I’m not real big on labels because I hate feeling boxed in, but I suppose they can serve as a useful tool for explaining, understanding and grouping people. I recently discovered that, depending on which definition one uses (some say the cut off date is 1982; some say 1980), I am a “Millennial."
This weekend I camped out on the National Mall with ~ 6,000 Millenials and a [select] few Gen-Xers. I felt like I was back in highschool, or youth ministry or something. You know you’re getting older when you are NOT a part of the crazy group of people up chanting and dancing around to the pulsating beat of djembe drums at 1:30AM and instead are the person having to make a conscious effort not to yell “SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP!” Alas, the joy of youthful enthusiasm... Perhaps I’ve lost a bit of this, but I think there’s quite a bit still present in this “tail end Millenial.” Despite the lack of sleep, it was good to be part of the Displace Me event this past weekend and inspiring to see so many standing up as a voice for the voiceless.
So Saturday night I made my political statement and Sunday night I cheered Derek Webb on at Jammin’ Java as he sang, “We’ll never have a savior on Capitol Hill”. The irony of these two events, back-to-back amuses me. Pictures have been uploaded to flickr. :)
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Sleeping out on the National Mall
This weekend I will be sleeping out on the National Mall along with thousands of others. We are choosing to be "displaced" for one night as an act of solidarity with the Acholi people living in IDP (Internally Displaced Person) camps in Northern Uganda. Our hope is to make a statement (to the U.S. government, the media and the country) that will bring about change for the Acholi.
Thousands of Acholi children (most sources seem to indicate somewhere between 20,000-30,000) have been abducted to serve as child soldiers and sex slaves in what is known as The Lord's Resistance Army, a group of rebels fighting the Ugandan government for power. Further, a significant portion of the Acholi (most sources seem to indication 1.7-2 million people, approximately 80% of the population) have been removed from their homes and forced to live in "government protected" IDP camps. This has been going on for twenty years. It's time for the oppression to end.
There is a short A/V clip on Invisible Children's Displace Me web site that offers a thorough explanation of the situation in the IDP camps in Northern Uganda. Toward the end of this clip, James Otto, Executive Director of Human Rights Focus asserts, "Uganda government simply needs a very strong statement from the White House that this conflict has become a nuisance and it should be stopped..." He goes on to suggest, in his thick, beautiful African voice, "If US government decides that this conflict is ended and they desire it at breakfast, by dinner time it wouldn't be there."
In the gospel of Luke Jesus proclaims, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48b). Lately, I've begun to redefine the "much" that I have been given. For me this concept refers to more than just material resources. I think the "much" that I have been given also includes components such as
a) Status - the fact that I'm an American citizen opens so many doors that are closed to others...
b) My voice (ability to vote, freedom of speech, life in a democratic nation etc.)
c) Experiences I've had (opportunities to travel, exposure to new ideas etc.)
Honestly, for better or worse, I'm not much of a political activist. But living in the DC area has been good for me; I've come to recognize and appreciate the importance of political advocacy. So it is with this in mind that I will sleep out on the National Mall tomorrow night and pray for relief for the Acholi in Northern Uganda.
Thousands of Acholi children (most sources seem to indicate somewhere between 20,000-30,000) have been abducted to serve as child soldiers and sex slaves in what is known as The Lord's Resistance Army, a group of rebels fighting the Ugandan government for power. Further, a significant portion of the Acholi (most sources seem to indication 1.7-2 million people, approximately 80% of the population) have been removed from their homes and forced to live in "government protected" IDP camps. This has been going on for twenty years. It's time for the oppression to end.
There is a short A/V clip on Invisible Children's Displace Me web site that offers a thorough explanation of the situation in the IDP camps in Northern Uganda. Toward the end of this clip, James Otto, Executive Director of Human Rights Focus asserts, "Uganda government simply needs a very strong statement from the White House that this conflict has become a nuisance and it should be stopped..." He goes on to suggest, in his thick, beautiful African voice, "If US government decides that this conflict is ended and they desire it at breakfast, by dinner time it wouldn't be there."
In the gospel of Luke Jesus proclaims, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48b). Lately, I've begun to redefine the "much" that I have been given. For me this concept refers to more than just material resources. I think the "much" that I have been given also includes components such as
a) Status - the fact that I'm an American citizen opens so many doors that are closed to others...
b) My voice (ability to vote, freedom of speech, life in a democratic nation etc.)
c) Experiences I've had (opportunities to travel, exposure to new ideas etc.)
Honestly, for better or worse, I'm not much of a political activist. But living in the DC area has been good for me; I've come to recognize and appreciate the importance of political advocacy. So it is with this in mind that I will sleep out on the National Mall tomorrow night and pray for relief for the Acholi in Northern Uganda.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
More Adventures in DC
My latest greatest adventure in DC involved dinner with Brian and Grace McLaren at their house. Crazy! They seem to be such wonderful, hospitable, down-to-earth people. It's so wild that I ended up in the position of dropping a new friend, Laci, off at their house and staying for dinner. What a fun experience! A Generous Orthodoxy has been sitting on my shelf for awhile now. I suppose it's time to start reading...
Saturday, April 21, 2007
A Letter to the Coffee Consumer
Dear Customer,
Hello and welcome to _____ (certain popular international coffee shop that begins with the letter "S")! I'm so glad you're here today. Here are a few things you should know before you speak to me, your loving barista:
1) I am a person too. I have feelings. I take great joy in being treated with respect.
2) If you are a teenager who cannot make up your mind, please figure out which frappaccino your friends ordered before coming to my counter and copying their order.
3) If you are a single or unhappily married middle-aged man with no life, I am NOT interested in you. Please do not be fooled by my smile and polite conversation; I am only doing my job.
4) I have a college degree. Working at a coffee shop is not synonymous with descriptors such as "drop-out", "deadbeat" and "unable to get a 'real' job", nor is it an excuse for you to treat me with any less dignity than another human being.
5) Thank you for getting off your *&#%$@! cell phone before ordering and hereby paying me the same courtesy you would expect if you were in my position.
6) If you feel frustrated and/or angered by the long line, consider the fact that we (your patient baristas) have probably been dealing with the line far longer than you have.
7) If you plan to ask me to stir your double-cupped, triple venti, 4 pump, nonfat, no foam, no whip, extra hot, white mocha, GET OVER YOURSELF! Please take a moment to contemplate the fact that millions of people around the world have NO CLUE where their next meal is coming from and reevaluate your request.
8) If I seem a little spacey and forget some portion of your order, it may be because there are far too many requests being made of me at once. Another possible explanation is that waking up at 4AM to brew YOUR coffee is catching up with me...
Thank you, and have a pleasant coffee drinking experience at _____ (certain popular international coffee shop that begins with the letter "S")!
Sincerely,
Your Barista
Hello and welcome to _____ (certain popular international coffee shop that begins with the letter "S")! I'm so glad you're here today. Here are a few things you should know before you speak to me, your loving barista:
1) I am a person too. I have feelings. I take great joy in being treated with respect.
2) If you are a teenager who cannot make up your mind, please figure out which frappaccino your friends ordered before coming to my counter and copying their order.
3) If you are a single or unhappily married middle-aged man with no life, I am NOT interested in you. Please do not be fooled by my smile and polite conversation; I am only doing my job.
4) I have a college degree. Working at a coffee shop is not synonymous with descriptors such as "drop-out", "deadbeat" and "unable to get a 'real' job", nor is it an excuse for you to treat me with any less dignity than another human being.
5) Thank you for getting off your *&#%$@! cell phone before ordering and hereby paying me the same courtesy you would expect if you were in my position.
6) If you feel frustrated and/or angered by the long line, consider the fact that we (your patient baristas) have probably been dealing with the line far longer than you have.
7) If you plan to ask me to stir your double-cupped, triple venti, 4 pump, nonfat, no foam, no whip, extra hot, white mocha, GET OVER YOURSELF! Please take a moment to contemplate the fact that millions of people around the world have NO CLUE where their next meal is coming from and reevaluate your request.
8) If I seem a little spacey and forget some portion of your order, it may be because there are far too many requests being made of me at once. Another possible explanation is that waking up at 4AM to brew YOUR coffee is catching up with me...
Thank you, and have a pleasant coffee drinking experience at _____ (certain popular international coffee shop that begins with the letter "S")!
Sincerely,
Your Barista
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Going Around in Circles
You know what I hate? I hate it when I think I'm improving in some area of struggle in my life and come to find out, it's only because I have been away from the circumstances that bring out the yucky side of me that I've "improved". This sucks. I imagine this is the exact same struggle of my dear friends in AA and NA. In rehab, out of the context that triggers substance abuse, there is often great "improvement". But reality is that life can be hard, dangerous, scary, empty... and it's so easy to return to old patterns; it's so hard to break away...
Monday, April 9, 2007
Help Stop the War in Uganda!
Imagine every man, woman, and child in the DC area being forcibly evicted from their homes and transported to overcrowded camps...
Imagine a thousand people dying in those camps every week for 20 years...
What if there was someone who could stop it?
What if that someone was you?
On April 28th, you can…
For more information visit: Invisible Children - Displace Me
Imagine a thousand people dying in those camps every week for 20 years...
What if there was someone who could stop it?
What if that someone was you?
On April 28th, you can…
For more information visit: Invisible Children - Displace Me
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Prophets of a Future Not Our Own
Oscar Romero,
Roman Catholic Bishop and companion of the poor in Latin America
It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Roman Catholic Bishop and companion of the poor in Latin America
It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Monday, April 2, 2007
The Evangelical Question
I think these past few months have been so good for me. For the most part, I've only worked 40 hours/week; I can't remember the last time I had so much undesignated time on my hands! Time to read, think, expose myself to other expressions of the Christian faith, reevaluate... Yes, this has been good.
Here's what I'm realizing: Among my evangelical friends, I'm usually the one "pushing the envelope" and not wanting to be considered "evangelical"; among my liberal/ecumenical-minded Christian friends, I've come to the conclusion that maybe I'm a bit more evangelical than I'd like to admit. And blogging about this (which, for some reason, I feel compelled to do) in a tactful way is a huge challenge!
Really, I'm after Orthodoxy, and I'm not sure I'm finding it wholly in either camp. (So maybe that means I'm only after orthodoxy I can accept, and maybe that isn't really orthodoxy...) I emailed a former pastor of mine to get his thoughts on the Evangelical question. I'm struck by this quote he included in his response to me:
The theology that is based on intellectual constructs and not on the direct experience of God is philosophy and not theology. It is a human creation that offers neither real knowledge of God nor peace to the heart. - Gregory Palamas, 14th century
As I am seeking and pursuing opportunities to serve in Africa over the next year, I find myself, once again, coming face to face with the question, Am I going to consider myself an evangelical Christian? Many of the [evangelical] organizations with which I have considered partnering require assent to their statement of beliefs. I’m not sure that I can, in good faith, do this. I guess I just don't understand why we can't simply stick to the Nicene and/or Apostle's Creed and let everything else be "up for grabs".
Here's what I'm realizing: Among my evangelical friends, I'm usually the one "pushing the envelope" and not wanting to be considered "evangelical"; among my liberal/ecumenical-minded Christian friends, I've come to the conclusion that maybe I'm a bit more evangelical than I'd like to admit. And blogging about this (which, for some reason, I feel compelled to do) in a tactful way is a huge challenge!
Really, I'm after Orthodoxy, and I'm not sure I'm finding it wholly in either camp. (So maybe that means I'm only after orthodoxy I can accept, and maybe that isn't really orthodoxy...) I emailed a former pastor of mine to get his thoughts on the Evangelical question. I'm struck by this quote he included in his response to me:
The theology that is based on intellectual constructs and not on the direct experience of God is philosophy and not theology. It is a human creation that offers neither real knowledge of God nor peace to the heart. - Gregory Palamas, 14th century
As I am seeking and pursuing opportunities to serve in Africa over the next year, I find myself, once again, coming face to face with the question, Am I going to consider myself an evangelical Christian? Many of the [evangelical] organizations with which I have considered partnering require assent to their statement of beliefs. I’m not sure that I can, in good faith, do this. I guess I just don't understand why we can't simply stick to the Nicene and/or Apostle's Creed and let everything else be "up for grabs".
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