A Movement for Wholeness
Day One of the General Assembly was a good strong kickoff.
Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale preached Wednesday night and in particular raised the point that when the Holy Spirit moves on a people, you get a movement.
What a refreshing reminder!
I think in my own ministry with young people and unchurched folks, most don't really care about denominational ideas or creeds or stances. Even telling them that all are welcome to partake communion at the table... well, it's just not the draw it used to be. I think welcome and inclusion ARE values that people respond to, but they respond to it in practice and thought more than just a position that a church adopts. So reclaiming language that we are a movement is a pretty cool way to speak about who we belong to and what we are about.
Thanks to Rev. Hale for a good first sermon. We also had great dance, music, and art that drew us in. So far, there is a strong and positive feel flowing through the folks I have met. Not much controversy yet.
I am going to try to do some video tweets later today.
From the General Assembly in Ft. Worth
I am here in Fort Worth, and yes, it's hot. It's so hot that it makes you rethink life, in a way. We stay huddled in air conditioning, like life wouldn't exist without it. I was reflecting on how when I grew up, our cars didn't always have air conditioning. And yet, we survived... but now, it's like if the air conditioning is out, life comes to a halt. We are too pampered.
The State of the Church address was tonight, and it was filled with a surprising amount of optimism and celebration for all that we have done as Disciples. Sharon Watkins declared that our death was "greatly exaggerated." She pointed to the way we have poured out through mission trips and assistance to all those areas hit by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. She pointed out the over 500 new churches we have added to our ranks and to the fact that 80% of them are ethnic. We are again sending missionaries abroad to work with communities at their critical moments. Are we slowly turning outward again?
Wow - it's good to see the positives resurfacing. There are a lot of people here, and it's good to see new and old friends. My wife is having a good time meeting the folks at NAPAD, and we are finding that the days go by too fast.
I'll have more about the emerging church stuff later.
Twitter: nathanjhill
- Mount Righteous from Grapevine, TX is a great band.
- RT @zoecarnate It looks like Derek Webb is giving away his controversial Stockholm Syndrome album - go Derek! Go free! http://bit.ly/94ET6j
- Streaming my email and twitter with #inbox2 #desktop, don't miss out! http://bit.ly/9pHFfd
- Hey San Antonio!
- Someday, all hymnals in churches will be replaced by iPads... and you can play along with the organist like Rock Band.
Recent Posts
- Facing November
- Healing for the Nations
- Exhaustion at GA.
- A Movement for Wholeness
- Gearing up for General Assembly.
Tags
Archives
- October 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- October 2008
- July 2008
- May 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- November 2005
- October 2005