give me fuel, give me fire, give me double chai desire
I think we need to focus a little bit, or at least think about focusing our little bloc so that we don't just fall into reactionary bitching (a little bitching can be like chicken soup to the soul though). Perhaps we don't need a doctrinal statement about what we believe (which we don't) but some group affirmations that we love and are committed to/aspire to, I think would be a very good exercise and a step towards forming a group identity.
Here's mine:
I love the crucifixion, contemplating it keeps Christianity rooted in the beautifully messy gospel story.
I love and value (though I'm sorely lacking in systematic practice) discipleship to Jesus. Talking to him, trying to be like him, contemplating his parables and stories, and learning how to be a good 'questioner'.
I love meaningful conversations with people, when the outter shell is broken and when I can lead or be lead into a more meaningful and expanded encounter/view of Christianity/Christ.
I love ancient spiritual practices that are deep, meaningful and mysterious.
I love learning about ancient Christianity, whose practices are the antithesis to the pop and pulp consumeristic Christianity.
I love get-togethers(I was going to say fellowship but that word sucks) that have no other reason/value then in the getting together. Fine i'll use it - i place a high value on fellowship and friendships.
I love lamp
~Steve/Brick
Here's mine:
I love the crucifixion, contemplating it keeps Christianity rooted in the beautifully messy gospel story.
I love and value (though I'm sorely lacking in systematic practice) discipleship to Jesus. Talking to him, trying to be like him, contemplating his parables and stories, and learning how to be a good 'questioner'.
I love meaningful conversations with people, when the outter shell is broken and when I can lead or be lead into a more meaningful and expanded encounter/view of Christianity/Christ.
I love ancient spiritual practices that are deep, meaningful and mysterious.
I love learning about ancient Christianity, whose practices are the antithesis to the pop and pulp consumeristic Christianity.
I love get-togethers(I was going to say fellowship but that word sucks) that have no other reason/value then in the getting together. Fine i'll use it - i place a high value on fellowship and friendships.
I love lamp
~Steve/Brick
posted by coemergentco at 9/14/2006 03:30:00 PM
5 Comments:
here's mine steven,
FAITH
Faith is in you whenever you look
At a dewdrop or a floating leaf
And know that they are because they have to be.
Even if you close your eyes and dream up things
The world will remain as it has always been
And the leaf will be carried by the waters of the river.
You have faith also when you hurt your foot
Against a sharp rock and you know
That rocks are here to hurt our feet.
See the long shadow that is cast by the tree?
We and the flowers throw shadows on the earth.
What has no shadow has no strength to live.
HOPE
Hope is with you when you believe
The earth is not a dream but living flesh,
That sight, touch, and hearing do not lie,
That all things you have ever seen here
Are like a garden looked at from a gate.
You cannot enter. But you're sure it's there.
Could we but look more clearly and wisely
We might discover somewhere in the garden
A strange new flower and an unnamed star.
Some people say we should not trust our eyes,
That there is nothing, just a seeming,
These are the ones who have no hope.
They think that the moment we turn away,
The world, behind our backs, ceases to exist,
As if snatched up by the hands of thieves.
LOVE
Love means to learn to look at yourself
The way one looks at distant things
For you are only one thing among many.
And whoever sees that way heals his heart,
Without knowing it, from various ills-
A bird and a tree say to him: Friend.
Then he wants to use himself and things
So that they stand in the glow of ripeness.
It doesn't matter whether he knows what he serves:
Who serves best doesn't always understand.
wha???!? !!!
I am so delighted and surprised to find Milosz quoted.
Fifty coolness points!
Those are some of my favorite, favorite poems of his.
Steve, I agree with your post emphatically. Special emphasis [stars, underlines, and other textual notations connoting agreement] around the points of the centrality of the crucifixion, ancient Christianity and how it can inform our lives and faith, and the spiritual practices therein.
To these I would like to add:
I love ministry to the poor and destitute whether that is in a material, mental, spiritual, or emotional category (or whatever other category we might invent).
I love the Old Testament. I love the idea that the Old and New are inseparable and the Christianity began as a Jewish sect.
I love ecumenism and the fellowship of the saints, the one holy catholic (little c) and apostolic church and laboring toward unity of within the churches.
I love the affirmation of women which is part of a larger conceptual framework rooted in how Jesus lived and redefined power.
I love the witness of believers around the world who have suffered in one way or another for the sake of their faith, even with something as small as being socially ostracized.
I love the nations, and being an internationally-minded body of believers.
I love the grass-roots, tiny home churches, and the idea of church happening in my living room as well as a cathedral.
I love art and its role in worship of God, art as a mode of worship, art as an expression in tune with the creator heart of God as Artist, art as a mode of understanding his creation...
I love stewardship, and learning to be respectful of the natural world instead of a greedy user of things.
I don't like paralellism unless it compounds itself or acts like a boxing bag being hit by a circle of boxers. Not the same boxer hitting it and the bag going the same way every time. And nothing compounding is coming from it? You good?
aaallll right mister highbrow poetics.
Hi guys,
This is Jeff checking in on you from Emergent Village.
How did your gathering go on Tuesday night?
I loved your affirmations in the post a few below so much that I am going to use them on Sunday morning in my church.
you can email me at jkursonis@yahoo.com
Blessings, let us know if we can do anything to help.
Jeff
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