submergence

I'm alive and on an 'Anglicouch'

I have not posted in light years.

So much is happening in the world of Karen... I'm busy with so many exciting things in my life and service in the church. I will say more in a few weeks about all the goings on with me. Also I'm a bit knackerd from moving residences from the burbs into the 'hood, the 'hood of Fremont in Seattle, where my Abbey church (Church of the Apostles) and our, separate, nonprofit, partner arts center (Fremont Abbey Arts) are. This move has been a long time coming!

So for now, I need rest and a way to meet some new people, so I've created a new 'tribal group' for Anglican travelers within Anglimergent.org called 'Anglicouch,' inspired by the non church group couchsurfing.com, a group that is teaching me as a Christian, much about the Christian value of hospitality.

This group is my small way to help foster deeper relationships within my church tribe/communion so we can learn more about the core value of hospitality within  Christianity by 'practicing' it. I will also be joining the wider, non church couchserfing.com in the fall, when I'm more settled in and have all my furniture.  - Cheers

Anglimergent meeting

'Anglimergent activity' has now officially 'begun' in TEC with the meeting of Anglican emerging leaders (in the Episcopal Church) in Minneapolis recently. I was glad to be part of this (with me still being an 'undocumented' Anglican leader). It gives me hope for the future/present of this church that I love...  I'm fully engaged in re-imagining the Anglican way of being Christian, and I'm amazed by how deeply this tradition (when freed from modern strictures) resonates with the souls of post-moderns...

The freeing of Anglican tradition from the modern strictures part is the crux.  The modern Anglican matrix is strong, but I 'm hopeful our little Nebuchadnezzar flight crew can navigate this matrix and deliver a payload of hope into Gen Con 2009.

Anglimergent'NING' site is live

A few days ago I put up a new 'NING' (networking) site for Anglicans (of all persuasions (TEC, AMia, CofE, ACC ...) who are engaging emerging church and mission.

Emergent forums and networking is key for Anglicans, as the perichoretic way emergents engage one another (in reconciling and generative friendship across modernist liberal/conservative divides) is sorely needed as small sign that God has given us the capacity to practice shalom and live an 'alternate Anglican story' of reconciliation, justice, and service with wonder, love and praise, a story that is markedly different from the deadly 'Communion Wars' currently engulfing this tribe.

To this end,'AnglimergentNiNG' is an interactive 'fast lane' relational networking site for those engaging emerging Anglican mission ministry 'on the ground,' as an international hub to find community and build relationships with those who share this same passion and providing: peer2peer learning, resource sharing, a place to pose questions and to explore new possibilities for breaking open and sharing the gifts of Anglicanism to those seeking God in emerging cultures and our postmodern, post-colonial, and post (you fill in the blank) world.

Sometime in the next few weeks Anglimergent.ORG will launch as a simple, presentational 'onramp' / introductory portal to emerging Anglicanism with 'directory' listing of Anglimergent parishes, missions and ministries around the globe.

As my fellow Seattle based Anglimergent Tim Mathis says in his Facebook group 'Anglican whether you like it or not' - 'Anglicans are in communion with one another, whether you like it or not. That doesn't mean that we like each other, agree, or even get along--traditionally, in fact, Anglicans can be said to have been united by our common prayer and not much else. However, we have agreed--and continue to agree--that more good comes through officially recognizing our spiritual unity (which leads us to continue to meet together) than through institutional division, which cuts us off and turns our neighbor into the "other". So, we're not afraid of unity, even with those who disagree on important issues.

Further, it is generally our belief that division of an institutional sort serves only the narrow political purposes of the few, and negatively affects the vast majority of Anglicans by creating both unwarranted animosity and unnecessary impediment to a sharing of resources between the rich and the poor.

We're not ready to give up on our institutional attempt to be catholic, like the Kingdom of God. That's why we say welcome Canadians, Nigerians, the English, Americans, Rowan Williams, Peter Akinola, Gene Robinson, Desmond Tutu (somebody get those guys on Facebook!), Episcopalians, AMiAers, moderns, postmoderns, gays, straights, women, men, conservatives, liberals, young and old, to the Body of Christ in the Anglican Spiritual Tradition.'

As another Anglimergent friend Bosco Peters (NZ) says: This is about being contemplative and missional.'

If you are wanting basic info and a directory, wait a few weeks to check out Anglimergent.org. If you want to be active in community networking for engaging emerging Anglican church and mission work on the ground JOIN Anglimergent-NING
and pass on the invite link to any active, missionaly engageded and peacable Anglimergent type friends you know.

Gaudete: Rejoice!

Advent is my favorite season of the church year, and the 3rd Sunday in Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday where the text of the Magnificat is read. Gaudete is Latin for rejoice. We are all invited to become like Mary and be theotokoi (God-bearers). We are invited each Advent to allow God to be born in us anew ... which is the most amazing reason in the world to rejoice.

To properly celebrate Gaudete, Advent and Xmas, as Abbess of Church of the Apostles and the Fremont Abbey, I have used my 'Abbess powers' (which I define as the calling to bless and release things) to bless and release an Advent Ale called Gaudete.

Gaudete is a unique Christmas style beer (dark, porter based, with a bit of smoke, sweet spice and a dry finish) and is a 'limited release' (like, only three cases exist). It is to be enjoyed reverently, in moderation, and with thanksgiving to God, at various celebrations within our community this season.

Our Abbey brews come from our friend Joel at Two Beers Brewing, a new and true 'micro' brewery currently located in our own Fremont neighborhood in Seattle.

We support their ethos and 'theology' of brewing, which is as follows from their website.

We are connected to the Earth.  We are connected to each other.  And we cannot escape either of these realities. Is that a reason to make amazing beer?  We are at Two Beers Brewing Company think so.  You see, beer is one of the original beverages that was created thousands of years ago.  Long before soda and even lemonade.  Beer is made from all naturally grown ingredients and always has been.  No artificial sweeteners, no susbstitutes, nothing that is a product of 21st century invention.  Therefore when a crop fails somewhere the prices change in ingredients.  Making amazing beer is a beautiful way to remind us that we are connected to the earth. Drinking amazing beer certainly isn’t fun by ourselves either. It is much more fun to invite some friends over, or go to a pub, and enjoy a beer in community.  This also causes us to slow down just enough to remind us that we are connected to each other.  We do enjoy our friends.  And although our life may still feel slightly out of whack we are momentarily comforted by the fact that there are people around us. So take some time.  Look at the world. And surely you will gain a new perspective. " (from Two-Beers Brewing).

So, if you are in the Seattle area and in need of Good News, good company, and great tidings of joy to all the earth, join Church of the Apostles for our two remaining Advent masses: Saturday Dec 15, 5 pm (at Fremont Baptist Church) and Saturday, Dec 22nd, 5 pm (at the Fremont Abbey) and the Mass of Christ, Monday Dec 24, 10 pm (at the Fremont Abbey).
Gaudete in Domino to you and yours (Abbess Karen).

 

EPISCOPAL CHURCH - ADVENT AWAKENINGS - LISTEN TO THE JACK HAMMER ON OUR ROOF AND ALLOW NEW LIFE AND PRIORITIES FOR MISSION IN.

The denomination which I am now seeking to enter and belong to, The Episcopal Church (TEC) is in a bit of trouble and crisis... Just a few days ago, an entire diocese (San Joachin) has decided to leave the Episcopal Church.

A crisis carries within it two things: danger and opportunity.

LISTEN TO THE JACKHAMMERS ON OUR ROOF. This image of hammers on the roof comes from my Bishop, Greg Rickel. I've changed the phrase from hammer to jackhammer to note the severity of the 'noise,' as call to listen for and embrace new opportunities.

We must always remember that we are people of the paschal mystery. In Christ, out of death, can come new life and renewed purpose. So what will come of the death of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joachin as we knew it? 

There will be new life for those who left in joining the Southern Cone, but what of those beloved ones who stay? This is a chance for a faithful (to TEC) remnant to rise, but as they rise there are lessons to be learned and chances to do things differently, and go in new directions, aligned even more with God's priorities by engaging outreach in new ways that are attuned to emerging culture and the needs of the world...

Both the old, modern, liberal, and old, modern, conservative frameworks for being church are both crashing. - Both we and our more conservative friends need to forge new pathways for being church and working together based on the core things we hold in common: Love of triune God, the creed, the sacraments, treasuring of the story of Jesus and God' s salvation told in scripture (albeit with varying frameworks for interpreting scripture among the churches) the call to mission, the call to reconciled relationships with one another, and the call to service in and for God's world.

What rises from those diocesan ashes need not be 'the same old thing.' As I said in my post just prior to this one: When you insist on doing things 'the same old way you have always done them,' you are enshrining results that will deliver to you 'the same old things you have always had.' (our denomination has an average member age nearing 60 in a North American culture whose average citizen is around 32). This is not a sustainable trend... New missional efforts need to allowed, blessed and released, to welcome emerging generations in, so that the treasures of the Anglican tradition can be handed on!

In this new rising, let us also not waste time and missional energy being angry and 'against' those who are more conservative, but instead let us direct energy and resources towards engaging renewed mission, reconciliation and service NOW.

For this to happen, we must not remain 'hell-bent' in upholding modernist rules and ways of operating that discourage innovation and lock out much of the new life and vitality seeking to grow and blossom within this church - Emerging generation and missional leaders should not be turned away at our doors and left lacking for blessing and release to engage new opportunities for mission NOW.

Let us pray for God's beloved ones in the Diocese of San Joachin who have left the Episcopal Church. Let us not try to hold on to those who feel called to leave... Instead let us bless them and allow them to depart as well as we are able. Let is also mourn their loss and pray for them to live in faith, hope and love, as affiliated with the Southern Cone, as the Southern Cone dioceses are not our enemies... We will be our own enemies, if we do not respond to this tragedy with an AWAKENING to God's mission and a new boldness to risk for the Gospel and the Reign of God within TEC.

Let us also ask for prayers from those who have left us... Beloved ones in the new diocese of the Southern Cone in America, do pray for your brothers and sisters in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joachin. Pray for them and that their faith in Jesus, though from a different perspective from yours, holds true. The Baptismal Covenant is over them, as it is over you, so please pray... as the call to love those with whom we struggle, and to seek reconciliation with them, comes to all of us from Christ our Lord.

Let us also give thanks that the 'Interim Report from the House of Deputies' is finally dealing with TEC reality.

There have been large membership losses. Time has come to remove our heads from the sand, and awaken from our sleep to act with URGENCY and excitement to engage God's mission NOW, and exploring new ways to live out the 'alternate story' of the Reign of God in our world. There is a large hole in our roof. It is a bloody mess. It is also a time when light can shine on us from the face of Jesus Christ.

The quote below is from the Interim Report House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church, November 2007

As Episcopalians, we approach and express our faith and relationship with Christ through
our Baptismal Covenant and Eucharistic community. Now is the time to articulate and renew these leadership trajectories, and to re-kindle enthusiasm for both evangelism and mission. Such efforts will emphasize equally spiritual renewal for our existing long-time members, and Christian formation for our newer and younger members.

We need to undertake these efforts with a sense of urgency: urgency in evangelism,
urgency in leadership development, urgency in outreach, urgency in structural reorganization--but first and foremost, urgency in more clearly defining who we are, where God is calling us to go, and how we should “press ahead” in mission in response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ '

This is our crisis/opportunity.

All I can do about San Joachin is to pray for those departing and those remaining in TEC, and to pray for a reduction in the use of courts to settle church affairs within our communion, as I said above.

But there is much that we can do here in the Diocese of Olympia, as there is a newly forming cohort of emerging Anglican leaders here ready to be put to serious work to help lead and transform our diocese around a clear, generous and orthodox identity, with a clear and 'heaven bent' focus on mission, reconciliation and service in the way of Jesus Christ. I'm excited for our Bishop to bless and release us, so we can just 'get on with it.' There is so much missional opportunity before us. 'Anglimergent' mission is seeking to be born...
It is Advent once again.

Hope rising - Jeff Lee, Bishop elect of Chicago

I'm so VERY happy that my friend and mentor, The Rev. Jeff Lee (from St. Thomas Episcopal Church Medina, WA) is the new Bishop Elect of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. This gives me hope that real change CAN happen.

Change means developing the capacity to: RISK for mission, EMBRACE and support solid, new ideas in ALL areas of church life (including leadership training and credentialing).

To do this is to nurture a 'deep ecclesiology' and to uphold 'deep' tradition, rather than pouring energy into trying to maintain outmoded ways of operating, when such precious energy is needed missionally to be directed elsewhere.

When you insist on doing things 'the same old way you have always done them,' you are enshrining results that will deliver you 'the same old things you have always had.'
(a church with an average denominational member age of 60 in a culture whose average citizen is 32).

It is hard not to daydream on occasion, when I feel frustrated that new ideas will no be given 'voice, budget or vote,' no real risk will ever be taken and hardly any 'experiments' will ever be allowed.

The largest and oldest cohort of the Boomers (aged 55-65) continue to dominate denominational and diocesan staff positions, commissions and bishop chairs, with so many unable to see the need to purposefully distribute power to include even us late 30's to mid 40's Xers, which forces many of us to start churches and groups outside such systems which will allow us or our postmodern native ethos and ideas in.

With all this said, it is hard not to daydream about going back to Chicago and asking to be a diocesan Missioner under Jeff.

But this is pain speaking... as my deeper dream is to do more as a missioner here in Seattle and out of COTA, and in my diocese, as this is my home now.

'I have a dream' for the Diocese of Olympia... a dream of hope and renewal, where the emerging missional 'fringe' and frontier 'barbarians' are welcomed 'into the center,' to help spark the re-imagining of church and mission here around the Puget Sound.

My hope for us here is our new GEN X Bishop, Greg Rickel. I pray for him each day...
Literally i do..., as I know he, like Jeff, will be open to RISK, CHANGE and NEW THINGS, but the modern institutional church system in all around him was 'custom built' to shut out these very things. So i'm gonna work on becoming a 'Canon' here, as things need some new fire, and ''I've got a hidden stash of 'dry powder' i've been sitting on and waiting for emerging kairos time in TEC, which is now trying to bust a move in, so (Bishop) Greg will need all the help he can get.

Rising From the Ashes - TEC and 'Mainline' emergence

My friend Becky Garrison has written a new book called 'Rising from the Ashes'
and I did a 'review' of it on Amazon.

If you are TEC (The Episcopal Church) Anglican or part of any other kind of 'mainline' church seeking to emerge Do read Rising from the Ashes

Here is my review below:

Becky Garrison has done the 'mainline' churches (and especially The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion) a big service in writing this book.

A book like this has been needed for a while now, to help the often 'sidelined' mainline churches to get back on the playing field of western Christianity with both 'voice and vote,' and to offer our sorely needed giftings and perspectives.

Brian McLaren says 'Everything Must Change' in his new book, and I second it and add that 'everything' includes the mainline churches.

Becky moved freely around emerging church circles to gather data and collect some 'true stories' which may help to get mainline emergence 'on the radar' of the established mainline churches, which many of us love and serve faithfully with little 'institutional support' so far, in the ways we truly need it.

Over 35 % (my guestimate) of those active in the 'emerging church' in North America and at least 50% of those in Europe (especially in England) are from 'mainline' traditions rather than from the free church evangelical ones that most people associated with this 'movement.'

We mainliners are 'in the emerging church house.' - This book may help us 'come out' in our own denominations and communions.

As an emerging church 'practitioner,' I was able to tell the story of my community and our pilgrimage in emerging church and mission within the mainline for the last seven years, and I was also able to share my recent efforts to birth 'Anglimergent' (Anglicans) to walk alongside 'Presbymergent, Luthermergent, Submergent (Mennonites) and other mainline native emerging groups.

Sometimes (and quite recently) in my own experiences in my beloved 'TEC' tribe, I often feel as much 'buried in the ashes' as rising from them, but there IS real rising going on none the less.

This book is a must read for the rising that is taking place now among mainline 'scouts' of emergence who are 'on the ground, fumbling in the darkness, submerged in the water, off the map, and down the rabbit' hole, in seeking to actively participate in God's Kingdom and missional future with hope.

The 'Abbess and Rector' (?) strikes again?

I'm back from the U.K. I'm now a slacker blogger, hardly posting, so buried in my church life in Seattle.

Anyway I'm headed to Denver tomorrow for one day event at Iliff School of Theology.

On the web blurb they call me 'Abbess and Rector', heh heh. I do use the self-appointed title Abbess (which our Apostles do now call me) but I don't remember calling myself a Rector, but maybe I did and it was Freudian somehow =: O

Rector is 'Episcospeak' for a priest of a parish that is not on mission support. So, a Rector I'm not yet, but only in my Episcospeak dreams... And by 2010 If I have anything to do with it (and I may not) we will be a parish, so I can be called a Rector and then spend time explaining what that means, as it sounds like a mash-up between a school marm, a book-keeper and a crossing guard. (which may be too close to what I feel I'm doing way too often).

Wikipedia says this: 'The word rector ("ruler," from the Latin regere) has a number of different meanings, but all of them indicate someone who is in charge of something.'

Well, maybe not. I don't feel in charge of anything, really... and I'm not even really a Vicar.
(and no I don't wanna go into what that means). But that I think I am and will let folk call me, official or not.

Rector also means someone looking after a 'team ministry' or a priest working with a staff of folk. That I am. So it is a mixed bag to be one of these. At least I've two to three years more to figure it out before I'm anywhere near being one.

And I suppose I really don't mind explaining the curiosities of my Tribe, as I love them, weird terms and all... so as to explaining that I'm 'not yet a Rector,' okay, as I often explain that I called 'Abbess' all the time now anyhow. It certainly get's attention, as how many abbesses do you meet at cocktail parties?

Anglican Communion Facetime 'Anglimerges'

I've been focused much these days on the Anglican communion and all the goings on with fears surrounding a breach, but even so, some of us will remain grounded by a theology of communio that is un-breakable because it is perichoretic and thus needs to be proleptic within the church...

So I started a Facebook group called 'Anglimergent,'  to give this kind of communio theology some good old Anglican incarnation/embodiment
in cyberspace and hopefully in physical space also into the future.

The whole idea is to engage emerging church 'conversation' across divides and *within* the Anglican communion. If such conversations among diverse friends can yield fruit among vastly different Christian traditions within the wider emerging church conversation, then emergent conversation can also help us image and incarnate an alternate Anglican future that is different from the breach scenario and 'Anglican family feud.'

We are supposed to see Christ in the 'other,' so Anglimergent is trying to give some face and talk time to diverse Anglicans seeking missonal unity and friendship  (TEC, AMiA, CANA, ACC, CofE, the Anglican Church of Uganda ...) to show that God can indeed be found in the face of whoever is seen as Anglican 'Others.'

Also, I've really been feeling the communio among new friends. Here is a picture of some real Province VIII Anglican communion (Fr. Tommy, St. Aidan's San Francisco, Abbess Karen, Apostles, Seattle and Fr. Will, Grace Cathedral San Francisco).

My dream is for there to be an Anglimergent Cafe Space at the next General Convention in 2009.

And friends from AMiA, CANA, ACC also consider hosting an Anglimergent cafe at your conventions too (and inviting a few of us TEC folk, as we will invite some of you to ours).

To do this at the TEC GenCon, we'd need some support from folk who are planning this shindig to get us there and give us the cafe space. I will work on this with others, so Bishop KJS, if you are reading this, email me :-)  karen@apostleschurch.org

There are also Luthermergent and Presbymerget groups in Facebook to join, as you roll with one of these tribes.

And check out Anglimergent to roll with us as participant members of the emergent Anglican tribe.   

Cheers

'Good Habits' ;-) Karen's Sister Act

I'm off this week at a small, urban convent in San Francisco for a week of rest, reflection, prayer and spiritual work (under Bishop's orders).

I have been sent here by my Bishop, Nedi Rivera (pictured left).

She says that I need 'Abbess work,' cause I'm not the best Abbess (I'm over working, driven, over-reaching and 'sleepless in Seattle' and thus not the best model of the spiritual life for my beloved Apostles community (ouch).

Bishop Nedi can say this to me because she is a Franciscan, so I'm going to the Community of St. Francis (an Episcopal Franciscan Convent), but THANK GOD this is not out in the middle of nowhere. As an urban Abbess I get jazzed by the sights and environs of the big city. So as convents go, this place is perfect for me, as it is in the hip Mission District of San Francisco (relief).

Church of the Apostles is 'new wave Benedictine' oriented (ora et labora) prayer/liturgy and work is our focus, but hanging with the Franciscans will be great for me to soak in the Franciscan charism.

It will be a time of rest, prayer and daily Eucharist with time for writing (I'm working on the 'commentary' for our Apostles rule of life) so all of this is appropriate for an 'Abbess @ boot camp' to do.

On a few outings I'll visit some friends (yes, I can leave the convent). Fr. Will Scott from Grace Cathedral (whom I met on the blogsphere), Fr. Tommy Dillon from St. Aidan's Episcopal (whom I met at an Episcopal Evangelism conference) and yes, Episcopalians can spell the word and Mother Leslie Nipps (dreaming up Bay area emerging ministries and living in Oakland).

And I'm NOT in a big habit (like the lady to the left).
But I did find a source for them online if YOU want to get one.

I am 'into' habits here, but ones around ora et labora, prayer and worship to help better ground my Abbess work at home at COTA.

P.S.
I do NOT sing, and I've NEVER met Ted Danson ;-)

JUNE 18 and 19 EMERGING CHURCH LECTURES in Portland and Seattle

Church of the Apostles Praxis Mission Center is sponsoring a lecture by Fr. Ian Mobsby of Moot community, Westminster, U.K.
If you want to learn about emerging church/fresh expressions of Church in the U.K, and about 'How Understanding How the Trinity Empowers the Church to Become Experimental and Missional' then JOIN US FOR THIS LECTURE, and BRING FRIENDS OR TEAM FROM YOUR CHURCH.

CLICK LINK BELOW TO REGISTER - DISCOUNT FOR EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS.

MONDAY, JUNE 18 LECTURE in PORTLAND, OR, 7-9 PM
at TRINITY EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL, http://praxislectureportland.eventbrite.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 19 LECTURE in SEATTLE, WA , 7-9  PM
at TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, http://praxislectureseattle.eventbrite.com

Proper British tea, scones and strong northwest coffee will be served 6:15-7 pm before the lectures and during registration/sign-ins. Registrations also accepted at the door.

Cheers.

U2Charist May 26, 5 pm @ St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle

Church of the Apostles is biting the bullet and will put on a 'U2charist' on Pentecost: SUNDAY, MAY 26 5 PM at St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle. + a 'MDG INFO FAIR' starts things of right from 1-4 pm.

IF YOU: Still haven't found what you're lookin' for' or  IF YOU like 'rawk in church,' being retro, cathedrals, doing justice, loving kindness, helping Darfur (or any combo of the above)

and IF YOU live anywhere within 3 hours drive of Seattle,

PLEASE COME, INVITE FRIENDS AND 'RAWK & ROWL' FOR JUSTICE !

THE OFFERING TAKEN GOES TO POVERTY
and DARFUR RELIEF .

To learn 'Everything you've always wanted to
know about U2charists, but were afraid to ask' CLICK HERE

NEIGHBORHOOD MISSION LEARNING DAY AUDIO

Audio from the Neighborhood Mission Learning Day with Brian McLaren and missional pastor friends in Seattle, is now available for purchase. The event had 200 participants from 14 different denominations coming to share wisdom and gain inspiration on being church in ways that matter in your local culture and zipcode.

Event revenue and audio sales goes to support the mission partner churches of Apostles, Seattle: Church of the Beloved, Edmonds, WA, Scum Church, Seattle, and Moot, London.

PURCHASE THE AUDIO HERE

2 WEEKS TILL THE MISSION LEARNING DAY (APRIL 21)

There are two weeks left till our Neighborhood Mission Learning Day with Brian McLaren in Seattle, Sat April 21, 9:30 am to 4 pm. We have about 75 spots left open for the event and about 20 for the Theology Pub Dinner that evening 7 pm (separate registration).

BONUS- Opening and closing songs at the event will be led by singer-songwriter AARON STRUMPEL, from Enter the Worship Circle.
His new CD is Chair and Microphone II (of whom I'm a HUGE fan).
Aaron will also join us for worship at Apostles at 5 pm (after the Mission Learning Day and before the Theology Pub dinner) so I'm psyched!

YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE MISSION LEARNING DAY BELOW, and happy Easter to everyone upcoming.

Online Event Registration - Powered by www.eventbrite.com

'Easter with a twist' - Stirred and Shaken

In our beloved Episcopal and Lutheran churches, COTA (Church of the Apostles) is often though of as 'different.' Meaning, our worship and way of being church is enough 'post box' that our tribes often do not know what to make of us, except to describe our events by saying 'this is really going to be different' or 'tonight evening prayer will be 'with a twist.' Like, 007 does evening prayer ! (rad).

Mostly this makes us chuckle... as we know we are loved by most of our kindred, even as we are 'different.'

In past years our RISE Easter Vigil has been in two broken down and underground rave venues, a start up arts center and a hip night club in Seattle. But for the past two years, it has been at our own Fremont Abbey building. In some ways RISE has become 'stirred'. It is still 'progressive,' but not as 'out there' as in the past (but i'm thinking up a new service that will be... so stay tuned).

Anyway,  here is the flier for this years RISE: Easter Vigil. THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 7TH: 5 PM LITURGY, DINNER AND PARTY till midnight (Easter am).

Even though we are going 'stirred' this year, I'm stoked to know there is another Episcopal Mission in NYC (Trans:Mission) that is SHAKING THANGS UP for Easter (heck, the tomb and earth shook!, remember? ).

They are holding their celebration in a nightclub called Avalon (a former Episcopal church) so as my friend Stephanie Spellers commented on her communities' Crossings blog (yes, yet another 'different/emerging' sister Episcopal mission) 'Where else would Jesus go post tomb?', but to a shaken Easter par-tay!.

Read about it in the lower section of the linked page, beneath the 'Chocolate Passover' CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT EASTER THAT IS SHAKEN AT CLUB AVALON 'EPISCOPAL CHURCH.'

and read more HERE IN BELIEF NET