Community. Mission. Mayhem.

This weekend has been great. I’ve had a great opportunity to connect with some great folk. It’s been cool to meet people that I’ve known through the blogging world as well as new peeps. The best part has been the networking opportunities.

I had a job interview on Friday, which was encouraging. But I’m not sure if I’m going to take the job. It is in Newport, KY (about 20 minutes from here) and doesn’t pay well. I really desire a job (income source) in Norwood. I want to live an integrated life. Maybe that is an unrealistic ideal or some utopian dream. But why not. Not that I want to be insulor or inbred. But to be able to work with folk whom I may actually be in ongoing relationship with. I want overlap in my spheres (work, home, church) of life.

So, what kind of job am I looking for. I’m not sure. Sometimes I have clarity on it, othertimes not all. I’d love to grow and explore and create with web design. But I make no presumptions of being an “expert” or thoroughly proficient. I have a lot to learn, but I think I know enough to get started (and I learn fast) – Dreamweaver, FrontPage, Photoshop, html.

But I’m also interested in some sort of community development, non-profit, administration.

Here’s something I think would be cool. To help non-profits and churches to develop their web interactivity and ministry. I don’t just mean a cool web site or “cyber-church” but a way for social services to expand into cyberspace. But to also provide community space for web access and a third place for gathering and socializing. In some ways I would love to multi-task and yet get paid. I’d like about three part time jobs, but ones that all coincide and collaborate. (and provide health insurance)

It would be so cool to have a small restaurant, coffeshop, cybercafe, bar(?) here in Norwood (near VC) where folk could come and hang out (third place), surf the net, learn computer skills, help “the average joe” develop a blog or web business, receive spiritual direction, browse (buy from) a book store, play cards, maybe even get their hair cut or a massage! That would be SO sweet! I’d love to manage, serve, work at a place like that! Could that work?

Thoughts on emerging church, worship space, and our "over against-ness" of stuff

Good thoughts perculating in my mind of late. Last night helped Kevin and the Mayhem folks set-up for the Big Gathering this weekend. I enjoyed getting to know these folks better (meeting most for the first time outside of cyberspace). I’m excited about this weekend. It should be a great time to meet new people and contemplate what God is doing in Cincy and the mid-west.

As we were prepping last night Kevin and I chatted about alt.worship possibilities. Exciting! I see tons of potential for this kind of thing here. As such I remembered Jonny Baker and Steve Collins @ Small Ritual. These guys across the pond are all over this kind of thing. I’m really interested in exploring kirchelandschaft #1, kirchelandschaft #2, kirchelandschaft #3, and the whole third place idea (click on the color bars at the top of the small ritual site). Lots to explore/experiement/play with here. I think VC may be just the place for such an endeavor…. we shall see.

Also, been thinking a lot about “over-against-ness”. Talking with Kevin last night and Daniel the other day about this. Increasingly I am uncomfortable, both in my life and in the emerging church world, of defining me or the church as being over and against something else. This seems like a terribly weak foundation on which to base something. Yet it is a temptation that I too often find myself slidding into. Not only is it a rather pessimistic/negative stance to take, it is also unhealthy and actually kinda sad. I’d rather characterize my life as being for something. What am I dreaming rather than dreading?

Oh, also when I was over @ small ritual I found this interesting article/diagram on the church as networked. Check it out here.

Today I’ll be helping prep for this coming weekend and all the guests that will be coming (ie. cleaning). I’m starting to get anxious about a job. It would be nice to figure that out. I want a job where I can have the freedom to be involved with what is happening at VC, the opportunity to connect with the people I work with, the ability to be involved the community, and the space to be creative and be in leadership. Is all that possible? Can I get paid for all that?

Lord, have mercy.

Better

Lookin’ a bit better. need to add links, but it “feels” better….

Also – www.aaronklinefelter.com is now official, check it out (it will bring you right back here!)

New Look in Progress

Really – Just switched to a pre-packaged template for the time being. I’ll edit and re-publish soon. Worked out again this morning. Upper body. Felt good. Not likin’ the temps though! Something balmy and summery like 1 degree this morning.

Cloe Anna slept 9 hours straight last night!!!!! Amazing!! Very good, hopefully we’re soon to get on a decent schedule.

Going to go set-up new phone (mobile) service today. Possibly Verizon or Sprint. We’ll see.

Not sure what to say

Well, I’m not. I definitely need to work on the blog design. it’s tired and feeling cluttery. I want something clean and simple and fresh. But I’m tired. I’m very much enjoying our time in the Brownhouse. Getting to know folks and the rhythm of the community. It is good.

We had House Church tonight. It was good. A little different than HC back in Pasadena. But both good in there own ways. Probably the biggest difference was that we were guests/new arrivals and didn’t have friendships already built with those present. That can come with time. What did strike me most though was how “churchy” it was. I don’t mean that in any negative sense at all. What I mean is….

After having spent time with my parents and my home (where I grew up) church (a traditional UMC), I have been thinking afresh about what makes church, well church. I certainly don’t want to attempt an answer now – in my present exhausted state – but for those used to “traditional” church (or even “seeker”) we did all the things that one would do “normally”. We sang, we prayed, we learned, we read scripture, we even had communion. I learned as much (or more) in the couple hours of simple/house/small church as I do at a more formal, traditional, institutional setting. Please don’t misunderstand…. I’m not defining church by those actions – just comparing two modes of churching.

I starting to feel the itch…. I’m not sure how to describe it…. It’s the I want to do something itch. Not be busy, but be involved. Purposeful – that’s what I want!!! We’re here. We’ve been transitioning for – well a long time!!! But finally we’re here. And more and more we (Sarah and I – probably Cloey too!) are thinking that this is where we’re staying. We ain’t movin’ again. Let’s find a job (for me) and house for all of us and dig in to community and ministry and just live here. Burrow down deep roots, become embedded. Anyway, all that to say that I

A) need a job!

B) want to figure out where i fit.

how do i fit at VC? Norwood? etc… I know these will be answered in time. I reckon my discipline will be waiting. I feel like I’ve done enough of that over the last year, but a bit more I suppose is called for. What does God have in store for us here? I don’t know. I need to wait. I need to slow down. I need to ride the wave – don’t force. Don’t manipulate it. Don’t manufacture it. Let it grow. Let it emerge.

I like how that sounds…. but I don’t like doing it!! Lord, have mercy.

Today’s highlights:

5:30 AM – got up and worked out with Kevin at the YMCA (a couple blocks away)

7:00 AM – morning prayers with the community – very good way to start the day.

7:15 AM – 11:15 AM – Hung out with Dwight – laundry and Anna’s Family Restaraunt

Later – Took a nap with my daughter

6:00 PM – House church with VC folk (made some job contact possibilities)

We’ll see what tomorrow holds….

We're Here!!!

OK, finally made it to the Brownhouse. We’re in Cincinnati and loving the people we’re meeting. Still pretty overwhelmed by the whole transition. This has been WAY too stressful for us all. Looking forward to being settled down.

More to come…. going to work out (finally).

The Next Step in the BIG Move

Tomorrow we head north to Cincy and VC. Looking forward to it, though there is a bit of trepidation – always is when stepping into the UNKNOWN. It helps a lot when you have family, good friends, and new friends welcoming us so warmly!