The concept of a new-monasticism has been one I been extremely interested in as of late and a book a I've been reading hasn't helped the obsession. If you are interested in imaging a people of God oriented around a common set of vows as I have – you should check it out.
Schools for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism on Amazon
btw: another great book, The Solace of Fierce Landscapes really started this interest of mine. Thanks Si for the recommend!
For years I have been using ichat to communicate both with clients and friends. While I work alone out of my home, IMing allows me to quickly communicate and share ideas as if my "buddy" on the other end of the line was in the room with me. Sure it's not physical touch, it's virtual proximity at best, and it can be used lazily to replace true relational interaction, but it also can be a technological tool which builds community and allows people who don't work together or who don't live in the same locale to share life regularly..
So a bit selfishly I ask you who I call friend but don't IM, please consider getting an AIM (ichat for you fellow mac'ers) account. And when you do, drop me an IM at znewsome@mac.com so I can add you to my buddy list.
Last night, during the most recent Communitas Network event (an event focused on creativity and it's role in the Kingdom of God), my good friend Mike Ricker, who leads an inspiring effort to serve those without home in NW Phoenix, shared a phrase that has been challenging me consistently for the 12 hours or so since we were together.
Mike said something to this tune in reference to the diverse and very different forms of church that many of us find ourselves a part of:
"Sometimes what we're doing seems chaotic, which many people see as negative – something that denotes a loss of control, but I see what we're doing instead as creative"
Those who spend much time around me know that I often use the word "chaos" to describe the type of faith community I am interested in building and being a part of. I am just realizing this, but I am all too comfortable using this word to describe something as beautiful as the church – the embodiment of God's kingdom here on earth. In using this term, I have never meant to imply an out-of-control, anything-goes disfunctional group of Jesus-followers. I am interested in an organic community where diversity of ideas, perspectives, and calling are valued and where control is held loosely. I have often used the word "chaotic" to communicate this and the apparent messiness this creates when compared to the nice and neat controlled megachurch atmospheres I have experienced much of my life.
But Mike has provided an alternative to using this baggaged word in replacing the word chaotic with creative to describe what we are pursuing. I rather like the idea. Creativity is what we are after. Creative communities made up of both creative-people and people-willing-to-be-creative pursuing God in new and creative ways, acknowledging the wild creativity all around them, and applying creative solutions to the dilemmas we face as people of justice, followers of Jesus, lovers of people, and everyday people.
The conversation at last night's event that this idea created was brilliant with most agreeing that creativity was a better adjective to describe us that chaotic and that creativity is chaotic at some level. In some attempt to keep this conversation going (if anyone still reads this blog), I am wondering what some others think:
Is creativity what we are after? Does it describe our hopes and dreams better than chaos? Is creativity inherently chaotic? Does chaos breed creativity or does creativity breed chaos? Thoughts?
I haven't been up for blogging lately. It's hard to struggle to do something you once found such joy and even healing in. Blogging used to be a tool in which I could find myself in. More recently it has become a tool for others to find myself in – a direction that has sapped my true voice and stolen my creativity. I am sorry for this.
I feel as though I have been underground lately, jealously guarding time and energy for myself and my family that typically is spent on others and community. It has been a time of rest and a time of rediscovery. The voice of God in my ear had become silenced by the much louder voice of others. I have been relearning to hear God's voice and rediscover a sense of calling – that which I cannot do, which I cannot walk away from. These (re)discoveries is what will occupy this space in coming days.
Not for anyone else, but for me. Because I need to hear myself think and to see the crazy thoughts running through my mind on a screen.
For me music seems to be a seasonal thing. For months I can go without running across any albums I am particularly excited about and then all of a sudden a few albums come out at the same time and keep my ipod going non-stop. Here's a couple albums you must check out:
Radiohead – "In Rainbows":
These guys have stepped out once again to record this album label-free and are offering it in download-only form on their website bypassing all of the bulls&@t that we seem to be hearing so much about within the music industry. The greatest part, Radiohead has left it up to you to decide what their music is worth. It's a risky move, but the guts of this alone should warrant you download the album. Download it here
By the way – the music is brilliantly beautiful.
Jimmy Eat World – "Chase This Light":
As I've mentioned before, I had the chance to hear pieces of this album throughout the recording process. I also had a chace to hear them play some new tracks off this album a few weeks back at a show I caught in Flagstaff. I have been a JEW fan for years, and was intrigued by some of the new sounds and directions the band was heading with this release. Now that it's officially out (as of yesterday) and I've had a chance to hear the whole thing a few times through – I am loving it. I am thrilled for this local Phoenix crew and as of this morning, "Chase This Light" was the #2 top downloaded album on itunes. Please support good music, Phoenix, a some good friends and check this album out. I especially like "Dizzy", "Let it Happen", and the disintegration-esque "Gotta be Somebody's Blues".
And as for the title of this post, "Ear Snax", it's what I once called our shared itunes library – good stuff.
the Symbol Communities are going through some changes as we rediscover a sense of focus and direction. Find more info at the Symbol website.
http://www.symbolcommunities.org
Tomorrow night (9/22) is turning out to be a big one for those of us who have found place within the Symbol Communities. Symbol is going public tomorrow night. We've always been inclusive, but also always met in homes, which we've realized, communicates something other than inclusion to the outsider. So we've rented space in an art gallery in Downtown Mesa. If you'd like to participate, you can find the details at the Symbol website.
It's also big because it symbolizes our stepping into the middle of the city to rub shoulders with the "dirty". It also initiates a new public responsibility to actually be the people we've talked of for 9 months – people who live, act, & speak as symbols of the king and his kingdom. We longed for this for a while. Our hope and prayer is that we are up to the task. Our biggest fear – that we'll screw it up only to become yet another church focused more on ourselves than those all around who wish to meet the King.
Pray for us.
I've posted some pictures on Flickr of some recent events.
First there's some pictures of the Symbol September Common Meal which we moved to a park in central Mesa in an attempt to extend the hospitality and generosity to those outside of our community. Pictures via Flickr
You can also find some pictures of a community garden some Symbol people started on this past weekend here.
Also last week, was the reLaunch of the Communitas Network – a network of relationships and conversations centered on the future of the church, faith, mission, and justice her in the Phoenix-area. It was a great conversation, led by Aaron Norwood of the Bridge, with a perfect crowd (about 20 of us in all), at a cozy venue. Couldn't have asked for a better night together I don't think. Thanks to all who came. Pictures via Flickr
Thanks to Jamie for taking all of these pictures.
Tomorrow night (Sept. 11) marks the relaunch of the Communitas Network. The Network is a collection of Phoenix-area leaders, dreamers, activists, artists, and cultural-creatives (this really means anybody who doesn't fit a previous label) centered around the future of the church, faith, mission, and justice. Tomorrow's event is shaping up to be a great one as many new voices from a wider mix of the Phoenix area are going to participate. And it's taking place at one of the coolest spots in downtown PHX – the roosevelt. Communitas events are hosted conversations guided by some and shared in by others. This time around, the conversation's called – "The Gospel of Compassion: a conversation about the transformitive potential of compassionate response to the needs of the city." Long title, but good stuff.
If you are free and want to have a beer and change the world with us tomorrow night, find out more info at the links below:
Find out more about tomorrow night's event at the event page
More info about The Communitas Network
Be sure to register for the network to receive emails about future events.
Jimmy Eat World – Chase this Light:
Jimmy Eat World's new album "Chase this Light" is available for pre-order in itunes this week – it release on Oct. 16th. I had the chance to hear some of the tracks off the album and I am really excited for it's release. The album is full of tracks that both remind of previous albums as well as peek into some new dimensions for the band. A couple of the tracks have a dance vibe – which sound really good mixed in with the typical JEW tracks we've come to expect. If you live in the PHX area, go see these guys at Edgefest for me since I will be out of town and bumming :(.
Pre-order "Chase this Light" on itunes
FolioNow:
My good friend David Mulhern recently launched FolioNow – an tool to help users build effortless websites. FolioNow looks great and is super-simple to pick up and allows you to publish websites quick and easily. It's especially great for artists who are looking for a online portfolio tool that will allow them to publish their work for the world to see and to do it in a way that's easy for anyone to do and that looks as good as their art. Hop over to FolioNow and check it out. You can even sign up to try it out risk-free.
Check out my MethodLab Media FolioNow to see it in action
