Tall Monastic Guy

my word for 2009...

One of my typical and favorite discussion starters with friends is the “one word” question. Recently I've asked, if you could encapsulate your 2009 into one word, what would that be? Of course, any time you ask a question you have to be ready to answer it yourself. So, my word? Threshold. From a positive angle, threshold can mean a new beginning or point of entry. There's usually an intensity that must be exceeded before that new way breaks open. The latin word for threshold is limen, which is the foundation for one of my favorite words of all time... liminality.

Preparing for what?

I've been impacted recently by an article within a newsletter that I received from the Center for Transforming Mission. The following thoughts have helped broaden my thinking as I reflect upon the season of Advent. The article was sent to me by my good friend, Scott Dewey, and written by the executive director of the Center for Transforming Mission, Kris Rocke.

Sunrise in Sedalia

This was the Saturday morning sunrise during my weekend silent retreat at Sacred Heart in Sedalia. This scene made for good pictures even if it was taken with an iphone. 

 ...And Thank You to everyone at Adullam who spoke such kind words for our send off this morning.

Very blessed and affirmed by that gift. 

Catching My Breath

What does the Christmas season mean for most folks in our culture? I believe the Christmas season provides nothing more than the opportunity to catch our breath. I confess, that's all I can hope for in the coming weeks.

Urban Retreat 11/14: Hostility to Hospitality

Saturday, November 14th was our second of three retreats processing through Henri Nouwen's “Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life." The setting for this one was St. James Urban Church, which is the upstairs chapel of Network Coffee House in the Capitol Hill neighborhood where I spend my Wednesday nights.

On this occasion we were honored to be joined by St. James Urban/Network Coffee House pastor and my wild and wacky friend, John Hicks.

Nouwen begins this movement with this indicative thought, “If there is any concept worth restoring to its original depth and evocative potential, it is the concept of hospitality. It is one of the richest biblical terms that can deepen and broaden our insight in our relationships to our fellow human beings.” (p 66)

permission to be honest

My friend Jim invited me to speak with his high school students today. He's been giving them permission to ask any and all questions they have about God and church. What a gift that is to not only grant permission but to encourage young people to voice their most honest spiritual questions.

Adults tend to get uncomfortable when kids start asking questions that seem to threaten perceived foundations. So, big props to Jim!  

Based on the places my story has taken me this year, I tried to address some of their questions by chatting about image of God stuff. When asked from their unique perception what are some of the most HONEST characteristics you attach to God, here are some of the replies...

• moody
• scowl
• santa
• beard
• clouds
• clever
• male
• old

So, on the white board we sketched an image that fits these descriptors and talked about how excited we really are to engage in relationship with that God and introduce our friends to that God. 

The stats for kids continuing to engage the church after age 22 are abysmal. And this morning I was reminded of one of the primary reasons...

wisdom from Mr. Rogers

"Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people." 

-Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers Neighborhood)

Urban Retreat 10/24: Loneliness to Solitude

This past Saturday 7 of us gathered at the Issachar House in East Denver for a different kind of retreat. We've committed 3 dates this fall to slowly sift through each of the three movements within Henri Nouwen's, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life. 

Saturday began at 7:30 with 2 hours of individual silence in which we were on our own to find some space around town to remove ourselves from distraction, settle down, and learn to listen. For me this entailed some moments by the pond at both Wash Park then City Park. And can I just say that forced silence... sucks. I mean not really but for the better part of the time I wrestled miserably with myself, desperately seeking diversions from what my soul is longing for which is simply to have some space to be attentive and listen to the questions that life is asking of me.

second half of the Great Commandment anyone?

In a recent conversation a friend of mine was speaking with city officials of a Denver suburb and in the course of the conversation the assistant city manager says, "from the city's perspective, there isn't a noticeable difference in how Christians and non-Christians neighbor in our community."

The mayor of the city expressed, "the majority of the issues that our community is facing would be eliminated or drastically reduced if we could just become a community of people who are great neighbors."

While I'm at it here's one more quote that relates to those above from Warren Cole Smith author of A Lover's Quarrel with the Evangelical Church,

"One of the ironies we're beginning to see is that … even the world wants the church to be the church. It is the church that doesn't want to be the church. That's the core problem." (book review here)

I agree

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty — it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”

-Mother Teresa

There's a cost...

If you'd be interested in going on mission here with us, then ask yourself and carefully process through these questions...

Do I or could I love the city of Denver? Do I or could I fall in love with a neighborhood and be incarnational within it? Am I willing to find intentional, creative, unannounced and unnoticed ways of serving my neighbors? Am I willing to partner with non-profits and other churches in order to serve the city more effectively, even if I don't agree with every aspect of the way they do things?