rough week

it's been a really rough week; with some really good times interspersed. I shouldn't get into a lot of detail; but had to make some decisions and had some conversations that were very hard; had big impact on other people, hurt some people's feelings, disappointed some...

I tried to do everything well; but know I know I made some mistakes along the way. I just felt several times throughout the week like the grim reaper--the bearer of bad news.

it was pretty exhausting spiritually and emotionally. 

but I also had some good times...great time with Bud, lunch downtown and a visit to the Studio Gallery...Elise gave a fantastic lecture on The Artist and Faith in Community. Afterward several of us hung out at Lisa's house and had great conversation about worship. At times like that I really feel God's presence realize how special this faith community is.

Also had special time with my boys, got a few things done at work, and watched some good TV (finished season 1 of Deadwood.)

A lot to do in the coming week, then we're on vacation--Nashville, Lake Martin, AL, and Atlanta. Should be a great road trip!

a classy move

Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards signed a new contract for $111 million over six years, even though the Wizards offered him $127 million. He took less money so the team would have more to pay other players.

"What can I do for my family with $127 million that I can't do for $111 million?" asked Arenas.

wow. makes sense to me. Great to see a top professional athlete more concerned with his team than himself. 

I still think it's ridiculous what we pay athletes.

don't miss this!

starting next week at Convergence--this will be a great opportunity to see where we are headed in some areas and how important this is to our community and our world.

The Artist and Faith in Community

Artist in Residence, Elise Edwards, will lead a series of lecture and discussion groups in July on the theme of the Artist and Faith in Community. 
This series is free and open to the public. 
Thursdays, July 10, 17 & 24 at  7:00 pm

 

Discussion Topics:

^{-What is the place of the artist in Christian community?}

^{-Worship Planning and the Design Process}

^{-The Connection Between Art, Faith and Civic Engagement}

Elise is an architect and designer. She holds an MTS degree from the John Leland Center for Theological Studies and is a Ph.D. student at Claremont Graduate School in Claremont CA. Elise is also a founding member of Convergence and the designer of our renovation projects.

update and random thoughts

after a crazy couple of weeks, Monday was a great day. We did a little housework in the morning, set up Jamie's new iMac (my macbook seems puny now!), and spent the afternoon relaxing and playing with our boys.

It was the best day I've had in a long time, just relaxing and recharging and enjoying my beautiful family!

Watching season 1 of Deadwood. The language is rough, but like most HBO series, has incredible writing and acting.

Interesting article about Bruce Springsteen and spirituality at the Washington Post. 

Last week I got tickets to see him next month in Richmond with my friend Kenny. Can't wait!

work is good--we continue to meet new people, and the sense of community and intimacy is growing. I really look forward to Sunday afternoons these days.

Josh and Shey are home now; Rowan is doing well. Please keep praying for Shey--still having back problems.

Had lunch with my friend Chris yesterday; he reminded me fantasy football is not far off--hooray!

time for dinner...

challenging time

This is a really challenging season in life. I have four dear friends (two couples) dealing with serious marriage trouble...several friends struggling with depression...two sick boys, and a wife who isn’t sleeping much, exhausted from running our home…one of my favorite people is in the midst of chemotherapy...one of my best friends is a new dad, but both mom and baby are dealing with health issues...another close friend, moving toward marriage, recently hit a huge bump in the road...another friend whose mother is dying. 

So many people I care about are really hurting and struggling. One of my strengths is being compassionate and sympathetic…but it can also be a weakness…taking the weight of all these burdens of the people I love.

I feel heavier than I have in a long time. I am behind on several projects at work, garden full of weeds, much yard work to do; home office is covered with piles and stacks that need to be gone through. Church—more people I want to spend time with than I have time.

But I will not despair. My problems really aren't that big. And through it all, I have experienced God's presence like never before. This idea of whole-life worship we have been exploring has become very real to me. So I hold onto God, the one constant in life.

blog changes

I'm taking back my blog...I started this a couple years ago; then switched it to be a blog about Convergence...but I realize there are things I want to write about that aren't as applicable to church (like my masterful post on the greatest sports movies of all time.)

So this blog will go back to being more about me, my faith journey, my family and friends, and my observations about life, God, sports, books, movies, and music.

We will have one Convergence blog--Lisa and I will both contribute, as well as guest writers. You can find it here. 

thanks for hanging out here--and please give me your feedback!

tc

I pray because...

Over the last few months we've talked a lot about prayer, and done a lot of praying. While we have just scratched the service as far as answering questions about prayer, our practice of prayer has made a great impact on our community. It has been very encouraging for me personally.

We will continue to make prayer a primary part of who we are and what we do, and look for opportunities to continue the conversation. 

The most common question discussed was "why do we pray?" Many of us have done it for years, because we were taught it was crucial for Christians. But it's also one of those things that we do without really thinking much about it. We had some great conversation about this, and while I don't know if we found any revolutionary answers, it did challenge me to think about why I pray. Here are some of my thoughts:

I pray because I know I can't make life work on my own.

I pray because I need to be connected to more than just what I can see and touch.

I pray because I need to know that I am not alone.

I pray because I have seen God work supernaturally, in my life and the lives of others.

I pray because I gain strength and insight when I do.

I pray because sometimes at midnight, God is the only one listening.

I pray because the Bible, full of wisdom and insight into God and humankind, tells me it is crucial.

I pray because it helps me feel God's presence.

I pray because I love God.

I pray because I believe God loves me.

gay marriage protester rant

Yesterday the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages. (read about it here.) Two elderly lesbians, icons of the gay-rights movement who had been together for over 50 years, were the first couple married Monday evening by San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom.

Protesters outside the courthouse carried signs that read "Re-criminalize Sodomy" and "God Hates Lying Sinners."

One protester said, "I think God is going to destroy this nation, not just...California. Look at all our jobs, our jobs are going overseas. God is judging this nation. It's going to get worse."

Not really sure what this guy is saying...God is sending our jobs overseas because gay people get married? interesting. What is He doing because of all the straight people getting divorced?

As a Christian, I am brokenhearted by people who wave signs announcing God's hatred. How does that help anyone? Do people believe anyone is going to be drawn toward God by that? 

I also think that we get so caught up in issues that we forget behind all this are people. People with families and feelings and dreams. People with jobs and friends, and yes, even people who love God.

I'm not telling you to be in favor of gay marriage. (But I'm not telling you to be against it either). that's my rant for today.

thirsting for God

O God, you are my God,

  earnestly I seek you;

  my soul thirsts for you,

  in a dry and weary land

  where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

  and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

  my lips will glorify you.

--Psalm 63:1-3

We spent time in worship practicing some of the spiritual disciplines we've learned recently--Lectio Divina, breath prayer, Daily Examen...I spent time in Psalm 63:1-3, specifically the phrase "My soul thirsts for you."

I don't often feel that way. I want to. This past week I spent some time listening to the soundtrack to Jesus Christ Superstar.

When I was a kid, my parents had the album. I remember listening to it over and over, there was such power in the songs.

I recently got a copy on CD and spent some time listening to it while driving--and had a very powerful sense of worship. The lyrics and the music took me into the events of the last week of Jesus' life like nothing has in a long time. Some of the songs, especially those sung by Mary Magdalene, convey a longing for Jesus that I yearn for.

Some of the songs sound very "70's," but most hold up surprisingly well 35 years later. I highly recommend taking a listen! 

Leland graduation

today was a good day, at the end of a heavy week. Please pray for my friends Josh and Shey. They had a baby Tuesday, Rowan, but Shey is having severe back problems, and has been in serious pain for over a week. Rowan is in the hospital at UVA, his lungs were weak but are getting better. Today Shey was transferred to the hospital at UVA, where the whole family is now together.

Today was graduation at Leland. Josh was supposed to graduate, but obviously couldn't be there. I was asked to stand in for Josh and receive his diploma--it was a great honor.

Congrats to Tom Lynch, who also graduated today!

sbc stuff

I grew up going to Southern Baptist churches, and am grateful for the ways I was loved and taught. I did most of my MDiv work at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. It has saddened me to have to distance myself from the Southern Baptist Convention, but we have been moving in different directions for many years now.

I often find myself explaining to people that I love the history and theology of Baptists, but that I no longer feel any connection to Southern Baptists. The SBC has such a negative image in our culture these days; in my opinion, it is deserved.

I rarely get into these discussions, but saw some stuff coming out of the SBC national meeting this week that helps explain my feelings.

In his opening address, SBC Executive Committee president Morris Chapman said, 

"Southern Baptists believe that the local church in New Testament times was autonomous, and thus our local churches are autonomous."

Later a proposal was referred to the executive committee that would amend the SBC's constitution to disallow affiliation by churches that have female senior pastors. So much for church autonomy.

worship Sunday--Daily Examen

The goal of our lives is to live with God forever.

  God, who loves us, gave us life.

  Our own response of love allows God's life to flow into us without limit.

All the things in this world are gifts of God,

  presented to us so that we can know God more easily

  and make a return of love more readily.

As a result, we apreciate and use all of these gifts of God

  insofar as they help us develop as loving persons.

But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives,

  they displace God and so hinder our growth toward our goal.

In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance

  before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice 

  and are not bound by some obligation.

We should not fix our desires on health or sickness, 

  wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or short one.

For everything has the potential of calling forth in us

  a deeper response to our life in God.

Our only desire and our one choice should be this:

I want and I choose what better leads to the deepening of God's life in me.

St. Ignatius, from the Spiritual Exercises

We opened worship with this last night, and used several of St. Ignatius' prayers. The central piece was talking about the Daily Examen and guiding the group through the practice. I think it went well (I'd love to hear feedback from our community).

If you're not familiar with it, the Daily Examen is a way of examining or assessing one's life before God in an attitude of prayer. It involves reviewing how God has been present to us or at work with us through the day, then noting our response--reviewing our thoughts, feelings, and actions in relation to God's presence. You can find more detail here.

Doing this has been wonderful for me, really helping me connect with God, especially when life is so busy.

I had one of those great embarrassing moments tonight, when I forgot the words while we were praying the Lord's Prayer...(I forgot "kingdom" where it says "yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.") I got flustered and probably repeated "power" 2 or 3 times, which gave great ammo to a couple of my friends.

But it was a great evening of prayer and fellowship!

worship poem

Here is a great poem we used as our benediction in worship last night:

"The Blessing"

May you who are restless

Find rest

And in rest, restoration

And the healing

Of your hollow soul

May peace be yours

May you who are frozen

Find freedom

And in freedom the faith

To face the fire

And the thawing of your ice-gripped heart

May peace be yours

May you who are conflicted

Find convergence

And in convergence

Confidence

To be the one new child

Of your old divided self

May peace be yours

May you who live in tension

Find tenderness

And in tenderness the tendency

To kindness

And the creativity

Of a caring character

May peace be yours

And you who are Godless

May you find God

And in God,

The grace and growth you need

For fruit and fullness

And the love that will last you

Through the long-haul

Of a lived-for-others life

May peace be yours

--Gerard Kelly

more block party pics

more great pics--thanks Pete!

convergence block party

on Saturday we held the first annual Convergence Block Party. After a crazy month for many of us at convergence; it was a great success! We met a ton of new people (and several showed up at our worship gathering Sunday afternoon!) Big thanks to Michelle for leading the whole project!

It was a great day of food, games, art, music, hanging out, new friends, and truly awesome weather! 

some highlights and glimpses...watching kids facepaint, play in the moonbounce, eating the free snowcones (thanks Hadleys!)...great music from friends old and new (thanks Stan for making it sound just right!)...my friend David, who's had a rough month, helping and hanging out...hot dogs (and veggie dogs) from grillmaster Jay...my friend Stephen, who pastors at another church, showing up early to help set up--what an amazing servant! It was really great seeing people jump in and work.

One of my favorite moments was introducing Bud and Fred to each other...both have become dear friends to me, I get lunch with them monthly and they are both great encouragers to me!

I made some great new friends--David and I had some great conversation, and I look forward to more...met some neat young couples with great stories...

thanks to everyone who helped out!

I have a few pics below, but Pete took some awesome photos you can view here.

everybody's favorite--the moon bounce!

Nirel with "big bottles of health" at the snowcone stand

 (thanks for the great description, Jay!)

Jay, Jim, and Stephen at the hot dog station

Ana creating beautiful sidewalk art!

convergence at night

I love this picture. Our friend Stan took it--he takes great pics. I love the light in the midst of the darkness; the feel of so much life and beauty.

I spent the last three days at at a church planting conference with Ecclesia. It was really good; got some great ideas about moving forward into our third year of the restart (wow, it's gone fast!)

I think I told the story of Convergence more this week than I ever have. People are really intrigued by what we are doing--there really isn't another church like this out there. It is humbling to be a part of something so new and exciting!

Pentecost worship

last night we had a joint worship gathering with friends from Common Table and Holy Grounds. It was a wonderful experience--very participatory, interactive--like Pentecost, it was somewhat chaotic. Amy, Jay and Cindy did a fantastic job creating beautiful music...Cecily painted during the worship, and invited others to add to what she did...it was great watching people sing, play drums, paint, draw, write, interact in so many ways.

Not seen in these pictures is Stan Harris, who helps us out with sound. I've known Stan for 20 years, he is probably the greatest servant I have ever known. He worked hard all afternoon, after serving at his church in the morning, and at the end of the evening he thanked me for asking him to help!

if you come across Stan at one of our events, please tell him thanks!

I'll write more later, but wanted to get some pics up.

this was one of the highlights for me; watching Mel and Mary make music. Mary has been a part of Fair-Park (the church which became Convergence) most of her life. I know a lot of what we are doing is new for her and others--it is so encouraging to watch people be courageous and try new ways of worshiping.

possibly the world's largest communion loaf!

Mike and Steve writing during the worship free-for-all

our resident rocker Jay

Mike of Common Table

Cecily

Quentin adding to the painting

Cecily at work

living across cultures discussion

last night was great. My friend Nina Sichel and Patricia Linderman facilitated a discussion on Living Across Cultures; bringing together a diverse group of people who have grown up and lived in multiple cultures. It was great watching these people from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, find their common ground as they shared their stories with one another.

I was so blessed to be a part of it. As I sat there listening, I had this feeling of peace, joy, and excitement--realizing that events like this are exactly why we are doing this crazy thing called Convergence. It wasn't about the event itself, but the conversations that were begun, the friendships formed, the stories told and listened to.

As the conversation progressed, a common thread was the need for community--a desire to connect with others and build friendships. It was neat watching that happen in a roomful of people who began the evening as strangers.

I had a great conversation with Sushmita, who creates these amazing hand-made storybooks. I hope that we can partner with her, providing space and giving her an opportunity to share and teach her art to others. Check out her website.

coach Larranaga

my friend Ken, writer/editor extraordinaire,  has a great interview with Jim Larranaga, basketball coach at George Mason U, at the Mason Gazette. Coach L has become one of the main faces of the university; and as an alum, I couldn't be prouder. 

Read this interview with one of the really good guys.

greatest sports movies

something a little lighter tonight. I heard a couple guys on the radio discussing sports films; so here are my favorite sports movies. I'm sure I'll remember something else after I post; but here it is (for now!) Let the debate begin!

1. Rocky

2. Hoosiers

3. Bull Durham

4. Karate Kid

5. Remember the Titans

6. Heaven Can Wait

7. The Bad News Bears

8. Jerry Maguire

9. North Dallas Forty

10. Breaking Away

11. Chariots of Fire

12. Field of Dreams

13. Raging Bull

14. Vision Quest

15. The Natural

16. Cinderella Man

17. A League of Their Own

18. Slap Shot

19. Caddyshack

20. The Longest Yard

great articles on homosexuality and church

David Gushee is distinguished university professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University; he writes for Christianity Today and Associated Baptist Press. He has written two fantastic pieces on homosexuality and the church; really some of the best I've read on the topic. I strongly urge you to read:

On homosexuality, can we at least talk about it?

and

On homosexuality, whose narrative do we believe?

I'd love to hear feedback...

peace

I have a friend going through a rough time...another friend sent me this poem today. Reading the email was the highlight of my day; I sensed God's love and care for my friend, his family, the whole situation...the friend who sent the email is not a Christian, I wonder if she knows how much God has blessed me (and others) through her.

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

— Wendell Berry

evil and suffering

Got this in a forwarded email from an old friend. I often cringe when I get these. I'd love to hear some other reactions and perspectives before I share my own. Anyone?

Explanation for Evil and Suffering

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. 

They talked about so many things and various subjects. 
When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:
"I don't believe that God exists." 

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. 

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. 
Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? 
Would there be abandoned children? 

If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. 
I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things." 

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. 
The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. 

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. 
He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: 
"You know what? Barbers do not exist." 
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. 
"I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!" 
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because 
if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside." 

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me." 

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! 

That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. 

That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world." 

six degrees of convergence

last Thursday I attended a lecture given by N.T. Wright, at Columbia Baptist Church, sponsored by Leland, my school. It was amazing; I have read a little of Wright; now I want to read it all. He talked about "Life after Life After Death," sharing thoughts from his recent book Surprised By Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church.

After the lecture, the president and dean of Leland presented Bishop Wright with an honorary doctorate from Leland. It was cool to be a part of that.

I saw a lot of people I know, from different churches and contexts--it's been fascinating seeing how many people I know who know each other; and how many people connected to Convergence know other people connected to Convergence from other contexts and communities. More than ever, I really feel like a part of something big God is doing.

My friend Jay, one of our musicians at Convergence, has great insights into the good and not so good in churches. Here are some thoughts he recently shared in an email conversation about building community:

"I have kind of been learning lately that people typically build friendships around commonalities. They know people that have kids, they work in the same place, they have the same hobbies, etc. These kind of relationships are focused on the subject rather than the person. These kinds of relationships typically end when the subject is no longer shared.

 

I think it would be very easy for our relationships to be built around Convergence or even Christianity rather than the person.

 

This sort of exposes one of my biggest issues when typically dealing with Christians. You are pressured to build the relationship 'on Christ,' but this can be deceiving because we can end up building on the subject of Christ, which is essentially lifeless. What I really think the bible wants from us are true relationships that are built on the principles of Christ which direct us to have deep and real relationships. This is the actual act of building a relationship 'on Christ.' I think if we don't do this than we my not be building the true body of Christ that the bible talks about."

goodbye Danny Federici

If you're not a Bruce Springsteen fan, you probably don't know who Danny is...but for past 40 years he was a member of (IMHO) the greatest band ever--the E Street Band.

Danny died yesterday of melanoma. He was 58. You can read about it here.

This hits me hard. I love Springsteen and the E Street Band. I've seen them in concert 10 times over the last 24 years, and their music has been a major part of the soundtrack of my life.

But it also hits me hard because I thought about this yesterday--not a vision or anything like that, just a thought. I was driving home last night, listening to Springsteen, thinking about how this band has been together for most of my lifetime, and wondering what it will feel like when one of them is gone. 

Danny had died a few hours earlier, but I didn't know it yet. Freaky...that stuff almost never happens to me (unlike my mother-in-law; who has known several times when her daughters were pregnant, even before they did).

Anyway, my bizarre hunch or thought isn't really the point. We have lost a great musician, and from what I've read, a pretty great guy. My prayers are with his family and friends, and Bruce and the band.

fantastic book

just finished reading Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. You have got to read this guy. His writing is amazing, beautiful, powerful, full of meaning and life. I hear that Berry is a Christian; and this comes through in his work, not forcefully--but with subtlety and beauty.

In my limited experience, most of the "Christian" fiction out there is not very good--very little of it is true literature; usually just a cleaned up form of bestselling mystery, adventure, horror, or romance.

Sadly, I've never seen Berry's work in a Christian bookstore or heard it discussed in Christian circles (until recently, with radical, weird Christians like Josh :-))

Jayber Crow is a novel told as an autobiography. The title character is an orphan; later a man who thinks he is called to preach, then realizes he's not, becomes a barber, and settles down in the small town where he grew up. The bulk of the story is about the lives of the people in this town, and how Jayber relates to them, and the lessons he learns along the way.

Hard to explain, just a beautiful picture of life, death, love, community, and connection with God's creation.

There have been few books that moved me like Jayber Crow--I highly recommend it! Rather than try to review it, I'm going to post some excerpts over the next few days.

transforming culture

haven't said much (ok, anything really) about the symposiusm we attended in Austin, TX, a couple weeks ago on Transforming Culture: A Vision for the Church and the Arts--just been busy with the State of Convergence Address and catching up...

It was amazing, and incredibley affirming--as Lisa has said on her blog, we see more and more how what we are doing is just a piece (but an important piece) of this incredible movement God is leading. 

While there are a lot of people talking and working in this movement; there are not a lot doing these things on a local church level--especially to the degree we are--where artists and their work informs and shapes worship and our identity. Very exciting!

One highlight for me was hearing David Taylor, the man behind the whole event, share his perspective on the four primary needs of artists in the church. The four needs he shared matched the four resources that Convergence offers in Lisa's vision: space, community, professional development, and spiritual support. It was obvious God is speaking and working!

My goal this week is to complete two big projects--the worship plan for rest of 2008, and a strategy based on the 10-year vision I presented at State of Convergence.

monday, day-off, non-church post

I was watching sports center, and got the answer to a question that's been in the back of my mind for years. ok, you know when you're watching the Super Bowl, and as soon as the game ends the winning team has hats and t-shirts proclaiming them champions?Obviously, they make items for both teams...I always wondered, what happens to the stuff for the team that lost? 

Well, seems the NFL gives all those items to people in third world countries who need clothes. This year, there are a bunch of kids in Nicaragua running around with hats that say "New England Patriots, 19-0, Super Bowl Champions."

Cool that that stuff gets used, instead of trashed. That's my trivial news for today!

who is God?

Random thoughts from the week...

Today was great; a few of us worshiped at Church of the Common Table at Jammin' Java in Vienna; Jay and Amy played and sang; along with Pete, who has been jamming with our musicians. They put together some great stuff.

The service was primarily a reading from the book of Romans, done very intimately--it was really powerful. I'm looking forward to collaborating with the Common Table folks--we're going to worship together at Convergence on May 11--Pentecost Sunday, along with friends from Fairlington Presbyterian.

Some highlights: Amy sitting to my right belting it out--singing lyrics directly from her Bible as Pete and Jay played...serving and receiving communion around a circle--especially beautiful was the little boy having communion with his dad...

A few of the Common Table folks joined us at Convergence this evening, as well as some friends from Fairlington Pres. I'm really excited about joining together with other communities!

Thursday Lisa and I went to an exhibit opening for our friend Bud. Bud is vice-president of the Arlington Artists Alliance, a great home brewer, and a big Convergence supporter. I was moved to see that one of his paintings in the exhibit was titled Convergence.

Also Thursday, we hosted the first in a discussion series on "Who is God?" led by Jeff Willetts, academic dean at Leland. Based on a class at the seminary, we began examining the idea of God--without falling into the trap of using "church" language. It was a great start; looking forward to more this week.

more vision

thoughts about our facility and ways we care for others:

I see our facility filled with people...

-commuters in the morning stopping by for a cup of coffee

-people walking through the gallery, looking at art, enjoying the beauty of our lawn.

-people meeting for conversation

-using our wireless internet to work in an environment that is more inviting than the office

-people using our library to read and learn and expand their minds

I see various teams forming to carry out the work of the church:

-hospitality teams that provide refreshments, conversation, and encouragement to artists using the facility.

(along those lines, I see a beautiful lawn with flowers and plants and bences for people to sit. I see a prayer garden and a labyrinth where people can connect with God in the beauty of His creation.)

I see teams that coordinate meeting the needs of people and groups who are part of or partner with Convergence. I see a day when each group that partners with Convergence has a Church at Convergence liaison who serves as a sort of chaplain with each group.

I see a counseling center--a place for people to come for emotional and spiritual healing.

I see the Church at Convergence hosting seminars and discussions about life and faith and art, in conjunction with local churches, seminaries and colleges.

I see Convergence leaders and artists serving as consultants with other churches on how to support artists and foster creativity in church.

I see the Church at Convergence serving as a catalyst for people's passions and desires.

I see us giving artists opportunities to make those dreams become reality.

I see people learning to better love God and other people; looking for opportunities to get together and talk, listen, play, learn, work, eat, and drink.

I see a community that utilizes technology; with online discussions and blogs and creative communication among members, collaborators, and friends.

If our goal is to get people into church, we’re thinking too small. God doesn’t just want to influence people in church; he wants to influence all people. He wants to radically impact people’s lives, and He calls us to be a part of that!

God has called the Church to do this work; and while many churches are making a difference, we believe we can do more.

We believe that God is still changing the world. God isn’t limited to our decision of whether or not to carry out his mission. God isn’t waiting for us. The world around us is challenging God’s people to listen, speak and engage.

God is working in creative ways here, in and among us, as well as with other individuals and communities around the world. He is inviting us to join with him in changing our world, by finding ways to live out the Kingdom of God on earth.

We believe that He is using this church, especially as we open up and live out His love in creative and imaginative ways.

By working together to build a church that reflects the things I’ve described, we will see God change individual lives, and transform the culture itself.

As creators, artists reflect the creativity of God. They influence culture. We believe God speaks through artists, mirroring - exposing God’s heart, will, and dreams.

And as we explore this connection between faith and art, as we build a church that is totally committed to this, we are seeing God do amazing things.

convergence blogs

on the right you can see the heading "convergence blogs." These are blogs of people connected to Convergence and/or the Church at Convergence (probably didn't need to explain that, did I?)

We'd love to get more conversation going among us (and invite others to join us!)

If you're at all connected to Convergence, and have a blog, please let me know; and include links to the others on your blog, if you're willing.

thanks!

more state of convergence

Monday I talked about different gatherings I’d love to see at The Church at Convergence. Today I’ll touch on people and groups I see in this vision…

I see a church where all are welcome, where we celebrate our differences and learn from one another, rather than try to make people conform.

I see a church where our agenda is not to convert people, but to create a community that values freedom and conversation, interaction and collaboration, exploration and imagination, through it all giving God room to work in unique and creative ways.

A church like this will impact the community and culture around it. A church like this will help people see a God that loves and values them and wants a relationship with them.

I see people coming in and out of the sanctuary throughout the day to pray and meditate and spend time in silence with God.

I see people gathering in all kinds of groups:

Artists way groups where artists gather to encourage and support each other

Groups gathering to pray for each other, our community, and our world.

Spiritual formation groups where people dig into the Bible and strive to live out their faith in practical ways.

Community service groups; where people get out into our local community meeting the needs of people—feeding the hungry, cleaning our neighborhoods, tutoring kids, teaching music and art to those who can’t afford it…

Groups where people gather to read books, watch films, listen to music, then discuss the spiritual dimensions of the art they are experiencing.

I see groups led by artists that help people connect their art with spiritual practices.

I see groups meeting at pubs to drink and talk and engage people where they naturally gather.

I see people gathering for food and fellowship:

Sunday morning breakfast gatherings

Lunches throughout the week

Dinner parties

Potlucks

Cookouts

I see people working together to bring about change. I believe that God cares about the issues that people care about—poverty, hunger, illness, justice, peace, the environment. The church should be leading the way in addressing these issues in a way that honors God and loves people.

I see our people effecting change in our world, speaking out on these issures and others, supporting causes that positively impact our world.

more tomorrow--and please leave your comments, reactions, questions, ideas...

state of convergence

Sunday was an amazing night; a good number of people gathered for our first “State of Convergence” address. The idea comes from the State of the Union Address that our president gives annually.

We talked a little about where we are, and how we got here; but since we have talked about that often, we spent most of the time looking at where we are going. Lisa and I both shared our ten-year vision—Lisa about Convergnce in the larger sense; while I talked about where I see the Church at Convergence headed.

I’m going to share some of my vision here over the next few days…

Ten years from now the Church at Convergence will be a vibrant, active community filled with artists, art lovers, patrons, and creative people of all sorts engaging God, each other, the larger Convergence community, and artists all over the DC/northern VA area.

I see multiple worship gatherings throughout the week to meet diverse spiritual and scheduling needs.

I see people gathering in our beautiful sanctuary for contemplative prayer and reflection.

I see musicians hanging out in the Lab; jamming, collaborating, experimenting—worshiping God and leading others in worship with the music they have created.

I see a multi-generational worship gathering that brings families together, rather than separating them into different groups.

I see people coming together to dig into the Bible—exploring, asking, challenging, imagining, teaching, and learning from each other.

I see worship gatherings where artists of all kinds not only contribute, but lead. Gatherings where painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians, writers, actors—all worship through their art.

I see a community that is diverse—culturally, ethnically, socially, politically, theologically, economically….

I see our facility filled with people coming and going—connecting and relating—a place where one can always find a friend or fellow artist…

I’ll write more tomorrow, but would love your input and feedback!

environmental arguments

There is a lot of discussion and debate about the environment among Christians these days. Some saying we need  to take global warming seriously and really strive to take better care of God's creation. Others say we don't know enough; some even doubt that global warming is happening. Some say that God gave us the earth to use, not protect.

Here is a blog post that presents perspectives of Rob Bell and John MacArthur. Funny how people can read the same thing and see so differently--the blog author obviously agrees with MacArthur; I had the opposite take. Bell's perspective seems to me to be much more in line with my understanding of the nature of God and His creation.

I'm also really uncomfortable with MacArthur using the 2 Peter passage to justify an attitude that says we don't need to care for the planet. I know he knows the Bible far better than I, but I don't think that is anywhere near the intended point of the passage.

Anyway, read the two perspectives and tell me what you think! The environment is a topic we will be talking about at Convergence later this year.

basketball and community

This past weekend George Mason won three tournament games to claim the Colonial Athletic Association Conference Championship. (and I was there for all three--a great, but long, weekend in Richmond).

Beyond the excitement of winning the tournament, the weekend got me thinking about family, and community, and having fun.

I spent the weekend with four guys who are great friends--some who have been my friends for over 20 years. We go to the tournament every year. 

We laugh and joke and reminisce and tell stories; there is this incredible comfort level knowing we are loved and accepted unconditionally by one another. 

We make decisions together as a group the whole weekend; rarely is there any tension or conflict. (not that conflict is bad; but there is this level of unity that we have achieved over the years).

We start looking forward to this weekend for months ahead of time, because it provides an opportunity to do some things we all need:

• get away from work and responsibilities at home
  
• act like kids again
  
• laugh at ourselves and each other, in a spirit of love
  
• enjoy just being, not doing
  
• celebrating victories together (and sometimes lamenting failures)
  
• enjoying some of life's little pleasures--good food, good beer, and great basketball (is there a better sport than college basketball? I don't think so, especially after winning a championship!)
  

These are the kinds of relationships we are trying to build at Convergence; where people are loved and accepted and really like spending time together.

more richmond

one more day in Richmond--we beat UNC-Wilmington 53-41 to advance to the championship game against William and Mary tomorrow night. Go Patriots!

richmond

Louis Birdsong with a tremendous dunk

Yesterday was great--I went to Richmond with my friends Kenny, Andy, John, and Mark for the Colonial Athletic Association basketball tournament. We go down every year, kind of a guys' getaway. It's usually a weekend of great food and beer, reminiscing about our college days, and going horse yelling for GMU.

Mark drove down while Johnny played dj with Mark's ipod. We had lunch at Legends; the weather was lousy on the way down, but cleared up enough for us to have lunch on the patio. 

The game was great--we took a big lead in the first half; but had to fight to keep them from coming back; final was 63-52. We always top off the night by walking to a seedy pizza place for a couple slices.

After breakfast at the 3rd Street Diner; we're relaxing and reading the paper, getting ready for tonight's semi-final game against UNC-Wilmington.

I've tried to start using this blog to talk about spiritual things--while this post may not seem like it, it is. These annual treks are a great example of true community. These guys are like brothers to me. The traditions we have built over the years are very important to each of us. We look forward to the break from everyday life for months; and have fun the entire weekend. 

That's important. When was the last time you took a weekend, or even a day, devoted to nothing but having fun? If it's been a while, get our calendar out and schedule a day.

my back hurts

ok, pretty self-centered title; sorry about that. Yesterday was a really long, hard day, but also a really good one. A, one of the ladies in our church, had cancer surgery. The surgery went well, but she is probably facing a painful recovery and chemotherapy.

I was at the hospital most of the day, waiting with her family. The good part was having conversation with different relatives, talking about our kids, listening to the stories and adventures of A's life and family.

It's never fun to be with people when they are in anxious situations like surgery; but it is encouraging to see and experience the spirit of God as people gather and tell their stories and put their trust in God when they are afraid.

almost forgot--the back pain came from spending most of the day in chairs that were side by side, and conversing with people next to me rather than in front of me. I spent much of the day with my head turned one way or the other; and have a wicked pain in my neck and upper back today...but when I think of my friend with cancer, seems pretty trivial.

please pray for A--for quick recovery and that cancer is contained.

new york

sorry for the lack of posts lately; the past week was a blur. Lisa and I went to New York Thursday for the International Arts Movement gathering. It was fantastic. Here is IAM's vision:

IAM gathers artists and creative catalysts to wrestle with the deep questions of art, faith and humanity in order to inspire the creative community to engage the culture that is and create the world that ought to be.

It was so cool hearing what folks there are thinking and talking about and trying to do--the parallels with Convergence are amazing. It was really affirming to us that God is doing something new and exciting, and has called us to be a part of that. 

Over the next few days I'll post different thoughts about our time in New York...more later.