Friday, November 18, 2005

Back from New York. Very interesting trip, on several levels. I'm still processing some thoughts on what I experienced, but overall it was a good time. I saw much more of the city than I had thought I would going in - again, I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it before getting on the airplane to go. I'll cut out the detailing of everything I saw and did, just so I don't sound like too much of a tourist. Here are a few of my favorite moments, though:
- seeing a team of break-dancers in the subway at Grand Central Station
- Columbia University's amazing campus
- attending my first ever Catholic mass . . . at St. Patrick's Cathedral

I don't know if this next one qualifies as a favorite or not, but it was kind of funny. On Tuesday night, I was with my travel buddies in Times Square. Big crowd of people standing around. And then a Garth Brooks concert breaks out! The Country Music Awards were in town, and they did a live concert shot right there to open the show. I couldn't quote you two lines from any Garth Brooks song if my life depended on it, but it was pretty crazy. The "concert" consisted of him doing the same song three times - two practice runs, and then the broadcast version.

My reason for going to NY in the first place was to check out a leadership school that my denomination has sponsored. We met with one of the guys who runs it. Interesting stuff, but definitely different than what we have in mind for inter::mission. Theirs is a very safe version of what we'll do (safe in several senses that I won't go into here). I did learn a good bit that will help with the administrative side of the set-up, though.

We also got to get a first hand look at a larger effort being given to New York City by the denom. I have to be honest - while a lot of effort is being put forward into church planting, with some "success", I walked away significantly troubled. I am very conflicted right now in my feelings about this stream. Their efforts at being progressive, especially in terms of ministry to urban areas, seem to be just a new take on colonialism within our own borders. I won't elaborate here on this, but as always, anyone reading this is welcome to e-mail me for follow-up dialogue.

At this point, I'm just really glad to be home. I really missed Michelle, and am looking forward to hanging out with her a bit this weekend. I'm working a lot this weekend, but I'll have some time with her too.

Next week - SoCal for Thanksgiving. I'm not sure what our schedule is, but I hear there's a pretty cool thing going on at the Evans' home on Friday. As a positive take on Buy Nothing Day, the Ecclesia Collective is hosting Make Something Day.

posted by Steve at 9:14 AM
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1 Comments:

Blogger Jared commented at 2:43 PM~  

I'm pretty interested in your take on church planting in NYC.

jared@bronxfellowship.org

www.urbanekklesia.blogspot.com
www.bronxfellowship.org
www.metrosoul.org

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spirit farmer data

I'm Steve Lewis. This used to be my blogging home. My online home is now at SpiritFarmer.com. When this blog was my active online home, I lived in Seattle. Now I live in London, UK. I follow Jesus (poorly most of the time), worship simply, read a lot, watch culture, go to school, listen to music, write, enjoy art, and drink a lot of coffee.
e-mail me: spiritfarmer@gmail.com
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seattle spots

victrola coffee
zoka coffee
university of washington
church of the apostles
quest church
sanctuary church
shoreline vineyard


sites i visit

off the map
theooze
next-wave
metacritic
nt wright



a few of the blogs in the feedreader

tallskinnykiwi
jason evans
joe boyd
kevin rains
alan creech
chris marshall
bill bean
eugene cho
jordon cooper
dwight friesen
john chandler
amy palmer
ryan bolger
rudy carrasco
ryan sharp
sings in the sunshine
rick bennett
scot mcknight
karen ward
alan hirsch
dan kimball
petey crowder



i'm reading it

colossians remixed
africa unchained



i finished reading it - 2007

generation me
jesus and the restoration of israel
god's continent
glocalization
globalizing theology
gustavo gutierrez: essential writings
jesus and the eyewitnesses
garlands of grace
twenty poems to nourish your soul
the black swan
dancing in the streets
made to stick
signs in contemporary culture
hit the bullseye
revolution
the politics of jesus
readings in christian ethics
toward old testament ethics
the kite runner
principles of conduct
velvet elvis
the irresistable revolution
they like jesus, but not the church
the great omission
ishmael
charisma: the gift of grace, and how it has been taken from us
the starfish and the spider
a perfect mess
the world cafe
the new faces of christianity
leaving church
journeying in faith
the creed
creators
transforming mission
metaphors we live by
foolishness to the greeks
personal knowledge



states i've spent time: 2007

washington
texas
british columbia
oregon
california
georgia
oh yeah, denmark, too



i wrote it

managing conflict in the 'new world'
music review: over the rhine
film review: bonhoeffer
music review: fighting jacks
film review: the passion of the christ
how reality tv changes lives
the best tv article you've ever read
corks & caps: a wine lover's story of change
america's idols
random, disorganized thoughts about life after the katrina disaster
missional . . . plain and simple
on becoming post-gnostic



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