Healing for the Nations
It's good to be back in Dallas, though I had a good time in Indianapolis. It doesn't get said enough, but thank you to the General Assembly team for its hard work planning and implementing the big Disciple family gathering. I know it was not easy.
Conversation continues from the assembly. You can find some of it at the new DisciplesWorld social networking site - disciplesworld.ning.com. I've seen and heard complaints about there being too much conservative theology and too much liberal theology. You can't please everyone.
I am just always encouraged to be around colleagues and friends and to see people come up with helpful spirits. I remember one pastor coming up to the NAPAD booth, offering her church as a nesting location for a new church start. I had some great conversation about evangelism, especially to multicultural neighborhoods, with an accomplished Church Extension staff member. I learned about environmental issues in a slightly different but very practical way. And I just feasted on positive energy overall.
God is good.
There are always things that can be improved at a General Assembly, but I admit I get a little tired of all the nitpicking that goes on. And hey, let me confess that I've done my fair share. It's hard work being church in a world of cynicism. I'm going to turn off my own cynicism and just focus on loving folks and seeking God's voice... for a while at least.
Pounding the Pavement
Tomorrow morning, we are swinging through the Lakewood neighborhood near the church in Dallas to put out door hangers containing postcards and our concert series info. Should be another fun chance to get a feel for our neighborhood on a weekend morning, see who is around and what is going on. Lakewood probably is my favorite neighborhood of Dallas thus far. It reminds me a little of some suburbs in the DC area.
Another bonus: I need the exercise.
welcome to texas!
Well, I have officially moved to Texas.
My calling has led my family to trek all the way from Washington DC and setup home in the heart of Dallas, Texas. I ended up accepting the position of Minister of Church Life at East Dallas Christian Church. It was a difficult decision to make through all of the waiting and struggle to be in the right opportunity. But Dallas is good so far - it's a big city, so it does have a lot to offer. The church is terrific, though there is a lot of good work ahead.
East Dallas Christian Church is like a lot of churches - a strong, interesting history but a future that can at times seem a little uncertain. It's got growing to do - it needs some younger leadership woven into the life of the church. There is a tremendous core of older leadership that did cutting edge ministry in their day, but as the years go on, they get older. The good news is that the church still has a lot of resources to undertake its mission.
I will be doing some evangelism, some new young adult ministry, and worship development. I'm also excited to have an opportunity to learn some pastoral care in the process. It's been an exciting past couple of weeks, but the next few months will be even more exciting as I do some visioning for how East Dallas can reach out to its neighbors in new ways.
19 out of 27
For 19 out of the last 27 days, I've been traveling, across the world and right around the areas I call home.
On May 10, I left for Spain to explore facets of the culture, arts, and spirituality of that old European country. It was quite an experience - from Madrid, Toledo, Leon, Salamanca, Granda, and Barcelona. I witnessed soaring cathedrals, major universities, museums full of wondrous artworks, pilgrim trails, mighty peaks, blue skies, crowded cities, waving palm trees, rolling farmland, and on and on. I had the opportunity to hear from religious leaders, followers of the mystical way, economists, local artists, friends, fellow travelers, and locals. The rich palette of what I tasted, touched, and saw remains with me, stirring about below the surface of my mind and memory.
On May 27, after a few days back from Spain, I traveled with 10 other young adults down to Houma, LA to work on homes and projects among communities hit by Hurricane Katrina and Rita. Another cultural experience that went deeper in some ways - deeper in our interaction with those who we had come to serve and connect to. Still, there were surprising connections, like walking through the French Quarter of New Orleans and into the Cathedral and feeling like I've been there before. (I guess I hadn't realized that New Orleans was once the capital of the Spanish province of Luisiana.)
As much as one experience was educational and broadening (Spain), the other was grounded in faith and beyond mere words (Gulf Coast).
I'm glad to be home though.
Twitter: nathanjhill
- 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.
- It's like the Cowboys can't seem to comprehend a pass rush. A sign of bad coaching?
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