New Worship Songs

Sometimes I want to sing with the cohort. I love singing. I love music. I love to be able to put feelings and longings into words and melody.

But most of the typical Christian worship songs don't really fit with the longings and feelings of our group. So I often hesitate to sing together.

I found a couple of new good songs today that I think connect a little bit more with our group. I played the first one on the stereo, and I tried to sing the second one with the group today, but forgot how the chorus went (oops :) Anyway - here are links to the songs. You can listen to the full tracks on the website.

Love can change the world

Here are my hands

This Weekend

Lots going on this weekend! Here are some of the events we are going to check out:

Scary movie at the Ohio Theater.  ("House on Haunted Hill") Starts at 8pm. $5. Jesse & Kellye are going to this, and anyone is welcome to meet up with us (call/text 557-5768)

Highball Halloween" party in the Short North. Also $5, starts at 3pm but goes for most of the night. Lots of fun events and costume contests. Nick and a few others will probably drop by this event, and anyone could meet up with them.

Finally, we will be having a low-key time of prayer, communion and worship at Jesse & Kellye's house in Grove City at 3pm on Sunday Oct. 31st. Everyone is welcome. It will probably go about an hour. No food before or after. 

Volunteering this Sunday

This Sunday we are doing some volunteer clean-up work in an area where a few of us live, Weinland Park. We'll be picking up trash on a few very dirty streets and alleys. Please come join us and help make our community and beautiful and safe place to live.

1 pm at 1270 Courtland Ave. I'm trying to get a few trash pickers for us to use. You might want to bring gloves, but I don't always use them.

Restoring Evangelical Civility

The podcast from Krista Tippet this week has many connections to our conversations over the past few weeks, and the things Samir discussed. I'm just listening to it today, and will try to expand on this post later this weekend but just wanted to recommend it to everyone.

Here is the link:

http://www.elabs7.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=fj6,ngg1,dv,b8u3,5oep,ctfo,11is

Community Time 1pm this Sunday

Adam and I would like to invite everyone over this Sunday for a community lunch-time. We will have soup, and all the fixin's. Please plan on coming at 1pm. If anyone is interested in going to see Obama- we are planning on going (riding the bus) about 4 or 4:30 (it's at the oval and "doors" open at 5) and you can leave your car here and go with us if you are interested.

Remember that community time is about coming and sharing in life together- hearing about the goings on, and affirming our love and care for each other. Everyone is welcome!

This Sunday: Stories That Compost

Date: Sunday October 10th
Time: 3:00pm
Location: Schiller Park (see below for more info)
More Info: 557-5768 (Jesse)

This Sunday we'll be doing another "composting stories" gathering. We did this for the first time in June (read a description here), and you can read the stories that came out of our gathering here.

This week I thought we would focus on the story in Genesis where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son. We'll read the story together, talk about aspects of the story we like, aspects we don't like, questions we have about the story, and then we will each retell the story and share our "retellings" with one another.

This is a low-key, easy-engagement gathering. In the past, I've found that this practice really brings the stories to life.

We'll meet at Schiller Park in German Village. Lets meet around the north section of the park, near Reinhard Ave. Bring blankets and/or lawn chairs to plan to sit outside during the discussion. Feel free to bring any snacks to share, or games (frisbee?). The weather is supposed to be great.

Reflections Upon Samir Selmanovic Event

I really enjoyed the time with Samir today. Thanks to everyone (Nancy and Bo especially) who contributed and made the event happen. Here are a few quotes that stood out to me. I thought we could kind of "open up" discussion here on the blog for any reflections or thoughts about what Samir shared.

• We live in an ecosystem in which we need each other; we need diversity. The worst thing that could happen would be if everyone in the world became a Christian. Your identity as an individual depends on mirroring. You are a flower because you are not a weed or a vegetable. 
• For a Muslim the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence is the best example of Shariah law that has ever existed. 
• We refuse to distinguish between good and bad (when thinking about Muslims). We just want everyone to be bad.
• We need the Other, because if there is no other, there is no us. 
• As Christians we want Samaritans, tax collectors and lepers, but we are stuck with Muslims, immigrants and gays. 
• We need more extremists because the ones we have are shallow. We don't need extremists who resolve the tension of their beliefs with one violent act, but rather will live an entire life of tension. That is extreme. Mother Teresa is an extremist, not a suicide bomber. 
• The Other may critique us, and they might be right. There is something in the non-Western world that the West needs very much, but we are afraid that we actually need it. 
• The Other is there precisely so we can tell them who you are. If you do not share your treasure with the other, you do not respect them, as if they cannot say "no." 
• God is a stranger - If we don't welcome the human other, how do we welcome the divine other?
• We cannot fulfill the practices of our faith without other religions. 
• The good news must be news and it must be good. Sometimes, the good news could be better. The Presence of God in the Other is good news. 
• How can I have a religion that explains the existence of most of the world and life as a mystery or unknown?
• Jesus doesn't scare people. Our ambition to manage and control Jesus scares people.