tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34704442011-04-21T15:44:59.586-07:00ProdigalComments, Questions, and Reflections on following Jesus home to the future...Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1071138471044474822003-12-11T02:27:00.000-08:002003-12-11T02:32:15.123-08:00I'VE TAKEN THE PLUNGE AND MOVED TO TYPE PAD - STILL VERY EXPERIMENTAL - STILL GETTING THE FORMAT TO MY LIKING...but, you'll now find me HERE
I decided that I couldn't write about "positioning oneself to engage the senses" and not as a minimum be able to post text and image. Thanks to Andrew Hamilton for the encouragement, and jonny, Bob, and Andrew Jones for leading the way (from my perspective)Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070997283006352742003-12-09T11:14:00.000-08:002003-12-09T11:15:27.623-08:00Nothing much to say today...sitting here, Vogel's toast and marmite in my hand...coffee just poured...raining outside...nice and warm though...T-shirt weather...catching up on a few blog friends...Father's Creech and Rains have their big fly-fishing adventure this weekend...Steve, Lynne and family are here on Saturday - other friends from church - Maybe Rachel & Regan - Godly Play experiment - Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070870699197908032003-12-08T00:04:00.000-08:002003-12-08T00:32:07.420-08:00Back safely from Wellington. Great time - art (Stanley Spencer exhibition with talk by the curator / Wim Wenders and his amazing photographs - see link / Te Papa) - great food (French / Malaysian / Indian) - wine - movies - reading - relaxation. Thanks to those of you who left a note below. Checked out the cinema which hosted the world premiere of "Return of the King." Watched the final Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070475986262975532003-12-03T10:26:00.000-08:002003-12-03T10:27:04.793-08:00Wedding Anniversary
Today, 10 years ago, in the presence of God, family, and friends, I married my best friend and the love of my life, Kathryn. Wow! Those 10 years have sure flown on by - we've learnt alot, we've lived a lot, our lives have been truly rich. We have so much to be thankful for. We're off to Wellington ('Middle Earth') for a long weekend - some French champagne, fun, and Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070389834076215712003-12-02T10:30:00.000-08:002003-12-02T10:31:11.560-08:00Flightless Kiwi - A Sad Decision
Well, in the last couple of days I’ve had to make a very sad decision I was hoping I wouldn’t need to make…but I’ve had to postpone my trip to Kentucky and Cincinnati for “Mayhem.” The key component was the unavailability of seats, other than one seat that was going to cost NZ $3,500 + internal US flights + taxes…other issues entered into my reflection and Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070347143952953982003-12-01T22:39:00.000-08:002003-12-01T22:39:40.996-08:00The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch.
Some quotes from Michael & Alan’s recently published book that made me stop, reflect, imagine, and pray. They are from the introduction and chapter 1 (“Evolution or Revolution?“)
Right up front we want to confess our belief that the planting of new, culturally diverse, missional communities is the best way forward for the church thatPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070258612155031662003-11-30T22:03:00.000-08:002003-12-01T22:28:07.326-08:00The Ooze have been kind enough to publish an essay I wrote in the third quarter of this year. A bit rough in places, and the first section has been subsequently (prior to me knowing the Ooze were going to do anything with it) re-worked in the Next Wave essay "Kama Sutra."
The “Body Art” Of Emerging Church
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070221806565243482003-11-30T11:50:00.000-08:002003-11-30T11:50:42.670-08:00This quote from 'The Shaping of Things to Come' by Mike Frost and Alan Hirsch (Follow the link, pdf contents page, sample chapter, and introduction) was something I tried to communicate in yesterdays sermon - I feel encouraged...I'm not on another planet...
"To contextualize is to understand the language, longings, lifestyle patterns, and worldview of the host community and to adjust our Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070220295672462292003-11-30T11:24:00.000-08:002003-11-30T11:25:31.403-08:00Incubators of the Emerging
We watched an interesting television programme last night about "Business Incubators"
A Business Incubator is a facility designed to assist businesses to become established and profitable during their start up phase.
They do this by providing:
shared premises
business advice
business services
networking
mentoring
a full time manager
The incubation period for Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070218973067843022003-11-30T11:02:00.000-08:002003-11-30T11:03:28.996-08:00Today (1st Dec.) is the world premiere of "The Return of the King," 6 hours drive south from where I am now, in Wellington, the capital city of Aotearoa-New Zealand....I'll be down there next weekend - 10 wedding anniversary - but am really disappointed that the movie doesn't publically open for another 2-weeks, so we won't be able to go and see the movie in the cinema that it premiered in.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1070042862645399322003-11-28T10:07:00.000-08:002003-11-28T10:11:06.060-08:00Are "we" the problem? Part 1
“…Our God is a God of beginnings. There is in him no redundancy or circularity. Thus, if his church wants to be faithful to his revelation, it will be completely mobile, fluid, renascent, bubbling, creative, inventive, adventurous, and imaginative…”
Jacques Ellul
We can tell a lot about our theology of God by the ways we “do” and “are” church. I can tell a lot Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069957532794248592003-11-27T10:25:00.000-08:002003-11-27T10:35:34.983-08:00Why People Leave Churches
A section from my sermon notes for Sunday - Broadening our reflection on Acts 15:1-35.
"People leave churches; people have damaging church experiences. For all kinds of reasons this is a reality. In drawing attention to the struggles that people have, what I'm trying to do is to encourage the kind of communal reflection that really listens to the life-quenching Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069911733592032952003-11-26T21:42:00.000-08:002003-11-27T10:01:16.340-08:00Mindful, contemplative and compassionate
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." - Matthew 6:33 (The Message)
Read this on Chris Marshall’s site. A couple of weekends I did a “mindfulness” retreat – a retreat creating space to Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069783576274117962003-11-25T10:06:00.000-08:002003-11-25T10:12:22.856-08:00Soul-Shaper - Postmodern Youth Ministry - Tony Jones Interview
Cutting Edge now have online the latest of their newsletters - the feature of which for me was a great interview with Tony Jones (author of Soul-Shaper). You can find it here. Lot's of valuable insights for church.
"The biggest concept I’ve been able to explore successfully with them has been 'inhabiting the Biblical narrative.'..."Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069704183676535912003-11-24T12:03:00.000-08:002003-11-24T12:03:33.670-08:00Struggling with church?
This is a quote that helps me in my own struggles with church. It needs to be better ‘earthed’ in my reality but its discovery is a good start…something hopeful
“…The late great Lesslie Newbigin was once asked whether he was an optimist or a pessimist about the future of the church. His reply ‘I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist, Jesus Christ is risen from the dead’Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069613729225260852003-11-23T10:55:00.000-08:002003-11-23T10:55:58.233-08:00Sundays "service" - is it really serving anyone's Jesus-following journey?
“…Traditional film aesthetics assumes…that everything you need to know will be in the movie... The Matrix isn't playing by those rules: it is experimenting with a new kind of popular culture, one which is by design more open-ended, more multilayered, more provocative and evocative, more exploratory than any one spectator Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069525045386796362003-11-22T10:17:00.000-08:002003-11-23T10:57:56.153-08:00We had a good night last night - we were honored to have been invited to Steve, Lynne, Shannon, and Kayli's farewell BBQ and story telling night in Auckland. It was also great to have the "Birthday girl" in attendence.
I didn't have any funny stories to tell about Steve and/or Lynne, so I got to listen to the stories of others - all of which broadened and enriched my sense of Steve & Lynne. Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069353834034196232003-11-20T10:43:00.000-08:002003-11-20T10:52:22.983-08:00Spirituality / Inspiration Books
I was looking through the “spirituality / inspiration” section of one of our cities bookshops, specifically; I was ‘flicking’ through books on prayer, meditation, becoming more human (i.e. compassionate, dealing with anger, forgiving, becoming more loving of ‘god,’ self, and others – that kind of thing), and contemplation. None were explicitly from within the Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069315028325830692003-11-19T23:57:00.000-08:002003-11-20T10:30:52.670-08:00Putting Learning in Perspective
“To grow in the things of the Spirit…love must go hand in hand with learning; nay, at a certain point it must leave study and dally behind while the heart runs ahead with inner joy to the gift that is God himself.”
(Bonaventure / 1217 - 1274)
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069181175483260812003-11-18T10:46:00.000-08:002003-11-18T10:48:37.700-08:00ENCOURAGEMENT
The biblical injunction to “encourage” one another has been a very real experience for me this week. I got a couple of lovely e-mails, one from a friend and the other from somebody I’ve never met. I am both encouraged and freshly energised …Let us continue to be genuine encouragers of one another...
“…Had a quick look at a number of your entries and came away very stimulated and Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069145284884783392003-11-18T00:48:00.000-08:002003-11-18T00:48:28.046-08:00Drum and Beat / Holistic Health
A couple of things caused me to reflect as I drove to work this morning:
Listening to ORB on the CD-player. Thinking about the drum & bass “beat, about the practice of contemplation against the backdrop of drum and bass beat instead of music that is typically quieted, classical, or ambient. Hearing the “beat,” the heart of God beating in creation. The soft, Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069094579622523552003-11-17T10:42:00.000-08:002003-11-17T11:02:10.903-08:00COMMUNITY
I’ve stumbled across a couple of reflections on “community” lately – Jason Evans’ blog post – and I read an interesting reflection on “community” by Mike Riddell (in the publication Tui Motu, May 2003).
“Mike discourses over various attempts to establish communities based on the Gospel ideal. Many failed. So how do we as Christian respond to this call to love?”
Drawing on NZ poet Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1069049133496053722003-11-16T22:05:00.000-08:002003-11-16T22:05:56.000-08:00Back from Retreat
My retreat was a good time of doing nothing, of silence, of reflection, and of listening for the still, small voice of God. Interestingly I was the only male, and the second youngest person. Neither was an unhelpful factor, in fact, it was good to hear and interact with a wide range of female voices and their experiences of God. If any of you felt lead to pray for me, thanks.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068801000499790022003-11-14T01:10:00.000-08:002003-11-14T01:10:20.170-08:00Retreating
My response to my good friend Alan Creech’s post – “Artificial” – I’m on retreat for the weekend – a “mindfulness” retreat.
“Mindfulness” being the art of living fully in the present moment. For many of us, very little of our attention is focused on the present. Instead, we expend our energy reliving the past or planning the future. Doing so robs us of much potential richness and Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068701911040011302003-11-12T21:38:00.000-08:002003-11-12T21:38:28.193-08:00An update on my attempts to get to Kentucky/Cincinnati in January 2004. It's in God's hands. Below is a portion of an e-mail from my travel agent received earlier today:
Paul,
I am patiently waiting to see if some waitlists will clear
I have spent hours on your booking. Anything through to US is totally full, as well as through to UK (and you are not my only client I am having problems with).Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068526171303281832003-11-10T20:49:00.000-08:002003-11-10T20:54:08.643-08:00I couldn't resist it. A light-hearted reflection on this weekends rugby test between Australia ('The Wallabies') and New Zealand ('The All Blacks').
An Australian school teacher explains to her class that she is a Wallabies fan. She asks her students to raise their hands if they, too, are Wallabies fans.
Everyone in the class raises their hand except one little girl.
The teacher looks at the Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068525876775887792003-11-10T20:44:00.000-08:002003-11-10T20:44:33.993-08:00God's Richly Varied Wisdom
a sermon at the national launch of 'Fulcrum'
Holy Trinity Church, Clapham: 5 November 2003
by the Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright
"...What is an Evangelical? I refused, because even to ask that question is to be looking in the wrong direction - as though by giving a satisfactory answer one might thereby possess a tool designed to make some people feel safe and Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068243297524783122003-11-07T14:14:00.000-08:002003-11-07T14:14:55.613-08:00Sorry, I've already written a lot today, and for that matter over the last few days, BUT I wanted to link to a post by Marsh that I really related too:
New Monasticism
"...We have found a coherence and identity within the Desert and Celtic monastic traditions that has made sense of God's leading in our lives. We believe that here, in Northumbria, the Lord is touching peoples' lives in the same Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068239571690356792003-11-07T13:12:00.000-08:002003-11-07T13:12:49.816-08:00Justice and Resistance
I want to ask some questions! To provoke! Does the “Christian Mix,” amplified by the “emerging church,” have space for the sentiments expressed by Ched Myers below?
Emerging churches helping “…equip everyday disciples to overcome their sense of disempowerment and denial in order to engage in the evangelical works of mercy, service, advocacy and resistance.” Helping toPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1068054804134227652003-11-05T09:53:00.000-08:002003-11-05T09:53:21.960-08:00Another quote from Rowan Williams (same source as earlier in the week, and like that post, Rowan's quote features at the top (bold text / speech marks) with my comments below.):
“I would see the role of the arts as most powerful, in saying to people, ‘this is not a shrinkage of your humanity. On the contrary, there is room here for you to explore and express.’… The central mystery of God taking Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067933857638308672003-11-04T00:17:00.000-08:002003-11-04T00:17:36.133-08:00A little reflection I recently wrote for NEXT WAVE. Thanks for the invitation Alan, and Steve for the early editorial comment.
The "Kama Sutra" of an Emerging Church: Positioning Ourselves to Engage the Senses
I also liked this article by Dave Crampton from Wellington, also posted on the Next Wave site
Why some Christians would rather go to the pub than to church...
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067875303237645052003-11-03T08:01:00.000-08:002003-11-03T08:01:42.040-08:00Healthy Church - Taking Responsibility, Sharing the Load
A quote from Rowan Williams (below), published @ Third Way ('interviews'), got me thinking
“…I think the real issue may go a bit deeper [Christianity as counter-culture in the West]: it’s about how people actually live together…The problem is not so much that people don’t want to belong to churches as that they don’t feel they want to Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067711223330070842003-11-01T10:27:00.000-08:002003-11-02T11:56:18.996-08:00The new Emergingchurch.info page is up......join me for an Emerson Oatmeal stout and a converstion - pull up a chair - herePaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067633067827391682003-10-31T12:44:00.000-08:002003-10-31T12:54:51.430-08:00"Christianity though is more than paying heed to the ancients...We Orthodox affirm a Living Tradition...the living memory of the Church. It's more than recreation...it is sustenance..."
This statement by my friend James Ferrenberg captures something of an understanding and way of living that I'm growing into - growing into a Jesus-following life sustained by the ancient, by Word and Spirit; the Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067547839885429362003-10-30T13:03:00.000-08:002003-10-30T13:03:59.140-08:00I felt this post by Jonny Baker, dreamed I was in London, and echoed his comments about church and art...
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067547649158270332003-10-30T13:00:00.000-08:002003-10-30T22:48:54.846-08:00I would like to contribute the following brief article to the conversation on prayer being engaged in by Kevin and the saints @ Vineyard Central, and Alan and the saints @ Vine and Branches. It's from the monks at Mepkin Abbey - The Techniques of Prayer. A beautiful, rich, piece of writing. Good for Lectio Divina.....what does God enliven for you? what experiences of God through prayer is God Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067452663926139092003-10-29T10:37:00.000-08:002003-10-29T10:37:43.000-08:00An interesting article posted as part of a bibliography (focusing on Techno Spirituality) pulled together by Stephen Garner, from up the road in Auckland.
Dialogue on the Cyber-Sacred and the Relationship Between Technological and Spiritual Development
The article is a dialogue between Michel Bauwens and Father Vincent Rossi on the notion of the cyber-sacred and the relationship between Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067371569000941992003-10-28T12:06:00.000-08:002003-10-28T12:06:08.520-08:00Pilgrims of Hope
A sermon preached by the Rt. Rev. Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, on the occasion of his enthronement at Durham Cathedral on Sunday 12th. October 2003.
"...Today's culture has largely recognised that the arrogant dreams of secular modernity are built on sand. In Christian language, the good creation of the gracious God has somehow acquired a twist. If we don't see this, we are Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067337487641073062003-10-28T02:38:00.000-08:002003-10-28T02:41:32.800-08:00Lots of churches shape my dreams about what church could be like, and what it might become. But five churches stand out as nurturers, helpers, and resourcers of my dreams for the kind of church I'd love to belong too:
Graceway Baptist, Auckland, New Zealand.
Cityside Baptist, Auckland, New Zealand.
Vineyard Central, Norwood Cincinnati, USA - A 2001 article about them from Cutting Edge here (Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067223893281705832003-10-26T19:04:00.000-08:002003-10-26T19:04:53.003-08:00The irony never fails to amuse me when I listen to some people who keep hitting everyone over the head with God's righteous judgment, and the "fear of God," but in the very next breath they demonstrate they have NO fear of God themselves as they stand in God's place and pass judgement on those who don't see things as narrowly as they do, on who has backslidden, on who needs to be "saved," on who Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067200288005190232003-10-26T12:31:00.000-08:002003-10-26T12:52:22.773-08:00Yesterday church was what we call a BYO experience ('bring your own'). It's an attempt to do lot's of things, but one of the main aims is to de-emphasise the experience of church and worship as something mediated by the leader-up-front. It's about emphasising the "priesthood of all believers" and an openess to the wind of the Spirit blowing amongst us, "inside and outside the fence". I talk aboutPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1067198914837509072003-10-26T12:08:00.000-08:002003-10-26T12:09:45.400-08:00Interesting new book, Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog. Published Dec. 1. Foreward by Eugene Peterson.
"A thoughtful and provocative collection of sermons by a group of preachers from across the international church spectrum who have been moved to theological reflection on the art and work of U2. This book will appeal to fans of U2, students of homiletics, and everyone interested Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066935814419012042003-10-23T12:03:00.000-07:002003-10-23T12:11:17.583-07:00A couple of good e-mails yesterday from friends within an Anglican context. It reminded me again of Rowan Williams Presidential Address at General Synod, York, Monday 14 July 2003. He started it with this question - Does the Church of England exist?. My question reflecting on these e-mail 'conversations' - what will the Anglican church in Aotearoa New Zealand look like in the next few years? WhatPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066847433977997302003-10-22T11:30:00.000-07:002003-10-22T11:30:33.786-07:00Sermon for Sunday, drawn from Acts 11:19-30 / Antioch & Jerusalem. A Tale of Two Churces - “Changing World, Changing Church!” (Sorry Steve, as at now haven't thought of a way of starting from something other than the biblical text. I'm working on it though. Any ideas welcome.)
It has been said, “the road to the future runs through the past.” How do we hold in creative tension a church that is Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066844324855248262003-10-22T10:38:00.000-07:002003-10-22T10:38:44.573-07:00Finding God in Small Groups
Tom Albin's doctoral research reveals why the Wesley's system worked so well.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066763233994496182003-10-21T12:07:00.000-07:002003-10-21T12:12:09.973-07:00Good posts on MOOT BLOG including a great review of Moltmann's book, The Source of Life: The Holy Spirit and the Theology of Life by Gareth. Thanks Gareth for capturing Moltmann's sense of the Spirit which I hold to very strongly and quietly in a church which comes out of the Pentecostal tradition...and thus provides a different context and praxis for understanding and experiencing the Spirit, Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066586912707711272003-10-19T11:08:00.000-07:002003-10-19T11:08:32.700-07:00"...without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God."
John Calvin (born at Noyon in Picardy, France, 10 July 1509, and died at Geneva, 27 May 1564.) From, Institutes of the Christian Religion Vol.1, The Westminster Press, 1960, p.35.
Here's a Kiersey online temperament assessment that is useful in helping to sharpen and deepen your sense of 'self.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066520263387253832003-10-18T16:37:00.000-07:002003-10-19T10:56:49.913-07:00The biblical notion of a "remnant" is one of those concepts that keeps 'bubbling' to the surface as I reflect on church, my role in church, and my sense of calling. It's hard when you feel like a minority voice, when you're becoming increasingly disconnected from local others, when you're drained and need the friendship of others who share the dream and sense of calling into the uncharted Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066425046844437652003-10-17T14:10:00.000-07:002003-10-17T14:10:46.896-07:00I just had a brief IM conversation with Jason Evan's - a first! I've followed Jason's blog / journey for over a year now. He's a good man.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066424750372074692003-10-17T14:05:00.000-07:002003-10-17T14:07:57.040-07:00I lent my good friend Jeff, down in Nelson, a copy of my book, "Catch the Wind" by Charles Ringma. Here's what he thought...
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066424511157504892003-10-17T14:01:00.000-07:002003-10-17T14:01:51.296-07:00I'm 'bummed out' that I wasn't able to go up to Auckland last night for an informal dessert and coffee evening with Sally Morgenthaler at my friend Mark's place...
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066417862441140312003-10-17T12:11:00.000-07:002003-10-17T12:12:46.060-07:00Am reading Letter to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke. It reinforced, for me anyway, the importance of slowness, of not rushing ahead of God, of allowing things to 'birth' at the appropriate time - the right time. A sense of this was captured recently in Steve Taylor's very good reflection under the heading, "Emerging churches are not seeing people saved." (see his blog post of Monday 13th Oct Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066286654749200002003-10-15T23:44:00.000-07:002003-10-15T23:44:14.280-07:00A New Zealand published book I'd ordered arrived today with a thankyou note from the author. The note was at the bottom of this:
The only eye of God that
will ever fall upon you
is the eye of another person
as they look at you.
The only hand of God that
will ever touch you
is the hand of another
person as they touch you.
The only voice of God you
will ever hear
is the voice of another
person asPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-106619938817909592003-10-14T23:29:00.000-07:002003-10-14T23:31:45.070-07:00I liked this statement by Mike Bishop in one of his recent posts:
"...The solitary aspect of this journey is not quickly replaced with connectedness; that is a process born out of countless interactions, mostly informal and benign. The more frequent those interactions - and as they move from benign to meaningful (or centered) - the closer we get to the camaraderie we long for and hope for..."
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1066069389074946262003-10-13T11:23:00.000-07:002003-10-13T11:23:08.876-07:00Aside from being an interesting post, being part of a church called BRIDGES drew me especially to point 9 on Phil's post about Spiritual practices and St. Catherine of Siena (Oct. 10).
"Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) wrote a famous book, ‘Dialogo’, a dialogue between God and her soul."
"It is a metaphor of spiritual life: so Christ is a bridge to God’s hospitality.
The church is on the bridge Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065942300702203752003-10-12T00:05:00.000-07:002003-10-15T23:46:52.170-07:00A nice relaxing afternoon...watched, on TV, Radiohead live @ Glastonbury 2003 - awesome! At the same time, read a great book review of Eugene Peterson's book, Under The Predictable Plant - Recovering the Contemplative by Thomas F. Fisher.
"Far to many pastors change parishes out of adolescent boredom, not as a consequence of mature wisdom. When that happens, neither pastors nor congregations Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065830796987101042003-10-10T17:06:00.000-07:002003-10-10T17:11:50.686-07:00Several things. If I disappear for a while, or you don't get a reply to an e-mail, it'll be because our PC has passed its 'useby' date - had all kind of problems with it last night. Realised how attached we've become to being able to 'connect' with the wider world.
Community is formed and deepened around mission. Mission does not flow out of community. Community forms around mission. Community/Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065732971258159632003-10-09T13:56:00.000-07:002003-10-09T14:04:46.110-07:00Appreciated the comments to my last post on mission / community / emerging church. I may expand on that theme in the coming days. Heartfelt thanks to those of you up in the States helping (via my good friend Alan) to cover my airfare to that top secret event in a city beginning with "C". I really appreciate it.
Something else I appreciate is my friendship and interaction with Steve. This lad Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065601204499556642003-10-08T01:20:00.000-07:002003-10-08T01:40:10.306-07:00An interesting comment by Susan Smith (who lectures at CIT in Auckland) which I came across in an article "Mission Today" (in the September 2002 edition of "Tui Motu":
"...At the risk of simplifying a complicated issue we can say that the institutional church is more preoccupied with mission as expansion [and] retention...mission as liberation and as reconcilliation do not tend to be major Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065299291868503362003-10-04T13:28:00.000-07:002003-10-04T13:28:11.626-07:00Had a lovely, stimulating, refreshing experience of hospitality and conversation yesterday afternoon...one strand of the conversation reinforced the importance of the following:
"...Our response to Jesus will be total the day we experience how total is his love for us. Instead of our self-conscious efforts to be good, we should allow ourselves the luxury of letting ourtselves be loved, not Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065217360571334532003-10-03T14:42:00.000-07:002003-10-03T14:42:40.123-07:00Talking (IM) to Alan Creech this morning about how deepening glocal connections are forming and growing...wondering what God is shaping, forming, birthing and growing...why do some people connect deeply? Why have groups of us naturally clustered together? Blown together by the Spirit? Why have some virtual friendships endured a long time in an ever morphing world? Why have some virtual Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065216797704105532003-10-03T14:33:00.000-07:002003-10-03T14:33:17.393-07:00Mark Barkaway, in a blog post (Sept. 10, 2003) reviewing THIRD, made two comments, which I really warmed too because they connected with my thinking, and because the kinds of issues they raise were part of a conversation I was a party too last night.
“1. We don’t want to just be about ‘doing’ services as this is what we are trying to *escape* from – we feel creating community is of utmost Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1065124823803886862003-10-02T13:00:00.000-07:002003-10-02T13:00:23.963-07:00"We can't participate in God's work if we insist on doing it our own way." He cited two examples of "doing the right thing the wrong way": congregation and Scripture. We consider both to be our matters, not God's. Instead of forming communities that embody self-denial, sacrifice, and patience for God to become present in them, we form "consumer churches," using commercial methods to attract Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064997860675268202003-10-01T01:44:00.000-07:002003-10-01T01:44:20.363-07:00jonny linked to the new "EmergingChurch.Info" site...after wondering how it would all come together it's nice to see it. Those involved have done a wonderful job. Lot's of interesting stuff, including Steve Taylor's "Easter Take-Away Spirituality;" Sue Wallace and the journey that is VISIONS; Chris Vermeulum and "The Emerging Church & Cultural Creatives" (made me think of work by Richard FloridaPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064904941832591902003-09-29T23:55:00.000-07:002003-09-29T23:55:42.020-07:00It's school holidays here, so I took the day off work yesterday and took our two girls up to Auckland to spend a lay with Steve, Lynne, and their two girls. Thanks Steve for the award winning, and my personal favourite, Monks Habit. Well remembered! It was a wonderful day - lunch at the Cock & Bull, following by playground adventures, and a visit to Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World. One thing Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064654178476889952003-09-27T02:16:00.000-07:002003-09-27T02:16:18.393-07:00I interviewed Cory recently, his responses are now posted.....Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064489015935815582003-09-25T06:03:00.000-07:002003-09-25T06:12:39.876-07:00A bit of a theme has begun to emerge for me this week - community, specifically "small communities" and inter-relationships.
" In the case of consumer-driven corporations
and churches, the emphasis on
meeting people’s expressed and ever-changing
needs and on producing large-sized results
seems to be the alternative, competing
story to Christ’s vision for discipleship focussing
on a few.The Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064347038362360812003-09-23T12:57:00.000-07:002003-09-23T13:00:28.440-07:00I sat in the sun beside the Waikato River yesterday at lunch time and read a wonderful essay by 'younger-than-me' Kiwi Baptist Pastor, Mike Crudge. I've had a few conversations with Mike over the last 12-months when I've had contact with Graceway Baptist, but this was the first essay of his that I had read. I loved it. There's lot's to interact with as he focuses on Aussie Dave Andrews and the "Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064255828086892062003-09-22T11:37:00.000-07:002003-09-22T11:37:07.850-07:00Looking out the study window as I type, the trees are starting to 'green' as leaves appear, pink blossums are appearing on the tree near the letter box. New life is appearing, the seasons are changing, the days are warming, the sun is rising earlier and setting later. The gift of life is all around us, and we have much too be thankful for, especially in this household as today we praise God and Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064224690865715682003-09-22T02:58:00.000-07:002003-09-22T11:43:30.453-07:00A couple of excellent 'essays' - the first from my friend Steve Taylor who is always an inspiration to me (and I don't say that lightly!), while the second is from "Knowing and Doing" an on-line 'journal' produced by the C.S. Lewis Institute. The essay is titled "Becoming Like Christ" by Richard Foster (you'll find it by downloading it as a pdf.file and then scrolling through to the relevant Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1064137162016880282003-09-21T02:39:00.000-07:002003-09-21T02:39:21.593-07:00Catching up on the 'community' after a couple of days away - was moved a great deal by Mike Bishop's blog post of Sept. 14th . While Mike's situation is uniquely his I see strong parallels when you're working within an existing church congregation - my situation (Maggi Dawn captures a sense of my situation nicely in her post of Sept. 16th ).
Something I wrote in a report a little while ago:
"IPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1063914647629980542003-09-18T12:50:00.000-07:002003-09-18T12:54:06.990-07:00Expanding my recent post about “intentional community” (see and Corey’s of 12th Sept). I've been 'listening’ in on a ‘conversation’ between Leighton, Corey, and Karl. As I'm sure all three agree, it’s not an either/or option – ‘virtual’ community versus ‘incarnational’ community. Clearly, 'virtual' community has it's place (and an important place in my own Jesus-following journey), but like KarlPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1063826904475805272003-09-17T12:28:00.000-07:002003-09-17T12:28:24.193-07:00Now available in New Zealand (H/C $29.95 Good price!), Rumors of Another World: What on Earth Are We Missing by Philip Yancey. Non-technical, thoughtful reading.
From Publishers Weekly
"In a work that is startling and original, Yancey (What's So Amazing About Grace?; The Jesus I Never Knew) writes for people on the "borderlands" of Christian faith: those who may have been scarred by bad churchPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1063739901255098492003-09-16T12:18:00.000-07:002003-09-16T12:26:09.460-07:00Good advice from Alan Roxburgh
"God’s future is among God’s people — we must invite them to ‘infect’ each other, to get them into the system to change it," Alan Roxburgh declared. "Don’t try to convince everyone, work with those who are the innovators and responders. Start there to work at the transformation process and remember that it won’t happen overnight. Take it one step at a time."
And Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1063651806565977402003-09-15T11:50:00.000-07:002003-09-15T11:50:06.460-07:00A very good on-line publication (pdf) produced by the Mennonite Mission Network - Missio Dei - is a series of biblical and theological essays on the work of mission.
The current issue - "Does Your Church "Smell" Like Mission? Reflections on Becoming a Missional Church." by James Krabill.
"The reflections offered here do not provide an easy shake-and-bake recipe for answering these questions. Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1063482041090326382003-09-13T12:40:00.000-07:002003-09-13T12:40:41.123-07:00Well yesterday was a good day. Kathryn, Sophie, Alice and I spent the afternoon with Rachel & Regan, which included a boat trip from downtown Auckland to Devonport - A first for Alice, and breakfast (bacon, eggs etc.) @ 3.15pm. It's always good to catch up with them. The day was capped off by a SENSATIONAL "Warriors" win again the Canterbury Bulldogs from Sydney. Thanks for the post-card Steve, IPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1063183675256321032003-09-10T01:47:00.000-07:002003-09-10T02:47:39.396-07:00Like Dan @ signposts, I couldn't resist dropping a note to Karl Thienes to ask if he'd be able to interview me (a first!). Well, he came up with some good questions, BIG questions (I apologise in advance for the length of my answers). Thanks Karl. May your discerning be fruitful. Anyone who wishes may take part, the rules are at the end of this post.
I have written in the past about my desire Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062879448433938192003-09-06T13:17:00.000-07:002003-09-06T14:37:57.633-07:00The whole issue of clerical homosexuality in the Anglican communion is raising some significant questions and thinking for many of my Anglican friends...here's a news article - self explanatory title. Reading the comments on Jordon's site reminded me of a conversation I had recently, for many Anglicans the "homosexual" issue is the "last straw". The line in the sand has been drawn. Thanks for thePaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062877496914656972003-09-06T12:44:00.000-07:002003-09-06T12:54:41.540-07:00It's Father's day today. Happy "Fathers Day" Steve, Geoff, and Jeff if you're reading this.
Kathryn and I went, with friends Geoff & Janette, to the Auckland Philharmonia last night. A really lovely evening. The Orchestra is very good. Played: Weber, Chopin, Zagni, and Mozart. The Chopin piece featuring American pianist, Robert Thies, was brilliant, as a was the Zagni piece called "Mokehu" (a "Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062757815689771412003-09-05T03:30:00.000-07:002003-09-05T03:30:15.673-07:00".Anabaptists and monastics are at least spiritual cousins, Monasticism, like Anabaptism, is rooted in protest against compromise in the culture and the church. Evangelical author Alan Roxburgh suggests that the missional church in our age should take the form of "urban monastic communities"
Mennonite pastor, Arthur Boers
“…Community is not experienced mostly through intentionality. Community Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062619610510974042003-09-03T13:06:00.000-07:002003-09-03T13:06:50.560-07:00A couple of articles that have kept my mind ticking over the last few days:
The galleries: Bring your own reality
03.09.2003
By T.J. McNAMARA
Art is on an arch between the spirit and reality, the abstract and the real...The effect of the layering, the mysterious traces of shadows and the subtle modulations of colour make these much more than conventional colour field painting. Read the Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062530336327257702003-09-02T12:18:00.000-07:002003-09-02T12:18:56.343-07:00Firstly "welcome" to the world of blogging Jeff - Jeff is a good friend of mine living in Nelson, Aotearoa New Zealand. Jeff has a real passion around Church History. I for one look forward to sharing his journey.
Still early days, and work he wants to do around personalisng his blog. Here's his first post - I like it
"Why call this blog site "Peregrini."
The Celtic Church used the latin word Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062445367870820422003-09-01T12:42:00.000-07:002003-09-06T12:46:42.873-07:00Issue 22 (August) of the newsletter produced by "Spirited Exchanges" in Wellington arrived yesterday - a really good issue, the centrepiece of which was an 'essay' entitled "The Place of Questions" written by Alan Jamieson and Jenny McIntosh (thanks you two!). Specifically it reflected on a Christianity that doesn't allow space for questions...and the importance of questions and deep conversationPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062300213472407092003-08-30T20:23:00.000-07:002003-08-30T21:03:58.470-07:00It's been a good weekend. Preached this morning on "Persecution" - The Martyrdom of Stephen & The Persecution of the Church. TEXT: Acts 6: 1 to 8:4.
Friends, Rachel, and Phil MCredden were woven into it - Rachel's quote from, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (about Stained glass windows), and Phil's blogpost where he quoted martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero. People were edified by their unknowing Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062204503093725272003-08-29T17:48:00.000-07:002003-08-29T17:48:23.020-07:00Happy Birthday today to my best friend Kathryn, the person that enriches my life the most, that stretches me and beautifully compliments me. I love you deeply.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062202885497151022003-08-29T17:21:00.000-07:002003-08-29T17:21:25.536-07:00A quote from one of the profoundest influences on the theology and praxis, William Stringfellow.
In the face of death, live humanly. In the middle of chaos, celebrate the Word. Amidst Babel, speak the truth. Confront the noise and verbiage and falsehood of death with the truth and potency and the efficacy of the Word of God. Know the Word, teach the Word, nurture the Word, preach the Word, Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1062056313250808222003-08-28T00:38:00.000-07:002003-08-29T17:21:57.713-07:00In correspondence I often sign-off with a simple prayer for whomever I'm writing too - "Grace & Peace ('Shalom')." Confessed sin. Listened to Gospel. Exchanged "peace." Celebrated with bread and wine. In the heart of the city. Reflected on "grace" as defined by the catechism in "A New Zealand Prayer Book ('He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa')
"Grace is God's freely-given love for people, forgiving Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061839452892478972003-08-25T12:24:00.000-07:002003-08-25T12:29:49.346-07:00I talked about "conversion" on Sunday - Conversion to mission; Conversion and Community ('communities need to be converted: there needs to be at the heart of community an ongoing movement or motion in the direction of change, new beginnings, new growth, and new life'); and Conversion and Spiritual formation ('In conversion we do not suddenly change in essence, magically becoming new people with Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061580376655182712003-08-22T12:26:00.000-07:002003-08-22T12:31:43.730-07:00Well this was a discovery yesterday, Alan Roxburgh co-wrote a book (with Mike Regele) called, Crossing the Bridge : Church Leadership in a Time of Change. The book was published in 2000. I purchased it in 2001 and have found it an incredibly helpful book in terms of the role of leadership and change. Anyway it's been 'out of print' so it was wonderful to discover it 'on-line' - you can find the Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061494361501200192003-08-21T12:32:00.000-07:002003-08-21T12:42:14.630-07:00Watched the Robin Williams movie, "One Hour Photo" last night. Enjoyed it. Some very thoughtful commentary around photographs and why we take them. A reflection on lonliness and the deep sense of disconnection that people feel, especially when that lonliness is compounded and amplified by personal abuse. A reflection on what happens when we allow our worlds to become very small and turned in on Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061452208294817322003-08-21T00:50:00.000-07:002003-08-21T00:50:08.223-07:00Two things.
I spoke by telephone to my cobber from Kentucky, Father Alan Creech a couple of weeks ago – so my telephone account tells me, the call lasted for 8 mins and 47 secs and cost US 77 cents. Now is that value for money or not? That’s 85% cheaper than a pint of Monteiths “Black” at the Prince Albert Tavern ('Bar,' 'pub' - whatever you call it where you are).
I was interested this morningPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061367553730975262003-08-20T01:19:00.000-07:002003-08-20T01:19:13.776-07:00Alan Roxburgh is/has been consulting in Melbourne. He's always been a bit of an inspiration for me, and it was very timely that I should read Dan's post of Sunday 17th August this morning. One of the issues we're reflecting on is mission and the shape of our church going forward - incremental change and/or something more radical (e.g. the planting of a new church community) - the big kind of Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061288055330081972003-08-19T03:14:00.000-07:002003-08-19T03:14:15.340-07:00Unlike Steve Collins, I can't say I've been there done that (note to self - I must lead a sheltered life), but I'd like too:
"...Describing the concept as "meditainment", it places the time-tested relaxation principles of meditation in an environment (the multiplex) designed to enhance the experience..."
Read more here.
Thanks for the link Steve. Tis a small world indeed.
Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1061063205155018172003-08-16T12:46:00.000-07:002003-08-16T12:46:45.173-07:00Had a brief MSN conversation with John Janzen yesterday - it was nice to connect again, and to update my link to his "...re-attempt at another blog again" Was looking through his posts, and a couple of statements by Leighton Tebay deeply resonated...thanks Leighton.
I think churches should have a regular cycle of birth, growth, and death. Individual local churches should die when it comes time. Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1060982872812365162003-08-15T14:27:00.000-07:002003-08-15T14:38:55.603-07:00Nothing original today. Pete Ward's book, Liquid Church was one of the recommended books on the post-"unconference" reading list for those who wanted to explore, stretch their thinking, and nourish church praxis. So, it's great to see two really useful reviews by Steve Taylor and Jordon Cooper. I love the way Jordon finishes his review, "If you think all the church needs is time and the Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1060804072132450742003-08-13T12:47:00.000-07:002003-08-13T12:52:36.690-07:00Section from a report I've written as part of a conversation around the practical implications of the "Unconference" for the church that I belong too........
Church from my perspective is less about being “modern” or “post-modern.” It’s not about being ‘at home’ in either ‘camp.’ It’s not about being trendy or being “post-modern.” Both “modern” and “Postmodern” are convenient labels attached toPaul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1060372840340951402003-08-08T13:00:00.000-07:002003-08-08T14:09:22.796-07:00Thinking of Steve's and my interaction with "The Piglet Movie" - the scene where Piglets book of memories is lost...thinking also of a comment from the guy at the petrol (gas) station. We were talking about dreams, even impossible dreams for the future, and he said "young people just don't dream..."
"One factor that sets us apart from all other animals is that our lives need to be stories - Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1060325644159449002003-08-07T23:54:00.000-07:002003-08-07T23:58:39.993-07:00Alan and I had a brief conversation on MSN this morning (as is becoming our custom), and we were talking about relational frustration; frustration as a result of not always being able to find the ongoing relational and communal depth that we both need in order to grow and stretch human being created to “image” God, i.e. to become increasingly like Jesus ( I hope I'm representing you fairly mate).Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1060200073018163982003-08-06T13:01:00.000-07:002003-08-06T13:01:12.880-07:00For those who are fans of author Douglas Coupland and have access to Regent College's CRUX magazine the latest edition, March 2003, has an interesting article: Hope for the Denarrated Self: Revisiting a Decade of Douglas Coupland.
Second part of Jim Barr's reflection:
“…In the current era of church history there is much that is breaking up around us with the attendant anxiety and grief such Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3470444.post-1060074049642597482003-08-05T02:00:00.000-07:002003-08-05T02:00:49.713-07:00Lot's in Jordon Coopers book review of Dan Kimball's "The Emerging Church" (Wed, July 30th)resonated with me, especially as I reflected on the church leaders meeting I was at last night. A good meeting, but in reviewing a type of service, I don't recall reflecting on the implications of this statement by Kimball:
"...If you are part of a staff that evaluates worship services, what do you base Paul Fromontnoreply@blogger.com