I apologize for not being so on top of my posting!
Through tabling on campus, flyering in the dorms and visiting with cookies, we have continued to build a long contact list!
We hung in the dorm Wednesday night until late, enjoying a common room and some casual conversation with people in the halls.
If nothing else we're building up face time and some friendly images as people who bring cookies and good cheer.
Our interest meeting in our dorm is scheduled for Tuesday 8:30pm, location TBA, pray for a place!
And pray for ways to pull together and build community there!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
21 days in Darnall: Day 2
Today we attended the Protestant Student opening service where there's a chance to meet new students who are looking for Christian Fellowship.
We met two girls and a guy from Darnall hall who were interested in a Bible study.
Beyond that, found some facebook pages online listing different students living in the dorms!
Pray for opportunities to make contact with more students!
We met two girls and a guy from Darnall hall who were interested in a Bible study.
Beyond that, found some facebook pages online listing different students living in the dorms!
Pray for opportunities to make contact with more students!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
21 Days in Darnall: Day 1
Freshman move-in day!
We followed in groups of students and wandered around the dorm. A great friend and prayer partner from college came and prayed for campus and Darnall in specific!
We met the chaplains in residence, Episcopalian and Catholic adults who were super friendly and excited to help us facilitate a Bible study in the dorm along with helping us meet students! Major blessings.
Got to see the student leaders of the dorm Bible study Claire and Alex around campus today. Alex and I went to buy tape to put flyers up.....then realized the book store line was over an hour long! We walked up to the front and talked a mother into adding our tape onto her order. Turns out her son lived in Darnall too!
Both Claire and Alex have been super enthusiastic and I'm really blessed to be working with them! Alex and I even bought Darnall residence hall t-shirts on our way out--now people will really think we're freshmen!
We followed in groups of students and wandered around the dorm. A great friend and prayer partner from college came and prayed for campus and Darnall in specific!
We met the chaplains in residence, Episcopalian and Catholic adults who were super friendly and excited to help us facilitate a Bible study in the dorm along with helping us meet students! Major blessings.
Got to see the student leaders of the dorm Bible study Claire and Alex around campus today. Alex and I went to buy tape to put flyers up.....then realized the book store line was over an hour long! We walked up to the front and talked a mother into adding our tape onto her order. Turns out her son lived in Darnall too!
Both Claire and Alex have been super enthusiastic and I'm really blessed to be working with them! Alex and I even bought Darnall residence hall t-shirts on our way out--now people will really think we're freshmen!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Blog I've been writing on
For the summer I've been interning along with a student in the summer urban program for "Bread for the City" as a community blogger on issues of affordable housing.
Here's a link to what I've been up to:
http://www.breadforthecity.blogspot.com/
Here's a link to what I've been up to:
http://www.breadforthecity.blogspot.com/
Seek the Welfare of the city i've sent you to
I awoke last night to the sound of jack hammers and road crew equipment. It was about 2AM. I sat for almost 30 minutes wondering-I wanted to call and complain to someone and say seriously, who does that kind of roadwork on a residential street in the middle of the night?
For the past two weeks-and seemingly the next few months the District will be repairing the sewage system in this area of town to fix long standing water pressure issues. But I had a difficult time deciding to make the call. Was I just a light sleeper? Would/could they even stop the construction?
This week of our urban program our theme has been relocation. For those of you who know me, you know Christy Sherman, my co-worker and I moved into Anacostia, a low-income area of Washington DC almost a year ago. My boss once called it a process of re-neighboring. By changing who are our literal neighbors, suddenly Christ's command to "love your neighbors" takes on new meaning. Our students in this program have voluntarily relocated to this area of the city for five weeks this summer.
So there I was, wide awake, knowing my walls were very thin and the chances of falling back asleep were slim. Suddenly I thought of the bible study we used this week to frame our study of relocation-Jeremiah 29. There God challenges the Jewish exiles in Babylon to put down roots in a new community and "seek the welfare of the city." In some very odd and small way-would calling the water and sewer authority at 2:30am be a way to seek the welfare of my neighbors? Maybe more than just me were thinking they'd lost another-usually the jack hammers start at 7am even on weekends-- good chance at sleep?
Issues like this-and with much more importance confront us regularly when we place our daily lives alongside situations of need. I often step back and have to wonder if my own sense of indignation at any given situation-whether the recycling truck not coming on time or the constant stream of trash in our front yard-is just another case of a privileged girl who grew up in the suburbs needing to get used to life in the city. I wrestle with the question of whether my own standards are too high? How do you decide what's a battle worth fighting for?
However, at other times, this same sense of indignation fuels a passion inside of me and others to be able to speak out when a situation is simply wrong. We ought not have to just "deal" with a night of little sleep, sub-par school systems, a dirty environment, literally thousands of district residents waiting for affordable subsidized housing, or lack of access to basic goods and services. I didn't need to think twice about whether the residents of the Georgetown neighborhood of the city would've tolerated the same noise in the middle of the night. There are many broken systems and relationships in the world that God did not intend to be the way they are-but will we stand by and let it be? When does a situation become an issue of justice and worthy of seeking to set right?
God promises the exiles that when they become a part of seeing the city prosper-they too will prosper. As we tie our lives in with the residents of this neighborhood, sometimes what affects our next door neighbor affects us as well. When I finally got the courage to call the sewer authority, within 15 minutes, most of the noise subsided. Was it my doing? I don't know. But hopefully some of my neighbors were able to sleep a little easier last night as well.
At the end of this summer we're challenging students to consider making a long-term commitment-each focusing on one of our three theme weeks. One of these commitments would challenge students to consider "relocating to a place of need" for two years or more. I accepted a similar commitment through an InterVarsity summer program to Bangkok, Thailand that has led me to where I am today.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Jesus for President hits DC!
The "Jesus for President" book tour hit DC this past weekend. With over 500 in attendance, it was a great meeting place for people of all ages from many different churches and organizations all over the city!
Because I've followed the "New monastic" group some for the past couple of years, I'm pretty familiar with the group that came into town. It's always interesting to see the evolution of thought and honestly, also the staying-power of some of these people. Seeing the transience of life in the DC area especially--knowing that almost 4 years ago I went to Camden and met a house of 8 people.....now of which I believe 5 or 6 still live in the neighborhood--well that's becoming a powerful witness!
Basically a synopsis set to music of the book, Jesus for President chronicled the story of God's people--from beginning in an idyllic garden into a set apart people from Egypt, exile in Babylon to the coming of Jesus to earth. We saw how God asks the question of not which political party to choose--but how will we engage (or should we?) engage the political system? What would it mean to hope in the church to make change in the world? Are we still supposed to be a set apart people today?
It was challenging to many visitors on lots of levels--and what an honor and priviledge for me to be involved in the organizing of the event!
CNN even recently highlighted the event and surrounding energy: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/29/evangelical.campaign/?iref=mpstoryview
Because I've followed the "New monastic" group some for the past couple of years, I'm pretty familiar with the group that came into town. It's always interesting to see the evolution of thought and honestly, also the staying-power of some of these people. Seeing the transience of life in the DC area especially--knowing that almost 4 years ago I went to Camden and met a house of 8 people.....now of which I believe 5 or 6 still live in the neighborhood--well that's becoming a powerful witness!
Basically a synopsis set to music of the book, Jesus for President chronicled the story of God's people--from beginning in an idyllic garden into a set apart people from Egypt, exile in Babylon to the coming of Jesus to earth. We saw how God asks the question of not which political party to choose--but how will we engage (or should we?) engage the political system? What would it mean to hope in the church to make change in the world? Are we still supposed to be a set apart people today?
It was challenging to many visitors on lots of levels--and what an honor and priviledge for me to be involved in the organizing of the event!
CNN even recently highlighted the event and surrounding energy: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/29/evangelical.campaign/?iref=mpstoryview
Saturday, May 31, 2008
City Friends
I think if my life had a soundtrack, the best times of my life would be set to John Mayer's Room for Squares or classic James Taylor. When I say the best times of life--I don't necessarily mean those trial-by-fire or challenging best times of life. I mean more the generic "best times" of life where I am genuinely content and satisfied.
When I feel really "right" with the world and content I get a certain look or smile on my face. I didn't really know this until one of my students said I always look at him and smile and nod. I do this when I'm just simply happy---no other thoughts in my mind, content. (sometimes this is out of awkwardness.....what do I say now? I might as well smile.....).
Tonight I had one of these moments. I went into inner-city Dallas to visit some friends from church. They are an older couple that moved into the neighborhood almost a year ago onto a street of newly developed condos. People have come to these condos from all stages of life--there are young couples, some people who live alone, no children. Really an eclectic group.
We had a wonderful evening--I really enjoy visiting people who are learning/living in neighborhoods like theirs. I think it starts to remind me of my time researching. There's something I really enjoy about learning about the sociological issues of an area, seeing the historical factors that created a neighborhood and all the up and coming things. In this area of Dallas we saw the new homeless resource center, some great new arts attractions, a jazz restaurant, and a great apartment complex/artistic urban lofts center.
We met so many people! An artist who lives in his studio inside the old Sears building (http://southsideonlamar.com/) with his dog, a bunch of musicians who moved into a complex together, the owner of a restaurant.
I love walking around with friendly people who have a strong desire to engage, be friendly, and become a part of a community. It really helps inspire me to continue to do similar things in my neighborhood, meet new people, go to random attractions, plays, ask questions when new things are coming in. Maybe it's nosy--but also, why else are we there if we don't care about what's going on around us?
But back to the feeling of contentment. So after a wonderful night out on the town, seeing this great neighborhood and meeting so many interesting people who have moved there, we retired back to their own condo apartment strip, 13 small homes with a great view of downtown Dallas. Sure there are drug dealers and prostitutes on their corner all night long--but it was evident that this group of neighbors were not judgmental or scared people. They loved living in this area---and had come to love one another, as unusual a group they could be!
For those of you who know me from college--I sat back and thought, wow this is like a grown up version of TTT (my friends in school had a weekly party we'd call Totally Tubular Thursday, a no-pressure, small crowd event were the 15-20 of us who had lived in the same freshman dorm committed to be together every Thursday evening). I always loved TTT time because I could have these moments to sit back, not even have to make conversation and just enjoy myself, secure I am known and loved.
I think that's what community is supposed to be about a lot. Joy in being with others, no matter how dramatically different we are from each other--knowing that we in some sense "belong" to one another, we'd give up time to meet a need or listen to an issue. Socialization is effortless and forgiving. It's where you go to have easy conversation and don't have to worry about what you say or even if you have enough to say.
I think it was a profound experience for me to see a marriage of two things I have yet to see some together in my life--my passion and intrigue for urban areas and dilapidated urban centers with friendship and relaxed good times. In my life in Washington, most of my friends live in the Virginia suburbs where I always have to take a lot of time and effort to get to them and spend time together. How grateful I've been this year for my friend who lives even in my same quadrant of the city. Pray for friends who live nearby--and who have a desire to spend some good, carefree time together!!! I felt very happy for my friends that they had found this--fun and camaraderie in the midst of such an exciting and interesting location.
When I feel really "right" with the world and content I get a certain look or smile on my face. I didn't really know this until one of my students said I always look at him and smile and nod. I do this when I'm just simply happy---no other thoughts in my mind, content. (sometimes this is out of awkwardness.....what do I say now? I might as well smile.....).
Tonight I had one of these moments. I went into inner-city Dallas to visit some friends from church. They are an older couple that moved into the neighborhood almost a year ago onto a street of newly developed condos. People have come to these condos from all stages of life--there are young couples, some people who live alone, no children. Really an eclectic group.
We had a wonderful evening--I really enjoy visiting people who are learning/living in neighborhoods like theirs. I think it starts to remind me of my time researching. There's something I really enjoy about learning about the sociological issues of an area, seeing the historical factors that created a neighborhood and all the up and coming things. In this area of Dallas we saw the new homeless resource center, some great new arts attractions, a jazz restaurant, and a great apartment complex/artistic urban lofts center.
We met so many people! An artist who lives in his studio inside the old Sears building (http://southsideonlamar.com/) with his dog, a bunch of musicians who moved into a complex together, the owner of a restaurant.
I love walking around with friendly people who have a strong desire to engage, be friendly, and become a part of a community. It really helps inspire me to continue to do similar things in my neighborhood, meet new people, go to random attractions, plays, ask questions when new things are coming in. Maybe it's nosy--but also, why else are we there if we don't care about what's going on around us?
But back to the feeling of contentment. So after a wonderful night out on the town, seeing this great neighborhood and meeting so many interesting people who have moved there, we retired back to their own condo apartment strip, 13 small homes with a great view of downtown Dallas. Sure there are drug dealers and prostitutes on their corner all night long--but it was evident that this group of neighbors were not judgmental or scared people. They loved living in this area---and had come to love one another, as unusual a group they could be!
For those of you who know me from college--I sat back and thought, wow this is like a grown up version of TTT (my friends in school had a weekly party we'd call Totally Tubular Thursday, a no-pressure, small crowd event were the 15-20 of us who had lived in the same freshman dorm committed to be together every Thursday evening). I always loved TTT time because I could have these moments to sit back, not even have to make conversation and just enjoy myself, secure I am known and loved.
I think that's what community is supposed to be about a lot. Joy in being with others, no matter how dramatically different we are from each other--knowing that we in some sense "belong" to one another, we'd give up time to meet a need or listen to an issue. Socialization is effortless and forgiving. It's where you go to have easy conversation and don't have to worry about what you say or even if you have enough to say.
I think it was a profound experience for me to see a marriage of two things I have yet to see some together in my life--my passion and intrigue for urban areas and dilapidated urban centers with friendship and relaxed good times. In my life in Washington, most of my friends live in the Virginia suburbs where I always have to take a lot of time and effort to get to them and spend time together. How grateful I've been this year for my friend who lives even in my same quadrant of the city. Pray for friends who live nearby--and who have a desire to spend some good, carefree time together!!! I felt very happy for my friends that they had found this--fun and camaraderie in the midst of such an exciting and interesting location.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
She was 19
Tonight I went with my home church (I'm back home for a month to rest and raise support for the next year) to a meal in downtown Fort Worth that feeds mostly homeless people.
I've been to this weekly meal probably 4 or 5 times now, it's different style than many soup kitchens because volunteers sit with the guests and we eat family style.
So I was a table "host" tonight to 7 people, one homeless man who'd been at my table I'm almost certain the year before, a blind man with a female companion, a woman in a wheel chair with a male companion, and another couple. All were black except the last couple--a white girl and an older hispanic man, both looking to be mid to late 20s.
When the last couple walked in, the woman looked annoyed--I asked her name and tried to start a conversation but she blew me off. The man with her was very friendly and said she was suffering from heat stroke (it's upwards of 90 most days here now) from being outside all day.
Within 5 minutes she was talking non-stop.
She started talking about how her baby had been taken from her because she didn't have a place to live--her 9 month old. I gathered a lot more through the one hour with them. She grew up in child protective services herself, the child of two drug addicts who unashamedly talked about using drugs. She said she met the guy she was with at Salvation Army, he didn't like the story of how she got there because it involved her being raped alot. She said she didn't care about being raped because it had happened to her again and again over almost her whole lifetime--I think she said age 3? I asked if it was a family member, she said yes.
She had lost the money she was saving to start renting some place when being raped another time and couldn't keep a job because of health problems--she was hypoglycemic and carried a few prescriptions with her.
Yes, I do know many homeless suffer from mental problems so it is difficult to be sure of the validity of many of her stories--but it was heart breaking to hear. Defeat after defeat.
And all this in a setting where for the most part people don't go on pouring out their life stories....they simply come in and eat, engaging with simple, polite conversation but rarely anything more.
As the church service part of the evening started, everyone else at the table had left except this couple. A baby across the room started to cry and she started to lose it thinking of her own girl. After awhile they offered anyone interested to get communion. They both got up and I followed them, taking the opportunity, and probably out of a lot of curiosity to ask how old she was. She was 19.
My guess--maybe 26? surely older than me. Of course, there's the fact that she's younger than me, having been pregnant and now depending on an older man, very nice mind-you, but someone she met at a shelter. But actually it was the realization that as my heart broke for her--and I started to cry for the first time in a setting like this, I'm usually the strong, seasoned volunteer type.......realizing I work with 19 year old women all the time. I lead a bible study of 19 year old women, watched them grow, develop and blossom. And here was another 19 year old in a completely different station of life. How far she seemed from the whimsical women of Georgetown!
I felt my heart wanting to do the things I usually do with 19 year old girls, sit them down, listen, follow up with them, pursue their needs. But like this program facilitated, I watched them walk through the door. Who are the people out there doing my kind of job with girls like her? How different my skills would need to be! I was surprised to see my gut reaction to her pain---and yet the commonality--how she talked about how when she came into a church she usually just found herself "talking and talking, then praying to Jesus---and it doesn't make the pain go away."
Somehow, unlike when i've heard similar comments from people of older ages who I don't think I'd know how to respond talking about spiritual difficulty or the pains of being in poverty except to say "i know" or something equally moronic--I somehow thought I could relate a little better, having been that young before......though how worlds apart our lives have been.
I've been to this weekly meal probably 4 or 5 times now, it's different style than many soup kitchens because volunteers sit with the guests and we eat family style.
So I was a table "host" tonight to 7 people, one homeless man who'd been at my table I'm almost certain the year before, a blind man with a female companion, a woman in a wheel chair with a male companion, and another couple. All were black except the last couple--a white girl and an older hispanic man, both looking to be mid to late 20s.
When the last couple walked in, the woman looked annoyed--I asked her name and tried to start a conversation but she blew me off. The man with her was very friendly and said she was suffering from heat stroke (it's upwards of 90 most days here now) from being outside all day.
Within 5 minutes she was talking non-stop.
She started talking about how her baby had been taken from her because she didn't have a place to live--her 9 month old. I gathered a lot more through the one hour with them. She grew up in child protective services herself, the child of two drug addicts who unashamedly talked about using drugs. She said she met the guy she was with at Salvation Army, he didn't like the story of how she got there because it involved her being raped alot. She said she didn't care about being raped because it had happened to her again and again over almost her whole lifetime--I think she said age 3? I asked if it was a family member, she said yes.
She had lost the money she was saving to start renting some place when being raped another time and couldn't keep a job because of health problems--she was hypoglycemic and carried a few prescriptions with her.
Yes, I do know many homeless suffer from mental problems so it is difficult to be sure of the validity of many of her stories--but it was heart breaking to hear. Defeat after defeat.
And all this in a setting where for the most part people don't go on pouring out their life stories....they simply come in and eat, engaging with simple, polite conversation but rarely anything more.
As the church service part of the evening started, everyone else at the table had left except this couple. A baby across the room started to cry and she started to lose it thinking of her own girl. After awhile they offered anyone interested to get communion. They both got up and I followed them, taking the opportunity, and probably out of a lot of curiosity to ask how old she was. She was 19.
My guess--maybe 26? surely older than me. Of course, there's the fact that she's younger than me, having been pregnant and now depending on an older man, very nice mind-you, but someone she met at a shelter. But actually it was the realization that as my heart broke for her--and I started to cry for the first time in a setting like this, I'm usually the strong, seasoned volunteer type.......realizing I work with 19 year old women all the time. I lead a bible study of 19 year old women, watched them grow, develop and blossom. And here was another 19 year old in a completely different station of life. How far she seemed from the whimsical women of Georgetown!
I felt my heart wanting to do the things I usually do with 19 year old girls, sit them down, listen, follow up with them, pursue their needs. But like this program facilitated, I watched them walk through the door. Who are the people out there doing my kind of job with girls like her? How different my skills would need to be! I was surprised to see my gut reaction to her pain---and yet the commonality--how she talked about how when she came into a church she usually just found herself "talking and talking, then praying to Jesus---and it doesn't make the pain go away."
Somehow, unlike when i've heard similar comments from people of older ages who I don't think I'd know how to respond talking about spiritual difficulty or the pains of being in poverty except to say "i know" or something equally moronic--I somehow thought I could relate a little better, having been that young before......though how worlds apart our lives have been.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Last Large Group
Similar in format to the last large group of the year we had at William and Mary, last night's large group was a "sharing" large group.
Anyone was allowed to speak about how God had been working in their life during the year.
What an amazing time!
I heard stories of students moving from skepticism and criticism of Christians to people of faith, students realizing the call to "make disciples" and serve other students in ministry, students challenging other students to be deeply involved in other's struggles.....
One student spoke about how he'd given up underage drinking and partying because when he got involved in Christian community he actually found time serving God to be better! He said "what I thought was making me happy wasn't doing it...it was like I was living 2 lives. Now I can live one life, and I've realized I'm the happiest when I'm serving!"
Several shared verses about seeing how God's grace or goodness is sufficient for them in times of weakness, coming to Georgetown and realizing they don't really have everything together...and that's ok!
I was excited to see how many people spoke about the impact of others in the group on them--either being served by others or doing Bible study together, how people had broken down Christian stereotypes or loved them in times of need.....what a cool manifestation of Christian community on campus here! Praise God.
Anyone was allowed to speak about how God had been working in their life during the year.
What an amazing time!
I heard stories of students moving from skepticism and criticism of Christians to people of faith, students realizing the call to "make disciples" and serve other students in ministry, students challenging other students to be deeply involved in other's struggles.....
One student spoke about how he'd given up underage drinking and partying because when he got involved in Christian community he actually found time serving God to be better! He said "what I thought was making me happy wasn't doing it...it was like I was living 2 lives. Now I can live one life, and I've realized I'm the happiest when I'm serving!"
Several shared verses about seeing how God's grace or goodness is sufficient for them in times of weakness, coming to Georgetown and realizing they don't really have everything together...and that's ok!
I was excited to see how many people spoke about the impact of others in the group on them--either being served by others or doing Bible study together, how people had broken down Christian stereotypes or loved them in times of need.....what a cool manifestation of Christian community on campus here! Praise God.
Love Living in the district
It has gotten to that point of spring and good weather where I can bike from Anacostia to Georgetown....the hour-hour & 15 minute trip is quite enjoyable.
I first pass over the river, past capitol hill area, my favorite hang outs and restaurants.....and then come all the cool dc stuff (pass it each day!):
--the capitol building
--the library of congress
--smithsonian (I can glance at some gardens from the road)
--the washington monument
--the lincoln memorial
--the potomac
--watergate hotel
--national cathedral in the distance
--georgetown!
Besides the huge hills.....hill to Gtown easily 5-7 blocks in length....and on the way home capitol hill......it's a beautiful experience!
What a blessing to live actually IN a city rather than just be able to visit!
Every day I curve around tourists....who sometimes seem annoyed that I'm on a bike there...but how lucky I feel to actually live here! What a life!
I first pass over the river, past capitol hill area, my favorite hang outs and restaurants.....and then come all the cool dc stuff (pass it each day!):
--the capitol building
--the library of congress
--smithsonian (I can glance at some gardens from the road)
--the washington monument
--the lincoln memorial
--the potomac
--watergate hotel
--national cathedral in the distance
--georgetown!
Besides the huge hills.....hill to Gtown easily 5-7 blocks in length....and on the way home capitol hill......it's a beautiful experience!
What a blessing to live actually IN a city rather than just be able to visit!
Every day I curve around tourists....who sometimes seem annoyed that I'm on a bike there...but how lucky I feel to actually live here! What a life!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
When Christ is King
I will blog soon on "Jesus for President". Claiborne's new book. But in the meantime, I found this among Maurin's writing and found it challenging:
WHEN CHRIST IS KING
Not a Liberal
They say that I am a radical.
If I am a radical
then I am not a liberal.
The future will be different
if we make the present different.
But to make the present different
one must give up old tricks
and start to play new tricks.
But to give up old tricks
and start to play new tricks
one must be a fanatic.
Liberals are so liberal about everything
that they refuse to be fanatical
about anything.
And not being able to be fanatical
about anything,
liberals cannot be liberators.
They can only be liberals.
Liberals refuse to be
religious, philosophical or economic fanatics
and consent to be
the worst kind of fanatics,
liberal fanatics.
Not a Conservative
If I am a radical,
then I am not a conservative.
Conservatives try to believe
that things are good enough
to be let alone.
But things are not good enough
to be let alone.
Conservatives try to believe
that the world is getting better
every day in every way.
But the world is not getting better
every day in every way.
The world is getting worse
every day in every way
and the world is getting worse
every day in every way
because the world is upside down.
And conservatives do not know
how to take the upside down
and to put it right side up.
When conservatives and radicals
will come to an understanding
they will take the upside down
and they will put it right side up.
A Radical Change
The order of the day
is to talk about the social order.
Conservatives would like
to keep it from changing
but they don’t know how.
Liberals try to patch it
and call it a New Deal.
Socialists want a change,
but a gradual change.
Communists want a change,
an immediate change,
but a Socialist change.
Communists in Russia
do not build Communism,
they build Socialism.
Communists want to pass
from capitalism to Socialism
and from Socialism to Communism.
I want a change,
and a radical change.
I want a change
from an acquisitive society
to a functional society,
from a society of go-getters
to a society of go-givers.
When Bankers Rule
Modern society has made the bank account
the standard of values.
When the bank account
becomes the standard of values
the banker has the power.
When the banker has the power
the technician has to supervise
the making of profits.
When the banker has the power
the politician
has to assure law and order
in the profit-making system.
When the banker has the power
the educator trains students
in the technique of profit making.
When the banker has the power
the clergyman is expected
to bless the profit-making system
or to join the unemployed.
When the banker has the power
the Sermon on the Mount
is declared unpractical.
When the banker has the power
we have an acquisitive,
not a functional society.
When Christ Is King
When the Sermon on the Mount
is the standard of values
then Christ is the Leader.
When Christ is the Leader
the priest is the mediator.
When Christ is the Leader
the educator
trains the minds of the pupils
so that they may understand
the message of the priest.
When Christ is the Leader
the politician
assures law and order
according to the priest’s teachings.
When Christ is the Leader
the technician
devises ways and means
for the economical production
and distribution of goods.
When Christ is the Leader
the administrator administrates
according to the directions
from the technicians.
When Christ is the Leader
we have a functional,
not an acquisitive society.
Rebellion Is Rebellion
Boloney is boloney,
no matter how you slice it,
and rebellion is rebellion
no matter when it happens,
whether it is
the religious rebellion
of the 16th century
or the political rebellion
of the 18th century,
or the economic rebellion
of the 20th century.
Someone said
that the Catholic Church
stands for rum, Romanism and rebellion.
But the Catholic Church
does not stand for rum, Romanism and
rebellion.
The Catholic Church stands
for Rome, Reunion, and Reconstruction.
The Catholic Church stands,
as Rome used to stand,
for law and order.
The Catholic Church stands
for the reunion
of our separated brothers.
The Catholic Church stands
for the reconstruction,
not the patching up,
of the social order.
Constructing the Social Order
The Holy Father asks us
to reconstruct the social order.
The social order was constructed
by the first Christians
through the daily practice
of the Seven Corporal
and Seven Spiritual
Works of Mercy.
To feed the hungry
at a personal sacrifice,
to clothe the naked
at a personal sacrifice,
to shelter the homeless
at a personal sacrifice,
to instruct the ignorant
at a personal sacrifice;
such were the works
of the first Christians
in times of persecution.
Catholic book club
For a few months now I've been attending monthly book clubs with a catholic non-profit group.
This past Monday we read Peter Maurin, Easy Essays. Peter Maurin was one of the founders of the Catholic Worker movement--it was great to read some of his essays first hand and be challenged again by many of the critiques of the modern charity, church that lead me to where I am today.
Check out some of these:
This past Monday we read Peter Maurin, Easy Essays. Peter Maurin was one of the founders of the Catholic Worker movement--it was great to read some of his essays first hand and be challenged again by many of the critiques of the modern charity, church that lead me to where I am today.
Check out some of these:
Passing The Buck--An Easy Essay by Peter Maurin
1. In the first centuries of Christianity
the poor were fed, clothed, and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice
and the Pagans
said about the Christians:
"See how they love each other."
2. Today the poor are fed, clothed, and sheltered
by the politicians
at the expense
of the taxpayers.
3. And because the poor
are no longer
fed, clothed, and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice
but at the expense
of taxpayers
Pagans say about Christians:
"See how they pass the buck."
Article of intrigue
One friend remarked this article made him realize he wasn't that different from his generation....trying to complete 5 tasks at once....while still wanting to remain open to many more....we are all so guilty.
Paul said "this one thing I do"
Mary choose the better thing....not distracted by the many.....will we?
http://chronicle.com/free/v54/i27/27b00701.htm
Paul said "this one thing I do"
Mary choose the better thing....not distracted by the many.....will we?
http://chronicle.com/free/v54/i27/27b00701.htm
How to Save a Life.....
So back in the fall when we went on a spring retreat, I created a prayer room for students to use art supplies and other forms of medium to communicate with God.
I created one piece of "prayer art" myself based on a lot of what I was feeling at that time. The picture was of a stick figure who had just let go of a bundle of balloons--but realizing that the balloons were now out of reach began to grasp for them. Underneath the picture I wrote "I keep trying to save my life but you won't let me."
This reminds me of much of what I see both on campus here at Georgetown and in my generation.
We get a small taste of what it could be like to serve God, to let go of our hold on our own lives--and how exhilarating that can be! We've lost our lives! And now we find them in Christ.....in much better form that we truly could've ever imagined.
But then the fear sets in.....what if God messes with my schedule? What if I have to break up with my boyfriend? What if I have to change my major? This whole "losing my life" thing is actually kind of unpredictable and uncomfortable.......so we start reaching for the balloons again, trying to bring back the control to our surroundings.
Recently this has been very evident as we see students making decisions about becoming leaders in the fellowship next year. I sadly see student after student shirking from responsibility and leadership--willing to take from fellowship....but when it gets tough and may mean unpredictable commitment....they run in the other direction.
Is this to say that IV leadership is the only way to serve God? No! However, I would love to see every student in our fellowship experiencing the joy and fulfillment of serving God through ministry during their time here.....whether that's leading a small group, playing in the band, heading up a campus-wide event.
Although the situation appears different now a week after applications were due, seeing God provide new students I never expected--for awhile there it seemed that one by one students were saying they could come up with a better plan for their lives than God.
I saw myself do it a lot first semester here, wanting to protect my schedule and my heart from falling head-forward into relationships with a completely new group of students and life in a new city.....fearing what God would do if I really let go. I'm beginning to let my heart get involved with students here, releasing the balloons and watching them fly.
It begs the question of all of us (myself paramount):
I created one piece of "prayer art" myself based on a lot of what I was feeling at that time. The picture was of a stick figure who had just let go of a bundle of balloons--but realizing that the balloons were now out of reach began to grasp for them. Underneath the picture I wrote "I keep trying to save my life but you won't let me."
This reminds me of much of what I see both on campus here at Georgetown and in my generation.
We get a small taste of what it could be like to serve God, to let go of our hold on our own lives--and how exhilarating that can be! We've lost our lives! And now we find them in Christ.....in much better form that we truly could've ever imagined.
But then the fear sets in.....what if God messes with my schedule? What if I have to break up with my boyfriend? What if I have to change my major? This whole "losing my life" thing is actually kind of unpredictable and uncomfortable.......so we start reaching for the balloons again, trying to bring back the control to our surroundings.
Recently this has been very evident as we see students making decisions about becoming leaders in the fellowship next year. I sadly see student after student shirking from responsibility and leadership--willing to take from fellowship....but when it gets tough and may mean unpredictable commitment....they run in the other direction.
Is this to say that IV leadership is the only way to serve God? No! However, I would love to see every student in our fellowship experiencing the joy and fulfillment of serving God through ministry during their time here.....whether that's leading a small group, playing in the band, heading up a campus-wide event.
Although the situation appears different now a week after applications were due, seeing God provide new students I never expected--for awhile there it seemed that one by one students were saying they could come up with a better plan for their lives than God.
I saw myself do it a lot first semester here, wanting to protect my schedule and my heart from falling head-forward into relationships with a completely new group of students and life in a new city.....fearing what God would do if I really let go. I'm beginning to let my heart get involved with students here, releasing the balloons and watching them fly.
It begs the question of all of us (myself paramount):
what are we holding back from God?
What are we attempting to hold onto thinking it will bring us life other than God?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Quiet Times
A couple of weeks ago back visiting my old InterVarsity chapter at WM, I heard they'd done a survey of the fellowship. They found that only 5% of the students present at the weekly Large Group meeting were spending more than 10 minutes 3 times a week in prayer and Bible study.
The term "quiet time" is something that sometimes I feel averse to using a lot. I don't like that it seems like Christian in-speak and also that sometimes it can feel legalistic. However, I'm realizing how little--as some grand attempt to not guilt students, I'm not mentioning this at well.
So a Quiet Time is simply setting aside some time each day for prayer and reading scripture. Not that complicated. Can take tons of different forms depending on what you read and how you pray--length, can be thereabouts of 10 minutes to hours really. By setting aside a specific time of day we allow God some set apart time to speak to us--not just going through our days hoping God thinks what we're already doing it pretty alright.
I've been reading a lot of books about discipleship lately--how to help mentor Christian students and help them grow towards God. In most of these books after the first step of inviting the student into relationship, or once the person has "become a Christian"--almost immediately the next step mentioned in the books is to teach students/disciples how to spend time with God each day. Teaching them to "feed themselves" from the Bible and spend time in prayer rather than creating a situation where people are dependent on you as the mentor.
But I've also been thinking about the general life of a college student--the busyness, the people everywhere......it's very difficult to find space to be alone. But my conviction is that this is still essential. There are quiet spaces in the library, rooms when roommates are out for the day. It's like so much in life--if we live spending our time thinking that we'll do that later......later will never come. We must learn to find space and time for God now, not just wishing it will come around later.
When we were at a visioning retreat for IV last week we did a Bible study on Nehemiah. Nehemiah cries out asking for the forgiveness of the sins of himself and the sins of his fathers. He sees that the sins within his people are also within himself. I find that a lot at Georgetown. The sin of the institution and the student body there mirror a lot of my own personal sins--orientation towards achievement, busyness--and neglecting time with God. So then we repented on the behalf of ourselves and our people. Now I'm just considering how to move forward and help students re-establish this essential time each day.
The term "quiet time" is something that sometimes I feel averse to using a lot. I don't like that it seems like Christian in-speak and also that sometimes it can feel legalistic. However, I'm realizing how little--as some grand attempt to not guilt students, I'm not mentioning this at well.
So a Quiet Time is simply setting aside some time each day for prayer and reading scripture. Not that complicated. Can take tons of different forms depending on what you read and how you pray--length, can be thereabouts of 10 minutes to hours really. By setting aside a specific time of day we allow God some set apart time to speak to us--not just going through our days hoping God thinks what we're already doing it pretty alright.
I've been reading a lot of books about discipleship lately--how to help mentor Christian students and help them grow towards God. In most of these books after the first step of inviting the student into relationship, or once the person has "become a Christian"--almost immediately the next step mentioned in the books is to teach students/disciples how to spend time with God each day. Teaching them to "feed themselves" from the Bible and spend time in prayer rather than creating a situation where people are dependent on you as the mentor.
But I've also been thinking about the general life of a college student--the busyness, the people everywhere......it's very difficult to find space to be alone. But my conviction is that this is still essential. There are quiet spaces in the library, rooms when roommates are out for the day. It's like so much in life--if we live spending our time thinking that we'll do that later......later will never come. We must learn to find space and time for God now, not just wishing it will come around later.
When we were at a visioning retreat for IV last week we did a Bible study on Nehemiah. Nehemiah cries out asking for the forgiveness of the sins of himself and the sins of his fathers. He sees that the sins within his people are also within himself. I find that a lot at Georgetown. The sin of the institution and the student body there mirror a lot of my own personal sins--orientation towards achievement, busyness--and neglecting time with God. So then we repented on the behalf of ourselves and our people. Now I'm just considering how to move forward and help students re-establish this essential time each day.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Stations of the Cross around Anacostia
For Good Friday service my catholic church in Anacostia did a live-action, moving stations of the cross. We walked around Anacostia with a casket and a cross, praying for different things each time we stopped.
There are 14 "stations" of the cross.
We prayed for the homeless, addicted outside the local "grocery store," the elementary school, gangs, single mothers, those in jail, those addicted, for the violence in the neighborhood.
The whole event lasted 3 hours!
But another good reminder of why I wanted to go to a church that was committed to praying and being involved in the surrounding neighborhood's difficult issues.
There are 14 "stations" of the cross.
We prayed for the homeless, addicted outside the local "grocery store," the elementary school, gangs, single mothers, those in jail, those addicted, for the violence in the neighborhood.
The whole event lasted 3 hours!
But another good reminder of why I wanted to go to a church that was committed to praying and being involved in the surrounding neighborhood's difficult issues.
EGGstravaganza: alternative easter break 2008
Being a Catholic school, Georgetown students get the Thursday and Friday plus the Monday surrounding Easter weekend off school. Many students go home--even a week and a half after spring break. But several stay around.
Knowing that many students would be in DC for the break I decided to start my own tradition--easter break alternative break!
Spring break urban service trip was great, definitely great! But it was very serious--so this was my chance to create something more fun and bonding based. Now ending the week, the turn out was pretty good. Let me recap the events:
Thursday: This event I hyped up probably more than any other---an 20-30 mile bike ride around the rim of DC and down through Rock Creek park in the middle. I got 3 girls coming with me--2 freshmen, 1 sophmore. One girl was very inexperienced--and she did GREAT! 5 hours of group biking--and the only major fall was mine (skinny tires on pavement).
Friday: dinner party at my house. I picked up 6 students from Georgetown for a night of dinner, discussion, desserts and dying eggs! We sang along with the piano, grappled with family vs. Christian community and ate tons of ice cream and cookies! Lots of fun!
Saturday: Service project in Anacostia. Myself, a friend from out of town and two students teamed up with the catholic volunteer group (www.asimplehouse.org) to deliver easter baskets to families living in housing projects in Southeast DC. We got partnered with people of all ages--catholics from a teenager to people in their 40s.
Sunday: Baptism service. One of the Georgetown IV worship leaders became a Christian about a month ago. He got baptized at his church service this afternoon. It was great to see the community he's been experiencing there and along with another student, support his decision to be baptized.
alternative easter break was great! hopefully more students will stick around for next year's installment!
Knowing that many students would be in DC for the break I decided to start my own tradition--easter break alternative break!
Spring break urban service trip was great, definitely great! But it was very serious--so this was my chance to create something more fun and bonding based. Now ending the week, the turn out was pretty good. Let me recap the events:
Thursday: This event I hyped up probably more than any other---an 20-30 mile bike ride around the rim of DC and down through Rock Creek park in the middle. I got 3 girls coming with me--2 freshmen, 1 sophmore. One girl was very inexperienced--and she did GREAT! 5 hours of group biking--and the only major fall was mine (skinny tires on pavement).
Friday: dinner party at my house. I picked up 6 students from Georgetown for a night of dinner, discussion, desserts and dying eggs! We sang along with the piano, grappled with family vs. Christian community and ate tons of ice cream and cookies! Lots of fun!
Saturday: Service project in Anacostia. Myself, a friend from out of town and two students teamed up with the catholic volunteer group (www.asimplehouse.org) to deliver easter baskets to families living in housing projects in Southeast DC. We got partnered with people of all ages--catholics from a teenager to people in their 40s.
Sunday: Baptism service. One of the Georgetown IV worship leaders became a Christian about a month ago. He got baptized at his church service this afternoon. It was great to see the community he's been experiencing there and along with another student, support his decision to be baptized.
alternative easter break was great! hopefully more students will stick around for next year's installment!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Holy Week
As many of you know, I've been attending a Catholic church in my neighborhood in Washington,DC.
This week is holy week--I'm really looking forward to getting to participate in many of the activities both on campus at Georgetown with students and with my church in the neighborhood.
For palm sunday, for instance, we did a parade around the neighborhood (I came with 30 college students in-tow from two colleges visting for spring break trips) waving palms around and handing out palms to people we encountered on the street as we marched and sang loudly.
Coming up, there are several services on campus, maundy thursday, good friday and easter morning!
I think it's been since high school that I've been able to focus on the events of Holy week--take the happiness of palm sunday......actually attend Thursday and Friday to understand what happens.....in order to have "walked the journey" come Sunday when the easter choruses begin!
In college it's so easy to get caught up in school work or yourself and forget the rest of the world even exists!
My georgetown students however get this thursday, friday and next monday, tuesday off....so they get to go home or hopefully reconnect with a faith community to celebrate.
This week is holy week--I'm really looking forward to getting to participate in many of the activities both on campus at Georgetown with students and with my church in the neighborhood.
For palm sunday, for instance, we did a parade around the neighborhood (I came with 30 college students in-tow from two colleges visting for spring break trips) waving palms around and handing out palms to people we encountered on the street as we marched and sang loudly.
Coming up, there are several services on campus, maundy thursday, good friday and easter morning!
I think it's been since high school that I've been able to focus on the events of Holy week--take the happiness of palm sunday......actually attend Thursday and Friday to understand what happens.....in order to have "walked the journey" come Sunday when the easter choruses begin!
In college it's so easy to get caught up in school work or yourself and forget the rest of the world even exists!
My georgetown students however get this thursday, friday and next monday, tuesday off....so they get to go home or hopefully reconnect with a faith community to celebrate.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Veganism, an update
So I became a vegan for lent.
Much like vegetarianism, it's a decision that's hard to go back on once you make it.
Especially when it comes to reintroducing substances like milk and cheese and yogurt.
I have been really impacted in the past month, however, to learn how many animal products really did go into everything I consumed......from eggs for breakfast, to cookies, to pizza, to butter on a roll.
I think it's always a good lesson to be conscious of the origins of the things we spend money to have.
Much like vegetarianism, it's a decision that's hard to go back on once you make it.
Especially when it comes to reintroducing substances like milk and cheese and yogurt.
I have been really impacted in the past month, however, to learn how many animal products really did go into everything I consumed......from eggs for breakfast, to cookies, to pizza, to butter on a roll.
I think it's always a good lesson to be conscious of the origins of the things we spend money to have.
Spring Break 2008: Georgetown Urban Plunge
I just finished a week of having 13 Georgetown students living in my house, participating in a week of service, prayer, and Bible study in the inner city of Washington.
For a quick run-down of the week, after a day spent on a scavenger hunt to discover inequalities in the city, we spent last Sunday attending my gospel Catholic church (met some of my neighbors--awesome!). During the week we served breakfast to the homeless, tutored GED students, spent the night at a women's shelter, volunteered at an after school program, ate lunch with homeless, and spent a full-day in a DC Public school (the one I've been doing breakfast with).
In the evenings we had several interesting discussions and activities, including 6 Bible studies from Luke, a teacher discussion panel, a race discussion and even a party with people working in justice-related careers!
I was thrilled to spend the week essentially at home, relieved from the stress of commuting. It was exciting to invite students into my daily life, my relationships in the neighborhood, the joys and struggles of being there. I made some connections at work and the elementary school that otherwise would've taken months to figure out!
Students mostly, in the time talking about what we'd all taken away from the trip, talked about wanting to become less self-centered in their approach to life, watching how they spend their time and money, and seeing increasingly God's heart for the poor and oppressed! Seeing the faith and determination of people who'd given their lives to serve those of Southeast DC inspired and challenged students to consider their own futures and formerly-cynical outlooks on direct service's impacts on communities in need.
Pray this week will open some student's willingness to come visit my area of town more often!
For a quick run-down of the week, after a day spent on a scavenger hunt to discover inequalities in the city, we spent last Sunday attending my gospel Catholic church (met some of my neighbors--awesome!). During the week we served breakfast to the homeless, tutored GED students, spent the night at a women's shelter, volunteered at an after school program, ate lunch with homeless, and spent a full-day in a DC Public school (the one I've been doing breakfast with).
In the evenings we had several interesting discussions and activities, including 6 Bible studies from Luke, a teacher discussion panel, a race discussion and even a party with people working in justice-related careers!
I was thrilled to spend the week essentially at home, relieved from the stress of commuting. It was exciting to invite students into my daily life, my relationships in the neighborhood, the joys and struggles of being there. I made some connections at work and the elementary school that otherwise would've taken months to figure out!
Students mostly, in the time talking about what we'd all taken away from the trip, talked about wanting to become less self-centered in their approach to life, watching how they spend their time and money, and seeing increasingly God's heart for the poor and oppressed! Seeing the faith and determination of people who'd given their lives to serve those of Southeast DC inspired and challenged students to consider their own futures and formerly-cynical outlooks on direct service's impacts on communities in need.
Pray this week will open some student's willingness to come visit my area of town more often!
InterVarsity Senior Retreat: Feb 22-24th
The last weekend in February we had our winter Conference for InterVarsity. For these conferences students from all over the DC area come together for a weekend of study and reflection.
I was placed in the Senior Track this year--mostly because I begged to be put there, but also as an extra staff person to help out with this "class" for the retreat. The Senior Seminar dealt with transition issues, making big life decisions, finding a church, financial management.....basically all the things of following jesus in the real world and for the long haul.
I begged to be put there because I'd never been able to go to such a thing myself. I really wanted to be in on the budget section and the part about friendships/relationships post-college.
A few major highlights for me included the Bible study on John 14. I started to cry reading jesus' words to his disciples. Throughout the chapter he is reassuring his disciples that they have the tools and the knowledge to make it in his absence--they will be ok! But they doubt--as we all do. The verse that made me cry is when Jesus says "I go to make a place for you...if it wasn't so why would I say it?" All I could think to myself was--yea, why would he say it then? Jesus doesn't lie to us! What a good God we serve.....he will provide, he's not going to turn around and say "just kidding" one of these days.
Other major talks included one on ethics in the workplace, an awesome talk on decision making, and financial management. The decision making talk she said most of the time in our lives we will not know what God wants us to do explicitly. But we will have some signs (this does not exclude prayer!).....but to think of it like a runway that a plane will land on....if 70% of the lights are light-up, it's probably a go. Could sound like reading a fortune cookie or something--but to see lots of things lining up for God to tell us to proceed. Also she talked about when making decisions if we consider 2 things: serving God, serving others.....even when we're confused, we'll likely be able to make it.
It was a good weekend, as always to get away and reflect. The other senior from Georgetown in my group had some good times of reflection about work along with the two students from George Washington in my small group. I was glad for the opportunity to go!
I was placed in the Senior Track this year--mostly because I begged to be put there, but also as an extra staff person to help out with this "class" for the retreat. The Senior Seminar dealt with transition issues, making big life decisions, finding a church, financial management.....basically all the things of following jesus in the real world and for the long haul.
I begged to be put there because I'd never been able to go to such a thing myself. I really wanted to be in on the budget section and the part about friendships/relationships post-college.
A few major highlights for me included the Bible study on John 14. I started to cry reading jesus' words to his disciples. Throughout the chapter he is reassuring his disciples that they have the tools and the knowledge to make it in his absence--they will be ok! But they doubt--as we all do. The verse that made me cry is when Jesus says "I go to make a place for you...if it wasn't so why would I say it?" All I could think to myself was--yea, why would he say it then? Jesus doesn't lie to us! What a good God we serve.....he will provide, he's not going to turn around and say "just kidding" one of these days.
Other major talks included one on ethics in the workplace, an awesome talk on decision making, and financial management. The decision making talk she said most of the time in our lives we will not know what God wants us to do explicitly. But we will have some signs (this does not exclude prayer!).....but to think of it like a runway that a plane will land on....if 70% of the lights are light-up, it's probably a go. Could sound like reading a fortune cookie or something--but to see lots of things lining up for God to tell us to proceed. Also she talked about when making decisions if we consider 2 things: serving God, serving others.....even when we're confused, we'll likely be able to make it.
It was a good weekend, as always to get away and reflect. The other senior from Georgetown in my group had some good times of reflection about work along with the two students from George Washington in my small group. I was glad for the opportunity to go!
Simple Way Family Reunion: February 15-17
So I'm really behind on my writing. I'm attempting to fix this situation with a short synopsis of important events in the past month.
The 3rd weekend in February I ventured up to Philadelphia/Camden area with one of my good friends and mentors, Brian Lewis of Common Ground community in Shreveport, LA (www.lvoe.org). I drove up with Brian's friend Drew, a seminary student in the DC area I was pleased to meet and get to know over the weekend.
We got up to Philadelphia and went directly to the Simple Way's Potter Street location in the Kensington neighborhood of North Philadelphia. I was immediately struck by the enclosed, tight nature of the streets around that area of the city. It contrasts dramatically to Center City's wide boulevards and expansive skyscrapers. The tiny row houses were only footsteps from those across the street---community seemed inherent in this kind of set up. Even our close location to our neighbors in DC is nothing like this.
The whole weekend was a series of meeting interesting people. The entire new monastic movement is full of all kinds of characters, Christian anarchists, lots of vegans, lots of dreadlocks and a lot of smokers even. When you really respect a person or a group of people you can more easily accept and believe what they state to be true about the world. Possibly this is a very post-modern trait about me. Regardless, I find myself really immersed in this crowd of people, learning from all kinds of things---from how people greet one another, what they eat, what kind of Bible study we do.....it's all very enlightening....I'm essentially eating it all up.
Friday evening was a big potluck dinner and a worship service by the Psalters (http://www.psalters.com/). Saturday consisted of a lot of round-group discussions. First we did bible study on Matthew 18 followed by group discussions on race in community, gender and God-image (how do we imagine God--mother God?), and power and authority in community (are we afraid to have leaders? should we have leaders?).
It was mind boggeling in someways-----in others simply refreshing.
Many of my coworkers in InterVarsity had their first ah-ha moment of faith and biggest conversion moment in their faith-life thus-far mediated by interactions with InterVarsity. Thus, they find themself where they are. However, for myself, I think it was through the leading, listening and inquiry skills I learned in part from InterVarsity that I found the New Monastic (www.newmonasticism.org) religious movement--that changed my life, faith, and future forever. I come back to this place (camden especially) to be renewed and reminded of who I am in Jesus and what I hope and pray my life will be about.
The 3rd weekend in February I ventured up to Philadelphia/Camden area with one of my good friends and mentors, Brian Lewis of Common Ground community in Shreveport, LA (www.lvoe.org). I drove up with Brian's friend Drew, a seminary student in the DC area I was pleased to meet and get to know over the weekend.
We got up to Philadelphia and went directly to the Simple Way's Potter Street location in the Kensington neighborhood of North Philadelphia. I was immediately struck by the enclosed, tight nature of the streets around that area of the city. It contrasts dramatically to Center City's wide boulevards and expansive skyscrapers. The tiny row houses were only footsteps from those across the street---community seemed inherent in this kind of set up. Even our close location to our neighbors in DC is nothing like this.
The whole weekend was a series of meeting interesting people. The entire new monastic movement is full of all kinds of characters, Christian anarchists, lots of vegans, lots of dreadlocks and a lot of smokers even. When you really respect a person or a group of people you can more easily accept and believe what they state to be true about the world. Possibly this is a very post-modern trait about me. Regardless, I find myself really immersed in this crowd of people, learning from all kinds of things---from how people greet one another, what they eat, what kind of Bible study we do.....it's all very enlightening....I'm essentially eating it all up.
Friday evening was a big potluck dinner and a worship service by the Psalters (http://www.psalters.com/). Saturday consisted of a lot of round-group discussions. First we did bible study on Matthew 18 followed by group discussions on race in community, gender and God-image (how do we imagine God--mother God?), and power and authority in community (are we afraid to have leaders? should we have leaders?).
It was mind boggeling in someways-----in others simply refreshing.
Many of my coworkers in InterVarsity had their first ah-ha moment of faith and biggest conversion moment in their faith-life thus-far mediated by interactions with InterVarsity. Thus, they find themself where they are. However, for myself, I think it was through the leading, listening and inquiry skills I learned in part from InterVarsity that I found the New Monastic (www.newmonasticism.org) religious movement--that changed my life, faith, and future forever. I come back to this place (camden especially) to be renewed and reminded of who I am in Jesus and what I hope and pray my life will be about.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Thrill of the Chaste
So as with most of my writing, I document themes in my life. I believe God puts a lot of things together in my life---all point towards the same genre, idea, or theme for two reasons. One, I get a very interdisciplinary, diverse education on any given topic--quite liberal arts of the Lord! Two, to get a point home--after hearing similar messages for weeks, I start to pay attention and learn something.
So for my inevitable Valentine's Day post, I've had a few diverse instances come together. One, Valentine's Day is today. Last night Georgetown sponsored a talk by Dawn Eden, a catholic author who wrote the Thrill of the Chaste, a book I actually read in one sitting during a rainy day visiting a friend in Philadelphia. In some ways it's your quintessential Christian sex and dating book, with some conservative by some people's view's stances. But she appeared to be an edgy individual--so I read it. And when I heard she was coming to campus I went.
The talk was good--she talked about her own life, living from relationship to relationship with different men to finding God later in life and then even later "becoming chaste." She talked about chastity being different from abstinence--because being chaste is about more than just our outward, moral sexual behavior but about our whole being, our thought life and our attitude towards others (Jesus said one who looks at a woman with lust has already committed it in his heart! yikes!).
I went with several of my students and we stayed afterwards for the round-table discussion. Being a catholic, much of what we talked about in the group was contraception and the catholic church's stance on birth control, condoms, etc. A few people joined the group who were more sexually experienced than my students--and they carried the conversation--it is always good to be exposed to the diverse people on this campus! This even had me watching the women dropping kids off at the elementary school I volunteer with--I didn't see any mothers today with rings on their hands. Pregnancy outside of wedlock is commonplace in my neighborhood.
In response to last night's talk, I met with my bible study co-leader, a sophomore this morning. Each Thursday morning we meet for about an hour and do some form of "creative prayer." Two weeks ago we prayer-walked (prayed for people and buildings, ideas we saw), last week we prayed specifically for the girls in our group. This morning we decided to pray for women on campus. Leading a women's bible study, we are often engaging some of the difficult issues of being a woman on campus (ambition, relationships, friendships, body image, among many!).
Rather than just focusing on people we knew, we decided to think of all kinds of women on campus. I brought crayons, a magazine and some glue. We created collages while praying and celebrating many of the services and organizations on campus that serve women's needs on campus. We prayed for the pro-life and pro-choice groups. We prayed for girls in abusive relationships, dealing with eating disorders, and cliques on their halls. I created a word picture surrounding the verse "charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting...but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31)."
In our small group this semester we're studying the book of Ruth. Last week's bible study we got to compare Ruth and Naomi a lot. In the story, Naomi is an older woman who has recently become a widow. Ruth, her daughter-in-law has also been widowed. Ruth, rather than going home to her own family, decided to go with Naomi back to Naomi's hometown, tying their fates together. We talked about how Naomi renames herself "Mara"--meaning "bitter." But God had such a plan for Naomi! He places a person like Ruth in her life to encourage, strength, and provide for her! We then thought a lot about when we were acting as Naomi, bitter towards God, thinking he afflicted us....and when we could seek to act like Ruth for others in our lives. How women can encourage and love one another!
So all of these things came together, thinking about women on campus, difficult issues in relating to other women and men--along with the "thrill"--and sometimes pressure of Valentine's day!
Pray for the women of Georgetown and Washington, DC!
So for my inevitable Valentine's Day post, I've had a few diverse instances come together. One, Valentine's Day is today. Last night Georgetown sponsored a talk by Dawn Eden, a catholic author who wrote the Thrill of the Chaste, a book I actually read in one sitting during a rainy day visiting a friend in Philadelphia. In some ways it's your quintessential Christian sex and dating book, with some conservative by some people's view's stances. But she appeared to be an edgy individual--so I read it. And when I heard she was coming to campus I went.
The talk was good--she talked about her own life, living from relationship to relationship with different men to finding God later in life and then even later "becoming chaste." She talked about chastity being different from abstinence--because being chaste is about more than just our outward, moral sexual behavior but about our whole being, our thought life and our attitude towards others (Jesus said one who looks at a woman with lust has already committed it in his heart! yikes!).
I went with several of my students and we stayed afterwards for the round-table discussion. Being a catholic, much of what we talked about in the group was contraception and the catholic church's stance on birth control, condoms, etc. A few people joined the group who were more sexually experienced than my students--and they carried the conversation--it is always good to be exposed to the diverse people on this campus! This even had me watching the women dropping kids off at the elementary school I volunteer with--I didn't see any mothers today with rings on their hands. Pregnancy outside of wedlock is commonplace in my neighborhood.
In response to last night's talk, I met with my bible study co-leader, a sophomore this morning. Each Thursday morning we meet for about an hour and do some form of "creative prayer." Two weeks ago we prayer-walked (prayed for people and buildings, ideas we saw), last week we prayed specifically for the girls in our group. This morning we decided to pray for women on campus. Leading a women's bible study, we are often engaging some of the difficult issues of being a woman on campus (ambition, relationships, friendships, body image, among many!).
Rather than just focusing on people we knew, we decided to think of all kinds of women on campus. I brought crayons, a magazine and some glue. We created collages while praying and celebrating many of the services and organizations on campus that serve women's needs on campus. We prayed for the pro-life and pro-choice groups. We prayed for girls in abusive relationships, dealing with eating disorders, and cliques on their halls. I created a word picture surrounding the verse "charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting...but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31)."
In our small group this semester we're studying the book of Ruth. Last week's bible study we got to compare Ruth and Naomi a lot. In the story, Naomi is an older woman who has recently become a widow. Ruth, her daughter-in-law has also been widowed. Ruth, rather than going home to her own family, decided to go with Naomi back to Naomi's hometown, tying their fates together. We talked about how Naomi renames herself "Mara"--meaning "bitter." But God had such a plan for Naomi! He places a person like Ruth in her life to encourage, strength, and provide for her! We then thought a lot about when we were acting as Naomi, bitter towards God, thinking he afflicted us....and when we could seek to act like Ruth for others in our lives. How women can encourage and love one another!
So all of these things came together, thinking about women on campus, difficult issues in relating to other women and men--along with the "thrill"--and sometimes pressure of Valentine's day!
Pray for the women of Georgetown and Washington, DC!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
End of an Era
I spent this past weekend visiting my brother and friends back at William and Mary.
The campus was all abuzz about the president's possible termination. He's been a controversial figure, making several moves to diversify the campus. An article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/12/ST2008021201428.html
But the students love him. Maybe not all--but for sure a majority. I wonder what will become of the campus now that the students are in some ways revolting---walk outs on classes by students and faculty, vigils, t-shirts and I heart nichol buttons everywhere.
How will anyone else anytime soon become the president of this place?
William and Mary loved of old......hark upon the gale.
The campus was all abuzz about the president's possible termination. He's been a controversial figure, making several moves to diversify the campus. An article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/12/ST2008021201428.html
But the students love him. Maybe not all--but for sure a majority. I wonder what will become of the campus now that the students are in some ways revolting---walk outs on classes by students and faculty, vigils, t-shirts and I heart nichol buttons everywhere.
How will anyone else anytime soon become the president of this place?
William and Mary loved of old......hark upon the gale.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Buy Nothing Lent
This year for lent our InterVarsity group at Georgetown challenged each other to try to "buy nothing"--meaning to cut out all unnecessary spending.
Situated in a city, especially an area like Georgetown, our students are bombarded by opportunities to go out to eat, buy new clothing, or pay for movies or other entertainment. My coworker and I spoke at large group last night, challenging the students--even if they didn't think they were addicted to money or stuff, often using these things to fill the emptiness in our lives--they should still consider taking a step back "just to find out."
We framed it as choices--choosing to bring your own water rather than always buying coffee, going to the dining hall rather that out, playing a game at home rather than out to a movie.
We began the talk by considering how much the Bible talks about money (the 2nd most frequently mentioned topic next to love!). Next we went into how scripture over and over reveals how the money we have in our wallets--is not ours, our parents, our families--but in fact God's. This is a hard concept to grasp. Where are his holy wallets?
It can be deceiving when we work jobs and "earn" our keep/worth and then take home our wages.
After this I led the students in a prayer exercise where I spoke out phrases and questions and gave people a few moments to think and pray. Some examples:
When did I last buy something? What was it? Did I need it?
Where do I spend most of the money in my care?
Thank God that you are blessed enough to be able to choose where to spend money.
What about my food buying choices—where is there excess? Where am I buying unnecessary snacks or going out rather than doing something less costly?
When do I seek to fill emptiness with stuff—clothing, addictions, food. ---Confess this to God and ask him to come in and fill this space for you.
What do I fear about accepting the call to fast from buying? Can I trust that God will meet me and help me be creative? Especially in dealing with other people?
Ask God how he would have you respond.
God. Do I need to give up one specific thing in my life—buying coffee? Ordering pizza? God, are you asking me to fast from buying completely during lent? Until spring break? For a week?
***It was a great exercise--I think a lot of students committed and will start this 6 week journey of attempting to not spend money. We're in it together--meeting to pray and discuss alternatives. I'll continue to update on what we're all learning abour our relationship with money.
Situated in a city, especially an area like Georgetown, our students are bombarded by opportunities to go out to eat, buy new clothing, or pay for movies or other entertainment. My coworker and I spoke at large group last night, challenging the students--even if they didn't think they were addicted to money or stuff, often using these things to fill the emptiness in our lives--they should still consider taking a step back "just to find out."
We framed it as choices--choosing to bring your own water rather than always buying coffee, going to the dining hall rather that out, playing a game at home rather than out to a movie.
We began the talk by considering how much the Bible talks about money (the 2nd most frequently mentioned topic next to love!). Next we went into how scripture over and over reveals how the money we have in our wallets--is not ours, our parents, our families--but in fact God's. This is a hard concept to grasp. Where are his holy wallets?
It can be deceiving when we work jobs and "earn" our keep/worth and then take home our wages.
After this I led the students in a prayer exercise where I spoke out phrases and questions and gave people a few moments to think and pray. Some examples:
When did I last buy something? What was it? Did I need it?
Where do I spend most of the money in my care?
Thank God that you are blessed enough to be able to choose where to spend money.
What about my food buying choices—where is there excess? Where am I buying unnecessary snacks or going out rather than doing something less costly?
When do I seek to fill emptiness with stuff—clothing, addictions, food. ---Confess this to God and ask him to come in and fill this space for you.
What do I fear about accepting the call to fast from buying? Can I trust that God will meet me and help me be creative? Especially in dealing with other people?
Ask God how he would have you respond.
God. Do I need to give up one specific thing in my life—buying coffee? Ordering pizza? God, are you asking me to fast from buying completely during lent? Until spring break? For a week?
***It was a great exercise--I think a lot of students committed and will start this 6 week journey of attempting to not spend money. We're in it together--meeting to pray and discuss alternatives. I'll continue to update on what we're all learning abour our relationship with money.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
My church
I've been attending a gospel Catholic church in my neighborhood. I really enjoy the service, the music is great and the message often has some kind of tie-in or application to issues facing the area. Once the priest actually asked people to raise hands to attend a meeting on development affecting the neighborhood!
This week I met people for the first time--and got invited to join the young adult choir!
Here are some pictures from the church.
It's called St Teresa's of Avila. My mother especially liked the picture of the black Jesus above the altar.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Gracism: inclusion and love
I often write in someway inspired by a book I've read. It helps me summarize and think through the book.
This book I'm still thinking through, this may just be a way for me to remember key points to myself...so bear with me if it's therefore boring.
Gracism: the Art of Inclusion by Anderson
This book says what if we combined the terms grace and racism--we'd get gracism. When trying to combat racism in society, as Christians we bring the grace of Christ into a situation, looking to include the person who might otherwise be left out.
Sometimes this has to do with race--sometimes it's martial status (like when I'm the only single person at the IV christmas party....) or gender or some other factor that might leave an individual feeling left out in any given situation.
I was excited by the book's emphasis on how we can give people places of honor and concern in many situations--to me if parallels some of the themes of "Love is the Killer App"--saying that rather than erring on the side of giving/loving/sharing less we as Christ lovers should err on the side of giving/loving/sharing more, even when it's uncomfortable--and sometimes when it can be controversial. Choosing to operate on the abundancy, gracious side of God is something I'm learning to do daily.
Seven Sayings of a Gracist:
1. "Special Honor"--lifting up the humble among us. I will lift you up.
2. "Special Modesty"--protecting the most vulnerable among us from embarrassment. I will cover you.
3. "No special treatment"--refusing to accept special treatment if is is at the detriment of others who need it. I will share with you.
4. "Greater Honor"--God, as a gracist, has given greater honor to the humble. I will honor you. 5. "No division"--when the majority helps the minority and the stronger helps the weaker (gracism), it keeps us from division within the body (an opposite view than normal). I will stand with you.
6. "Equal Concern"--having a heart as big for our neighbors as we do for oursleves. I will consider you.
7. "Rejoices with it"--when the humble, or less honorable, are helped, we are to rejoice with them. (It's easier to weep with those who weep than to rejoice with those who rejoice). I will celebrate with you.
Some quotes I liked:
"wouldn't it be great if our natural reaction and impulse was to include rather than exclude?"
instead of an "us versus them" mentality--choosing an "us" mentality--us, we're in this together.
This book I'm still thinking through, this may just be a way for me to remember key points to myself...so bear with me if it's therefore boring.
Gracism: the Art of Inclusion by Anderson
This book says what if we combined the terms grace and racism--we'd get gracism. When trying to combat racism in society, as Christians we bring the grace of Christ into a situation, looking to include the person who might otherwise be left out.
Sometimes this has to do with race--sometimes it's martial status (like when I'm the only single person at the IV christmas party....) or gender or some other factor that might leave an individual feeling left out in any given situation.
I was excited by the book's emphasis on how we can give people places of honor and concern in many situations--to me if parallels some of the themes of "Love is the Killer App"--saying that rather than erring on the side of giving/loving/sharing less we as Christ lovers should err on the side of giving/loving/sharing more, even when it's uncomfortable--and sometimes when it can be controversial. Choosing to operate on the abundancy, gracious side of God is something I'm learning to do daily.
Seven Sayings of a Gracist:
1. "Special Honor"--lifting up the humble among us. I will lift you up.
2. "Special Modesty"--protecting the most vulnerable among us from embarrassment. I will cover you.
3. "No special treatment"--refusing to accept special treatment if is is at the detriment of others who need it. I will share with you.
4. "Greater Honor"--God, as a gracist, has given greater honor to the humble. I will honor you. 5. "No division"--when the majority helps the minority and the stronger helps the weaker (gracism), it keeps us from division within the body (an opposite view than normal). I will stand with you.
6. "Equal Concern"--having a heart as big for our neighbors as we do for oursleves. I will consider you.
7. "Rejoices with it"--when the humble, or less honorable, are helped, we are to rejoice with them. (It's easier to weep with those who weep than to rejoice with those who rejoice). I will celebrate with you.
Some quotes I liked:
"wouldn't it be great if our natural reaction and impulse was to include rather than exclude?"
instead of an "us versus them" mentality--choosing an "us" mentality--us, we're in this together.
Friday, January 18, 2008
It's ok
This is a short thought.
But recently I've been thinking alot about how we phrase forgiveness.
Often we have a tendency to say to those around you "it's ok" or "don't worry about it"....hoping to forget the wrong.
Why don't we say "will you forgive me?" or "I forgive you" as the response. To me that seems to take much more commitment--it's a little riskier and scary to me to actually say the word forgiveness---it acknowledges that there was a sin, a wrong done.
When we go on just saying it's ok all the time we tend to start to forget that wrong has been done, that we do live in a world of sin where we wrong others all the time.
I'm going to try to challenge myself to use the language of sin and forgiveness more--willing to acknowledge the wrongs I do rather than just hope myself and others can forget about them.
But recently I've been thinking alot about how we phrase forgiveness.
Often we have a tendency to say to those around you "it's ok" or "don't worry about it"....hoping to forget the wrong.
Why don't we say "will you forgive me?" or "I forgive you" as the response. To me that seems to take much more commitment--it's a little riskier and scary to me to actually say the word forgiveness---it acknowledges that there was a sin, a wrong done.
When we go on just saying it's ok all the time we tend to start to forget that wrong has been done, that we do live in a world of sin where we wrong others all the time.
I'm going to try to challenge myself to use the language of sin and forgiveness more--willing to acknowledge the wrongs I do rather than just hope myself and others can forget about them.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Noon on Tuesday
I realize some of my reader-ship may be a bit scandelized by this post--but bear with me.
As I visited many of you in Texas I talked about how one of my greatest personal needs right now is friendship. And to some I probably related that I had by chance (and you know I don't believe in chance per-se) run into and befriended a member of my old 3rd grade elementary class from Princeton, NJ.
This friend is a a bartender in Eastern Market, a "hip" section of town that's actually close to where I live! We've begun to spend time together quite frequently.
I joke that with the hours in my job I need friends that are "free at noon on a Tuesday,"--only we odd-job types, the ministers and restaurant folk seem to fit the bill. Working nights and weekends can do a toll on your social life.
Little did I remember that this "noon on a Tuesday" is a friendly reference to a Sheryl Crow song "I just wanna have some Fun"--"We are drinking beer at noon on Tuesday," where she talks about watching the working folk wash their cars and do socially acceptable things while she and her friend sit by. I sometimes feel that way about the scheduling and off-nature of my life.
But back to this friend. I'm very thankful for having him in my life. I think we both can suffer from a little loneliness--so it's nice to have someone who lives close--and is likely free. Even this weekend, I went with one of my girlfriends from college to his bar Friday night--and this afternoon I skated at the Sculpture Garden where his second job is a rink guard.
Most of my friends live in suburban Virginia--this aftenoon I took all of 2 hours out to see him and back--whereas getting out to my other friends might take that time alone.
I've been thinking about this friend also in relation to my ministry at Georgetown. We encourage the students we spend time with to think about how they can share Jesus with their friends and love their friends who aren't Christians (some call it evangelism, touchy subject and I have a hard time articulating--so hope I don't offend with my language).
But at a leadership meeting on Saturday I asked each member of the team to think of one friend in their life who didn't know God--who they'd like to see know God. We did this exercise then called "Glimpses of the Gospel" where we thought about our friend, prayed for them and considered how God was already working in their lives---considering what kind of gospel values and pieces of Jesus we saw in them.
As the staff person, of course I participated and talked about my elementary school friend. I talked about his generosity and inclusivity--he's very friendly, of course and sharing as a bartender. He's befriended a local homeless man---who now I've met as well who comes in during happy hour. He listens to his stories and treats him with dignity and respect. Christ did that---he treated the poor as people worthy of love and consideration.
We finished by praying for each other's friends--and considering how we can continue to be praying for each other's friends.
It was exciting for me even today, skating around the Mall on a Sunday afternoon, watching my friend then attending someone who'd fallen and had a serious injury on the ice, to be able to pray for him and watch God work in his life. Pray for my friend!
As I visited many of you in Texas I talked about how one of my greatest personal needs right now is friendship. And to some I probably related that I had by chance (and you know I don't believe in chance per-se) run into and befriended a member of my old 3rd grade elementary class from Princeton, NJ.
This friend is a a bartender in Eastern Market, a "hip" section of town that's actually close to where I live! We've begun to spend time together quite frequently.
I joke that with the hours in my job I need friends that are "free at noon on a Tuesday,"--only we odd-job types, the ministers and restaurant folk seem to fit the bill. Working nights and weekends can do a toll on your social life.
Little did I remember that this "noon on a Tuesday" is a friendly reference to a Sheryl Crow song "I just wanna have some Fun"--"We are drinking beer at noon on Tuesday," where she talks about watching the working folk wash their cars and do socially acceptable things while she and her friend sit by. I sometimes feel that way about the scheduling and off-nature of my life.
But back to this friend. I'm very thankful for having him in my life. I think we both can suffer from a little loneliness--so it's nice to have someone who lives close--and is likely free. Even this weekend, I went with one of my girlfriends from college to his bar Friday night--and this afternoon I skated at the Sculpture Garden where his second job is a rink guard.
Most of my friends live in suburban Virginia--this aftenoon I took all of 2 hours out to see him and back--whereas getting out to my other friends might take that time alone.
I've been thinking about this friend also in relation to my ministry at Georgetown. We encourage the students we spend time with to think about how they can share Jesus with their friends and love their friends who aren't Christians (some call it evangelism, touchy subject and I have a hard time articulating--so hope I don't offend with my language).
But at a leadership meeting on Saturday I asked each member of the team to think of one friend in their life who didn't know God--who they'd like to see know God. We did this exercise then called "Glimpses of the Gospel" where we thought about our friend, prayed for them and considered how God was already working in their lives---considering what kind of gospel values and pieces of Jesus we saw in them.
As the staff person, of course I participated and talked about my elementary school friend. I talked about his generosity and inclusivity--he's very friendly, of course and sharing as a bartender. He's befriended a local homeless man---who now I've met as well who comes in during happy hour. He listens to his stories and treats him with dignity and respect. Christ did that---he treated the poor as people worthy of love and consideration.
We finished by praying for each other's friends--and considering how we can continue to be praying for each other's friends.
It was exciting for me even today, skating around the Mall on a Sunday afternoon, watching my friend then attending someone who'd fallen and had a serious injury on the ice, to be able to pray for him and watch God work in his life. Pray for my friend!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Waiting to Live your Life?
I work with college students. College is supposed to be a time of learning and training--for our future careers right?
But what if we also looked at this time our lives as a time for living....not just preparing to live later? I think many people--over all of their lives fall into the "next thing" trap--I remember a poem I got from my high school senior year english teacher called "the odyssey" expressing this idea. It challenged us to not live waiting for life to come--the next job, when we had kids, when we took a vacation--because then life would pass us by! Such a simple concept--but how I see myself and those around me falling into this trap of living in the future.
It's similar to a parable in he bible--the one with the "talents" where a master leaves servants to care for his money--each receiving 1,5, and 10 talents. The one who receives one talent buries it--at least it will be there with the master gets back! The others take a risk and bring back multiples of what was given to them. I'd usually use this as an example of "blessed to be a blessing"--but I think it has some lessons about wasted potential.
I see the same thing often on Georgetown's campus. Some of the world's best and brightest come to spend four years there--for many, thinking they're preparing for a lifetime of service--service in health, in politics, in education. But a challenge I always want to pose to them--what about if they started trying to serve now? Not just wait until after graduation to think about serving the poor, or changing their spending habits. If they plan to one day be able to wake up and selflessly attend to the needs of those around them--in a slum, a hospital, or the political arena---what kind of practices are they developing now?
We all know we can't just one day wake up and be able to pray intimately to God for hours on end if we haven't been developing spiritual disciples of praying, reading our bibles and knowing God for time before that (hard example--know there could be exceptions!).
Similarly--if we want to be living as Christian people, loving the poor and lame--how are we doing loving our neighbor--in a dorm? a worker at the cafeteria? Our friend who is depressed? The needy are not always this "other" far away on the other side of the globe.
He who is faithful with the little will be faithful with the big.
Let's start practicing with the little bit in front of us now---rather than dreaming of the big that we will encounter "someday."
But what if we also looked at this time our lives as a time for living....not just preparing to live later? I think many people--over all of their lives fall into the "next thing" trap--I remember a poem I got from my high school senior year english teacher called "the odyssey" expressing this idea. It challenged us to not live waiting for life to come--the next job, when we had kids, when we took a vacation--because then life would pass us by! Such a simple concept--but how I see myself and those around me falling into this trap of living in the future.
It's similar to a parable in he bible--the one with the "talents" where a master leaves servants to care for his money--each receiving 1,5, and 10 talents. The one who receives one talent buries it--at least it will be there with the master gets back! The others take a risk and bring back multiples of what was given to them. I'd usually use this as an example of "blessed to be a blessing"--but I think it has some lessons about wasted potential.
I see the same thing often on Georgetown's campus. Some of the world's best and brightest come to spend four years there--for many, thinking they're preparing for a lifetime of service--service in health, in politics, in education. But a challenge I always want to pose to them--what about if they started trying to serve now? Not just wait until after graduation to think about serving the poor, or changing their spending habits. If they plan to one day be able to wake up and selflessly attend to the needs of those around them--in a slum, a hospital, or the political arena---what kind of practices are they developing now?
We all know we can't just one day wake up and be able to pray intimately to God for hours on end if we haven't been developing spiritual disciples of praying, reading our bibles and knowing God for time before that (hard example--know there could be exceptions!).
Similarly--if we want to be living as Christian people, loving the poor and lame--how are we doing loving our neighbor--in a dorm? a worker at the cafeteria? Our friend who is depressed? The needy are not always this "other" far away on the other side of the globe.
He who is faithful with the little will be faithful with the big.
Let's start practicing with the little bit in front of us now---rather than dreaming of the big that we will encounter "someday."
Monday, January 07, 2008
InterVarsity Staff Conference 2008
I just got back from a 5 day all-InterVarsity staff conference in St Louis Missouri.
There are about 1,200 people on InterVarsity staff--from people working at the national service center in Wisconsin, people working for InterVarsity press and people working at the more than 550 campuses where InterVarsity exists in the United States and Internationally with the ministry called LINK.
Every 3 years all InterVarsity staff gather for encouragement, prayer and teaching.
Some highlights:
-hearing again the history of InterVarsity as a movement, entering the US about 1940 until now where our ministry is at more US campuses than any other.
-hearing the "field intiatives" for 2004: growth, evangelism, leadership development, fund development, alumni, and multiethnicity. These 6 commitments are a good eye into the core values of InterVarsity.
-seminars on recapturing student-led ministry where the leader challenged us to think is our ministry more about seeing InterVarsity be programatically perfect or about being good stewards of the leadership development of our students?
He challenged us saying are you living as more: chapter program keeper-together?
loose end tier-upper?
Large group coordinator? Small group coordinator?
Fire fighter?
Keeper of the secret vision?
Or would we rather be: discipler, counselor, scripture teacher, shepherd, minister to campus, vision-caster, model to students for witness, leader builder, empowerer.
***In this model, our end goal is to strengthen churches, Christian communities and turn out graduates who know how to lead!
*Another Seminar on "recruiting male students" that went well with the seminar I went on experiential learning.
--A challenging question here: Is InterVarsity's understanding of the gospel big enough to love Alpha males? we talked alot about the alpha male personality, how to create space for and empower these natural leaders who can sometimes be arrogant and pushy.
--We also talked alot about visual and kinestetic learning styles and how men responded better to visual aides or getting up and doing something--especially in response to a message. This is something I want to be thinking about more!
--suggested taking any opportunity to create competition, make spirituality fun
Other things:
-getting to meet IV gurus on urban and international mission
-meeting someone who will be moving to DC to help expand our urban missions there next year
-the single staff gathering!--actually was done pretty well, basically mixer games.
Good time of renewal and refocusing.
There are about 1,200 people on InterVarsity staff--from people working at the national service center in Wisconsin, people working for InterVarsity press and people working at the more than 550 campuses where InterVarsity exists in the United States and Internationally with the ministry called LINK.
Every 3 years all InterVarsity staff gather for encouragement, prayer and teaching.
Some highlights:
-hearing again the history of InterVarsity as a movement, entering the US about 1940 until now where our ministry is at more US campuses than any other.
-hearing the "field intiatives" for 2004: growth, evangelism, leadership development, fund development, alumni, and multiethnicity. These 6 commitments are a good eye into the core values of InterVarsity.
-seminars on recapturing student-led ministry where the leader challenged us to think is our ministry more about seeing InterVarsity be programatically perfect or about being good stewards of the leadership development of our students?
He challenged us saying are you living as more: chapter program keeper-together?
loose end tier-upper?
Large group coordinator? Small group coordinator?
Fire fighter?
Keeper of the secret vision?
Or would we rather be: discipler, counselor, scripture teacher, shepherd, minister to campus, vision-caster, model to students for witness, leader builder, empowerer.
***In this model, our end goal is to strengthen churches, Christian communities and turn out graduates who know how to lead!
*Another Seminar on "recruiting male students" that went well with the seminar I went on experiential learning.
--A challenging question here: Is InterVarsity's understanding of the gospel big enough to love Alpha males? we talked alot about the alpha male personality, how to create space for and empower these natural leaders who can sometimes be arrogant and pushy.
--We also talked alot about visual and kinestetic learning styles and how men responded better to visual aides or getting up and doing something--especially in response to a message. This is something I want to be thinking about more!
--suggested taking any opportunity to create competition, make spirituality fun
Other things:
-getting to meet IV gurus on urban and international mission
-meeting someone who will be moving to DC to help expand our urban missions there next year
-the single staff gathering!--actually was done pretty well, basically mixer games.
Good time of renewal and refocusing.
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