submergence

Anglimergent'NING' site is live

A few days ago I put up a new 'NING' (networking) site for Anglicans (of all persuasions (TEC, AMia, CofE, ACC ...) who are engaging emerging church and mission.

Emergent forums and networking is key for Anglicans, as the perichoretic way emergents engage one another (in reconciling and generative friendship across modernist liberal/conservative divides) is sorely needed as small sign that God has given us the capacity to practice shalom and live an 'alternate Anglican story' of reconciliation, justice, and service with wonder, love and praise, a story that is markedly different from the deadly 'Communion Wars' currently engulfing this tribe.

To this end,'AnglimergentNiNG' is an interactive 'fast lane' relational networking site for those engaging emerging Anglican mission ministry 'on the ground,' as an international hub to find community and build relationships with those who share this same passion and providing: peer2peer learning, resource sharing, a place to pose questions and to explore new possibilities for breaking open and sharing the gifts of Anglicanism to those seeking God in emerging cultures and our postmodern, post-colonial, and post (you fill in the blank) world.

Sometime in the next few weeks Anglimergent.ORG will launch as a simple, presentational 'onramp' / introductory portal to emerging Anglicanism with 'directory' listing of Anglimergent parishes, missions and ministries around the globe.

As my fellow Seattle based Anglimergent Tim Mathis says in his Facebook group 'Anglican whether you like it or not' - 'Anglicans are in communion with one another, whether you like it or not. That doesn't mean that we like each other, agree, or even get along--traditionally, in fact, Anglicans can be said to have been united by our common prayer and not much else. However, we have agreed--and continue to agree--that more good comes through officially recognizing our spiritual unity (which leads us to continue to meet together) than through institutional division, which cuts us off and turns our neighbor into the "other". So, we're not afraid of unity, even with those who disagree on important issues.

Further, it is generally our belief that division of an institutional sort serves only the narrow political purposes of the few, and negatively affects the vast majority of Anglicans by creating both unwarranted animosity and unnecessary impediment to a sharing of resources between the rich and the poor.

We're not ready to give up on our institutional attempt to be catholic, like the Kingdom of God. That's why we say welcome Canadians, Nigerians, the English, Americans, Rowan Williams, Peter Akinola, Gene Robinson, Desmond Tutu (somebody get those guys on Facebook!), Episcopalians, AMiAers, moderns, postmoderns, gays, straights, women, men, conservatives, liberals, young and old, to the Body of Christ in the Anglican Spiritual Tradition.'

As another Anglimergent friend Bosco Peters (NZ) says: This is about being contemplative and missional.'

If you are wanting basic info and a directory, wait a few weeks to check out Anglimergent.org. If you want to be active in community networking for engaging emerging Anglican church and mission work on the ground JOIN Anglimergent-NING
and pass on the invite link to any active, missionaly engageded and peacable Anglimergent type friends you know.

Gaudete: Rejoice!

Advent is my favorite season of the church year, and the 3rd Sunday in Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday where the text of the Magnificat is read. Gaudete is Latin for rejoice. We are all invited to become like Mary and be theotokoi (God-bearers). We are invited each Advent to allow God to be born in us anew ... which is the most amazing reason in the world to rejoice.

To properly celebrate Gaudete, Advent and Xmas, as Abbess of Church of the Apostles and the Fremont Abbey, I have used my 'Abbess powers' (which I define as the calling to bless and release things) to bless and release an Advent Ale called Gaudete.

Gaudete is a unique Christmas style beer (dark, porter based, with a bit of smoke, sweet spice and a dry finish) and is a 'limited release' (like, only three cases exist). It is to be enjoyed reverently, in moderation, and with thanksgiving to God, at various celebrations within our community this season.

Our Abbey brews come from our friend Joel at Two Beers Brewing, a new and true 'micro' brewery currently located in our own Fremont neighborhood in Seattle.

We support their ethos and 'theology' of brewing, which is as follows from their website.

We are connected to the Earth.  We are connected to each other.  And we cannot escape either of these realities. Is that a reason to make amazing beer?  We are at Two Beers Brewing Company think so.  You see, beer is one of the original beverages that was created thousands of years ago.  Long before soda and even lemonade.  Beer is made from all naturally grown ingredients and always has been.  No artificial sweeteners, no susbstitutes, nothing that is a product of 21st century invention.  Therefore when a crop fails somewhere the prices change in ingredients.  Making amazing beer is a beautiful way to remind us that we are connected to the earth. Drinking amazing beer certainly isn’t fun by ourselves either. It is much more fun to invite some friends over, or go to a pub, and enjoy a beer in community.  This also causes us to slow down just enough to remind us that we are connected to each other.  We do enjoy our friends.  And although our life may still feel slightly out of whack we are momentarily comforted by the fact that there are people around us. So take some time.  Look at the world. And surely you will gain a new perspective. " (from Two-Beers Brewing).

So, if you are in the Seattle area and in need of Good News, good company, and great tidings of joy to all the earth, join Church of the Apostles for our two remaining Advent masses: Saturday Dec 15, 5 pm (at Fremont Baptist Church) and Saturday, Dec 22nd, 5 pm (at the Fremont Abbey) and the Mass of Christ, Monday Dec 24, 10 pm (at the Fremont Abbey).
Gaudete in Domino to you and yours (Abbess Karen).

 

The 'Abbess and Rector' (?) strikes again?

I'm back from the U.K. I'm now a slacker blogger, hardly posting, so buried in my church life in Seattle.

Anyway I'm headed to Denver tomorrow for one day event at Iliff School of Theology.

On the web blurb they call me 'Abbess and Rector', heh heh. I do use the self-appointed title Abbess (which our Apostles do now call me) but I don't remember calling myself a Rector, but maybe I did and it was Freudian somehow =: O

Rector is 'Episcospeak' for a priest of a parish that is not on mission support. So, a Rector I'm not yet, but only in my Episcospeak dreams... And by 2010 If I have anything to do with it (and I may not) we will be a parish, so I can be called a Rector and then spend time explaining what that means, as it sounds like a mash-up between a school marm, a book-keeper and a crossing guard. (which may be too close to what I feel I'm doing way too often).

Wikipedia says this: 'The word rector ("ruler," from the Latin regere) has a number of different meanings, but all of them indicate someone who is in charge of something.'

Well, maybe not. I don't feel in charge of anything, really... and I'm not even really a Vicar.
(and no I don't wanna go into what that means). But that I think I am and will let folk call me, official or not.

Rector also means someone looking after a 'team ministry' or a priest working with a staff of folk. That I am. So it is a mixed bag to be one of these. At least I've two to three years more to figure it out before I'm anywhere near being one.

And I suppose I really don't mind explaining the curiosities of my Tribe, as I love them, weird terms and all... so as to explaining that I'm 'not yet a Rector,' okay, as I often explain that I called 'Abbess' all the time now anyhow. It certainly get's attention, as how many abbesses do you meet at cocktail parties?

Anglican Communion Facetime 'Anglimerges'

I've been focused much these days on the Anglican communion and all the goings on with fears surrounding a breach, but even so, some of us will remain grounded by a theology of communio that is un-breakable because it is perichoretic and thus needs to be proleptic within the church...

So I started a Facebook group called 'Anglimergent,'  to give this kind of communio theology some good old Anglican incarnation/embodiment
in cyberspace and hopefully in physical space also into the future.

The whole idea is to engage emerging church 'conversation' across divides and *within* the Anglican communion. If such conversations among diverse friends can yield fruit among vastly different Christian traditions within the wider emerging church conversation, then emergent conversation can also help us image and incarnate an alternate Anglican future that is different from the breach scenario and 'Anglican family feud.'

We are supposed to see Christ in the 'other,' so Anglimergent is trying to give some face and talk time to diverse Anglicans seeking missonal unity and friendship  (TEC, AMiA, CANA, ACC, CofE, the Anglican Church of Uganda ...) to show that God can indeed be found in the face of whoever is seen as Anglican 'Others.'

Also, I've really been feeling the communio among new friends. Here is a picture of some real Province VIII Anglican communion (Fr. Tommy, St. Aidan's San Francisco, Abbess Karen, Apostles, Seattle and Fr. Will, Grace Cathedral San Francisco).

My dream is for there to be an Anglimergent Cafe Space at the next General Convention in 2009.

And friends from AMiA, CANA, ACC also consider hosting an Anglimergent cafe at your conventions too (and inviting a few of us TEC folk, as we will invite some of you to ours).

To do this at the TEC GenCon, we'd need some support from folk who are planning this shindig to get us there and give us the cafe space. I will work on this with others, so Bishop KJS, if you are reading this, email me :-)  karen@apostleschurch.org

There are also Luthermergent and Presbymerget groups in Facebook to join, as you roll with one of these tribes.

And check out Anglimergent to roll with us as participant members of the emergent Anglican tribe.   

Cheers

'Good Habits' ;-) Karen's Sister Act

I'm off this week at a small, urban convent in San Francisco for a week of rest, reflection, prayer and spiritual work (under Bishop's orders).

I have been sent here by my Bishop, Nedi Rivera (pictured left).

She says that I need 'Abbess work,' cause I'm not the best Abbess (I'm over working, driven, over-reaching and 'sleepless in Seattle' and thus not the best model of the spiritual life for my beloved Apostles community (ouch).

Bishop Nedi can say this to me because she is a Franciscan, so I'm going to the Community of St. Francis (an Episcopal Franciscan Convent), but THANK GOD this is not out in the middle of nowhere. As an urban Abbess I get jazzed by the sights and environs of the big city. So as convents go, this place is perfect for me, as it is in the hip Mission District of San Francisco (relief).

Church of the Apostles is 'new wave Benedictine' oriented (ora et labora) prayer/liturgy and work is our focus, but hanging with the Franciscans will be great for me to soak in the Franciscan charism.

It will be a time of rest, prayer and daily Eucharist with time for writing (I'm working on the 'commentary' for our Apostles rule of life) so all of this is appropriate for an 'Abbess @ boot camp' to do.

On a few outings I'll visit some friends (yes, I can leave the convent). Fr. Will Scott from Grace Cathedral (whom I met on the blogsphere), Fr. Tommy Dillon from St. Aidan's Episcopal (whom I met at an Episcopal Evangelism conference) and yes, Episcopalians can spell the word and Mother Leslie Nipps (dreaming up Bay area emerging ministries and living in Oakland).

And I'm NOT in a big habit (like the lady to the left).
But I did find a source for them online if YOU want to get one.

I am 'into' habits here, but ones around ora et labora, prayer and worship to help better ground my Abbess work at home at COTA.

P.S.
I do NOT sing, and I've NEVER met Ted Danson ;-)

U2Charist May 26, 5 pm @ St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle

Church of the Apostles is biting the bullet and will put on a 'U2charist' on Pentecost: SUNDAY, MAY 26 5 PM at St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle. + a 'MDG INFO FAIR' starts things of right from 1-4 pm.

IF YOU: Still haven't found what you're lookin' for' or  IF YOU like 'rawk in church,' being retro, cathedrals, doing justice, loving kindness, helping Darfur (or any combo of the above)

and IF YOU live anywhere within 3 hours drive of Seattle,

PLEASE COME, INVITE FRIENDS AND 'RAWK & ROWL' FOR JUSTICE !

THE OFFERING TAKEN GOES TO POVERTY
and DARFUR RELIEF .

To learn 'Everything you've always wanted to
know about U2charists, but were afraid to ask' CLICK HERE

2 WEEKS TILL THE MISSION LEARNING DAY (APRIL 21)

There are two weeks left till our Neighborhood Mission Learning Day with Brian McLaren in Seattle, Sat April 21, 9:30 am to 4 pm. We have about 75 spots left open for the event and about 20 for the Theology Pub Dinner that evening 7 pm (separate registration).

BONUS- Opening and closing songs at the event will be led by singer-songwriter AARON STRUMPEL, from Enter the Worship Circle.
His new CD is Chair and Microphone II (of whom I'm a HUGE fan).
Aaron will also join us for worship at Apostles at 5 pm (after the Mission Learning Day and before the Theology Pub dinner) so I'm psyched!

YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE MISSION LEARNING DAY BELOW, and happy Easter to everyone upcoming.

Online Event Registration - Powered by www.eventbrite.com

'Easter with a twist' - Stirred and Shaken

In our beloved Episcopal and Lutheran churches, COTA (Church of the Apostles) is often though of as 'different.' Meaning, our worship and way of being church is enough 'post box' that our tribes often do not know what to make of us, except to describe our events by saying 'this is really going to be different' or 'tonight evening prayer will be 'with a twist.' Like, 007 does evening prayer ! (rad).

Mostly this makes us chuckle... as we know we are loved by most of our kindred, even as we are 'different.'

In past years our RISE Easter Vigil has been in two broken down and underground rave venues, a start up arts center and a hip night club in Seattle. But for the past two years, it has been at our own Fremont Abbey building. In some ways RISE has become 'stirred'. It is still 'progressive,' but not as 'out there' as in the past (but i'm thinking up a new service that will be... so stay tuned).

Anyway,  here is the flier for this years RISE: Easter Vigil. THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 7TH: 5 PM LITURGY, DINNER AND PARTY till midnight (Easter am).

Even though we are going 'stirred' this year, I'm stoked to know there is another Episcopal Mission in NYC (Trans:Mission) that is SHAKING THANGS UP for Easter (heck, the tomb and earth shook!, remember? ).

They are holding their celebration in a nightclub called Avalon (a former Episcopal church) so as my friend Stephanie Spellers commented on her communities' Crossings blog (yes, yet another 'different/emerging' sister Episcopal mission) 'Where else would Jesus go post tomb?', but to a shaken Easter par-tay!.

Read about it in the lower section of the linked page, beneath the 'Chocolate Passover' CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT EASTER THAT IS SHAKEN AT CLUB AVALON 'EPISCOPAL CHURCH.'

and read more HERE IN BELIEF NET

COTB is born (Edmonds, WA)

If i still smoked cigars (a fad i went through briefly in the 90's) i'd light one up for CoTB - Church of the Beloved, (Edmonds, WA) a newly born sister church of CoTA - Church of the Apostles, Seattle, WA.

I feel like a proud auntie (not a grandma)  ;-) re: Beloved.

COTB has been born (as of Lent I) after a six month gestation with a core group of God's Beloved, led by Ryan Marsh, Beloved's Architect (and former Curate of Liturgical Arts at COTA).

Beloved worships each THURSDAY EVENING, 7:15 PM. They hold a potluck each week pre service at 6:15.

If you live anywhere in North Seattle, Edmonds or Lynnwood, Washington, Go and check out this new and BELOVED emerging church community.

Standing up? or just walking among (no television and maybe an 'evolution')

The Porpoise Diving Life is a great read, as often it 'calls a Porpoise and Porpoise' ;-) In this very keen 'tell the emperors they needs to get dressed' article, the author ask for 'the real emerging church to stand up'

I wondered... as someone who is okay describing my Apostles community in this way, why we don't 'stand up'... ? after all, i get as annoyed as anyone when the tag 'emergent' gets tossed about by some who are more into coffee and candles veneer and jack sure bravado, more than any open stance to the world in a cruciform pose.

So why are we not standing up?

I can only answer for me, reflecting on my own community.

So for us, maybe we don't stand up because we are only 150 total people? as in a power intoxicated American landscape where 'bigger is always better' we will get passed by, because if we were really 'preaching the gospel' we'd be way bigger and 'the crowds' would flock here... or maybe it is because we struggle to keep the lights on and pay the bills? (we are in need of growth here, and we are struggling to teach that your money does NOT 'follow your heart,' but your heart will follow where you invest your resources as 'where our treasure is, there our heart will be, not the other way around) or maybe it is because i'm not an on stage, big man on campus leader, and dang it i'm not a man, period, but an abbess who sits on a plastic chair in the back of a beat up old building, and i can't even rate keeping the plastic chair in place, as it always is moved away!

So i wonder... and i hope... that the real reasons we are not standing up are because we are too busy 'walking among,' like the one we follow... out and about in our neighborhood, going to local meetings and taking minutes, slowly and surely getting involved with the beautiful, quirky, creative and mostly non church affiliated people here and taking our time and 'earning our right to speak' here rather than making a big gawdy splash and coming off as arrogant, cock sure Christian jerks, not attuned to service to the One who served.

We do not yet have a 'real' sign (after 2 years here) and the name of the building we curate, 'the Fremont Abbey' will get painted on some concrete out front by volunteers this Saturday (half of whom will not know a church also meets here).

Our 'walking among' aim is to 'share space and share life' with the wider community around us, by opened up the building we curate to the 95% 'wider than the church,' community here, as a non-profit arts and community hub, and we are doing this

without much bravado, as many don't even know our church is here, but we ARE here... all 150 of us, trying to incarnate our beliefs (no, forget that, and make that 'we are trying incarnate the one we love') rather than standing up to shove or shout him.

So maybe this is why we are not on the cover of any high gloss magazines, we 'just don't rate,' but we are getting involved in neighborhood life here, not so much standing up as hanging out, taking the local food and drink, having conversations with local people, listening more than speaking, getting in hot water for letting in homeless, getting broken into once to often, and trying to walk briskly enough in following someone with a lot of dust on his feet.

Jesus and the Reign of God is revolution to be sure, but as to our participating in what GOD is doing, it may look more like an 'evolution, 'with our lives slowly being transformed to take on the pattern of the cross, as only then, will the world see the resurrection in us (so much for a glory based theology).

So maybe 'the revolution will not be televised' and maybe some of us will remain reluctant to proclaim that we are revolutionaries, but yet, we are seeking to follow One.