This used to be a community blog, now we just use it for a podcast feed for our weekly worship gatherings (but we left the old stuff here in case you want to browse).
Email us if you want to know more, come for a visit, invite us your way, or just gab. Our website has a lot of information and some pictures of the people, places and things that make up the VC tribe
Our sometimes-updated podcast feed for Weekly Worship Gatherings:
Archives
Wednesday
Chad Canipe - Poema Podcast
When Chad Canipe was starting Poema he recorded a vision casting podcast. Since Chad was such a beloved member of the Vineyard Central community, I thought it would be appropriate to post it here as well. I was grieved to discover that it was no longer online. Thanks to the good graces of Joe Long (www.eachnotesecure.com), the podcast is back online. You can download it here:
Chad Canipe Poema Podcast 1 (mp3, 7 MB, 15 min) --------------------------------
Chad Canipe Poema Podcast 1 (mp3, 7 MB, 15 min) --------------------------------
Tuesday
WWG - Chew on Jesus (John 6:56-69) - Thurman Allen - 8/27/06
Download:
Chew on Jesus (John 6:56-69) - Thurman Allen - 8/20/06 (mp3, 25:35 min, 25 MB) --------------------------------
Chew on Jesus (John 6:56-69) - Thurman Allen - 8/20/06 (mp3, 25:35 min, 25 MB) --------------------------------
WWG - Wisdom - Kevin Rains - 8/20/06
Download:
Wisdom - Kevin Rains - 8/20/06 (mp3, 19:50 min, 18 MB) --------------------------------
Wisdom - Kevin Rains - 8/20/06 (mp3, 19:50 min, 18 MB) --------------------------------
Monday
WWG - Holistic - Dave Barr - 7/23/06
Holistic Faith - Dave Barr - 7/23/06 (mp3, 58 min, 53 MB)
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Tuesday
WWG - Hospitality - Kevin Rains - 7/16/06
Hospitality - Kevin Rains - 7/16/06 (mp3, 35 min, 16 MB)
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Sunday
WWG - Jesus-Centered, Kingdom-Oriented - David Thompson - 7/9/06
Jesus-Centered, Kingdom-Oriented - David Thompson - 7/9/06 (mp3, 29 min, 14 MB)
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WWG - Ancient-Future - Aaron Klinefelter - 7/2/06
Ancient-Future - Aaron Klinefelter - 7/2/06 (mp3, 11 min, 5.2 MB)
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Tuesday
WWG - Creativity - Owen Brock - 6/25/06
Creativity - Owen Brock - 6/25/06 (mp3, 41 min, 19 MB)
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Sunday
VC Guiding Values - WWG 6-11-06.mp3 and slides
VC Guiding Values WWG 6-11-06.mp3
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VC WWG 5-7-06.mp3
VC WWG 5-7-06.mp3
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by Kevin Rains --------------------------------
Saturday
Vineyard Central Guiding Values Video
by Kevin Rains --------------------------------
Wednesday
VC WWG 3-26-06.mp3
VC WWG 3-26-06.mp3
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VC WWG 3-5-06.mp3
VC WWG 3-5-06.mp3
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VC WWG 1-29-06.mp3
VC WWG 1-29-06.mp3
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VC Weekly Worship Gathering - 1-8-06
Town Hall Meeting
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Monday
A Liturgy for Simple Churches
Here's something I've been working on for VC. It's a Simple Church Eucharist Rite. Taken and adapted from the Book of Common Prayer. It is a liturgy in process. I welcome any feedback, ideas, suggestions, or affirmations. Feel free to use it too, if you find it helpful. We're going to experiment with it here and see how (and if) it helps in forming us to be the People of God. We'll be trying it out at this weekend's VC AllGroup for starters.
Download here - A Liturgy for Simple Churches.pdf (44 kb) --------------------------------
Download here - A Liturgy for Simple Churches.pdf (44 kb) --------------------------------
Upcoming Stuff
October 2nd - VC AllGroup @ The Brownhouse, 6:00 PM, Potluck, Worship, Conversation, and more.
November 12-13th - Regional AllGroup - hosted by VBCC in Lexington, times and places tba.
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November 12-13th - Regional AllGroup - hosted by VBCC in Lexington, times and places tba.
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Tipping Point
Been thinking a bit about Tipping Point:
"little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world. Gladwell's thesis that ideas, products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do" remains a metaphor as he follows the growth of "word-of-mouth epidemics" triggered with the help of three pivotal types." From Publishers Weekly
Well, if you're looking for an emerging example of a coming tipping point..... (i.e. how do you recognize one coming), perhaps this is one:
From Joi Ito's Web: Wikipedia reaches one million articles
Wikipedia has just announced that it has reached one million articles. Congratulations Wikipedians! Wikipedia is in more than 100 languages with 14 currently having over 10,000 articles. It is ranked one of the ten most popular reference sites on the Internet according to Alexa.com (trumping Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and the LA Times). At the current rate of growth, Wikipedia will double in size again by next spring.
I suspect that few "regular" folks, outside of nerdy folks (like me), who spend too much time online, have heard of, or use, Wikipedia. But I wonder if that is about to change.....
What could this mean for simple churches in Cincinnati?????????????????????
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"little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world. Gladwell's thesis that ideas, products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do" remains a metaphor as he follows the growth of "word-of-mouth epidemics" triggered with the help of three pivotal types." From Publishers Weekly
Well, if you're looking for an emerging example of a coming tipping point..... (i.e. how do you recognize one coming), perhaps this is one:
From Joi Ito's Web: Wikipedia reaches one million articles
Wikipedia has just announced that it has reached one million articles. Congratulations Wikipedians! Wikipedia is in more than 100 languages with 14 currently having over 10,000 articles. It is ranked one of the ten most popular reference sites on the Internet according to Alexa.com (trumping Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and the LA Times). At the current rate of growth, Wikipedia will double in size again by next spring.
I suspect that few "regular" folks, outside of nerdy folks (like me), who spend too much time online, have heard of, or use, Wikipedia. But I wonder if that is about to change.....
What could this mean for simple churches in Cincinnati?????????????????????
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Saturday
Part and Parcel
The Problem with Sola Scriptura. Ties in with the recent posts and discussions in the comments. Happy thinking.
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Thursday
Cores and Edges
I was really trying not to post today, really! I've said enough lately. Kevin has really important stuff that you should read - its over here and here. If you care about VC you should read both of his posts (that's not meant to guilt you into it, but to say that I think what he says is extremely important to our journey).
That said, I do have something to post - it ties in with previous posts on the idea of a "Core" within VC. I discovered this book today:
Cores and Edges: How you can shape your church
by: Peter Renner
Paul Fromont talks about it in an article on TheOoze: Belonging and Not Belonging: The creative margins.
This other guy, Jerry Hampton, has this to say about it:
"Cores and Edges - is a guide book for every Christian to take with them as their church is reshaped by either deliberate restructuring or by relentless forces and pressures placed upon it. Whatever your church is becoming it must face the need to deal with its Cores and Edges. A core is that vital shape around which all the rest must hold together. The edges are the interface with the world. The core is the only really important structure a church must have. If it is mushy, or soft, or rotten, or scared, or hard, it will not produce the edge that Jesus showed to the world. The author maintains that a solid core and soft edges is the 'Jesus shape' for you as a Christian, and for your church."
Seems applicable for VC, huh? We've done a good job of having open edges, I think we need to spend a bit (not an inordinate or obsessive amount) of time on our core. What does hold us together (see Chad's post below)? What are the identifying marks of our community of faith?
by the way, you can buy the book from Potter's House Books (though perhaps Bill could hook you up as well). --------------------------------
That said, I do have something to post - it ties in with previous posts on the idea of a "Core" within VC. I discovered this book today:
Cores and Edges: How you can shape your church
by: Peter Renner
Paul Fromont talks about it in an article on TheOoze: Belonging and Not Belonging: The creative margins.
This other guy, Jerry Hampton, has this to say about it:
"Cores and Edges - is a guide book for every Christian to take with them as their church is reshaped by either deliberate restructuring or by relentless forces and pressures placed upon it. Whatever your church is becoming it must face the need to deal with its Cores and Edges. A core is that vital shape around which all the rest must hold together. The edges are the interface with the world. The core is the only really important structure a church must have. If it is mushy, or soft, or rotten, or scared, or hard, it will not produce the edge that Jesus showed to the world. The author maintains that a solid core and soft edges is the 'Jesus shape' for you as a Christian, and for your church."
Seems applicable for VC, huh? We've done a good job of having open edges, I think we need to spend a bit (not an inordinate or obsessive amount) of time on our core. What does hold us together (see Chad's post below)? What are the identifying marks of our community of faith?
by the way, you can buy the book from Potter's House Books (though perhaps Bill could hook you up as well). --------------------------------
Wednesday
WinnNotes: Missional Church Forum
Good stuff here (see below). Thanks Winn for the notes. I think what Alan says applies well to VC. Leadership, Theology, Structure - all the stuff that we are dealing with in our life together.
"Leadership is not a person with a plan or vision for the future, a leader is one who forms environments in which the people of God, among whom the Spirit resides, can get in dialogue with others and narratives of Scripture. Alan suggested that theology happen in liminality and in the liminility there is an interface of structure and anti-structure and that both are needed for the other to exist.
It is sometimes apparent that the emergent climate is somewhat anti-structural: undifferentiated with a lack of form or order and position. However, any group that comes together forms structure. [My comment: It may be a panacea to think that there should be a formless church.]
In the panel time Alan suggested that the emerging church was in a somewhat adolescent period and should find a way to grow up."
--------------------------------
"Leadership is not a person with a plan or vision for the future, a leader is one who forms environments in which the people of God, among whom the Spirit resides, can get in dialogue with others and narratives of Scripture. Alan suggested that theology happen in liminality and in the liminility there is an interface of structure and anti-structure and that both are needed for the other to exist.
It is sometimes apparent that the emergent climate is somewhat anti-structural: undifferentiated with a lack of form or order and position. However, any group that comes together forms structure. [My comment: It may be a panacea to think that there should be a formless church.]
In the panel time Alan suggested that the emerging church was in a somewhat adolescent period and should find a way to grow up."
--------------------------------
Re-Posted for your reading pleasure
Just read Chad's blog and thought it should be spread around a bit. The things of which he speaks are important and essential for VC. This is where we start - singular allegiance to Jesus. Not an ideology, not a doctrine, not an ethic, a politic, or even a worldview - but a Person. As we are in relation to that Person all those other things are effected and infected - but we start with Jesus and radiate through life together from this point.
VC is in a funky place. It may seem that we have lost our way (I don't think we have, but it may feel like that at times). It may seem that we've made mistakes (and surely we have and will continue to do so). Leadership is in flux. Worship is being reimagined. Mission is questioned and challenged. Discipleship (Learning) is a struggle and confusing. Lives are in transition. Roles are being shuffled. BUT .... AND YET ... NEVERTHELESS .... our hope is in the Person of Jesus. It is HE who makes sense of our lives - individually and corporately. With Jesus as our starting place these other things may seem funky, but will resolve themselves in time. We claim and proclaim our allegiance to Jesus.
Chad's post reminds us of that.
Capturing Some Late Night Thoughts...
It's late and I should be in bed, but I needed to get a few things off my mind and typed out before I forget them and they're lost forever. Nothing terribly profound, but some things that are worth thinking about.
Coming out of some conflict that I've witnessed recently in the midst of some fellow believers, I began to ask myself the question, "How does a body of believers made up of imperfect people coming from so many different backgrounds and perspectives stay together...unified...of one mind...live in peace?" (Moreover, how does something like that grow and mature and multiply?)
I started to think of the first disciples that Jesus called -- a motley crew, no doubt about it. But what the Lord, I think, was leading me to see was that here was a diverse group of people, made up of salty fishermen, a doubter (Thomas), a turncoat (Judas Iscariot), a tax collector (Matthew), and a political revolutionary (Simon the Zealot), but they somehow got past their differences and stuck together (minus Judas, I guess). And not only did they stick together, God used them mightly, empowering them to spread the Gospel even under intense persecution and spark a spiritual movement that has lasted nearly two millennia.
Amazing when you really think about it, really. Particularly when you look at two of these characters who were definitely like oil and water -- Matthew and Simon the Zealot. You cannot have two more divergent political persuasions. Matthew was in bed with the Roman government, using his position to skim funds from the public who despised him. Simon, especially, would've seen him as a traitor and thief. And Simon was, as his title suggests, a member of the Zealots, a Jewish nationalist party ardently opposed to the Roman rule. Those folks were serious about revolution; overthrowing the government -- and doing it by any means necessary.
So what holds these guys together? What keeps their individual ideologies in check?
I want to suggest that it was Jesus -- a singular allegiance to Jesus.
Jesus had called them. He had changed their lives. And He was now their focus. He was who they were following. Allegiance to Jesus was what that group of misfits was about -- not their pet ideologies. Everything else came second to Jesus as they were learning to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness.
I dare say that we all have our own pet ideologies, ideas and opinions that, given too much emphasis, will inevitably vie for our allegiance over and above Jesus. Our ideologies can too easily become our idols. And when this happens, division within a church is, sadly, just around the corner.
This all just impresses upon me that when we get together as congregations or churches or small group fellowships, that we ought to be focused singularly on Jesus and becoming his apprentices. Let's lay aside our own agendas and seek His agenda for our life together.
Ok, I'm off to bed. Peace.
posted by Chad | 2:31 AM
Thanks Chad. We needed that. --------------------------------
VC is in a funky place. It may seem that we have lost our way (I don't think we have, but it may feel like that at times). It may seem that we've made mistakes (and surely we have and will continue to do so). Leadership is in flux. Worship is being reimagined. Mission is questioned and challenged. Discipleship (Learning) is a struggle and confusing. Lives are in transition. Roles are being shuffled. BUT .... AND YET ... NEVERTHELESS .... our hope is in the Person of Jesus. It is HE who makes sense of our lives - individually and corporately. With Jesus as our starting place these other things may seem funky, but will resolve themselves in time. We claim and proclaim our allegiance to Jesus.
Chad's post reminds us of that.
Capturing Some Late Night Thoughts...
It's late and I should be in bed, but I needed to get a few things off my mind and typed out before I forget them and they're lost forever. Nothing terribly profound, but some things that are worth thinking about.
Coming out of some conflict that I've witnessed recently in the midst of some fellow believers, I began to ask myself the question, "How does a body of believers made up of imperfect people coming from so many different backgrounds and perspectives stay together...unified...of one mind...live in peace?" (Moreover, how does something like that grow and mature and multiply?)
I started to think of the first disciples that Jesus called -- a motley crew, no doubt about it. But what the Lord, I think, was leading me to see was that here was a diverse group of people, made up of salty fishermen, a doubter (Thomas), a turncoat (Judas Iscariot), a tax collector (Matthew), and a political revolutionary (Simon the Zealot), but they somehow got past their differences and stuck together (minus Judas, I guess). And not only did they stick together, God used them mightly, empowering them to spread the Gospel even under intense persecution and spark a spiritual movement that has lasted nearly two millennia.
Amazing when you really think about it, really. Particularly when you look at two of these characters who were definitely like oil and water -- Matthew and Simon the Zealot. You cannot have two more divergent political persuasions. Matthew was in bed with the Roman government, using his position to skim funds from the public who despised him. Simon, especially, would've seen him as a traitor and thief. And Simon was, as his title suggests, a member of the Zealots, a Jewish nationalist party ardently opposed to the Roman rule. Those folks were serious about revolution; overthrowing the government -- and doing it by any means necessary.
So what holds these guys together? What keeps their individual ideologies in check?
I want to suggest that it was Jesus -- a singular allegiance to Jesus.
Jesus had called them. He had changed their lives. And He was now their focus. He was who they were following. Allegiance to Jesus was what that group of misfits was about -- not their pet ideologies. Everything else came second to Jesus as they were learning to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness.
I dare say that we all have our own pet ideologies, ideas and opinions that, given too much emphasis, will inevitably vie for our allegiance over and above Jesus. Our ideologies can too easily become our idols. And when this happens, division within a church is, sadly, just around the corner.
This all just impresses upon me that when we get together as congregations or churches or small group fellowships, that we ought to be focused singularly on Jesus and becoming his apprentices. Let's lay aside our own agendas and seek His agenda for our life together.
Ok, I'm off to bed. Peace.
posted by Chad | 2:31 AM
Thanks Chad. We needed that. --------------------------------
Friday
Partners for Sacred Places
Seems like there is some renewed energy around reviving St. Elizabeth. Here are some links that may help to that end:
Community Outreach Guide
A Guide to Serving Families in Sacred Places
Fundraising Guide
What does God want to do with this building? It has been called "a beautiful albatros". Should we tear it down to not be burdened and distracted from ministry to the neighborhood? Should we restore it as a center for art and neighborhood ministry?
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Community Outreach Guide
A Guide to Serving Families in Sacred Places
Fundraising Guide
What does God want to do with this building? It has been called "a beautiful albatros". Should we tear it down to not be burdened and distracted from ministry to the neighborhood? Should we restore it as a center for art and neighborhood ministry?
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Thursday
Pandora's Box - it has been opened!
Warning: If you see Julie Gross - Watch Out!! - she's thinking some pretty life altering things lately. Here's a sample from her blog:
"Luther's idea of vocation brought the work of the Kingdom to the people, not just the priests and monastics. He said that even a milkmaid could milk cows to the Glory of God. Much of what he says boils down to the idea that we are all gifted differently and called to use those gifts in his service in many arenas in our everyday life. Yes, there is still the idea of the priesthood in that there is still the function of the pastor, but he really brings into light the priesthood of all believers. The congregation of the ELCA I grew up in has this on it's bulletin every week: Ministers: the whole congreagation. Then it lists the Pastoral staff. Just this one simple line on a piece of paper never fails to move me when I get to worship there. It is a weekly reminder and admonition to the congregation that we're all called to use what we have been given. By confessing our Faith, we accept His call to acknowledge that we belong to God and by His command we must move what we confess out into the wide world to minister to his children, our brothers and sisters. Heavy, heady stuff.
So how does this all gel? How do I get to the answers I am looking for? I pray. I read. I look to others who have travelled this road much longer than I. I step out in faith with this community to serve our neighbors here in West Norwood. I share joy and stress and all the things which come with living. I look for signs and take unmarked roads. I continue, even when the path is unclear. I give thanks. I praise His name. I wait upon the Lord. Amen. Come Lord Jesus."
Good stuff! You know she really should blog here, on this community blog (*hint,hint). It seems that a question is emerging in our midst.... this is how I heard it articulated today: "What do you see is the future of VC?"
Its a good question. One that I would love hear how people respond. I think Julie's post on Call is an essential part of all that - What is GOD calling us to as VC? And as important as our coming together to share our ideas is, it is nothing unless it is part of hearing what God is calling us to together - which means that we have to listen together. --------------------------------
"Luther's idea of vocation brought the work of the Kingdom to the people, not just the priests and monastics. He said that even a milkmaid could milk cows to the Glory of God. Much of what he says boils down to the idea that we are all gifted differently and called to use those gifts in his service in many arenas in our everyday life. Yes, there is still the idea of the priesthood in that there is still the function of the pastor, but he really brings into light the priesthood of all believers. The congregation of the ELCA I grew up in has this on it's bulletin every week: Ministers: the whole congreagation. Then it lists the Pastoral staff. Just this one simple line on a piece of paper never fails to move me when I get to worship there. It is a weekly reminder and admonition to the congregation that we're all called to use what we have been given. By confessing our Faith, we accept His call to acknowledge that we belong to God and by His command we must move what we confess out into the wide world to minister to his children, our brothers and sisters. Heavy, heady stuff.
So how does this all gel? How do I get to the answers I am looking for? I pray. I read. I look to others who have travelled this road much longer than I. I step out in faith with this community to serve our neighbors here in West Norwood. I share joy and stress and all the things which come with living. I look for signs and take unmarked roads. I continue, even when the path is unclear. I give thanks. I praise His name. I wait upon the Lord. Amen. Come Lord Jesus."
Good stuff! You know she really should blog here, on this community blog (*hint,hint). It seems that a question is emerging in our midst.... this is how I heard it articulated today: "What do you see is the future of VC?"
Its a good question. One that I would love hear how people respond. I think Julie's post on Call is an essential part of all that - What is GOD calling us to as VC? And as important as our coming together to share our ideas is, it is nothing unless it is part of hearing what God is calling us to together - which means that we have to listen together. --------------------------------
How People Learn, How We Worship, Why a Network, and Women in Leadership
These things have been on my these past few days. I don't have time or mental capacity to go deep into any of these right now, but a few thoughts on each:
How People Learn - Lately I've heard the criticism (?) that VC needs more "teaching". Or I've heard that people like going to "regular church" to get "regular teaching". These have provoked the question - how do people learn? What are people expecting/needing in terms of teaching/learning? I think part of the issue is a misconception of learning (and teaching, for that matter). So how (probably from 12+ years of "formal" education) we have become conditioned to live by the paradigm of passive learning. We assume that the "correct" way to learn, (especially!?) the Bible, is to receive instruction from an expert (i.e. Pastor). I take issue with this belief. Not only is it theologically suspect and eccelisiastically dangerous, but it is incomplete psychologically. In other words, I don't think that lecture-hall presentation of information (a "banking-model" of education) is a sufficient way to learn anything. People don't learn that way! Now before the lovers o' lecture get all hot and bothered, let me say that I think good lecture (sermon or otherwise) has a place. I have learned quite a bit from this, but it is NOT complete and MUST happen in the context of ongoing dialogue and action (i.e a community of learners and practitioners). Here are some quotes and a web that are informative:
"New developments in the science of learning also emphasize the importance of helping people take control of their own learning."
"Participation in social practice is a fundamental form of learning. Learning involves becoming attuned to the constraints and resources, the limits and possibilities, that are involved in the practices of the community."
from: How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School
So, when I hear that people want more "teaching" I interpret that as two things. 1) they honestly desire to learn and grow in their faith (a good thing), 2) they assume that this can only happen if an expert tells them the "right" answer (not a good thing).
Again - I'm not eschewing indepth study, formal education, or those who know more teaching those who know less - these are all good things, but they are not complete. Learning - true, deep, and transformative - happens when a group of people interact corporately and individually with a subject from multiple angles over a period of time that results in a change of behavior (both as a result and as a process of experimentation which aids understanding and internalization).
How We Worship - Been thinking about how and why we worship. Especially for our House Church, but also for the network in general. What's the point of worship? Surely it is not so that we can feel warm and fuzzy. And I'm not sure I like the idea that we're giving God "strokes" - surely he doesn't need them, I doubt he's that insecure. True, I think he enjoys our worship of him, it makes him happy - like when I buy flowers for Sarah. But I think worship is more than that.
If faith is really a proclaimation of allegiance to God, then worship is the public declaration of that allegiance. It is the (primary?) way we say to the world - "we belong to a different Kingdom and a different King".
That said - how do we do this thing called "worship"? I'm not entirely sure, but two things that I would like to recapture are corporate song and eucharist. Singing together does something to us (and to the Watching World). It knits us together, it focuses us, it centers us, it simmers us down, it revs us up, it moves us, it stills us - all that is necessary and needed. Very often I enter into our house church gathering feeling disjointed and disconnected. I feel like I stumble and bump my way into our time together. I don't like that. I would like to see us (again, this is primarily for our HC, apply to others as needed) sing more together - songs that we all can learn and know. I want us to wait on the Lord together, to truly pray together, to listen together. Music helps those things to happen. It seems to act as some kind of grease that helps things move more fluidly.
Eucharist functions similarly. Theology of Presence aside, it speaks volumes to one another and the world. It says, "I pledge allegiance to the One whose body was broken and blood was shed, I belong to this body of Christ". I like that we take Communion together at the end of each of our HC gatherings. But I want us to be more attentive to the Presence. I like that we are casual about it, that we use same cups and plates for other meals. I like that children are welcomed at the table. I would like, though, for us to recapture more of a sense of preparation and participation in the Eucharist. I like the liturgy for it, as it keys us in to what we are doing and why we are doing it. I'm not sure about open vs. closed communion or if we should always take it, but it is important to our life together and I want us to recognize that.
Why a Network - Because I think it opens up what God wants to do in us and our neighborhood. Centralization pulls everything together - like a funnel. Which means that there is only one, centralized, small opening through which stuff can flow. A network works more like a colander, a sieve, lots of stuff get through. God is doing stuff all over the place so if it all has to be approved by one person, team, or body then it breaks down. Its the whole "priesthood of all believers" deal.
Any corporate functions (meaning all network) should be secondary and supportive to the primary function of the little bands of believers gathered together on mission. So an AllGroup, any kind of "Core" whatsoever, Pastoral Council, Leadership Community, Community Houses, etc... give preference to house churches. Why? Not because House Churches are sacred! Because 1) that is how this community has chosen to live its life together, and 2) more importantly, transformation and Kingdom-ward action takes place more effectively in small groups of people. Its just plain true. I'm trying not to sound dogmatic or something. But 10ish years of ministry have shown me time and again that people become more Christ-like in groups where they are actually known (accountability and vulnerability) and that people are empowered to do more together when they have the responsibility and authority to discern God's call together and then act on that call.
Women in Leadership - Yes. Its part of my theology of creation - man and woman, both made in the image of God. Sure there are natural giftings and roles that men and women differ on, but I think there is a place for women in leadership in VC - pastoring house churches, on the pastoral committee, teaching, etc.... If God isn't male or female, and if he has the attributes of each, then we need both genders in positions of influence for a healthy body.
Ok, hopefully that wasn't too much of a rant, it wasn't suppose to be. Just stuff that has been on my mind of late. I guess I went on more than I thought I would (not surprising, I usually talk too much!). I would love to know your thoughts (whoever reads this!) on this stuff or with where God is leading VC.
Peace to all tread these waters.
--------------------------------
How People Learn - Lately I've heard the criticism (?) that VC needs more "teaching". Or I've heard that people like going to "regular church" to get "regular teaching". These have provoked the question - how do people learn? What are people expecting/needing in terms of teaching/learning? I think part of the issue is a misconception of learning (and teaching, for that matter). So how (probably from 12+ years of "formal" education) we have become conditioned to live by the paradigm of passive learning. We assume that the "correct" way to learn, (especially!?) the Bible, is to receive instruction from an expert (i.e. Pastor). I take issue with this belief. Not only is it theologically suspect and eccelisiastically dangerous, but it is incomplete psychologically. In other words, I don't think that lecture-hall presentation of information (a "banking-model" of education) is a sufficient way to learn anything. People don't learn that way! Now before the lovers o' lecture get all hot and bothered, let me say that I think good lecture (sermon or otherwise) has a place. I have learned quite a bit from this, but it is NOT complete and MUST happen in the context of ongoing dialogue and action (i.e a community of learners and practitioners). Here are some quotes and a web that are informative:
"New developments in the science of learning also emphasize the importance of helping people take control of their own learning."
"Participation in social practice is a fundamental form of learning. Learning involves becoming attuned to the constraints and resources, the limits and possibilities, that are involved in the practices of the community."
from: How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School
So, when I hear that people want more "teaching" I interpret that as two things. 1) they honestly desire to learn and grow in their faith (a good thing), 2) they assume that this can only happen if an expert tells them the "right" answer (not a good thing).
Again - I'm not eschewing indepth study, formal education, or those who know more teaching those who know less - these are all good things, but they are not complete. Learning - true, deep, and transformative - happens when a group of people interact corporately and individually with a subject from multiple angles over a period of time that results in a change of behavior (both as a result and as a process of experimentation which aids understanding and internalization).
How We Worship - Been thinking about how and why we worship. Especially for our House Church, but also for the network in general. What's the point of worship? Surely it is not so that we can feel warm and fuzzy. And I'm not sure I like the idea that we're giving God "strokes" - surely he doesn't need them, I doubt he's that insecure. True, I think he enjoys our worship of him, it makes him happy - like when I buy flowers for Sarah. But I think worship is more than that.
If faith is really a proclaimation of allegiance to God, then worship is the public declaration of that allegiance. It is the (primary?) way we say to the world - "we belong to a different Kingdom and a different King".
That said - how do we do this thing called "worship"? I'm not entirely sure, but two things that I would like to recapture are corporate song and eucharist. Singing together does something to us (and to the Watching World). It knits us together, it focuses us, it centers us, it simmers us down, it revs us up, it moves us, it stills us - all that is necessary and needed. Very often I enter into our house church gathering feeling disjointed and disconnected. I feel like I stumble and bump my way into our time together. I don't like that. I would like to see us (again, this is primarily for our HC, apply to others as needed) sing more together - songs that we all can learn and know. I want us to wait on the Lord together, to truly pray together, to listen together. Music helps those things to happen. It seems to act as some kind of grease that helps things move more fluidly.
Eucharist functions similarly. Theology of Presence aside, it speaks volumes to one another and the world. It says, "I pledge allegiance to the One whose body was broken and blood was shed, I belong to this body of Christ". I like that we take Communion together at the end of each of our HC gatherings. But I want us to be more attentive to the Presence. I like that we are casual about it, that we use same cups and plates for other meals. I like that children are welcomed at the table. I would like, though, for us to recapture more of a sense of preparation and participation in the Eucharist. I like the liturgy for it, as it keys us in to what we are doing and why we are doing it. I'm not sure about open vs. closed communion or if we should always take it, but it is important to our life together and I want us to recognize that.
Why a Network - Because I think it opens up what God wants to do in us and our neighborhood. Centralization pulls everything together - like a funnel. Which means that there is only one, centralized, small opening through which stuff can flow. A network works more like a colander, a sieve, lots of stuff get through. God is doing stuff all over the place so if it all has to be approved by one person, team, or body then it breaks down. Its the whole "priesthood of all believers" deal.
Any corporate functions (meaning all network) should be secondary and supportive to the primary function of the little bands of believers gathered together on mission. So an AllGroup, any kind of "Core" whatsoever, Pastoral Council, Leadership Community, Community Houses, etc... give preference to house churches. Why? Not because House Churches are sacred! Because 1) that is how this community has chosen to live its life together, and 2) more importantly, transformation and Kingdom-ward action takes place more effectively in small groups of people. Its just plain true. I'm trying not to sound dogmatic or something. But 10ish years of ministry have shown me time and again that people become more Christ-like in groups where they are actually known (accountability and vulnerability) and that people are empowered to do more together when they have the responsibility and authority to discern God's call together and then act on that call.
Women in Leadership - Yes. Its part of my theology of creation - man and woman, both made in the image of God. Sure there are natural giftings and roles that men and women differ on, but I think there is a place for women in leadership in VC - pastoring house churches, on the pastoral committee, teaching, etc.... If God isn't male or female, and if he has the attributes of each, then we need both genders in positions of influence for a healthy body.
Ok, hopefully that wasn't too much of a rant, it wasn't suppose to be. Just stuff that has been on my mind of late. I guess I went on more than I thought I would (not surprising, I usually talk too much!). I would love to know your thoughts (whoever reads this!) on this stuff or with where God is leading VC.
Peace to all tread these waters.
--------------------------------
Monday
IM conversation
On Friday night (and into the wee hours of Sat. morn) friends gathered - new and old. Drinks were drunk, smokes were smoked, wounds were let to breathe, jokes were told, and good and rich and "kingdom-full" conversations pervaded the space. If the Kingdom were a party - this was surely a Kingdom gathering.
This AM John Barrow and I were IM'ing and he asked: (so here you go, enjoy. its only editted for flow and sensibility)
John: you guys talk about anything important?
Aaron: some - bean and alan and i talked for a couple hours (from 2-4 am) about Core stuff and VC direction. i'll try to summarize....
Aaron: basically their thought was that we should have (atleast) one more all VC gathering (like in June) to corporately discern what we are moving into. a leaders retreat will likely come out of that, but we need some sense of direction before we can do that. i think their thought with that was we don't really know what VC is anymore - it lacks significant identifiying structure and before we can add a new structure (i.e. Core conversation) we need to figure out where people are and such.... otherwise the thing we propose could be pointless. my hunch is that we'll end up continuing to articulate something of a Core of committed people - kinda of like a Religious Order - that will make public vows to God and the community and that that will be a new sense or layer of identity for VC.... but there needs to be some (as we've alreday begun talking about) public forum for that processing (with it being open-ended enough to say that if this ISN"T where God is leading then we lay it down). i kinda see it like we all need to lay all our cards on the table.... if people are clinging to a VC that no longer exists that should be stated, grieved, and moved on. if VC as an entity needs to die and be reborn as something different (non-vineyard, for instance) then fine. if there are folks who want/need/feel called to a Vineyard-ized Vineyard Central then perhaps they can have the "VC" name and hire a pastor and become a 'regular" church.... while others move into a network of house churches that share leadership and resources. or perhaps St. E's the building will become owned and operated by a Non-profit that will be a seperated (but related) entity than VC - so that VC can be the network of house churches that it needs to be
John: This sounds interesting. Will you bring up these ideas when we meet again as the pc?
Aaron: yeah - i'll probably post something of it too on the blog
Aaron: alan is online - i'll run what i told you by him to see if i missed anything
------------------------
Alan: cool - sounds about what we said - I was also stressing that the leadership who don't even want to be leadership, who've sort of drifted out during this period, ala - Brocks, Nixons, Barrs(?), etc. need to be there and at this LeTreat thing if not only for closure
Alan: it would be sad if relationships degraded to a point that people just slipped away from each other after all these years and ended up not talking and doing their own deals - I know sometimes that happens but in this case it definitely shouldn't I wouldn't think - again, I'm speaking as a friend and not an insider
Aaron: i agree - i think that that "slipping away-ness" would be a very bad thing in this time
Alan: it's sad to me already - as I look inside from what I've seen through 2-3 years
Aaron: yeah - i def. think there is (has been, and will be) some grieving going on, but on the whole i think we're continuing to move forward...
Alan: that's good - it's always hard to go through changes like this - evolution hurts
Aaron: truly, it does!
Aaron: maybe its even a bit of "changing of the guard" - with the desire for the "old guard" to not drift off, but to stay around as wisdom-bearers and sages
Alan: right
------------------------
John: BTW I think it is correct that everyone who has a stake in VC should have the chance to contribute to the conversation
Aaron: yeah, so do i... i've had some good conversations with elizabeth and charlie re: this stuff
John: I'm not one to cram things down other peoples throught. It feels to me like a bad leadership style. :-)
Aaron: agreed. so far i think we're far from doing that... i think we're doing well with moving forward and doing so TOGETHER
John: As has been the case with all these conversations I am looking forward to what will eventually come from it all.
Aaron: me too, me too!
--------------------------------
This AM John Barrow and I were IM'ing and he asked: (so here you go, enjoy. its only editted for flow and sensibility)
John: you guys talk about anything important?
Aaron: some - bean and alan and i talked for a couple hours (from 2-4 am) about Core stuff and VC direction. i'll try to summarize....
Aaron: basically their thought was that we should have (atleast) one more all VC gathering (like in June) to corporately discern what we are moving into. a leaders retreat will likely come out of that, but we need some sense of direction before we can do that. i think their thought with that was we don't really know what VC is anymore - it lacks significant identifiying structure and before we can add a new structure (i.e. Core conversation) we need to figure out where people are and such.... otherwise the thing we propose could be pointless. my hunch is that we'll end up continuing to articulate something of a Core of committed people - kinda of like a Religious Order - that will make public vows to God and the community and that that will be a new sense or layer of identity for VC.... but there needs to be some (as we've alreday begun talking about) public forum for that processing (with it being open-ended enough to say that if this ISN"T where God is leading then we lay it down). i kinda see it like we all need to lay all our cards on the table.... if people are clinging to a VC that no longer exists that should be stated, grieved, and moved on. if VC as an entity needs to die and be reborn as something different (non-vineyard, for instance) then fine. if there are folks who want/need/feel called to a Vineyard-ized Vineyard Central then perhaps they can have the "VC" name and hire a pastor and become a 'regular" church.... while others move into a network of house churches that share leadership and resources. or perhaps St. E's the building will become owned and operated by a Non-profit that will be a seperated (but related) entity than VC - so that VC can be the network of house churches that it needs to be
John: This sounds interesting. Will you bring up these ideas when we meet again as the pc?
Aaron: yeah - i'll probably post something of it too on the blog
Aaron: alan is online - i'll run what i told you by him to see if i missed anything
------------------------
Alan: cool - sounds about what we said - I was also stressing that the leadership who don't even want to be leadership, who've sort of drifted out during this period, ala - Brocks, Nixons, Barrs(?), etc. need to be there and at this LeTreat thing if not only for closure
Alan: it would be sad if relationships degraded to a point that people just slipped away from each other after all these years and ended up not talking and doing their own deals - I know sometimes that happens but in this case it definitely shouldn't I wouldn't think - again, I'm speaking as a friend and not an insider
Aaron: i agree - i think that that "slipping away-ness" would be a very bad thing in this time
Alan: it's sad to me already - as I look inside from what I've seen through 2-3 years
Aaron: yeah - i def. think there is (has been, and will be) some grieving going on, but on the whole i think we're continuing to move forward...
Alan: that's good - it's always hard to go through changes like this - evolution hurts
Aaron: truly, it does!
Aaron: maybe its even a bit of "changing of the guard" - with the desire for the "old guard" to not drift off, but to stay around as wisdom-bearers and sages
Alan: right
------------------------
John: BTW I think it is correct that everyone who has a stake in VC should have the chance to contribute to the conversation
Aaron: yeah, so do i... i've had some good conversations with elizabeth and charlie re: this stuff
John: I'm not one to cram things down other peoples throught. It feels to me like a bad leadership style. :-)
Aaron: agreed. so far i think we're far from doing that... i think we're doing well with moving forward and doing so TOGETHER
John: As has been the case with all these conversations I am looking forward to what will eventually come from it all.
Aaron: me too, me too!
--------------------------------
Friday
Harvest Time
"Always, man dreams about the future
what he will sow next
and where he will reap a harvest.
The planting itself is not enough;
he longs for the day of fruitfulness.
Like God, he sees that people grow too:
young boys to men,
young men to elders.
With patient shaping and instruction,
they, too, will bear much fruit.
But unlike God, he cannot see the invisible future:
he runs away from Suffering,
the most patient and fruitful of all his teachers.
He twists and turns to escape her voice
and rarely listens long enough to discover her wisdom.
My child, don't run.
After you have suffered a little while,
your Father will restore and strengthen you.
Let Suffering perform her full work,
for her harvests are always bountiful
in those who heed her words.
-klb 8/19/04, see 1 Peter 5:10"
Thanks Kendra. I needed that.
--------------------------------
what he will sow next
and where he will reap a harvest.
The planting itself is not enough;
he longs for the day of fruitfulness.
Like God, he sees that people grow too:
young boys to men,
young men to elders.
With patient shaping and instruction,
they, too, will bear much fruit.
But unlike God, he cannot see the invisible future:
he runs away from Suffering,
the most patient and fruitful of all his teachers.
He twists and turns to escape her voice
and rarely listens long enough to discover her wisdom.
My child, don't run.
After you have suffered a little while,
your Father will restore and strengthen you.
Let Suffering perform her full work,
for her harvests are always bountiful
in those who heed her words.
-klb 8/19/04, see 1 Peter 5:10"
Thanks Kendra. I needed that.
--------------------------------
Monday
Of Monastic Vows
The Benedictine Sisters of Yankton
Obedience - a promise to listen attentively and to respond eagerly to the will of God as revealed in Scripture, the Rule of Benedict, the prioress, the community, the events of human history, the call of the Church, the cry of the oppressed, and in herself.
Stability - a promise to be faithful to one's search for God together; a promise to seek God in the monastery of one’s profession until death and to witness to the unchanging faithfulness of God.
Fidelity to the monastic way of life - a promise to seek God by embracing the pattern of cenobitic living inspired by the Rule of Benedict; a commitment to the ongoing conversion essential to the Christian way of life as it unfolds according to the charism of Sacred Heart Monastery.
Abbey of St. Walburga
We make three vows: obedience, stability, and fidelity to the monastic way of life.
By the vow of obedience, we commit ourselves to strive to live the obedience of Jesus, who, says the Letter to the Philippians, remained obedient even unto death, death on the cross (see Philippians 2:5-11). Obedience is surrender ot the self to God in love, but its concrete expression is obedience to the abbess, to those who are senior to us in community, and to the community as a whole. St. Benedict teaches us to obey promptly, cheerfully and wholeheartedly, without grumbling, lest self-protection rather than self-surrender consume the creative energy God has given us to become mature, free, responsible persons.
By the vow of stability, we commit ourselves to remain in the monastery of our profession until death. Normally, we expect to live and die in the community of our profession, though there might be occasional exceptions, such as nuns being sent out to found a new house under the auspices of their home monastery. We also expect to spend most of our time within the enclosure of the monastery. The purpose of this stability is to refuse all escapes from the rigorous work of conversion we have undertaken.
By the vow of fidelity to the monastic way of life, or conversatio morum, to use the original, untranslatable Latin phrase of the Rule of St. Benedict, we commit ourselves to a lifelong pilgrimage toward that perfect love of God and neighbor which Christ urges on us in the gospel. We undertake to grow and change as God shapes us through all the dimensions of our way of life. All Christians accept this commitment to conversion in baptism; Benedictines choose to live out that commitment within the specific framework of monasticism. Fidelity to the monastic life includes poverty, interpreted in the Rule as frugality and the renunciation of any form of private ownership of goods, and celibate chastity.
St. Andrew's Abbey Vayermo
THE ABBOT: What do you seek?
THE CANDIDATES: The mercy of God, and membership in your community.
THE ABBOT: May God grant you fellowship with us and with His saints. Amen. In the name of the Lord, arise.
(The Petition, from the Rite of Reception Into the Novitiate)
Taize
Brother, remembering that it is Christ who calls you and that it is to him that you are now going to respond.
Will you, for love of Christ, consecrate yourself to him with all your being?
I will.
Will you henceforth fulfil your service of God within our community, in communion with your brothers?
I will.
-------------------------------
The above quotes and copy-n-pastes are from various monasteries and communities. So, without taking sufficient time for background (refer to this post below), I want to offer some thoughts....
I see a need for a Core of people within VC who respond to the call of God on their life and enter into a covenant relationship with the God and the community. This would be something of an Order - similar to Religious Orders of Monastics. In some sense it is like The Order of Mission @ St Thomas’ Church, Sheffield, though this would be local. It certainly be misisonal, communal, and small.
But how to create such a thing? Is this an unhealthy retreat from ________? Does this form an exclusive club that is anti-Kingdom? Is this a matter of control and boundaries for safety? What should characterize such an Order? Who is this for? What does it do? What vows should one take? Why should there be vows? Isn't this just like church membership?
Hum.... lots of questions. I do not intend to answer all (or maybe any) at this point.... but some thoughts to that end.
One of the consistencies in the communities I looked at were three (3) vows:
Obedience
Stability
Fidelity
These are important me thinks. We should not overlook these. What could these mean in our context?
Obedience - to the person of Christ first and foremost. What is God calling the person too? But this is not an individualized obedience. It is follower-ship of Christ in the context of the community - because this is the only place follower-ship can happen - in a community of faith. And because one makes vows to this particular community then any life-altering decisions get processed with the community. This is essentially accountability from brothers and sisters for the sake of the Kingdom. So, in that way it is (or may look like) obedience to the community. Not because you give up your individual responsibility or identity, but becasue you admit that "I can't be a disciple on my own - I need you (community) to help me". In this way it is mutual submission to one another under the Lordship of Christ for the sake of Missio Dei (God's mission).
Stability - there is sacredness to place and space. Perhaps a better word for our time would be "Simplicity". Either way this is important in our world of bigger, better, higher, faster. The still small voice comes in stillness and smallness - as silly as that sounds, I believe it has been missed by American Christians. We would committ to intentional structure our lives - individually, as families, and as a community - to dance to a life-giving rhythm of the Spirit. So, while for many this will mean planting and growing deep roots in a neighborhood for a lifetime, for others it may mean seasons in different places. These "seasons-changes" are not arbitrary or birthed out of a desire for "the next new thing" or "keeping up with the Joneses" - but rather a response to the Spirit's movement as discerned by both the person, their family, and the Order. In all cases, the person seeks to live a simple life - free from the illusions of money, "success", and power.
Fidelity - faithfulness to Christ, family, community, neighbor, and the stranger. It seems that some reduce the Gospel to personal relationship with Jesus (period, end of story). We would vow that this is not an option. Our Chrisitan discipleship permeates all of life, nothing is out of bounds. So our faithfulness to the Triune God bleeds over (and fills up) our faithfulness to our family, the Order, and those in need. We do not isolate ourselves. We acknowledge the pain and brokenness in ourselves, one another, and the world and we respond in Grace. We take on the position of Solidarity and Communion - our very lives become Sacramental as we are instruments of God's Grace breaking in.
Hum... this needs more work, but hopefully it helps nudge us forward a fraction. --------------------------------
The Yellow area is our context in which we live (Norwood, Cincinnati). The Blue area is VC as a whole. Both the Context and VC are centered-sets. A centered-set is a grouping of (in this case people) where the boundary is permeable. Some folks are in Norwood, Cincinnati others leave in Cleveland - the choice is theirs and they can move at will (i.e there are no walls around Norwood that keep people inside). VC is similar - some folks associate with us, others don't. The choice is theirs. There is much relational flow here. The Core (green area) is fundamentally different. It is a bounded-set. There is a definitive line between who is in and who is not. Those in the Core would include those who have made vows to the community, leadership, etc...
Before I go on to explain the differences between VC and VC Core. Let me highlight the most important part of the thing - the arrow.
The arrow is indicative of forward movement - moving in and toward the kingdom of God. This is why we exist, this is the mission of God for this place (and every place).
So, here's how I see this working out. Someone can be in Cincy or Norwood and moving toward the Kingdom and NOT part of VC (we do not hold exclusive publication rights!), the converse is true as well, obviously. Someone can be part of VC and moving Kingdom-ward. This seems like it could be sufficient at this point. Essentially it would be an amorphous conglomeration of persons - some moving Kingdom-ward (others not) in a particular place.
But I think there IS a need for a bounded-set Core within VC. Again, not all of VC would or should function this way, but I think God has and will call some (a minority) to make specific covenants/commitments to VC, Norwood. These persons (Kevin is certainly the preeminent example of this) would dedicate their lives to moving forward in and toward God's Kingdom - in the particular context of Norwood/Cincy and with a particular people VC. This does not discount others from similar movements or from similar (or the same) commitments, but there is a definitive step that some should take that distinguish them from the rest of VC.
I use "distinguish" specifically, not separate. It is not a hierarchical position - rather a servant leadership one. We need leaders and core committed folks to call us forward into what God is doing.
So, what makes someone part of the Core? THAT is what I think we are struggling with as a Network!
I think there is a felt-need (and it is a real need) for more people to cross this line. I certainly know that it is not for everyone, but it is for some now and some later and some never. But we don't know what makes someone in the core and someone not. I suspect that some of it will mean that a person makes a public statement of covenant, they are committed to a house church, they are committed to essential Christian beliefs and practices, and they are committed to particular beliefs (values) and practices that make VC unique (like community, simplicity, mission).
This is not a new issue! The early church dealt with it too. For them the rite of Baptism marked a similar movement - but we're in a funky mix where many have been baptized apart from VC. Which isn't necessarily bad, but makes us in need of a new rite.
So, this is not to say that VC is not open - it is, extremely so. But there is a time and a place for Core commitments.
This, as many will recognize, is from Missional Church, ch. 7, by Alan Roxburgh. I think, obviously, he's on to something that is worth learning about. --------------------------------
Obedience - a promise to listen attentively and to respond eagerly to the will of God as revealed in Scripture, the Rule of Benedict, the prioress, the community, the events of human history, the call of the Church, the cry of the oppressed, and in herself.
Stability - a promise to be faithful to one's search for God together; a promise to seek God in the monastery of one’s profession until death and to witness to the unchanging faithfulness of God.
Fidelity to the monastic way of life - a promise to seek God by embracing the pattern of cenobitic living inspired by the Rule of Benedict; a commitment to the ongoing conversion essential to the Christian way of life as it unfolds according to the charism of Sacred Heart Monastery.
Abbey of St. Walburga
We make three vows: obedience, stability, and fidelity to the monastic way of life.
By the vow of obedience, we commit ourselves to strive to live the obedience of Jesus, who, says the Letter to the Philippians, remained obedient even unto death, death on the cross (see Philippians 2:5-11). Obedience is surrender ot the self to God in love, but its concrete expression is obedience to the abbess, to those who are senior to us in community, and to the community as a whole. St. Benedict teaches us to obey promptly, cheerfully and wholeheartedly, without grumbling, lest self-protection rather than self-surrender consume the creative energy God has given us to become mature, free, responsible persons.
By the vow of stability, we commit ourselves to remain in the monastery of our profession until death. Normally, we expect to live and die in the community of our profession, though there might be occasional exceptions, such as nuns being sent out to found a new house under the auspices of their home monastery. We also expect to spend most of our time within the enclosure of the monastery. The purpose of this stability is to refuse all escapes from the rigorous work of conversion we have undertaken.
By the vow of fidelity to the monastic way of life, or conversatio morum, to use the original, untranslatable Latin phrase of the Rule of St. Benedict, we commit ourselves to a lifelong pilgrimage toward that perfect love of God and neighbor which Christ urges on us in the gospel. We undertake to grow and change as God shapes us through all the dimensions of our way of life. All Christians accept this commitment to conversion in baptism; Benedictines choose to live out that commitment within the specific framework of monasticism. Fidelity to the monastic life includes poverty, interpreted in the Rule as frugality and the renunciation of any form of private ownership of goods, and celibate chastity.
St. Andrew's Abbey Vayermo
THE ABBOT: What do you seek?
THE CANDIDATES: The mercy of God, and membership in your community.
THE ABBOT: May God grant you fellowship with us and with His saints. Amen. In the name of the Lord, arise.
(The Petition, from the Rite of Reception Into the Novitiate)
Taize
Brother, remembering that it is Christ who calls you and that it is to him that you are now going to respond.
Will you, for love of Christ, consecrate yourself to him with all your being?
I will.
Will you henceforth fulfil your service of God within our community, in communion with your brothers?
I will.
-------------------------------
The above quotes and copy-n-pastes are from various monasteries and communities. So, without taking sufficient time for background (refer to this post below), I want to offer some thoughts....
I see a need for a Core of people within VC who respond to the call of God on their life and enter into a covenant relationship with the God and the community. This would be something of an Order - similar to Religious Orders of Monastics. In some sense it is like The Order of Mission @ St Thomas’ Church, Sheffield, though this would be local. It certainly be misisonal, communal, and small.
But how to create such a thing? Is this an unhealthy retreat from ________? Does this form an exclusive club that is anti-Kingdom? Is this a matter of control and boundaries for safety? What should characterize such an Order? Who is this for? What does it do? What vows should one take? Why should there be vows? Isn't this just like church membership?
Hum.... lots of questions. I do not intend to answer all (or maybe any) at this point.... but some thoughts to that end.
One of the consistencies in the communities I looked at were three (3) vows:
Obedience
Stability
Fidelity
These are important me thinks. We should not overlook these. What could these mean in our context?
Obedience - to the person of Christ first and foremost. What is God calling the person too? But this is not an individualized obedience. It is follower-ship of Christ in the context of the community - because this is the only place follower-ship can happen - in a community of faith. And because one makes vows to this particular community then any life-altering decisions get processed with the community. This is essentially accountability from brothers and sisters for the sake of the Kingdom. So, in that way it is (or may look like) obedience to the community. Not because you give up your individual responsibility or identity, but becasue you admit that "I can't be a disciple on my own - I need you (community) to help me". In this way it is mutual submission to one another under the Lordship of Christ for the sake of Missio Dei (God's mission).
Stability - there is sacredness to place and space. Perhaps a better word for our time would be "Simplicity". Either way this is important in our world of bigger, better, higher, faster. The still small voice comes in stillness and smallness - as silly as that sounds, I believe it has been missed by American Christians. We would committ to intentional structure our lives - individually, as families, and as a community - to dance to a life-giving rhythm of the Spirit. So, while for many this will mean planting and growing deep roots in a neighborhood for a lifetime, for others it may mean seasons in different places. These "seasons-changes" are not arbitrary or birthed out of a desire for "the next new thing" or "keeping up with the Joneses" - but rather a response to the Spirit's movement as discerned by both the person, their family, and the Order. In all cases, the person seeks to live a simple life - free from the illusions of money, "success", and power.
Fidelity - faithfulness to Christ, family, community, neighbor, and the stranger. It seems that some reduce the Gospel to personal relationship with Jesus (period, end of story). We would vow that this is not an option. Our Chrisitan discipleship permeates all of life, nothing is out of bounds. So our faithfulness to the Triune God bleeds over (and fills up) our faithfulness to our family, the Order, and those in need. We do not isolate ourselves. We acknowledge the pain and brokenness in ourselves, one another, and the world and we respond in Grace. We take on the position of Solidarity and Communion - our very lives become Sacramental as we are instruments of God's Grace breaking in.
Hum... this needs more work, but hopefully it helps nudge us forward a fraction. --------------------------------
What does it mean to be Christian? What does it mean to be VC?.... incomplete thoughts to that end:
The Yellow area is our context in which we live (Norwood, Cincinnati). The Blue area is VC as a whole. Both the Context and VC are centered-sets. A centered-set is a grouping of (in this case people) where the boundary is permeable. Some folks are in Norwood, Cincinnati others leave in Cleveland - the choice is theirs and they can move at will (i.e there are no walls around Norwood that keep people inside). VC is similar - some folks associate with us, others don't. The choice is theirs. There is much relational flow here. The Core (green area) is fundamentally different. It is a bounded-set. There is a definitive line between who is in and who is not. Those in the Core would include those who have made vows to the community, leadership, etc...
Before I go on to explain the differences between VC and VC Core. Let me highlight the most important part of the thing - the arrow.
The arrow is indicative of forward movement - moving in and toward the kingdom of God. This is why we exist, this is the mission of God for this place (and every place).
So, here's how I see this working out. Someone can be in Cincy or Norwood and moving toward the Kingdom and NOT part of VC (we do not hold exclusive publication rights!), the converse is true as well, obviously. Someone can be part of VC and moving Kingdom-ward. This seems like it could be sufficient at this point. Essentially it would be an amorphous conglomeration of persons - some moving Kingdom-ward (others not) in a particular place.
But I think there IS a need for a bounded-set Core within VC. Again, not all of VC would or should function this way, but I think God has and will call some (a minority) to make specific covenants/commitments to VC, Norwood. These persons (Kevin is certainly the preeminent example of this) would dedicate their lives to moving forward in and toward God's Kingdom - in the particular context of Norwood/Cincy and with a particular people VC. This does not discount others from similar movements or from similar (or the same) commitments, but there is a definitive step that some should take that distinguish them from the rest of VC.
I use "distinguish" specifically, not separate. It is not a hierarchical position - rather a servant leadership one. We need leaders and core committed folks to call us forward into what God is doing.
So, what makes someone part of the Core? THAT is what I think we are struggling with as a Network!
I think there is a felt-need (and it is a real need) for more people to cross this line. I certainly know that it is not for everyone, but it is for some now and some later and some never. But we don't know what makes someone in the core and someone not. I suspect that some of it will mean that a person makes a public statement of covenant, they are committed to a house church, they are committed to essential Christian beliefs and practices, and they are committed to particular beliefs (values) and practices that make VC unique (like community, simplicity, mission).
This is not a new issue! The early church dealt with it too. For them the rite of Baptism marked a similar movement - but we're in a funky mix where many have been baptized apart from VC. Which isn't necessarily bad, but makes us in need of a new rite.
So, this is not to say that VC is not open - it is, extremely so. But there is a time and a place for Core commitments.
This, as many will recognize, is from Missional Church, ch. 7, by Alan Roxburgh. I think, obviously, he's on to something that is worth learning about. --------------------------------
Tuesday
Take and Read.
Bruderhof Communities - Why I Stopped Going to Church
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