I am sitting in the lecture hall at Wesley and so far today, have met with Doug, watched Hot Metal Bridge rehearse, listen to Wesley pres welcome us, listen to Lovett Weems doing his scary and very significant younger clergy thing, and who is one of my major mentors. It is Hot Metal Bridge's turn, sure enough, who look more like my kids and my neighborhood than the other folks here. A drama interpreting Matthew---what you do to the least of these you do to me..."Wake Up, Church." Jeff and Jim the pastors told us about how there is a bridge--the Hot Metal Bridge in Pittsburgh where they are located, that linked, at one time, two large steel mills...the church is a place for "head wounds", the people who come in have "head wounds"--churches need to be spiritual ER rooms--the emerging generation have lots of head wounds, said Jim. They worship in the Goodwill building in the third floor cafeteria, use lots of drama. The community in which HMB is located looks a lot like Westport. Jim is saying that that instead of "making disciples" we need to be fostering "authentic, intimate relationships." These guys have SO much energy...So real. I love it. Is there anyone here (about 50 conference staff folks and dss) that will do something, think something, be something different because of this passionate and this authentic thing that they are talking about? The mission of this faith community is not to make disciples, but to build koinania.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Hot Metal Bridge
I am sitting in the lecture hall at Wesley and so far today, have met with Doug, watched Hot Metal Bridge rehearse, listen to Wesley pres welcome us, listen to Lovett Weems doing his scary and very significant younger clergy thing, and who is one of my major mentors. It is Hot Metal Bridge's turn, sure enough, who look more like my kids and my neighborhood than the other folks here. A drama interpreting Matthew---what you do to the least of these you do to me..."Wake Up, Church." Jeff and Jim the pastors told us about how there is a bridge--the Hot Metal Bridge in Pittsburgh where they are located, that linked, at one time, two large steel mills...the church is a place for "head wounds", the people who come in have "head wounds"--churches need to be spiritual ER rooms--the emerging generation have lots of head wounds, said Jim. They worship in the Goodwill building in the third floor cafeteria, use lots of drama. The community in which HMB is located looks a lot like Westport. Jim is saying that that instead of "making disciples" we need to be fostering "authentic, intimate relationships." These guys have SO much energy...So real. I love it. Is there anyone here (about 50 conference staff folks and dss) that will do something, think something, be something different because of this passionate and this authentic thing that they are talking about? The mission of this faith community is not to make disciples, but to build koinania.
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2 comments:
i wish i could have been there for that one. i hope all is well.
Having met Jim and others, I know there are people out there that refuse to let a no be the final answer from the conferences. The Spirit moves in mysterious ways; sometimes all we can do is hold on.
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