The Way of the Gift

(Excerpt) In his classic work on stewardship Helge Brattgard said that it is only as the Spirit of God, working through Word and Sacrament, leads [people] to be grateful for spiritual and material gifts received, and to see their responsibility for the administration of these gifts, that congregational life can result. 1 Unfortunately, after making this wonderful assertion, he like most other writers on stewardship remained surprisingly silent about how liturgical action a~d the broader life of the Christian shape one another

Lutheran Day School Operation: Financial Stewardship Implications

In addressing this problem as it faces Trinity Lutheran Church, the writer will survey other schools and determine the method that each congregation uses to fund the operation of its day school. My premise from the outset is that some of these day schools use the traditional means of funding through congregational offerings while others use member tuition as a major factor in the funding of their day schools. The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate the methods used and make application to Trinity for the best method of funding their day school operation

Interactivity and Spatiality - Experiences of Modelling Real Work Places as Virtual Places in a VR Collabortive Environment

In this paper I will discuss interactivity and spatiality, including the relationships between virtual places and work places. The paper reports some initial experiences of using a virtual reality (VR) tool for collaborative modelling. The aim was to investigate how well this technology could support participatory design of work environments. In a pilot study a group of researchers carried out an experiment of long distance collaborative design in a virtual environment. Interactivity and spatiality are important aspects that need to be considered in connection with emerging new technologies. In the experimental study the virtual environment represented a real work place quite satisfactory. The participants apprehended the virtual place as an interaction space for designing and communicating ideas in a smooth and unconstrained way. This initial work lays the basis for further research about future work places and use of new information technology, in a context of distributed work and various work environments including virtual places

Testing the reliability of humidity sensors through prolonged measurements traceable to calibration standards

This study looked at the accuracy of relative humidity sensors over a seven-month period at five locations. They were subjected to monthly traceable calibration in a climate-controlled chamber. We found the calibration output variance within sensors was smaller (0.4 ± 0.2 %RH: n= 5 sensors, each of which was exposed to nine humidity levels in the climatic chamber) than the manufacturers specifications (± 3.5 %RH). The study found differences in sensor output variance, which might be related to their working environment. Powered sensors in low ambient RH environments showed minimal differences over time (p > 0.05) when compared to powered sensors exposed to higher humidity environments (p < 0.05). To the author’s knowledge, there have been no previous reports on stability of calibration of humidity sensors over prolonged periods (seven months). This work gives the first indication of stability in relation to environmental conditions of use. It can be concluded that sensors should obtain regular recalibration if used continually (suggested every 6 months), however those in higher humidity environments appear to require more frequent re-calibration (approximately every 3 months)

Interactivity and Spatiality. Design of Future IT-enhanced Work Places

In this paper I will discuss interactivity and spatiality, including the relationships between technology-in-use, design and everyday practices. The paper reports some initial experiences from a field study at a technology-intensive control room and of using work-oriented approaches for collaborative design. In several studies a group of multidisciplinary researchers has carried out experiments of collaborative design in full-scale as well as virtual environments. The aim was to invetigate how well these methods could support participatory design of work environments. Some important concerns I believe we need to face are how the characteristics of technology-enhanced environments may influence the development of new work practices when emergent technologies give entirely new possibilities for communication and co-ordination over extended distances. Hence, an urgent matter is to create a holistic view on design of future IT-enhanced work places that takes into account the users experiences and everyday practices

Meerstemmig feestgedruis: Een terugblik op vijftig jaar tewerkstelling van personen met een handicap,1967-2017

Political Culture and National Identit

Disability, values and quality : a case study in Derbyshire

Cultural representations of disability reveal a cultural value system which characterises the disadvantage experienced by disabled people in terms of personal tragedy, the impaired body and otherness. The reproduction of these disabling values in the dominant discourses of British policy making have resulted in a mode of welfare production based on 'care', individualism and segregation. More recently, implementation of the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act has tended to consolidate rather than challenge this policy tradition. By contrast, the emergence of a strong disabled peoples' movement offers significant forms of resistance to dominant policy discourses through the development of social models of disability. In particular, Centres for Independent/Integrated Living have promoted an alternative agenda for enabling community support systems based on the values of participation, social integration and equality. Disabled people's organisations in Derbyshire were at the forefront of these developments in Britain. Their attempts to implement integrated living solutions within the policy framework of community care demonstrate significant conflicts over the definition of quality in service processes and outcomes. The study employs co-participatory methods to involve local service users and disabled people's organisations in exploring these issues within an emancipatory research paradigm. The data from this research highlights specific barriers to policy change and suggests that effective self-organisation within a cohesive social movement is a necessary pre-requisite for the liberation of disabled people. Ultimately, the agenda for change promoted by the disabled peoples' movement challenges not only attitudes and values but also the social relations of production and reproduction within a capitalist economy