Great day

This was a very good day.  Our committee finished all of our business tonight. 
This morning I went to breakfast and heard Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence, speak and wow..she is dynamic and so inspiring.  I can't wait to share it with you, so read the book.  I learned a couple of important things.  The main one is that even with the emergence churches, our denomination, a doctrinal, theological, creedal community of believers who love decency and in order stuff, will remain viable.  We just need to work hard and change our model and keep on keeping on.  As she explained, pods will happen and people will find their spirituality and then move on to other small  new pods.  But we will be the ones that can keep the theology intact and train and send out those to create pods of believers who have no interest in our way of doing church.  But we will remain vital and useful and at the same time be disciples.  It is the over 60's and under 25's that understand and can accept the new way.  It is those in the middle that get frightened and resist the change.  Interesting...that the two outside generations should be the ones to understand each other and work together.  Something to think and talk about.  We will have many conversations.
In our committee, since it was lightweight (important but lightweight and non-contentious) the leaders decided to provide us with something special.  They did.  The relationship building (don't read this, Tracy) was wonderful and they developed a thing called "Traveling Light".  we have been doing Lectio Divino 0I know it probably isn't probably spelled that way) and moved into "Building the Church Deep and Wide" and it has been eye opening.  I have been a member of Deep and Wide for over a year, but they are changing it and it will now have more implications for the church and we all should be looking at it.  (On the web)  Tonight they showed a video on evangelism.  It was about a church that took on the skateboarders and made them a viable youth group.  Guess what?  I knew that building...it was the Guthrie church where I grew up.  What a kick!!!
Tomorrow we get a field trip into the city to see I don't know what, but I am sure I will be amazed.  This is a bonus I did not expect from GA.  I hope everyone is having the joyful experience I am having.  I am sure the folks on several committees are suffering great pain tonight as their discussions have not been pleasant and they are going to be tired.  We are to be quiet about finishing tonight...most won't have that great experience.  So, though I am tired, I have made some wonderful new friends and have made a covenant with my partner to pray for her congregation and her vision and she will pray for us.  A couple of ladies I would like to wrap up and take home. 
Until tomorrow, Shalom