Planning Meeting

Nancy's computer is out of service right now, so she asked me to make this post. 


Please Note: Nancy is feeling under the weather, and so asked that the location be changed today. Due to other circumstances, we have decided to move the meeting to an evening this week (Tues. or Thurs.) More info to come. 


If you have a preference of what night to meet, feel free to leave a note in the comment section. 


Sunday May 1st at 3:30pm we will have an open planning meeting at Nancy's House in German Village. We will try to to put together a general plan for gatherings for the next 3-4 months (always subject to change). We will also share communion.

And if anyone would like to bring light snacks to share during the planning time, that would be appreciated too :)

Please think about some ideas to share with the group, such as:

• A book you are reading that you would like to discuss
• A general topic you are interested in 
• Are you willing to host a Community Night or a Celebration of the Faithful?
• Are there special events happening around Columbus that the Cohort could do together? (for example, we all know Nick will talk about the Jazz and Rib Fest!)
• Is there a spiritual practice you would like to suggest to the cohort?

In general, what could we do as a group of emergent Christians in Columbus to encourage one another in our faith journey?


As always, anyone is welcome to come and share their ideas and suggestions. Hope to see you there!

Passion Week

The sanctuary at Prince of Peace

This is Passion Week, leading up to Easter weekend. This Friday, everyone is invited to the Tenebrae Service, 7pm at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (my dad's church). We can carpool, and if anyone is interested, we could hang out a bit after the service at someone's house, maybe watch a movie or play some games?

Kellye and I will also be going to the Easter service at Prince of Peace - the "sunrise service" is 8am, and then there is a 10:30am service. There is also a breakfast open to everyone at 9:15. Anyone from the cohort is welcome to join us, and you will get to meet my family and get a taste of what my childhood was like :)

However, the cohort could also go to an Easter service somewhere else. Any other suggestions of churches in the Columbus area that we would like to visit? 

This Sunday: Discussion

Hi everyone -

This Sunday, 4/17, we will have an open discussion at the Columbus Public Library Main Branch, in the 3rd floor board room, starting at about 2:30pm. (Note, the library closes at 5, so starting a bit earlier will be good. Please also note that there is parking in the garage below the library for a low cost, about $2, or you can park on the street nearby for free).

This is a very nice, quiet room, and very conducive to a group discussion. Also, I believe we could use a projector and speakers if we wanted to watch a video and discuss it. Some options:

- Video from Rob Bell: The God's Aren't Angry Anymore -or- Everything Is Spiritual
- Discuss any books or topics people are reading lately
- "Community Night" style open sharing and discussion
- Experiences of Lent 2011 - have you been fasting? what have you been thinking about? etc.
- Other topics that people are interested in?

This Weekend: Labyrinth Experience

This weekend (4/9) we will participate in a labyrinth experience together at Shepherd's Corner Farm. We will actually be meeting on Saturday (different for us), at 3pm at Shepherd's Corner, which is located east of Columbus at 987 N Waggoner Rd   Blacklick, OH 43004-9505. 


If anyone would like to carpool, please leave a message in the comments section.

If you haven't done a labyrinth before, it is a wonderful, contemplative experience. I believe that Roger has arranged for us to meet with some of the Dominican Sisters to give us a tour and talk with us a bit as well.

Sunday Night (3/27)

I had a great time with the Cohort Sunday night.  We shared some very important personal situations and are praying for a good resolution to all of them.  It is good to know what God is doing in our lives. 

We had some good eats, too.  Good beer.  Good wine.  Good friends.  What more could we want? 

We discussed having a book study.  I believe we  decided to make the book Brian McLaren's "Finding Our Way Again".  I'd like to know how many want to participate in it and what kind of format we want.  Shall we make it a blog conversation?  Or, would it be better to pick a time every or every-other-week to have a group discussion?  If we do this, what night shall it be and at what time?  I'm the man with virtually no schedule so it's all good for me.  The book will familliarize us with some of the practices throughout the various Christian traditions that can develop us in our spiritual walk and awareness.  Probably a good thing to do, huh?  :>}  One suggestion:  This is something we could do at a coffee house.  Hmmmmmm?

All of your concerens are in my thoughts and prayers.  Love you all!  Sure miss those we haven't seen for awhile. 

This Sunday: Community Night

This Sunday, March 27th, we will have a "Community Night," which means a time for each person to share whatever thoughts, feelings, events, or challenges they have experienced lately. We will meet at Nick's house at 5pm.

This will be a potluck - so please put in the comment section what item you will be bring.

Crazy little church

I googled "crazy little church columbus ohio" on a lark, and guess where it took me? Right, here.

I miss you guys. :(

Angela

Brian MacLaren is the real thing!

I hope I don't drive everybody crazy with posts.  I've just experienced something that I have never experienced before:  Brian MacLaren answered my inquiry about homosexuality on his blog page.  This is really a big deal to me and I wanted to share it with you.

I have grown too accustomed to either having to take a defensive position or an outight offensive position.  Being offensive has never made me feel very good, but I have been by churchess and politics to many times in my life to count.  Because of this, I have not been able to put my whole heart into any church or group that I have belonged to.  I have been holding my heart back with the group because it is not easy to give it all.  You all have been great and have made me feel that I am truly a part of the Cohort, not just a token Gay or something similar.  You all are the real thing and I want to say "Thanks" and "God bless you all abundantly"!   I feel like one of the most fortunate people alive, you mean that much to me. 

May we all have a blessed mission for our lives!

Curt

Cohort Book Study/Discussion?

I have been reading Brian McLaren's books like a madman!  For the most part I have truly enjoyed them and have been edified.  I've noticed his books are setup for group discussions and was wondered if the Cohort has done something like this with any of his books.  If not, would there  be an interest in doing this?  If we do chose a book to study, I would be more than happy to purchase copies for each household.

This leads me to another idea.  I am an avid "Purchaser of Books".  When I get moved into my mobile home in June, I would like to catalog the books I have and provide them to the Cohort for their edification.  I have a sister-in-law who has a masters degree in Library Science, so I shouldn't have any trouble getting them organized.  (HA HA!!)  I used to have about 500 books but a fire burned almost all of them about 30 years ago.  I've moved so many times that I have kept books to a minimum, but I plan to do much more once I am in my new home.  As it grows, I would like these books to be available to all of you. 

I also would like to know what you all think about submitting some of your own books into this library.  Everything will be carefully catelogged and lending records will be complete and accurate.  Perhaps we can ad this to a group discussion.  I will appreciate your feedback.

Br. Curt

Cartoons Talking Theology

If you haven't seen XtraNormal videos yet, this will seem very odd at first.....using computer voices and dry humor to make a point....but it does offer some interesting conversation starters -

Discussion on Worship 3.13.11

On Sunday, March 13, 2011, we will have a discussion on worship. Jesse will provide some questions to initiate the discussion, but come to share, discuss, and ask whatever you are thinking about.

We will meet at 2:30pm at the North Market in the same area upstairs. If you cannot make it but have some ideas you would love to add to the discussion, please post them here. We enjoy hearing from others in any form of contribution.

Looking forward to seeing each of you there!

Love Wins?

This video promoting Rob Bell's new book has caused quite a stir online. (BTW, note the article linked is written by our old friend Sarah Pulliam).

I know we've talked about the Heaven/Hell debate before, but I thought I'd just throw it out on here since we are supposed to be "emergent" - thoughts on this video?

And now for some shameless self promotion...

As probably all of you already know, the new band I'm in is debuting this Friday at Espresso Yourself Music Cafe on 50 West Powell rd. in Powell (thanks Scot and Mary for the connection!).

Here is a bit about the show:

Houndstooth Bindles is a brand new group playing some of your old-timey favorites, some new-timey numbers, and a bindle full of originals.

The band includes:

Nick Johnson on mandolin and stuff
Virginia Pishioneri on banjo and things
Jarod Ogier on guitar and vocal stylings
Lois Kwa on fiddle and buisness
Bill Wolfe on bass and whatnot

Come on out! We will be playing with Gary Demos at 7 pm, Bob Lyons Band at 8:30 pm, and then Houndstooth Bindles at 10.

Anyone who can tell us at the show what a bindle is gets a high five.

Cover is $4. Scot tells me they have great food. I'm going to try to be there by at least 7:30 to enjoy what look like very tasty paninis.

This Sunday

Hi everyone -

So, this Sunday we have an "open day" - previously we had planned to have a guest speaker, but that had to be rescheduled. Right now, we have the time of 2:30-5:00pm reserved at the main library downtown. This is a free reservation, but if we aren't going to use it, I would like to cancel in a timely manner. So, here are some options/suggestions:

• Discussion session about a book/topic (at the library) - could be about anything :)
• Composting stories activity that we didn't do last week (Jesse or Nancy could lead this) - at the library, or another location
• Plan to go to Nick's "show" Friday March, 4th, which would be two things for the following weekend, but nothing this weekend.
• Something else, like just having dinner together, watching/discussing a movie, or other ideas? 

Sorry we don't have things planned a little better - but the flexibility can be nice too :)

Cohort meeting at North Market

Yesterday was such a blessing!  I thank God that we have a place that we  can share our painful times and memories and, by doing so, we are able to heal all the more quickly.  We are truly blessed to feel free to expose our skeletons and know that we won't be scorned and rejected.  I pray for all Christian communities, that they may receive that love without conditions that we have here.  It would be nice to be a part of that type of ministry to our brothers and sisters in Christ that are locked into that limited heart space.  I am not sure how that happens, but I would like to have a discussion about it sometime and hear what everyone else thinks.

I forgot to bring up the Wild Goose Festival in June.  If you've checked it out, I'd like to know if you have considered going.  It sounds like it will be an amazing event!  If you haven't read about it, please do and maybe we can arrange going together. 

Blessings,
Bro. Curt