Finding Ways to Create New Templates

How does an Indian teen from Boulder CO who thinks he's, in his words- "white," come to grips with imparting his Asian heritage, sound, and voice upon his beloved "native" (he's always known the US as home and thoroughly American) music- jazz??

While studying jazz at North Texas Mahanthappa realized he didn't "fit" in the African American or white populations. Rudresh Mahanthappa has created something that is more than a simple East meets West. Mahanthappa studied with Kadri Gopalnath, a master of South Indian Carnatic music. As the NPR piece describe "with Indian music is there is no harmony — there's only melody and rhythm," Mahanthappa says. "What my vocabulary is informed by is a lot of harmonic stuff. It comes from the fact that you can play this chord, and you can play this chord on top of it." So, Mahanthappa wrote pieces that accommodated both approaches. For more of the story and sound check out

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98818133

What I love about this is the FUSION!

Wow, crazy energy, and power as old tools and techniques are coming together in fresh expressions. I wonder what this means for the Church? I'm curious about the possibilities as THIS generation experiences and reflects the Risen Christ in the here and now. There is a tremendous place for experimental Christianity today which expresses similar convergence and energy while retaining the very best of the "old" and engaging the "new."

2009-- Here we come!!

Review of the Year--- American Religious Thought

"In fact, on the question in the Pew survey about what it would take to achieve eternal life, only 1 percent of Christians said living life in accordance with the Bible. "

Did that get your attention?

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a survey in June which they reissued in August with more specific questions- even naming various religions.

"Nearly as many Christians said you could achieve eternal life by just being a good person as said that you had to believe in Jesus."

But wait, there's more...

The stranger stat shows that 42% felt atheism would lead to eternal life. I'd love to know the reasoning behind the green light vote for those who don't even believe in heaven!! The report says "One very plausible explanation is that Americans just want good things to come to good people, regardless of their faith." Which gets opinion editor Charles Blow to posit a view that sounds like heaven as an extension of the good ol' U.S. of A.

And that's NOT all!

There are some other VERY interesting views that you may want to check out. This is worth consideration by the church, not to get into arguments, but to think about where people honestly are in life and their thinking. Postmodern? You betcha! Totally Americanized worldview? Oh yeah! But it's the reality of our times. And the church needs to figure out how to be true to our calling while engaging relationships with people (the masses) outside the church.

For more of Charles M. Blow's insightful op-ed piece see
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/opinion/27blow.html?_r=1&em

For the full report (which I'd advise) see http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=380

A Moment for Epiphany

Here’s an older Epiphany hymn now deleted from the United Methodist hymnal:

“Brightest and Best of the Stars of the Morning”

Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Shall we then yield him, in costly devotion,
odors of Edom, and offerings divine,
gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favor secure,
richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

WORDS: Reginald Heber, 1783-1826; Matthew 2:1-11 MORNING STAR
MUSIC: James P. Harding, c. 1850-1911 11 10.11 10

Published by The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church; PO Box 340003; Nashville TN 37203-0003; telephone 877-899-2780, ext. 7070; web site http://www.umcworship.org

Lyrics and music at
http://www.gbod.org/worship/music/brightestandbest-MH400.pdf

College Sunday Worship & Great Christmas/Epiphany Music

We have a lot of college students home for the holidays. That means the FULL BAND in worship. Now we aren't typically one of those types of churches :) though the youth and some of the special Sundays often finds a variety of musicians leading worship. But today was the full sound, and I confess I LOVE IT! I appreciate that the church is open to this, is VERY encouraging of our young adults in their sharing, and that the young adults are so eager to share Christ through music. You see, the church encourages people to share their faith, even when the style may be different we appreciate that the story of God's work is continuing and that our children and grandchildren are in fact passionate about this!

I also found a depth of the Christmas story and of theology today that I didn't expect. It's a challenge to share the story as BOTH the gift of God AND maintain our role in response and in continuing to share in that story and work. This song managed to do that quiet well.

"Let Us Be"
Dyba/Hurst

The heavens rang with praise the night You were born;
A longing world beheld the Savior come.
You lived to bring us peace, You died to make us free
That we would live to show eternal love.
Because You came our hearts proclaim

Chorus:
Let us be joy to the world let us be peace on the earth,
That all would sing "Come let us adore Him."
Let us be wonders of heavenly grace, hope and love
That all would sing "Come let us adore Him."

Our everything we give, far as the curse is found,
To be a light, bright shining in the east.
In darkness and despair, we will meet broken there
And guide them to the foot of Mercy's seat.
So let our lives reveal Your light

Chorus

Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Prince of Peace
Merciful, Father of Life Everlasting

Chorus

Christmas for A Denomination

New birth, or God's gift to the world, comes to us through Jesus the Christ, yet may manifest the Spirit in all sorts of ways today. I'm thinking that while a local church might get this that many denominations are stuck in old ways. Lo and behold, I have found a wise man (George Bullard) who gives guidance which has many matches with what I've been suspecting, questioning, and puzzling over the last few days. Perhaps as those of us in leadership positions have opportunities to help create new realities for our beloved denominations we will create stronger, healthier structures which will do even greater good for God and for people in the days to come. I think the tool below captures many truths which may help create a bridge from what we have been to what we must become.

Answer these questions of your denomination and see how you score:

http://bullardjournal.blogs.com/bullardjournal/files/can_denominations_thrive_in_the_21st_century.doc

Another strong example of denominational leadership required to build a bridge to the future in this tough economic, and culturally challenging time is courtesy of another wise man named Bill Easum. http://easumbandy.com/fileadmin/free_resources/word_docs/Workbook-proofed.doc

Easum has insights into what he finds isn't working anywhere in the U.S. with Natural Church Development being one of the recent fads noted. A key to growth that he offers is the good common sense of competent, passionate pastors who have the support of their denomination; an emphasis on the judicatory supporting the church with major role as that of resourcing the congregations; church planting serving as a major part of the effort; as well as other factors which seem consistent with what I've work in the local church setting.

Relevant to some of my recent questioning I find Easum helpful when he suggests:

"Streamlining the Judicatory Bureaucracy. Those judicatories who are cutting back on overhead and investing most of income back into the churches before they are forced to by dwindling numbers are at the forefront of much of the transformation and reproduction uncovered in this study. One example is Central Baptist Association (Phoenix).
On-going, on-the-job training and coaching is found in every one of the growing judicatories in this study. The training, however, isn’t done by armchair theologians but by people who have actually grown churches. Most of the growing judicatories either have a person set aside for the oversight or they have contracted with an outside consultant to give oversight. Much of the training is in reading the signs of the times and making the appropriate adjustments or metamorphosis."

It sounds like some of these actions might be gifts which would bring Christmas to a denomination.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas E-Letter From an Old Friend

It's funny to think of Cameron as an "old" friend. He's a young man, still likely in honeymoon status since they haven't been married a year yet, and one who grew up in the youth group at a church I served. So, he sends an e-mail newspaper to share stories and pictures of their life and location now. I was surprised to find he was doing so much with music. I especially like how "real" his songs sound, and the lyrics which catch my interest. Keep following the way Cameron where ever it takes you.

In the meanwhile, you might enjoy checking out his work at http://corydwatson.com/cameronjones/podcast/

Youth Mission in Nassau, Bahamas June 21-27

North Georgia United Methodist (and other conference) Youth groups are encouraged to attend a great international mission camp in Nassau, Bahamas June 21-27. This offers a great location in mission with local Haitians & Bahamians, Methodist youth from across the US, & worship leadership from Terry Carty & Youth Worker Movement friends. It will offer a perfect youth venue as we hope to have 600 missioners! We'll provide a great international youth mission with all the details taken care of and experienced youth ministers and missioners to help your church or district youth group have a transformational experience. Sign up directly through this link or send me your questions.

I'll look forward to working with you in Nassau!

http://www.missionencounter.com/youth_movement.htm

Effective Congregations in Mission for God

My recent observations about U.S. religious denominational life in comparison to the Big 3 reorganization has had much focus on the necessary priority of a local congregation. As the years have gone by denominational advocates have lost sight of this, so that agency budgets continue to mount, administrative officers & staff continue to grow, and in general the denomination and the agencies pull more finances out of the congregations.

See Bishop Willimon's emphasis on a missional church at http://willimon.blogspot.com/2008/12/effective-churches.html. I think he reflects a fair expectation for a congregation and its leadership (clergy & laity), and I especially appreciate the broader sense of mission and ministry which necessarily engages the local community. If that is the appropriate expectation of the congregation then how must the bishop, the conference, and the denomination (and all of the denominational entities) encourage and advance this work of the local congregation?

This would be a true connectional denominational effort as EVERY layer of the denomination would have focus on ministry in a local context. Imagine the seminaries, the national denominational agencies, the conference bishop and ministry offices, and the district offices of a denomination all networked to encourage and facilitate such ministry as a witness to Jesus Christ! Our work would be interdependent upon the calling, the effectiveness, and the blessings of God at every level, and we'd have clear connections at every level. This would be a church model of denominational life, and not an institutional business model. Leadership at denominational levels would be adept at coaching for ministry effectiveness. Such leadership would be chosen with that ministry supervision and coaching expectation as a priority in mind.

Such effectiveness also has financial implications. A denominational emphasis on effective congregations might not ask how much the denomination or agency needs, but how much the denomination and agency could give to help the congregation be more effective in ministry. Sending 15% of the finances away from the local congregation should not be an expectation in a normal year. In a time of economic recession or depression this certainly can not be the case. A local congregation is not a franchise which must pay its dues. A denominational tithe for mission and ministry beyond the local church is understandable; anything beyond that should be seen as a voluntary offering which is received with humility and gratitude. Certainly we shouldn't expect clergy effectiveness is based primarily on institutional giving! One might be a fine "company man/woman" and supportive of the institution, but should good clergy be penalized if their church does not pay it's denominational dues?

It would be interesting to see again what Bishop Willimon might state as the duties of the district office, the conference office, the seminary, and the denominational offices to facilitate and empower the local congregation in their ministry effectiveness. I think such a reordering of our conference life and denominational life could be our own modern day reformation. Having just received The Financial Commitment of The United Methodist Church 2009-2012 http://www.gcfa.org/fs_FCB.html & thinking about the year ahead in my local congregation I can only hope this new day comes sooner rather than later.

Cool Cellphone Hack for 3rd World App

Scientists Hack Cellphone to Analyze Blood, Detect Disease, Help Developing Nations

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/multimedia/2008/12/gallery_microscope_phone