Shock Horror - Blogging leads to actual human contact...

I sometimes wonder how healthy the world of blogging is. I mean, is it encouraging more people to have a voice and express their views, or is it discouraging face to face contact and encouraging people to measure their self worth and popularity by how many comments they receive?

Well, here is proof that blogging can actually generate human contact. A few weeks back, I was on Jonny Baker's blog: http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/

He linked to a magazine article talking about the emerging church. At the bottom of that it linked to an alternative worship group happening in New York called Mass With a Beat:
http://masswithabeat.org/

It linked to New York church called Church of the Epiphany. As we were trying to find churches to visit while on holiday, I had a look at the website and discovered that the diocese was holding a barbecue for people in their 20s and 30s while we were in NY. So, I emailed them and cheekily got an invite. We ended up meeting loads of lovely people at the Cathedral of St John the Divine. It was so cool to meet some proper New Yorkers and chat about our different countries and Christianity. The evening also included alternative worship courtesy of Mass With a Beat and communion. I thought the liturgy and music were both inspiring and moving. It was also very odd to look down and see that some of the stuff used was courtesy of Jonny Baker - a small world! We also got some inside info about where to go and what to do to avoid some of the tourist traps. We then went along to a bar with our new found friends.

Things got even better when we were invited to Isaac's apartment for a party the following night. We felt way too cool going to a house party in Brooklyn. It was a really good night and at this point I could insert some really cool pictures of Isaac's 'new' 1979 cadillac if I had worked out how to post pictures. Aaargh. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly; they really were great people. Some discussion was had as to why Blair was re-elected but it was like the pot calling the kettle black or whaever the ridiculous saying is.

The BBQ also led to our encounter with the Four Seasons Hotel but that is for another time...

So, there you go. Blogging actually forms relationships! And it also prove that I spend way too much time clicking on random web pages. Hhhmm