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Advent in our Lives

by Kyndra

I am settling in at my apartment in Euless, TX. Shaun is settling back into our home in Reno, NV. I am looking forward to many things now that I am back in DFW, and one of those things is re-joining the community at Church in the Cliff (CITC).

In all the buzz of moving and taking our first step on this unknown journey we have chosen for ourselves, I was reminded by CITC that this weekend begins the season of Advent. Courtney (CITC pastor) writes ...

"... But this is Christmas-time. As we prepare for Christ's birth why not focus on hope and celebrate all things sweetness and light? ... All I can say is that our tradition is smarter than that. The ancients knew that you could not fully celebrate light and life without first waiting in the darkness. And that darkness is not always tight and gloomy, but can instead be a place of God's deepest work. It is into this darkness that we step on Sunday, the first day of the Christian Liturgical Year. We step into the deep, deep blue of the night sky just before dawn. We step into the mystery-yearning to be taught again this year that it is somehow in the waiting that we encounter the mystery of God's presence. "

I am appreciating the side by side beginning of the Christian liturgical year and the beginning of Shaun's and my journey in separate physical locations. I don't expect our journey to be easy or happy all the time, but I don't expect it to be fully dark either. I expect both. And, for now, it brings me comfort to acknowledge that the dark before the dawn, the waiting, is also a time of heart work and an encounter with "the mystery of God's presence."

All is good.

Lately Listening - Emergent and other leaders

I've been bad at blogging recently.  sorry.  Pretty busy little season at work(s), and keeping a finger in a few different things going on.  This year has really flown by.

Recently, I've been to 3 different events - all "churchy," all encouraging, and all giving me hope for the future of American Christian leadership.
Event 1:
Emergence in Austin - a conference featuring Scot McKnight as moderator to a panel of church leaders - reflecting thoughts contributed in a recent Zondervan book - Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches. 
The idea of the book was quite good, as each contributor got to write a chapter on a certain topic, and all other contributors offered a short reflection/rebuttal/extension of that topic thereafter.  I have flipped through it and I like the style.  There are definitely some opposing views on theology and praxis, but it's a good discussion for the most part. 
And that's what I'd say for this conference.  Scot McKnight led well.  The banter was both dense and funny, and McKnight is good at that.  John Burke had gracious answers (held at his church - Gateway), and Doug Pagitt was able to offer some new ideas and views, telling stories to connect the ideas along the way.  Doug was humble and positive towards other "demonstrations" of Christianity and I think that might have helped many listen harder (and offer more grace) as he expounded on the way his faith community lives out their theology as best they can.  I was encouraged to sense this perspective and grace from another Emergent leader.  I think that means a lot as the conversation goes forward.  (good review by Bob Carlton here)

Okay - speeding along --

Event 2:
A week ago Brian McLaren came to SMU as a Lecture speaker on Evangelism.   This was a day of some straightforward McLaren - therefore, I enjoyed it very much.  He also exudes a humility that simply draws me in to listen and learn.  I continuously feel challenged to think hard and live better when I listen to Brian.  And an especially neat part of this event was the way he wove in certain Methodist theological tendencies to what he presented.  Not being Methodist, I feel like I learned a lot while I got to see him validate the faith of so many in the room.  While "postmodernism" can seem so scary, he helped explain cultural shifts with the words and beliefs of John Wesley, and I felt that made a difference in the room. 
Brian took hard questions during a Q & A, but was gracious.  Some questions seemed like the same ones he's been hearing for years, while some were just plain challenging (perhaps a bit stubborn).  And I liked a key point Brian made, referring to Matthew 7, and citing - "Do not judge, lest you also be judged."  Brian posed, perhaps we could also phrase it - "Do not vilify, and you will not be vilified."  I admire Brian's desire to do theology and work against vilification at the same time.
I look forward to seeing Brian in DFW again in Feb. on the tour of his book - Everything Must Change.

Event 3:
Rob Bell @ Nokia Theatre - here's a pic I took -I know some people thought this sounded too showy, Bell "performing" at Nokia, and I know some people who just plain didn't go as to not support the "show."  But I gotta say it was a great experience.  Bell got up there and talked - teaching/monologue for a good hour and 1/2.  It felt sorta classical in that sense - sitting under a good orator - basically offering an "anthropology of religion."  That's an evening well spent.  There was nothing flashy about it - a stage with an ancient-style altar; it was a great mix of message and method.  While Nokia is a rather large stage (literally and symbolically), I like this format for theological oration and hope to see more going forward.

All in all, I'm glad to be listening to some of these leaders.  It has lately given me hope.  I hope you have some as well. 
Happy Thanksgiving!

Colbert's Freegans, Community Resurrection

Look, I've never been dumpster diving myself, but I've had a growing desire for it, the more exposed I am to Shane Claiborne and other radical simplicity people.   So, attached are two different videos ... both great.  First, here's Stephen Colbert commenting on the growing act of people diving for food in dumpsters, sometimes even just as a statement of opposition to food corporations, and many times because it puts to use what others consider waste. 

And, the second video is actually about The Simple Way community that Shane C. is a part of, and a devastating fire that recently burned down some of their community/living space.  But the group is "practicing resurrection" and hoping to benefit their neighborhood and it's children with a space to come after the fire.  There is hope, and there's even some things you and I can do to help.

Sorry to have to post these two different videos together, but there is a string of connection, so flow with it!  :)

Here, the words of the Philly community in response to recent tragedy:

Cobalt Season shows

Tour dates have been announced for a show I think you must go to!  I saw the Cobalt Season do a “house show” last year, and it was uniquely great.  It was actually my first “house show,” and I really didn’t know what to expect.  This uncertainty grew larger when I learned that the show would actually happen at a “church” and not actually in a “home.”  Still, it was called a “house show,” and I’m so glad I went out to see them. 

I went because I had known Ryan Sharp in high school (a bit), and we’d recently exchanged emails about Emergent Village and his involvement, and about his story as Jesus-follower, artist, husband, nomad, good guy, etc.. 
And, okay, let me be honest … not knowing what this “house show” had in store, I wondered if The Cobalt Season might play a couple of songs, but then if it might turn into a “who’s got a song for us?” kind of evening ... you know, where we pass the guitar around and such.
So, the night before, I brushed up on some late Rich Mullins (the Jesus Record he never fully recorded) and I’ll admit I was ready to bust out and play “You Did Not Have a Home” in a cool non-chalant, emergent-type key of D.  Alas, that time never came. 
Ryan and Holly took the stage (we’re at the church, remember?), and the stories and songs poured, and the night flew by in a wave of encouragement for me.  There really was a great life-story weaved into the songs and the sharing and the performance.  This was truly a LIVE show to me – the artist sharing life. 
And I met some good people that night too.

Well, now, not only can we all expect great community at the Cobalt Season shows that happen around DFW in October and November, but the new album, In Search of a Unified Theory takes amazing strides in musical creativity for the band.  The melodies are strong and layered, and when added to the personhood of the artist … well, it’s something special for sure!  Listen and buy – you’re supporting good music by great people and we need more of that. 

See you at the Dallas shows! 

Wheaton/Emergent digestion

Here you see Richard Kearney (left), Jack Caputo (middle), and Tony Jones (right).  We had to drive through 13 states to make the trek an eventual success, but it was so great and glorious!

Okay - so it's only fair to follow up the tour/travel blogs with a post about how we made it back in one piece, and I've now officially dipped back into the regular swing of things here at home.  I'd say that particular "swing" is fine by me.  But I'd also say there are certain things about the swing's trajectory that are more off than I'd like them to be.  Oh well ... Lent is over and there's still work to do?!  What will I do? :)  Keep praying, I guess.

Prayer.  That's a theme that came from the conference tour I think.  Simple, huh?  See, it's the posture that we take in prayer, employing a hermeneutic of humility and love, that not only connects us to an ancient practice of faith, but opens us up to the new possibilities of faith to come. 
One presenter at the Wheaton Ancient Faith for the Church's Future Conference took about 45 minutes to go over this old form and example of liturgy, especially liturgical prayer.  He then talked about "preaching within a prayer form - making it also evocative, prayerful" - specifically, there is something to the FORM in which we do things that can identify what is essentially at their core. 
Thus, up sprang another word that actually also popped up at the Emergent Conversation (go figure!).  This Wheaton presenter mentioned that, in the same vein as doing things in a liturgical prayer-form, we could also do things within a sense of the "euchological." Yes, the euchological.  (Karen Ward also used this word at the conversation in Philly). 
As I let even the word Eucharist become more familiar to me ... I can also attempt to see things beyond bread and wine, as Euchological.  This was introduced in Wheaton but truly came fully circle in Philadelphia as Richard Kearney talked about a notion of transubstantiation.  He said, 

"we've attempted to realize that the bread and wine is truly the body of Christ.  But what if Christ meant a certain change to take place - what if Christ's body, after the Cross, was becoming bread and wine?  In a sense, what if, beyond Christ's sacrificial suffering on that cross, he NOW offered the world a chance to live within him while sharing meals, celebrating peace at last?"

At that time he was on the cross, but forevermore he is within our hospitality to each other.   That may help us  open up to sense the Euchological theme in things all around us everyday.
I'd love conversing about this, as I need to continue to process it.  Comment away.  More to come soon. 

peace and all good.       

 

Conference tour 3

Another great day here on our conference tour. 
We went through a bit of small town traffic, and finally made to our morning sessions for the conference.  Pics of Tony Jones, and Jack Caputo and Richard Kearney -- here ...
A great format for letting us hear from the philosophers - with Tony prompting questions, coming from a basic reading of these guys.  I think the prompts have been great, and the discussion that has followed has been exactly what I would have wanted, and more!

Later in the day, two pastors also joined the "panel" and that just made the discussion format even more engaging.  We've all loved the format of just letting the armchair philosophers work through concepts right there in front of us - not too formal with prepared papers (like at Wheaton), but just naturally genius enough to spat biting truths out in soundbytes that we can all (kind of) understand.  Having both Caputo and Kearney is a very good move, as they compliment each other well.   I can't imagine them presenting otherwise.
We've mentioned how Caputo's writing is so witty and accessible while Kearney seems more detached and academic, YET in conversation Kearney is extremely engaging, tactful, intuitive and fun to listen to (he's Irish), while Caputo is a bit more detached - like the aloof GENIUS in the corner, ready to give you golden nuggets to take home and deconstruct for yourself.  I love his character and what this type of personality brings to the table - he helps us all stay pretty amicable with what's being discussed and to keep having fun with it.

So we had lunch and did a little seminar/breakout session and then came out to New Jersey to hang and stay the night with Russ's brother and sister in law.  We took the train out here - It's been a fun day and a good night, and we're settling in now.  In the morning, we'll jump on the train early and get to the last session of Caputo and Kearney.  God help us come away with something to relay - even just in spirit!  :)

Then we hope to maybe catch Shane Claiborne at the Simple Way in philly before we head out of town. 
We'll begin the long journey homeward, and hopefully find a good place to camp!  I don't know if I'll post again before we take off, so peace for now.

Wheaton & Emergent conference tour 2

quick update on what the travel crew has been up to ... things enjoyed along the way from my last post:

-great drive through (surprisingly) beautiful Ohio.  Lake Erie was cool
-into Pennsylvania, fresh forests and plenty of rolling land, called the "wilds"
-stopped at Farrell's (old IBC friends) for the night in Allentown - GREAT name for a town!
-drove into downtown Philly, saw Independence Hall & the Liberty Bell for a bit
-drove back out to Eastern University - in towns outside Philly.  These towns are amazing - old character, good friendly people.
-checked in at a Holiday Inn Express - too cold and snowy to camp
-went to the opening night session of the Emergent Conversation.  GREAT time.  Jack Caputo and Richard Kearney did a two hour introduction to the arch of philosophy, from Plato to Derrida. 

This set the stage for the coming conversations.  And, we all loved the time.  It flew by; we could have been there for two more hours.
-to a pub to hang and detox the presentation with others at the conference.

Pics on flickr.
Now, new day, we go to the next session.

more later.  Peace. 

Wheaton & Emergent conference tour 1

Well, it’s day 4 of our conference tour through Chicago and Philadelphia!  Leg 1 of the trip has come to an end, and it’s been great.  Russ, Stephen and I left DFW Wednesday morning and began the drive northward through Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. 
SEE PICS at Flickr.

Russ told us heading out that we would be trying to keep off of the Interstates – sticking to roads with more character, scenery, and less of a -just drive on me/through me/and get where you are going- vibe to them.  We all agreed and we took off. 

So, the first day of driving took longer than we planned.  The wind has been crazy, and the 80 Volkswagon Westfalia van is a bit more easily tossed about in it.  The wind has worked to further slow down a van that you might consider slow to begin with.  ☺
And it’s been raining and cold too.  All we could do is press on, though. 
At the end of driving on Wednesday, we were in northern Missouri and decided to take the route off Interstate and through the “Mark Twain National Forest.”  There I got to see what is beautiful about taking the road less traveled (literally).  It was beautiful around there, and the scenery was well worth a few more minutes or hours of driving.  We got there late, so drove through the later part of the forest in the dark, swirls of leaves dancing across the road before us, few cars around us, The Weepies singing our forest trip anthems.  Great day of driving. 

We stayed the night in Potosi, MO – and then came on north to Chicago, IL the next morning.  Upon entering Illinois we promptly put on Sufjan Steven’s Illinoise album … and it resonated with me, more than it ever has before.  I imagine it like seeing the Kentucky farms, those akin to the ones in Wendell Berry fiction novels, and more fully realizing the art I’ve known.  That was the Sufjan Illinois experience. 
That day, we pretty much drove right up to Wheaton and walked into the conference 15 minutes late.  This is the 16th Annual Wheaton Theology Conference – this year’s theme, Ancient Faith for the Church’s Future. 
I’ll have to elaborate on things heard & learned soon, for now I’ll just keep up our travel stories. 
The Wheaton campus is beautiful as well, and the town quite cool.  There are some interesting local spots to hang out and eat, and a forestry preserve nearby – Barry Jones took us there to chill one day.  We met up with Barry and Jason (from IBC) at the Wheaton conference.  Now, because Jason and Russ work so close together, the dynamic is fun to watch – silly, sarcastic, with hints of a sort of man-love also mixed in.  They approached each other with new names, and so it extended over also to Barry, Stephen and I. 

*Russ is the Rabbi.  Jason is the Reverend.  Barry is the Professor.  Stephen is Iceman (due to his coolness, and the look he assumes when wearing the pilot shades he bought at Walmart on the way up here – See Top Gun), and I am the Buddha, or the Nameless One. 

This is just one example of fun taking place in the first leg of the trip! 

Okay, so skip to today (Saturday).  We said good-bye to Barry and Jason and others we met at the Wheaton Conference, and Russ, Stephen and I are heading east to Philadelphia.  We stopped in South Bend, IN and walked the campus of the University of Notre Dame.  It was amazing!  Beautiful, old, quiet (on a Saturday), cold, and cool.  We saw the stadium, “touchdown Jesus”, the library, the bookstore, the famous Dome on campus, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and the Grotto – cave of candles.  Everything was cool, beautiful and also moving.  It’s good to sense that just merely being on a campus.  We’ve been talking theology for a few days now … and here’s a campus begun by the congregation of Holy Cross in 1842.  There was a connection that the three of us could definitely feel there.  I’ve always wanted to see Notre Dame – growing up as a fan and then growing to admire the academics and such as well.  We all thought this was a great pit-stop.

For now, we've landed at a motel in Toledo, Ohio - it's snowy and wet outside and I’m headed to bed; we’ll travel near Philly tomorrow.  I’ll elaborate on the trip more later.  Pics up on flickr.
Peace.

April update - photos

Cool stuff has been going on recently - all the way from St. Patrick's Day, to an April trip to San Marcos, TX to hang with Reagan and hear Shane Claiborne ... to Holy week.
Now, tomorrow morning I head out to do some conferencing - the Wheaton Theology conference in illinois and the Emergent Conversation in Philadelphia.  Good things to come, I hope.  For now, here's some pics of recent times:

On the drive to San Marcos, I was just shooting pictures, camera pointed at the window.  I didn't know what was really being captured, except an amazing morning sky.  I found this later.  This picture seemed a paradox of beautiful God-made sky and detestable man-made lust.

Shane Claiborne speaking to a student gathering at Texas State University.  Theme = protest & dissent. Oh, and vote Reagan Pugh for Student Body President!! 

Back in town on Good Friday to go to a great Stations of the Cross art installation at Dallas City Church.  I describe the photos of all the stations on my flickr.

And, going back in time - Tux on St. Patrick's day.  The shirt says, "Kiss Me, I'm Irish".  A gift from Joe and Jenny.  Thanks!* 

Good Friday - upcoming plans

Last October, while in Glorietta NM for the Emergent Gathering, I met a lot of great people!  And, I was surprised to meet a certain contingent from the DFW area.  One group of people was from the The City Church in downtown Dallas.  We had a few nice conversations, nothing too crazy, but enough to get me interested in their community, especially so close to home.  They were open, honest, joyful, you know?  And they meet in an Art gallery and their "music minister" guy is a jazz virtuoso and their pastor took the kids at the conference and led a teaching time on "cooking as prayer."  So ... definitely cool.

Well, their worship gatherings are on Sunday mornings, so I haven't been able to do that.  But I did just notice that they are opening up a Good Friday Art Installation: Stations of the Cross - Open from 12noon to 12midnight on Friday April 6th.  I am going to try and make it that evening (prob. after the good friday service at IBC). 

Anyone wanna come with? 

I'm just glad to find a time to finally get to a City Church gathering.  It will be worthwhile, I'm sure.