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I was worship leader again today. I’m gradually feeling more comfortable standing up in front of the congregation and even though I think I missed a few bits, overall it went well.
The passage was the same one read at COTA last night, meaning that COTA does use the international lectionary. It was interesting having heard the scripture once, then being the one to read it. I then got to hear 2 different sermons written on the same scripture. Very interesting.

During the announcements it was discussed that we would be meeting after service to discuss Greeting, Technical and Counting, three other ways to help out on Sundays.

At this point I’ve signed up to be Worship Leader and Coffee hour host on a regular basis. I’m not comfortable working with large amounts of money, but both the technical assistance and the greeter orientation interested me.

The technical explanation by Sam was interesting and informative. It gave me a quick glass at the technology we are using foir the audio. It’s unfortunate that we can no longer record audio tapes of sermons, though, as I’m sure some of the homebound memebers would appreciate them. i also wonder at the technology and am curious if we could even move further into the future with them and be able to not only do Audio casettes but also MP3? I don;t have any experience with sound equipment though.

I then headed downstairs and caught the end of the Greeters orientation. I was interested in what they had to say not because I want to be a greeter, but I was looking for the suggestions on being more welcoming over all. As mu church contemplates outreach , knowing how to turn to a new person and make them feel welcome is an important skill.

Lastly before I left I paused to talk to Mo, who is working on the Mexican Market / Auction / Fundraiser that is happening in April. Since the date was pushed back I figure I’ll have a little time to lend as assistance. (Also with the date pushed back I’ll have more of a chance to work on my own items for the auction. )

I wonder if they have support groups for those with helium hands…

Still more on the Operation Frontline orientation kicking around in my brain. One of the things they mentioned that was very important was the fact that you never vilify food while discussing it at the cooking classes. If you are talking about whole grains, say that Wheat Bread is a better choice, don’t say never eat it. Sometimes you eat what you can get.

This brought to my mind, food bank food. I know that it’s a total crapshoot, and those who get that food must be flexible and greatful for whatever they give, and those that give should be mindful of their giving. I’m sure I’m not the only person who has forgotten about the food drive at work, and either stopped at a convienence store to buy something quick, or even dug out that old can of coconut milk and bamboo shoots . Foods food right?

While I am sure those items do serve a purpose, giving of neccesities is even better. There was a UW departent recently that did a peanut butter drive. They gathered money and ended up buying something like 4,220 pounds of peanut butter for Northwest Harvest. Thats a lot of peanut butter, thats a lot of protein. I think smart giving is what is called for, and being aware that what we give is as important as what we buy. If you would not eat it why would you give it to someone who is in worse shape then you are?

Albertsons has Tuna on sale this week. 20 cans for 10 bucks . It’s a great deal here in Seattle. It might be a good time to make a foodbank donation as well.

Went to COTA tonight with Aron, then went out to dinner at Dad Watsons to talk.
I don’t want to share my opinions quite yet, instead i think i’ll wait until the second visit before I blog about it.

Aron and I are going to the Quest coffee house on Monday, and I’ll try to make their service next Sunday. I may also try to make COTA next Sunday as well. Karen of COTA has given me a scolarship to the Emerging Church Learning Party in Portland Before I go, I’d like to visit as many of the local Churches mentioned in “Emerging Churches” as i can before the party, just for research prior to going down there.

I promise more updates as I go along.

I’m trying to keep up with the “Read the Bible in a Year” blog, but sadly am not able to keep up as fast as I might like. I’m reading along though and thinking as I’m reading.
And even having this project has gotten me reading more of the bible in general. Overall , I think this is a good thing. (and has now served as a reminder of the reading for the week, and the month. I need to find the email from Church and give them a read through.)

One of the readings from monday has given me pause to think though..
It was Matthew 15-20 about the heat of man or even more speifically  
18″But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

It was compared that not washing ones hands before eating was “breaking the traditions of the elders” and Jesus was explaining how its not so much the little things like that, it’s what is inside, in your heart and what comes out of your mouth (and your fingers and your soul) that really count.

I can even take this further It’s not how you look, and how much you do, but who you are and what you say that is important. i take it to mean that it is important to be good at heart, and to follow traditions in the spirit they were intended, if not to the letter.

Is it better to blindly follow tradition with no meaning, or better to create new meaningful tradition that holds the spirit of the original tradition? Sticky wicket there, as how can you really know if you are meeting the original goal.

It also makes me think of all the people who are Christians, but wear a wreath of uglyness in their hearts. People who make rules to keep others out, who preach hatred and segregation. Who is the better person, that Ugly Christian, or the Honest Pagan? It’s not my call to make, and not my role to judge.

At the heart of that scripture , I see myself looking inward and wondering if I truely am a good hearted person, or if the words coming out of my mouth defile me.

—
Coming Event in my Church

Sunday February 5th: Mike Stern, singer-songwriter will give a mini-concert, as a sermon on Feb. 5th. Please plan to attend and stay for the Annual Financial Meeting of the Congregation.

Part of the material they gave us at the Operation Frontline class were the guidelines for an Operation Frontline recipe. Amoung the requirements was a maximum cost per serving. The maximum cost per serving for a meal? $1.25. That means a meal for 4 would cost $5.00. The pamphlet went on to say that food stamps usually provided for only .80 a meal per serving.

How can you survive on that? I can’t fathom the choices that you would have to make to make that work. For all the scrimping and saving I do, I have a veritble treasure of grocery money, at $200 per 15 days. I’m going to think about this more, could I do it? What would I do? What is our average cost per meal. And what choices do we make that inflate it . For example, more expensive meats? Organic vegetables? What would I not be able to choose if I was in that situation.

What tools would I need to survive? What long term changes would I have to make to have that work out? Would I be able to buy in bulk? could I afford not to?

As I look at these, the common theme is to be thankful for what I have.

I had an orientation at Operation Frontline today. Operation Frontline is an organization in the Wallingford Neighborhood of Seattle, who work with low income people of all ages and backgrounds and teach them to cook for themselves, and how to make good nutritional choices etc.
From there website "Classes are taught at community and family centers, schools, and transitional
housing sites throughout the greater Seattle area, in an effort to provide
low-income individuals with hands-on, practical experience."

It’s really interesting work and I think they are doing the community a great service. Deb had passed the volunteer listing to me after a discussing regarding my desire to go to Bastyr. (Sometimes I feel like a little girl who some days wants to be a astronaut and others wants to be a teacher)  She passed the listing on and I dropped them an email, requesting to be considered for the Class assistant position.  I got an enthusiastic response, a volunteer application and a lunch date for today, at the Freemont Public Associaiton Center.

I wandered in and was greated by a room full of dynamic women all volunteering, each with a different background. Two women  earning Master’s degress at Bastyr (can I be you when I grow up?)  A  woman who was at the CIA, another who’d trained in California. A mixture of nutrition and culinary experience. All wanting to help.

All in all it looks like a great opportunity, I hope I get to work with them.

Well after that last rant I posted about the issues at North Seattle Community College, I did something productive. I emailed the person in charge of the focus groups and said "You know you are cutting  24% of your student base out by running these during the day only?"

She agreed, talked to her boss and they are now doing a few evening sessions! Hot dog! I’ve asked to be one of the panel members.

We’ll see what they do with my feedback.

First, it appears I missed another Emerging Church in Seattle.  Monkfish Abbey had escaped me until later in the book. It’s on my list of "To check out"

Anyways, I’m basically done with the book, and am very contemplative. Lets get into what I didnt like, and then I’ll summarize how I feel overall.

One of the things I find unattractive about the Emerging Church movement is the hipper then though attitude that comes accross. While  it is differentiated from the Gen-X Church  movement, it still seems to me to have drawn a line between the generations with technology and pop culture.  From the descriptions I observed that nonlinear worship and the Emerging Church were clearly both very rooted in what I would consider Generation X and Generation Y’s pop culture. (is it even Generation Y anymore? I’ve no clue)

The analogy by Karen Ward of Linux vesus Windows was elegent, but  seemed so culture specific that it was almost trite. Or inaccessible.  Thats not to say that I don’t believe it, I just think the expression made the material less accessible.

It made me wonder if in order for Church to be accessible to the new generation, that the Emerging Church has to be less accessible to the older generation? From what I read, it appeared that few of the Emerging Churches had held much over from the traditional Church.   Since the books focus was the new, I’m not surprised, but I do wonder if any of the old traditions were held still in a close to original form.

Overall? I’m interested. I really think there are some great ideas and I think that there are pieces of the Emerging Church that will fit in with my spiritual development long term.  I think the movement has a lot good going for it.  Will it be able to transcend being anchored into  todays popculture into something for not only today, but tomorrow too? I don’t know.

I think that the good I got out of the book outweighs the bad. I’m going to buy a copy now, that I can mark up and discuss with Aron. I’m also taking notes on articles referenced, for more detail.

My favorite quote came from the section on Seving with Generosity, and I’m going to leave you with this.

"On one occasion, our community was getting kicked out of a park because of our interaction with the homeless. "You can’t feed the homeless here you need a permit,  the policeman said. I replied, "We are not feeding the homeless. We are having a picnic. We are eating with them." Spencer Burke Newport Beach CA – Emering Churches

(Read on …)

I’m just about to start the 6th Chapter of Emerging Churches, and let me say it is still captivating me. I’m quite pleased to say that I don’t agree with 100% of everything that is said, but I do find some ideas that resonate within. Here is what I agree with. (summarized in my own words of course)

1.Be Church:  Church isnt something you just go to for 90 minutes on Sunday, its something you are. Its part of who you are as a Christian. It doesnt mean you have to go out and covert everyone you meet (or all your non Christian friends) It is part of you though.

2. Churches are gatherings for those on a path, not a waystop for those who have the answer.  Meaning, just because you are saved, it doesnt mean you can rest on your laurels.

3. Church can be more about the community then about the worship service. I do think there is a place for the worship service, but I also think that church can serve as a fantastic core for a community.

I can give an example of the last one even. My Church is a fairly diverse place and I don’t know everyone.  It would be fantastic if  when I needed a lawyer, I knew who within the congreation was one, or could refer me to one. Another example is my experience in housing. I consider myself fairly skilled in apartment searching and or marketing. I have an eye for these things. It would be interesting if the rest of the congregation new that, in case someone needed housing, or to rent out housing.

I’m not saying my current Church is lacking. I just think that the overall church experience can be more inclusive in our lives.  Overall, I could imagine a multi church experience, where you go to bible study here, break bread there, and worship over here. Meeting people and sharing experience and knowledge, moving forward as a multidimensional Christian.

Living in Seattle I’m fairly lucky that there are more then a couple of Emerging Churches in my backyard. I’m going to take the time over the next few months to explore them and see what they are all about. They are

Church of the Apostles

Quest

Vineyard

Mars Hill  (I’m not sure Mars Hill is really Emerging. I know they are a new generation Church, but I won’t feel like I know what they are really about until I actually go to service there once)

I’m going to make it my mission to visit each of these places in the next month and a half. 

There is an Emerging Church Learning Party in Portland on the 18th. I was hoping to be able to go, but that looks unlikely at this point, due to costs involved.