CMS annual gathering and conversations day for pioneers - this year in gathertown*.

We’ll be exploring Pioneer Practice – sharing wisdom, struggles, stories and how it works on the ground.

Think virtual festival: multiple venues, interactive labyrinth and prayer spaces, themed conversations, research findings, workshops, networking spaces – a place to meet friends old and new, to be inspired and encouraged.

We hope EVERYONE will come! You are welcome… if you are a pioneer, if you are interested in pioneering or mission (or both!), if you want to spend time with pioneers or cheer them on. And from anywhere in the world if you can make the time difference work.

A gathering perhaps like no other – join us whether you are just starting out or have blazed a trail and have wisdom to share.

The details:

April 21 2021

Programme from 10:30am to 10:00pm UK time**

Cost: £19, or £9 if you are a student or hard up – we trust your judgement.

The first 25 tickets booked will get a free printed copy of Pioneer Practice, a full colour book we’re producing on the theme with 200 pages of practical wisdom for pioneers, to be published in April.

Here is a bit more detail so you know what to expect

Spaces and Venues

Goodmakers - a venue hosted by Cathers from Goodmakers Society exploring all things pioneering related to making good in the world. If you have an idea and want to know how to work with it to make it real, this is the venue for you.
Toolshed - hosted by Richard Passmore and Gavin Mart this workshop space will showcase and explore tools that help with pioneer practice on the ground. A tool helps you do something better, more easily or quickly than you could without it.
Story - hosted by Sarah Clarke and Luke Larner. A storytelling tent to hear and share stories of pioneer practice.
Starfish networking space - hosted by Andrea Campanale with the starfish team. Meet others that share your passion for pioneering around a related theme. Just drop in.
Panels - hosted by Jonny Baker, Shannon Hopkins and Harvey Kwiyani. Four panels creating lively conversation on themes related to pioneer practice.
Mind The Gap - hosted by Tina Hodgett and Paul Bradbury. A venue for reimagining church and missional community.
Breathe Prayer Space - a space to get away and slow down and pray. It includes the wonderful St Paul’s millennium labyrinth respun by Grace for gather.town. Close by will be some one to one spiritual direction sessions.
Wild Wood - hosted by Johnny Sertin, Rachel Summers and Gillian Traverse. There is an outdoor woodland ‘The Glade’ and the funky ‘Treehouse’ where you can dive into pioneer practice, biospirituality and the outdoors. Rewild your soul!
Research lounge - hosted by Cathy Ross and James Butler. Grab a sofa and hear from students and researchers exploring the contours of pioneer practice.
The Oratory - a programme of talks and presentations to inspire and reflect on pioneer practice.

As if that wasn’t enough there are some social spaces to explore. As well as the main site which is a greenspace, there is a beach, a garden, and the moon where you can go and hang out.

Programme

The programme is now here so you can plan what you would like to attend. It includes a map of the site so well worth downloading.

At the start and end of the day (10:30am and 4pm) there will be a choice of 4 worship slots ranging from maranatha yoga to creative liturgy.

There are slots in a range of venues at 11am, 12noon, 2pm and 3pm which include talks, panels, interactive sessions, workshops and so on.

After a break where you get away from screen or hang out with friends in gather.town there is an evening programme from 7:30pm onwards with a quiz, performance cafe, campfire, and DJ'd set in cocktail bar.

*an online environment that is fun, dynamic and easy to navigate

** The site will be open from 7:00am so you can come in, explore and orient yourself. If you arrive early you can also meet people. Then the day programme will run from 10:30-4:30pm with plenty of breaks. Then there will be an evening programme from 7:30pm. So it will not be online for 12 hours! And of course you can opt in and out as you wish.

Gather!