landmarks

This coming Sunday is the 25th year anniversary of the Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance (i'm playing in their summer league this year).  Given that ultimate frisbee was invented in 1969, this is kind of a big deal (i'm sure only about 2 people reading this blog will even care about this).  However, my point is...

Landmarks are significant.

This past Sunday, the 16th, Broad Street Ministry celebrated its 5th year of existence.  Now this doesn't seem like much.  However, in the nonprofit world, this is a LONG time.  In the "experimental church" world, even longer.

Sunday was a wonderful celebration.  Even though I was loaded down with grunt work of making sure it ran smoothly, I was still able to experience the joyfulness of the day.  The BSM atmosphere was in full effect among the 400 gathered in that place (3x more than usual).  We had a smattering of every type of person possible, many who have been through the doors of BSM at some point in the past.  The worship service had the usual level of unruliness, fun, and joy, yet multiplied by the high energy in the room.  We had one guest, convinced he is Christ incarnite, who was jumping up and down, dancing to every song, making loud comments during service, and trying for another dose of the Communion.  We had more kids than usual, who found a spot near the back of the room to draw.  We had youth groups who have done mission trips at BSM in the past.  We had elders from churches who have given large sums of money in the past.  We had artist friends, homeless friends, dancer friends, social advocacy friends.  If you don't believe in a thing such as the "Holy Spirit," you may have been convinced otherwise on this day.

Oh yeah, and we had cake.

Capturing this event and the nature of BSM was a photobooth project by artist JJ Tiziou.  It was mostly as you imagine - a giant box where you make faces as the camera fires rapidly.  What emerged throughout the night was a HUGE smattering of people, faces.  The faces that showed up on the screen were ALL beautiful.  The magic was seeing everyone in their true light, whether they be a well-dressed businessman, or a worn down homeless person, they all looked beautiful.  This is the landmark we leave as a church: faces of those who the church encounters.  Faces that may not be captured by society.  Faces that Christ sees and loves.

Landmarks are significant.

Well, more like "watermarks," another significant moment this past week was a goal achieved by TheChurchisAlive blog.  We went with a pretty crazy idea: run an online fundraising drive for charity:water that would basically fund the building of a well in an impoverished area of the world.  We had been running this blog site as a home for those wishing to express a new energy and enthusiasm about the church and its ability to change the world around.  With the momentum we've been gaining, why not build a $5,000 well?

We did it.  In about 80 days we raised $5,250, enough to serve 262 families in a community.

It's amazing to me how people dedicated to giving of themselves can come together like this for such an amazing purpose.  Whether or not they did it for the "church" doesn't matter.  Hearts joined to meet a passion for the world in need.  We, as a churchisalive team, believe this to be the work of the gospel, work that doesn't quite translate these days in church.  Work that is often muffled by the bad media and pessimism about "church."

Our campaign started near the beginning of lent, hit a midpoint at East, and concluded right before Pentecost.  Our goal was met and we continue pressing onward.  I think that speaks for itself.

Landmarks are significant.

 

making space in advent

My good seminary friend Mark visited me in Philly a couple of Sundays ago.  He came to worship at BSM Sunday evening.  When I told him that we are now setting up dinner tables in the sanctuary immediately following worship, he responded with a look of realization "Of COURSE you do!  Of course you eat in the same place that you worship." 

Mark helped me realize that I had been taking these amazing moments for granted.  Over the past few weeks, we've been able to move all our meals upstairs to the sanctuary (thanks to removing of pews and re-finishing of a gorgeous floor).  The mood of the meals and the hospitality of the place has been AMAZING.  Beyond this is the deep theological significance my friend Mark helped me realize.  Table fellowship with people who are hungry and tired from being seen as less than human is a powerful experience.  Sharing food and conversation with people in need of both is truly a worshipful moment, and rightfully belongs in a SPACE such as a sanctuary.

Space is a funny thing.  We often dismiss its importance, placing emphasis on people instead.  Whereas the latter should always have priority, perhaps we should not always be so dismissive of the importance of space.  The environment we create gives a message.  What is our message?

We've been using our newly designed space a LOT over the past week.  Here's a recap:

TUESDAY, we hosted World AIDS Day at BSM.  The space was used for a meal, performances, and speakers, all recognizing the travesty of AIDS in our communities and the importance in taking action to promote awareness and support.  

WEDNESDAY, we worked all morning to set up an interactive timeline throughout the sanctuary for the Congregational Action Partnership meeting.  We took groups of supporting church members through our timeline, giving a full vision of where BSM has been and where it hopes to go.  

WEDNESDAY EVENING, we rushed to clear out the displays in order to set up our usual Wednesday evening meal.

THURSDAY, we took away the displays in order to prepare the space for our weekly Breaking Bread lunch and service provisions.

THURSDAY EVENING, we set up the space for a very moving memorial service for the son of a wonderful couple at one of our church communities.  

(Are you wondering why I didn't get around to posting last week?  Whew!)

So what is the message we draw from this space this week?  I've never experienced one place serve so many purposes over such a short period of time.  They were all very unique, yet seemed to still say the same thing: When we gather as community, we worship.  The week began in a solemn reminder of the plagues of this world, along with a great feeling of solidarity and comfort for the afflicted.  We moved into a celebration of God's movement through our time.  The meals we have together remind us of the physical nature of being in relationship, and the ability to provide for those in need.  At the end of the day, however, we are once again reminded of our own mortality, and the need for solidarity and comfort for the afflicted.  

Finding the message out of a hectic week can be difficult, yet it is what the advent season calls us to do: seek out the message of hope in the midst of despair and clutter.  

Because at the end of a hectic week, we can always remember (as Tony Campolo likes to remind us...): Sssssssunday's coming!  At the end of such a wild week, we always know that we will soon gather in worship to lead us on through another week.

Recognize the space you are in and find the message it is telling you!

imagining worship

As we continue to develop the vision for Arch Street Presbyterian Church, we've been spending some time in theological exploration!  In this exploration, we've been conversing on what we imagine worship should and shouldn't be.  I will share my thoughts and invite your comments!  Please share your own list!

Worship Should:
-Present and experience the good news of the gospel (giving people hope and encouragement)
-Express how God has spoken to humanity in history and continues to speak in our current time
-Bring people together in a way that breaks down physical barriers of division
-Lead a vision of community that treats all people as children of God
-Motivate and teach the community to go forth into the world as promoters of peace and justice.
-Send people forth into the world

Worship Shouldn't:
-Avoid difficult concepts or stories in Scripture
-Water down prophetic messages
-Be too focused on individual experience
-Serve as an emotional high or be a place to show off piety
-Exclude the curious, doubters, and ‘enemies’ of the church
-Promote social or societal norms that are divisive (family models, wealth, and appearance)
-Serve as a practical ‘how-to experience’
-Always leave people feeling “comfortable”
-Promote wealth or prosperity
-Ignore sacred traditions or new models
-Worry about pleasing everyone
-Fear silence

Getting into the thick of it!

It's been over a week since I've been here in Philly and I'm finally starting to get the hang of life around here.

Sunday evening was my second worship service at BSM. I had been asked to lead the passing of the peace. Apparently there is a distinct effort to get newcomers involved in participating in worship as soon as possible! There is always a wide variety of participation, of people of all races and socio-economic class...a cool thing to witness! Then there was the choir. wow. They ROCKED the house. Basically, this gospel choir sings every other week and sings a wide variety of songs (they closed this evening with "we are family"). My instruction with leading the passing of the peace was to encourage everyone that peace comes from Christ and not within ourselves, so when we do this act it is a reminder to one another of the peace Christ gives us. It's a very big deal at the end of the service to greet as many people as possible.

Monday was a long day of preparing for the upcoming Philadelphia Presbytery meeting that will be held at Broad Street. Amidst the usual docket is a small group session we are planning. The idea, brought up by Broad Street leadership and affirmed by Presbytery leadership, is for the elders and pastors to have conversation with one another regarding their vision of the church, what they need to work on, and ways they can support one another in said visions. This is something that is pretty rare with Presbytery meetings, so I'm pretty excited to see what happens. It's a reminder of what I keep mentioning about needing to "risk and trust." We are so afraid of talking and doing what really matters, and instead doing what is safe. The purpose of this discussion is not to say "we're doing it right, you're doing it wrong," but rather to get people to simply TALK to one another about their visions for the church, where the spirit is calling them, and to start to seek new ways to live out this call!

In closing, I'm posing lyrics to a recent song by Derek Webb that has brought up a LOT of controversy. When you read these lyrics you may wonder why. Perhaps it will help to know that Derek Webb has been on a Christian recording label. When they heard this song, they refused to release the album. Correct me if I'm wrong, but out of this he has had to release this album on his own. I find the lyrics to be convicting, timely, and very significant for an artist as himself. I'm often skeptical about a lot of Christian artists and I am quite proud of Derek for stepping out of the safe bubble many find themselves in. These lyrics once again remind us to "risk and trust" as a community of faith:

What Matters More, by Derek Webb

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn't silently consent when the liars speak
Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?