Posts Tagged ‘conversations’

Conversations and Sketchnotes: Reflections from BarCamp 6 in Charlotte

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Last Saturday, I attended BarCamp Charlotte 6 (@barcampclt). This "unconference" was in its sixth iteration, and I finally got over there. I wasn’t really sure of what to expect, but came away with a shirt pocket full of business cards, several side pockets of inspiration, and a few sketches that colored my impressions.

The day started off by me realizing that it would probably *not* be a good idea to bike to BarCamp. It was the low 40s (F) and I was in no shape going to be able to bike there with it that cool. Sure, it was going to warm up later, but even in driving there, most of us who weren’t already with a cup of coffee in the hand were looking for that warm-cup delievery.

Everyone got settled in as Adam (CPCC) gave us all a headsup for the day’s activities. First, there would be 30 second pitches by anyone who was able to give one for a discussion topic. The topic would get posted on a large wall and then we’d have a few minutes to mark our vote on the topic by marker or crayon. After the voting was over, the eight (8) highest voted pitches would be placed into one of two sessions (four sessions went on at a time).

The first session that I attended was about how to build a 3D printer by Hackerspace Charlotte (@hackerspaceclt). This was just one of those *too intriguing to miss* presenations. The presentation also included a piece in its second half called "why things explode," which I have to admit being one of those rare times where I kept hearing someone spout off things I didn’t know and was amazed at. Oh, the 3D printer, it apparently costs $350 for the total amount of materials and Hackerspace Charlotte has sessions on Wednesdays where they show you how to make one. Make your own screws, tools, stands, etc., for $350 and the cost of the plastic? Nice.

After that was one of the more energetic presenters that I’d seen during the day. Raquel Valez (@rockbot) giving a talk on her top 10 networking tips. From someone who’s merely known her from just following her Twitter timeline, it was impressive that she both did the talk off the cuff but also had 10 solid and very valid tips. IMO, she’s a networking beast and could teach more than networking if she had more time. Was a great talk, and was quite hard to keep with the discussion when others started chiming in (hence the drops of water around the ladder on the sketchnote).

Ah, the sketchnote. See, I had to go that route. There would have been normal notes, but so many people were doing that with iPads. Had to go with my brand ya know. And it goes some decent attention as well. Maybe I should…

We broke for lunch (I got a BarCamp 6 t-shirt) and then did the pitches and voting again. In this section, I stretched my networking legs a bit and got to talk with several folks who are doing some neat things in and around Charlotte. There’s a lot of energy to just see the entire city do well.

The first talk I attended in the second session was how to give an Ignite Charlotte talk by Bridget Sullivan (@sullybridgetb). Lots of tips there that were applicable for more than just Ignite formatted talks. Now, I do have to admit that I pushed a bit with a question that I had about an interactive talk. And I’ve got ideas on how one could work. But, after getting shot back a bit, I let the sketchnote for that session talk, and I think its something that could come back when its time to submit for topics.

The second and final talk of the day that I attended was about reshaping and refining education given the lack of preparation that people have in coming out of college and those who are in professions but being called to reset themselves in light of jobs and the economy. This talk was led by Bermon Painter (@bermonpainter) and was a nice cap on the emotional and action steps that an event like BarCamp instigates. I think that I was finally comfortable with the crowd because I talked a lot here. But, that’s my heart. Got to change the educational foundations if we are going to do the longest and most sustainable changes to the culture. If there’s a bigger focus on mentoring/discipleship, and then the curriculims focus not on rote subjects but the applicable methods in industries beyond and knitting of those subjects, we can see the changes we desire.

After a few more chats, that was it. The day was long, the weather warmed up, and it was just a bit of a fire ignited in me to continue connecting with several groups and people in the area. I’m looking forward to seeing some of those who attended BarCamp at other engagements in the coming months. And maybe I’ll even get around to fuller conversations with these persons and the initiatives they represent/forward.

One of the attendees of BarCamp and I took some exxtra conversations at Amelie’s Bakery afterwards. I’m really liking that spot as a place to just settle into rest and refreshing. The conversation, much like the connections at BarCamp Charlotte 6, were good towards upping the bar towards how I see and connect with life in this second stanza in Charlotte. BarCamp 7 might see a different me given all of that.

~ crossposted with Blog.AntoineRJWright

 

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How to Find Out What’s Happening with Mobile Ministry

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

paperboy shouting imageHow do you keep up with the topic of mobile ministry? Some people have asked this and there’s no real science to it, we basically just keep our ear to the ground and spend sufficient time reading what’s there, reaching for what isn’t, and relating to what makes sense.

Of course, we’ll also get the statement, “who has time to do that?” And so, here’s one tip towards keeping track of the conversation: follow what’s being talked about in the following Twitter searches:

So now you have the searches, what can you do with them?

First, if you have a Twitter account, these are searches that you will want to save and just make a part of your daily/weekly timeline. Simply seeing the discussions and bringing those items to the forefront in your organizations (meetings, conversations, etc.) will help enable conversation and activity in mobile ministry.

Second, you might not have a Twitter account, so here you can take advantage of RSS to keep you informed on these conversations. RSS is a format used online for syndicated data. In reference to these searches, they have an RSS (news)feed available in which you can use your browser (like Firefox, Opera, etc.) or a web service (like Google Reader, Netvibes, etc.) to save each of these searches and you’d have them for reference.

Third, you can save the links into the favorites/bookmarks area of your browser. This way you can just peek in on the conversations as they happen to have interest for you.

Now, the aspect of interpreting that data and turning it into actionable items is something that you will have to discern against your organization’s goals, issues, and available resources. You can’t expect all of your questions to be answered at this juncture – mobile ministry is a wide, not deep, conversation. But, there are elements of understanding what’s possible, what has happened, and what you can do if you engage some of the conversations taking place.

If you have other ways in which you keep up with conversations about mobile ministry, feel free to drop those in the comments as others will want to glean from your methods and share some of their own.

 

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The Importance of the Conversation

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Today has been a day of conversations; good conversations about technology, relevance, and keeping the threads livable between communities and age groups. It was impressed enough in these conversations that it should be noted that there is a legitimate fear amongst communities and their spiritual leaders that the rise of communication technologies in mobile and web would break not just those relationships, but the conversations between them.

There are only so many ways to allay the fears expressed. And I do so with care. Any change is scary. And specifically change that seems to uproot the very foundations of various institutions.

Picture the arguments for and against books within learning communities after the advent of the printing press. Where rhetoric was the accepted means of displaying what you’ve learned and translating that learning towards other audiences, now you simply needed to be able to write and have a means of distributing. The person or group with the better distribution systems would make the most noise, granting the most eyes, and therefore making their abilities to engage in speaking much easier (the audience was primed for their speaking and character).

The same types of challenges are happening now, but its key to understand that the conversation still has to remain. We are indeed instantly (and constantly) connected with one another in a form that very much mirrors the ability of God to speak to us (we use radio waves, He uses the Spirit). And this is good; we are accessible to one another.

Thing is, we also have to be transparent with one another. A person that I was speaking with today brought up the challenge of perception when it came to the virtual domain. His point was that if we did engage in these virtual relationships too often, or deeply enough, that our perception of the person might be more like our imagination of the person, rather than the reality of whom they are. I referenced the friendship that I have with one brother which has been totally virtual – and the standing question was whether we would think of another differently if the physical barrier (distance) was broached. I was tempted to say yes, but had to agree, despite the honestly of the fellowship that I have with my brother, we haven’t been face to face with one another. That’s a different challenge to communities and relationships today.

Which brings me back to maturity of the conversation. While its easier to accept person on a glance, it is in a conversation that we find the ideals and intents of people. Engaging within a conversation entails that we not just be present, but that we are actively listening to their words and actions. And then we respond in kind, being transparent to the environment that has been set for us.

I’m reminded of when Jesus sent out disciples and told them that there would be places where they would be heard and places where they would not. These places where they’d be able to keep and build a conversation, and therefore a brother; and those places where the people would not have such a fellowship and they were to “remove the dust from their sandals” as a mark against that community.

Now, I don’t think that we are called to be conversational adversaries with one another. Paul expounds on this “go out and converse” point when he says that we should do our best to live at peace with all people. But, to do so, we have to be willing to go to them and create a conversation. And within that conversation we’ll learn a bit about them, a bit more about us, and end up sharing life in such a way that should call into the relationship the Spirit that binds us.

In the conversations today, I hear a fear that the structures that we are used are being challenged, and its uncomfortable. I also heard of the wonderment and amazement of the reach that is literally at our fingertips. The challenge is blending the removal of that fear, with the energy of the opportunity. The opportunity is to create a conversation with another person, such that they see not the institution, but the word of the Spirit that binds us to one another, empowering the hearts for an eternal fellowship with the Father.

 

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