Curating Worship book launch

My good friend and former CMS colleague Jonny Baker had the launch of his new book "Curating Worship" at the scooter cafe in Waterloo on Thursday night. I made a joke as I left that I will hide the book catching the tube home as its tube theme might draw peoples attention to me.I ended up reading it as I traveled and even was brave enough to take this photo as I waited for my train!! Jonny's book is trying to challenge the church to think a bit differently and creatively. Instead of going along with the models of church worship we are used to with a leader at the front directing/leading others. This book is very much an insight into Jonny himself. I always used to say he had the power of delegation, but you know what I think I meant was the power of curation. He has actually not written much of the book himself! He has curated a book about curation! His definition of it sums it up: "A worship curator makes a context and a frame for worship, arranging elements in it. The content is provided by other people." This is certainly a good educational model of involving the participants in their own learning. Often in worship we can feel like an audience passively participating with our mind wondering off to other things. I am the kind of person who likes to do things and be involved in a more practical way so the ideas in this book appeal to my kind of personality/learning style. It was great to meet Martin Poole who tells his story in the book. He is responsible for turning beach huts into a living advent calendar over the last few Christmas's. I love this idea of taking something known to everyone and using it n a creative way outside of the four walls of the church to present the chrisitian message in a new and creative way. I'll read on!