Friday, June 13, 2008
discerning Kingdom signs as the practice of a community
Update: In response: Regina will be journaling here; Phil will be journaling here; Judy will be journaling here; Allan is here
Email I just sent out:
I am starting a 4 week series on Kingdom of God and I am asking for your help. My aim for the 4 weeks is to help us become better at finding the Kingdom in our ordinary and everyday lives as Christians. I am writing to ask if you would be willing to be part of a public experiment. And for the next 4 weeks, make a commitment to keep an on-line journal in which you write a paragraph each day on Kingdom signs that you are noticing in your everday life and work. Your journal, and those of 4 others in the church, would be advertised and placed on our church website. (I will also invite anyone who wants to in the church to join us, but I want a few examples to get us all going).
And people would be able, during the week to read and follow. Once a week, I would ask you to pause, to read back over the week and to write a summary paragraph, an overall discernment, a wondering about overall themes that might be emerging.
I can help you set up the online journal (it should take about 5 minutes). I will provide you with some guidelines on what you might look for and what you might write. I am simply asking you to be willing to
a) look for the Kingdom in your life
b) write a paragraph 5 days in 7
c) reflect on those 5 days once a week
d) make that public
Why do this? I suspect that many people lack confidence in looking for God. I suspect that the more we do it, and the more we see examples of others doing it, the better we will get. I suspect that watching other people, is a great way to learn. I suspect that examples from ordinary people is more helpful than pastors. I think it is a good way of using technology to help us relate as a church and to take Sunday into our life.
Resources being used:
1. A model for discernment: download file
2. Setting up a online journal: download file
)
I love it! Just the other day I was telling some friends that the conversation they’d just had, the way they had journeyed through the ideas and emotions, was “doing theology.” They back pedaled quickly saying they were not qualified to do theology.
I about choked on the ivory tower and reminded them that their lord walked in dust amongst smelly people and animals to do theology in nearly every context imaginable.
Now I see you taking the Kingdom out of the mode of discussion and in to the consciousness of every day life. Will be interested to see how the conversations develop.
Comment by Jill Shaw — June 16, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
Steve great idea. Am going to try it for a month. Should be interesting. I am enjoying reading other blogs from your group. Greetings from Tennessee in USA.
Comment by dan — June 20, 2008 @ 2:02 am
thanks dan and jill,
steve
Comment by steve — June 21, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
Hi Steve.
Trying it here:
http://colorado-negrito.blogspot.com/
Comment by Negrito — June 25, 2008 @ 11:41 pm