July Cohort!

It's cohort time!

This month the cohort gets hit by the shockwave called Samir! Faith House is the new church that is emerging that Samir and his family are starting here in NYC. We've been praying for them and eagerly anticipating their arrival and now they are finally here. Come welcome this national emergent leader to our local fold.

If it's your first time, we gather monthly to build friendships and talk about all things emerging.

Jeff is back from his month in Argentina where a simple vacation became meeting after meeting with emergent hungry pastors and seminary leaders - all of it leading to the formation of a new emergent network in that country. What a wonderful miracle, come hear about it.

See the post below and continue to pray for Shane Clairborne and his community.

Also pray for Sean Callaghan and family, the other long awaited addition to the cohort that are stuck in South Africa waiting for their visa's to be granted. We eagerly anticipate them and their new work in Tribeca.

Also, a brief mention to whet your appetite, in the fall, a musical group which is nationally beloved by emergent village folks, The Cobalt Season is coming to NYC and we are looking for ways to combine their visit with a cohort gathering and any other creative ideas we could do together. More info soon.

Fire at Simple Way: Please Pray and Donate

Official Fire Update from The Simple Way in Philly, PA

This morning, a 7-alarm fire consumed an abandoned warehouse in our Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. The Simple Way Community Center at 3200 Potter Street was destroyed as well as at least eight of our neighbors' homes. Over 100 people were evacuated from their homes, and 400 families are currently without power. Despite this developing tragedy, we are incredibly thankful to share that all of our community members and every one of our neighbors is safely out of harm's way.

This fire will forever change the fabric of our community. Eight families are currently homeless, and in many cases have lost their vehicles as well as their homes. One of our neighbors, the Mahaias Family, lost their three cars as well as the equipment one family member uses for her massage therapy business. Teenager Brian Mahaias is devastated not because he has lost his belongings, but because he fears that this fire will force him to move away from this neighborhood that is his family as well as his home.

The Simple Way has lost a community center that was home to our Yes! And… afterschool program, community arts center, and Cottage Printworks t-shirt micro-business as well as to two of our community members. Community members Shane Claiborne and Jesce Walz have lost all of their belongings, Yes!And…'s after school studio and library were ruined, and community member Justin Donner's Cottage Printworks equipment and t-shirts were destroyed.

We are thankful that we are able to help each other during this time of need, and we will continue to keep your informed about today's events.

We have established funds to support the families who have lost their homes, the Yes! And… afterschool program, and the Simple Way community.

A fund to support the families has been established through a partner organization, EAPE. Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://www.tonycampolo.org/donate.php#ssl. Please make sure to put "Kensington Families Fund" in the memo section.

Donations to the Rebuilding Fund can be made via PayPal to contribute@awip.us.

-The Simple Way Community

Worship Tricks!

Hello cohort -

For June and July we're trying some "workshop" cohorts, instead of our regular topical discussions.

We had planned to do a "Music Monday" in June, but a couple of the musicians who regularly attend cohort will be out of town, so we're moving that to July. Let us know if you want to play!

THIS MONDAY we'll be doing "Worship Tricks" inspired by Johnny Baker's list. Isaac and I will be bringing "Communion By Numbers" kits from our Easter at Avalon Service, and I was wondering if any of you have a 10-15 minute worship component that you could bring in to do with the group, followed by some discussion, brainstorming, etc.

An innovative approach to prayer, to confession, to reading scripture, whatever... The only limitations I can think of are that it should take less than 20 minutes (tops!) and should be something that anyone who shows up can participate in.

We may also end up sharing stories about interesting worship approaches we've experienced and maybe even trying some worship approaches extemporaneously...

Hope to see you there!

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?

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

Trinity Wall Street's Emerging Events

How Radical is Your Welcome?
Saturday, April 28th, 10 am to 3 pm – $10 includes lunch
74 Trinity Place, 2nd floor

What, exactly, does it mean to be welcoming? The Rev. Stephanie Spellers, author of Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other and The Spirit of Transformation, leads a one-day workshop on "radical welcome." She'll introduce concepts that help lead communities through fear and beyond mere diversity to truly welcome the gifts and power of marginalized groups. And if that's not radical, what is? Register by contacting the Congregation Office at 212-602-0800 or email Ali Lutz at alutz@trinitywallstreet.org.

Stephanie is also the pastor for The Crossing, an emerging church worship community, in Boston MA. and she rocks.

Heads Up!

Ian Mobsby – an evening at Trinity Wall Street talking about how Rublev's Icon and a Trinitarian ecclesiology can enable us to be experimental and do mission.
Thursday, June 7th, evening (details to follow) – FREE

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. You can also read this interview between Johnny Baker and Ian about his new book.

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

LLC Films Start! + Cohort News

We just got the info and the much awaited premiere of the Latino Leadership Circle's film series.

They'll be at the American Bible Society just north of Columbus Circle on Broadway.

The first one, Dying To Live will be Tues, Jan. 24th at 6:00pm with a panel discussion afterwards - they're free but you have to link to their website and register.

"Dying to Live" is a profound look at the human face of the immigrant. It explores who these people are, why they leave their homes and what they face in their journey. Drawing on the insights of Pulitzer Prize winning photographers, theologians, Church and congressional leaders, activists, musicians and the immigrants themselves, this film exposes the places of conflict, pain and hope along the US-Mexico border. It is a reflection on the human struggle for a more dignified life and the search to find God in the midst of that struggle.

*********More Cohort News*************

Please pray for Elise who is in the midwest recovering from some pretty serious eye surgery. She developed a problem while at her sister's wedding and has had to stay out there for the treatment and recovery.

Transmission is the new press darling with multiple coverage of their amazingly creative and provocative and inclusive Easter gathering at Avalon (formerly Limelight, formerly Episcopal church). Monday at the post-Easter cohort we heard the full story, and you can link to their website/blog (link is on the side panel) to hear about it yourself - my favorite quote from the Metro paper - "We're not really pastors, we're more like producer's".

The New Sanctuary Movement - with an innocent little invite to join other religious leaders to talk about immigration issues in our country, Belinda placed me in front of a vortex which has sucked me into a very exciting new journey that is launching nationally in the coming days - we have to be a little hush hush publicly right now, but feel free to contact me if you want to know more about how you can really be involved in helping some people that really need it - a wonderful opportunity for your congregation to be on the cutting edge of a vital national issue. Seriously, the media coverage on this is going to be huge. I was just on a conference call with incredibly savvy national religious leaders and serious national media consultants planning the launch.

Jeff on behalf of the Cohort Team

Easter Debrief (chill out and share w/ pizza and friends) 6:30 TONIGHT

Friends -

Come join us tonight for an informal evening of sharing about our lenten journeys and Easter experiences. The challenges and joys, inspirations and insights, O God moments and Alleluias!

We'll have pizza and as usual, meet...

...the Second Monday of each month at 6:30pm @ Origins Church Office 581 9th Ave #3B (corner of 42nd and 9th Ave.) above the papaya dog. Enter next to the hotdog place on 9th ave. look for the ORIGINS poster in the door and buzz number 3B... if there's a problem with the buzzer call 917-553-6843.

Bowie
on behalf of...
--
The Cohort Team

[Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007]

[Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007 ]

an invitation from Bob Carlton

Last year, more than 50 bloggers around the globe came together to share their reflections in a grid blog called Via Crucis during the week often called HOLY WEEK and in the week after EASTER. The name for this rag-tag effort comes from the Latin words for the Way of the Cross - Via Crucis. The response was astounding to this experiment in distributed global media, which was designed to draw on the creativity, diversity, and theological understanding of the blogging community to a moment in the story of folks practicing faith.

With the beginning of Holy Week (Palm Sunday – April 1) right around the corner, I am hoping you might join the [Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007] - if you are interested please go to http://thecorner.typepad.com/via_crucis_2007/ for a calendar of this year’s grid blog and sign up!

So, what are you waiting for?

* Sign Up! use your voice by posting on your blog reflections . You can choose the Day & the Station (see the calendar here) you will blog on – feel free to commit to more than 1. You can sign up by adding yourself to the comments on the grid blog site - please make sure you include your email and blog url in your comment.

* Name It! For consistency sake, please title your post (s): [Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007]

* Send It! By sending your link(s) during this window of time to me at bobcarlton@speakeasy.net

* Pass it on! Send this to at least 5 blogging pals and/or post the invite on your blog.

Emerging & Fresh Expressions of Church by Ian J. Mobsby

Ian Mobsby, a kindred spirit from the Moot Community in London, has published a new book about Emerging & Fresh Expressions of Church. All proceeds will support Moot's activities.

Buy a copy today @ www.mootique.net

The book is called "Emerging & Fresh Expressions of Church", drawing on narrative data, the book seeks to explore the theological, sociological and ecclesiological foundation to the emerging church in the UK context. It draws on the work of Sanctus 1, Moot, B1 and the Church of the Apostles in the States.

Interestingly it identifies that a reframed understanding of Trinitarian theology as a basis with the combination of a mystical communion & sacramental model of spiritual community. Fascinatingly regarding mission, the emerging church appears to be using a synthetic model of contextual theology - that seeks to reframe what it means to be Christian in post-modern post-secular contexts where people are spiritually searching with a form of techgnosis. For some in the UK context - it appears that the emerging church seeks to reframe a new approach to transcendence and imminence, and applying a 'both and' perspective to escape the binaries of catholic v evangelical of the past. It is argued that this founding principal of 'both and' is based on a Trinitarian theology which was the foundation of the original Anglican Church - so that the emerging church seeks to promote a vision of unity in diversity to escape the rigidity of much of the modern church in a post Christendom context. The book argues that the Emerging Church is reframing a new approach to ecclesiology and missiology.

To purchase a copy or learn more visit: www.mootique.net

Cohort gathers Monday with LLC

It's Cohort time again. This time we're gathering with our Latino Leadership Members (LLC) and they are guiding our dialog and helping us to see how they are emerging.

Notice on the upper right corner of the blog we have permanently placed the meeting location and time.

The LLC is a group of young progressive Latin leaders who have been meeting for 5 or more years - they were emergent before most of us heard that word.

Let me tell you why you might come to this month's gathering if a general interest in their unique outlook isn't enough; The Latin population of America is soaring, we've all noticed their increased political presence and power, you may have heard the very interesting social comment that salsa replaced ketchup as the biggest selling condiment in this country a few years back. If you have a church, it is very likely that you will have young Latin members. You will learn insights about how to best serve them and love them by joining our dialog this Monday night. This is real important stuff.

For me, beyond ministering to people in my congregation, I just want to know the story of a people. They got some huge history and stories that will change my life if I'm listening. One thing I'm passionate about is killing and closing down the social divides in this country, whether they are ethnic, economic or religious (or the tall people/short people thing). This month's cohort is going to be one very important step in the dream of God for healing the world.
--
The Cohort Team

Church Plants Coming This Summer...

We're looking forward to the arrival of two new emerging church plants coming this summer to NYC...

1) Samir Selmanovic, his wife Vesna, and their two daughters Ena and Leta are preparing to move to New York City and start an urban interfaith community called Faith House. Bowie really enjoyed meeting Samir in Pasadena at the Christian Churches Together meeting, and some members of the group know him from the six years he spent pastoring a multi-ethnic church in Manhattan (he moved to CA four years ago, but when NYC calls...). His bio is well worth checking out.

2) Sean and Monica Callaghan and their three kids are moving here from South Africa and starting incarnate NYC in Tribeca. Brian McLaren says that, "Sean and Monica are church planters and leaders who epitomize what is good and hopeful about emerging churches" (read more).

Please keep these church planters and their children in your prayers.

The 2007 Emergent Philosophical Conversation

The 2007 Emergent Theological Philosophical Conversation

“What Would Jesus Deconstruct?
A Conversation about Justice”

a conversation with John D. Caputo,
and featuring Richard Kearney

$145 before March 1, 2007
$160 after March 1, 2007
Eastern University, Philadelphia, PA
Monday, April 16 (7 p.m.) – Wednesday, April 18 (12 noon)

REGISTER NOW!

REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO 250 PARTICIPANTS

Find out more on the Emergent Village website & while you're there, subscribe to get announcements about upcoming events

The End of Emerge

Last night I went to the final Emerge, the 7 p.m. alt worship service at St. Bart’s on Park Avenue and 51st in New York. After the service, a friend turned to me and said, “that was sad.”

“Tragically and sinfully sad,” I replied.

Sad because it was just so damn good and sad because it’s a crying shame that St. Bart’s is shutting it down less than a year after it started.

Sinfully sad because there were more than one hundred people there last night, with visible age, ethnic, racial, and class diversity in the room. How many churches around the country only dream of that type of crowd on a Sunday morning (the majority of Episcopal churches have less)…let alone a Sunday night.

St. Bart’s, a Byzantine basilica, covered in shimmering tiles and mosaics, is one of the most beautiful churches in New York City. A take-your-breath-away holy space. For Emerge, candles created a curtain of light between the altar and the congregation. Behind the small table set up for readings and celebrating the Eucharist, a wonderful assortment of images were projected on a beveled-edged stand-alone screen.

The service followed the forms for an Episcopal liturgy with texts “crafted and adapted from several sources including Enriching Our Worship, The Iona Community Worship Book, Johnny Baker’s Alternative Worship and Common Worship 2000“. The music selections and musicians were spot on, capturing the contemplative and celebratory mood of Emerge’s tag line: “where the ancient and urban come together.” I was moved by the amount of silence in the service (allowing for entire minutes to go by, a sacred treasure in NYC) and also really glad when they invited the entire congregation to stand around the table during the celebration of communion.

There’s bits I could critique (hey, I’m a seminary-trained PK who’s starting my own emerging liturgical community) but why? I like to say: If you’re part of the solution, you’re part of the solution. Sanctuary at Epiphany, Common Ground at Advent Lutheran, and Emerge at St. Bart’s are all trying to work out some new solutions in mainline settings… and are all succeeding.

It’s tragically sad that Emerge is ending precisely because it was succeeding at doing something perceptibly new. Elizabeth, the young priest who gave the sermon, did a good job of using the story of the Transfiguration to tell the congregation that we shouldn’t try to hold on to our “mountain-top” experiences. Nor, she preached, should we “worship the worship.”

The party line reason for ending Emerge was budget cuts. At the end of the service, Bill Tully, the rector of St. Bart’s stood up and asked people to pledge. Maybe then Emerge could come back. He asked us to read through a small printed pamphlet about St. Bart’s 2007 Annual Fund called “The Heart of All We Do.” The opening message from the rector in the booklet says that “at St. Bart’s, worship is at the heart of all we do.” Tonight that statement rang hollow.

One of the hallmarks of doing post-modern worship is that it’s got to be authentic. Emerge was authentic. It succeeded in being a sacred space of mystery and transcendence. It succeeded in being a safe place for many different types of people who feel the brokenness all around us and who perhaps are made to feel broken themselves by traditional church. The service was professional and resourced and lived up to all that St. Bart’s should be doing in an alt worship service. Beautiful, mysterious, broken, and profound. It was authentic to St. Bart’s.

Orgininally posted on Transmission

New Cohort Leaders and the Schedule!

What a great cohort gathering we had this Monday. The Latino Leadership Circle (LLC) showed up in force - David, Belinda and Luis represented.

We were able to make some nice progress on organizing and scheduling things. Under group pressure and in a show of great compassion for me, (Jeff) Bowie Snodgrass and David Ramos agreed to become co-facilitators with me of the Cohort! Yeah!

I can't wait to see how their energy and wisdom transform and enrich our gatherings and our ability to communicate better and do new things.

Next month on Monday, March 12th, the LLC headed up by David Ramos will guide the dialog.

Then in April on Monday, April 9th - the day after Easter when tired pastors just want to hang out and relax, we will hang out relax, talk about whatever and have some food. Chill.

For the May Cohort on Monday, May 14th, Elise will head up a collaboration with some of the other women members of the Cohort for an anticipated dialog on Women Emergent.

Belinda Passafaro brought to our attention some very important activity on the behalf of humans who have suffered greatly and need our help. A group called Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform has been launched and they and the LLC and others have made A Call for a New Sanctuary Movement. We've posted these documents online at Google docs and spreadsheets so you can read them , but here's the main idea:

"...As an act of public witness, religious or faith communities will publicly provide hospitality and protection to a limited number of immigrant families whose cases clearly reveal the contradictions and moral injustice of our current immigration system while working to support legislation that would change their situation..."

Look what cool things happen when the LLC shows up! How would we know to help these people if no one told us? This is the kind of generative frienship that the cohort hopes to enable.

Another thing we talked about is communication of events that might interest us. We recently had some great speakers come through town that none of us knew about until it was too late, and so we really encourage you to comment here on the blog about any interesting events, and from time to time we will include them in email annoucements. We'll try to find a balance between keeping everyone informed and not sending out to many emails.

Also don't forget to send in your info for the sidebar's of this blog to cohortnyc@gmail.com or just post in a comment.

Second Monday & Peter Rollins

The NYC Cohort Community has spoken. The second Monday of the month is the desired day, and so we'll start that on February 12th - Lincoln's Birthday (sticking with the 6:30 start time).

At the January meeting we talked about different topics to cover including; women in ministry, mainline emergent, doing a study in Acts from an emergent perspective.

Books - the two books that we want to all read together and discuss are:

How (not) To Speak of God by Peter Rollins

The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian McLaren

How can we incorporate these into our dialog? From past NYC experience I am a little reluctant to "all read the book together", because with NYC lifestyles it's rare that everyone will be up to speed on the reading schedule and because new people cycle in and don't have a context. So, here's an idea...Let's say that we will all read those books starting with Rollins and that as we go over the months this winter and spring, we will always find ways to bring ideas from the book into the specific dialog we are having that month. So when it's women in ministry, we'll talk about that in general but we'll always be looking for opportunities to bring in something Peter Rollins has written that might be illuminating.

And we'll ask one another how the reading is coming and with subtle social pressure get everyone to get through that book by at least late winter and start the Secret Message in early spring.

When I was at the Emergent Coordinating Group gathering in June, someone had an advance copy of the Peter Rollins book and everyone was abuzz with how good it was. Apparently Brian McLaren really, really loves it. So, go buy it and let's do it!

There are so many more things we want to do to take our group to the next level - hey man, I'm the National Cohorts leader, so I got to have a good and inspiring group for the rest of them to get ideas from - and so that means I need all of you to get creative and think of great new things for the group and let's make it really rock. Please make me look good.

Would you like to open the meeting with a song and some prayer? Let me know. Would you like to post some thoughts to this blog? email me. Would you like to list your blog and church website on the sidebar of this blog? send it to me. Would you like a roll of twenties? Contact Elise.

So, blessings my cohortesians and let's discover on Feb. 12th that at least half of us in the meeting own a copy of the "How (not) To Speak of God" book by Peter Rollins. (Consider buying two and handing one out at the Cohort:)

January Cohort Gathering

Hey we're back here at Origins office for our first new cohort of the year this Tuesday, January 9th at 6:30pm.

We'll talk about all things emergent and catch up with those we haven't seen since before the Holidays.

Were also considering changing the day to the second Monday, so let's hear your thoughts on that.

Tuesday night at 6:30

Origins Church Office
581 9th Ave #3B(corner of 42nd and 9 Ave.)
above the papaya dog.
Enter next to the hotdog place on 9th ave.
look for the ORIGINS poster in the door and buzz number 3B...

Vision - dreams of the future

The Cohort for November is upon us! Yeah!

Let's talk about vision. Let's develop our friendship and get to know each other better by talking about what our hopes and dreams for the church are.

This opens the night up to all sorts of interesting directions as we imagine together the future of the church. It also opens the door to a discussion of the word "generative" from the phrase that Emergent Village is a generative friendship - ie. a friendship that "generates" new things.

What does the Lord have for us both individually in our churches, but also collectively in this region as we all emerge together over the coming years?

See you Tuesday night at 6:30

Origins Church Office
581 9th Ave #3B(corner of 42nd and 9 Ave.)
above the papaya dog.
Enter next to the hotdog place on 9th ave.
look for the ORIGINS poster in the door and buzz number 3B...

Book List from October Cohort on Gay Issues

So many things to talk about with this huge topic affecting human community and in some quarters splitting the church, one night was not enough.

Here is a book list that we have compiled to further help us explore - please send in more if you have them - we present this without editorial comment and recognize that it represents a broad number of views which represent our breadth of community. We are gathering for friendship, and learning from one another is a good part of that:

Embodiment- An Approach to Sexuality and Christian Theology, by James Nelson

Gay Theology Without Apology by Comstock

Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality, by John Boswell

Touching Our Strength by Carter Heyward

Between Two Gardens : Reflections on Sexuality and Religious Experience, by James Nelson

Beyond Gay by David Morrison

Freedom, Glorious Freedom- The Spiritual Journey to the Fullness of Life for Gays and Lesbians, by Jjohn J. McNeill

Setting Love in Order: Hope and Healing for the Homosexual by Mario Bergner

Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America , by Mel White

Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis by William J. Webb

The Sins of Scripture by Spong

The Erotic Word by David Carr

Women's Bible Commentary by Carol Newsom

Take Back the Word

October Cohort!

This Tuesday October 10th, at 6:30 is the cohort gathering, as usual at Origin's office.

I'm sorry for the late notice, but we are changing the topic, our special guest had a schedule change and so we are postponing that 'til later.

Instead we will be discussing two issues from a pastoral perspective - ministry to gay congregants and seekers - how you viewed this in the past, and how you view it now - same? changed? Where will we emerge on this issue that affects so many lives?

And then, how to address God, or speak of God in the English language where there is no neuter personal pronoun...is God a he? is God a she? is God an it? How do other languages handle this? What are emerging sensibilities? Do we change because of cultural sensitivity or does that water down understandings of God? Mainline views and Evangelical views - is there a third way?

See you Tuesday night at 6:30

Origins Church Office
581 9th Ave #3B
(corner of 42nd and 9 Ave.)
above the papaya dog.
Enter next to the hotdog place on 9th ave.
look for the ORIGINS poster in the door and buzz number 3B...