there’s what sounds like (and probably is) a slightly technical piece of language floating around mission circles – modality and sodality. i have touched on it before a few times i think – here and certainly in my breakout talks. george lings who is a wise reflector on these things has clearly been thinking this over and has published his thoughts on the matter here in an article – understanding mission and church better through modality and sodality. and there is a conversation developing in the comments. this is an important conversation because it helps shift our imagination around what church might be – we have been so dominated by thinking the word church means gathered together for worship in a locality, this helps open up a different idea – yes church can be that but it is also a spread out community in mission. i guess you can see why i think it’s important… if anyone has a less technical language go and suggest it.