Emerging Church

I listened to this podcast by Diana Butler Bass yesterday, "Mainline Churches engage the Emerging Conversation", while trying to work, which means it'll need a relisten; however, what did filter through was very interesting. My only critique is that every once in awhile condescending language escapes from her.

Emerging church has been happening in the UK for over a decade, and if you live in SA area St. David's is beginning to experiment with the concept.

For myself, perhaps I'm a bit a of low church traditionalist (anglo-catholic) who believes in the precepts of emerging church as the way for mainline churches to engage the post-modern world. Emerging church is the radical hospitality way of meeting people where they are at. Even the emergent leaders themselves see emerging/emergent in slightly different lights, which I think is good. It's flexible.

One of my emergent thorns is this belief or statements that pastors over 40 don't get it. As a near 40 something I take offense. Youth doesn't automatically make you clever or somehow more "hip/cool/sick"...plus many of the "known" emergent leaders are no longer spring chickens themselves. So, yeah comments that smack of ageism irritate me.

I think as mainline churches continue to struggle with declining numbers it is my hope that new possibilities of being church emerge.

Sermons

Well, I finally finished my sermon to myself on my ordination day. I've been told that priests only have one sermon in them and that it just gets re-written in variations. If that's the case, well then I'm pleased with what my broken record will sound like :)

Like the song

Yea! I mean this is wonderful.

Today was meeting #5 with my pastor, and it went really well. He liked my Spiritual Autobiography that I was afraid he was going to really not like; he has a few suggestions for clarity and perhaps include xyz things. But, overall he said it was very good and that I continue to do good work.

He gave me my last reflection assignment, which is exhilarating and humbling at the same time, which is to write my own ordination sermon to myself. And then I have to get my ministry contract tightened up.

His last words were that he will check with the parish discernment committee lead about checking into the possibility of a committee being put together for me in October!

I'm so excited and happy scared (if that makes any sense)! But, to feel joyous, to feel affirmed, to be making one more step -- is a gift. So today I will honor and cherish my joy.

Peace.

Ordination

Reordering of Hyperlinks

Ah, ok - so I rearranged my hyperlinks...returned some sense of order to them, and added new links. Are you one of those people who keeps lists of things and places even possibly words you want to remember? They aren't to-do lists, but mini references -- really don't want to keep searching for this everytime I've a chance to get around to it sort of things -- I am.

I've read so much these past four months that I can't keep it all in my head. I'm hoping that instead I've absorbed it though, integrated most of it into my being. Especially the emergent church stuff. I read nearly all of it at a speed that isn't conducive to remembering and then I wasn't able to use what I was reading right away, or really discuss what I was reading. So...I need to go back and skim a couple of the books for the things I highlighted, to get back that vocabulary if you will. I need to super-search for things that can be helpful for me if I proceed to "Step 2" while there's time.

I've again derailed my meditation prayer time, though I've been better at getting some exercise in. I find I'm craving silence of the solitude sort. I don't need a quiet retreat per say more a need for time to go off quietly into a room where I can expect no interruptions for 20 minutes or so. How do you get this for yourself when your day of doing starts at 5:30am and ends around 8:30pm? Ok, ok intentional, taking care of yourself means you can better take care of others. Yes, I know these things -- but I am not good at honoring my knowing them.

Anyways, I keep trying, and eventually I'll figure it :)

Bon Iver