vox: voices of community

on saturday, september 19th we will host a coffee house event for high school students called VOX. VOX is latin for voice. The great part of the event is that the entertainment is provided by high school students for high school students. we are asking contributors to provide their original artwork, or poetry to the event. We are encouraging their original or cover songs, or their short films. The crucial parameter is that the contributions must all touch on a common theme. in september the theme will be community. what does that word mean, particularly expressed through the arts, and by high school artists. it is an interesting opportunity to learn from each other, rather than one lone individual, regarding an important facet of our lives. what is community? what happens when we don't experience it? what happens when we don't invite others into it? not a contributor yet? there is plenty of room for you too. come and experience being immersed in this idea of community, through sight, sound, touch, and perhaps taste and smell. i am excited about hearing the various voices included in next month's VOX.

check out www.cafevox.com for more info.

learning labs

a few posts back i mentioned that i fear we focus a great deal on knowing and we miss the way that translates into doing and being. "discipleship" programs tend to be heavy on data and fairly light on practice. i mentioned that Jesus' discipleship program would probably not fly too well within our current faith communities. it had a great deal to do with doing things, sometimes scandalous things. i am excited about an adventure the youth community will be heading out on this coming school year. our sunday nights will revolve around this idea of putting faith into action. we will define a follower of Jesus not just as someone who knows what Jesus taught, but rather as someone who does what they know Jesus taught. this will lead us to engage the various invitations of Jesus, causing us to enter into monthly "projects" which would shape us and our world. we hope these experiences and conversations find their way into each student's home, causing dialogue within families about how we might enter into these invitations of Jesus together. Here are the "projects" per month:

September: value/worth of God's creation "love your neighbor as you love yourself"
October: generosity "store up treasure in heaven"
November: hospitality "when you give a dinner, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind"
December: servanthood "whoever wants to become great among you, must be your servant"
January: justice "woe to you who tithe spices but forget about justice, mercy, and faithfulness"
February: sabbath "come unto me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest"
March:forgiveness "don't forgive seven times only, but seventy-seven times"

I am excited about where this may lead us. I am wondering what it will ask of my life as I participate in these "learning labs" with students. I think there are wonderful things waiting on the other side of these invitations...