Emergent Tulsa Cohort

Monday, December 26, 2005

Monastery visit


Well, Dec 28th is almost here. That would be the 3rd day of the Season of Christmas.
I would like to meet everyone at St. Patrick's church parking lot before 8:00 am so that we could arrive at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek a little after 9:00 am. Steve Denton, Dino, Jimmy, and Steve Zedler have my cell phone number if anyone needs to call me. Or before Wednesday, u can email me.

That should get us there in time for the Father Guestmaster to talk to us just before Terce.
Guests are allowed to attend some of the "Hours" of the Divine Office: Prime, Terce, Sext, None and Vespers. The Divine Office and Holy Mass are celebrated in Latin and sung in Gregorian Chant. This is the schedule. We will have to talk about and decide on exactly when we need to return, but I am pretty sure we will be back in Tulsa by 8:00 pm at the latest.

PRIME
at 8:00 a.m.
SUNG HIGH MASS: 10 a.m., preceded by TERCE
SEXT at 12:50 p.m.
NONE at 2:35 p.m. weekdays
VESPERS: 6 p.m. during the week

The Father Guestmaster has invited us to eat lunch with the Monks in the refectory, and I have told him to expect 7 guests. And on that, we are guests, and are observing the Monks in their home and lives, they are not about consumer Christianity in any way, so we won't be catered to, if that makes sense. I am hoping to schedule one of the Monks to talk to us about his life there, but they may not have the time.

This will be a great time to step outside of our culture and be alone with God, bring a Bible, prayer list, Rosary, book, or whatever you want to focus on during the day. We could also do some centering prayer if anyone wants to talk about that. I certianly am looking forward to it.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Emergent Friends

As I was recently looking over several blogs, some of them local, all of whom are critical of Emergent as they understand it. I've been reflecting.

The obvious first observation is the gap between those who are very vocal critic and those who in some way shape or form consider themselves to be a part of emergent.

My first thought is to write some of them off as having been burned by the church and now disillusioned with the institution in some significant way. this is true of some. but not all. I suppose folks who think like this will come with the territory of anything, or anyone who says something new. People who didn't like the old, will lump you in with their disillusionment.

My second thought is that they are very conservative fundamentalist, sometimes evangelical, often republican, who love reason, rationality and scientific thouht (as long as it fits their worldview then they rebuke science.) Since I went to a Southern Baptist University, I often think of Southern Baptist first in this catagory, which is a bit unfair to my SB friends. Generally though, these folks are strongly reformed theologically. Though a high percentage of these folks are reformed in theology they are more often than not, pre-Barthian. Which is interesting too.

Both of these are true. but not always.

Third. Now this is a stretch. But I think there is a strong contengent of people who love Ideas more than they love People. (this can be true of anyone in this conversation either emergent of otherwise) I think this is important because of my next point.

Forth.
Emergent is primarily about relationship. Friendships. Most of the critiques of people who are in the emergent conversation are critiques by folks who are not in relationship or dialogue with folks in the actual conversation. I would contend that these folks would at least have a better framework for understanding what is going on with emergent if they had regular conversations with those folks.
blogs are not communities. blogs are not conversations.
blogs are not condusive for this kind of conversation because they are too slow.

So when a blog declares Tony Jones as the "stupid church person" of the year it's not within relationship. They sit down with Tony and realize they are one the same page on many issues. And to the Stupid Church Person blog, they did a good job finding common ground with Tony in their podcast.

Which leads to an intersting quote I hear recently. "Friendship precedes orthodoxy"
i like that.

what do you think?

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Update: Email

Merry Christmas to you all!

A Couple quick things to get onto your calendar

Thursday January 12 at 10:30 at Nordaggio's (at 81st and Lewis)
More info will be coming on what the topic will be.

Beginning in February we will be meeting on the first Thursday of the month. There are several youth pastors in town who might be interested in this conversation, but who have meetings with Metro worship on other Thursdays.

also.

The Tulsa cohort lead team
I'd like to let you know that I've invited Wade Hodges, Paul Littleton, and Steve Denton to be a part of the steering team for the Tulsa Cohort. The role of this team is to keep this a communal effort, and give guidance to issues as they arise in the future. This group will also be actively listening to issues that need attention for us all.

and finally.

Invite folks to the conversation.
Please feel free to invite folks to the conversation this January
Everyone on this list is male! and that is not good. So.
Let's change that. Let's invite some female folks to join our conversation. We have a lot to learn from them as well!

blessings

Steve, Wade, Paul, and Mark

emergenttulsa.blogspot.com

Saturday, December 17, 2005

A Religious Protest Largely From the Left

There are a great many folks who are pointing out that so many of the visible, verbal leaders of the conservative religious groups are way too silent about the terrible challenges faced by the (growing numbers) of poor across the globe and in our own hometowns. This article highlights this.

Some of these folks talk about this being a matter of priorities and they're right. Our priorities shape our attitudes towards others, our daily behavior (including spending, working and how we raise our kids) as well as our senses of piety, righteousness and faithfulness to God.

Cutting programs for the poor, finding jobs for the unemployed, and partnering with agencies of compassion and justice are theological issues - just as much as anything else on the 'Right's' agenda. Indeed, what is playing out between the two polarized religious positions is a theological debate which can sometimes be disguised as political in nature.

What's at stake in a very elemental way is what it means to honor God.

So - what does it mean to honor God? In life and doctrine?

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Why does he do it?

It must be the money... oh wait! He's a volunteer... just now part time.
It must be for the popularity and glamour! oh wait! That's not it.

Look at technorati.com and type in "tony jones"

then say a prayer for Tony.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Still on for today!

We are still on for today!

Hope to see you at Nordaggio's at 81st and lewis at 10:30!

call me if you have questions.

407-1545

Calm in the storm

This Saturday, Dec 10. Contemplative Outreach 's Tulsa chapter, in collaboration with the Benedictine Sisters of Saint Joseph Monastery are offering their monthly Silent Saturday gathering for centering and contemplative prayer.
I know many Emergent are interested in a more Contemplative or Ancient version of worship and this is a wonderful opportunity to experience a time of peace in this bustling season.
We will meet in the monastery parlor around 9:30 to about 11:30. We will have centering payer and
Lectio Divina. St. Joseph's is located just southwest of 21st & Lewis. If you are interested in coming , please be there 15 minutes beforehand to be oriented to the Contemplative method of prayer, and also if possible, email me and I will make a point of looking for you and guiding you to the correct location.
Come - to the quiet.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Next Meeting Dec. 8


One week until we gather together again.
I must say that I was very encouraged by the number of folks who attended our first gathering.
I'm looking forward to hearing from Paul, Kyle and Daniel as they share a few minutes each on the subject of salvation. Then discussion.

Nordaggio's at 81st and Lewis.
10:30am

See you then