ClayPeople Community
Wow Nate! Dusk and Summer is gorgeous. Thanks for putting it into words.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Two Reflections: Grace and The Hidden Church
These reflections come from dialogues in my Contemporary Theology class...Thanks to Dr. Phil Ruge-Jones for the Halle Berry example.
Grace::Not a Matter of Acceptance
One could say that grace is like this...If I were on a beach and along comes Halle Berry. She's not wearing much. And she walks up to me and tells me "We are going to make out." This is something so wonderful that it wouldn't be a question of "did you accept" - OF COURSE I DID! Rather though you'd be asking me what it was like. I might even brag a bit and tell you. Something this good, the gift of salvation from God is not a matter acceptance. That's the wrong question. Acceptance isn't the same as active participation - like that of making out with Halle.
The Hidden Church
From Forde's "Where God Meets Man"
Forde, relying much on Luther, draws a distinction between a hidden and revealed church. Something that is hidden is not obviously visible - however if you were to look in perhaps unexpected places...if you look in the right place, you can find it. Clues of where this "hidden" church may be can be found by looking for the marks it leaves. The church leaves its marks when it reveals itself is acts of liberation.
The true church is made up of those liberated by the good news. It is the communion of believers, the bearer of the proclamation of freedom and hope.
So what does this mean for us?
I think we are seeking to be intentionally hidden. The revealed (or institutional) church serves its purpose - but the hidden church also has its purpose in its abiliy to leave its marks in places where a revealed church can not go. The Church should consider commissioning "secret" agents of change - missionaries or sorts to intentionally be the hidden church. To go undercover into our culture and to leave our "marks" of "caring for the poor and the sick, prayer, praise, and bearing one's cross". Perhaps our questions of being called to "The Church" are too simplistic. If we adopt this twofold vision of The Church, perhaps we can really start asking questions of discernment.
Grace::Not a Matter of Acceptance
One could say that grace is like this...If I were on a beach and along comes Halle Berry. She's not wearing much. And she walks up to me and tells me "We are going to make out." This is something so wonderful that it wouldn't be a question of "did you accept" - OF COURSE I DID! Rather though you'd be asking me what it was like. I might even brag a bit and tell you. Something this good, the gift of salvation from God is not a matter acceptance. That's the wrong question. Acceptance isn't the same as active participation - like that of making out with Halle.
The Hidden Church
From Forde's "Where God Meets Man"
Forde, relying much on Luther, draws a distinction between a hidden and revealed church. Something that is hidden is not obviously visible - however if you were to look in perhaps unexpected places...if you look in the right place, you can find it. Clues of where this "hidden" church may be can be found by looking for the marks it leaves. The church leaves its marks when it reveals itself is acts of liberation.
The true church is made up of those liberated by the good news. It is the communion of believers, the bearer of the proclamation of freedom and hope.
So what does this mean for us?
I think we are seeking to be intentionally hidden. The revealed (or institutional) church serves its purpose - but the hidden church also has its purpose in its abiliy to leave its marks in places where a revealed church can not go. The Church should consider commissioning "secret" agents of change - missionaries or sorts to intentionally be the hidden church. To go undercover into our culture and to leave our "marks" of "caring for the poor and the sick, prayer, praise, and bearing one's cross". Perhaps our questions of being called to "The Church" are too simplistic. If we adopt this twofold vision of The Church, perhaps we can really start asking questions of discernment.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Heaven We Have Problem: Part 2
In my first entry with this title I prayed this quote by Minnah Cuntu...
Christianity has been buried inside the walls of churches and secured with the shackles of dogmatism. Let it be liberated to come into the midst of us and teach us freedom, equality, and love.
I elaborated on this prayer in my journaling...
Buried beneath the debris of foundationalism - from the walls which are falling down. The walls of our churches are thicker than those of Berlin and Israel and more militarized than our southern Border.
Secured with the shackles of dogmatism - locked with the key of political power and chained with links of riligous piety, self-righteousness, and desperate presevation.
Let it be liberated from these places by people of clay - by this emerging generation. Lord let us be a generation of revolution...of movers and shakers...of Holy shit stirers and yet gracious lovers, tender caregivers, faithful servants, loving children - teaching freedom from stagnant places, equality with in The Body and love like we've never even imagined.
The pictures above where taken from INTERMISSION these past two weeks. I pray that in some way our ministry experiment with worship in these ways contributes to my prayers for The Church
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Finally Together...Online.
Nate, Your blog is great...thanks for sharing. This community indeed is something special, a special call from God to be taking risks and to be re-imagining church. As we prepare the next few weeks to meet for the first time as ClayPeople Community I'm amazed at how far we've gone in just this short amount of time. A missional, holistic community...Mission in that we seek to sent first and gathered second. Holistic in that we seek to live lives centered on our calling to follow Christ - its about a spirituality not separated from the rest our lives.
Fences and Wells...
Ranches here in Texas have fences. These fences are to distinguish what cattle are in and out of a particular herd. They are to establish boundaries of where they can go and where they can not. But in Australia, the ranches could not possibly construct fences because the land area is to vast. Instead, they build wells. In their borderless fields the herd wonders freely and the ranchers do not worry because they know they will return to the well for water - to quench their thirst and be replenished for another day out in the fields.
I hope that this place, and this community, is a well and not a fench for us...for the church.
Fences and Wells...
Ranches here in Texas have fences. These fences are to distinguish what cattle are in and out of a particular herd. They are to establish boundaries of where they can go and where they can not. But in Australia, the ranches could not possibly construct fences because the land area is to vast. Instead, they build wells. In their borderless fields the herd wonders freely and the ranchers do not worry because they know they will return to the well for water - to quench their thirst and be replenished for another day out in the fields.
I hope that this place, and this community, is a well and not a fench for us...for the church.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Credos
I've been rethinking Creeds lately. The thing that strikes me about creeds is that they have an ability to connect us to those who have come before. But its more than that really...well it used to be. See I've thinking that our ancient brothers and sisters in Christ believed that that their hearts were actually the center of their being. Unlike mondern understanding that the brain contains what makes us human (the ability to speak language, think complex thoughts, etc.), for the ancient Christian "belief" meant committing the heart to. A literal translation here makes me think merely of committing my heart and my love to that belief. But committing the central essense of our being to something is different (for me anyways).
So a creed could be...
I committ my heart - that which is my center...my every essence of my being to God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth...
I committ my heart - that which is my center...my every essense of my being to Jesus Christ...
I committ my heart - that which is my center...my every essence of my being to the church...
AMEN.
[a thought about "church" in this use. For myself I have to think about "church" as the followers of Christ and not simply a particular tradition or denomination. In this way I'm confessing to committ myself to the struggle, tension, messiness of being in relationship with people]
So a creed could be...
I committ my heart - that which is my center...my every essence of my being to God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth...
I committ my heart - that which is my center...my every essense of my being to Jesus Christ...
I committ my heart - that which is my center...my every essence of my being to the church...
AMEN.
[a thought about "church" in this use. For myself I have to think about "church" as the followers of Christ and not simply a particular tradition or denomination. In this way I'm confessing to committ myself to the struggle, tension, messiness of being in relationship with people]
Sunday, August 27, 2006
The Dust on My Feet
I just got home from a weekend leadership retreat with the LYO in my synod. The retreat was for youth, young adults and adults who serve on ministry teams. These ministry teams get training (at this retreat)and then a part of the youth gatherings. But while I participated with a team, I'm not sure thats why God called me to be there. Yet again, I'm curious if that wasn't an excuse to get me there so I could build relationships. - Here's some of my reflections from this past weekend.
[From video with Rob Bell]
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus walks on water during a storm - the disciples are in a boat. Peter eventually walks out into the water and starts to walk on water. BUT, after a strong gust of wind he gets scared and he starts sinking. Jesus says: "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"
I've heard this story many times...but Rob Bell points out that the Jewish culture understood something unique here. Jewish boys memorized the Torah - and if they were good enough would be chosen to learn more. Eventually they would approach a Rabbi and ask to be their disciple - because they admired that Rabbi and wanted to do the things of that Rabbi. This is a great parallel to the kind of Rabbi Jesus was. Instead he calls the disciples (who have been overlooked for disicpleship before - they already failed the test)SO this is important when Peter starts walking on water. HE IS DOING THE THINGS HIS RABBI IS DOING. Jesus called the disciples believing in them - that they could indeed do this very thing called discipleship. When he starts sinking, its not that he is doubting Jesus - Jesus is STILL walking on water right there in front of him. He doubts that he could really be like Jesus.
Are we walking on water and starting to doubt that indeed we are meant to do this calling?
I went on two walks with one my mentors. This mentor is not on my mentoring team whom I see often and they is a mutual covenant for mentorship in place. Anyways, the first walk we were with a friend - dreaming about the possibility of creating a permanent relationship between an El Paso border ministry and a Katrina effected congregation. The second walk was this morning. I told her about ClayPeople and where we are. She gave some great, challenging questions. This mentor really has gifts with organization. More than anything though I got my feet covered in dust. I couldn't help but think this was the kind of teaching that Jesus did. Long walks, dusty feet and hard questions. Until the whole walking on water thing...I wonder if walking on water means getting your feet covered in dust?
[From video with Rob Bell]
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus walks on water during a storm - the disciples are in a boat. Peter eventually walks out into the water and starts to walk on water. BUT, after a strong gust of wind he gets scared and he starts sinking. Jesus says: "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"
I've heard this story many times...but Rob Bell points out that the Jewish culture understood something unique here. Jewish boys memorized the Torah - and if they were good enough would be chosen to learn more. Eventually they would approach a Rabbi and ask to be their disciple - because they admired that Rabbi and wanted to do the things of that Rabbi. This is a great parallel to the kind of Rabbi Jesus was. Instead he calls the disciples (who have been overlooked for disicpleship before - they already failed the test)SO this is important when Peter starts walking on water. HE IS DOING THE THINGS HIS RABBI IS DOING. Jesus called the disciples believing in them - that they could indeed do this very thing called discipleship. When he starts sinking, its not that he is doubting Jesus - Jesus is STILL walking on water right there in front of him. He doubts that he could really be like Jesus.
Are we walking on water and starting to doubt that indeed we are meant to do this calling?
I went on two walks with one my mentors. This mentor is not on my mentoring team whom I see often and they is a mutual covenant for mentorship in place. Anyways, the first walk we were with a friend - dreaming about the possibility of creating a permanent relationship between an El Paso border ministry and a Katrina effected congregation. The second walk was this morning. I told her about ClayPeople and where we are. She gave some great, challenging questions. This mentor really has gifts with organization. More than anything though I got my feet covered in dust. I couldn't help but think this was the kind of teaching that Jesus did. Long walks, dusty feet and hard questions. Until the whole walking on water thing...I wonder if walking on water means getting your feet covered in dust?
Sunday, August 13, 2006
A New Season for Me
So its Sunday evening and early next week I begin my journey to school. I'll be in New Orleans catching a few people before heading off to Ft. Worth, Texas to spend some just a couple of days with my grandparents. Finally a week from today I'll arrive back on campus. I'm anxious. I'm nervous. I'm ready. I'm excited. This is going to be a new season for me.
I say its going to be a "new season" for me because not only do my surrounding look different (new relationships, new focues of energy, etc) but the season of my heart is also different. These days my heart yearns for very different things. I find myself yearning for more routine, more/deeper relationships on campus, for community, and even to be challenged in my faith journey. This is all quiet different from my old self. With the coming of a new season of course comes the close of the old. I do lift up my prayers of thanks to God for my past season - it brought me to where I am and blessed me richly. So here's goodbye to the old season which looked a bit like this...
This past season saw my life centered around various spining satellites around me: extra cirriculars, a music major, a serious girlfriend, an anorexic social life, and ministry with Intermission (me as "leader") and the Lutheran Youth Organization/ELCA. I had little time for people. I did not understand the sabbath. I invested a great deal of myself into things in various, scattered areas.
It's my hope that this season will bring me to new places - up mountains I've never dreamed of climbing. Its my prayer that God would bless me with companions, community, to make the journey with. Its my hope that this is a season of streamlined and focused life and ministry. Its my prayer that God slow me down. Its my hope that this community will be a significant part of this new season. I pray for you all - that God would sustain you in your journies.
peace friends.
Tim
I say its going to be a "new season" for me because not only do my surrounding look different (new relationships, new focues of energy, etc) but the season of my heart is also different. These days my heart yearns for very different things. I find myself yearning for more routine, more/deeper relationships on campus, for community, and even to be challenged in my faith journey. This is all quiet different from my old self. With the coming of a new season of course comes the close of the old. I do lift up my prayers of thanks to God for my past season - it brought me to where I am and blessed me richly. So here's goodbye to the old season which looked a bit like this...
This past season saw my life centered around various spining satellites around me: extra cirriculars, a music major, a serious girlfriend, an anorexic social life, and ministry with Intermission (me as "leader") and the Lutheran Youth Organization/ELCA. I had little time for people. I did not understand the sabbath. I invested a great deal of myself into things in various, scattered areas.
It's my hope that this season will bring me to new places - up mountains I've never dreamed of climbing. Its my prayer that God would bless me with companions, community, to make the journey with. Its my hope that this is a season of streamlined and focused life and ministry. Its my prayer that God slow me down. Its my hope that this community will be a significant part of this new season. I pray for you all - that God would sustain you in your journies.
peace friends.
Tim
Friday, August 04, 2006
Distinguishing Ideas on "Community"
I found these to be help in understanding "community" versus group, team, etc.
Formation
Communities are voluntarily connected in search of genuine and meaningful experiences.
Focus
Communities add qualitative relationships, meaning, and experiences, to the oranization, organism, or movements to which they are connected.
Membership
Communities have no bound membership and people tend to come and go based on their continuing interest in the journey.
Outside Assistance
Communities align with champions or advocates (partners, stakeholders) who come alongside them for the long-term relationship and journey
Recruitment
Communities look for people of passion who want to have fun to bring exciting experiences to community participants and a spiritual strategic journey
Benefits
Communities benefit ministries and congregations by providing more enthusiasim and meaningful relationships with in them.
Style of Work
Communities dialouge, engage in discernment activities and arrive at the best solutions for a particular opportunity or challenge.
Does this sound like the nature of our community?
Tim
Formation
Communities are voluntarily connected in search of genuine and meaningful experiences.
Focus
Communities add qualitative relationships, meaning, and experiences, to the oranization, organism, or movements to which they are connected.
Membership
Communities have no bound membership and people tend to come and go based on their continuing interest in the journey.
Outside Assistance
Communities align with champions or advocates (partners, stakeholders) who come alongside them for the long-term relationship and journey
Recruitment
Communities look for people of passion who want to have fun to bring exciting experiences to community participants and a spiritual strategic journey
Benefits
Communities benefit ministries and congregations by providing more enthusiasim and meaningful relationships with in them.
Style of Work
Communities dialouge, engage in discernment activities and arrive at the best solutions for a particular opportunity or challenge.
Does this sound like the nature of our community?
Tim
The Journey
Excerpts from "The Celtic Way of Prayer" (De Waal)
The monastic life has always been that of continual conversation, moving on, the never-ending transformation of the old into the new...It is also surprising and risky, not necessarily following any clear-cut pattern of having some end and goal in view so that the purpose can be clearly established and then followed. [Lets take a look at] the Celtic understanding of peregrinatio, a word and concept found no where else in Christendom.
The word itself is almost untranslatable, but its essence is caught in the ninth-century story of three Irishmen drifting over the sea from Ireland for seven days, in coracles with out oars, coming ashore in Cornwall and then being brought to the court of King Alfred. When he asked them where they had come from and where they were going they answered that they: "stole away because we wanted for the love of God to be on a pilgrimage, we cared not where."
It seems to me that we to want for the love of God to be on a pilgrimage - may God granted us the will to care not where.
And from my journal:
(song lyrics from entertheworshipcircle)
"When I was a baby you held me close
When I was just a child you showed the way I should go
When I'm old and grey you'll never leave me
You're right by my side
How am I gonna thank you
If I can't get my arms around you
I know that you saved me
but I don't know, I don't know
How far you had to reach
I swim in your deep love
But I don't know, I don't know
How far or how deep
I know that you're good, Lord
But I don't know, I don't know
why you're so good to me"
with wonder,
Tim
The monastic life has always been that of continual conversation, moving on, the never-ending transformation of the old into the new...It is also surprising and risky, not necessarily following any clear-cut pattern of having some end and goal in view so that the purpose can be clearly established and then followed. [Lets take a look at] the Celtic understanding of peregrinatio, a word and concept found no where else in Christendom.
The word itself is almost untranslatable, but its essence is caught in the ninth-century story of three Irishmen drifting over the sea from Ireland for seven days, in coracles with out oars, coming ashore in Cornwall and then being brought to the court of King Alfred. When he asked them where they had come from and where they were going they answered that they: "stole away because we wanted for the love of God to be on a pilgrimage, we cared not where."
It seems to me that we to want for the love of God to be on a pilgrimage - may God granted us the will to care not where.
And from my journal:
(song lyrics from entertheworshipcircle)
"When I was a baby you held me close
When I was just a child you showed the way I should go
When I'm old and grey you'll never leave me
You're right by my side
How am I gonna thank you
If I can't get my arms around you
I know that you saved me
but I don't know, I don't know
How far you had to reach
I swim in your deep love
But I don't know, I don't know
How far or how deep
I know that you're good, Lord
But I don't know, I don't know
why you're so good to me"
with wonder,
Tim
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