EmergingPhoenix

"Family" Picnic and New Ning Page!

2009-10-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

In an effort to reimagine the cohort and make it more collaborative and participatory, we are moving away from using this blog and have started a Ning. From now on all news, events, etc. will be posted here. We invite you to join and be a part of the conversation and community. This is your opportunity to contribute your voice, ideas, or even step up and take an active role.

This Saturday, Oct 17, we are having an all-Atlanta emergence picnic. Come to party, meet some new co-conspirators, and be a part of a new, re-energized Atlanta cohort. (Also check it out on facebook).

We are looking to plan more parties/ networking events in the future, performance art/ theodrama/ alternative worship events, and even some good old fashioned speakers and discussion should the opportunity occur. Let us know what you think, and how you'd like to be involved.

Cobb Gathering on July 14th: Prosperity Gospel

2009-07-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

Come join Cobb Gathering Cohort conversation this Tuesday, July 14th, from 7 pm to 9 pm at Johnny MacCracken's, just off the Marietta Square.

We will dig into an interesting topic some of us were discussing on Twitter:

The Prosperity Gospel /Liberation Theology

This conversation started after someone shared a YouTube video clip from Cornerstone. It was from a panel discussion (which include Phyllis Tickle, though she is not mentioned in the description):

ROUNDTABLE: "EVANGELICALISM AND ITS FUTURE (OR NOT)"
On the other hand . . . Any answers one might get to questions about the Evangelical future probably depends on whom they are asked. This year's program features several leading figures in the ongoing discussion, which we bring together in this session as a roundtable response to our keynote lecture. Participants include: Michael Spencer, author of a much-discussed article "The Coming Evangelical Collapse;" Soong-Chan Rah, author of the recent book The Next Evangelicalism, on demographic shifts in American Christianity; Tony Jones, a leading figure in the conversations about "the emergent church"; Sharon Gallagher, editor of Radix magazine; and Patrick Provost-Smith, who has been charting Evangelical shifts both as an academic and a consultant to international religious educators.

Watch the video and bring your thoughts on it! Should be a lively debate!

Keep in mind:

We are not here to "convert" anyone to our particular position, belief or theology - only to share with each other where we are on our own journey so that we might learn from many voices.

No voice has more authority/importance than another - M.Div's/ThD's are on the same level as laity/armchair theologians. ALL voices are valued in our conversation and must be heard.

As always, come early to enjoy some great Irish food! If the weather and space permits, we look for us on the back patio. So if you don't see us in one of the rooms, check out in the patio!

Ancient-Future Emerging Jesus

2009-07-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Just quick a reminder of this upcoming 4-week class - it begins on Wednesday evening, July 22nd.
Details HERE (includes updated PDF file class syllabus).

No Cohort Meeting in June...BUT STAY TUNED!

2009-06-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

We will NOT be holding a cohort gathering in June, but stayed tuned for a revamped, rebooted, reinvigorated Atlanta cohort!!!

(Also, be sure to check out some of the events going on at the Cobb cohort - listings below!)

Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo in Chattanooga!

2009-06-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren will be leading a conference in Chattanooga,TN, November 8-10, 2009, around the theme of "Adventures in Missing the Point." For more information, check out http://www.firstcentenary.com/ or http://www.brianmclaren.net.

A New Cobb Gathering Cohort Spoke - Come Join Us!

2009-06-10T16:17:00.000-07:00

PINTS AND PARABLES: THE ORTHODOX HERETICS

Every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 8 pm (starting June 16th), meet us at Johnnie MacCracken's Irish Pub off the Marietta Square (our "headquarters") to work through Peter Rollins' latest book of parables, "The Orthodox Heretics: And Other Impossible Tales". You don't need a copy of the book (though we're sure you will want one) to join us. Just bring an open mind, and a thirst for a cold pint as we wrestle with these challenging, disturbing parables - invite your friends! We will gather at 8 pm and end when we feel like it!

From Publishers Weekly
Don't be fooled by the slender spine of this unusual book. Rollins, the Irish philosopher/po-mo theologian who has previously published How (Not) to Speak of God and The Fidelity of Betrayal, upends some of Christians' most cherished platitudes about God in his newest outing. He cautions readers that the book is not to be read quickly, for acquiring information, but to be savored slowly for possible transformation. Mostly, the book lives up to this billing. Rollins recasts some of the most familiar parables of and stories about Jesus, sometimes subversively—as when he proposes a version of feeding the 5,000 that shows Jesus and his disciples pigging out on meager resources while the multitudes look on, starving. His point? That Christians are the body of Christ, and when we oppress the poor and hoard scarce resources, we are saying that represents the kind of God we serve. Although not all of the parables work equally well—some could use further illumination—Rollins is a tremendously talented writer and thinker whose challenges to Christianity-as-usual should be well-received by the emergent church crowd, if not beyond.

Download a PDF file excerpt of "The Orthodox Heretic".

Ancient-Future Emerging Jesus

2009-05-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

Free Four-Week Class: Ancient-Future Emerging Jesus

This class, taught by Cobb Gathering Cohort participant Rev. Gregg Carlson, provides an introduction into the changing understanding of the early church and its writings about Jesus, but also explores some ancient spiritual practices and post-modern voices that are shaping what is being called “The Emergent or Progressive Emergent Church”. Primary texts will be "Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas" by Elaine Pagels and "The Message Bible".

Rev. Gregg Carlson is a graduate of Colgate University and Northern Seminary. He has more than 24 years of ministry experience in a variety of settings. He has studied with one of the leading experts in theAncient-Future movement Dr. Robert Webber and has been part of the Emergent Conversation for more than 4 years.

Class is scheduled to run from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Wednesday evenings (four consecutive) beginning July 22nd. It will be held in the Holy Grounds Café of Unity North Church in Marietta (click HERE for a map). There is no fixed charge for the course, a love offering will be received each week and you are urged to participate as you are able.

Download the class syllabus HERE (pdf file).

The Next Evangelicalism Seminar at Columbia Theological Seminary

2009-05-05T06:49:00.001-07:00

Hey folks,

I wanted to let you all know of an event taking place at Columbia Theological Seminary. Professor Soong-Chan Rah, of North Park University (colleague of Scot McKnight) will be speaking on the captivity that white, Western culture has on American Christianity and the need to move beyond that. In his book, The Next Evangelicalism, he writes about the Emergent Church's being subject to the same white, Western culture as well.

It's the first criticism of Emergent I've heard that had nothing to do with theological heresy (he affirms the postmodern hermeneutic) but with cultural exclusivity.

I really hope to see some faces from the cohort at this free event.

Wednesday, May 6
Harrington Center Auditorium (at Columbia Theological Seminary)
7:30pm

Grace and peace,
Dan

Emergence and the Changing Face of American Christianity

2009-04-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,

Sorry about the late last-minute update. Tonight we will be discussing how Emergence will find itself within the multi-faceted Christianity that is arising in America. Does Emergence Christianity say anything about minority Christian America? Our longtime cohort participant, David Park, will lead the discussion tonight. He will also share about what AsianAmergent has been thinking of and doing as of late in hopes of engaging in a wonderful conversation of hyphenated-American emergents.

Join us for a truly reflective conversation.

Stay tuned for a centerpiece text.

Time: 8:00pm
Place: James Joyce Pub

March Cohort update...

2009-04-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

Back in March we had a cohort loosely centered around the question of why women and other groups seem to be missing from the Emergent Conversation...

We came up with some ideas to get more people included. If you are interested in hosting Emergent events take at look at these ideas and see if they might be useful. (Thanks Sophia for taking notes!)

Try hosting events at other times than the usually 8pm, last Tuesday of the month cohort. I know this is not a good time for lots of people, especially mothers. Someone might think of hosting a lunch event, or a Sunday afternoon event.

We have had more success in the past when we have brought in people to speak or present on an issue. I know I was seeing a lot more ladies when we were tackling social justice issues.

Bring in people who are not necessarily calling themselves "Emergent" but who share the same spirit and are doing something new and fresh and let them share.

Be proactive about inviting people to come. Use facebook, email or good old fashioned talking to people.

Vary the kind topics from month to month. Don't let six months go buy with nothing but insider Emergent oriented conversation.

Vary the location. We all talked about how we miss the days when the cohort used to float around the city. This also gives people from various locations a chance to attend more easily.

Make sure someone is moderating the conversation so that all parties can be heard, not just the aggressive and long winded.

And with that said, I'll be seeing ya'll again in two years as I am entering an accelerated Grad School program. =0)

Atlanta Emergent Women meet-up

2009-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

At the March cohort we talked about how to get women and other groups involved in the Emergent Conversation.
Out of that came an idea for an Atlanta Emergent Women's group.
The first get together is this Tuesday. Ladies, come join us. Gents, send ladies you know our way.

Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Danneman's Coffee
Street: 466 Edgewood Ave
City/Town: Atlanta, GA

Map

March Cohort

2009-03-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

The March Cohort is coming up quickly. This coming Tuesday (March 31) at Tilt Coffee house we will be meeting. The topic is "The Missing Female Voice" We want to find out why the ladies seem to be missing from the Emergent Conversation. Also we want to talk about what other groups might be missing from the conversation, and why? Please bring along friends who haven't been part of the conversation but whom need to have their voices heard.

Sorry, but I don't have any links to intellectual (nerdy) articles discussing this topic for you to read before hand. If you know of anything that should be required reading for this event let me know.

Hope to see you there!!!

We ARE Meeting!

2009-02-23T18:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night (Tuesday Feb 24) the Atlanta Emergent Cohort will meet for FAT TUESDAY at "The Local" 8-10pm

758 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30306-4330
Phone: (404) 873-5002

we'll have beers, a discussion about sin, absolution, and forgiveness... and regular Mardi Gras tomfoolery (we'll even burn some stuff)

We'll write down those things that we want destroyed through Lent's long march through the death of Jesus into the resurrecting hopes of Easter. We'll add those to the sins that folks have written down all over town and burn them saving the ashes for the next day....

SHH ITS SECRET... Flashmob at 5pm for 5 minutes in the MARTA five points station (not little 5 points). An ensemble of musicians will play a Requiem commemorating the death of our sins, fears, and constructed egos. We will mark each other and any other interested public with ashes in the MARTA station. And then, thats it. We'll disappear. Seriously, come join us with as many peeps as you'd like but please please please don't show up at 4:30 asking MARTA cops where the "ash wednesday service is" :)

Help spread the word about flASHrequiem: visit www.flashrequiem.com and join the facebook group.

No Cohort on Tuesday Night. Rather a Requiem on Wednesday!

2009-02-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

All-

Just a note to say that this Tuesday night, we shalln't be convening as usual at Tilt for cohort. Instead, we'd love to invite everyone to come join us for a Flash Requiem on Wednesday instead.

Interested? Read on! Also make sure to add Flash as your Facebook friend for more updates as we lead into Wednesday.

We'll be back next month at our regular time and place.

peace.....
Joshua

New "Suburban" Cohort!

2009-02-18T13:40:00.000-08:00

A group of us Atlanta Cohort attendees from Marietta and Kennesaw finally had a "light bulb moment" as we were talking last time about "new things". We have known quite a few others back in our stomping grounds that would be interested in the Emergent conversation but just couldn't quite hack the long drive to downtown Atlanta. So, we thought we might try a Cohort "branch" in Marietta! We will be launching our first conversation on Tuesday, March 10th, at Johnnie MacCracken's Irish Pub off the Marietta Square! Check out our blog page at http://cobbgathering.wordpress.com/! If you know any people up this way looking to join in the Emergent conversation, send them our way!

First 100 days of a New Thing

2009-01-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

We meet next this Tuesday, January 27, 8-10pm at Tilt Coffee to discuss New Things.

Theres a ton of talk right now in pop-media about Obama's first 100 days. Many in and around our the cohort have also begun a new thing in the past year. Jason Malec will be starting a church in Denver, CO, Shaun King recently started Courageous Church, Kimberly Knight recently started the Progressive Christian Cooperative, Troy Bronsink started Neighbors Abbey, and Tom Livengood started the Living Room. None of these folks did this alone, none of them knew what starting would (or will) look like but that didn't keep them from starting. Most face criticism, and challenges to stay focused while open...

So we want to talk about the courage to begin–the images and metaphors from scripture and art and life that describe how we "start something new." Most of these folks will be sending ahead some of their thoughts or will be with us in person to initiate an open conversation about what it means to begin a new thing. And many others of us will resonate with our own beginnings, or first 100 days. So the conversation is likely to be robust, as usual.

As entrepreneurs and cultivators in the dreams of God in Jesus, we all face seasons of preparation and planting. This is part of the muscle of "churching." Here are some texts from Isaiah that get after this theme:

Isaiah 42.9:
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

Isaiah 43.19:

I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 48.6:

You have heard; now see all this;
and will you not declare it?
From this time forward I make you hear new things,
hidden things that you have not known.

Pete Rollins at Cohort

2008-12-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Here's the video I took of Pete Rollins speaking at the Emergent Cohort gathering at Tilt.

Here's the link to the video page: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4632330111572169104&hl=en

The sound quality isn't superb so it's best if you turn it up and wear headphones or something.

Enjoy,
Dan

Peter Rollins Public Atlanta Schedule

2008-11-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

Hope you can join us at any of these events, but specifically next Tuesday at Tilt, where Pete and our very own Troy Bronsink will be in dialogue with one another!

See you soon!
Joshua

tnevdA: a reversal of the traditional 25 day countdown to Christmas

2008-11-07T20:06:00.000-08:00

This month we have the honor of welcoming theologian Peter Rollins to our conversation. Planning for the conversation is still underway but expect the conversation to be related to tnevdA - a reversal of the traditional 25 day countdown to Christmas, an event we are hosting with The Living Room. More details about the event will be posted on The Living Room's blog. You can find the facebook invite for this event here if you would like to RVSP there.

I encourage you to come to both the event (24th, 7-9 pm) and the subsequent conversation which will happen the 25th, 8-10 pm. More details about the conversation including the location will be posted here shortly. We look forward to your participation.

William Cordis

Interfaith Friendship

2008-10-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

As promised we will be having a conversation about interfaith friendship tomorrow night (Oct. 28) at 8:00pm at Tilt Room Coffee Shop located in Castleberry Hill in downtown Atlanta (map). I'm happy to announce that we will be joined by several members of the local Muslim community. I invite you to read and/or listen to the resources below and come learn more about building friendships.

Resources:

A Common Word

A Christian Response to A Common Word

Your Scripture Meets Mine by Miroslav Volf

Cherishing the Gold of the Golden Rule by Samir Selmanovic

Finding God in the Other by Samir Selmanovic (Emergent Village Podcast)

We hope to see you there

William Cordis

P.S. Here's an article by Professor Abdullahi An'Na-im of Emory Law School who will be joining us: RELIGION AND GLOBAL CIVIL SOCIETY:INHERENT INCOMPATIBILITY OR SYNERGY AND INTERDEPENDENCE?

Interfaith Conversations

2008-10-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

As we talked about last Tuesday, the emergent conversation is very young. Despite what's been accomplished so far we have a lot to learn about how to involve more people in the conversation and to deal with challenges to the generative nature of the conversation. In an effort to do that next months conversation (Oct. 28) will include a number of people involved in interfaith work between Muslims and Christians. We'll post more details and the location as we get closer.

To kick of the conversation and get to know the landscape a little bit better we plan to go to a movie with some new friends from the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta. We have 25 free tickets to see the October 4, 4:50pm showing of Allah Made Me Funny at the Midtown Art Cinema These tickets are free as part of a generous donation to the 20,000 Dialogues project. If you plan on coming please send an email with your name and how many are coming here.

I'll be updating this post with additional information as the weekend gets closer. If you know of anyone who should be part of our upcoming conversation please invite them to come to the movie and to our Oct. 28 meeting. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me via the email link above. We look forward to seeing you this weekend.

Peace,

William Cordis

Of what use is the term Emergent?

2008-09-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy month and there is a lot of uncertainty in the air. Just in case you were doubting it, we are meeting tonight at 8:00pm at Tilt Room Coffee Shop located in Castleberry Hill in downtown Atlanta (map).

This week we'll be discussing the term "Emergent." Is it still useful, and if so how? If not, what should we call this thing that is happening and that we are participating in? Do we even need a label/name for it?

There is plenty of debate going on in the blogosphere about the term, but the contributions from Scott McKnight, Dan Kimball, and Johnathan Brink are perhaps the most insightful. Also, Andrew Jones has a short history of the debate about the term. And finally, if you are looking for some background into what Emergent means Scott McKnight essay in Christianity Today describing the The Ironic Faith of Emergets is one insiders view on a very diverse movement.

Hope to see you there.

William Cordis

P.S. This is Dan here. I wanted to add more about the supposed "death of emergent" with rich stuff from Andrew Jones:

Emerging Church: The demise of the term since 2004

Now that we have stopped emerging . . .

Emerging Church: You Say Dump It

Cohort Gatherings

2008-08-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

If your dropping by because of Chris Quinn's article about Phyllis Tickle, welcome. We are a group that has met in Atlanta for four years now, a local expression of Emergent Village. But we're not a secret club, there's no secret handshake, and we change from season to season based on the folks who pitch in to give the conversation its personallity.

We meet the last Tuesday of every month. So our next meeting will be September 30, 2008 from 8-10pm at Tilt Coffee Shop in Castleberry Hill Neighborhood.

Emergent Village is a growing generative friendship among missional Christian leaders seeking to love our world in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Our dream is to join in the activity of God in the world wherever we are able, so that God’s dreams for our world come true. In the process, the world can be healed and changed, and so can we. Members of emergent hold in common four values and practices that flow from them. In the language of a religious order, we call these four values our order and rule:

Commitment to God in the Way of Jesus
Commitment to the Church in All its Forms
Commitment to God’s World
Commitment to Each Other

Also if your looking for more about emergent events with Phyllis Tickle, check out The Great Emergence Event scheduled for December 5-6 in Memphis, TN.

Organic Community

2008-08-14T05:22:00.000-07:00

We will be meeting this month to discuss Joe Myer's book, Organic Community.

Those of you who are forming new approaches to leadership or are starting new small groups or starting new congregations/monasteries/what-have-you will appreciate Joe's approach through understanding the difference in organizational behavior that is "master plan" driven and one that is "organic" leading to connections within transformative communities.

Here's a chart found in his book that teases out the difference in approaches.

So buy/barrow/steal the book today so you have time to read it. It is not long (170pgs) but you won't be able to do it over your lunch the day of.

We will meet at Tilt on the last Tuesday of the month, August 26, from 8-10pm.

Church Basement Roadshow

2008-07-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple flyers to print out or to forward through e-mail. Tony mentioned on the phone the other day that word of mouth and promotion within church groups has been essential to a good turnout.

If your joining us from Re:CONNECT or Jesus For President. Welcome! You can join the atlanta emergent cohort email list by emailing: troybronsink at mac dot com.

Volunteers NEEDED for Church Basement Roadshow

2008-07-18T13:09:00.001-07:00

Hey ATLiens,

We need volunteers for the Church Basement Roadshow on Sunday, July 27th.

Here is a list of things we need for the show:

1. buy keg(s), preferably of something like Sweetwater 420--no idea how many peeps, yet.

2. buy cups, cokes, water, Toilet paper, purell bottles, and ice

3. bring coolers

4. buy pop corn and pop corn oil and pop corn bags (B-Complex has huge movie theater popper--Restaurant Supply store on Ellsworth is great for this).

5. collect cover donations (the event is free, cover is donation only)

6. sell merchandise (meghan coffee's CDs and the guys' books).

7. a person who can be goto for sound board/electric/bathroom issues.

8. two folks at a time to sell beer and refreshments (the proceeds go to innocence atlanta).

Since the Atlanta show is not sponsored by any one church, it'll take our grassroots efforts to make sure the show runs smoothly.

In terms of finance, the plan is that those who spent money buying foodstuffs and supplies will be reimbursed. If there are leftover items, we ask that you return the items for your money back. Therefore, please keep all your receipts.

Please email me at jadanzzyatgmaildotcom or leave a comment if you'd like to help out.

Thanks!

Re:CONNECT

2008-07-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

Evenings of July 18,19
at Community Fellowship Church, 1766 Lakewood Ave. SE Atlanta, GA 30315
info at www.re-connect.us (note it is dot "US")
7-9 pm each night

re:CONNECT is a collective of city minded seekers of Jesus joined for a one time event invented to accomplish two simple things. After we're done we'll pack up our tents and you'll never hear from us again ('kinda like eHarmony for faith and action). We're sure that many folks have already met, and that there are already great organizations and networks underway- we just wanted to do our part to stir it up a bit more. Oh, and we have the help of some great friends of city justice, Shane Claiborne (author of Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President) and Chris Haw. Claiborne and Haw's tour has been met with huge attendance as high as 1000 people in some locations and featured on CNN. Re-connect's two aims are:

1. to connect Christians to hands-on justice opportunities in or near their Atlanta neighborhood
2. to set up generative friendships between Christians who live and worship inside Atlanta.

Friday night from 7-9 there will be a conversation covering Atlanta's issues of Education, Environmentalism, Education, Housing, and Human Sex Trafficking held in the form of a panel discussion, a drama presentation and group discussion.

Saturday evening from 7-9 will be the Jesus For President Tour wrapped up by a music coffee house session to get to know your neighbors and fellow seekers of the Jesus way.

check out this video from CNN on the tour.

Our cohort is co-sponsoring "Re:Connect" with many partners including Innocence Atlanta, Community Fellowship Church, The Living Room, Sub-Urban.org , Evangelical Environmental Network, Church as Art, Kid Cultivators, Roov, and the Jesus For President tour.

Click here to see the recent piece on Shane Claiborne on CNN.

Space is going to be an issue for both nights. If you know where to get a hold of video equipment for close circuit TV/projection contact melvin.

Contact Jeff if you want to join his students in volunteering with parking, hospitality, or any other expertise you may want to bring.

Not For Sale Georgia Needs our Help

2008-06-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

to learn more about not for sale and the human trafficking issues in atlanta and beyond visit NFS.

NFS Georgia needs the Emergent Cohort's help. The Senate has just introduced a bill to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). NFS is organizing a national call-in campaign for June 25 & 26 to get cosponsors for the bill, S.3061. Join others in making a call to support the TVPRA.

The TVPA, which first became law in 2000, represents the first major comprehensive U.S. effort to address the global scourge of human trafficking. The TVPA created new programs to protect and serve survivors in the U.S. and globally, to prevent trafficking, and it also created new criminal provisions. It needs reauthorizing this year.

Not For Sale Campaign has been working in a coalition for the past year to advocate for important changes to the TVPA. The Action Group to End Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery includes organizations working both in the United States and abroad. The organizations came together and agreed to support several important amendments that were included in the bill that passed the House of Representatives last December with overwhelming bipartisan support. These include initiatives to increase victim identification, provide survivors with much needed services and prosecute human traffickers.

It's time for the Senate to pass this bill.

Modern-day slavery has a devastating effect on each victim who suffers severe physical and emotional abuse, threats against their families and even death. But the impact of modern-day slavery goes beyond individual victims; it undermines the health, safety and security of all nations it touches. It's important for our Senators to know that this is an important issue for their constituents.

SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS WHEN YOU CALL YOUR SENATORS :
· Hi, I am [NAME] calling from [STATE] and I want to urge Senator [NAME] to cosponsor S. 3061, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.
· Vulnerable victims are waiting for increased protections already included in house passed version of the TVPRA, HR 3887 and the Senate needs to introduce its version of the TVPRA as soon as possible.

Call Senator Johnny Isakson (202) 224-3643

Call Senator Saxby Chambliss (202) 224-3521

We appreciate your help and commitment to end modern day slavery in our lifetime!

The Spirituality of Parenting

2008-06-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 24
8pm at Tilt

The next Emergent Cohort we are going to be talking about spiritual issues involving parenting.

How do we share our faith with our children? How do we encourage them to grow their own faith? How do our doubts and their doubts play a role? These are some of the questions we'll be asking.

If you are a parent, thinking about being a parent...or just have parents please come and join the conversation.

Here are a some of related Speaking of Faith episodes.

The Spirituality of Parenting

Children and God

Hope to see you there.

Ann

gentrification

2008-05-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion (jèn´tre-fî-kâ¹shen) noun The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by the middle classes, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people...

Cohort Tuesday, May 27
8pm at Tilt

This evening we will have a conversation with Dan Ra's friend, Lindsay Jones, a professor at Emory Law and an attorney that fiercely advocates on behalf the disenfranchised whose homes are destroyed. High rises and condos for the rich are built in its place. He's at the forefront of this dilemma here in Atlanta and has even been featured on NPR. Lindsay is also an elder at Oakhurst Presbyterian.

To set up the discussion, read this short essay, The Gentrification of Judah by Bob Lupton. Bob is a long time urban activist, founder of FCS Urban ministries. In this article Bob reflects on the parallels of the gentry who returned from Babylon to Judah and us middle class folks who have returned to Atlanta's intown neighborhoods after generations of flight.

It should be a great discussion and Lindsay will be a terrific dialog partner for us on this issue. Sorry to get this post out so last minute, hope you can join us.

Drop Dead Gorgeous

2008-05-27T09:16:00.001-07:00

A few months ago at the Cohort we talked about the issue of child sex trafficking here in Atlanta. This Thursday you have an opportunity to get informed, get involved and have some fun too. Come to the Drop Dead Gorgeous Fashion Show and Benefit.
Where: Amore at 950 West Peachtree Street NW Ste 220.
When: 9:00 pm
Cost: $25 for standard ticket, $50 for premium tickets (Click here to purchase tickets)

From the website:

" According to the FBI, Atlanta ranks as one of the top cities in the nation for child sex trafficking, but most Atlanta residents have no idea this issue exists in their city. On May 29, Meet Justice, a nonprofit organization, will address this issue through a fashion and entertainment benefit called Drop Dead Gorgeous (DDG) starting at 9:00 p.m. at Amore™ located at 950 West Peachtree Street N.W., Ste. 220, Atlanta, GA 30309. Using fashion as an avenue for advocacy, DDG is an event to raise awareness and funds for victims of child sex trafficking in Atlanta."

http://www.dropdeadgorgeousevent.org/

Hope to see you there.
Ann Cordis

Resurrection & The Problem of Pain

2008-04-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

We will meet at TILT ROOM again, in Castleberry Hills, this Tuesday, 29 April, from 8-10pm.

Several regular participants in the Emergent cohort showed up at Emory last Wednesday to hear N. T. Wright, Bishop of Durham for the Church of England. Wright has been formative for many as a proponent of narrative theology and scholar of the first century who has challenged Christians to pursue a theology that is intellectually honest.

In his newest book, Surprised by Hope, which he discussed on Wednesday, he identifies Resurrection as the most significant occurrence (his exact words were "the linchpin") in the Christian story, perhaps the only thing that creates hope and meaning in a human story fraught with suffering.

He echoes this same theme in a recent online conversation hosted by beliefnet.com with Bart Ehrman, a distinguished professor at UNC, renowned biblical scholar and agnostic. Ehrman is a former evangelical who lost his faith while wrestling with the problem of pain and suffering. For Ehrman, Christian and Hebrew scriptures offer at best contradictory explanations for suffering, none of which suffice. He discusses his views in his recent book, God's Problem.

I invite you to read Ehrman and Wright's brief 3-part exchange, and to come prepared to share your thoughts. Allow me to offer a few guiding questions:

What is the significance of resurrection?
Where does resurrection leave us on the problem of pain?
What makes it difficult for many to hear this as adequate?

Finally, I'd also like to offer this meditation on the resurrection by Rev. Debbie Blue at House of Mercy in St Paul, MN. I hope it enlivens your view of the resurrection, as it did mine.

some local pots to stir

2008-03-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

We will meet at TILT ROOM again, in Castleberry Hills, this Tuesday March 25, from 8-10pm.

We have two major events this summer in July, and a third in the fall and need to develop some strategies for them this month. We especially need folks to design logos, get things to printers, set up web sites and registration, get them listed in the right places like free papers and clubs/bars/churches/whatever.

the two July things are:

July 18,19 Re-Connect featuring Shayne Claiborne and the Jesus for President Tour.

July 27 (note the date is not friday the 25th as first planed) The Church Basement Roadshow, Featuring Mark Scandrett, Tony Jones, and Doug Pagitt.

Both are being held in Atlanta. We are co-sponsoring the re-connect event and we are the ones to pull off the Church Basement Roadshow Event.

We will need to discuss venue and purpose and buy-in. I think we need to ask the same critical questions we have been along the way- "what will this generate in terms of the kingdom of God?" We have INnocence Atlanta as a partner in the first event and who knows how we'll approach the second event- perhaps a concert/art show.

The ReCONNECT eventsite is being built. here are the details until then.

What would happen it 300 drastically different people from inside Atlanta decided to risk building relationships with other followers of Jesus to generate justice in our city?

Some of us in Atlanta, seeking the beloved community in the Jesus Way, but in very different organizations and contexts got to dreaming... After dreaming, and after enjoying some coffee together we decided that this should happen more often and with more folks. So we decided to attempt two little things. We called a couple folks, had a few meetings, got the help of a few other folks and now your in the loop with us.

re:CONNECT is a one time event invented to accomplish these two simple things. After we're done we'll pack up our tents and you'll never hear from us again ('kinda like eHarmony for faith and action). We're sure that many folks have already met, and that there are already great organizations and networks underway- we just wanted to do our part to stir it up a bit more. Oh, and we have the help of some great friends of city justice, Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw. Our two things are:

1. to connect Christians to hands-on justice opportunities in the Atlanta area
2. to set up generative friendships between Christians who live and worship inside Atlanta.

partners and contributers
atlantaemergence.blogspot.com
sub-urban.org
www.missionyear.org
www.creationcare.org
www.kidcultivators.org
www.fcsministries.org
churchasart.com
www.innocenceatlanta.org

Our third event is a SE cohort regional gathering.

We have other cohorts from as far away as Charlotte, Raleigh, Tampa, and Nashville who would like to join us and who feel Atlanta is a good middle point. The GATHERING idea has happened for 7 years in New Mexico and is less an emergent church attractional or education event, and more about being with folks in similar walks of life/ministry and making time together for a few days.

It has included preparing much of our food from scratch. Playing games. Sharing poetry and music. Doing Yoga and taking walks through the woods. That kind of stuff.

One key for us in the south, since this will be our first attempt at this we want to be intentional about shaping this for who we hope to be our colleagues over the years to come. This means being intentional about the traction an event like this could hold with the African American community in the south, perhaps the Neo-Soul community?

We will talk about the fall gathering as a third priority as the first two must be wrapped up soon!

If you have thoughts on how to organize our time or themes and ideas to focus our project, feel free to pipe in and to take on as much leadership as you'd like.

INnocence ATLANTA volunteers needed

2008-03-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING with INNOCENCE ATLANTA?

Please join us this Tuesday, March 11 at 7 pm for our monthly volunteer meeting. It will be located in room 102 at the College of Management at Georgia Tech. The meeting will begin as an informational session and lead into clear action oriented steps you can take to help fight child sex trafficking. We will focus on educating attendees as well as plugging them into their desired capacities within Innocence Atlanta. The meeting with start at 7 pm and end no later than 8:30 pm. For detailed directions please see below:

http://mgt.gatech.edu/about_us/map_directions.html
The classroom is on the first floor of the building, in room 102. (You'll see a Starbucks attached to the Barnes & Noble. Between Starbuck's and Ray's Pizza is a little entryway into the Management courtyard.)

Please RSVP to julie@innocenceatlanta.org by SUNDAY, March 9 and write "Volunteer Training" in the subject line if you are able to attend. Thank you!

--
~ Julie
--
Julie Riggs
Community Relations
Innocence ATLANTA
706.346.2138
www.innocenceatlanta.org

Artist's Way group

2008-03-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Troy Bronsink will be facilitating an Aritst's Way creativity group for the next 9 Wednesdays at Tilt. For more info you can visit his blog, churchasart.

policy advocacy

2008-03-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

On February 26, 2008 a group called A Future Not A Past formerly known as Georgians Against Child Prostitution and Trafficking, sent this. The folks at Innocence Atlanta gave a positive reference for this group's efforts. Now, as with any kind of public policy advocacy, spreading the word, contacting your representative, and setting up key contacts between city influencers and their representatives is key. So consider how you can make the most of this challenge.

Stop the Prostitution of Children in Georgia

A Weekly Advocacy Update from the 2008 session of the Georgia General
Assembly.

Advocacy Update #6 2009 Budget Process Slows

The House has not yet made decisions about the 2009 budget where we
are seeking $560,000 for a regional assessment center to serve
commercially sexually exploited adolescent girls.
The House Human Resources subcommittee who oversees this project has
now heard testimony from both the Department of Human Resources
Commissioner and the public. Final decisions will be reached on the
House recommendations in the next two weeks. It is critical that each
and every subcommittee member understands the importance of full
funding for a regional assessment center to serve prostituted girls
and feels our support as they stand up for what is right.
Continue to talk with your House member and the subcommittee members
(in some cases, assistants' email addresses are listed).

Rep. Mark Butler (Carrolton - 18th Dist.) / 404 653 2246 /
mark.butler@house.ga.gov

Rep. Jeff May (Monroe - 111th Dist.) / 404 656 5105 / debbie.redd@house.ga.gov

Rep. Buddy Carter (Pooler - 159th Dist) / 404 656 0213 / bcarter331@aol.com

Rep. Keith Heard (Athens - 114th Dist.) / 404 656 0220 /
keith.heard@house.ga.gov

Rep. Jerry Keen (St Simon's - 179th Dist.) / 404 656 5052 /
jlkeen@bellsouth.net

Rep. Judy Manning (Marietta - 32nd Dist.) / 404 656 7868 /
rebecca.hammock@house.ga.gov

Rep. Bobby Reese (Sugar Hill - 98th Dist.) / 404 656 0254 /
bobby.reese@house.ga.gov

Rep. Len Walker (Loganville - 107th Dist.) / 404 656 5139 / lwalker@nfumc.org

Rep. Stan Watson (Decatur - 91st Dist.) / 404 656 0220 / stan_watson@matria.com

Rep. Chuck Sims (Ambrose - 169th Dist.) / 404 656 0287 /
chuck.sims@house.ga.gov

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (Decatur - 83rd Dist.) / 404 656 0265 /
marymargaret.oliver@house.ga.gov

Rep. Larry O'Neal (Bonaire - 146th Dist.) / 404 656 5103 /
kay.goodroe@house.ga.gov

Rep. Richard Royal (Camilla - 171st Dist.) / 404 656 0265 /
dawn.baker@house.ga.gov

Rep. Penny Houston (Nashville - 170th Dist.) / 404 656 0202 /
talmadge.james@house.ga.gov

I will keep you posted as more and better information becomes available.
Onwards and upwards!

Find Your Legislator

email: janice@afuturenotapast.org
phone: 404 805 5134
web: http://www.afuturenotapast.org
"A Future. Not A Past." is the new campaign to end child prostitution
in Georgia (formerly known as Georgians Against Child Prositution and
Trafficking).

Talking About Hard Subjects: if we're going to change the situation regarding sex trafficking in Altanta we need a new way to talk as people of faith

2008-02-22T13:38:00.002-08:00

Emergent Cohort member, Will Cordis, is helping us with this month's conversation. We will be meeting, as usual, the last Tuesday of the month (feb 26) from 8-10pm ...

CORRECTION: WE WILL MEET AT TILT IN CASTLEBERRY HILLS

Here's Will's intro:

Think back for a moment to a time you tried to influence someone who resisted your efforts. How did it go? What adjectives would you use to describe the conversation? What, if any, effect did it have on your relationship? Do you think you made an impact? If you've been to a cohort meeting before how would you compare the that conversation with the kind you've experience at cohort meetings?

Last month we we began orbiting around the large issue of human sex trafficking in atlanta. This month we'll dive into a crucial subject of how to have meaningful conversations with Others about sch matters in ways that have real impact. Have we learned anything from our cohort conversations that can help us? What might we have to learn or unlearn in order to make a difference on this and other issues we are passionate about?

Resources

How (Not) to Speak of God by Peter Rollins (Section One)

A review of the book on The Church and Postmodern Culture blog

Two sermons by Samir Selmanovic
Courage, Apr 2006 (Audio/MP3)
Courage, Apr 2006 (Video/Low/RealPlayer)
Courage, Apr 2006 (Video/High/RealPlayer)

Finding Our God in the Other, Oct 2006 (Audio/MP3)
Finding Our God in the Other, Oct 2006 (Video/Low/RealPlayer)
Finding Our God in the Other, Oct 2006 (Video/High/RealPlayer)

The real face of Sex Traffic

2008-01-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

This post by Will Hinton begins unpacking the issues through a personal story brought to our attention by Innocence Atlanta. In it he invites folks in Atlanta to attend a memorial service for a girl who puts a face and story on the issue of sex trafficking in our home town:

On February 2nd, just a week before her 17th birthday, a Memorial service will be held in Katelyn's honor at 2 PM at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

and this map shows where sex trafficking is taking place in our city.

and here is a youtube video of jewel testifying before a congregational committee on homelessness

Sex Trafficking in January

2008-01-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

this month we're going to begin orbiting around a large issue of human
trafficking and atlanta's particular place in the sex trafficking
industry. Depending on the discussion, this will be the first step in a longer process of educating ourselves about the issues and joining those already busy at work in this area.

many of us are informed about various parts of this. melvin and troy
thought we would use two articles as a way in. the first is "hidden in plain view," an
executive summary of report issues for the mayors office in dec 2005
about the homeless girls who ware then abducted and forced into
prostitution here in atlanta. The second is an article from a friend
of emergent to start the conversation that asks how systemic injustice
contributes to poverty and its issues including homelessness.

we also suggest you review the following sources:

the georgia innocence project
a future not a past
stand up for kids
not for sale campaign

let's meet at tilt in castleberry hills to discuss how the kingdom of God is challenging us to make a difference in the lives of children being sexually exploited in atlanta. We will meet from 8-10pm, and yes it is tomorrow, Jan 29th.

coffee thursday

2007-12-12T22:35:00.000-08:00

i talked with jim palmer a little bit ago and he needs to move our meeting to 7:30am

troy

The BIG weeked of Feb 2

2007-12-11T08:16:00.001-08:00

Hey Atlantan Emergents... there are two SE regional events that we are happening the weekend of Feb 1-3, first in Charlotte (with Brian McLaren), second in St. Petersburg (with Tim Keel, Shane Claiborne, and Frank Viola). Both were initiated by their respective local cohort. Both need our support, but they are quite different. From talking to the brainchildren behind both of these, here's my very brief take of the differences:

The Charlotte event- aimed at exposing folks to emerging ideas and particular steps that average existing congregations can take to mobilize people toward kingdom change. The St. Pete event- bringing grass roots and underground thinkers together to think about innovative ways to network and build new kingdom structures. So think of which you'd be able to best contribute to or learn from, check out the two and identify if you're in on one or the other. Both are quite cheap- and so the trick is making the road trip doable, and then many of us can make it to one or the other. If you have a hankering to champion one or the other cause, please be in touch, they are both very grass roots in approach and so you are probably the one to make it happen for Atlanta peeps.

Brian McLaren, Everything Must Change tour, Charlotte, NC

Friday and Saturday, February 1-2, 2008

There is now a special discount code for cohort members (and cohort friends) to attend the "Everything Must Change Tour" with Brian McLaren and Friends in Charlotte:
emergcohort

(NOTE: no e on the end of "emerg")

Here's how it works:

1. Go to http://www.eventbrite.com/event/55393684
2. Click "Enter Discount Code"
3. Enter "emergcohort" (without the quote marks) into the field and click "Apply Discount"
4. You will receive $20 off whatever the current registration rate is

If you register between now and December 15, your registration cost will be $79 ($99 - $20 discount).
After December 15, your registration cost will be $89 ($109 - $20 discount).

Even if you're planning to volunteer -- which I hope everyone will help out in some way as we need lots of volunteers to put on this event! -- please pay to register because all of the registration money is going to Brian and the small team of his friends traveling with him, to cover their expenses (e.g., airfare, hotel, meals, etc.) for coming to Charlotte.

Any questions? Please give Steve Knight a shout back at knightopia@gmail.com.
And if you wanna organize a ride we'll post a ride meet up separately on the emerging phoenix blog- Troy and Melvin are definitely driving up!

The second great choice:

SouthEast Regional Emerging Conference

Saturday and Sunday, Feb 2-3, 2007

St.Petersburg, FL

Student Price: $20*
Pre-Registration Price: $25
At the Door price: $35

Much like the “going green” catch phrases out there, the word community gets thrown around Christian circles these days as if it’s “going out of style.” The reality is, a truly missional community is far more than the latest hot topic in the church; in fact, it IS the church at its very core. So why does it seem like authentic community is so difficult to find, even when so many churches use the name community in hopes of fostering it? Perhaps something has been lost in translation. This weekend-long conversation will unite the minds of those who are interested in nurturing a simpler, more sustainable faith within their own faith communities.

Expect to hear the thoughts of Shane Claiborne (The Simple Way & author of "The Irresistible Revolution), Frank Viola (Pagan Christianity), Tim Keel (Jacob's Well & author of "Intuitive Leadership"), and others as they lead a holistic discussion on how to practice faith, spirituality, and church in general without the programs and productions that we find stifling the ability for us to simply love one another.

If anyone would like to organize a road trip, let me know and we'll post it on the blog as well. Troy is leading a breakout group that Sunday (flying from Charlotte to St.Pete).

coffee with author

2007-12-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Grab coffee with Jim Palmer author of Divine Nobodies followed up by his latest book Wide Open Spaces.

“Jim Palmer’s casual, yet compelling writing style cuts through the religious rhetoric and gets to the real issues…readers will love this author! His sense of humor is alternately mixed with shocking sentences and poignant moments. Laced throughout is a refreshing honesty that ties his ideas together with a ribbon of reality…each turn of the page strips away a little more of the contrived mystery of Christianity until the simplicity and sincerity of it stands in realistic splendor.” - Library review

we'll be at octane coffee thursday, dec 13 from 8-10.

Sustainable World

2007-11-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God... [as one] groaning in labor pains until now.

In preparation for our regular cohort gathering this coming Tuesday, 27 Nov 2007, we invite you to listen in on a few conversations about sustainability and faith:

Also investigate some work done by Emory professor Peggy Barlett who commissioned her grad students to identify "primarily local level responses to what might be called the global crisis of sustainability."

There is so much good writing available on the subject. We encourage you to bring a book to share with the group. Peggy Barlett references David Korten who has written several compelling books on the subject, specifically as it relates to the economics of sustainability. Who can ignore the copious contributions of Wendell Berry? Brian McLaren's newest title, Everything Must Change, considers the message of Jesus as it relates to sustainability as well. But these are just a few. We look forward to discovering who has resonated with you individually.

As you listen and read, here are two questions to ponder:

Are sustainable practices acts of worship?
In what ways might sustainability be an apt metaphor for life?

We look forward to seeing you 8-10pm at The Café at Woodfire, located at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, GA. Their chef utilizes seasonal, local and sustainably-grown foods. Please invite a friend.

:: The Cobalt Season :: House Concert ::

2007-11-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

Emergent friend and artists, Ryan and Holly Sharp, who are the Cobalt Season, will be playing a house show at Troy and Kelley's place this Wednesday night, Nov 7. The Evite is here. Anyone is welcome!

$7 cover for one person or $10 for couple or family. Bring food and drinks. 7pm-9pm ish.

Continue the conversation at Troy's blog

2007-11-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

If you made it Tuesday and want to share what your group saw, learned, argued with... go to Troy's blog.

If you couldn't make it and want to read the post, "The Art of Church" below, then do so and then come on over to jump into the discussion!

taste and see

2007-10-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Cohort member Jason Malec recently commissioned 10 artists to paint 3 pieces, each inspired by the Starting Point materials (which is a book they use at North Point to lead people through the story of God). They chose 20 of those works and are putting them on display at North Point for the next two months. Attached is an invitation to “taste and see” these works at an informal gallery drop-in we’re holding on four nights in November (1, 3, 15, 17). You’re welcome to extend this invitation to anyone and everyone in the emergent community. (Invitation attached)

The art is quite moving, and we’ll be setting up video ipods with each artist talking about their pieces. So, come out and join us for the celebration! If you or others decide to join us, please rsvp here.

The Art of Church

2007-10-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

We are meeting this Tuesday, October 30, 8-10pm at Carroll Street Cafe in Cabbage town. This month's conversation will be convened by Troy Bronsink and center around the metaphor of church as art. The following is an adapted article to prime the pump and to suggest some possible lines of discussion for the group. But as usual the discussion will be open and its outcome belongs to those who come for the fun...

We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance to be our way of life.

from Paul’s correspondence with the Ephesians

God is a craftsman (excuse the gender). God makes. You and I are among the things that God fashions. Those recipients of the epistle to the church in Ephesus are told by Paul that we who have been made in Christ (you know, the new creation) are made for the purpose of making/working. It is important to our maker how we make- good. Rule or principals that underline how artist make, are called aesthetics. And a cohesive narrative of such rules is called an aesthetic. At the core of aesthetics are reasons for making, and postures or ways of perceiving. Our posture of making is informed by God’s posture: mission. And this making is everything, it is our entire way of life, not just what the Ephesians were asked to do when they gathered or when they were ask to give a reason for their faith. The good work of being created in Jesus is our way of life, it is an art inspired by an aesthetic, God's mission. This month’s Emergent cohort discussion is about that art and that aesthetic, and the community of artists commissioned to good lives in the inspiration of the Spirit.

God has commissioned a work of art. This art-installation has been God’s dream from as early as the Trinity’s eternal dance. Long before the Spirit of God hovered like an artist in front of a canvas over the waters that would become our studio, the triune God wanted to make man in God’s (literally the creator in Genesis said “our” implying a conversation with the creator) image. This is our commission: to be God’s art exhibit, a trail of artifacts rendered by God’s people and made through God’s ongoing relationship with creation. This commission precedes Jesus, it is what Abram and Sari were called to do and what the prophets both did and called others back toward doing. And this is our aesthetic the stories of these communities found in scripture, tradition, and experience, that narrate our work. So we are commission to make and to be made, to act and invite God to act upon us.

The examples of God’s dreams reach to us from deepest in our history. One of God’s earliest masterpieces is ha adam, literally the dirt, into whom is breathed the Spirit of life. And in Adam’s first orientation to his surroundings, God commissions him to name creation’s creatures, to be the poet lariat of life’s beginnings. Shortly thereafter, Noah, too, was commissioned to build an artifact to save people. Ten generations after him, God calls Abraham and Sara to parent a nation of people who’s art-of-life was to be a reflection of God’s plans for all creation, to bless all nations. The prophets, like Jeremiah, and psalmists like David, both live out the realization of and lament the postponement of God’s dreams. And this drama continues with some artists demonstrating courage and faithfulness and others stuck in self-sabotaging habits of self-preservation that build hedges around their imagination.

Into this drama the Author became Actor. First, second, and third person were interwoven without being confused. The Word was made into flesh, completely creat-ed (material) and completely creat-or (divine). God was subjective (seeing equality with God not as something to grasp but being made into the form of a servant) and objective (All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore go…). It was Jesus, the one-of-a-kind perfecter of the art of living in God’s creation, who insisted that God’s art installation was open, in session, “at hand.” He fashioned withered hands into whole ones, he made party wine out of holy water, and he re-animated lifeless cadavers into dinner guests. It was Jesus who called a community of disciples to tell this story and to do even greater works of this art than he. And these disciples, in receiving the breath of the Holy Spirit, had the courage to witness to God’s plans for creation. By initiating a new art-of-life they began sharing meals, reflecting on precedents set by apostolic letters and sacred Hebrew texts, and setting new precedents making all sorts of music, adopting the exposed, and befriending the poor and widows. This is the narrative that we are a part of. This is the art we have been commissioned to make. We are apprentices who study these rhythms of life and practice them as lives of worship preparing creation for future generations. We are, like John the Baptist, and in the words of the poet Isaiah, preparing the way of the Lord. And our practices tell an ancient story that is yet to be complete, “proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes.”

…..

But here’s the fix we’re in today: in late modernity most churches in the Western world are stuck in creative block. These commitments betray the converting spirit of the gospel by placing equal signs between God’s work and our certitude regarding liberalism verses conservatism, contemporary verses traditional, or theology verses aesthetics. This keeps us from rendering authentic artwork and performances that witness to the kingdom of God. What if the church recovered disciplines of creativity, imagination, and ingenuity as practices unto faith? What if we stepped out of our cultural captivity to “either-or” thinking into organic habits of embodying biblical texts and reforming the tradition we have been handed? What if the church saw herself as both God’s artwork and God’s commissioned artists?

Not only that, what if the work of God of bringing righteousness like an ever flowing stream, and bringing the lion to lay with the lamb were acts that included the art of other people, other tribes, other cultures; be they socio-economically, politically, nationally, or religiously different from ours? Are these “others,” then, partners in the kingdom of God, other artists participating in God’s beautiful unfolding creation?

At the core, I believe the church does matter–but for entirely different reasons than most are fighting to keep the church safe or to make it grow. What if the church mattered as a community committed to this art: to joining God’s dreams, making God’s dreams, becoming patron’s of those making God’s dreams, and learning from others making these dreams? What would we do differently if the mission of God were our aesthetic, as people commissioned to make God’s beauty in the world?

Now here is what I’m hoping the cohort can help flesh out.

1. Push back at any and all of this! Let’s have some fun fleshing this out.
2. What are the reasons we are not creating more new possibilities to participate in God’s dreams? Or to put it another way, How does writer’s block manifest itself in the church and how have you seen it addressed?
3. What are some entry-points to this idea of church as art? Where does it break down for you or folks you serve with?
4. What art are you making and seeing made around you and how do you see it participating in God’s dreams?

Sin and what's s'pposed to be

2007-09-24T05:57:00.001-07:00

"Everything is supposed to be different here" (Danny Glover as Mac in the movie Grand Canyon)

But, given our context and place in the tapestry of history, can things be different? ....should things be different? ....even better? Is this incongruence an evidence of sin? How is sin even defined? Is it solely an individual matter between God and the person or does it affect the community? Should we - even can we- take part in the restoration? Is there a restorative role for the church? Should restoration toward "the way things can be" inform the mission of the church within the mission of God?

In preparation for Tuesday, here are a couple things to read and ponder:

"Not the Way it's S'pposed to be: A breviary of Sin" by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
Psalm 51 (David's response to his sin with Bathsheba

We will be meeting at the Village Bakary and Tavern, a great Gernam Tavern, in Stone Mountain at 8 pm this Tuesday, September 25th. For directions to the Village Bakery and Tavern, click here.

Grace and Peace,

Thom

LOCATION

2007-08-28T13:05:00.001-07:00

We are meeting again at Little Azio's on Moreland ave, South of I-20.

Little Azio

www.littleazio.com
749 Moreland Ave SE, Atlanta - (404) 624-0440

White Privilege

2007-08-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

Is the kingdom of God the privilege of any one group of people? Emerging theology bellows a resounding, "No!" Yet the structures, doctrines and histories of our faith traditions are infused with the notion that there are those who are privileged and have some right to be. Our hope for the next cohort gathering is together to expose the hidden entitlements and subvert the unspoken privilege afforded those dominant within Western Christian culture as well as to consider the power unjustly levied by Christians in Western culture.

Those of us facilitating the conversation on Tuesday, 28 August 2007, believe that these power inequities are most dramatically revealed in matters of race, even within the church. "Race is a fiction we must never indulge and a fact we must never forget." In his 1903 seminal work, The Souls of Black Folks, W. E. B. Dubois prophesied that the problem of the 20th century in America would be "the problem of the color line." Since not even American religion chose to adequately address race during the 20th century, we believe the power dynamics connoted by the phrase "the color line" still haunt our efforts to participate in the work of the kingdom of God even today.

We invite you to prepare for our time together by reading an article by Harry Belafonte, "Is America a Burning House?" on King's fears regarding America's prospects—even Christian America's—for actually enacting justice. Then read an excerpt from Robert Jensen's The Heart of Whiteness found on NPR.org. While there, consider listening to Jensen's interview; it is also insightful. While reading, answer the questions and implications that both men
raise; don't let them pass as rhetorical. And overall, ask yourself,

" How should my current participation in the kingdom of God finally
adequately address the concerns that these and other followers in the
way of Jesus are raising about power and what its misuse has done and
is doing to the human family? "

This is not just a black-white conversation.

We hope to hear your voice in the conversation Tuesday, 28 August, 8pm-10pm. Location to be posted later today.

-Melvin, David and Jimmy

Reconciliation: From Africa to Atlanta

2007-07-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our next Atlanta emergent cohort gathering will be held on Tuesday, July 31st @
Salsa Havana near Ormewood Park. The conversation will begin at 8pm. You'll want to come hungry if you like Cuban food--es sabroso! Our topic this month deals with reconciliation, patriarchy, and emerging communities of faith. I will be sharing stories from my participation in the Amahoro Africa gathering in May. Specifically we'll want to be asking one another what reconciliation looks like in communities of faith. Where do we need to seek reconciliation here in Atlanta? How can we be ambassadors of reconciliation amongst other faith communities around the world?

If you have time, read this short article by Volf before coming.

Extra credit: Read Part 1 of Richard Kearney's book, Strangers, Gods and Monsters.

Just Education and Imagination- the emerging opportunties

2007-06-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

We are gathering on Tuesday, June 26th at 8 pm at Ocatane Coffee Bar near Georgia Tech to discuss the relationship between education (public/private) and the emergent conversation. Doug Davis, an active member of the cohort and other emergent stuff as well as a professor at Georgia State will be leading our conversation. You can get the reading, "The Cult of Easy Answers," by emailing troybronsink@ms.com. Dr. Davis wrote this in response to policy issues surrounding the preparation of school administrators in Georgia; however, the issues presented and discussed are common and relevant across the current educational landscape. It should provide some interesting background for the discussion.

Here are some guiding topics and questions:
1. How might the emergent conversation include the raising of children?
2. What is the purpose and goal of education?
3. What is the value of public education and how does public education relate to key issues in the emergent conversation?
4. What are the key issue in public education and how might one support improved educational policies and practice?

Octane Coffee Bar
1009-B Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
404-815-9886

I hope you all can come on Tuesday.

Grace,
Ashley

2007-06-18T12:03:00.001-07:00

Looking for 8 Volunteers!

Help support Shane Claiborne’s next project at the 2007 International Christian Retail Show in Atlanta. Zondervan needs 6-8 folks who would be willing to hand out materials at the Georgia World Congress Center on Tuesday morning, July 10th. We would only need you for 2 hours. Volunteers will be offered breakfast and free Zondervan product for their time. Contact Scott Heagle if interested: scott.heagle@zondervan.com. Thanks!

Scott Heagle
ZONDERVAN
(616) 698-3319 [P]

Alt.worship in Little Five Points

2007-04-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

Jake's church plant, Trinitas, is sponsoring an Alternative Worship Installation this Thursday, April 26th from 7-9pm at Grandma Luke's in Little Five Points.

For all the details, check out Jake's post here.

.bE is a contemplative prayer event. This means that participants will progress through a series of stations designed to draw our attention to God, self, and the world. The event is “open” from 7-9pm, so it would be helpful if people staggered their arrival time so as to avert a bottle neck. It should take about 30 minutes or so to work through the stations. Folks from Trinitas will be around for processing and fellowship after you make your way through the stations. Refreshments will be provided.

Imagining a God Who May Be

2007-04-23T06:33:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow's cohort meeting will be held from 8-10 PM at Cantina La Casita in East Atlanta Village.

We will be discussing the philosophy of Richard Kearney from last week's Emergent Philosophical Conversation in Philadelphia with Kearney and Jack Caputo. This should be an invigorating conversation about the work of one of the preeminent philosophers in the world today.

Below are two articles that you should read before coming to the cohort gathering.

"The God Who May Be"

"Enabling God"

Meeting tonight, Tuesday March 27, 8-10pm

2007-03-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

David Park and Peter Choi have arranged for us to meet at Cafe Mozart off of Venture Drive/Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth. David and Peter and others are beginning to imagine a post korean-church and the role of a 2 gen pan-asain church in america. It should be a good conversation, and worth the ride north to consider how our tradition biases and envigourates our faith practices.

Do not look Cafe Mozart up on Mapquest or Google...there are multiple locations of this Cafe Mozart in Atlanta, but they do not have this latest location listed.

Directions
85N to Exit 103 - Steve Reynolds
Take a left off the exit.
Turn right on Venture Drive.
Cafe Mozart will be on your left before you reach Pleasant Hill Rd. Next to BP gas station

Here's the General direction of conversation:
Faith, ethnicity, and culture

Here are some questions to get us started:

Diversity in church as a goal or a by-product? How might missional communities acknowledge cultural gifts without minimizing differences? What is the role of the mono-ethnic church?

emergent and 2 gen Asian American

2007-03-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

David Park, and some friends are going to guide our discussion for the month around the experience of tradition, innovation, and culture. He is Korean American, been in the cohort for a couple years and blogs at nextgenerasianchurch.com

David has sent the following links to a couple post to get the ball rolling. We will meet on Buford Hwy at a resturant of his selection (more on this to come)

2 gen Asian American, is it that different?

in a recent conversation with a newly acquainted friend, we discussed the validity of the asian-american church, to which he said, “that’s not as interesting to me as the immigrant church.” when asked to elaborate, he said, “well, i don’t consider you asian-american, i just consider you american. you speak english like me, you know this american culture like i know, you don’t even have an accent, david. i mean, what makes you asian? what makes your church asian?”

my heart started to race a bit, “you think i’m american then? because i didn’t have the same experience as you did growing up, i can assure you that. and i certainly had plenty of reminders - whether it was the food i ate, the language my parents spoke, or the fact that there weren’t many other kids that looked like me growing up in Oklahoma...
read the rest of David's post here

Emerging Leadership Vacum: from March 5, L2 Foundations Blog:

This weekend, Los Angeles Times featured this article, Asian American churches face leadership gap: Pastors aren’t being prepared to handle congregational conflicts over cultural and generational issues, experts say. [registration required, ht: JoseonIllin, also mirrored at the ISAAC blog and asianamericanartistry and Step by Step and kitsapsun.com.]
A few article excerpts to highlight notable references with hyperlinks added:

A 2005 Duke Divinity School study, “Asian American Religious Leadership Today,” said the “most acute tensions” in Asian American churches revolved around two issues:

Continual clashes between the generations over cultural differences in the styles and philosophies of church leadership and control.
Young pastors’ view that immigrant churches are “dysfunctional and hypocritical religious institutions” that demonstrate a “negative expression” of Christian spirituality for the second generation.

… only 15% of Asian American seminarians attend seminaries affiliated with mainline denominations. The overwhelming majority — 80% — choose evangelical institutions.

Serving the complex Asian American Christian communities today requires “crossing boundaries between East and West, immigrant and native-born, and between various ethnic communities,” said the Rev. Tim Tseng, president of the Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity.

A different church with different Issues?

Here's a third interesting post in Pulpit and Pew about the challenge of Asian American congregations integrating into mainstream american churches.

More to come, location TBA. Time: This Tuesday 8pm.

Open Air Art Market & Shane Claiborne

2007-03-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Tim and Trinity Honse sent this for us all:

Druid Hills Baptist Church will host "A Taste of Intown" on Saturday, May 12th from 10-5pm. This year's festival will include an Open Air Art Market, Tastings from local restaurants, children's activities and live music.

We are looking for artists to participate in our Open Air Art Market. More information and an application can be found here Questions: email tasteofintownartists@yahoo.com Feel free to pass this information onto anyone else who may also be interested in participating.

****

Also, Saturday night, March 31 is part of DHBC's "Spiritual Renewal Week" and Shane Claiborne of Simple Way Community in Philadelphia is speaking at the Common Grounds worship gathering. Contact Tim Honse at DHBC for details.

Scot McKnight at North Point | March 17th

2007-02-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Jason wanted us all to know that we are invited to come hang out at North Point with Scot McKnight next month.

The event is actually a training event for North Point's Starting Point Leaders, but they have opened it up to the general public for $50. With your fee of $50, you'll get Scot's book Embracing Grace, lunch, snacks and a "nifty messenger bag." It will take place March 17th, from 9am - 1.30pm at North Point Community Church.

For more information, visit this site and click on the Starting Point Training link under “Events” to register.

Cohort @ Five Seasons Brewing, Tuesday Feb 27th

2007-02-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

The next Atlanta Emergent Cohort will be meeting at the Five Seasons Brewing Company on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs (directions here). The conversation is going to be led by cohort-er, Jason Malec. While some of the conversation will be based off of questions and thoughts that came up after the Mainline Emergent/s event, you don't have to have gone to the conference to participate in the conversation.

More details will be coming from Jason - but keep your evening free this upcoming Tuesday, February 27th.

Cohort Gathering at Brickstore | Tuesday 7pm

2007-01-28T17:35:00.000-08:00

Many of you know the Mainline Emergent/s event is happening at Columbia Seminary this upcoming week.

This Tuesday night, January 30th, we will be meeting at the Brickstore Pub in the square in downtown Decatur. In lieu of the Amahoro Art Benefit we had hoped to host, we will be hosting this gathering of the Atlanta Cohort and participants and speakers from the Mainline Emergent/s event. Someone will still be accepting offerings at the Brickstore we can continue to support Amahoro.

I'd encourage you to start showing up around 7pm and we can hopefully reserve some space at the Brickstore. Conference participants will begin arriving around 7.30pm. We look forward to seeing you all there for a great evening of discussion and connecting with other people at the Brickstore.

Cohort Planning Blog

2006-11-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

We now have the Cohort Planning Blog up. Feel free to get posts up and leave comments for the planning of this event. Enjoy!

local atlanta theology

2006-11-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

We will meet Tuesday night, Nov 28, 8-10pm, at IF coffee in Little Five Points. As usual there will be great coffee drinks, and we should bring various edibles (bake something good or buy something that will bring smiles to our palates).

Our main conversation Tuesday will be around the question: "What is local Atlanta Theology." We will then brainstorm/imagine worship environments to portray this. This meets up with our upcoming participation in the January 30,31, February 1 conference in Decatur...

The Altanta Emergent Cohort has been invited to "host" the upcoming Atlanta event "Mainline Emergent/s: Conversations in Theology, Hope, and Practice."

This event is designed to put missional leaders from Emergent in conversation with missional leaders serving in existing denominations (Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Seventh-Day Adventists, etc). Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Karen Ward, Diana Butler bass, and Doug Pagitt are keynoting and other Emergent voices are facilitiating workshops. For more info click here to read a post on the Emergent Blog.

Our responsibilies for January, as a Cohort, include:
1. designing three worship events with Altanta Local Theology in mind (see note bellow)
2. organizing a Benefit Concert/Art Show benifitting Amahoro, an upcoming gathering of African Emerging Pastors in Uganda
3. host some of the presenting missional practitioners in our homes.

Our cohort gathering Tuesday will begin with discussion about local theology will then begin to brainstorm/design/whiteboard the 3 worship events (in light of the 3 themes for each day of the conference), conculded by an inventory of ideas and contacts for the art benefit and bunking some conference visitors.

So, What is local theology? In the Emerging conversation we are discovering how important context is to practicing the faith. "ortho-praxi" is a term utilized by latin american liberationist theology to describe the nexus of belief and ethics. What you believe about God determines what you believe about your surroundings as do your surroundings often determine what you believe about God. Our thoughts and "physical" actions are not seperatable.

With this in mind, at points of conversion in our Christian life we might ask: how does this (new conviction, new act of discipleship, etc) affect my neighbor and my neighborhood, and how does this interact with the history of this place where I practice my faith?

Our cohort, for all of our theological and institutional variety shares Atlanta in common. And so one question we will ask is how that place (atlanta- and the urban old south) interacts with our missional hope. What do we believe the Advent of God's Dreams to mean for Atlanta? For us?

Beginning to respond to the question of ortho-praxi with collaborative art and making an environment for worship in which this art of "Atlanta Theology" is caught into our praise and lamentation... 'would be a great framework to understand how the Atlanta Emergent cohort might best host the upcoming event.

see you there!

Trinitas

2006-10-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I am planting a church in the Little Five Points area of Atlanta. After a year of listening, observing and conversing, I now feel reading to offer a hopeful vision of what church might look like in the community in which I have become a part.

This week we will be launching two public events that you may be interested in knowing about. Books and Beans will be a six-week discussion of Jim Wallis' book, God's Politics and Holy Ground will be a gathering at my house to practice lectio divina from Luke's Gospel. If any of you who are connected with the Atlanta Emergent Cohort are interested you are most welcome to participate in these venues. Peace.

Any Requests & Links

2006-10-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'm working on just trying to clean up the design of this blog a bit, and I'm wondering if anyone has any requests for specific things they'd like to see on this blog.

Also, if you have a blog, please leave the URI in a comment here so it can be included, as well as how you'd like your name to appear. For example:

Adam Walker Cleaveland
http://www.pomomusings.com

Thanks - and be sure to leave us some feedback!

Meeting with Abingdon-10/17

2006-10-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

Atlanta Emergent Editors: Sorry for the delay on this post. I just got back from a mission trip I led to Mexico.

For those of you who have interacted with Scot McNight's new book, A Community Called Atonement, we will be having a meeting with representatives from Abingdon Press next Tuesday, October 17th. The meeting will last, as usual, from 8:00-10:00 PM. I hope that ya'll can make it.

We have reservations at Cantina La Casita in East Atlanta Village. We will be meeting on their patio since it is quieter out there.

Directions: Take the Downtown Connector to I-20 East. Take I-20 to Boulevard Ave (First Exit). Turn Right on Boulevard. Take an immediate Left onto Glenwood Ave. After about a mile you will cross Moreland Ave. After crossing over Moreland turn Right on Gersham Ave. They are located at 540 Gersham Ave in East Atlanta Village. They have lots of parking right next to the restaurant.

Their phone number is 404-622-8081 . Come hungry. La comida es muy bueno!

Scot McKnight's book: Emergence and Atonement

2006-09-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

We will meet this month on the usual last Tuesday, Sept 26 at 5 Seasons Brewing, located in the Prado on Roswell Road (for you Northies to get there), from 8-10 pm.

Emergent Village has begun a publishing cooperation with Abingdom Press for book in Emergent Theology. The first book of that series, By Scot McKinght, is attached in draft form for The Atlanta Cohort to review. We will start the discussion next week, September 26, and you are encouraged to begin reading the attached parts. We will guide September's introductory discussion around the Prologue and Part 1: "Atonement and Emergence: Where Are We?" Anyone is welcome to join us, read what you can and be a part of making this book happen.

The full discussion with guests from Abingdon Press and free drinks (from Abingdon) will be in October, earlier in the month, Tuesday October 17th location TBA.

Our input from both conversations will be sent back to McKight & Abingdon and reflected in the final edits of the book.

There is a Prologue and Five Parts, please download them in PDF form below, and erase them when we are done on th 17th (so pay good attention and rememer what you can). They will not be available after October 17, and we have been asked not to post contents of the book yet or to pass it along to anyone. The published manuscript is due to be out in 2007 (so be fair and be patient).
Down load them from this sight.

Lastly, if yo have a recording devise that we can use to record September's conversation for Abingdon and for folks interested in listenning in before October's mtg, please let Troy know and bring it.

see you there!

Tomorrow's Cohort

2006-08-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay on this. We will meet at The German Tavern in Stone Mountain at our usual time (8-10pm). There we will show and discuss the movie The Invisible Children of Uganda, hosted by some teens from Caroline Ingle's church. These high schoolers have responded with missional innovation to this movie by starting a t-shirt business printing tees as a fund raiser around Conyers.

Everything has just come together for the cohort. Feel free to pass this on to anyone whose e-mail address you may have.

The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture

2006-07-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Our next Atlanta Emergent Cohort will be held on Tuesday, July 25 from 8-10pm at Rock Bottom Brewery in Buckhead. This month we will be discussing Shane Hipps' book, The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, The Gospel, and Church.

Hipps offers an illuminating analysis of the myriad ways that electronic mediums influence the ways we understand ourselves in the world, process information, and relate to others. His work is based off of the sociological musings of Marshall McLuhan, a man of profound influence on communications theory during the mid-60s to mid-70s. Hipps coaxes church leaders to develop a critical appropriation of media technologies following a lucid socio-historical explanation of the ways media have altered Western societies.

Hipps brings into conversation the work of two philosophers of culture: McLuhan and megachurch pastor, Rick Warren. Hipps quotes Warren as saying, "Our message must never change, but the way we deliver that message must be constantly updated to reach each new generation." In other words, Warren bifurcates the message we are trying to convey with the means used to convey said message. As Warren's interlocutor, McLuhan avers, "The medium is the message." Hence, for McLuhan, the message and mediums used to communicate are inextricable. In a world that is being inundated with new forms of technology everyday, this conversation is certainly apropos as we explore what it means to be faithful communicators of the gospel in our postmodern world.

So, have a go with Hipps' book and bring your questions, insights, rants and stories as we explore this pertinent topic in light of the church that is emerging in 21st Century culture.

[UPDATE: In case you don't have time to read the whole book before our cohort meeting, Shane Hipps has recently posted an excerpt from his book and another post here on the Out of Ur blog. The comments that follow his posts are quite interesting. Check it out if you have a chance.]

Ordination Service

2006-07-09T05:21:00.000-07:00

Folks from the Altanta Emergent Cohort
are invited to Troy's Ordination Service,
Sunday July 23 at 5pm
at Georgia Avenue Church in Grant Park.

For more info email Troy at troybronsink@msn.com

Sacerdotalism: why be critical of ordination? Why celebrate it?

2006-06-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

So, as many of you know I will be ordained in the PC(USA) July 23rd. This has spurred a great deal of conversation (and required a good deal of preparation on my part) and some other cohorters thought this might make an interesting conversation. Their is littel argument as to whether God calls and equips people to serve as members of the kingdom of God through the church. The breakdown comes around ideas of hierarchy and authority in the church body. This has been considered one of the primary reasons for the reformation and for Anabaptist protests to reformed ecclessiology. How does a community discern and appoint its leaders?

Wikipedia defines Sacerdotalism as:
(from Latin sacerdos, priest, literally one who presents sacred offerings, sacer, sacred, and dare, to give) is a term applied (usually in a hostile sense) to the system, method, and spirit of a priestly order or class, under which the functions, dignity, and influence of the members of the priesthood are exalted in the ministry of religion, and in the church at the expense of the laity. This exalting of the priesthood in certain denominations of the Christian church is based on the claim that the priest exercises sacrificial and supernatural powers in the celebration of the Eucharist.

So, how can we learn from each other's traditions about the role of the priest/minister/pastor/preacher/leader?

What are the benefits/dangers to the Christendom practice of calling someone "reverend?"

Tim Honse and Jake Myers from the Cooperative Baptist church have recently been ordained and they will share a bit about the experience for them. If you have wrestled through this or against this as a Christian leader, come with some reflection on:
1. The discernment for you as an individual to "enter the process"
2. The tests/psychological examinations/committee gauntlet/vows/compromises that a recognized ordained minister must undergo to be such.
3. The value of this for the specific church and the wider neighborhood/community.

My hope is that we can learn more about this as a ritual/practice. Does "ordination" shape the entire church well for its missionary encounter with culture?

My second hope is to bring my own PC(USA) ordination vows and have some reflection on those in light of our emerging friendship and the hope we have for the church participating more deeply in the mission of God.

Here are some fun quotes to react to in preparation. Bring your own quotes and scripture passages that inform your own tradition's ordination practices as well:

Making doxology to God, Paul asks that we present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God by not being conformed to this world but by being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). All of this is resurrection talk, the sort of tensive [sic] situation of those who find their lives still in an old, dying world, yet who are also conscious of a new world being born. Our lives are eschatologically stretched between the sneak preview of the new world being born among us in the church and the old world where the principalities and powers are reluctant to give way. In the meantime, which is the only time the church has ever known, we live as those who know something about the fate of the world that the world does not yet know. -William Willimon, Calling and Character, 128.

We are living at an important and fruitful moment right now, for it is clear to church leaders that the images of Christina leadership given by the religious subculture are worn out; a minister can no longer depend on them. By the time a person in professional ministry reaches thirty-five, he or she knows that the images of the knowledgeable, doctrinally sound, politically correct, and above all successful pastor that were learned in seminary (and at the Christian bookstore or leadership conference) simply do not work in life. Such a Christian leader is open to the new visions of what a Christian and a church leader is or could be.
-Brian McLaren, The Church on the Other Side, 109.

If pastors become accomplices in treating every child as a problem to be figured out, every spouse as a problem to be dealt with, every clash of wills in choir or committee as a problem to be adjudicated, we abdicate our most important work, which is directing worship in the traffic, discovering the presence of the cross in the paradoxes and chaos between Sundays, calling attention to the splendor in the ordinary, and most of all, teaching a life of prayer to our friends and companions in the pilgrimage.
-Eugene Peterson The Contemplative Pastor, 65

Lets meet at Octane on Howell Mill and Marrietta Street, This Tuesday June 27, 8-10pm. Better Directions to come.

"Invisible Children" Screening

2006-06-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Three years ago, three adventure-seeking college guys from Southern California, decided they would make a film that tells the story of the atrocities currently happening in Africa. They headed off with virtually no film or travel experience and found themselves in Northern Uganda.

Those three guys stumbled upon the thousands of children who live in fear of abduction. The rebels of the LRA, the Lords Resistence Army, are forcing the children to become child soldiers to help fight their ongoing war.

The film is called "Invisible Children." It tells the story of the children in Northern Uganda. This rough cut film has been seen by over a million people in the last few years. Oprah helped tell their story, and it was the spark behind the Global Night Commute, where thousands upon thousands of us gathered in our cities to sleep outside and raise awareness for the Invisible Children of Northern Uganda.

Finally, we are finding ways to help make a difference on behalf of the persecuted.

Join us tomorrow night, JUNE 21st, at Conyers First United Methodist Church (921 N. Main Street, Conyers, GA, 30012) for a free screening of "Invisible Children."

A Free Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 5:45 p.m.

Blessings,

Caroline

Immigration and missional church

2006-05-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

We meet every month on the last Tuesday of the month from 8-10pm. So put it on your calendar as a repeating event, if you can:)

This Tuesday, May 30th is our next cohort meeting and we will be discussing Immigration and the Mission of the Church. For some of us this will be a next step following the Hermeneutics conversation in February. We are meeting from 8-10pm at La Kermex Restaurante Mexicano in Chamblee, directions here

In preparation for our conversation together next Tuesday evening we have compiled this reading list of thoughts around immigration, how our faith tradition encourages us to relate to the "sojourners in our midst." As you read we would like you to consider the following questions:

1. Why would one risk (death, jail, deportation) and sacrifice (family, language, community, culture, etc.) so much to come to the US without documentation? Are Americans just so much more clever, strong, industrious and fortunate to have built a country so virtuous that people of Latin descent are willing to sever all ties to come to?

2. In light of the protracted exploitive history between the West and Latin America, what responsibility (if any) do Westerners have in the socioeconomic redemption of the Latin world?

3. What part might people of faith (particularly Christians) play in creating space in which Latin Americans might re-imagine new possibilities for their countries of origin?

4. What are healthy ways from your own experiences (any of us in the Atlanta cohort) to build conversations, renew imaginations, and put out hands to work around this with our congregations or missional communities?

Here's the recommended reading/listening:

1. “WHAT’S AT STAKE?: Compassion, nocriminalization, in Immigration Reform” by Laurna Strikwerda (email troybronsink@msn.com for a copy until I can figure out where to upload this) presents an interesting survey of statistics and Biblical passages regarding US immigration policy
2. "A House for All Peoples?" by Ched Myers.
3. "Jesus' Proclamation of God's Reign as Jubilee" by Ross & Gloria Kinsler. (email troybronsink@msn.com until I can figure out where to host the upload)
4. "Is This the Way to Go?" by Saskia Sassen, provides an interesting transnational critique of the increased illegal human smuggling (sexual and labor slaves) that is set off by increased border security.
5. "The Christian Face of Immigration" by David Batstone.

Special thanks to Melvin for compiling much of this...

Troy

tonight, april25

2006-04-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder we meet tonight from 8-10 in Duluth (see earlier post), so townies need to go ahead and get on their bikes right now...

Jason Malek has offered the following 2 questions to get us started:

Following are two questions to kick off conversation tomorrow night. The
first is Rowan Williams' from the cover flap (why tinker with a good
question?), and the other, more practical question is one Tim Keel posed to
Dr. Volf at the conversation.

1. In our increasingly graceless culture, where can we find the motivation
to give? And how do we learn to forgive when forgiving seems
counterintuitive or even futile?

2. How does gift giving function in a wealthy culture / in a wealthy church?
How does it act as a judgment on us, and what does it mean for churches to
be generous as communities?

The Invisible Children

2006-04-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

On, April 29th, t2006, the city of Atlanta will be participating in the Global Night Commute. Join those in our city speaking up on behalf of the invisible children in Uganda.

www.invisiblechildren.com

Miraslov Volf, April 25

2006-04-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

Two months ago Emergent met with Miraslov Volf at Yale for a theological discussion. some members of the cohort were there and we would like to host a conversation in Duluth about some of Volf's work. We will meet at Higher Grounds in Duluth, on Medlock Bridge ( GA-141).

To prepare for this you need to get ahold of the book Free of Charge and/or listen to the pod casts from the Emergent Village blog. We will send out three specific discussion points next week and look forward to seeing you on Tuesday night, April 25

za tonight

2006-03-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Dear emergent cohort friends,

We had planned earlier this month to meet on Tuesday, March 28th, to discuss the Miroslav Volf books. Our plans have adapted a bit due to some last minute changes.

New Plan:

Join us Tuesday, March 28th, for drinks, dinner, and conversation. We will be gathering at 7 p.m. at SLICE, a great pizza restaurant in Castleberry HIlls neighborhood just west of downtown. You are welcome to stay and eat/ talk for as long as you would like. We will not be discussing a particular reading, so all you need to do is show up. :)

Slice
259 Peters Street
Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 588-1820
www.sliceatlanta.com

Blessings to you,

Caroline Ingle

Lent Lecture

2006-02-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

Cultural Hermeneutics

2006-02-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all!

Our next Atlanta Emergent Cohort meeting will be Tuesday, February 28th from 8-10 PM. This month we will be meeting at Athens Pizza on the corner of N. Decatur and Clairmont, near Emory Univ. Click here for directions. Athens Pizza has great food, so you'll probably want to come hungry!

This cohort will be facilitated by Eric Barreto. Eric is a second-year PhD student in New Testament at Emory. He has worked extensively on the issues of cultural and contextual hermeneutics and will be a wonderful catalyst for a discussion on how our respective subjectivities impact how we read the Bible. Below are the exerpts that Eric would like us all to read prior to the cohort meeting. If you have access to these books go ahead and bring them. Click on the links below to download the PDF versions of these pages.

1. Miguel A. De La Torre, Reading the Bible from the Margins (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2002). This book is more accessible than the other reading. If biblical hermeneutics is a newer concept for you, start with the introduction of this book, pp. 1-35. If you'd like, move on to the second reading.

2. Brian Blount, Cultural Interpretation: Reorienting New Testament Criticism (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995). This reading is more challenging but quite important in the scholarship. If you are already engaged in the conversation revolving around biblical hermeneutics, start here. Read the introduction, pp. 1-23.

Pass this info along to your friends and we will see you at Athens Pizza on the 28th.

Peace,
Jake

Our Interconnected God's Interconnected World, Jan 31

2006-01-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

There is a rise in public discussion over the connections we share with everything around us. Bring desserts and snacks and connect over coffee this Tuesday night from 8-10pm.

This perspective is as old as Hebrew views of creation, 3rd and 6th century views of the trinity, and as recent as social theories of system relationships and quantum physics. I recently met Dwight Friesen a pastor of a Christ-Commons community in Seattle, professor at Mars Hill graduate school and Emergent friend. He has written The Divine Dance as the Hermeneutical Key to Ontology and Revelation, an article on the theology of the trinity and how perspectives of the interrelatedness of the trinity affect our views on revelation and our views of God's relationship to the universe.

This Tuesday we will meet at IF Coffee in Little Five Points to discuss this reading (directions). I am hoping people can come with questions for the group in the following three areas:

1. How might the theology of the Divine Dance affect our views of youth ministry?
2. How might the theology of the Divine Dance affect our views of denominationalism and ecumenism?
2. How might the theology of the Divine Dance affect our understanding of Atlanta's Beltline Project?
3. How might the theology of the Divine Dance affect our views on physics, science, and Christian interaction with the world we live in (have you seen the movie What the Bleep do We know!?

Ken Evans, who came to our last meeting, graciously offered this space. He will brew coffee (its quality, roasted himself) and bar the espresso machine. You and I need to supply the desserts and snacks. Its up to you and me...

So come having read the article, choosing one or more questions to follow up on, and with good desserts or snacks to share.

peace,

Troy

Emerging Women Leaders. . .Save the Date!

2005-12-15T11:15:00.001-08:00

On January 3, 2006, the emerging women leaders in Atlanta will be gathering together. This time is intended to give life and support to those women leading others in the way of Jesus. Please feel free to invite others to join us in this conversation.

Date: 01.03.06

Time: 7:30 p.m.

The Flying Biscuit Cafe
1655 McLendon Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307

map driving directions

phone: (404) 687-8888
http://www.flyingbiscuit.com

If you are planning on attending, please email Caroline at caroline@summit-ministries.com. The Flying Biscuit requested an estimated number.

Christmas Music Benefit

2005-12-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

Emergent friends, music lovers, activists, and city dwellers:

This Sunday, Dec 12, from 2pm-6pm there will be a garage concert, benefiting The Sullivan Center a southwest Atlanta non profit that has been around for more than 20 years. Capital Coffee is providing coffee and pastries, and a keg of beer will be tapped. The proceeds of coffee sold, suggested $2 cover, and donations for beer (which will be "free" on tap) will go to the Sullivan center to assist families this Christmas who are in their homelessness prevention and vocational training programs.

There will be at least four great bands/performers:
Jade Hollow
The Cobalt Season
Beggars Guild
Michael Johnston (of Small Town Poets )
Troy Bronsink (with Bill Davis and Dave Stephen)

Come from 2-6 with friends to be generous this Christmas, get in some great music, and enjoy some beer and/or coffee!

Directions:

Capital Coffee is located in the Coeur d'Alene Lofts at the edge of Capital View and Adair Park. From east, north, or northwest go south on I 75/85 and exit two exits south of I 20 on "University Drive". Turn right (west) onto University Dr until you hit Metropolitan Pkwy (former Stewart Ave). Turn left (south) on Metropolitan, and turn right at traffic light onto Dill (Dill is called Manford to the left). Continue four blocks and take your second right onto Allene Ave (a red storefront sits at the corner, if you get to Sylvan you've gone too far). We are two blocks ahead on the left by the RR Tracks.

Click here here for a map.

A New Kind of Christian...community?

2005-11-30T16:26:00.000-08:00

Last night we met at Carol Street Cafe in Cabbage Town to discuss a phenomenon being labeled, "The New Monasticism." (See Troy's earlier post for links to these topics in Christianity Today and Christian Century. We were joined by Prof. Steve Hayner of Columbia Theological Seminary. Having read the pertinent articles and clustered into three smaller groups, Dr. Hayner asked us to reflect on the following question: How new is the New monasticism? I can only speak on behalf of the group I participated in, but this question fueled our night's discussion wonderfully.

Our group raised many further questions about authenticity, the nature of community in general, a preferential option for the poor, racial reconciliation, generational differences and issues involving established denominationalism. We asked more questions than we had answers, but that is the nature of dialogue. For me, the New Monasticism slips when its adherents fail to recognize where they fit within the Church catholic through the centuries. Nevertheless, it seems that some of the communities mentioned in the articles are trying to connect with other, more established monastic orders. I remain hopeful and intrigued by such manifestations of Christian community. Perhaps, like the first monastic communities, such assemblies will be preservers of the faith until such a time that the Church again finds her voice in a world crying for meaningfulness. We shall see.

Okay, so for those of you who participated (or for those of you who missed last night's meeting but still want to weigh-in on the discussion), how do you answer Dr. Hayner's question? Are these fledgling communities harbingers of a new way of being Christ followers entirely? What resemblance to they bear to the different monastic communities of the past and present? How might such groups materialize in the suburbs, if at all? Feel free to weigh in on these, or any other questions relating to community. Peace.

BTW: We will not be meeting in December. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you all on the last Tuesday of January.

community and neo-monastics

2005-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving week! The Atlanta Emergent Cohort will be meeting next Tuesday, November 29th, from 8-10pm, to discuss "community" with Steve Hayner, Professor of Evangelism at Columbia Seminary and former director of InterVarsity. We will be paying particular attention to the practices of intentional communities known as new monasticism. There are three great articles to inform you on this. The primary article we will follow is from Christian Century. Do you best to read this before you arrive.

For those eager for extra reading: another there's another helpful article in Christian Century, and a third providing a more historical survey of monasticism.

We will meet in historic Cabbage Town, a neighborhood just east of Turner Field. We have space reserved at Carroll Street Cafe. They have delicious and affordable tapas and desserts.

'Hope to see you there.

art and incarnation

2005-10-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night was a great discussion. A couple folks asked me to post some of the notes and create space for further dialogue.

The discussion began with an over view of :Trevor Hart's “Through the Arts: Hearing, seeing, and Touching the Truth” from Begbie, Jeremy ed. "Beholding the Glory: Incarnation Through the Arts" (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000) pp1-26.

The direction of the discussion went toward how art helps us rethink the platonic dualism's affect on modern western Christianity's theologies of incarnation.

Platonic philosophy is suspicious of the particular, natural world because in his presuppositions was that this bodily world existed below the universal, divine, spiritual world and the work of transfiguration was like Prometheus' fire, stolen from the divine realm.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our* hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
Galatians 4.4-7

Pauline theology suggests that art is not an act of transgression against the divine creative work but an act of faithfulness because of the new reality in Jesus Christ. The poetry at the begining of John's gospel claims that the locus of the meaning of words and word itself (the logos) has become part of the created world. The counsel of Nicea insisted that all of broken creation has been assumed in Christ. God stepped into creation and “earthed his own way of being” within creation and doing so has “drawn us into” the same possible participation in the “matrix of divine meaningfulness” without leaving behind our humanness (Hart,22).

Hart proposes that the Arts serve as a parable of the incarnation
1. So art is a faithful response to belief in the Incarnation (Hart, 15)
2. Art is useful to cast light on (though not circumscribe) the incarnation

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. “How is the transfigurative dimension of art (the way in which art hands back more than nature initially grants it) to be understood in relation to the theme of the redemption or transformation of our broken and fallen humanity and world in Jesus? (Hart, 21)

2. Is there any sense in which art itself, through its capacity to transform our vision of and response to the world, shares in or corresponds to that redemptive activity of God? (Hart, 21).

3. How is art a creative interaction to transform the culture of the church? Is this worth the time and energy?

4. What could this mean for the church’s western modern theologies of salvation and the traditional ideas of atonement and the arithmetic of sin management?

Cohort Recap

2005-10-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the September Cohort meeting, here is what we covered.

We began with a prayer from Irenaeus’ regula fidae. We then took turns introducing ourselves to each other. The group was quite diverse (a lovely change from many emergent gatherings). We had inner-city youth workers, PhD students, pastors, church planters and seminary students. Moreover we were an ecumenical bunch: comprised of Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians Presbyterians and Evangelicals. More importantly the group was split almost in half by men and women and we had a number of different ethnicities represented. The group was varied and this facilitated the fecundity of our dialogue immensely. While in seminary, I was very active in the Central New Jersey Cohort and although I enjoyed my time there very much, I was refreshed to enter into dialogue with a group that did not mark diversity according to facial hair preferences.

Troy then led us through the four rules or commitments of Emergent: 1) Commitment to God in the way of Jesus Christ; 2) To the Church in All its forms; 3) To God’s world; and 4) To each other. We then broke up into small groups to flesh out the implications and meanings of these convictions. Our two-hour fellowship was closed with a Kenyan Prayer:

From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,
From the laziness that is content with half truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Good Lord, deliver me.

The fellowship and discussion were positive, and a great start for our cohort this year. However, we still have work to do. First, we need to open the discussion even further to include Catholics, Orthodox and other groups. The absence of these important voices limits both the breadth and depth of our discussions. Second, Troy and I are facilitators and organizers but we are all co-leaders in this endeavor. To that end, we will provide you all with some suggested reading in anticipation of our monthly chats. This way we will all have at least a casual acquaintance with the monthly topic. This should both ameliorate the profundity of our dialogue and decentralize the teacher/student authority structure to which many of us are so accustomed.

BTW: This Month’s meeting will be held at Manuel’s Tavern, which is located at the corners of North and Highland Aves. The meeting will be upstairs in the Nest from 8-10 on Tuesday, October 25th. Hope to see you all there. Peace.

meetings last tuesday of the month

2005-10-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

We had a great meeting last Monday. Jake should be posting some reports from that but anyone is welcome to pipe in about what was helpful.

From everyone's feedback we will be meeting on the last Tuesday of each month from 8-10pm, locations to be determined each month. The next two months will cover the arts and community. For Jan-June we are looking to cover religion & postmodern philosophy, urban renewal, holistic youth ministry, and racial reconciliation in Atlanta.

October 25th we will be discussing the redemptive use of the arts. Go ahead now and order Jeremy Begbie's "Beholding the Glory: Incarnation through the Arts" and read chapter one, "Through the Arts: Hearing, Seeing, and Touching the Truth" by Trevor Hart. You will find the book in most theological libraries and can get it for $13 from Amazon. I'm still working on lining up a good conversation partner or two for us on this. But be sure and pass this along to the artists in your midst.

November 29th (fifth Tuesday of that month, after thanksgiving), Steve Hayner, Professor of Evangelism at Columbia Theological Seminary and former president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship will be facilitating a discussion on the topic of "Community." More about the November meeting in November.

Also be sure to check out the Paste Rock-N-Reel Festival , October 22,23 in Decatur. Amazing artists of all sorts... and not unrelated from our topic of discussion this month!

Back in the Saddle

2005-09-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

So after a long hiatus we are getting back into the swing of things starting next Monday, September 26th, from 8-10pm at the the Brickstore Pub, Decatur.

Many new things will happen this year including migrating our locations so that various folks from regions around the city can "host" the evening. We will be discussing things such as redemption through the arts, missional theology, and ethics for city dwellers. We will try to use articles and CDs and performances as discussion points and have artisans, pastors, counselors, and professors provide us with teaching to work through. Also this year we will add to our group folks like Jake Myers (whom you need to meet) who have been involved in emergent cohorts in other parts of the US.

We will settle on other meeting times (a routine night a month) at this monday's gathering. If you are unable to attend this week please reply to the blog with a note of what times of the week are best for you.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Cheers,

Troy

Summer Sabbatical

2005-07-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

We are (have been) taking a summer sabbatical. Look for news of a next meeting in September. Also expect some changes to the site for you to post your own comments and generate topics for future meetings.

Last, we will change our meeting times to evenings this fall (probably tues,wed or thurs).

Meanwhile visit the emergent-us blog for updates on the emergent conversation.

courage, peace, and beauty in Jesus,

Troy

Emergent Cohort Thursday, May 12

2005-05-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

Church, Gospel, and Culture

Apologies for the late reminder. We are meeting again this Thursday, May 12, from 2-4 at the the Brickstore Pub. We had an excellent discussion last month on the Henri Nouwen article, "Solitude, Community, and Ministry" and the concept of Pastor as Abbot.

This week we will discuss an Article by Missionary-Theologian, Leslie Newbigin entitled "Gospel and Culture." You can find this article for your personal study on Newbigin.net, and more specifically, third from the bottom of this page under the year 1990. I can't attach a particular link due to copyright laws but you can down load it and read it/print it out for the purposes of our discussion.

It is worth the time it will take to read it and I think it will generate some helpful questions for our group. An interesting factoid: this lecture was for the inauguration of a network in the UK that eventually branched into the US as well (GOCN) and worked with the Young Leaders Network to begin Emergent. I'm pretty sure you'll recognize some of the language and concepts.

Hope you can make it for great beer and conversation.

Troy

Emergent Cohorts Meeting April 14

2005-03-31T22:07:00.000-08:00

We'll be at the Brickstore Pub again from 2-4 on thursday, April 14.

Here's the agenda I'd suggest:

Let's come having read the article "From Solitude to Community to Ministry" by Henri Nouwen. For the next week lets list questions here as leaping off points for the group to be ready to discuss points of convergence between Nouwen's words and our emerging contexts.

Anyone, of course, is invited to suggest amendments to our agenda.

Emergent Cohorts meeting March 10

2005-03-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

So it has been a month since the last cohort meeting.

LAST MEEETING: A couple people called and couldn't make it and so it was Bob, Caroline and Troy. Caroline and Troy shared the experience of new communities gathering, the formation around mission, and the need for regular discussions/support. You have got to hear about the ART AS AID benefit that Caroline's community, Mosaic, put on!

Directions to the Brickstore Pub

So for this Thursday let's revisit Generous Orthodoxy chapters 17,18,19 and then make plans for what we'll move into for April.

Jason, If your coming, how about some highlites from San Diego?

KEEP POSTED FOR SOME CHANGES TO THE COHORT SCHEDULE.

Future discussion material

2005-02-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

Any thoughts on other books, art work, or music for future discussions? I would love to touch on green issues and have an idea of a contact person who could meet with us about it. Lent will be upon us and our house fellowship will be exploring those themes and it might be helpful for us to as well.

Also, I just picked up an old book that might be a good catalyst for future conversations, David Bosch, "Believing in the Future",

Check it out at amazon

Monthly Discussions

2005-02-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

This site has been set up as a temporary home for the regional relationships and discussions pertaining to missional learning communities around Atlanta and the Southeastern US.

Emergent is "a growing generative friendship among missional Christian leaders seeking to love our world in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Our dream is to join in the activity of God in the world wherever we are able, so that God's dreams for our world come true. In the process, the world can be healed and changed, and so can we."

Visit the Emergent Village

We currently meet monthly on second thursdays from 2-4pm in Decatur at the Brockstore Pub.

Directions to the Brickstore Pub

We often meet around a common reading and over time imagine meeting around artwork and music as well.

For the 10th we will discuss the following chapters of Brian McLaren's Generous Orthodoxy

Chapter 17: Why I am Incarnational
Chapter 18: Why I am Depressed-Yet-Hopeful
Chapter 19: Why I am Emergent

Invite friends interested in this safe place to discuss and enjoy fine Belgian Beers. We really enjoyed Patrick's service upstairs in a private room, come taste for yourself.

Also, as you read or review these chapters post quotes or discussion points that you would like covered and I'll email them out on the Tuesday before we meet.