad Sargent was let loose on the crowd with his huge LOTR posters and action figures. Thanks Brad.
As for the question “How can we take advantage of the opportunity of the web” and related questions, I don’t think we answered any of them at all. But we met each other and started the process and already began to see huge potential through networking, friendship and common vision. Lets keep the conversation rolling and stay in touch with each other. Maybe we should do this again.
Thanks to Michael Toy and family for being wonderful hosts. Your house is really so much fun. I am staying in the Hobbitat which is built underground in his back yard. You can see the skylight in the back of this photo. What a treat!
Joe Hernandez of CityTeam came early to cook a really wicked BBQ. Those beans were great! Thanks to the CityTeam people that contributed food. You guys rock! CityTeam are initiating a new project called Reaching the Online Generation.
Michael A. asked me to write down some of the helpful books and resources I mentioned. Heres a few:
Wikinomics [on TSK], The Language of New Media (PDF), The Long Tail, Linked, Starfish and the Spider.
For some more of my thoughts on topics that came up, read Reclusing Ourselves to Death and 1024 Window
Bloggers in the Fellowship of the Ring?
Apart from the bloggers already mentioned, there were more. Pastor and Triathlete Dan Perkins has already blogged some thoughts on the party. Jon Reid, who I got to meet face to face after many years of blog-chat, was there. I know there were a lot more bloggers. Joshua Rudd, who has been blogging since 1996 [yes – longer than me] was there with his family. I actually stayed with them on Sunday night.
Oh – Michael Toy reflects on the party on his blog as does Jon Reid.
If you were there and have a blog, would you mind leaving a link in the comments below? Any photos?
Thanks to everyone who came. Lets stay in touch. Lets do this again and next time move it to the next level.
Technorati Tags: bilbo , frodo, lotr, michael toy, puppy, silicon valley
Cool!
May I suggest a thot-balloon over my head saying, “Shades of Elessar and Chards of Narsil! When shall I have my own Futuristguy action figure?”
Well, at least I figured into the action …
Great party – thanx Andrew, Michael, and Joe! And great to meet all the rest of you at the Council of Tallrond to consider The Meaning of Missional in Middle-earth. “We will live it; we will live the Gospel in Mordor, though we do not yet know the way …”
… or actually, should that be:
“We will live it; we will live the Gospel in Mordor, because we do now know The Way.”
Andrew, it sounds like you had a blast!
Great picture of Bradessar there…wielding the Sword of the Spirit, is it?
Robert and I have a plan to build our own version of Bagshot Row one of these days…but they will be wizard rather than hobbit sized, since all the Brown males will be tall…and we just can’t have them banging their heads on lamps and doorways!
Andrew,
Great event last night. I enjoyed my short time talking with you, and I’m inspired to put up my thoughts on emergent church and how that translates into our online communities. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to do it on my rarely-updated blog in the future.
Andrew
P.S. Great name, my friend. 🙂
Andrew,
It was great hanging with you this last weekend. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye…we tried to leave early on Sunday to get home to our families.
Can you send me some titles of the books you mentioned to me that are written by French authors, Norwegian, etc…the ones on gift econonmy and new media stuff. Anything that you think is helpful.
rhett
hi rhett
as i mentioned, there are not many books that cover it all.
Kester Brewin tapped into Lewis Hydes “The Gift” when he did his chapter on gift in Signs of Emergence
Jean Luc Marion’s Being Given is great but more theoretical
I do have a blog post with some links here and here
Good to finally connect. Here’s my photo.
so what LOTR action figure were you dear one?
and oh, can you guess which one i am.. ( i’ve had this discussion in different lights….. but point was similar)
xo K8
I chose Faramir, the younger brother of Boromir, because he was not the first choice nor the most likely choice and he had his share of things holding him back but he found himself in position and did what he could.
Hey Andrew,
I was great meeting you at Michael’s!
You can find my blog here.
cheers