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Back home. Our community met last night and I talked a while about some of the things I experienced at the Allelon gathering. First we prayed the Evening Prayer together and celebrated the Eucharist. Then I yapped and we talked about what went on out there in Idaho and how that is affecting Vine & Branches - what it means for us, etc. Like I said before, I feel like I, we, are a part of a new family. That's a good thing. I think God has drawn us into these relationships. We had a good time talking about all that.
Also, I had gone out there with something floating around in me, an idea about vbcc, something I was praying and thinking about. I had shared it with some others and wanted to wait till I got back from Boise to talk to the community here about it. So I did. Looks like very soon, probably in March, we're going to begin hosting a monthly gathering in a public place. This is a step for us. It took me a while to feel it out and see if this was a legitimate step to take. I think it is. As we talked about it last night, it seemed we all felt comfortable about it - even somewhat excited.
Why? Well - 3 reasons really: It will be another expression of our community's life and worship - us being us in this other context; It will be us being us "out there" as a missional step, creating another arena where friends can stand beside us to see who we are, some of who God is, and perhaps join with us in focusing on Him; Finally, and not so insignificantly, it will not merely be about Vine & Branches Christian Community, but about the Body of Christ in Lexington. We want to "sponsor" this monthly gathering and invite people who are parts of other bodies to participate with us. So, our friends will be there, with no pressure to become a part of "our little club." We will all be cultivating a focus on God together and building each other up. Hopefully even friends from other networks in other cities close by will also join us from time to time.
Think free-form monastic liturgy - worship installations - Eucharist - interactive teaching - music for worship and not performance - singing the Psalms - hanging out and touching base with old friends and perhaps making some new ones. As cool as this is going to be, it will, by no means, become the "main thing" of our community. Our primary expression of community life will continue to be, as it has always been, the small, intimate communities that meet in homes (or other places if need be). We just felt it was time to express ourselves as a faith community in this way. I hope some of you reading this who may be close can come hang out with us sometime. I'll keep you posted on when, where, and all that. That's it for now. I just wanted to put that little update out there. Pax Vobiscum!
| posted by + Alan | 9:40 AM | |