Why not rekindle, renew & relive?
The 3 R's are important. But who will pick a trinity?
Monday, August 14, 2006
The Senior High Campers of Section 156
There is not a single appointee in the Community of Christ who is in their 30's who is "called" to minister in the United States or Canada.
Art Smith, was the youngest appointee at 1-time (he took the title away from me). Yet Art made his career in Canada, then Tahiti, now "South America."
For some strange reason, almost all the men I admire that still work for the church are involved in International (or cross-cultural) ministries.
Yet cross-cultural ministries is the hallmark of 21st Century church, regardless of your turf. I have seen Steve Shields as a "young" missionary in the Jungles of the 90210. Art learned to love K-State football in Manhatten (little apple, not Big Apple).
Gary. Gary Logan is perhaps one of the greatest builders of his generation in the Church. The man taught me about partnerships. He dreamed of a church and the YMCA sharing common turf. Yet he has been pushed aside by those with smaller dreams.
Yet the current hierarchy only seems to value these gifts "overseas." But when you grow up in Michigan, you know that one man's lake is another woman's ocean.
Perhaps that is why Park of the Pines was so special. Kids from across "the locks" interacted with their Michigan RLDS sisters and brothers.
Art, Jeff, Charmaine & Tony, Dan & Deb, Steve(s), Aimee & Val & their dad, and the current Bishop of Canada (my Jr. High Camp director) all know that Park of the Pines is a true campgrounds of Zion. (or is it reuniongrounds?)
Art Smith, was the youngest appointee at 1-time (he took the title away from me). Yet Art made his career in Canada, then Tahiti, now "South America."
For some strange reason, almost all the men I admire that still work for the church are involved in International (or cross-cultural) ministries.
Yet cross-cultural ministries is the hallmark of 21st Century church, regardless of your turf. I have seen Steve Shields as a "young" missionary in the Jungles of the 90210. Art learned to love K-State football in Manhatten (little apple, not Big Apple).
Gary. Gary Logan is perhaps one of the greatest builders of his generation in the Church. The man taught me about partnerships. He dreamed of a church and the YMCA sharing common turf. Yet he has been pushed aside by those with smaller dreams.
Yet the current hierarchy only seems to value these gifts "overseas." But when you grow up in Michigan, you know that one man's lake is another woman's ocean.
Perhaps that is why Park of the Pines was so special. Kids from across "the locks" interacted with their Michigan RLDS sisters and brothers.
Art, Jeff, Charmaine & Tony, Dan & Deb, Steve(s), Aimee & Val & their dad, and the current Bishop of Canada (my Jr. High Camp director) all know that Park of the Pines is a true campgrounds of Zion. (or is it reuniongrounds?)
edited and expanded on May 19th, 2007
Second Acts
At the end of the month I will conclude my almost 15 year career as a professional minister with the Community of Christ. My denomination is in the midst of a corporate downsizing, where over 20% of the worldwide staff have been terminated (or given involuntary or voluntary separation, that is the corporate word for it). It isn't a huge story to the outside world (the KC Star ran a short article), but it is huge within our faith community.
There are those that believe it is one more sign of pending collapse of the organization. There are also those that believe it is amazing opportunity to rethink how the church works. Neither statement is true, but I do believe that if the church (at least at the headquarters level) is to transform its self, it must be willing to engage in some more soul searching and honestly explore dysfunction in our corporate culture.
Right now, I'm hurt, dismayed, baffled and yet somehow hopeful. I think I will end up in a better place in six months than where I am right now. Yet how many of us jump at the opportunity for for extreme personal growth, if we must first endure months of significant pain and turmoil?
I've resisted the urge to blog about this process (for a wide range of issues), but I feel I need to start
Cross posted at ToddElkins.net
There are those that believe it is one more sign of pending collapse of the organization. There are also those that believe it is amazing opportunity to rethink how the church works. Neither statement is true, but I do believe that if the church (at least at the headquarters level) is to transform its self, it must be willing to engage in some more soul searching and honestly explore dysfunction in our corporate culture.
Right now, I'm hurt, dismayed, baffled and yet somehow hopeful. I think I will end up in a better place in six months than where I am right now. Yet how many of us jump at the opportunity for for extreme personal growth, if we must first endure months of significant pain and turmoil?
I've resisted the urge to blog about this process (for a wide range of issues), but I feel I need to start
Cross posted at ToddElkins.net
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Welcome to Leaves . . .
While in college I read a wonderful book by Reinhold Niebuhr, Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic. It is excerpts from the journal of Neibuhr as he served as a young parish pastor in Detroit at Bethel Evangelical Church.
Reinhold Neibuhr is perhaps the greatest American theologian of the 20th Century. In the journal he is brilliant and the proto-outline of his eventual theological themes are present, but the uncertainty and vulnerability of a young man searching to live our his call and vocation are very much present.
I thought it would be a fitting tribute to Neibuhr (ok, perhaps not fitting, he deserves sooo much more!) to name this blog after him.
In this blog I hope to reflect more theologically on the state of the church in general and given specific attention to my current fellowship, the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).
I do also blog at another place, ToddElkins.Net, yet I'm going to try a different style of blogging than has been present there. Perhaps I'm kidding myself that anyone is actually interested in reading either of my blogs, but really this blog is more about capturing a wide range of thoughts I have right now than actually being worried if anyone is reading. (However, if you are reading, please send me an e-mail or post a comment!).
Reinhold Neibuhr is perhaps the greatest American theologian of the 20th Century. In the journal he is brilliant and the proto-outline of his eventual theological themes are present, but the uncertainty and vulnerability of a young man searching to live our his call and vocation are very much present.
I thought it would be a fitting tribute to Neibuhr (ok, perhaps not fitting, he deserves sooo much more!) to name this blog after him.
In this blog I hope to reflect more theologically on the state of the church in general and given specific attention to my current fellowship, the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).
I do also blog at another place, ToddElkins.Net, yet I'm going to try a different style of blogging than has been present there. Perhaps I'm kidding myself that anyone is actually interested in reading either of my blogs, but really this blog is more about capturing a wide range of thoughts I have right now than actually being worried if anyone is reading. (However, if you are reading, please send me an e-mail or post a comment!).
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