So, it's been a few weeks since our New York trip. Since then, we've had class on different forms of church, gone into the wilderness for 5 days for the Niko Camp, and been working hard on finishing some of the major reports due at the end of the month, also known as the end of the school! It's a very busy time for us with the above-mentioned reports, preparing for our quickly-approaching summer at home, and, most importantly, Dennis crawling! Man, it's turned us on our heads. He's quite opinionated now that he can crawl, not to mention mobile.
One report that I just finished was based on two books: Foolishness to the Greeks: the Gospel and Western Culture by Lesslie Newbigin and The Complex Christ: Signs of Emergence in the Urban Church by Kester Brewin. Both were excellent explanations of how and why we need to revamp our thinking of missiology in the western world (meaning Western Europe and North America roughly). They really gave me new insight and meaning into what it means to be missional in the urban context.
Another report that I'm still working on is a study on the sub-culture of the elderly in Montreal. Based on my weekly meetings with an 82 year-old sweetheart of a man, a few visits to organizations serving the elderly, and a book based on the important role of the elderly in Quebec, my report will focus on the problem of isolation among many seniors in Montreal and their inherent, but all-too-often ignored, value in our society. I've come to realize that working with the elderly is definitely something that's heavy on my heart; I am thankful to have discovered such an interest.
Lastly, at the very end of the school, we are required to turn in our internship report. My internship over the last eight months has basically been experimenting with every thing I've ever been interested in. As you can imagine, it has lead me all over the city where I've experienced all kinds of amazing things. In fact, for the next blog I will go into detail about my internship, all the experiences it has entailed, and how I plan to wrap it up nicely with a bow on top. For now, I'll keep in you some suspense.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
New York City and Community
We came home a bit tired Friday night after about 12 hours of travel. Although our angelic son had handled the trip both ways like a seasoned traveler, we all three were so glad to be home. New York City was amazing, edifying, and huge, but we sure were glad to be back in the not-so-big, not-so-busy city of Montreal: our stomping grounds!
We've now had a few days to reflect on our whirlwind experience, and have all agreed we did things like New Yorkers in New York City. When in Rome... And although I feel I'm still processing much of what took place there, I really want to share some of our experiences before I lose any precious details.
To summarize, as mentioned in an earlier blog, our main goal (beside doing some sight-seeing, touristy stuff) was to visit a few communities that we felt were exemplifying what it means to live in Christian community. The whole concept of "living in community" has been burgeoning anew in and outside of Christian circles throughout North America. It's often viewed as a way to fight against our individual-oriented, materialistic North American culture. New York City proved to be fertile ground for such a goal. All in all, we visited with six communities: two churches, four intentional communities, and one Catholic Worker.
One community, Bruderhof, was a community of 15 people living under one roof, families and singles. Although this community shares all its money and eats together each night, most of its members have jobs out in the city somewhere where they are able to serve the larger community. Some were teachers, some nurses, some volunteers, some worked for Non-profit organizations, etc. These people lived in close community, and welcomed us into their home for dinner and lots of good conversation.
Another community, All Angels Church, comes from the Anglican tradition and is located in the Upper Westside, a very rich area of Manhattan. However, this church has struggled for years to include the poor and homeless in its congregation. Through this, they have developed weekly soup-kitchens, where not only food is provided, but also professional counseling and career opportunities. They were very honest with us about the many struggles that have resulted from being radically open and welcoming to the poor and homeless (mostly black and hispanic males) amidst their predominantly rich, white congregation.
New Song is a 150 person church in Harlem that is about 10 years old. The pastor there told us that when the church began with six people in an apartment, they commited to focus on a 10-block area of Harlem. Out of this very narrow focus, they have been able to do some amazing things within the last 10 years. Not only do they have a church building, but they also own affordable-housing buildings, a youth development center, a health and wellness center, and are soon opening a restaurant where they will serve healthy food and offer hospitality. This is all within a 10-block area of Harlem!
Another community, Bronx Household of Faith, was in the roughest area that we visited during our time in New York City. This community, started by two couples, has been there for nearly forty years. They too have a very modest, yet focused area that they work with. The community resides in two houses and one apartment all along the same street. One of the couples that started the community has had six of their own children and adopted seven, most from pretty rough backgrounds. The father runs a ministry that helps troubled men in the troubled Bronx area get back on their feet, while the mother has home-schooled and is still home-schooling all 13 of their kids! Two of her children gave us a little concert with their cellos while we visited. Amazing stuff.
Lastly, we visited the Catholic Worker in the East Village. The Catholic Worker exists throughout the world, but is concentrated mainly in the U.S. The one we visited was the original, started by Dorothy Day, an amazing woman. She died in the 80's and is somewhere on her way to being canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church. The lady who spoke with us worked with Dorothy Day, and told us that she often said, "Don't call me a saint because then you won't take me seriously." Dorothy Day was and the Catholic Worker is still today extremely concerned with serving the poor and homeless in each respective community as well as affecting political change on a national, even international, level. It's quite a decentralized organization, so much so that you wonder how it doesn't lapse into chaos. Nonetheless, it has done some great things much thanks to the woman who got it all started.
I could go on and on about our experiences there, but I'll stop here. Needless to say, the week definitely clarified for us what it means to live in community in a culture that goes in the opposite direction. It was an extremely interesting and extremely challenging week, one that I will continue to reflect on for months, maybe years, to come.
We've now had a few days to reflect on our whirlwind experience, and have all agreed we did things like New Yorkers in New York City. When in Rome... And although I feel I'm still processing much of what took place there, I really want to share some of our experiences before I lose any precious details.
To summarize, as mentioned in an earlier blog, our main goal (beside doing some sight-seeing, touristy stuff) was to visit a few communities that we felt were exemplifying what it means to live in Christian community. The whole concept of "living in community" has been burgeoning anew in and outside of Christian circles throughout North America. It's often viewed as a way to fight against our individual-oriented, materialistic North American culture. New York City proved to be fertile ground for such a goal. All in all, we visited with six communities: two churches, four intentional communities, and one Catholic Worker.
One community, Bruderhof, was a community of 15 people living under one roof, families and singles. Although this community shares all its money and eats together each night, most of its members have jobs out in the city somewhere where they are able to serve the larger community. Some were teachers, some nurses, some volunteers, some worked for Non-profit organizations, etc. These people lived in close community, and welcomed us into their home for dinner and lots of good conversation.
Another community, All Angels Church, comes from the Anglican tradition and is located in the Upper Westside, a very rich area of Manhattan. However, this church has struggled for years to include the poor and homeless in its congregation. Through this, they have developed weekly soup-kitchens, where not only food is provided, but also professional counseling and career opportunities. They were very honest with us about the many struggles that have resulted from being radically open and welcoming to the poor and homeless (mostly black and hispanic males) amidst their predominantly rich, white congregation.
New Song is a 150 person church in Harlem that is about 10 years old. The pastor there told us that when the church began with six people in an apartment, they commited to focus on a 10-block area of Harlem. Out of this very narrow focus, they have been able to do some amazing things within the last 10 years. Not only do they have a church building, but they also own affordable-housing buildings, a youth development center, a health and wellness center, and are soon opening a restaurant where they will serve healthy food and offer hospitality. This is all within a 10-block area of Harlem!
Another community, Bronx Household of Faith, was in the roughest area that we visited during our time in New York City. This community, started by two couples, has been there for nearly forty years. They too have a very modest, yet focused area that they work with. The community resides in two houses and one apartment all along the same street. One of the couples that started the community has had six of their own children and adopted seven, most from pretty rough backgrounds. The father runs a ministry that helps troubled men in the troubled Bronx area get back on their feet, while the mother has home-schooled and is still home-schooling all 13 of their kids! Two of her children gave us a little concert with their cellos while we visited. Amazing stuff.
Lastly, we visited the Catholic Worker in the East Village. The Catholic Worker exists throughout the world, but is concentrated mainly in the U.S. The one we visited was the original, started by Dorothy Day, an amazing woman. She died in the 80's and is somewhere on her way to being canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church. The lady who spoke with us worked with Dorothy Day, and told us that she often said, "Don't call me a saint because then you won't take me seriously." Dorothy Day was and the Catholic Worker is still today extremely concerned with serving the poor and homeless in each respective community as well as affecting political change on a national, even international, level. It's quite a decentralized organization, so much so that you wonder how it doesn't lapse into chaos. Nonetheless, it has done some great things much thanks to the woman who got it all started.
I could go on and on about our experiences there, but I'll stop here. Needless to say, the week definitely clarified for us what it means to live in community in a culture that goes in the opposite direction. It was an extremely interesting and extremely challenging week, one that I will continue to reflect on for months, maybe years, to come.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Spiritual Disciplines
A few weeks ago, we went out to the Quebec countryside for a week's teaching on the spiritual disciplines and a weekend-long silent retreat. It was one of the best weeks of teaching Lauren and I have experienced in this school. Basically, the teacher, Jeff Pratt, who happens to be great friends with Brennan Manning (author of Ragamuffin Gospel), taught on adopting a daily rhythm of prayer similar to those practiced in monasteries for centuries. Jeff actually started what he calls an urban monastery (ywamaxiom.com) in New Haven, Connecticut where he and the other members of the community commit to a common Rule of Life: 1. to daily moments of reflection and surrender (30 minutes minimum) 2. Holy Communion and prayer observed each Wednesday 3. Accountability friendships 4. Weekly acts of service to those locally in need of compassion or justice 5. Weekly sharing of Truth with pre-believers. It comes across as a very structured spirituality, but Jeff insists that these commitments are time-tested not only by the thousands of saints who've gone before us but also by Jesus himself. You can't read too far in the gospels without coming across a passage where Jesus goes off to pray. For us, it was nice to realize that although some of these disciplines may sometimes feel like striving or even legalism, the fact of the matter is that they bring us to a place where communion with God can take place. They don't cause communion with God, but they help us become attentive to his voice. As an example of a sort of daily rhythm, Jeff suggested praying over a psalm in the morning, maybe mid-day writing a prayer to him, and in the evening praying through music, etc. It's just one example. There are many ways to pray, and many books written about those ways as well. Fortunately, we believe in a God who values diversity and creativity. So, Lauren and I were really inspired by this teaching and have slowly begun to develop (individually and communally) a daily rhythm of prayer. It's a long journey, but we're glad to have begun.
Monday, April 13, 2009
At last, at last...
Easter is here and Lent is over. He is risen, He is risen indeed. It's a new blog, a new blog indeed. Now that Jesus has freed us from the bondage of our Lenten fasts (internet, chocolate, alcohol, etc.) we are back with lots of exciting news, impossible to contain in one blog. We just wrapped up a busy Holy Week, and now are joyously reveling in a free Easter Monday. The sun is shining brightly, the snow has all melted away, and a week of Springy weather awaits us. The hope of the season is upon us.
The last blog I put up was from early March announcing our commitment to Montreal for two more years. Now, we're almost to mid-April and, although the end of the school approaches, there's still much to be done. For example, this coming Friday the school will travel to New York for a week's trip to meet with different intentional communities. Basically, an intentional community, according to our definition, is any group of people who meet on a regular basis and share a common vision or higher calling. For example, any church could qualify as an intentional community. We'll meet not only with some churches but also with communities taking things a step further. For example, one group in Harlem (formerly called Bruderhof, now called Church Communities International) lives in a house together, shares all its money, and eats together daily. Another group in Brooklyn called Radical Living is somewhere in between: they live in three separate houses, close in proximity, and meet together 3 or 4 times a week for meals, devotional times, or community action. The goal, being in an urban center ourselves, is for us to learn about different constructions of community in a context very similar to our own. We want to search out people who are exploring different ways of seeing Christ and being Christ in the city. It's shaping up to be a really interesting week.
Then, we'll have a few days back in Montreal before I (Denny) and the other four students in the school strike out into the Quebec wilderness for five days. No, that's not a figurative statement--really, five days in the wilderness. That's all they're telling us...It's called a NIKO camp; Lauren did one when she went to Argentina for her DTS in 2006. She's still alive, so I'm hopeful. By the end of that it will be almost mid-may, and only a few weeks from our much-anticipated return to the golden state for the Summer.
Stay tuned for another update before we leave for New York on Friday. I'll go into detail about our time of Lent, the silent retreat we participated in, and the latest developments within my internship and volunteering.
The last blog I put up was from early March announcing our commitment to Montreal for two more years. Now, we're almost to mid-April and, although the end of the school approaches, there's still much to be done. For example, this coming Friday the school will travel to New York for a week's trip to meet with different intentional communities. Basically, an intentional community, according to our definition, is any group of people who meet on a regular basis and share a common vision or higher calling. For example, any church could qualify as an intentional community. We'll meet not only with some churches but also with communities taking things a step further. For example, one group in Harlem (formerly called Bruderhof, now called Church Communities International) lives in a house together, shares all its money, and eats together daily. Another group in Brooklyn called Radical Living is somewhere in between: they live in three separate houses, close in proximity, and meet together 3 or 4 times a week for meals, devotional times, or community action. The goal, being in an urban center ourselves, is for us to learn about different constructions of community in a context very similar to our own. We want to search out people who are exploring different ways of seeing Christ and being Christ in the city. It's shaping up to be a really interesting week.
Then, we'll have a few days back in Montreal before I (Denny) and the other four students in the school strike out into the Quebec wilderness for five days. No, that's not a figurative statement--really, five days in the wilderness. That's all they're telling us...It's called a NIKO camp; Lauren did one when she went to Argentina for her DTS in 2006. She's still alive, so I'm hopeful. By the end of that it will be almost mid-may, and only a few weeks from our much-anticipated return to the golden state for the Summer.
Stay tuned for another update before we leave for New York on Friday. I'll go into detail about our time of Lent, the silent retreat we participated in, and the latest developments within my internship and volunteering.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
A Considerable Extension
Five months later, we've seen/felt/learned a lot since we left home to come to Montreal. We know what it means to leave family and friends--and familiarity. We've experienced the freedom and the loneliness that comes with such a decision. We know it, and we've decided we want some more! In other words, YWAM Montreal has invited us to join as staff for the next two years, and after months of thinking, talking, and praying, we've decided to accept. To head home for good, back to the O.C. in June, was too premature for us. Our time out here has been so full of discovery that we simply could not end this chapter come June. We will come home for the Summer (which we're very happy about) in order to reconnect with family, make some money, and continue asking for support. With YWAM, even as staff, we're responsible for raising all our own support. Then, the plan is to return in September to begin our two-year commitment. Basically, that commitment will entail helping run the Urban Cultures DTS (the school I'm doing now) as well as continuing to be involved in the city in various ways: through volunteering, internships, education, church, etc. We're nervously excited, or excitedly nervous, but, nonetheless, convinced that God has more to say to us out here, and we'd like to stick around a bit longer to hear about it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Social Justice
I (Lauren) recently made a decision to volunteer at a store called Ten Thousand Villages (Dix Mille Villages here in Quebec) in an English area here in Montreal. These stores are all over the U.S. and Canada and sell only fair trade goods: everything from household goods to clothes and jewelry to edibles such as chocolate, coffee, teas, and spices. Not only is it a retail store, but it's also a great community where I will be able to learn about fair trade through people, books, and workshops that they put on quite often.
For some time now, I've been interested in the HUGE topic of social justice and more specifically, women's issues (domestic violence, prostitution, etc.). I tried to get involved with an organization called Women Aware but, unfortunately, I have only done online research for the org. and haven't even gone in to work at all. I was hoping to learn a great deal of information that way and it just hasn't worked out. During my time here I have become increasingly aware of and interested in our economic system and the link between environmental issues and social justice. In other words, I've been really into living as "all naturally" as possible but have just recently discovered the link between the lifestyle choices I make and the direct effect it has on many, many poor people and countries. It has actually been a real source of joy discovering this, as it's such an obvious way to reconcile my desire to be a full-time momma as well as concerned with global and local social justice issues. Every purchase I do or don't make contributes to the well-being or the suffering in workers all over world.
This last week our speaker was Dave Skeen, founder of an organization called Global Youth Network (sending university students to third-world countries to teach practically on social justice issues), and his topic was on social justice. To my surprise and delight, the first three days were really all about the environment and our lifestyle choices, fair trade, etc. He spoke about making it a value and priority to buy less and buy local. He talked about making community more important than our individuality, both locally and globally: to do what is best for community and not just our own convenience. This topic touched me so much and really affirmed my decision to volunteer at Dix Mille Villages and to learn more about this subject, while doing all I can here and now.
In fact, he showed us a short video called "The Story of Stuff" that I would recommend to all of you. It was such a concise, informative video concerning these ideas and really drove the point home about our consumer culture. Just type in www.storyofstuff.com and the video will come up. I hope you can all check it out and enjoy it.
We are loving our new home and have been entertaining often while still enjoying having space and privacy. We're so excited about all we're learning here and really appreciate all your comments, support, and encouragement!
For some time now, I've been interested in the HUGE topic of social justice and more specifically, women's issues (domestic violence, prostitution, etc.). I tried to get involved with an organization called Women Aware but, unfortunately, I have only done online research for the org. and haven't even gone in to work at all. I was hoping to learn a great deal of information that way and it just hasn't worked out. During my time here I have become increasingly aware of and interested in our economic system and the link between environmental issues and social justice. In other words, I've been really into living as "all naturally" as possible but have just recently discovered the link between the lifestyle choices I make and the direct effect it has on many, many poor people and countries. It has actually been a real source of joy discovering this, as it's such an obvious way to reconcile my desire to be a full-time momma as well as concerned with global and local social justice issues. Every purchase I do or don't make contributes to the well-being or the suffering in workers all over world.
This last week our speaker was Dave Skeen, founder of an organization called Global Youth Network (sending university students to third-world countries to teach practically on social justice issues), and his topic was on social justice. To my surprise and delight, the first three days were really all about the environment and our lifestyle choices, fair trade, etc. He spoke about making it a value and priority to buy less and buy local. He talked about making community more important than our individuality, both locally and globally: to do what is best for community and not just our own convenience. This topic touched me so much and really affirmed my decision to volunteer at Dix Mille Villages and to learn more about this subject, while doing all I can here and now.
In fact, he showed us a short video called "The Story of Stuff" that I would recommend to all of you. It was such a concise, informative video concerning these ideas and really drove the point home about our consumer culture. Just type in www.storyofstuff.com and the video will come up. I hope you can all check it out and enjoy it.
We are loving our new home and have been entertaining often while still enjoying having space and privacy. We're so excited about all we're learning here and really appreciate all your comments, support, and encouragement!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Updates
It's February now and that means we're halfway through our school. As Lauren explained in the previous blog, our biggest change of late has been the amazing house we were asked to live in for the next four months. We've now been in the house for four days, and are taking full advantage of the privacy, tranquility, and intimacy that it provides. Dennis is sleeping better and Lauren and I are staring into each other's eyes more often. It's great!
As far as the school goes, there's much going on. For my volunteering, I was recently paired up with an 83-year-old man named Emile Pirro. I've met with him twice in his apartment, and am thrilled with the man. He's got quite a personality and seems to really enjoy company. I'm really looking forward to getting to know him over the next four months. Essentially, I meet with him once a week for 2 or 3 hours simply to talk or go through old boxes of stuff.
Also, I recently had two articles published in a local newspaper in Montreal called the Catholic Times. I covered two faith-oriented events and wrote articles for each. I'm planning on doing a couple more for this month as well. Another thing required of us in the school is to do a two-month study of a spiritual movement outside Christianity. I chose to study Zen Buddhism because of its emphasis on prayer through "emptying" and "turning off the mind." I attended an orientation meeting at a Zen Center in the city and also attended one of the prayer times, which is referred to as "zazen". It basically consisted of sitting in silence for three twenty-minute periods, each one broken up by walking around the "zendo" for five minutes. During the sitting periods, all noises and movements are strongly discouraged. I never realized how much I swallow and how loud it can be when sitting in a silent room full of people! Nonetheless, I'm very excited for what it might teach me in learning to quiet myself and just listen for the still, small voice.
A few other things that are in the works include a visit to a local monastery to have lunch with a community of monks and "monkesses", a few different interviews with Islamic, Jewish, Evangelical, and Sikh faith leaders, and hosting our home church's Sunday meetings a few times (now that we have the space to do so!).
Of course, there are many more things that have happened and will happen out here that are too many to tell; nonetheless, I can say with the utmost conviction that our first four months in Montreal have gone way beyond our expectations. A whole new world has opened up to us, and we are eating and soaking it up. The infinite opportunities and experiences within the urban context that is Montreal have revealed God's breadth and depth to me in fresh, new ways I had never considered. In the most anti-religious of North American cities, it's amazing to see God's presence in such creative ways.
As far as the school goes, there's much going on. For my volunteering, I was recently paired up with an 83-year-old man named Emile Pirro. I've met with him twice in his apartment, and am thrilled with the man. He's got quite a personality and seems to really enjoy company. I'm really looking forward to getting to know him over the next four months. Essentially, I meet with him once a week for 2 or 3 hours simply to talk or go through old boxes of stuff.
Also, I recently had two articles published in a local newspaper in Montreal called the Catholic Times. I covered two faith-oriented events and wrote articles for each. I'm planning on doing a couple more for this month as well. Another thing required of us in the school is to do a two-month study of a spiritual movement outside Christianity. I chose to study Zen Buddhism because of its emphasis on prayer through "emptying" and "turning off the mind." I attended an orientation meeting at a Zen Center in the city and also attended one of the prayer times, which is referred to as "zazen". It basically consisted of sitting in silence for three twenty-minute periods, each one broken up by walking around the "zendo" for five minutes. During the sitting periods, all noises and movements are strongly discouraged. I never realized how much I swallow and how loud it can be when sitting in a silent room full of people! Nonetheless, I'm very excited for what it might teach me in learning to quiet myself and just listen for the still, small voice.
A few other things that are in the works include a visit to a local monastery to have lunch with a community of monks and "monkesses", a few different interviews with Islamic, Jewish, Evangelical, and Sikh faith leaders, and hosting our home church's Sunday meetings a few times (now that we have the space to do so!).
Of course, there are many more things that have happened and will happen out here that are too many to tell; nonetheless, I can say with the utmost conviction that our first four months in Montreal have gone way beyond our expectations. A whole new world has opened up to us, and we are eating and soaking it up. The infinite opportunities and experiences within the urban context that is Montreal have revealed God's breadth and depth to me in fresh, new ways I had never considered. In the most anti-religious of North American cities, it's amazing to see God's presence in such creative ways.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)