Baseball, Board of Education and a skull mystery in Athens, GA.
Les Miserables, volunteerism and “want” vs. “need” in Youngstown, OH
Election news, a tragic death and a royal visit in Namibia.
front pages: 6/23
June 23rd, 2008
reflections: diana butler bass
June 20th, 2008
Diana Butler Bass was in town on June 2nd to present ideas from her latest book, Christianity for the Rest of Us (Harper, 2006). I attended her afternoon session at Northwest Christian Church in Ballard; the event was a mix of inspiring lecture and candid conversation among the 80 or so people in attendance. Diana also spoke in the evening at Seattle First Baptist Church.
Butler, who is trained as a historian, recently performed a 3-year study of politically progressive, mainline Protestant congregations.
She found many of these churches to be undergoing great renewal as they pursued innovative, creative approaches to worship and community life. Her research has disrupted conventional thought, which has often assumed that mainline churches were in decline, while the more conservative, evangelical mega-churches were the ones thriving.
In her talk, I particularly appreciated Diana sharing what she saw of mainline churches stepping into a more intentional spiritual practice of hospitality. She told the story of her home church in D.C., which is a diverse mix of “people who live in homes and people who do not live in homes.” She shared the story of a transsexual friend of hers who once helped her perform her research; her friend was hired to attend a church service just to give Diana feedback on the experience!
Unexpectedly, the visitor gave Diana rave reviews of the hospitality of the church.
Diana’s research is helping reveal the wave of mainline churches that are practicing Christianity in ways perhaps quite different than the more conservative evangelical churches often given the attention in the media.
Kimberly George, MACP student
front pages: 6/16
June 16th, 2008
Today is Bloomsday, an annual celebration of James Joyce and the events in his novel Ulysses.
It is especially celebrated in Dublin, but also in Boston and China.
9 questions: Lisa Kruse
June 12th, 2008
What is your favorite word?
provocative
What is your least favorite word?
death
If not yourself, who would you be?
Maya Angelou
Where would you most like to live?
Jamaica on the beach
Who are your favorite heroes or heroines in fiction?
Bridget Jones and John Cusack in pretty much any movie he’s in
Who are your favorite heroes or heroines in real life?
Mother Theresa, my best friend and my therapist
What natural talent would you like to be gifted with?
singing
What is your present state of mind?
full of grief
If given the chance to ask God one question today, what would it be?
Why so much pain?
Lisa is a 2006 graduate of the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. She is currently living in the Dallas metro area where she maintains a private counseling practice and also works part time diong group therapy at a homeless shelter.
front pages: 6/9
June 9th, 2008
In Fort Wayne, IN, churches are exploring was to incorporate worship for special needs children.
New England is feeling the heat while New Zealand is dealing with black ice.
our neighborhood: agros international
June 6th, 2008
Agros International is a non-profit organization that works with poor, landless farmers in Central America and Mexico. By extending loans to purchase farmland and partnering with farmers in applying sustainable agricultural practices, Agros enables families to create, develop, and eventually own their own sustainable village.
Agros takes a holistic approach to development considering physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects. Agros is an organization that desires to follow the teachings of Jesus by serving the rural poor regardless of their faith.
Agros is relatively new to the Belltown neighborhood having moved to 2225 4th Ave in the spring. Learn more about Agros at the Agros Blog or consider supporting their work via the Oneseed Gift Catalog.
9 questions: Dan Allender
June 4th, 2008
What is your favorite word?
glory
What is your least favorite word?
impact
If not yourself, who would you be?
the scientist who creates a cure for cancer
Where would you most like to live?
near our dearest friends
Who are your favorite heroes or heroines in fiction?
Polworth, Alice, the Scarecrow
Who are your favorite heroes or heroines in real life?
men and women in the armed forces who live courageously with serious injuries
What natural talent would you like to be gifted with?
the ablity to raise or lower serotonin at will
What is your present state of mind?
turbid
If given the chance to ask God one question today, what would it be?
If the Spirit stopped the hearts of Ananais and Sapphira for deceit, what kept you from stopping Hitler’s heart?
Dan is the President and Professor of Counseling at Mars Hill Graduate School.
front pages: 6/2 - special mhgs edition
June 2nd, 2008
MHGS is this month’s feature subject at the Belltown Messenger. (Note: The story is definitely on the edgier side and not for the faint of heart.) We’re also the in this weeks Seattle PI as the subject of their weekly religion & culture column, “Articles of Faith”. Enjoy.
reflections: commencement
May 27th, 2008
Every year Mars Hill Graduate School graduates a group of students sending them out to be among the general population once again. The ceremony is always one that brings with it mixed emotions. It embodies all that has to do with beginning, ending and the sticky marsh in-between. We watch those we have loved walk across the stage and potentially out of our lives. We listen to the brilliant words of the student speakers reminding us once again how privileged we are to have such minds within our walls for 2,3,4, or 5 years. We see families and friends celebrating the accomplishments of those who have written, read, and bled their way through the program. Many stories are represented in that small piece of paper and as they are handed to each student, we sit, watch and acknowledge the work. It is a sacred moment.
“Commencement” holds much for many. The ceremony forces us to grapple with the ever changing aspects of life and invokes a deep sense of loss as we realize that the pain of saying good-bye is amplified by the beauty of those we are losing. It would not be nearly as hard if our students were dull or lackluster. But they are not…they are lovely and have changed us by being here – we are better for having them in our classrooms, in our offices, and in our lives.
Congratulations class of 2008 – you are beautiful!
- Cathy Loerzel, Manager of Organization Development
9 questions: Naomi Wachira
May 21st, 2008
What is your favorite word?
interesting
What is your least favorite word?
ah
If not yourself, who would you be?
my friend Hannah
Where would you most like to live?
London
Who are your favorite heroes or heroines in fiction?
Elizabeth from John Steinbeck’s To A God Unknown.
Who are your favorite heroes or heroines in real life?
my parents
What natural talent would you like to be gifted with?
What is your present state of mind?
sorting through
If given the chance to ask God one question today, what would it be?
I’ll probably be too overwhelmed to have a functioning brain to be wise.
Naomi is a 1st year MDiv student at MHGS. She is also a blogger and a singer/songwriter and is featured in this video. You can also read her blog.
