Community 4:12

World on Fire

Check it out . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzoNInZ2ClQ

Writing . . . necessity or extra-curricular?

I love to write.  I have always been able to express myself so much better in writing than verbally.  So it breaks my heart that my kids are not learning to love to write.  We knew there would be many aspects of their education that would not be as "top-notch" here in East Aurora district 131 schools as they were in Naperville district 203.  And we're mostly okay with that, knowing that education is far more than what you learn in school.  But, the one area that I notice a huge difference in what is taught and required of the kids here is in the area of writing. 

There is so much need to focus on the basic reading and math skills that writing seems to be a subject that gets the short end of the stick.  But for me, knowing how to communicate effectively in writing is an absolutely essential life-skill.  I know the boys are young, so there is time for that skill and that love of writing to emerge, but it worries me a little that they aren't starting young.

So, being the "fix-it" kind of person I am, we are starting a new evening routine around the Strand house.  After dinner everyone is going to sit together and "journal."  Each person can write whatever they want, they just have to write something.  I figured I'd get all kinds of moans and groans about that, but last night after picking out their own special notebooks, the boys each eagerly sat down to write!  Brian decided to write a story, and Erik wanted to draw and write the step-by-step plans for building a fort in our backyard.  I suggested about 15 minutes---not wanting to expect or push too much.  I'd say they each went for at least 30 minutes.  Granted it was a new and novel experience, so I suspect it won't be that easy most nights, but it did my heart good to see the boys ENJOYING creative writing!

Social Justice and Church Planting

One of the outcomes of the Urban Church Planting gathering we had last week is that a few of us Community Development folks are going to go to the biggest Church Planting conference (National New Church Conference) in April, and then some big Church Planting folks are going to come to the biggest Community Development conference (CCDA) in October.  I am excited about these opportunities for further learning and collaboration!

As part of the conference, Troy Jackson is doing a pre-conference intensive "Social Justice and New Churches."  I think it is going to be awesome.  Well, it will be if they don't cancel it.  They need several more people to register for this session in order to continue to offer it.  If you are a church planter, or know anyone who is, please consider coming to this conference (there is an amazing line-up of speakers) and being a part of this pre-conference intensive!  This topic is so important for churches to be thinking about if they want to be relevant in this society, so it is a message they need to hear!  Please help spread the word!  Here's an explanation of what will be covered . . .

When: Monday, April 21, 1pm - 5pm and Tuesday, April 22, 9am - 11am

Leader: Troy Jackson, University Christian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio

Description:
Over the last decade, a passion for Social Justice has grown exponentially in our culture and our churches. Following the lead of celebrities from Bono to Oprah to Bill & Melinda Gates, and of Christian organizations like Sojourners and the Willow Creek Association, issues of race, poverty, genocide, global trade, HIV/AIDS, the environment, and peace have become pervasive. To be relevant in 2008, your new church must wrestle with these social justice concerns. Further, a close reading of Scripture makes clear that a passion for justice is not only demanded by our culture, but is also mandated by God.

This pre-conference intensive seminar will help you consider how to make social justice part of the DNA of your new congregation. We will explore ways to move beyond concern to concrete action that will excite and inspire your attendees and lead people in your community who had written off the church as unconcerned to take a new look at Jesus.

This intensive will consider these questions facing your new church:

• How prominent should social justice be for our new congregation?

• Is social justice best understood as a new and relevant apologetic or as a mode of evangelism, or should social justice have an even greater role in our new church?

• Should we engage national and local politics, or avoid politics altogether?

• How can our congregation move from awareness and concern to actually making a difference in a hurting world?

• What resources can our church use to be better engaged, informed, and involved in making a difference globally for God's Kingdom?

Urban Church Planting

I am part of a church that is passionate about Church Planting.  I personally am passionate about Christian Community Development.  And one might think that those two things go hand in hand.  And they should.  But, for years, the Church Planters have had their own conferences, their own leaders, their own lingo.  And so have the Christian Community Developers.  And those two "worlds" have not really interacted.

But that is changing, and I am so honored to be a part of what feels like a historic time in the life of modern day Christianity.  For two days, we have the some of the best and the brightest from the Church Planting arena and some of the best and the brightest from the Christian Community Development arena in the same room (so I'm still not really sure why I am in the room) . . . to talk about how we can most effectively plant churches in the urban environment that are equally committed to evangelism and social justice.  Both groups have so much to bring to the conversation. 

Shane Claiborne will join us via conference call today, and I can't wait to hear his perspective on this topic.  Obviously, talk doesn't mean much if it doesn't lead to action, but from the little bit I know about the people gathered around the table these two days, we will walk away from this time with some concrete and ideas and steps for beginning to merge these two arenas so that we can create a single movement that is about reaching cities for Christ in a holistic way.

My Injustice Hackles Are Raised!

I was at a meeting last night to begin preparing for another referendum for East Aurora Schools to be placed on the November ballot.  We were all so discouraged in April when the last referendum failed, but for the sake of this school district, we have to get past our cynicism and try again.  We are going to do a lot of things differently, and the tax increase we are shooting for (if the Board of Education approves doing a referendum at all when they vote on Jan. 22nd) is much less than the last time around.

But as urgent as things felt for the last referendum, it feels dire now.  It just makes me so angry that we live in a state that does not have any policies for equalizing the educational opportunities kids in low-income and higher income school districts have.  I know it's not just our state, but we are one of the worst---48th out of 50 actually.

Just thinking about all this has raised my "injustice hackles."  And you don't really want to be around me when those hackles are raised---unless you are fervently committed to helping to right those injustices.  And it just makes me all the more determined to make things like The Lighthouse come to fruition.  The kids in this district need it.  They deserve it.  Without opportunity, there is no hope.  And I don't want to live in a community that has no hope.

2008 Mountain Moving Prayer # 2

My second Mountain Moving Prayer for 2008 is that we would find a venue to create a church and community/cultural center in East Aurora.  This is what I am dreaming about:

The Lighthouse:  Bringing Light to the City of Lights

I dream of opening a Community and Cultural Center in the heart of downtown Aurora that will bring unique economic, educational, personal, and spiritual development opportunities to the citizens of Aurora.  In The Lighthouse you would find such things as:

• A Community Christian Church campus designed uniquely to help Hispanic residents and others who have wandered from the Catholic Church find their way back to a loving God.

• A School for the Arts offering affordable music, art, drama, and dance lessons.

• An Art Gallery that teachers from School District 131 and families could use as a way to expose, educate, and excite students about various forms of art.

• A Gymnasium providing affordable sports lessons and "open gym" activities.

• A Gift Shop that provides a venue for creative and talented residents of the community to sell their hand-crafted jewelry, clothes, and crafts.

• A Banquet Hall & Chapel that provides a safe, affordable venue for families to host weddings, quincearñas, funerals, and other large group gatherings.

• A Bookstore and Coffee Shop that sells affordable English and Spanish books and offers literacy activities for youth and adults such as storytimes, ESL, tutoring, bookclubs.

• A Computer Lab offering basic computer training as well as a place where residents can come to use the internet for research, email, etc.

• A Counseling and Support & Recovery Center providing affordable individual and family counseling and support/recovery groups.

• An Immigration Legal Aid Center providing affordable legal services to immigrants in the community.

• A Business Development & Training Center offering microfinance loans and technical training to budding entrepreneurs in the community.

That is my dream.  My prayer is that if it, or any part of it, is also God's dream, that He will move the mountains necessary to make it happen.

Looking at Jesus

Read this great meditation by Claudia Mauir Burney in "Justice in the Burbs" today . .

Jesus lives next door.  He's an eight year old girl and her three year old brother.  The Son of Man looks like those starving Ethiopian children.  He only gets breakfast and lunch at school, when he makes it.  His mama is a crack whore.  Nobody knows where his daddy is.  I heard his mama lets her "Johns" do things to him.

Poor King of Kings.

Jesus is two houses down and has six children.  Now he's pregnant with the seventh.  I don't know if he hasn't figured out what birth control is, or what, but how does he expect his husband to feed all those babies on that salary?  And you know with all those kids the Lord of Lords can't work.  That means hardworking taxpayers' money has to go for Christ's food stamps?

He needs to get fixed.

The Lord is a crazy man---paranoid schizophrenic.  If he doesn't take his medication, he walks up and down the street, cussing and spitting on everybody he passes.  He's homeless.  Nobody knows where his family is--if he's got one.  Digs out of the trash cans for food.  Somebody ought to get him off the street.

Jesus is nothing but a nuisance.

I'm starting to see the Son of God everywhere I go.  He's always crying or begging or looking pitiful.  Why doesn't he pull himself up by his bootstraps?  This is America!  Makes me mad.  He's ruining our neighborhood.

Somebody ought to do something about him.

Somebody.

Justice in the Burbs

I'm reading a great book .  . . Justice in the Burbs.  Here's a thought for the day from it . . . Perhaps this is a definition of faithfulness:  allowing one's dreams to be interrupted.

"How Can I Love This God Back?"

I had the great priviledge of hearing John Perkins speak again today.  He is a legend in the Christian Community Development world, and I have heard him speak at least half a dozen times.  But I have never heard the same part of his story twice.  What a life this guy has lived.  Today he shared with us his story of "finding his way back to to God" as a young adult (his 3 year old son is actually who got him to go to church).  He shared that as he learned more and more about this God who loved him in a way he had never been loved by anyone (he lost both parents as an infant), he longed to know how he could show his love back to God.  So, he went and talked with the pastor of his small church and asked that question . . ."How can I love this God back?"  The pastor handed him a bible and said, "Read Matthew 25:31-46.  That will tell you exactly how God wants you to love him back."  And that is what this man has devoted every ounce of his being to doing for the past 50+ years.  And that is how I want to be able to describe everything I do . . I am just trying to love God back.

Reality Tour

We had our annual Community 4:12 Fall Kick-Off Dessert last night to give people a chance to learn about the different service opportunities we are offering this year.  It was great to see so many new faces--including several people who had only been coming to CCC for a short time, but were looking for ways to plug in and make a difference!  As part of the evening, one of our leaders, Desiree Guzman, took us on a "Reality Tour" showing us some of the stark contrasts between East Aurora and Naperville.  Many people told me how eye-opening it was for them to see these statistics, so I thought I'd post the power-point presentation here for anyone who is interested.  Click Download naperville_aurora_comparisons_abbreviated.ppt  to see it.