I met some wonderful people last night via mutual friends in NH (Thanks, Sandy and Mike!) Some folks you just click with right away... Kathryn, ChiChi, and Yared were those kind of people – incredibly welcoming, full of life, and fun to be around. It felt good to laugh a lot with them. After meeting at Starbucks and then picking up snacks at the grocery store, we made our way to their church for a gathering. A missionary family home on furlough from Papua New Guineau gave a powerful, moving presentation. I’m left to struggle with the blurry line between guilt and conviction.
For a while my prayer/mantra has been, essentially, “If you lead me, Lord, I will follow. Where you lead me, I will go...” I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this kind of prayer, but I was challenged last night by Peter (the main guy who shared) to be the kind of person who says, “I’m not just willing, I’m going.” In some ways, I wonder if [for me] being “willing to go” (to Africa and/or somewhere in the developing world where people have little or no access to the gospel) has been somewhat of a cop-out, an excuse for not actually going.
To be honest, the guy who shared last night was a little too “evangelical” for my taste. Additionally, while talking with him afterwards I realized his take on women in ministry was, in my humble opinion, a bit narrow. (Friends who know me well, you would be proud: I didn’t challenge his assertion that women shouldn’t be in a position where they are teaching men except to say that I thought there was good biblical scholarship on both sides of the equation, and I let it go at that. Impressive, huh?) Theological disagreements aside, I can’t ignore what this family’s example and presentation is bringing up in my life... I was reminded last night of facts, figures and scripture that I know I’ve heard in a myriad of different ways before, and yet needed to hear again.
Here are some of the factors compelling me to go and work in the developing world (by no means an exhaustive list):
-“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” - Luke 12:48 (NIV)
I KNOW I have been given much...
- While the Western world is permeated with access to the gospel, millions of people (specifically those in the “10-40 Window”) have never heard of Jesus. In light of this stark reality, the following quote by John Keith Falconer is incredibly poignant: "I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light.”
-“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." -Acts 26:17b-18 (NIV)
-God stirs the hearts of his people to be involved in his work (Ex. 36:2); my heart is stirred to work with people in developing countries!
Here are some of my objections to going (again, by no means an exhaustive list):
-My Current Paradigm: I don’t like talking about hell; I’d much rather ignore the concept. Further, I’m not really comfortable with the blanket statement “unsaved people go to hell” because I think we, as Christians, have in many ways emasculated the concept of salvation. (There’s a lot more I could expound on here, but for now I will refrain suffice to say that I am not promoting a Unitarian Universalist approach.) It’s much easier to abdicate responsibility under this paradigm.
- Contextualization Issues: In years past missionaries have done far more harm than good in their efforts to “evangelize.” Are Americans/Westerners really useful in the developing world? Are we able to properly contextualize the gospel?
-Fear: Moving to DC has been challenging enough for me; moving to Africa could potentially be incredibly lonely, isolating, hard... (Imagine, having to suffer a bit for the gospel...gasp!)
So.....yeah. This is some of what I’ve been thinking about lately.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Perseverence
Sometimes my brother, James, gives the wisest advice. The other night I was on the phone with him, sharing some of my struggle adapting. He basically said, “Jen, you just have to persevere. It’s hard at first, but it will get better and you’ll be a better person for struggling through this. You’re a strong person, Jen...and you can call me anytime.” How I love that boy! He hit the nail on the head – exactly what I needed to hear.
So, I just had a meeting with the guy who is coordinating worship and prayer for the upcoming Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference. This meeting developed as a result of the prayer room proposal I referenced in an earlier post. I’m so excited! It seems like most of the people involved in this conference are (understandably) rather preoccupied with developing their tracks. Therefore, the worship/prayer element has, to some extent, fallen by the wayside. I feel that the worship/prayer element is one of the most important components, so I am absolutely THRILLED to be involved on this front. It seems that there is an open door to invest here and (hopefully) not a lot of red tape/bureaucracy to deal with. Score!
Here's my heart behind this: it seems that in DC there is significant focus on education, changing policy, advocating on Capitol Hill etc. (big surprise, right?) There’s definitely a place for all of this; I know it’s important. However, at the risk of sounding like an arrogant, over-spiritualizing pessimist, if we’re not encouraging people to get on their knees before the God who “holds the hearts of kings in his hand”, I dare say we’re completely missing the point -- especially as faith-based organizations.
I think there’s a unique opportunity here. A wise friend who has a heart for prayer brought up an excellent point:
"...because of the ecumenical nature of this conference, there may be some (or perhaps many) people attending that are not even believers. They are attracted to the "good works" part of religion purely on the basis of their good works...but they really have no concept of the Lordship of Christ and may in fact disagree with that concept if you got into a discussion of it. With this in mind...if it were me...I would want to add one element. That is the element of knowing in my heart that actual intercession that had been pleasing to God and touched his very heart had gone on in that prayer room. I would make sure that I spent time in the room praying in two different ways: 1) for the needs that you have displayed around the room; and 2) for the attendees of the conference to be touched by the heart of God...I would be seriously praying for people to be doing good works...not for the sake of good works...but for the sake of the kingdom of God."
Feel free to join me in prayer along these lines!
So, I just had a meeting with the guy who is coordinating worship and prayer for the upcoming Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference. This meeting developed as a result of the prayer room proposal I referenced in an earlier post. I’m so excited! It seems like most of the people involved in this conference are (understandably) rather preoccupied with developing their tracks. Therefore, the worship/prayer element has, to some extent, fallen by the wayside. I feel that the worship/prayer element is one of the most important components, so I am absolutely THRILLED to be involved on this front. It seems that there is an open door to invest here and (hopefully) not a lot of red tape/bureaucracy to deal with. Score!
Here's my heart behind this: it seems that in DC there is significant focus on education, changing policy, advocating on Capitol Hill etc. (big surprise, right?) There’s definitely a place for all of this; I know it’s important. However, at the risk of sounding like an arrogant, over-spiritualizing pessimist, if we’re not encouraging people to get on their knees before the God who “holds the hearts of kings in his hand”, I dare say we’re completely missing the point -- especially as faith-based organizations.
I think there’s a unique opportunity here. A wise friend who has a heart for prayer brought up an excellent point:
"...because of the ecumenical nature of this conference, there may be some (or perhaps many) people attending that are not even believers. They are attracted to the "good works" part of religion purely on the basis of their good works...but they really have no concept of the Lordship of Christ and may in fact disagree with that concept if you got into a discussion of it. With this in mind...if it were me...I would want to add one element. That is the element of knowing in my heart that actual intercession that had been pleasing to God and touched his very heart had gone on in that prayer room. I would make sure that I spent time in the room praying in two different ways: 1) for the needs that you have displayed around the room; and 2) for the attendees of the conference to be touched by the heart of God...I would be seriously praying for people to be doing good works...not for the sake of good works...but for the sake of the kingdom of God."
Feel free to join me in prayer along these lines!
I Want to Be Like the Newspaper Guys
Yesterday I nearly bust out in tears on some poor, innocent parking lot attendant when he told me he couldn’t accept my SmarTrip card or VISA – only cash. After driving for what seemed like forever in DC traffic (in reality, only about an hour), I had arrived at the Vienna Metro station only to find absolutely NO parking available. I contemplated parking in a reserved space and dealing with the consequences later. Instead, I drove on to the next Metro station hoping to find parking there. After more crazy DC traffic, colorful language (moving here has provided no incentive whatsoever to curb this), and coming to grips with the fact that I was going to miss my 9:30AM meeting on the Hill, I finally arrived at the next station. The situation was exactly the same: absolutely no parking (except for those damn reserved parking spaces, which are SOOOO tempting!)
As I pulled out of the Metro lot, across the street there was a sign: “Metro Parking $4”. I scurried over and found myself in the situation I opened with – at the end of my rope and about to cry when I was told they only accepted cash. Kindly, the parking attendant pointed me in the direction of an ATM and allowed me to park my car temporarily while I retrieved the necessary cash. After paying for my space, I drove into the garage and let the tears fall. I suppose I wasn’t crying so much out of the frustration of DC traffic, the parking situation, or the fact that I had missed my meeting. I think I just needed to let myself release all the pent up emotion that has come with starting over in DC. I don’t want to go back to my familiar, comfortable life, but sometimes it’s really hard to be here.
This morning, though I left ½ an hour earlier than yesterday, I once again sat in insane traffic. Thankfully, when I finally arrived at the Metro station I was able to get a parking spot on the top floor of the parking garage. Yay! The African American “Newspaper Guys” whom I have come to know and love, stood at the entrance of the station, passing out the "Express" and wishing everyone a good day. I didn’t want a paper, but that didn’t matter; I still received a warm, exuberant, “You have a nice day now, you hear?”
In a place where the sheer number or people is overwhelming (most noticeable on the Metro during peak hours, when you feel like a herd of cattle) and everyone seems to be consumed in their own world, the newspaper guys are a striking source or joy, beautiful simplicity and Christ-like love. Yeah, love. I know that’s a strong word to use, and maybe I’m wrong; maybe their actions are not motivated by love. Yet, reading between the lines, every morning they stand at the Metro entrance and communicate a message to people that says: “You are valuable; you are worth a moment of my time, regardless of your S.E.S. (Socio-Economic Status), race, gender, age, position etc. AND regardless of whether or not you accept what I offer....” And isn’t that the crux of the gospel message? I’ve decided that I want to be more like the newspaper guys.
As I pulled out of the Metro lot, across the street there was a sign: “Metro Parking $4”. I scurried over and found myself in the situation I opened with – at the end of my rope and about to cry when I was told they only accepted cash. Kindly, the parking attendant pointed me in the direction of an ATM and allowed me to park my car temporarily while I retrieved the necessary cash. After paying for my space, I drove into the garage and let the tears fall. I suppose I wasn’t crying so much out of the frustration of DC traffic, the parking situation, or the fact that I had missed my meeting. I think I just needed to let myself release all the pent up emotion that has come with starting over in DC. I don’t want to go back to my familiar, comfortable life, but sometimes it’s really hard to be here.
This morning, though I left ½ an hour earlier than yesterday, I once again sat in insane traffic. Thankfully, when I finally arrived at the Metro station I was able to get a parking spot on the top floor of the parking garage. Yay! The African American “Newspaper Guys” whom I have come to know and love, stood at the entrance of the station, passing out the "Express" and wishing everyone a good day. I didn’t want a paper, but that didn’t matter; I still received a warm, exuberant, “You have a nice day now, you hear?”
In a place where the sheer number or people is overwhelming (most noticeable on the Metro during peak hours, when you feel like a herd of cattle) and everyone seems to be consumed in their own world, the newspaper guys are a striking source or joy, beautiful simplicity and Christ-like love. Yeah, love. I know that’s a strong word to use, and maybe I’m wrong; maybe their actions are not motivated by love. Yet, reading between the lines, every morning they stand at the Metro entrance and communicate a message to people that says: “You are valuable; you are worth a moment of my time, regardless of your S.E.S. (Socio-Economic Status), race, gender, age, position etc. AND regardless of whether or not you accept what I offer....” And isn’t that the crux of the gospel message? I’ve decided that I want to be more like the newspaper guys.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Chocolate Chip Cookies on Capitol Hill (Week 2 in Review)
I made chocolate chip cookies and brought them to a mtg. on The Hill this week. Actually, my intention was to bring the cookies into the office, but I decided to break ‘em out early. Probably not the most professional thing to do, but I think it was a hit (either that, or people were just being charitable...). Besides, these are NGO (Non Government Organization) people; it’s not like they’re beyond enjoying homemade chocolate chip cookies.
I’m not as intimidated by DC as I was last week. (Many thanks for the thoughtful emails, prayers, and words of encouragement.) After the mtg. on Tuesday (the choc. chip cookie mtg.), I approached the Africa Track Chair Person about the possibility of putting together a prayer room for all who attend the Ecumenical Advocacy Day conference for which we are preparing. This woman directed me to the Conference Coordinator, whom I ended up meeting later on that day when I stopped by his office to pick up publicity postcards. In the few minutes that I had to chat with this guy, I mentioned the prayer room idea. I’m not sure if I should have done this so soon after meeting him, but I did. He suggested I put together a proposal. (I think that’s what everyone says when they don’t want to give you a definite answer.) So I’ve put together a proposal/brainstorm and just sent it to him. We'll see where this goes...
Prayer Room Brainstorm
Creative Friends of Mine (and anyone else who is interested):
The following is my Prayer Room brainstorm. A lot of this is based on stuff some of us experimented with at Grace when we were doing The Living Room Sessions. I'm open to any thoughts/resource suggestions/constructive criticism... Bear in mind, this is for an ecumenical advocacy conference (more information at: www.advocacydays.org). The audience will primiarily be made up of ministry leaders and lay people from many different Christian backgrounds. I tried to be sensitive to this in the different stations. The theme of the conference is "...and How are the Children?"
http://invitationtoprayer.org/
(This is just an idea of how we might frame the Prayer Room option)
Prayer Room Brainstorm (Cont.)
Premise:
- Prayer is a common denominator among most denominations/faith traditions; this room will serve as a unifying force during the conference.
- "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Jesus (Matt.7:7-8)
- "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." – Jesus (Matt.18:19-20)
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. – John (1 John 5:14-15)
Objectives:
- Create a place for conference attendees to connect with God in a personal, more intimate way than during the corporate Worship/Preaching/Track time
- Offer a space for attendees to consider and respond to what they feel God is putting on their hearts in light of the information they will be exposed to during the course of the conference
- Foster a sense of unity and purpose among attendees from various denominations/faith backgrounds
Needed:
- A room
- Anyone who is interested in helping develop this idea
Logistics:
- The prayer room will be open 24-7 for anyone to use
- The prayer room will be divided into sections/stations, providing opportunities for people of all Christian backgrounds to engage with God and, to some extent, with one another. Stations may include (but are not limited to):
1) Prayer Station
Posted Instructions: Take a moment to pray here. You can use one of the prayers we have provided [selected excerpts from the Book of Common Prayer and other similar historical/biblical resources such as A Prayer of St Francis, A Prayer for Refugees (From: http://invitationtoprayer.org/), The Lord’s Prayer etc.] or your own words. Pour out your heart to God. Respond to what you have been exposed to this weekend.
Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
2. Prayer Candles
Posted Instructions: Light a candle to represent your prayer to God
3. Praying with Images
- Creatively display a myriad of images from various cultures (children, living conditions, scenes etc.)
Posted instructions: Find an image you are drawn to and pray for whatever it brings to mind.
- Post images combined with quotes (scripture, fact, quote) along a wall for people to use as a prayer guide.
4. lectio divina
Seek in READING,
and you will find in MEDITATION
Knock in PRAYER
and it will be opened to you
in CONTEMPLATION
- St. John of the Cross
Will provide a more thorough explanation of this monastic practice along with a creative display of selected scriptures to read/meditate/pray/contemplate.
5. Prayer Wall
Posted Instructions: World Vision founder, Bob Pierce, is known for this simple, yet powerful prayer: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God!” Take a moment to write out your prayer and/or a prayer request for children around the world and post it here.
http://www.eastern.edu/academic/campolo/inst/ccda/images/PrayerPhotos/PrayerWall.jpg
6. Prayer Art
Provide a table with various art supplies.
Posted Instructions: Use materials provided to express your heart to God through art. Post your prayer art for others to contemplate, or feel free to take it home with you.
- Prayer is a common denominator among most denominations/faith traditions; this room will serve as a unifying force during the conference.
- "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Jesus (Matt.7:7-8)
- "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." – Jesus (Matt.18:19-20)
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. – John (1 John 5:14-15)
Objectives:
- Create a place for conference attendees to connect with God in a personal, more intimate way than during the corporate Worship/Preaching/Track time
- Offer a space for attendees to consider and respond to what they feel God is putting on their hearts in light of the information they will be exposed to during the course of the conference
- Foster a sense of unity and purpose among attendees from various denominations/faith backgrounds
Needed:
- A room
- Anyone who is interested in helping develop this idea
Logistics:
- The prayer room will be open 24-7 for anyone to use
- The prayer room will be divided into sections/stations, providing opportunities for people of all Christian backgrounds to engage with God and, to some extent, with one another. Stations may include (but are not limited to):
1) Prayer Station
Posted Instructions: Take a moment to pray here. You can use one of the prayers we have provided [selected excerpts from the Book of Common Prayer and other similar historical/biblical resources such as A Prayer of St Francis, A Prayer for Refugees (From: http://invitationtoprayer.org/), The Lord’s Prayer etc.] or your own words. Pour out your heart to God. Respond to what you have been exposed to this weekend.
Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
2. Prayer Candles
Posted Instructions: Light a candle to represent your prayer to God
3. Praying with Images
- Creatively display a myriad of images from various cultures (children, living conditions, scenes etc.)
Posted instructions: Find an image you are drawn to and pray for whatever it brings to mind.
- Post images combined with quotes (scripture, fact, quote) along a wall for people to use as a prayer guide.
4. lectio divina
Seek in READING,
and you will find in MEDITATION
Knock in PRAYER
and it will be opened to you
in CONTEMPLATION
- St. John of the Cross
Will provide a more thorough explanation of this monastic practice along with a creative display of selected scriptures to read/meditate/pray/contemplate.
5. Prayer Wall
Posted Instructions: World Vision founder, Bob Pierce, is known for this simple, yet powerful prayer: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God!” Take a moment to write out your prayer and/or a prayer request for children around the world and post it here.
http://www.eastern.edu/academic/campolo/inst/ccda/images/PrayerPhotos/PrayerWall.jpg
6. Prayer Art
Provide a table with various art supplies.
Posted Instructions: Use materials provided to express your heart to God through art. Post your prayer art for others to contemplate, or feel free to take it home with you.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Thoughts from an Introspective Soul
It’s interesting to note what moving to a new location brings to the surface. You think you know yourself...
Surface of pond behind my condo
I was talking with a dad of two earlier this week. He said something to the effect of, “You know, after we had our first [child], we thought we were doing pretty well with the whole parenting thing. People would have problems with their kids and we’d be like, ‘What are you talking about? You just need to __________.’ Then we had our second child, and everything changed. We realized we didn’t have this parenting thing down as well as we thought...”
I think moving can provide an experience similar to what this guy described. You think you know yourself pretty well. Then you move and realize, “maybe I don’t have this life thing down as well as I thought...” Don’t get me wrong. Moving is great: It’s great to have a fresh start. It is wonderful to learn new things, see new things, experience new things, meet new people etc. I'm not interested in going backwards for the sake of my own comfort and convenience. And yet, to borrow a line from the old Cheers theme song, sometimes you just “...want to go where everybody knows your name.”
So, here’s what moving to DC, building a new social circle and starting a new and semi-new job has brought to the surface for me: the need to prove myself. I’ve decided that I don’t like this feeling very much. For all I care, the intelligent, ambitious, over-achieving, name-dropping DC professional types can shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. And for that matter, so can anal-retentive coffee shop folks. (Side note: This is where I start to understand how blogging can be a bad thing -- it’s far too easy to share your true feelings/thoughts, click a button, and publish them for the world to see without thinking through the potential consequences of your actions... I may later regret this post and have to do some editing, so enjoy the real me while it’s up.)
Unfortunately, my ranting and raving about others does not fix the true problem. The true problem is internal; the root problem is me. Quite frankly, I don’t want to be the kind of person that feels she needs to prove herself to any [wo]man and, more importantly, I don’t want to be the type of person who makes people feel like they need to prove themselves to me. What does it mean to truly reflect the generous and gracious heart of God in my interactions with others? I wonder what that looks like... How does that play out?
I had dinner with a friend on Thursday night. It was like a breath of fresh air to talk, laugh, debate etc. without having to worry about leaving a good first impression. (Informal Poll: How do you pronounce the word lawyer -- law with a soft "a", or law with an "oi" sound?)
Today I went back to The Common Table for church. We took Communion in small groups, preceded by a time of reflection and confession. I shared my struggle with the need to prove myself (in a more tactful way than expressed in this post). People listened and empathized. Others shared their own struggles. It felt good to be real with a group of fellow sojourners.
Friday, January 12, 2007
"...and How are the children?"
"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children."– Dietrich Bonheoffer
The organization I am interning with (Africa Faith and Justice Network), in conjunction with the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace With Justice (a movement of the ecumenical Christian community), is hosting a conference with the theme, "and How are the Children?" Following is a snapshot of the event:
In 2007, March 9-12, we will gather for the fifth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference. Our theme, "and How are the Children?" will guide and inspire this gathering of over 1,000 religious advocates from a wide array of Christian communions. Experts will train participants how to do advocacy and inform them of U.S. domestic and international policies that impact all of God's children and are shaping the future of our world. The gathering will conclude with a visit to Capitol Hill where participants will ask their Congressional representatives to make the needs of children the center of the 2007 legislative agenda.
The Ecumenical Advocacy Days event is a joint initiative of numerous faith-based organizations. More information at: http://www.advocacydays.org/
If you're interested in attending and short on cash, I can probably arrange free lodging. ;) Feel free to pass this information along to anyone who might be interested.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The Power of Listening
"...Christians have forgotten that the ministry of listening has been entrusted to them by the one who is indeed the great listener and in whose work they are to participate. We should listen with the ears of God, so that we can speak the Word of God."
- Bonhoeffer, from Life Together
- Bonhoeffer, from Life Together
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Another bright spot
Just realized how depressing my last entry sounded -- alas, I guess that's honesty at its best. To paint a fuller picture, I should also report that I met a nice couple with two young kids on Sunday who invited me over for dinner tomorrow PM. I'm looking forward to this. I'm so grateful for friendly folks who reach out. :)
“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto...”
I’m sitting in the Senate office building coffee shop as I write. On my way to a meeting this morning, I walked past the Library of Congress and the Capitol. What the heck am I doing here?
During the meeting this morning, my stomach let out a loud growl (I forgot to eat breakfast). The guy next to me made light of the matter and quipped, “You’ve got to feed that thing!” How embarrassing! Note to self: eat breakfast. Oh, well. What can I do but laugh about it (and publish the incident on my blog so whole world can share in my DC initiation experiences)?
So, I’m giving this my best and barely holding my own. People here use words like “copasetic” in conversation. (Definition: adj. Very satisfactory or acceptable; fine. I had to look it up...) I love the intellectual and progressive environment here, but I’m also challenged by it. I think this NH girl is in a little over her head -- probably a good place to be as it causes me to daily “lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can’t climb” (to borrow a line from Bebo Norman).
On a more positive note, last night I met a great group of people who are putting together an Irresistible Revolution (book by Shane Claiborne) networking/discussion time on Saturday, January 27. My friend, Matt, invited me to take part in this endeavor (more information at: www.ordinaryradical.org). Should be cool. If nothing else, it will be good to meet some more people with similar hearts/passion for living out our faith.
During the meeting this morning, my stomach let out a loud growl (I forgot to eat breakfast). The guy next to me made light of the matter and quipped, “You’ve got to feed that thing!” How embarrassing! Note to self: eat breakfast. Oh, well. What can I do but laugh about it (and publish the incident on my blog so whole world can share in my DC initiation experiences)?
So, I’m giving this my best and barely holding my own. People here use words like “copasetic” in conversation. (Definition: adj. Very satisfactory or acceptable; fine. I had to look it up...) I love the intellectual and progressive environment here, but I’m also challenged by it. I think this NH girl is in a little over her head -- probably a good place to be as it causes me to daily “lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can’t climb” (to borrow a line from Bebo Norman).
On a more positive note, last night I met a great group of people who are putting together an Irresistible Revolution (book by Shane Claiborne) networking/discussion time on Saturday, January 27. My friend, Matt, invited me to take part in this endeavor (more information at: www.ordinaryradical.org). Should be cool. If nothing else, it will be good to meet some more people with similar hearts/passion for living out our faith.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Church Search Update 1
So, as I mentioned previously, I decided to visit two churches today: The Common Table (http://www.marshillchurch.com/come.php) and Bridgeway242(http://www.bridgeway242.org/aboutus/index.html). I haven't attended Bridgeway's service yet (it's @ 6pm tonight), but just returned from The Common Table. I like it. The second I overheard someone swear during the course of a pre-service conversation, I knew this was going to be a place worth considering. ;)
Seems like The Common Table is a small community of people from different church backgrounds (Episcopal, Charismatic etc.). Three Sundays/month their worship service is held in a coffee shop (Jammin' Java), one Sunday/month their worship takes on some form of community service (painting a house, serving an Iraq refuge family etc.) Today we read through the book of James interspersed with worship and music from special guest Chris Joyner (http://www.chrisjoyner.com/discography/).
Apparently after the service every Sunday a number of people walk over to Chipotle for lunch. I was invited to join, so I did. (People were thoughtful and friendly - I love that!) As I inquired more about the church I learned that their essential doctrine is based on the Nicene Creed and the Eucharist; everything else is basically considered non-essentials (at least that's my understanding). Also, it seems like this is a hands-on/alternative worship type atmosphere - definitely a church I'd consider getting involved with. If nothing else, it's great to see the Spirit of God at work among the greater body of Christ.
Seems like The Common Table is a small community of people from different church backgrounds (Episcopal, Charismatic etc.). Three Sundays/month their worship service is held in a coffee shop (Jammin' Java), one Sunday/month their worship takes on some form of community service (painting a house, serving an Iraq refuge family etc.) Today we read through the book of James interspersed with worship and music from special guest Chris Joyner (http://www.chrisjoyner.com/discography/).
Apparently after the service every Sunday a number of people walk over to Chipotle for lunch. I was invited to join, so I did. (People were thoughtful and friendly - I love that!) As I inquired more about the church I learned that their essential doctrine is based on the Nicene Creed and the Eucharist; everything else is basically considered non-essentials (at least that's my understanding). Also, it seems like this is a hands-on/alternative worship type atmosphere - definitely a church I'd consider getting involved with. If nothing else, it's great to see the Spirit of God at work among the greater body of Christ.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Adventures on the DC Metro
Last night I was talking with my new roommate, Heather, about the DC Metro. Heather mentioned that not long ago someone was arrested for eating in the station. (Apparently eating/drinking in the Metro system is illegal.) I found an article on the situation in the Washington Post. Check it out: Mouthful Gets Metro Passenger Handcuffs and Jail - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22456-2004Jul28.html.
Today I decided to do a trial run on the Metro so I would be prepared to take it on Monday. Starbucks coffee in hand, I drove to the Vienna Metro Center (and didn't get lost!), parked in an appropriate spot (Not a handicap spot, Shell, you should be proud...), used the SmarTrip card my wonderful home group gave me, and finally sat down in the correct metro rail car (whew!). Then it occurred to me: I still had my Starbucks coffee in hand. Uh oh. No trash in sight. The risk of being thrown off the car, banned from forever using this key source of transportation, or arrested was imminent. I tried putting my coffee in my bag; that didn't work very well. Finally decided to sandwich the cup between my legs and cover it with my bag; this option proved to be a bit more secure. I proceeded to toss the cup of the coffee as soon as I got off at my next stop.
In addition to narrowly escaping arrest today, I learned a few things:
1) Escalator etiquette
If you plan to stand still and simply ride the escalator, stand to the right; if you plan to walk the escalator, go to the left. (Yes, folks, I've been living in NH for far too long...)
2) It's cool to walk from the Metro station to Trinity University (where the Africa Faith and Justice Network office is located) during the day, but not safe to do so at night (per Adam, the Trinity shuttle driver from Ethiopia).
3) BEFORE getting on the Metro rail, be SURE to double check what line you are boarding. (I took a lengthy detour on the blue line as I was coming home today b/c I thought I had boarded the orange line. Oops.)
4) There are a ton of mega churches in this area (Yippee! Ya'll know how much I LOVE mega churches...) After doing some online reconnaissance work, I think I'm going to check out two churches this Sunday: The Common Table (http://www.marshillchurch.com/come.php) and Bridgeway242 (http://www.bridgeway242.org/aboutus/index.html). Of course, nothing can take the place of Grace Community Church in Rochester, NH. :)
On another note, I think I’m going to do some informal research on the major points of deviation between Catholicism and Protestantism. A couple of key differences come to mind (granted, these are generalizations):
1) Grace-based vs. works-based mentality
2) Significant emphasis on Mary and worship of saints in Catholicism
What else? Any thoughts?
To my Catholic friends and family: I don’t mean to address this in a derogatory way, I’m just curious and coming at this from a Protestant perspective. I welcome other thoughts/perspectives as I explore this topic.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Saying "Goodbye" Sucks.
Saved in my drafts folder is a great, really spiritual-sounding post I started writing a few days ago ("There's No Place Like Home") . I'm still going to publish it because I know it's true, but to be honest, my feelings don't quite match up right now. It is harder to leave my wonderful NH friends/family/church than I thought it would be. I know I need to make this move and I know God is going to use this for good in my life and I'm excited about this next step, but that doesn't change the fact that it's hard to say goodbye. There's No Place Like Home (draft referred to earlier)
I keep coming back to this thought: home is not so much about a physical location or a certain group of people (not to say these things aren't important); rather, home is anywhere the Spirit of God dwells. If the Spirit of God dwells within my heart, I'm home - regardless of my surroundings. I find this thought to be quite comforting in light of the fact that I'm not really sure of what/where to call "home" these days.
Two songs come to mind:
1) Rich Mullins sings "I'm home anywhere, if You are where I am" (Not sure what song that line is from, but I know it's a Rich song)
2) Jami Smith wrote a song entitled (appropriately) "Home"; I think it's going to be my theme song for the next few weeks.
Home
Jami Smith
My heart fails
My mind falters
Sometimes my passion fades
Sometimes my desires change
Sometimes I turn my head and I look the other way
When I'm restless you are rest
When I'm helpless you are help
When I'm nervous you settle me
When I'm empty you fill me
When I've gone to far you gently bring me home
'Cause you are home
Home is where my history begins
Home is where you delight in me
Home is where your voice is in my ear
Home is where you dance with me
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