Our Next Thing at The Gathering

I've not been able to be very active with my blogging lately. Besides working in the mornings at a group home for kids, tearing apart about 16 tons of safety deposit boxes in the old vault at our gathering place, here is something else I've been preparing for:

Monks to Iraq

Today I was watching C-Span. A group of soldiers who had spent some years in Iraq were telling of atrocities perpetrated during the current war.

Two days ago I sat with a new friend - Geoffrey Ames. Geoff is a Bishop for a small evangelical Orthodox Church group here in America. Geoff is a Franciscan monk, and spent a few years developing a Franciscan mission community in a town nearby. Geoff is also a weekend warrior. He is in the Army Reserves, and has been called to Iraq. This will be Geoff's second tour of duty.

Yes, Geoff is a Franciscan soldier - hmmmmmm. That must blow your mind. I know that it certainly does that for many other people. Geoffrey will be a chaplain's assistant. He will carry a gun. He spoke of his first tour of duty, and is excited to go back. Recently he has been teaching school, but wanted to have more freedom to share his faith. Being called to Iraq offers that opportunity.

Geoff told me stories about helping children in Iraq, and how the soldiers he knew really cared to help the Iraqi people. He told of times the Iraqi people expressed their appreciation for the American presence.

Geoff left his car with us, and we will have it in our care for the year (perhaps more) while he is away.

I am deeply impressed with the devotion of my new friend Bishop Ames the Franciscan monk. I will be praying for him, and shoring his stories with our church. I am not sure how his story informs my thoughts about the war, and my concerns for justice and human rights. I am convinced that Franciscans devoted to peace placing themselves in the heart of the war zone is a Gospel thing. I am also convinced that war is a serious transgression against the rights of those who are touched by that war.

I drove brother Geoff's car today, and considered these issues. War is wrong, but brother Geoff is one of my heroes. I am glad God is sending Franciscan monks to Iraq.

Other SynchroBloggers on this subject:

• Phil Wyman on href="http://squarenomore.blogspot.com/2008/05/monks-to-iraq.html" target="_blank">Monks to Iraq.


• Adam Gonnerman on href="http://igneousquill.blogspot.com/2008/05/may-synchroblogbloggers-
  unite.html" target="_blank">Guantanamo Bay in the eyes of God.


• Julie Clawson on Human rights and Christian
  comfort.


• Steve Hayes on Human rights and Christian faith.


• Steve Hayes (again!) on href="http://khanya.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/human-rights-and-amnesty-
  international/" target="_blank">Human Rights and Amnesty
  International.


• Alan Knox on My charade is the event of the
  season.


• Sally Coleman on href="http://sallysjourney.typepad.com/sallys_journey/2008/05/if--bloggers-
  un.html" target="_blank">If.


• Sonja Andrews on target="_blank">Human wrongs.


• Cobus van Wyngaard on href="http://mycontemplations.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/christianization-and-
  humanization-and-our-task-in-zimbabwe/" target="_blank">Christianization
  and Humanization and our task in Zimbabwe.


• Janice Fowler on href="http://gracexpectations.blogspot.com/2008/05/voice-overs-needed-or-wake-
  up-speak-up.html" target="_blank">"Voice overs needed" (oe "Wake up --
  speak up").


• Bryan Riley on href="http://charisshalom.fjministries.com/2008/05/15/bloggers-unite-for-
  human-rights/" target="_blank">Bloggers unite for human
  rights.

Social Action and Pentecost: non-verbal expressions of our faith

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

The Franciscan call says, "Preach the Gospel. When necessary use words." The heart of Christian social action is found in this dictum. God's care for the world should be expressed by His people in acts of mercy and giving. The poor should be cared for, and the oppressed relieved. These actions often speak louder than words, and carry the seed of the Gospel in them.

In comparison evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity sometimes look (and sound) shallow, and pompous next to taking serious social action. Of course Christians should be involved with caring for the impoverished and oppressed of the world, but I wonder if the above words of the Apostle Paul are the connecting dots between social action and Pentecostal faith.

His Gospel, perhaps like that of Francis of Asissi, was not simply spoken, but illustrated. Paul healed the sick and cast out demons. He demonstrated God's power through his prayers and blessings to the impoverished and the oppressed, and he did so in such a way as to emphasize his own weakness. By this he more perfectly illustrated the Gospel - He clearly modeled salvation as an act of God's power moving upon humans despite their incapacity to save themselves.

Healing and deliverance through the miraculous acts of the Spirit of God are still the greatest social action moments of the Biblical narrative. They do not by any means give Christians the right to ignore caring for the poor and oppressed in practical ways, but our knowledge of God's power should cause us to desire the spiritual gifts and move into a wholly new realm of social action.

Power to Bless?

“James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.”
(Luke 9:54-56)

It seems to me that the power of Pentecost (that fire and wind event, which stands out as the prime example of God's power working in and through Jesus' followers, and becomes both a model we look back to, and an experience we hope to discover for ourselves) has a central motivating factor which is so simple that we overlook it.

The power of Pentecost seems to be that of granting blessing.

Jesus was none too happy with the "sons of thunder" who wanted to call fire down upon those who rejected the message of Christ. Though Peter had to call the young men to carry Ananias' and wife's bodies out of the house, this was not the common power motif of the book of Acts. The few instances of power judgments appear to be the exception and not the rule. The stories of healing and deliverance far outstrip the stories of power judgments in the New Testament, and any general reference to power encounters in the New Testament do not mention judgments, but always blessing.

I have heard a great many prophecies of judgment during my 28 years as a Christian. I have not seen these judgment prophecies come true - at least not with any accuracy beyond that which monkeys playing the stock market would achieve. I would think that if we see judgment as a power play by God during these current days that we like James and John have misunderstood the "manner of spirit [we ] are of."

Salem: No Place for Hating Witches - SynchroBlog for April 16th, 2008

I am able to take a little time and write this because I completed my taxes months ago.

I really wanted to get away from posting about Neo-Paganism. Yes, I live in Salem, and Witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and the like are the common fare of local experience. Yes, this is home to such groups as The Witchcraft League for Public Awareness, and yes, I do specifically have understanding about the goings-on in the Pagan community because of friendships I have developed over the years, but nonetheless one wishes to write about something else once in a while, but alas recent events have conspired to make this SynchroBlog on the subject of social justice, and the topic of Neo-Paganism blend into one.

On Saturday, April 12th Jerrie Hildebrand and Salem's No Place for Hate Committee organized a panel discussion featuring Jerrie (a Salem Witch and social activist), Salem State professor Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello, and Margot Adler: the host of NPR's "Justice Talking" and a famed Pagan author.

The focus of the public discussion was to highlight Wiccan/Pagan lifestyle and beliefs in order to break misguided public perceptions, and help bring healing and understanding to the community.

So, here is why I need to write about this in my SynchroBlog on Social Activism and Christian Mission - Our church supplied the sound system, and I ran the sound for the event.

An article in Salem News from Monday the 14th highlights this event.

The newspaper seemed to underestimate the crowd from my evaluation. It seemed that there were closer to 100 in the room, which seats about 220, and the Pagan population appeared to be a little more than half the group when hands were raised.

Margot and Jerrie gave a brief history of Neo-Paganism in the US, and in Salem specifically. After about an hour, questions were asked, and the Salem State professor monitored the questions.

Here are some of the statements, and questions which stood out to me during the evening:

Jerrie: "We are single, married, monogamous, with multiple partners, gay, heterosexual, and from every walk of life." That did define the room itself, and the Pagan community as I have come to know it over the years.

Margot: "People are not comfortable talking about religion. After 35 years I can count on two hands the number of people who have asked me to coffee in order to sit down and talk about what I believe." I later asked her if I could come down to new York City sometime and meet her over coffee (I did not mention I hate coffee), to talk about Paganism with her.

The newspaper article outlines some of the questions asked, and points of discussion, and covers the basics of the meeting. My point for writing this is something different altogether: What is the place of the church in creating peaceful discussion with other religious groups?

Reading the comments to the Salem News article one finds what appear to be rather mean spirited comments from Christians. I responded with an apology for the behavior of the those from my tribe who are supposed to be "peacemakers."

Is there a place for social activism to include Christians getting involved in anti-hate campaigns against religious groups with which we theologically disagree on fundamental points of doctrine and truth?

I say yes, and have received not a small portion of condemnation for it.

What do you say?

Social Activism and Christian Mission SynchroBlog - April 16th

Here are the list of socially concerned, and maybe even active individuals who are going to be blogging together on this subject Wednesday, April 16th:

Phil Wyman at Square No More - Salem: No Place for Hating Witches
Mike Bursell at Mike's Musings
Bryan Riley at at Charis Shalom
Steve Hayes writes about Khanya: Christianity and social justice
Reba Baskett at In Reba's World
Prof Carlos Z. with Ramblings from a Sociologist
Cobus van Wyngaard at My Contemplations: David Bosch, Public Theology, Social Justic
Cindy Harvey at Tracking the Edge
Alan Knox at The Assembling of the Church
Matthew Stone at Matt Stone Journeys in Between
John Smulo at JohnSmulo.com
Sonja Andrews at Calacirian
Lainie Petersen at Headspace
KW Leslie: Shine: not let it shine
Stephanie Moulton at Faith and the Environment Collide
Julie Clawson at One Hand Clapping
Steve Hollinghurst at On Earth as in Heaven
Sam Norton at Elizaphanian: Tesco is a Big Red Herring
Kieran Conroy at Wrestling with Angels

SynchroBlog - Social Activism and Christian Mission

Would you like to join the growing list of people involved in our SynchroBlog (see the original post here)? This month the topic is Social Activism and Christian Mission. Let me know if you want in, or check out the SynchroBlog e-mail list here. Release date for this blog is Wednesday, April 16th.

Pub Theology #2

For more info on the tomorrow's Pub Theology check out The Gathering's Blog.

SynchroBlog on Neo-Monasticism

I am not a neo-monastic. I do not have much experience with neo-monasticism. I've been to Taize and thought it was powerful, and cool. I've spent a little time with Karen Sloan and some of the Presbymergent gang which includes a few neo-monastics. I know Beth (our guest blogger on this subject) who has her little community which some consider a neo-monastic community, but I really don't know much about neo-monasticism. I do think that it is a great concept, at least what I know, or perceive of it.

I perceive it as a community of mission minded Christians, who live and worship together, and find ways to impact their neighborhoods - a simple definition. I wonder - Need it be more?

Beyond that, I wonder if my evangelical/Pentecostal background has neglected this potential for too long. Is it possible that there are people who currently appear to be strange in the eyes of many Christians, who would be powerful expressions of the faith if they were placed in devoted communities of the faith, and given the potential for living in radical mission to their cities?

Links to SynchroBlog on Neo-Monasticism

Here is the list of those Blogging on the subject of Neo-Monasticism for this month's SynchroBlog. Welcome to March: the month of Dewi San (Saint David of Wales), and Saint Patrick. Neo-Monasticism seemed like a great subject when suggested by Steve Hayes in South Africa. Our special guest Beth at Until Translucent has specific and direct knowledge of this topic - check out her post when it comes up, and the others as well. Release date is Thursday the 13th, but here in the Americas I suggesting the posts be posted tonight - Wednesday night March 12th.

Phil Wyman at Phil Wyman's Square No More
Beth at Until Translucent
Adam Gonnerman at Igneous Quill
Steve Hayes at Notes from the Underground
Jonathan Brink at JonathanBrink.com

Sally Coleman at Eternal Echoes
Bryan Riley at at Charis Shalom"
Cobus van Wyngaard at My Contemplations
Mike Bursell at Mike's Musings
David Fisher at Cosmic Collisions
Alan Knox at The Assembling of the Church
Sam Norton at Elizaphanian
Erin Word at Decompressing Faith
Sonja Andrews at Calacirian

Repent America Street Preacher Found Guilty in Salem

Each of the last four years (actually it seems like more, but that's what the paper says) Michael Marcavage and his friends come to Salem to hold big signs, and preach through bullhorns on and just before Halloween. In the Salem News today there is story about Michael being found guilty.

Our church has a little history with Michael. He had some things to say about us in a recent article in Salem's other paper The Salem Gazette.

Here is Repent America's video taken during the arrest on Halloween:


Now, I have some distinct feelings about this issue, and will simply say a few things related the subject, which might help shed some light on the subject from a local pastor's point of view.

1. Repent America is not supported by any of the local churches in their activities here in Salem. I am not even aware of a local church which appreciates their activities (I suppose there may be one, but I am not aware of any.)

2. Over the last number of years I have known street performers, and people barking for events who have been asked to stop using amplification, and even stop working prior to the 10pm curfew set against such noise. Noise ordinances, public complaints, and crowd unruliness during Halloween night have all been reasons for the police request to stop. Preachers have NOT been the only individuals requested to stop.

3. Every year our church is the single largest Christian presence on the street during the month long Halloween season. We obey every request of the police, and if something unique pops up, we resolve the situation with the help of city officials before we resume our activities. Despite working with the police in this manner, we find that people stand in line for up to an hour to experience our events, and despite the fact that we do not emphasize making a decision to receive Jesus, we see between 30 and 40 people make that decision each year, because they ask how to get closer to God. (This is not information I have shared at any time before, because we are sensitive to the fact that Evangelical Christianity looks like it is FORCING conversion upon people, and we never want to be guilty of that heinous crime against nature - even though we are evangelical.)

4. Our people have been asked by the Pagan community to be protected from these same street preachers, and we went out to bring peace on the streets.

So, what do you think? Does taking away a bullhorn amount to restricting free speech?

UK Radio Interview Online Now

The radio show Premier Drive, which I was asked to speak on a couple weeks ago sent me the audio file of the interview. The show was an interview about the Witches in Salem, and the Christian community living here. I've downloaded the file onto The Gathering at Salem Website.

You'll find a link to the podcast of the show on the front page of our church website.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Upcoming SynchroBlog on Neo-Monasticism - Thursday, March 13th

If you want to join the March edition of the SynchroBlog please inform me. This month the topic is Neo-Monasticism, and we will have Beth joining in on this one. Steve Hayes from South Africa suggested the topic - thanks Steve.

The above link to the SynchroBlog will give you an idea of how it works. I intiated this idea a little over a year ago to find friends who loved the same wacky topics as myself, and to take over the world with our ideas! Okay so much for taking over the world, but at least we can debate, argue, and throw beer bottles across the oceans at each other in fun. The release date for the blog is this coming Thursday, March 13th. I encourage all on the American continent to release it by Wednesday evening so that we can keep up with our friends from around the globe.

Tilting the Balance of Darkness and Light

Since Good Friday and Easter are almost upon us, and since they coincide with the Vernal Equinox, I decided it would be good to create a Good Friday liturgy based around the idea of the change in balance from darkness to light mirroring the movement of the season.

So here's my little icon to commemorate the concept. Does this speak to you in any way?

Tony Jones Honorable Mention? Holy Laughter!?

Tony Jones new book New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier includes a reference to our conference last May: "God for People Who Hate Church." In the forward of the book he says that he visited some extremes in respect to his Emergent church experiences while writing the book. We are listed as one extreme.

The fact that we practice dream interpretation believing that God still speaks to people in their dreams today like He did throughout the scriptures, and that we are from Pentecostal origins are the reason for this mention.

Here's the quote: ""As I was working on this manuscript, I was also on the road, speaking about this content to a variety of groups. In May 2007, I visited these five events in a whirlwind of travel..."

"A Pentecostal church in Massachusetts, where I participated in a conference titled 'God for People Who Hate Church' and shared the stage with witches and druids as they reflected on how they've been treated by Christians.

The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where I spoke about the challenge that emergent Christianity poses to the Episcopal Church at a conference called 'Church in the Twenty-First Century'"

"Within a week, I'd gone from sitting with Pentecostals who interpret one another's dreams and break out in 'Holy Spirit laughter' to addressing collared Episcopal priests in the second largest cathedral on the continent. That's theological whiplash."


So we get the honorable mention in the forward. Or was it honorable? Maybe it was just a mention, but here's my response: Holy Laughter!? What's up with that? There may have been a few people at the conference who were into that, but as a church The Gathering does not practice that, and never has.

I suppose on one hand we are considered to be on the Frontiers of church life. That's cool. I want to live on the front edge of Christian experience as it pertains to touching our needy world, but I'd like to be accurately defined. Laughter - good. Learning to laugh in a holy manner - even better. Holy Laughter as practiced and defined by some Pentecostal Revivalists - uhm, a bit weird for me.

So Tony - Thanks for the mention, but we'll be expecting a minor retraction in the second printing bro. ;-)

Some of you will remember that I specifically asked Tony how the Emergent Conversation could better embrace the Charismatics and Pentecostals who were identifying with its values. You may also remember that I thought his answer was fair, but insufficient. Does this Holy Laughter comment perhaps hint why? Perhaps there is an assumption that all Pentecostals are whacked, and practice Holy Laughter? Perhaps there is fear of embracing emotional forms of worship expression? But wouldn't Pentecostal emotional expression be a positive move away from the post-enlightenment reliance in a solely intellectual pursuit of God? Just a thought which quite frankly I owe to some of Jeff Gentry's thoughts in his sermon today at The Gathering.

Live Radio Interview Tomorrow in the UK

I've been asked to do a live radio interview in the UK tomorrow at 10:40am EST (USA). Premier Christian Radio is doing a telephone interview on Wednesday 26th with me at this time. The interview is for the Premier Drive show with Bridgitte Tetteh and Dave Rose.

This is what they asked me to consider:

"I wanted to talk about your ministry in Salem. Probably focusing on Paganism, Neo-Paganism, Witchcraft. To let out listeners realise that this still exists and understand that Witches are real people too.To understand how you can minister or talk to someone who may be into Witchcraft . To talk about your experiences with people that are in to Witchcraft."

I am told that interview will be "general and light."

If you would like to tune in to it you can do so online at Premier Christian Radio at 10:40am EST, or 7:40am PST for my West coast of the USA friends. This means 3:40pm for my friends in the UK.

Defending the Faithless?

I used to believe in "defending the faith once delivered to the saints." I am finding more often that I need to defend those who stand outside my faith system against those who are within it. Do you find that you sometimes need to defend the "faithless" against the "faithful?"

Pub Theology, Pagans, Debates and Monks

On Tuesday night I held the first off what I hope to be many monthly Pub Theology groups. We met at The Old Spot on Essex Street in Salem. They have a few good ales on tap, and no one should attempt to do Pub Theology without good ales on tap. Halveston's Bitter and Twisted was my pint of choice. Okay 2 pints.

There were nine of us who eventually showed up. Five who were from The Gathering, or at least hung out with us occasionally, two Witches, and the rest were varying degrees of Christian in thought, but did not attend any church. Keiran who is studying at Harvard Divinity was there, and our nieghbor Sam, Christian Day and Leanne Marrama. Jorgelina was there, and myu friend who lives behind The Gathering - Tom, as well as Jeff Menasco, and Father Michael (Yes, the former Russian Orthodox monk has returned - I guess that's another post!)

So, we talked about how we come to decisions about the theological conclusions we make. What determines your theology was the question on the table. Father Michael lives in a perpetual state of spiritual warfare - Kieran and Jorgelina found that terminology disconcerting, and were vying for peace as the Christian Way. Tom feels strongly that Christians often live far too sad, and should have the victory of joy. Sam had his disagreeing thoughts with that as a standard for all people. Jeff added the Hindu illustration of the five blind men and the elephant, and that added some fuel to the fire of thought.

Then our Witch friends arrived, and we made a change in direction simply because it was now a more interfaith interaction. There was a moment in which Christian stated that he highly respected the Catholic Church. I stopped to note that this was a wow moment - Christians hearing a Witch respect the Church. This doesn't happen every day - we laughed. Then Father Michael gave an example of an exorcism prayer in the Russian Orthodox tradition. Christian and Leanne asked to see this, and Michael performed it over the both of the them with heir full accepting consent. This was enlightening for all, and slightly entertaining actually. It was complete with ritual prayers, holy water, the blessed host, and more.

Wow, this was a sometimes heated, fully entertaining, and great way to start our Pub Theology night. Life on the edge of adventure, and craziness is good. Everyone seemed to have a good time at the end of it all.

Daffodils in a Brown Betty Pot Make Me Happy

This pot with daffodils sits on my kitchen table right now.

Brown Betty teapots were some of the first teapots in Britain to be able to be purchased by the common public, and they helped bring tea to the common man. They can still be purchased by the Caledonia Pottery Co.

The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, and calls the mind back to Dewi San (or St. David) the patron St. of Wales, and a bettle in which he supposedly called the Cymry to put a leek in their hats. Okay, for now you'll have to read somewhere else for yourself, and just know that daffodil replaced the leek, simply because in Welsh it's name is St. Peter's Leek.

Religious Superstition Kills

Having been the victim of religious superstition from my own Pentecostal tradition, I am sensitive to the subject, and concerned when I see it arise in either mild or severe forms. This story of an illiterate Saudi woman sentenced to death for Witchcraft shows the severity to which superstition can grow.