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

Prayer Gathering for TAP on Sept 9 at Cherrydale UMC

Dear friends,

I hope this finds you doing really well. I am writing to update you about The Arlington Project and our monthly Prayer Gatherings. We gathered three times over the summer to pray, to listen, and to begin to get to know one another around the mission of starting a new church. Once we were crowded into the Hanke home and twice we enjoyed the facilities of Trinity Baptist Church.

Worship Site Update
One of the primary questions for which we are seeking clarity is our worship site. There are three factors that will influence our decision:

1. Location:  We would like to be east of Glebe Rd, south of Lee Highway (rt 29), and north of Wilson Blvd. More precisely, between Quincy and Kirkwood. Metro accessible to Orange line corridor.
   
2. Space:  We would like to be able to seat 300 people and have room to do children’s ministry.
   
3. Time:  We would like to worship on Sunday morning with fellowship time before and after.
   

Our prayer has been to hit a home-run on all 3 of these. As we explore various facilities, we will evaluate them based on how close they come to this ideal. Here are the places we have considered:

Trinity Baptist Church (Quincy and 19th St).
• Location: ideal
• Space: probably seats about 100, 4 small classrooms, no large gathering space for fellowship
• Time: ideal. The current congregation is generous and supportive of what we are doing. They would like us to rent from them and are willing to flex their worship time around our needs.

Cherrydale United Methodist Church (Lorcom Ln and Nelly Custis)
• Location: a little north of ideal (Cherrydale Baptist is a strong church right around the corner as well)
• Space: ideal. Sanctuary seats about 250-300. Space for children’s ministry and fellowship.
• Time: Less than ideal-- probably Sunday night

Rivendell School (Lexington and Lee Hwy)
• Location: significantly west of ideal-- would probably change our focus demographic.
• Space: ideal. We can set up chairs for 400 at least and probably use other space for children’s ministry and fellowship.
• Time: Ideal, available on Sunday morning, probably.

So you can see the complexity of the decision and how much we need the wisdom of the Lord!! Each time we gather to pray we are talking about these things, getting feedback from you, and seeking the Lord together to hear what space He has picked out for us.

Launch Timeline Update
We have been praying about when God would have us launch this new project! The two most viable options are Easter 2009 (April 12) and Sept 13, 2009 (start of school). We have had lively discussions about the merits of both and the topic has been a good catalyst for questions of who we are trying to reach and how will we reach them. God has met us as we’ve talked and prayed. At this time we are hoping to begin weekly worship as a launch team in January 2009, using the Lenten season to pray for our outreach to the wider community, then a public launch on Easter. All of this is very tentative and contingent on things like worship space, worship leader, and a sense of God’s favor for this timeline. Please pray with us about this important decision.

Those who influence The Arlington Project
I have attached a document that I put together to describe the various influencers on what we are building together. I am calling the folks who gather with us each month to pray, the launch team. God is using these people to shape The Arlington Project. Everyone’s voice is important and heard at the launch team prayer gatherings. If you want to be a part of shaping this project, come pray with us each month. I hope it is helpful to you to see the other spheres of influence.

Next Prayer Gathering
On September 9, from 7:30-9pm, we will gather at Cherrydale United Methodist to pray. This is a chance for us to explore another potential worship site and to discuss the merits of our various space options. We will also continue to pray about our timeline. Currently we only have 4 prayer gatherings left before we begin weekly worship!! This is an ideal time to jump on board the project. Thanks for praying and asking God to bring more of His Kingdom to Arlington.

Handout for next Prayer Gathering
We are reading a chapter from Bill Hybel’s book, Courageous Leadership about team and community for the next prayer gathering. If you did not pick it up, you can find copies on the outside of Southgate 108 at TFC.


Places to find TAP updates:
TFC website under satellite congregations
Facebook Group: The Arlington Project
My blog: davidmartinhanke.blogspot.com

The Arlington Project had a great first gathering

I am so excited and encouraged by our prayer gathering last Friday. We had about 65 folks packed into our home and backyard. Great church planting lessons in flexibility! Many thanks to all who attended, brought dessert, brought coffee. What fun! It was clear that many of us did not know each other well, but we pressed in to prayer and listening to God together for the sake of the community he is building. I am excited to see how our prayers bring us together in mission. I wanted to update you on a few things:



Handouts
At the end of the evening I gave you 2 handouts: “The Unbusy Pastor” by Eugene Peterson and “a short history of Redeemer Church’ by Tim Keller. I gave the Peterson article because I want us to dialogue and wrestle together about my job description as your pastor. We are together in mission but you are calling me to lead the charge. I look forward to our conversations about Peterson’s insights and what we think is best for Arlington. The Keller article provides a case study of a church plant. What things do you like about Redeemer’s history? What gets you excited? What would you do differently? Redeemer has done so many things well, what can we learn from the values that shaped their choices? It is important to me that we have core values that shape our choices.



The handouts will be posted on the outside of the window of Southgate 108. If you did not get them, stop by and pick one up! Please read the handouts before our next gathering. If you have thoughts or responses, feel free to email them at any time or to post them on my blog (more later).



July 9
Our next prayer gathering will be July 9, 7:30pm, Trinity Baptist Church 1815 N. Quincy Street. I will give more info on the format when we get closer. Just wanted you to be able to save the date!!



Trinity Baptist Church
Yesterday Tom and Patty Downie, Laurel and I attended the 11am service at Trinity Baptist Church. We were warmly received. I was asked to give the pastoral prayer-- on the spot. (Ian Hassell asked if I can pray when I haven’t had time to write it out first-- love those Anglican jokes J). They are very open to us renting their building. It is nice, but small (probably seats ~100). We will gather there to pray and talk about it on July 9. Please pray for wisdom and discernment. It is a wonderful open door. We need to know if God wants us to walk through it.



Blog
I am trying out lots of different media as we think about telling our story. You can find a podcast of Saturday night sermons on the TFC website. There is a page on the TFC website dedicated to info on The Arlington Project which is found under ‘connect and serve’ then ‘satellite congregations’. I will try and keep letters like this posted on that page. I also have a very small blog at davidmartinhanke.blogspot.com On it I will try and post info about TAP and also other snippets. I have created a facebook group called ‘The Arlington Project’ but it has no information on it right now. I would appreciate your prayers as we think about telling our story well-- to those inside the church and even more, those outside of it. Thoughts? Post ‘em on the blog!!



Saturday Night Potluck
This Saturday night is our monthly potluck dinner. It starts right after the service-- 6:15pm. I would like to invite you to attend. We need to take advantage of every opportunity we have to connect, talk, and get to know each other. This structure is already in place and is lots of fun. Bring a dish to share. I buy 15 or 20 pizzas for the kids. We’ll provide lemonade and water. This is a great chance to see what we are doing on Saturday night and to get to know our community a little better.

I am excited about the journey we are on together: soon to be good friends, taking on an impossible task, watching the power of God. Pretty fun.

The Arlington Project Update

June 6 at 7:30pm
Our next gathering about TAP will be on June 6 at the Hanke house 5013 17th st N. If you can rsvp, that would be helpful to us. If you would like to bring a dessert to share, that would be delightful, but feel no obligation. We’ll brew coffee as fast as our little coffee maker can go. Here are some thoughts on our time together:

1. this is THE time to discern God’s heart together. This is where we will do the hard work of praying, listening, and dreaming. If you want to be a part of shaping this new community, this prayer gathering is where you need to be. Feel free to pass on the invite to anyone you know who is interested in a new church in Arlington.
2. Many of you have done a ‘storyboard’ exercise (aka death by post-it note) in which you take a stack of notecards and write one idea, thought, or dream about a project on each one. You write until you are out of ideas. We will engage in this process together as we dream about a new church. You can either do it on your own over the next ten days (bring your stack of cards with you) or you can do it during our first 10 minutes together. We will share some of our best ideas on-site that night, and then I will sort through them over the next month. It is an effort to record our brainstorms, ideas, and Holy Spirit nudges. Come either prepared to write or having already written. You can have 5 ideas or you can have 250. Just put one idea per card.
3. Laurel and I would like to pray for you and your family. Please bring one prayer request for you and your family that you can leave with us on June 6. It can be a sentence, it can be a 10 page missive… we want to pray for you.
4. Our plan was to do these prayer gatherings on the first Friday of each month. You will notice that the first Friday of July is July 4th and the Hankes will be out of town celebrating Macrae’s birthday! So, what do you think about doing the prayer meeting on the 6th of each month?? It shuffles it around on different days of the week that work better for some people. So: 7/6 (Sun), Aug (Wed), Sep (Sat-- after the service), Oct (Mon), Nov (Thursday), Dec (Sat after the service). Always on the 6th. It might not be a good idea, but I thought I’d ask. Feedback?

TAP Updates
1. Funding Plan: we have an initial funding plan that has been reviewed by TFC leadership. They have affirmed the idea and our passing it around the finance committee and vestry. I will share the idea when we gather on 6/6. I am encouraged by the generosity and partnership of our TFC leaders.
2. Worship site: Tom Downie has been a huge help as we seek out a worship site in Arlington. We are in initial conversations with Trinity Baptist Church on Quincy at 17th. They have been very open to us using their facility. For this reason, I am VERY encouraged. It is small, but it is in a great location (2 blocks north of Washington and Lee HS). As I said in our informational meeting, my dream was to give this project to a team and have them come back with the keys. I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast. ☺ Yet we are definitely not done. We will be looking at other sites and trying to discern God’s best for us. But I am encouraged by this initial news. Thanks for praying.
3. Church Planting Coach: I am encouraged by 2 meetings I have had this week. Yesterday I met with a man who coaches church planters in the DC area. His role is to come alongside the cp pastor, ask questions, pray, hold him accountable, ask questions… He would be a good gift to me as we go through the nitty-gritty details of starting a new church. I am grateful to God for this potential provision. Today I had lunch with Scott Seaton, the pastor of Emmanual Pres (PCA) which is a church plant meeting at the Ballston Hilton. Scott is a great guy, so collegial, so generous. I am excited about having such fine colleagues in Arlington who are contending for God’s Kingdom and the local church.

Ways to pray…
1. we need discernment on a worship site, wisdom as to speed of process, maturity as we build our community. May God be the governor of how fast our church comes together. May God set our pace and our direction. Give us ears to hear, courage to obey, and humility to depend on Him.
2. Please pray for your neighbors who do not have a relationship with the Lord or the church. Begin a prayer journal where you list their names and the things for them for which you are praying. Ask for God to give you a soft heart towards them.
3. pray for Arlington county-- that this would be a place where families are strengthened, Godly character is built, justice is done for people of all ethnicity and social class.
4. Pray for the Hankes-- finding a rhythm of ministry that is at a pace appropriate to our family. Patience and margin for David and Laurel. Security and intentional instruction for Macrae, Bennett, and Helen.

We are thankful for you and excited about what God is doing.

need is a 4 letter word

As a pastor, one of the words I self-consciously try to avoid is 'need'. We hear it all the time and can probably find it dozens of times in any one leaflet of announcements: We need people to do stuff. We need people to make calls. We need people to give this. We need people to serve here. We need you... The word is great for motivating by way of guilt-- I see a need, I could meet that need, I should meet that need.

Yet the reality is that God does not need anything. Paul articulated this well when he addressed the Areopagus: "The God who made the world and everything in it... does not live in temples... nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life..." (cf: Ps 50:9-13, Ps 123:1-2, Mark 10:45)

To achieve His goal of world-wide worship, God does not need a church plant in Arlington. He does not need me to lead it. He does not need any particular person to be on its leadership team. He does not need anything. God gives us opportunities to partner with him. God offers us opportunities to get in on His work. God's goal is our discipleship, our transformation into the likeness of Jesus. He gives us opportunities to serve, to give, to lead as a means to the end of Christ-likeness. He does not need us. Do we want the opportunity to grow in dependence, to grow in prayer, to grow in risk-taking, to grow in speaking the truth in love, to grow in our resemblance to Jesus?