saying from Abba Pambo
"Your skill is not in what you do, but how you do it"
this reminds me of the teachings of Brother Lawrence & his book practicing the presence. as i seek to find out what i do next in my vocation life it isn't what i do that is imperative, it is how i do it that seems most compelling to God.
When in the soul of the serene disciple
When in the soul of the serene disciple
With no more Fathers to imitate
Poverty is a success,
It is a small thing to say the roof is gone:
He has not even a house.
Stars, as well as friends,
Are angry with the noble ruin.
Saints depart in several directions.
Be still:
There is no longer any need of comment.
It was a lucky wind
That blew away his halo with his cares,
A lucky sea that drowned his reputation.
Here you will find
Neither a proverb nor a memorandum.
There are no ways,
No methods to admire
Where poverty is no achievement.
His God lives in his emptiness like an affliction.
What choice remains?
Well, to be ordinary is not a choice:
It is the usual freedom
Of men without visions.
by thomas merton, selective poems of..
photo by paul stevenson creative commons
a few weeks back i was in a conversation where we were talking about the future of the church. i made some statement, not slamming the megachurch, but being less than kind to the megachurch as the future of church. which, i am prone to do.
one of the people just happened to be a part of the staff at one of the biggest megachurches, that i will leave unnamed (haha!). and he offered his view. he shared that he felt that the future church will look like megachurches and house churches.. hmmm..
now i pondered that. it most certainly could be the case. people seem to embrace the large corporation securities/offerings or they go against the grain in some anti-establishment stance, which could bring about that dynamic. but i don't know if corporation is the future (and lets be honest, the megachurch is a corporation) of the life of the person.
what i got to thinking about was the inclination people are having to live the 'green' lifestyle. it is just now becoming a norm and part of peoples daily practices. so as families develop with young adults that have grown up being 'green' what are some of their behaviors that might shape they way they participate in church life?
we are already seeing that people are not too worried about their church denomination loyalites. the economics are poor in large global corporate climate, which was otherwise safe & secure 5 years ago.
so these three things, 1. green living 2. falling denomination loyalty 3. an unsecure corporate economic will lead to resurgence of parish life.
people, conscious of their impact will doing old school transportation, walking to & from the markets/cafe/stores. because people cannot blindly count on corporations for their economic securities there will be a move back to small business (which i hope government taxes make easier, or less taxking, to do) bringing up local entrepreneurship, and finanicial control back to the individual, that we have not seen in 50+ years. people will move back into those houses of worship that were abandoned by a church denomination, or are a dieing congregation, in their neighborhoods and reshape them to what is core to their local needs.
when will this happen? maybe 20-30 years or so from now. there will be that generation shift where the older folks who have grown up with behaviors of driving all over God's green earth to get what they need are not the norm. they will be replaced by children of my family who have grown up living simply, using canvas bags for daily grocery pick up, walking to schools, riding a bike to the post office, knowing who all is in your neighborhood (instead of driving in and driving out).
will this replace what we currently know? not completely. just as the corporation will never leave us the megachurch will never leave either. but it will become less a significant voice in our day to day lives. there will be nothing to be enamored about as people lives will have become reoriented towards a parish life. house churches i don't see as being a norm, but being the new 'satalite' campuses of the parish church, which isn't such a new idea at all.
in the future, we will see parish life return.. will we, our denominations, be ready or will we have moved out our stakes?
chime in? agree/disagree? thoughts? am i crazy?
some time back i ordered my own copy of 'the ordinary radicals' a documentary by jamie moffett and focusing on the people and experiences that circled around the jesus for president book tour.
i was super stoked about the documentary. had these ideas of all the different people it would profile and story.
when i got the documentary i watched it at the first opportunity. my emotional reactions were somewhat uneasy, there was some stuff in there that made me uncomfortable, which i felt strange about because all the concepts and ideas were things i have been familiar with through readings of shane's books or others. many of the people in the video i had heard of and got what i would expect. but some of the lesser known, or unknown folks, stories were way powerful.
the documentary got really long for me. almost 2 hours in length it felt long. i might have done a shorter movie length with continued stories on a website. that might allow for more adaptability and continued conversations.. might even have a place where people upload their own videos of stuff they are doing.
at the end of it all the documentary ended up in moorestown, nj which was funny to me. i went to church at first umc in moorestown, growing up next door in cinnaminson. i spent many years with the people of moorestown. they were doing a contrast of moorestown and camden, which only are about five miles apart (with cinnaminson in part of the middle of that 5 miles). camden is notoriously one of the most violent and poverty stricken places.
what is funny to me is that i hung out in camden too. it was for various reasons, but i remember doing a driving lesson through parts of camden to pick up the next student. there was shopping spots and even a night club as i remember visiting. in my early days of hs we played various schools from in and around camden in sports (that changed when our schools restructured the whole league system). the waterfront was built up with the aquarium and concert amphitheater to check out. then there were my emt days where we went to cooper hospital over and over again. though i knew camden to be a dangerous place by reputation it was never some huge stark contrast.. but then again, back in those days moorestown isn't what it is today either. the divide of haves and have nots may have just gotten so much bigger.
back to ordinary radicals. its a good movie, great for stirring conversation. wish it was shorter to get allow people to get to that conversation without feeling they are leaving something out. as for teaching spots it has some great testimonies to pull from to share specific thoughts on empire, money, mission, homelessness, government, and more.
The marvelous vision of the peaceable Kingdom, in which all violence has been overcome and all men, women, and children live in loving unity with nature, calls for its realization in our day-to-day lives. Instead of being an escapist dream, it challenges us to anticipate what it promises. Every time we forgive our neighbor, every time we make a child smile, every time we show compassion to a suffering person, every
time we arrange a bouquet of flowers, offer care to tame or wild animals, prevent pollution, create beauty in our homes and gardens, and work for peace and justice among peoples and nations we are making the vision come true.
We must remind one another constantly of the vision. Whenever it comes alive in us we will find new energy to live it out, right where we are. Instead of making us escape real life, this beautiful vision gets us involved.
you can get get meditations sent to you from the henri nouwen society
today is the anniversary date of the passing of thomas merton, or father louis merton. i've mentioned before his impact on my life. today i want to share a prayer that comes from new seeds of contemplation.
Justify my soul, O God, but also from Your fountains fill my will with your fire. Shrine in my mind, although perhaps this means “be darkness to my experience,” but occupy my heart with Your tremendous Life. Let my eyes see nothing in the world but Your glory, and let my hands touch nothing that is not for Your service.
Let my tongue taste no bread that does not strengthen me to praise Your great mercy. I will hear Your voice and I will hear all harmonies You have created, singing Your hymns. Sheep’s wool and cotton from the field shall warm me enough that I may live in Your service; I will give the rest to Your poor. Let me use all things for one sole reason: to find my joy in giving You glory.
Therefore keep me, above all things, from sin. Keep me from the death of deadly sin which puts hell in my soul. Keep me from the murder of lust that blinds and poisons my heart. Keep me from the sins that eat a man’s flesh with irresistible fire until he is devoured. Keep me from loving money in which is hatred, from avarice and ambition that suffocate my life. Keep me from the dead works of vanity and the thankless labor in which artists destroy themselves for pride and money and reputation, and saints are smothered under the avalanche of their own importunate zeal. Stanch in me the rank wound of covetousness and the hungers that exhaust my nature with their bleeding. Stamp out the serpent envy that stings love with poison and kills all joy.
Untie my hands and deliver my heart from sloth. Set me free from the laziness that goes about disguised as activity when activity is not required of me, and from the cowardice that does what is not demanded, in order to escape sacrifice.
But give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from prise which i s the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love. Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for you alone.
its kinda funny to me. my movement into monastic practice came with stories of and the rule of Saint Benedict. lately i've found myself loving stories of his sister, Saint Scholastica. this is a fav.
yesterday i went with my church clergy to hear shane claiborne as part of belmont university's sermon series. here were some of the fun quotes from that morning out of the office.
i've heard shane a few times in the last two years. this presentation was a little different. partly, i believe, he was speaking more to the empire and work for the poor. most of the other times it was more about reframing church. i like his message. it is terrible for me though as someone who is trying to go back and write down notes.
in other fun. we discussed politics & faith, using jesus for president as part of our framework. i'm still chuckling at thomas for saying 'shane is a better christian than Jesus'.. he had a good point, regardless of the point, the statement just has be cracked up.
this morning started with a bit of a chaotic drive through nashville rush hour. not something i have had to deal with for a few years now. but, in the end, i spent my morning hours with jay, chatting a new book project and all points updates on each others lives.
now i'm sitting in alektor cafe, chilling out, reading a bit, eating some good foods, and just breathing in prayer. this, is the kind of morning i miss having not living as close to downtown as i used to. it may sound shallow or an excuse, but having physical, pilgrimage sites, to feel rejuvenated really does make a difference.
episode five of the youthworker movement podcast is up and going. subscribe via itunes
mark is the director of the youth ministry spirituality project and the author of "contemplative youth ministry" and "growing souls." i met up with mark to talk contemplative youth ministry approach & growing souls. how does a youth leader care for the soul of themselves and the youth in their charge. we also bring back some 80's music. interviewed at the national youth workers convention in atlanta, november of 2007.
contact me to get plugged in or ask questions on the podcast. i could use hearing from some friends.
email at: gavoweb(at)gmail.com or call: 615-357-3275
so in one of my postings yesterday. revmom brought up checking out the cyber world of "second life." now i have never been a simulation game or virtual reality person.. i've never been a that person at all. so this world is quite foreign to me. however, i do see this coming as one of the next mission fields or the next social networking medium being avatar based.
so i followed her instructions.. and then got left on my own, i think i canceled the reminder/guide thing they give you for the orientation island. wandered aimlessly, lost my clothes, but then got my digs back on and made it out into the "real" world.
now an interesting part was walking around and seeing people that you know are people somewhere out there in the actual world. i didn't talk with anyone. i am shy that way. i didn't mind bumping into them as i still had a hard time walking straight for some reason. i made it over to the koinonia church. it was quite pretty.. for something not real. i checked out the list of services and all that. i don't know when, but i'd like to make it back to see the church in action. i had a seat in the cozy sanctuary area. after that i wandered
i stumbled upon, not to far away from koinonia church was a methodist church. low and behold part of the british methodist church at that. they had some wesley stuff, organ, bell, the whole set up. i even tried to preach a sermon.. to no one of course. then it was over to some other really odd places..
i ended my stop at a monastery.. a nice peaceful time to rest after teleporting and flying all over the place. yes, flying & teleporting, this is real you know. &:~D
i don't see this being my thing. but in ways, this was engaging, fascinating and fun. time consuming as well, so maybe i can be quicker next time to get in and out. who knows. i do think if you have yourself some energy to take on a bit of a challenge it is worth it to familiarize yourself with this or another world. there are seeking people in all parts, even flying around in a second life.
it has been awhile since i intro'd a new blogger on ye' ole blog.
a number of years ago jonathon & i took a retreat down to Saint Bernard Abbey in cullman, alabama. there we met brother david. it was kinda odd finding such a young person in the monastery, but we got all jazz up talking websites, music, climbing & rappelling, and taking hikes through the woods. we have returned to the abbey a few times and hung with him again. the oddest thing was running into him randomly at opry land hotel in the late summer. he was there for the knights of columbus gathering and selling candles. now i see he has a flickr portfolio and is blogging as well, for the monastery of course.
this post is stemmed off of tim's recent post on parents and youth ministry. i don't know if will go the same direction, but i want to uplift that sharing as critical to this one.
a few weeks ago had one of those big parents meeting for our youth ministry. running through the programming and events of the next eight months. it was a good meeting. i lead off with a devotional, and i was kinda struggling to come up with something. so this is what i shared as our devotional time.
in thinking about what to share as a devotional erin asked me, what is the goal of the youth ministry? to that i shoved it off saying, "well isn't that a loaded question." knowing i needed to answer the question i came back to it. the foundation of the youth ministry of the church, should reflect that the church is a place that is safe. so that when youth and young adults begin to question their faith, wish to dive further in theological understandings, take on new spiritual practices. they know that the church has people that are there to welcome them, listen to them, usher them to places to find what it is they seek, mentor them, teach, worship, prayer with them. for at those moments in the education world we call 'a teachable moment.' that is the goal. i we can do just that, then we will be a successful youth ministry. erin responded "that is a good goal." (i love my wife, so affirming when she needs to me)
so i read this story from the desert fathers & mothers
Another brother asked the elder Abbot Theodore, and began to question him and to inquire about things which he had never yet put into practice himself. The elder said to him: As yet you have not found a ship, and you have not put your baggage aboard, and you have not started to cross the sea: can you talk as if you had already arrived in that city to which you planned to go? When you have put into practice the thing you are talking about, then speak from knowledge of the thing itself!
so i unpacked this with our parents. too often parents, adults, young adults do not want to get involved in leadership/teaching/sharing/reflection of their faith because they do not feel worthy of talking about what they do not know. apparently Abbot Theodore agrees with you. however, this is when it is critical of sharing what you do know. you come to church why? because in some way you were instilled in the foundation that the church is a safe place to come to help live out your faith. you crossed the sea of bringing your presence to the church. share why that is important to you so that your youth will can understand what it is that you speak of. this experience you know.
the doctrine, theology, bible races, etc are all seas you can cross in time. but for the sake of your youth. it is not important the 'what' things you want them (and yourself) to know but that you chose to become part of a community of faith in Jesus and your presence here says more than anything else about who you are and what you wish to be.
the youth want to know there is a safe place for them out there. come and help us share our journey's across the sea and why we are present in this place we call church. this we know, we can share it.
we closed with this prayer for young people from the BCP.
God our Father, you see our children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
notice something eerily familiar about this cover in relation to this blog?
i got an anonymous tip from guy that christianity today totally ripped off my blog title because it is oh so creative. actually, i think my title is more creative & relational to the medium of this blog.
what got me going was an email from guy, who shall remain nameless, and sent me on a non-adventure for a few days.
I just got my new Christianity Today and they've totally ripped off your blog name/concept (which I was peaved I hadn't thought of first when I first stumbled across you). I don't know if it's on their website yet, but thought you'd enjoy knowing if you didn't.
indeed they had not updated their website. i let the idea pass. then i was downtown on wednesday, stopped into a favorite bookstore looking for the magazine, no dice, they don't carry magazines. this sorta peeved me and only heightened my anticipation to find out if it were true.
next day i went into a large bookstore with lots of magazines, no dice & their service kinda stunk, though i did find some decent magazines to pick up. grocery shopping with wife later in the day, surely somebody has to have the current issue of ct? no dice on the grocery store.. (note: now expecting a grocery store to have ct might seem like a stretch, but i am in the bible belt, they were playing christian music over the music system)
so we come to today. head to another mega bookstore and low & behold, tucked away with the health & home section, between the diet and log home magazines i find the ct hiding out. obviously shameful of the blatant plagiarism of my blog title.
i would consider lawsuit, but i think they would get away with a loop hole that they direct it towards evangelicals, which, i am not..
so what do you think? at least a letter to the editor? &:~D
today is the anniversary date of the passing of thomas merton, or father louis merton. i have been strongly influenced by the gleaning and words of thomas merton over the years. i have spent some time with his community at abbey of gethsemani. today, what i think i remember most partly due to the recent events in colorado, is probably the one quote from his prayer life that i have held onto. this i read in his journals once. it is part of a more complete prayer, but this stuck out to me then and sill walks with me.
"My God, I frankly do not understand Your ways with me."
my third day of pilgrimage started off with hanging out with fellow pilgrims.
while the rest of the convention folks were sleeping or attending seminars. i had a fab breakfast with natalie. many blogger folks might remember her from a post she threw out there last year about why she gave up on youth group. we were part of some of the same networks and struck up a fun friendship before that blogger celebrity and after. we actually got to meet for the first time this summer and finding out that her university was just down the road from my hotel (atlanta driving speak for 15 minute drive) we had to catch up. met up at a cool little spot for breakfast. i had carmalized banana pancakes.. yummie! talked college, church, life, stories, mutual friends and theology. sorely missed was revmom, who on this saturday was busyrevmom. there will be a next time, i have gleaned some understandings of atlanta traffic and will be more apt to make a 2nd pilgrimage.
upon arriving to the convention center i pushed through a haze of shiny sequins, bright colors, belly buttons, and funny eyes to get to a quiet room. there i met up with mike king. we were supposed to catch up yesterday for an interview, but today worked out and i am glad it did. we both think we have met before, but no clear picture of that emerged. we spent time together talking youth ministry, wesleyan practice, youth front, our own spiritual practices, and some blog stuff. as we sat together i felt i was hanging with a friend. we have some similar paths in our past & some veeery different paths, but i see us finding our way on very much the same pilgrimage now. i love what mike represents for himself, humility, honesty, and deep thought. i love how he has challenged his ministry world and brought about change. that is gutsy. shows an incredible amount of confidence in God's movements in one's life and ministry. look for our conversation to end up in a future episode of the youthworker movement podcast.
i now proclaim myself a member of the mike king fan club. i look forward to catching up again and maybe taking a little pilgrimage to his little monastery called a youth front.
how cool, the british methodist church has started a new online labyrinth experience. i am so impressed with the way that the british methodist church puts imagination, vision, and money behind progressive movements in order to connect with those outside the church. some things are still taking voice like fresh expressions, others have run a course like church of fools. with regards to the labyrinth, i love how they have made some of the resources to the labyrinth available. i haven't gone through this labyrinth setting to know all the meditation details, but the labyrinth itself is different from the online labyrinth put together by some of the alt worship groups in the uk. this one is more the ancient/monastic model while the alt worship labyrinth is the contemporary form.
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