e~mergent kiwi

Presbyterians don't clap

I spent this evening with about 60 Presbyterians from around Christchurch. A very enjoyable evening. I was asked to provide some stimulus in terms of mission. So I talked about:
: the diversity of our contemporary cultures
: the diversity of response to Jesus at the resurrection (Peter ran, Mary loved, Thomas questioned and experienced, John thought)
: which raised the question; if Jesus met these people at their point of experience; what does it mean for us to be part of communities and spaces that similarly meet people at their point of experience?
: i then talked about the multi-congregational model we've developed at Opawa

and concluded with two concrete examples:
: espresso and
: take a kid to faith services.

Afterward they all clapped. I was then informed over a pleasant cup of tea that Presbyterians very rarely clap. So a good sign of an evening well spent.

Resources I used tonight, for those interested include:
: the multi-congregational model
: spoken words from the Lenten 40 visual resource.
: take a kid to faith services.
: espresso
: my out of bounds church? book.

(The above is quite similar to what I did with about 35 Baptists in Dunedin on Thursday evening.)

future church conference

Just about to fly to auckland for the future church conference. Check out the conference blog, (which I will be able to develop, if blogger will just remind me what my password is!) I am leading the gathering ritual this afternoon. Then there is a book launch of my out of bounds church? book. Later this evening I then help "animate" (Dic: bring life to, enliven) a conversation around the theme Disconnected from our traditions. I am bringing the movie Whale Rider, and two animating Biblical texts.

I've been in bed for 2 days with a head cold, so I'm not the best. And my laptop powerpack died on Saturday. 2nd time in 18 months that my Acer 290 powerpack had died.