I have a friend who describes his role in the Kingdom as “The guy who was sent to get the donkey for Jesus.” I laughed when he said it. Now, I’m beginning to understand it.
Last night we had our initial gathering of “the 12” (minus a couple). Representatives from 12 Denver faith communities joined me for two hours to begin the journey of what will become a collaborative prayer book that is uniquely Denver.
I had three goals for the evening. One, I wanted those gathered to connect with each other. Two, I hoped to bring clarity to the what and the how of the project. Three, we needed to choose a theme for the prayer book.
The first goal was easy. People mixed and were energized by each other.
The second goal was accomplished well enough. Questions remain, of course, but we left with a more comprehensive picture of what we’re all going to offer.
The third goal provided the greatest challenge. How do you find a theme that we all wanted to embrace?
I thought about finding a Quaker to help with discernment but relied, instead, on an ongoing “holy conversation” approach. It’s messy and unpredictable, but I believe the Spirit speaks to listening communities even if the timing of understanding is often far different than planned. Last night, I believe we listened and were given enough discernment to take the next step.
Through table talk, prayer, reflection and a creative writing exercise, our final, town hall conversation began with the task of finding our theme. It began more a trickle than barrage, but the words came followed by impressions and eventually suggestions.
It was an engaging process as we trusted that the Spirit would reveal something to the 20 gathered. But the great impression on me was that those gathered knew the city. Some were born in this city. They love the city. They embody the city. I have worked in urban Denver some six years but my friends know the city. And they graciously spoke out of their knowledge words of the city to ride on for our prayer book. As host, I was just the guy getting the ass for them.
So, we have some words. Not the exact words, but two juxtaposed ideas that will serve as our thematic center for the prayer book: beauty and brokenness.
Our task continues to be one of listening to the Spirit as we find the exact words for our theme that embody the beauty of the city within and alongside her brokenness.
Please let the rest of us know what the Spirit is saying to you.
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Great summary of Monday night, Dave. Here's a thought for the theme, although I'm not certain that it is moves us toward clarity.
ReplyDeleteWhat if we stick with "beauty AND brokneness" for the big idea theme, but we allow room for the uniqueness of each community's knowledge of the city by also adopting a thematic form that ties into the bigger idea. The form would be "______ AND _______". At Fellowship Denver, we often talk about juxtaposed ideas this way. For example, I think our community does a great job of "doctrine AND life". And one of the daily readings for our assigned month could reflect on this set of juxtaposed ideas that is part of our existing vocabulary.
It seems like a collection of "_____ AND _____" statements throughout the book could combine in a really colloborative way to show how each of our communities is a small part of a bigger story of "beauty and brokneness."
Peace,
Jill (Fellowship Denver)
Jill, that's an intriguing thought. What if our theme was "juxtaposition" and then let each community determine their own. Too loose a theme?
ReplyDeleteDave, DBP
I don't think it's too loose at all. I find freedom it in; others may feel intimidated by its openendedness.
ReplyDeleteBut I'll add this: the key to the form/theme is that the ideas aren't really juxtaposed because through Christ and in the life of the Church they're are distinct but inseparable. Beauty and brokneness aren't in conflict with each other, they're co-occurring in our lives together.
I like this idea. I was actually thinking something similar on Monday night when we met. It seems that the idea of paradox was the recurring theme of the evening, and it feels appropriate to me to let each community explore its own paradox (as I am sure it is different for each of us).
ReplyDeleteHere's the dictionary definition of paradox: "a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth."
I can definitely see how juxtaposition works, too, but I find the idea of paradox just slightly more intriguing.
Dj, I like "paradox" as well and agree with both of you that it may fit better than "juxtaposition" (as much as I love the word). What if our theme read, "The City as Paradox" and let the communities run with it. We could limit it to two words as Jill mentions above. What say ye?
ReplyDelete