Emergent Organic Conversation at GA this week

It will be Emergent/Organic, Church-Planting, Mission-Minded, House-Church, Lay Fellowship Movement Redux but more Connected, Church Turned Inside Out, Multi-Site 101 and Vision Conversation Time. Saturday, June 23, from 2:45 to 4 p.m. in Portland OR Convention Center Rooms D139-140, sponsored by the UU Christian Fellowship. What all this can teach UU churches, much of which we were once good at way back when. Conversation featuring Rev. Ken Brown, district executive of the Pacific Southwest District, Rev. Susan Smith, district executive of the Southwestern Conference of the UUA, Rev. David Owen of MicahsPorch, and me.

Hope you are there too. There won't be much time to do more than hit the basics, but that can be pretty revolutionary, and spur on continuing conversation. Wouldn't it be something if each year we had a panel or two of representatives of new churches, new emerging missions, giving a report on the risks they are taking, what they are finding out on the ground. There are the "Breakthrough Church Conversations" which have been started, and I am sure they are helpful, but I would like to see some on "Risk-Taking Missions."

But if you get a chance also go to Rev. Christine Robinson's workshop on "How About Video as a Way to Grow"? Not sure that title will accurately capture the ground-breaking nature of what she is trying to do in New Mexico. It is Thursday, 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. in Ballroom 203.

Also Ken Brown and Angela Merkert will be doing more on multi-site and more at "New Visions for Growing Congregations" Friday, 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m." Ballroom 253. Others that you know might be worthwhile for the organic planter to know about?

Oh for the GAs of the future and the packe houses for "Growing Visions of New Congregations".

It might come up during the ministry days; I will try to keep my ears peeled but you readers who will be there do so too since I will also be busy setting up the booth for the Christian Fellowship. And don't forget our BIG SATURDAY and SUNDAY at General Assembly. Communion Service with Tom Schade and Victoria Weinstein Saturday 10:45 to Noon Convention Center C123-124; the emergent workshop; then Dinner, Hymn Sing, Testimonial, Annual Meeting of the UUCF from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. at First Church Portland, Fuller Room; then Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. KATHLEEN NORRIS in the Oregon Ballroom speaking on "Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith". More at www.uuchristian.org.


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