wheewwww! what a weekend...

yep! i survived the deep space mission of GOD: for people who hate church.

it went alright, on prof carlos z 's blog and some sinner and saints blogs you can get more of a gist of what happend, play by play even!

i suppose i should share what most impacted me. and narrowing it to one thing would be fairly impossible, but having had drilled into my head that nothing is impossible with Jesus/God/ HS ( let's call it the trinity)...i must highlight a few points.

1) Friday- what i can remember is arriving early and helping with some gopher/ paper/ final collating and such. Streams arrived! which puts a whole bunch more joy-in- the- Spirit to see such close brethren again serve side by side with them. when the speakers started arriving more of the Gather-gang, the lull was ---delightful. the weather cooperated enough...and fellowship and outreach through dream interp and the flip side meeting with friends, looking for needs to fill.

2) Saturday- one word-Conversations. relating with folks some of whom i just met-i found one of the 2 workshops i actually sat still for opened doors to deeper converstations. both with old friends and with new/been part of Gathering before friends. A resignating note highlighten throughout was grace. it's amazing how Christians will rationalize why we judge and bitterly tear apart one another, and falseify "friendships" in order to "convert".
what happend to the old hymn " and they will know we are Christians by our LOVE????"

Jay Bakker highlighted how his family was torn apart because of unforgiving, judgemental people who in a vigorous manor managed to destroy a family's way of life and ministry in 24 hours. Jokes about the faliure of a man in power caught in sin rang in his ears. Even today after finding Jesus and putting trust in him, the man has a platter full of situations that make people crack. From his mother's cancer to his friends ailments and death of friends, how does the "light" shine in this darkness?

through the love shone by brothers and sisters. whether they be Christian or not, having someone that's there as a constant, tangible, call-in - the - middle-of-the-night friend makes worlds of difference.


3) wrap up Sunday- the service was -UNIQUE. in a really good way. from the druming circle to the hugs, the offering to the cacophuny of sounds, dancing, inviting the spirit to wash over each of us, scriputure quoted to debunk the conversations of "plastic jesus" .
'Don't put jesus in a box'
'{ Job 42}'

Tony Jones, den leader of cub scouts, PTA member, Minnesota native, and finally main dude to associate "Emergent" with:said one thing that stuck with me. "If you want to be a part of the e. church, be prepared to have idols shattered. Be prepared to be challenged to have Jesus fully God of your life. And shatter my idols as well."

yes there's a lot more ...my brother meeting my friends, making friends with folks all across the country....i could go on..but won't.
i'll just end with one of my favourite verses:

"His Grace is Suffiecent for thee, for His power is made perfect in weakness."