Next Meeting 9/13/09

We will be meeting again this next Sunday at Julie Larkin’s house at 5pm for a POT-LUCK DINNER. We are setting aside the next few meetings for us to better get to know each other.  I figured that we could do meals the next two weeks, and then move into the book study 3 weeks out from today [unless some need/missional opportunity arises that we could do together].  Again, this is an experiment, so the schedule is not set in stone and will/can shift as needed as we move along (and I am sure we will fall into a regular rhythm as we continue to meet).  Call or email me if you need directions!

Blessings

Clint

The Book we are working through

A Good Neighbor: Benedict’s Guide to Community is the book that we are working through this semester.  Here is brief description of the book:

In A Good Neighbour Robert Benson takes an intimate look at how others are defining, discovering, nurturing and sustaining life and love right where they are. Facing the confusing conflictions of modern life head on, Benson shows what it means to live in our neighborhoods, work at our jobs, be family, and friends, in ways that build places of relationship, love and mutual support.

Another person summarized the book this way:

Full of practical insights about community, this small book draws on personal experiences, Scripture and the Rule of Benedict. Each of us lives in several communities at the same time, with varying degrees of commitment, and Benson gives examples of how the Rule of Benedict can help in these various relationships. Humility and obedience are not popular words or values in American culture today. Obedience may be best understood as listening, and “humility is what creates the space within us … for obedience to grow.” Humility is called for in order to better listen and serve the needs of those around us. The author points out the danger of neglecting the community in which we live, in search of more distant communities where there are more folks who think like us, and with whom we feel more comfortable. We can then fail to see Christ in the stranger or a neighbor we scarcely know. Serving those in community with us is at the heart of Benedict’s Rule, and it is in ordinary, everyday things that we best serve one another and build community.

Finding Common Ground

Here is a link to an article by Tim Downs (the guy who wrote the book which Cathy mentioned tonight at the BBQ hangout).  In this article he outlines the basic argument of his book entitled Finding Common Ground, which is helpful for thinking through how we can engage people who are not Christians.  This might be a book that we could work through if you guys think it would be helpful.  I will also have some other options to present at our next meeting.  Thanks for coming tonight-it was great hanging out and bonding around a common vision for the Kingdom to come more fully in Englewood.  Blessings!

ESPN style worship…

You have to check out this video over at Ben Witherington’s blog.  It is a video highlighting what worship would be like if done in a sports reporting style.  Very interesting…

Henri Nouwen’s story

Below is an article from RZIM ministries that I received in my email this morning.  It is definitely worth reading!

Free Lunch

Henri Nouwen was a man people wanted to know.  In his lifetime he taught at Harvard and Notre Dame, and was a tenured professor at Yale.  He was a prolific author and a speaker often in demand.  Yet ironically, the people who wanted to know him most were probably the least interested in his crowning achievements.

In 1986, Nouwen walked away from his position at Harvard and accepted the position as pastor of the L’Arche community in Toronto, a community where mentally handicapped persons and their assistants live together according to the gospel.  Describing his experience, Nouwen remarked of the people of L’Arche, “If they express love for you, then it comes from God.  It’s not because you accomplished anything.  These

First Event: BBQ at Susan’s house!

When: Saturday, August 29th 6pm

Where: 4693 S. Sherman St. 

Who: Anyone living in or around Englewood interested in being a part of our small group thingy that we are doing!

Hello Englewood & Wellspring Anglican Church!

What are we shooting for in the Englewood Small group?

• a place of healing for people
• a place of strong “old school” community w/people in the group that actually live close to each other
• a group that can reach out to neighbors and the community together
• a group that can grow together
• a group whose spiritual growth is good not only for themselves, but for the sake of others

What could a small group look like in light of the following passages?

And Jesus said, “Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me so I am sending you.”

- John 20:21

We are to be Sent.  Just as Jesus himself was sent by God the Father so we are sent out by him, to utter the message of Christ and to embody his nature in community.  In our liturgy each Sunday we pray towards the end of the service the following: “And send us out to do the work you have given us to do…”

For God so loved the church world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

-John 3:16

We are not only to be sent, but we are to be sent to the world.  This means that we have a basic responsibility to be reaching those around us.  This means our neighbors, co-workers, etc.  As we move outside of the walls of the church, generally speaking, such outreach occurs best in the context of community and natural, uncanned, non-salesman-like relationships (which is, conveniently enough, what a small group environment can provide!).

“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and will all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

-Matt 22:36-40

In order to seek to love God and Love neighbor we will engage in the following practices:

-regular meals together

-regular prayer/study together

-regular, intentional  outreach to our neighbors together

What will the schedule of meeting look like?

We will meet 4 times/month for 12 weeks (like semesters) in the fall & the spring.  There will be a break from early/mid december to late January/early February (depending on people’s travel schedules).  We can decide in the spring if we want to do a third semester during the summer together.

The meetings each month could look like the following, although I want to allow plenty of flexibility for us to grow together while also having “breathing room.”  Therefore, consider the following an experimental template of what the group will look like starting out, knowing that we will probably shift some stuff around as we figure out what we are doing and how we can use our time together not only to build each other up (which is important), but also to serve people in the community that live around us.

Week 1-Open Meal & Fellowship

Week 2-Study [I am thinking of teaching through Galatians, but am open to suggestions of books studies, etc. (we could also have a meal this night if we wanted to do so)]

Week 3-Open Meal & Fellowship

Week 4-Outreach Event w/ someone’s neighbor [painting fences, raking leaves, throwing a party for neighbors, etc.(the possibilities are endless here)]

**Weeks 1 & 3 could be purely dinner and fellowship nights for us to invite our neighbors/friends/co-workers along OR we could do dinner and prayer (separate guys from girls, stay together, etc.).  If we do prayer, it will be harder to make the environment welcoming and non-threatening to our non-believing friends that may come

So, what are your thoughts?  Any suggestions?