This Easter I asked myself the question "How do we, in a culture that is self-exulting, understand the resurrection?" Most of the time I feel like we need to think more about our vocation as the suffering servant more than as exalted kings. But we are called to live in, and be witnesses to, the resurrection. How do we do so without seeking an inheritance of our own?
This year the idea of the resurrection arrested me. I've been so conscious of our need to bear the burdens of others that the resurrection took me by surprise. The absurdity of that was quite convicting. So here are some thoughts about the resurrection that seek to avoid a pursuit of self-advancement, but also recognize the paramount significance of the resurrection. First of all, we must celebrate the things of God rather than the things of the world. It is easy to find joy in personal success, ambition, recognition, or possessions. But our joy is to be found in Christ and the Kingdom He came to establish. We celebrate the good news that we have life in Jesus, and we celebrate and prioritize the life of others before ourselves. We find joy in seeing the hungry fed, the outcast included, and the sick healed. And these things indeed bring more joy than the narrow tunnel of self-interest.
Another important consideration is that in the life of Christ humility came before exaltation. Suffering came before glory. Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and that vocation continued all the way to the point of his death. He had many opportunities to exalt himself, and the disciples were anxious for him to take the throne by force, but Jesus resisted because he came to the earth to bear the sin of the world on the cross. This was entirely intentional. And because Jesus submitted to the cross God the Father raised Him from the dead. Jesus did not raise himself - he humbled Himself so that God would vindicate Him. This means that as we follow Christ's path, we are to humble ourselves in the world - to become the least, the last, the servants - so that God will vindicate us. But we humble ourselves with the joy set before us that Christ resurrected and sits at the right hand of God, in victory over death. And we do this knowing that our humility and service to the world is what testifies to the life Jesus brings, and it is our humble service that feeds the hungry, includes the outcast, heals the sick, and gives hope to a broken world.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
A New Leaf
"Telling stories" is such a buzzy thing these days, and I affirm it. I've been thinking lately about how neat it is to hear obscure stories of people who recorded their experiences throughout history, and I want I want to tell my story more, to give an account of what's happening in the world around me and how I engage with it. It's an act of sharing. I have mistakenly refrained from posts because I feel like I have to come up with something interesting or because I haven't made the time. But I'm going to start posting more because I think I'm supposed to share.
On a different note, this morning I was thinking that human beings, in that they are made in the image of God, are the clearest picture we have of God. The term "image" in Genesis is meant to invoke the idea of "representation." The other cultures of the Ancient Near East had man-made idols which were their "images" of God, but in the Biblical narrative the "image" is a human being. Thus, human beings are the representatives of God. We have corrupted that image with sin, but Jesus, the new Adam, fully employed what human beings were created to be - Jesus is the ultimate image of God.
In short, when we think of God, we should not think of abstract ideas, but rather we should look our fellow human being in the eyes and see God in them. And since Jesus was not tainted as all other human beings are, we can read about his life and see the "exact representation of His nature" (Heb. 1:3). In Jesus we see God, and everything we were meant to be.
On a different note, this morning I was thinking that human beings, in that they are made in the image of God, are the clearest picture we have of God. The term "image" in Genesis is meant to invoke the idea of "representation." The other cultures of the Ancient Near East had man-made idols which were their "images" of God, but in the Biblical narrative the "image" is a human being. Thus, human beings are the representatives of God. We have corrupted that image with sin, but Jesus, the new Adam, fully employed what human beings were created to be - Jesus is the ultimate image of God.
In short, when we think of God, we should not think of abstract ideas, but rather we should look our fellow human being in the eyes and see God in them. And since Jesus was not tainted as all other human beings are, we can read about his life and see the "exact representation of His nature" (Heb. 1:3). In Jesus we see God, and everything we were meant to be.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A Round of Applause for Humility
When we think about arrogant and boastful people who want to make a name for themselves we first think of those who seek great power and wealth. We think of political leaders and business executives with a competitive drive for self-propagation who will take down anything in their way to make money or get into office. But there is another form of name-making, one which is my personal struggle, and which works much more subtly. It's seeking a name for doing good. It's seeking fame for humility, as ironic as that might sound. When in circles that exalt humility and service, it's easy to lose sight of the purpose and get distracted by people's praises, and to begin to serve people for the praises, whether it be from the person being served or the people that watch. Since this is something I struggle with, here are some things I think about to cope with it:
Beauty over Receiving Praise - these are in tough competition with each other because receiving praise feels great. And I don't think there is anything wrong with saying thank you to compliments or appreciating another person for the good they do. But in terms of what the ultimate goal is, beauty trumps praise. When I am looking around and wondering how people perceive me, I am invariably unfulfilled, or at least my fulfillment is short-lived. But when I'm more intent, excited and appreciative of the beauty of seeing someone's life changed - seeing a struggling student receive an A on a test, seeing a hungry person fed, seeing a depressed person content - the joy is truly unspeakable. When the joy of seeing the kingdom come fills our minds, we will be more excited about serving each other, and our service will be more authentic.
We have been loved first - When I think of the love of Christ for me and all of humanity, the love that led him to the cross, any love I think I have for people pales in comparison. I become humbled because my love is conditional - I like to think I love people, but I'm full of judgment and envy. That is why the commandment is not only to love our neighbor as ourselves, but also to love God- because we need Jesus to change our hearts if we are to love people perfectly.
Celebrating the victory of others as they are my own - this subverts any competition or envy of success. When we see ourselves in a community of people striving for a mutual goal and hope of seeing the world filled with peace and love and wholeness, we work together and have excitement about good things happening, whether they come from us or someone else.
Rest: When I rest and reflect, I rebel against my mindset that I can be a hero and change the world myself. It is an acknowledgment that the world continues when I'm not there. Intentional rest is far from laziness. It is an active rebellion against pride.
And a verse: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." -Matthew 6:1-4 (and it goes on to say the same things about the hiddenness of prayer and fasting)
So let us not seek to make a name for ourselves from wealth, power, service, sacrifice, humility, spirituality, or any other way. Let us give God the praise, because God is the one from whom love and power, and power for love, comes anyway. And let us get excited about the work God is doing, and take joy in seeing the world changed from our hands and the hands of others.
Beauty over Receiving Praise - these are in tough competition with each other because receiving praise feels great. And I don't think there is anything wrong with saying thank you to compliments or appreciating another person for the good they do. But in terms of what the ultimate goal is, beauty trumps praise. When I am looking around and wondering how people perceive me, I am invariably unfulfilled, or at least my fulfillment is short-lived. But when I'm more intent, excited and appreciative of the beauty of seeing someone's life changed - seeing a struggling student receive an A on a test, seeing a hungry person fed, seeing a depressed person content - the joy is truly unspeakable. When the joy of seeing the kingdom come fills our minds, we will be more excited about serving each other, and our service will be more authentic.
We have been loved first - When I think of the love of Christ for me and all of humanity, the love that led him to the cross, any love I think I have for people pales in comparison. I become humbled because my love is conditional - I like to think I love people, but I'm full of judgment and envy. That is why the commandment is not only to love our neighbor as ourselves, but also to love God- because we need Jesus to change our hearts if we are to love people perfectly.
Celebrating the victory of others as they are my own - this subverts any competition or envy of success. When we see ourselves in a community of people striving for a mutual goal and hope of seeing the world filled with peace and love and wholeness, we work together and have excitement about good things happening, whether they come from us or someone else.
Rest: When I rest and reflect, I rebel against my mindset that I can be a hero and change the world myself. It is an acknowledgment that the world continues when I'm not there. Intentional rest is far from laziness. It is an active rebellion against pride.
And a verse: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." -Matthew 6:1-4 (and it goes on to say the same things about the hiddenness of prayer and fasting)
So let us not seek to make a name for ourselves from wealth, power, service, sacrifice, humility, spirituality, or any other way. Let us give God the praise, because God is the one from whom love and power, and power for love, comes anyway. And let us get excited about the work God is doing, and take joy in seeing the world changed from our hands and the hands of others.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
a week in New Orleans
I returned from New Orleans a few days ago after a week-long trip with the fellows and RUF, one of the Christian fellowship groups at UVa. It was my first time going, so I was excited to finally have the opportunity to see the city.
The day after we arrived we went to the service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, followed by a potluck lunch to which the whole church was invited. This was typical for them - meals and drinks and good company not only after church but throughout the week. We went to another potluck dinner the night before we left. But that Sunday after we ate, a few of us sat with the pastor Ray Cannata, who told story after story of the past three years in New Orleans.
As Ray was talking, one thing that he said left a significant impression on me. He said that New Orleans is a special place because it paints a bleak picture of the Fall, of brokenness, but at the same time offers a beautiful picture of hope and redemption. The people of New Orleans are continually reminded of the brokenness because most people know someone who died. In the lower 9th Ward the houses are barely touched. The FEMA trailers are going to be taken away soon, leaving people without homes. But even amidst the devastation, there is a sense of community and hope. The people are aware of each other, and of their need for each other, and they take the time to enjoy one another's company. And the rebuilding efforts have fostered a sense of community and working together. The people know that New Orleans will probably not be rebuilt for another 20 years, but they still hope and work for it. (This is all what Ray was saying).
It was encouraging to hear that churches represent 80-90% of the rebuilding efforts. This is a comforting reminder when I start to wonder if the Church cares about restoration and redemption and rebuilding communities. This proves that it does. I of course was self-conscious of going down for a week without really knowing about the situation, taking picture after picture on a voyeuristic drive-by relief vacation. But the people were so welcoming! They wouldn't stop thanking us for coming. It was amazing because they get a rebuilding group from out of town just about every week.
A few more details: We stayed at Camp Hope, which is a dormitory-style camp that houses about 800 people, packed into rooms on cots, with cold showers. We began building a house with habitat for humanity. Our project leader was a guy named Mike who used to be a film student at USC where one of my close friends from Cape Town, Walter Glass, was a student. And He knew him!! Small world. We got to go down to the French Quarter, and we went to Bourbon St. and Frenchman St. to see some great music! I love the music, art, and food in NOLA. It's all interesting - every store and restaurant.
When we were returning we were thinking about how we can make the trip valuable beyond one mere week of visiting. We were thinking about how we might take NOLA home with us. One thing that Ray mentioned was that brokenness and hope is everywhere - it was in New Orleans before Katrina - but what Katrina did was expose it. Brokenness and hope is everywhere, it's just harder to see in other places like Charlottesville. So one thing that I hope to take away is the truth that New Orleans revealed, that this world is a fallen place. But amidst that fallenness, when we work together there is hope - not sentimentality, but a hope where people are appreciating and serving each other and things are actually changing.
If there's any way to put pictures up on this, I'll try to do that.
The day after we arrived we went to the service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, followed by a potluck lunch to which the whole church was invited. This was typical for them - meals and drinks and good company not only after church but throughout the week. We went to another potluck dinner the night before we left. But that Sunday after we ate, a few of us sat with the pastor Ray Cannata, who told story after story of the past three years in New Orleans.
As Ray was talking, one thing that he said left a significant impression on me. He said that New Orleans is a special place because it paints a bleak picture of the Fall, of brokenness, but at the same time offers a beautiful picture of hope and redemption. The people of New Orleans are continually reminded of the brokenness because most people know someone who died. In the lower 9th Ward the houses are barely touched. The FEMA trailers are going to be taken away soon, leaving people without homes. But even amidst the devastation, there is a sense of community and hope. The people are aware of each other, and of their need for each other, and they take the time to enjoy one another's company. And the rebuilding efforts have fostered a sense of community and working together. The people know that New Orleans will probably not be rebuilt for another 20 years, but they still hope and work for it. (This is all what Ray was saying).
It was encouraging to hear that churches represent 80-90% of the rebuilding efforts. This is a comforting reminder when I start to wonder if the Church cares about restoration and redemption and rebuilding communities. This proves that it does. I of course was self-conscious of going down for a week without really knowing about the situation, taking picture after picture on a voyeuristic drive-by relief vacation. But the people were so welcoming! They wouldn't stop thanking us for coming. It was amazing because they get a rebuilding group from out of town just about every week.
A few more details: We stayed at Camp Hope, which is a dormitory-style camp that houses about 800 people, packed into rooms on cots, with cold showers. We began building a house with habitat for humanity. Our project leader was a guy named Mike who used to be a film student at USC where one of my close friends from Cape Town, Walter Glass, was a student. And He knew him!! Small world. We got to go down to the French Quarter, and we went to Bourbon St. and Frenchman St. to see some great music! I love the music, art, and food in NOLA. It's all interesting - every store and restaurant.
When we were returning we were thinking about how we can make the trip valuable beyond one mere week of visiting. We were thinking about how we might take NOLA home with us. One thing that Ray mentioned was that brokenness and hope is everywhere - it was in New Orleans before Katrina - but what Katrina did was expose it. Brokenness and hope is everywhere, it's just harder to see in other places like Charlottesville. So one thing that I hope to take away is the truth that New Orleans revealed, that this world is a fallen place. But amidst that fallenness, when we work together there is hope - not sentimentality, but a hope where people are appreciating and serving each other and things are actually changing.
If there's any way to put pictures up on this, I'll try to do that.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
pretzels don't need salt - they already have it
I've been reading through Jesus' parables, and this is what I read today:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:13-16
These are some of the questions I asked as I read this: What does it mean to be salty? To be light? What is the dullness and darkness where the salt must season and the light must shine? How does it do so? And what would it look like to neglect to do this? These are questions that may seem obvious, but it was good to ask them again as I read it.
This parable is preceded by the beatitudes, in which Jesus tells his disciples that those who are blessed are essentially the humble, pure, and the suffering:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Sometimes, however, we get so caught up in our own suffering that we don't realize the extent to which people suffer in the world around us. We live at a safe distance from the wars and poverty that afflict the most distressed places. And even if we've visited areas of extreme suffering, we don't experience it in the same way as those who cannot leave it. To ignore and neglect this darkness is a severe danger, but we often don't realize that we do it. We are too distracted and busy.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:13-16
These are some of the questions I asked as I read this: What does it mean to be salty? To be light? What is the dullness and darkness where the salt must season and the light must shine? How does it do so? And what would it look like to neglect to do this? These are questions that may seem obvious, but it was good to ask them again as I read it.
This parable is preceded by the beatitudes, in which Jesus tells his disciples that those who are blessed are essentially the humble, pure, and the suffering:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I'm going to start with the question of where the salt and light must enter, i.e. where is the dullness and darkness. If we want to bring change to our world, it is essential that we acknowledge that the world is broken. The most significant suffering is that which is closest to us - the suffering we endure personally and that we see in our friends and family. To avoid it or ignore it allows it to continue to control our lives.Sometimes, however, we get so caught up in our own suffering that we don't realize the extent to which people suffer in the world around us. We live at a safe distance from the wars and poverty that afflict the most distressed places. And even if we've visited areas of extreme suffering, we don't experience it in the same way as those who cannot leave it. To ignore and neglect this darkness is a severe danger, but we often don't realize that we do it. We are too distracted and busy.
But brokenness also occurs in the power and wealth of our world. Nelson Mandela says "The oppressed and oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity." We will never be satisfied when we are preoccupied with possessions, and we will grow bored and dull when we seek comfort for ourselves. There is no life in selfishness - we just continue feeding a consumer who will never be satisfied.
This world is broken in the land of the poor and rich, and meanwhile Jesus tells the disciples that they are the light and the salt of the earth. What a tragedy it would be to lose that saltiness and to hide that light under a bushel! Without the salt and light this world remains dark and dull and without hope. Keith Green said "The world is sleeping in the dark, that the Church just can't fight, because it's asleep in the light." Those who follow Jesus must see darkness in the world as their problem and their responsibility. Jesus came to wipe tears and suffering from this earth, and for some crazy reason, he called human beings to be the agents of that change.Reading the parable of salt and light as it follows the beatitudes illuminates the idea that living as salt and light must take on a position of humility, suffering, and purity of heart. In assuming that the salt- and light-bearers will be poor, will mourn, will be persecuted as stated in the beatitudes, Jesus implies that to bring salt and light is to enter in to the broken places of the world. Thus, being the salt and light begins with awareness, and is followed by action. But the action is not assuming power and domination and fighting wars - it is through meekness and humility. The ways of the kingdom of God are counter to the way this world works. In the same way that Christ humbled himself to become a human being, we are to humble ourselves to become like those who suffer. We are to enter in to the poverty and serve - not patronize - but serve those who are hurting. We are to regard them above ourselves. And the way we bring peace is not through dominance, but like Jesus, entering nonviolently into the violence.
If the beatitudes said "blessed are the successful; blessed are those who live in a warm house; blessed are the safe; blessed are those who have landed a good job; blessed are those who get selected in high business, government, and Church positions; blessed are those who get their writing published, etc." then perhaps we could shine light and season their earth by achieving the American Dream. But this is the point of what I'm saying: The nature of the beatitudes insists that living as salt and light requires the imperative of entering in to suffering. Using a flashlight at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on a sunny day is kind of pointless, and nobody wants more salt on a pretzel because it's already salty. Our salt and light needs to enter in to the places that need it.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
art, awareness, and action
I watched Blood Diamond tonight and it made me angry and frustrated. Activism art may get dismissed as emotive and superficial, affirming our positions but impotent in actually bringing about change. Perhaps, but I'd rather be woken up to my deepest convictions than continue to flow with the stream of apathy and misplaced preoccupation. Awareness is obviously inadequate, but is indeed affective in conditioning our hearts to things that matter. As long as we remember that knowing is not enough.
Reflections on last semester
My friends and family who I touch base with sporadically ask me "How's your internship thingy going in Charlottesville?" I still haven't been able to come up with a handful of adjectives to describe it as a whole, but I'll try to recap, as disjointed and incoherent as it might sound.
Working with Amy Sherman has been a great learning experience. This summer we did some travelling around the US, and I really enjoyed that because I got to pick her brain and glean wisdom from her. She is one of the most driven people I've every met, and she is passionate about the work that she does. For those of you who are unfamiliar with her work, she is a researcher/writer/speaker/consultant for ministry work among the urban poor. She founded Abundant Life Ministries in Charlottesville, the place where the Fellows tutor (I'll tell more about that), and now she does capacity building work for ministries around the US. There is one other girl in the office, Becca Saunders, who is my age, and is a lot of fun and easy to work with. It's hard to say one specific thing that Amy does because she usually has about 5-10 projects going at once. In terms of writing, she just finished a book called The Relentless Pursuit about the story of a ministry her friend Kit runs in Phoenix, and she's working on writing an article about communities in resistance. I've helped her with the research for that article and had the chance to read Nelson Mandela's biography (which I've been meaning to finish since I started it while I was in Cape Town), and writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Another major project we did was a survey of the impact the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) has on its members. It was exciting to be able to interview different ministries from around the country and hear their stories. I had the chance to go to the CCDA conference in St. Louis with Amy and Becca in October, where I heard speakers like John Perkins and Shane Claiborne, saw a beautiful picture of the Church coming together to discuss work among the urban poor, and was able to worship in a multi-ethnic setting, which I don't find at Trinity (the church I go to). The most consistent project we've been doing is a curriculum for a program designed to teach urban youth how to manage their money. So I've been creating lesson plans and games for kids. And we've been playing them. So basically my job is reading books and playing games.
The job is 3 days a week, and on Thursday and Friday we have a different seminary class each morning. I really love studying theology. I grow to love it more and more. These classes have shown me the unity in the scriptures - how the Bible is a story with a beginning and a future which has a consistent narrative throughout. It's eye-opening to find our place in the story - living in the tension between Jesus' death and resurrection, and the future when all things will be made new. In this tension we see glimpses of the kingdom of God but not a full realization. And the practical application of this is bringing God's kingdom to earth, as spoken in the Lord's prayer, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." And we do that by working for the justice and peace that Jesus came to establish through himself. I have sensed the feeling that I should continue theological studies after this year, so I am applying to seminaries and divinity schools while I'm at home over break.
Tutoring at Abundant Life has been a great experience. The boy I tutor is a 4th-grader named Juwan. Between substitute teaching at Griswold, teaching at Providence Summerbridge (an internship I did for a summer), and tutoring at Charity Family Life, Juwan is one of the best-behaved and most polite kids I've worked with. The two of us have had the chance to do some other things outside of tutoring with the other kids and tutors, such as bowling, ice-skating, and going to the park. His family is very nice too - he has a sweet sister who is always smiling, and his mom is a very nice lady.
One thing that I'm really thankful for is the opportunity to be involved in the church plant that Abundant Life is undergoing. The kids and families at Abundant Life come from the Prospect Avenue area, which is a low-income area in Charlottesville made up of predominately African-Americans residents. Abundant Life has great leadership from two men and their families who live in the community - Rydell Payne and Eddie Howard. Eddie is my mentor, and we try to meet together once a week. Eddie knows just about every person in the neighborhood, and the first day we got together, he took me around from door to door to meet people on Prospect Avenue, and in the Blue Ridge Commons, the housing project in that neighborhood. I've learned a lot about ministry from Eddie, and I'm excited to learn more from him in the future. Eddie and Rydell are the two who are planting and pastoring the church. The folks from Trinity Pres are helping out a lot too. I go to the church services on Saturday night in a tiny building that holds 30-50 people tops. At the beginning of the year I was asked to play guitar for the kids choir at Abundant Life, so I've been doing that since August. I love that opportunity because it allows me to get to know the kids better. Sometimes I'll take the kids to the park before the service to play basketball or play on the playground. One day we made an obstacle course on the playground and timed each other going around it. That was a blast. It's fun when the other Fellows come and hang out with the kids too. We're all hoping to do more of that next semester.
I'm living with a host family, the Breedings. They have been very warm and hospitable since I've been there. It is a family of five - Greg and Lyndee are the parents, plus there is Jordan who is a junior in high school, Grace who is in 8th grade, and Anna, who is in 6th grade. Jordan has a great sense of humor and plays guitar. So he's fun to hang around with, and we've had some good jams. Grace and Anna are both very sweet girls. One day when I came home I saw "Welcome home Reynolds" written in big sidewalk chalk letters on the driveway. Anna did it. I don't spend much time at home, so I don't see my host family very much, but hopefully I'll see more of them next semester.
And finally, but certainly not least, the other 11 Fellows. Doing life with 11 other people makes for an unique community dynamic. My closeness to each of the fellows rotates, depending almost entirely on circumstance. I'll be really close with one of the fellows for 3 weeks, and then the next three weeks I won't talk much to that person because she or he couldn't go out to lunch for three meals in a row, or something like that. And then I'll get close to three different fellows. But looking back at the semester as a whole, I've grown close to all the fellows and had personal time with all of them at some point. It is a great group of people with a wide variety of personalities and gifts. I've learned from them and have begun some friendships that I will probably consider valuable for years after. At the same time, I do feel limited in developing our community. We see each other in such short periods, and living in different houses makes developing community a challenge. I've been pushing the "community house" idea for next year to Dennis, the director of the program. But for now, we're trying to be more creative and intentional about finding ways to strengthen our community with the set up we're in.
So that's the rundown on last semester. Feel free to email me if you want to know more: reynoldschapman@gmail.com!
Working with Amy Sherman has been a great learning experience. This summer we did some travelling around the US, and I really enjoyed that because I got to pick her brain and glean wisdom from her. She is one of the most driven people I've every met, and she is passionate about the work that she does. For those of you who are unfamiliar with her work, she is a researcher/writer/speaker/consultant for ministry work among the urban poor. She founded Abundant Life Ministries in Charlottesville, the place where the Fellows tutor (I'll tell more about that), and now she does capacity building work for ministries around the US. There is one other girl in the office, Becca Saunders, who is my age, and is a lot of fun and easy to work with. It's hard to say one specific thing that Amy does because she usually has about 5-10 projects going at once. In terms of writing, she just finished a book called The Relentless Pursuit about the story of a ministry her friend Kit runs in Phoenix, and she's working on writing an article about communities in resistance. I've helped her with the research for that article and had the chance to read Nelson Mandela's biography (which I've been meaning to finish since I started it while I was in Cape Town), and writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Another major project we did was a survey of the impact the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) has on its members. It was exciting to be able to interview different ministries from around the country and hear their stories. I had the chance to go to the CCDA conference in St. Louis with Amy and Becca in October, where I heard speakers like John Perkins and Shane Claiborne, saw a beautiful picture of the Church coming together to discuss work among the urban poor, and was able to worship in a multi-ethnic setting, which I don't find at Trinity (the church I go to). The most consistent project we've been doing is a curriculum for a program designed to teach urban youth how to manage their money. So I've been creating lesson plans and games for kids. And we've been playing them. So basically my job is reading books and playing games.
The job is 3 days a week, and on Thursday and Friday we have a different seminary class each morning. I really love studying theology. I grow to love it more and more. These classes have shown me the unity in the scriptures - how the Bible is a story with a beginning and a future which has a consistent narrative throughout. It's eye-opening to find our place in the story - living in the tension between Jesus' death and resurrection, and the future when all things will be made new. In this tension we see glimpses of the kingdom of God but not a full realization. And the practical application of this is bringing God's kingdom to earth, as spoken in the Lord's prayer, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." And we do that by working for the justice and peace that Jesus came to establish through himself. I have sensed the feeling that I should continue theological studies after this year, so I am applying to seminaries and divinity schools while I'm at home over break.
Tutoring at Abundant Life has been a great experience. The boy I tutor is a 4th-grader named Juwan. Between substitute teaching at Griswold, teaching at Providence Summerbridge (an internship I did for a summer), and tutoring at Charity Family Life, Juwan is one of the best-behaved and most polite kids I've worked with. The two of us have had the chance to do some other things outside of tutoring with the other kids and tutors, such as bowling, ice-skating, and going to the park. His family is very nice too - he has a sweet sister who is always smiling, and his mom is a very nice lady.
One thing that I'm really thankful for is the opportunity to be involved in the church plant that Abundant Life is undergoing. The kids and families at Abundant Life come from the Prospect Avenue area, which is a low-income area in Charlottesville made up of predominately African-Americans residents. Abundant Life has great leadership from two men and their families who live in the community - Rydell Payne and Eddie Howard. Eddie is my mentor, and we try to meet together once a week. Eddie knows just about every person in the neighborhood, and the first day we got together, he took me around from door to door to meet people on Prospect Avenue, and in the Blue Ridge Commons, the housing project in that neighborhood. I've learned a lot about ministry from Eddie, and I'm excited to learn more from him in the future. Eddie and Rydell are the two who are planting and pastoring the church. The folks from Trinity Pres are helping out a lot too. I go to the church services on Saturday night in a tiny building that holds 30-50 people tops. At the beginning of the year I was asked to play guitar for the kids choir at Abundant Life, so I've been doing that since August. I love that opportunity because it allows me to get to know the kids better. Sometimes I'll take the kids to the park before the service to play basketball or play on the playground. One day we made an obstacle course on the playground and timed each other going around it. That was a blast. It's fun when the other Fellows come and hang out with the kids too. We're all hoping to do more of that next semester.
I'm living with a host family, the Breedings. They have been very warm and hospitable since I've been there. It is a family of five - Greg and Lyndee are the parents, plus there is Jordan who is a junior in high school, Grace who is in 8th grade, and Anna, who is in 6th grade. Jordan has a great sense of humor and plays guitar. So he's fun to hang around with, and we've had some good jams. Grace and Anna are both very sweet girls. One day when I came home I saw "Welcome home Reynolds" written in big sidewalk chalk letters on the driveway. Anna did it. I don't spend much time at home, so I don't see my host family very much, but hopefully I'll see more of them next semester.
And finally, but certainly not least, the other 11 Fellows. Doing life with 11 other people makes for an unique community dynamic. My closeness to each of the fellows rotates, depending almost entirely on circumstance. I'll be really close with one of the fellows for 3 weeks, and then the next three weeks I won't talk much to that person because she or he couldn't go out to lunch for three meals in a row, or something like that. And then I'll get close to three different fellows. But looking back at the semester as a whole, I've grown close to all the fellows and had personal time with all of them at some point. It is a great group of people with a wide variety of personalities and gifts. I've learned from them and have begun some friendships that I will probably consider valuable for years after. At the same time, I do feel limited in developing our community. We see each other in such short periods, and living in different houses makes developing community a challenge. I've been pushing the "community house" idea for next year to Dennis, the director of the program. But for now, we're trying to be more creative and intentional about finding ways to strengthen our community with the set up we're in.
So that's the rundown on last semester. Feel free to email me if you want to know more: reynoldschapman@gmail.com!
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