I recently attended a fundraising workshop sponsored by Mission Increase Foundation (an excellent organization committed to helping Christian non-profits build capacity), and the topic was how organizations manage information surrounding donors and their gifts. Our facilitator, Matt Bates, told a story about a large rescue mission that regularly received hundreds of gifts daily from donors… Continue reading Check, please
Author: erika
Quotation of the Week
The new birth is neither a conversion to our authentic inner self nor a migration (metoikesia) of the soul into a heavenly realm, but a translation of a person into the house of God (oikos tou theou) erected in the midst of the world. Miroslav Volf
I dream of blogging
Last night I had this extensive dream about a live performance of a symphony Doug had written. The dream included the performance, different people who were there with us, and a host of things that happened immediately following the performance. Then, very clearly, I dreamt the blog post I wrote about the whole experience. I… Continue reading I dream of blogging
My tribe
I was just checking the news feed on my denomination’s website when I saw a link to this story about my former pastor in Portland being given a denominational honor in recognition for his years of visionary service. Having just mentioned Pastor Henry in my Missional Synchroblog post (as well as President Palmberg who presented… Continue reading My tribe
Missional: To die and to live
“The crucifixion was the consequence of the incarnation.†And so it can also be said that the resurrection was the consequence of the crucifixion (thank you, Patrick), and that too is a necessary theme of “missional” we do well to explore. Moving from death to life: when I considered how to describe the ways that… Continue reading Missional: To die and to live
Missional: To dwell and to die
I took a great course at Fuller Seminary that explored the significance of the cross in the New Testament. In one of the final lectures for the course, our professor summed up how she has come to understand the death of Jesus: “The crucifixion was the consequence of the incarnation.” If there is one element… Continue reading Missional: To dwell and to die
Quotation of the Week
On multi-site churches: I’m also concerned (and this reflects my own theological bias) that the approach often leads to a separation of Word from sacrament. The person who leads in the Word is often not the person who leads in the sacraments. What are we saying when we separate and compartmentalize these aspects of faith?… Continue reading Quotation of the Week
Foot-washing update
So I wrote a few days ago about Mercy and Aaron refusing to let me wash their feet in an attempt to act out the bible story we had just read. Yesterday we had Mercy’s best friend here, and at one point Mercy turned to me and said: “Mommy, let’s play Jesus and his disciples.”… Continue reading Foot-washing update
Sign of the times
Today my kids ate PB&J’s on cheap, nutrition-less white bread for the first time ever. We had run out of bread and I was watching my friend’s daughter for the day so I called Lauren and asked if she could help me out with some bread. She brought over her loaf of white “Bimbo” brand… Continue reading Sign of the times
Crying babies and dirty feet
Sunday was Father’s Day and to celebrate that our church hosted a special brunch an hour before our regular meeting time. I arrived with the kids about twenty minutes after it had started, and Aaron and Mercy raced right in to find their daddy and to search for doughnuts. I had hoped that the baby… Continue reading Crying babies and dirty feet