Tuesday, May 22, 2007

JUNE – Mobsby on the 7th & Music Cohort on 11th

MON, June 11 –

Since it's summer, let's kick back, chill, and listen to tunes from our Cohort community! Cohort-connected musicians will have about 10 minutes to play a couple of original songs (live or recorded) and share a little about how their music creation jives with their emerging understandings of worship.

So far I've spoken with Christy Merry, Nate Jackson, and Isaac Everett about playing... but, I'm sure there are more of you out there – and perhaps some of you work with a musician – who would like to play!

Please email back and I'll happily add folks to our roster. There will hopefully be a guitar, keyboard, and stereo for those who don't want to lug instruments (but please let us know ahead of time if you'll have equipt needs). Also, please select pieces on the criteria that they have been – or could be – used in a worship setting.

As usual, we'll meet @ 6:30pm in the Origins Church Office 581 9th Ave #3B (corner of 42nd and 9th) above the papaya dog.

THURS, June 7th –

Come hear an amazing and long-time Emerging leader in the UK, Ian Mobsby, talk about "Trinitarian Mysticism and Mission" at Trinity Wall Street. Just how can Rublev's Icon and a Trinitarian ecclesiology enable us to be emerging, experimental, and do mission?

Ian is a founding member of Moot, an emerging church community in London, UK and has been doing emerging church stuff in the UK for the last 14 years, is sweet, and totally rad (Bowie and Isaac from Transmission adore him!). Also, here's an interview between Johnny Baker and Ian about his new book.
  • Refreshments and fellowship begin at 6:30 pm; the workshop begins at 7 pm – FREE
  • To sign up, please email Ali Lutz at alutz@trinitywallstreet.org or call 212-602-0800.
  • Sponsored by the 20s30s fellowship group at Trinity-St Paul's, and open to all.
He's doing a bit of a tour around the country. Spread the word and check out his West Coast and PA gigs.

blessings, Bowie

PS Please email the blog or cohortnyc@gmail.com if you have events you'd like announced.

PPS Samir Selmanovik, who is moving to NYC this June to start Faith House, is wondering about health insurance for Church Planters. Anyone have any ideas?

Sunday, May 13, 2007

New Sanctuary Movement Launches + Argentina

The relationship between the Latino Leadership Circle and the NYC Emergent Cohort continues to grow and this week after a few months of hard work, Jeff and Belinda helped launch the New Sanctuary Movement - churches offering hope and sanctuary to wonderful people in danger of being separated from their families by aggressive deportations.

There are just so many verses about welcoming the stranger, offering them hospitality and making them one of your own. Plus all we know of how God sees humans and not borders - and when one group of people has many they are called to share with those that have want. The inequity of our current world economy where a past history of colonialism and a current reality of the richer countries continuing to get richer often at the direct exploitation of the poorer countries must lead Christians to stand up and call out for justice. Let justice flow like rivers, and our God will be happy. But when he looks down upon our selfish inequities it breaks his heart.

Doing this work - a thing which is very new to me, and doesn't seem on the surface as "spiritual" as other things I've done - has really opened me up to a new understanding of God. I have sensed his pleasure in my actions - his smile as he sees me, his child, working for what he so desires. It has been deeply spiritual.

Now I am about to leave for one month living in a rented apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I've always wanted to go there and a window has opened for me, so I'm off. If you know of any church or emergent connections in Buenos Aires I'd love to get together with some folks down there. jkursonis@yahoo.com

Enjoy the cohort on Monday!

Blessings, Jeff