Damn That's Sweet

I am often asked by friends and colleagues about my involvement in "church" and have decided that the blundering around the proverbial bush needs to stop and I instead should be able to articulate where I am at. Here is an attempt, although probably a bit long winded!

First, I must make sure that when using the word church that we are on the same page. Church is people. People the world over, past and present, who are trying to figure out how to love and serve God as best they can. Church is not a place, not an event, and not an institution down the street. Those are buildings, worship/teaching events and, well, institutions down the street. Sorry if this is beating a dead horse for some of you.

With that said, right now my family is part of a faith community called Grafted. Grafted is a loosely tied batch of people who come together geographically in various ways, all in the course of trying to figure out this following Jesus thing together. Grafted sometimes will participate in events, often gathers together to remind each other who and why we serve, and for tax purposes is labeled as an institution down the street but really looks nothing like what normally passes for an institution. It lives and breaths and is not afraid of exploring the fringe of what it means to be a Christian.

The network of people are the nucleus, they are the entity of "Grafted". We worship God together, we find ways to love and serve Nevada County together, and we walk beside one another in the ordinariness of life.** It kind of reminds me of that teaching in the Hebrew Scriptures... "Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly" all done in community because of our love of Jesus.

I use the word "we" as if I am tightly nit into this group, but the reality is, although I am connected to this network, right now I am more like a satellite slowly orbiting. The only thing tying me into the knot of people is gravity. God has me very focused in on a few things at the moment that leaves little energy for anything or anyone else outside my innermost life (which happens some times). The amazing thing is, what little energy I have left to funnel into Grafted is accepted with no strings attached. It is amazing and refreshing to me.

Here is this little rag tag group with huge hearts and a desire to serve that is still not sure how it all fits together, and instead of being frustrated with my lack of "jumping in" is encouraging me in my faith journey unselfishly. I am sincerely hoping that as winter settles in and the earth begins to rest, that I and my family will also enter into a season of rest. Part of that, I hope, is to be able to slowly and naturally build stronger friendships with those in the community and to be able to actually get my hands dirty, working along side them doing something little for a neighbor or two.

** I must note here that this is what I see Grafted as being so far. Brad, Tyson, if I am way off in describing the Grafted tribe, please feel free to correct me. *grin*

Here I am, as becoming usual with a head cold, sitting with my cohort getting my brain filled with amazing stuff about God and scripture and wonder. I keep wondering back to where God is taking me with all this. So I am going to indulge in speculation for a bit.

Possible clues:

This last summer "it was impressed upon me" (*smirk* I always think that term is soooo cheesy) to stop tagging "but I don't see myself as becoming a pastor" at the end of explanations as to why I am getting my MDiv.

I also realized that I love, and seem to be built for, preaching and or teach (with their slight differences). I had to give a "homily" yesterday and I was the only one that went into full blown classroom like teaching and as I sat down two people said I need to get my PHD and teach at the seminary. which I think would be a blast, but at the same time have no idea what I would teach about.

Then, last night, it occurred to me as random thoughts floated through my head, that I could go back into Youth ministry and be a Youth Pastor. That feels both weird and natural and funky. Eh. Just not that interested, but would be better than working in retail or something in order to pay of the loans.

I still feel very planted in the community of Nevada County. That is where we are supposed to be.

Fortunately I have 18 more month to figure this out. *grin*

Brian McLaren: Correcting Media Myopi

"Many people are happily conservative in their religion and politics. For them, the dangers of what could happen for the worse are greater than the injustices of what currently is, so their bias is generally against change and toward preserving (conserving) or returning to the way we were, or the way we are. Many people are happily liberal in their religion and politics. For them, the injustices of what has been and what currently is are so great that it's worth risking the dangers of what could happen in order to seek a better and freer (liberal) world. Both sides, it seems to me, have a point."