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Why our church values beauty

I have been asked by several people why our church values ‘beauty’. 

 Beauty is not attached to belief.  Yet it provides an access point to the soul.  Two people can find something beautiful, but believe different things about Jesus.  Beauty becomes a contact between them.  Sometimes a conversation about belief will come from that.

 Beauty is an inherent characteristic of the Trinity.  Like Charis (grace) and Chesed (steadfast love).  Beauty is grace.  You cannot manufacture it.  It happens.  Beauty is a gift.  Beauty reveals the character of its Creator.  It is a way for people to ‘get’ grace in a way that is slant, not overt (like a tract, or a big poster that says John 3.16)

 Beauty is a gift of common grace.  We value the way God is at work around us, whether we know it, participate in it, or not.  He is extending grace to those who by definition don’t deserve it and drawing to himself those whom he dearly loves.

Advent and Augustine

This week I will be preaching on Isaiah 64 and Mark 13.  For me (and I think the historic church), Advent is all about longing.  It is taking stock of where we are and realizing we want more.  For Israel, they longed to the marrow of their bones for redemption, deliverance, justice, a better life.  A Messiah was their only hope and they bled their longing on the pages of their Bibles.  

Do we long for Jesus?  Here is St. Augustine, (writing around 400AD), imagining when Jesus comes again:

“The first coming of Christ the Lord, God’s Son and our God was in obscurity.  The Second will be in sight of the whole world.

When he came in obscurity no one recognized him but his own servants.  When he comes openly he will be known by both the good and the bad.

When he came in obscurity it was to be judged.  When he comes openly it will be to judge.

He was silent at his trial, as the prophet foretold…  Silent when accused, he will not be silent as judge.

Even now he does not keep silent, if there is anyone to listen.  But it says he will not keep silent then, because his voice will be acknowledged even by those who despise it.”   

St. Augustine.

Bring your longings to Advent.

Name Ideas for The Arlington Project

Here are some ideas:  feel free to comment or throw out one of your own...

• The Arlington Project
• Christ the King (Arlington)
• Holy Cross
• Holy Trinity
• Trinity
• Incarnation
• Church of the Incarnation
• Redeemer Anglican Church
• Christ the Redeemer
• yours?

Next Prayer Gathering

the next prayer gathering for The Arlington Project is November 5, 2008 7:30-9pm at Trinity Baptist Church on Quincy, just north of Washington Lee HS.  See ya there.

Small Groups at The Arlington Project

I read a very helpful article on relational space.  It defined four physical spaces where we exist and live in relationship with other people.  A balance of all four is critical to relational health.  The description is foundational to understanding how we will design and construct a small group system for the Arlington Project.

 

The Four Spaces of Spiritual Growth[1]

1. Public Space:  20 or more people, little to no personal interaction, people don’t know your name, usually a teacher or lecturer who is the focal point. Learning environments (school, church) are common public spaces.

 

2. Social Space:  5-20 people, people know your name but not your personal business.  Needs a leader/facilitator, but not necessarily a teacher.  Most conducive environment for getting to know new people.  Examples:  fun event at church, hanging out in office break room

 

3. Personal Space:  2-5 people, everyone knows more than just your name, they know details about your life.  Personal space is usually filled with friends and peers, no leader/facilitator is necessary.  It is private space, outsiders not welcome.  Examples:  best friends on a park bench, road trips, small coffee tables with personal conversation.

 

4. Intimate Space:  1 other person, people know more than your business, they know your secrets, they know you better than anyone else in the world. Examples:  private dinners.

 

We connect and grow spiritually in all 4 spaces.  We need relationships in all 4 spaces and no one space is more important than the others.  The spaces are interrelated and connected together--  people in public space we invite into our social space where we identify close friends whom we invite into personal and intimate space.

 

Today, we have a deficit of social space.  After graduation from college, we have a hard time finding safe social spaces where we can meet together with 5-20 peers.  This is the space that the church can offer by way of small groups.  Too often the church tries to offer small groups as ‘personal space’--  come meet weekly with 4-5 people who will be your best friends for the next 10 years.  Rarely can the church actually deliver on this offer and the failed expectation leads to disappointment and fear about signing up.  When we try to induce intimacy in our small groups, people are hesitant to join (huge relational pressure) and leaders are destined for failure.

 

At The Arlington Project, we will aim to have small groups that meet the need for ‘social space’.  They will have 12-15 members.  This is a number that facilitates a natural energy, mild anonymity, and the ability to be vulnerable at one’s own pace.  We will use fixed start and end dates on a tri-semester calendar that blends openness to new people and the opportunity for friendship that is attractive in ‘closed’ groups.  Our small groups will be safe, Bible-centered places to meet new people, make friends, grow in faith, and have fun.  Small groups will help us form personal and intimate relationships by providing social spaces where we make friends who could then become more intimate friends outside the group.

 

 

Calendar

We will use a tri-semester, fixed start and fixed end system.  The semesters will be 10-12 weeks each.

 

Generally speaking:

I.      January-March semester 1

 

(mid-March to mid-April [depending on date for Easter] promotional month.  4 week time to sign up, closed after this period)

 

II.     End of April to end of June  semester 2

 

July-August:  no small groups, weekly social events/ all church fun nights

 

(mid-August to mid-Sept:  Promotional month.  4 week time to sign up, closed after this period)

 

III.   mid-Sept to end of November  semester 3

 

December:  no small groups

 

 

Registration

I would like to have one means of registration.  But there could be wisdom in multiple registration methods.

·   Completely web based. 

o      Click on map that shows location of groups around Arlington County with leader names

o      Also a cross-referenced list by date, time, and topic

o      Person signs up on web, email sent to leader for follow up, the website closes the group when it reaches 15 registrations

 

Other options:

·   Paper based:  Connection card/pad that everyone fills out during promotion month and puts in offering plate

·   Table based:  Small group table on site during promotion month, staffed with leaders, web sign up capacity at this table.

 

Registration will only be open during promotion month.  After that time, the groups are closed until the next promotion month (usually only 6-8 weeks between promotion months)

 

 

Content

We will begin the groups by all doing the same thing.  I will preach on a passage of Scripture on Sunday.  Small group leaders will be able to download from the website a pdf with the passage of Scripture and 5-6 discussion questions (plus some answers if they are tricky or complex).  Small group should last for about 90 minutes:

·   10 minutes of gathering chit chat, grab a snack and coffee

·   45 minutes of discussion on the passage:  wrestling through how do we live this out?

·   25 minutes of sharing a simple prayer request, giving opportunity for everyone to pray for each other

·   10 minutes of clean up and good byes

 

After the first 2 semesters of all doing the same content, we will invite leaders to lead groups on different topics.  Some groups will continue to track with the sermon series each week, some will launch into book studies, or other affinities and interests.  As the topics increase, it encourages people to move around and learn about different things each semester.

 

 

Leaders and Coordinators

Leader:  Each group will have at least one leader.  This person hosts or finds a place to host the group; transitions the group from chatting to discussing the passage--  asks the questions, helps facilitate responses; and leads the group in prayer for each other.

 

Coordinator:  This person is a leader apprentice.  He/she will pray with the leader each week for members in the group.  He/she can email the group in between meetings--  following up on folks who did not show; coordinate the snack list, and keep track of prayer requests.  It is hoped that the coordinator would become a leader during the next semester.

 

There will be a monthly (Jan, Feb, March, May, June, Sept, Oct, Nov) leader/coordinator training that will be lead by David.  This content will focus on the character and heart of a leader--  shepherding, serving, etc.

 

 

Growth

At the end of each semester, all of the groups will open up.  Ideally a coordinator would become a leader.  Some of the group would sign up again with the same leader, some of the group will sign up with the coordinator/ new leader, some will move on to other groups/topics.  As leaders we are always looking for people who might be open to lead and encouraging people to take that step. 

 

 

---

[1] Taken from Activate by Nelson Searcey and Kerrick Thomas p. 21-23.

The Arlington Project Upcoming Community Events

Friends,

We had another great prayer gathering last night at Rivendell. We talked about Jesus’ strategy for reaching the masses and those on the fringe-- that He focused on a few for the sake of the many. We prayed about small groups, membership, Arlington County, our worship site, staff and leadership needs, and of course the names of people we want to invite to our church. As we think about our target demographic, I invite you to think about the friends, neighbors, and co-workers whom you are thinking of inviting. We are asking God to help us reach these people with His Gospel. Your friends and neighbors are the ones for whom we engage in this labor-- that they would become worshippers of God, through Jesus, in the Holy Spirit and know that they are loved by Him.

I am so excited about 8 opportunities we have to be together in the next month. Wow! There are times for worship, for chatting, and for service. All of these are chances for us to continue to get to know one another as we prepare for this mission. I encourage you to try at least one! If you have questions, there are contact emails for the person in charge. If I can point you in the right direction, feel free to contact me.

With you on the journey,

David

October 11: Second Saturday Potluck Dinner™ at TFC. Come worship with us at 5pm in the Main Sanctuary then head downstairs for dinner immediately following. If you can, bring a dish to share! This is a great chance for us to connect and continue getting to know one another. The kids love playing on the playground.

Oct 23: 10am Amy and Nadia Rowe Invitational. Are you a Mom and Toddler combo living in Arlington? Amy and Nadia would love to meet you at their home or in a park for conversation and play. Contact amy.b.rowe@gmail.com for more information. The date and time is flexible if you are interested but have a scheduling conflict.

Oct 23: 1-3pm Afternoon Tea Party with Louise and Patty. Contact stevenlouise@aol.com if you would like more information and to rsvp.

Nov 2: s’mores and singin’ with Team Wilson. Come for an outdoor bonfire, hanging out, and lots of fun. Contact ramsey.wilson@yahoo.com if you are interested and to rsvp.

Nov 5: The Arlington Project Prayer Gathering (Location To Be Announced). Second to last one!

Nov 8: Yard Sale Bazaar to benefit the people of Bayonnais, Haiti. Bring your donations and cash gifts. Come serve and greet people. This is a practical way for us to give to people who lost so much to Hurricane Hannah and Ike. 8am-3pm; 1035 N. Danville St. Arlington (near the Clarendon Metro). Contact Jackiwaring@gmail.com for more information and to arrange donation of your things.

Nov 8: Second Saturday Potluck Dinner™ at TFC. Same drill as above.

Nov 15: Gleaning Project This is an opportunity for us to go to a local farm and collect produce for local food banks. This is a practical way for us to serve those in need and for us to build our community. A great, fun day for all ages (kids are welcome). For more information contact Nar Taing: ntaing@thefallschurch.org