Week two

Bible Readings
1 Kings 19: 5-13
Acts 9:2-18

Reading these two chapters was to me, a little bit like eating your vegetables before the main course, or doing your chores before doing the thing you really want to do. I know that it's important information, but the meat of this book is really the 10 disciplines that are outlined in chapters 5-15. Having said that, I note again that the discussion again and quite spontaneously turned to issues like hospitality, spirituality and discernment.

One of the most interesting points that arose from the group was the correlation between this book and Borg on the issue of constant conversion. Evangelical (capital E) faith tends to revolve around the dramatic conversion. But as Presbyterians, our orientation is different. For one thing, we believe in infant baptism -- of becoming part of God's family from the beginning -- and of course we are "Reformed - yet always Reforming." Further, this image applies not to each of us individually but to our lives as a Church, which is to say, in community (another important theme of this book). The image of constant conversion, of doing our best to be right with God on an ongoing basis, is a powerful image that has been part of our life at Beaches for many, many years and one that should serve us well as we move into the future.

Just as an aside, I believe that there is some value in dramatic conversion stories, especially as evidenced through people in 12-steps programs as an example. But there are also drawbacks to this as a one-size fits all kind of thing. The main drawback is that it is individual rather than communal, but our interest needs to be to the community as a whole (both as a congregation and as an agent of social justice). It also tends to be more emotional than intellectual (which is a both a strength but also a weakness). Finally, it is not helpful as we raise the next generation We don't want to have our kids fall out of grace to find it dramatically again, we want to surround them with grace from the time they are born and make them agents of God from the beginning (when they are baptized).

The group (perhaps because of our small numbers and the people who comprise it) very much see their journey nurtured within a congregational setting. Hence the importance of caring for each other and of spiritual practices as part of our life together. It is hoped that we can hold onto these things as we continue our journey together.