Hopes and Dreams
So, hopes and dreams for the next GA? Here are a few:
1. Worship that engages the mind as well as the senses. We've obviously learned a lot from the production values of some very large churches about use of cameras, screens, variety of musical styles, oratorical style, simplicity of themes, and keeping it multicultural. We're doing fine on the senses. What I'd like to see is more sustained intellectual care given to our core affirmations about unity and justice in ways that challenge me theologically. As a preacher, I want to hear a sermon that engages me creatively not just in terms of style but substance. Kinnamon's CCU address did that last year. The evening worship services did not.
2. Children's programming that's fully age appropriate and focused on the Assembly theme. My 11 year-old was too young for the older youth activities but far too old for most of the children's activities (the field trips were fine). Maybe children and youth programming could match up with our CCF - Chi Rho - CYF age brackets this time, with activities appropriate to each. The children's choir was really well-done, especially getting to sing with the Indianapolis Children's Chorus and director. Hopefully something similar can happen in Nashville.
3. AMEN! to the historical reflections by Newell Williams. More than anything else each day (except Saturday, which we had to wait for until it came out on video), Newell's historical reflections grounded me in our identity and prepared me for the day.
4. Another AMEN! to the biblical study in the mornings. It's time we lifted up our next generation of biblical scholars (we do have one, right?) and celebrated their work within the church and the academy.
5. Wholeness Cafes were wonderful opportunities for discussion. They involved children through older adults and gave everyone a voice. These would be good venues for discussing large issues for the church.
There are surely more, but these are the five that come to mind most immediately. Some thigns we continue to do well--running business meetings, maintaining parliamentary procedure, debating sense of the assembly resolutions. These don't really need tweaking. But strengthening our worship, conversation, and study are important.
1. Worship that engages the mind as well as the senses. We've obviously learned a lot from the production values of some very large churches about use of cameras, screens, variety of musical styles, oratorical style, simplicity of themes, and keeping it multicultural. We're doing fine on the senses. What I'd like to see is more sustained intellectual care given to our core affirmations about unity and justice in ways that challenge me theologically. As a preacher, I want to hear a sermon that engages me creatively not just in terms of style but substance. Kinnamon's CCU address did that last year. The evening worship services did not.
2. Children's programming that's fully age appropriate and focused on the Assembly theme. My 11 year-old was too young for the older youth activities but far too old for most of the children's activities (the field trips were fine). Maybe children and youth programming could match up with our CCF - Chi Rho - CYF age brackets this time, with activities appropriate to each. The children's choir was really well-done, especially getting to sing with the Indianapolis Children's Chorus and director. Hopefully something similar can happen in Nashville.
3. AMEN! to the historical reflections by Newell Williams. More than anything else each day (except Saturday, which we had to wait for until it came out on video), Newell's historical reflections grounded me in our identity and prepared me for the day.
4. Another AMEN! to the biblical study in the mornings. It's time we lifted up our next generation of biblical scholars (we do have one, right?) and celebrated their work within the church and the academy.
5. Wholeness Cafes were wonderful opportunities for discussion. They involved children through older adults and gave everyone a voice. These would be good venues for discussing large issues for the church.
There are surely more, but these are the five that come to mind most immediately. Some thigns we continue to do well--running business meetings, maintaining parliamentary procedure, debating sense of the assembly resolutions. These don't really need tweaking. But strengthening our worship, conversation, and study are important.
Tags: GA2011, bible, cafe, children, historical, study, wholeness, worship
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Case on -
Thanks, David. This is SO helpful! We ran into timing issues by having Bible study and historical reflections AND the cafe. All great stuff, but a little like trying to stuff 10 lbs of mud in a 5 lb bag... But I think it was a good learning experience.
We are tweaking the TIME issues as much as anything, to assure that each of those areas is strengthened. We also hope to attract some really challenging preachers from beyond our own circles. It was kind of cool to hear from all Disciples, too, but the biggest challenges OFTEN come from beyond our own ranks.
We also heard in our surveys about the program for children. I have a 10 year old. I feel your pain, and realize the challenge for our "tweeners"... I don't plan the program for children, but I will be passing this along (as well as other comments that are similar).
Thanks again! -
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Permalink Reply by David Cobb on -
I agree that timing is an issue. We offered some great stuff in Indy. But I'm sure I wasn't alone in discovering that the cafeteria approach was the only way to survive. There was simply no way to fit everything offered on one plate. Even so, that was manageable. We had a dozen folks from our church in Indy, and we all had different interests, so we got to attend a lot of events and reflect later on it when we brought our experience back home.
The only thing that made it seem like overload to me, though, was having the worship services go so far beyond their scheduled end points. It made it nearly impossible to have any meaningful after-sessions. By the time an after-session was able to start, the convention center was nearly closing.
GA at its best reflects the church at its best, and at Indy, we did a great job in gathering lots of voices into the conversation. The Wholeness Cafes were a highlight.
I do think more theological diversity in the preaching will be helpful in Nashville, though. I, too, love Doug Skinner. Despite our political and theological differences, he's been a mentor to me and I respect him greatly. But the Assembly worship preachers, with the exception of Sharon, reflected a consistently conservative theological perspective that left my congregation members who were in attendance wondering what future progressives have in the church. -
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Permalink Reply by Douglas C. Sloan on
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Speaking as a lay non-attendee: Make GA less expensive. For many of us, attending GA is a difficult financial choice between either attending GA or having a special trip such as a vacation or visiting distant family.
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Permalink Reply by John E. Smith on -
Hi, Doug
Not to make you leave the Intersection, but a robust discussion is occurring about things relating to GA, including many comments about costs of attendance on theFacebook group for General Assembly. Check it out and come right back:)
John
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