The Mills of God?

Ok, I admit it. I'm feeling just a little smug. Let me explain. I was taking a quick look at the site of the Scottish Episcopal Church" - just to see if there was any news of interest before I head off to our diocesan Synod tomorrow. And there I found the main item of news to be the re-appearance of the Lent Blog to which I referred the other day. Quite apart from the fact that it's good to see a blog to which I contribute being highlighted, there's the whole business of blogging within the church.

It seems only yesterday, though it's more like three years, since I was being patronised at General Synod for my enthusiastic (and public) endorsement of blogging as a means of communication and ministry. It is exactly a year since I addressed the Diocesan Synod on communications, and in particular Web 2.0-type communications, and was variously laughed at, quietly, ignored and berated by people who seemed to have no intention of ever taking up any of my suggestions. But I shall obviously just have to wait. The more far-flung parts of this diocese - the ones with most to gain from internet use - obviously have a long journey to make before they catch up, but today's news story gives me hope.

It's these Mills of God, isn't it - they grind kinda slowly, even now.

Luddites in the glens

Will there come the day when everyone will regard the use of computers/internet/social software as normal? I deliberately arranged the above in order of provocation, for I find myself wandering in a world of dinosaurs. The other week we even experienced problems meeting someone off the ferry because, although he possesses a mobile phone, he rarely switches it on - out of irritation, it seemed, at mobile phone users.

I am about to embark yet again on part of my crusade to save money by using online technology instead of paper. We've actually managed to discard the paper, but I still have to explain about PDF files and not rushing to print everything rather than read it onscreen. But why is it that I always seem to end up feeling as if I'm somehow out of order because I use what most of my online friends would regard as fairly basic technology? I know I'll be treated as if I'm the misfit - or as if being in possession of a laptop and using a wireless connection qualifies me as devil's spawn.

Maybe it's something to do with my age. Maybe the fact that I exist upsets people of my generation who would rather remain in the 20th century. I get the same vibes as I did when I confessed (note the use of the word) to watching Star Trek. Ladies of a certain age should know their place and wear a twinset. Or maybe, in this neck of the woods, a tweed skirt. But I don't, and I won't, and I'm no longer prepared to make concessions to luddites. If anyone reading this has any tips to share to make the luddites somehow eager to learn/try/get broadband in their remote glens I'd be glad to hear from them. Otherwise, just spare me a kindly thought on Wednesday.