Those Awake

A New Community

awake & participating: A New Community| posted by Nate

If meeting new people is sometimes a challenge then meeting an entirely new community might be even more so! When I arrived in New Orleans this past month for the 2008 Nonprofit Technology Conference I had to move beyond the hurdle of a thousand plus attendees whom I had never met in person and get down to meeting people for more than just a smile and a handshake. I had gone there to meet my fellows in the technology world who had chosen (or been chosen...) to use their skills for nonprofit purposes.

NTEN (Nonprofit Technology Network) "aspires to a world where all nonprofit organizations skillfully and confidently use technology to meet community needs and fulfill their missions." I joined the organization at the end of last year as I thought about attending this conference mainly because you got a huge price break! But also because I liked the idea of supporting an organization with that stated aspiration.

A few years ago Pastor Andy and several others at Irving Bible Church where Leanna and I attend went through a series called "Acts 29." It was so called because we believe that the story of the early Church which was detailed in the book of Acts has continued on through history on up to our time, even to our community! One of the messages that stuck with me was from Jay Utley, former full time preacher, now part time at IBC and a full time lawyer. He talked about how we were made for community yet there are difficult choices we have to make as we enter into whatever community we are around.

Being part of community is a chore! It's not easy! He quotes John Ortberg and three choice points we all make in the creation of community. These are relevant to the conference I attended, non-faith-based as it was. All of these can be derived from reading through the second chapter of Acts.

1. Will I accept people as flawed human beings just like me or will I pronounce judgment on them? The irony is that this judgmental spirit is frequently found among the most religious people of a community.
2. Will I share or will I withhold? What will I do with my time, talent and treasure? Will I hoard and protect?
3. Will I attend or will I ignore people? Will I be authentic? Will I take the time to pay attention to others or will I shrug them off?

Applied to my first visit to an NTC event here are just a couple of observations.

First, I wanted to come with an open mind. I wanted to be open to what they had to say ... the focus this year being primarily on Web 2.0 technologies (blogging...social networking...). Blogging is something I've done for a couple years now (and I've seen how heated and opinionated everyone including myself can get) but I've only recently begun using some social networking sites. From talking to the high school aged kids I work with at St. Mary's church, some of them use it a lot more than I do! So I was open to learning more about it.

Second, I wanted to share any information I had, provided I didn't have a heart attack from the effort of breaking out of my shell first. Each time I wanted to speak up in a class, I struggled. I'm probably more introverted than I like to think I am and so the nervousness of speaking in front of 40+ people (each session was packed with doors typically open to allow some standing room!) sometimes made my voice shake. I know this may not be quite what Jay U. had in mind...but I think it's perhaps still applicable. I need to practice sharing, in a way that benefits others and does not waste their time. For instance, there was one session on data integration where it took all I had to speak up about an area of work that I've been in since 2000!

The final point that Jay made around really listening to others was also difficult. I think there is a common urge to "get yourself out in front of others" and really network so that people remember you. However, when doing this I think there is a temptation to focus on yourself and neglect to look for ways in which you can really help others. I was fortunate to be able to really listen (at least I thought so) to several people who seemed to actually have problems I may be able to offer advice on. I also succumbed to a bit of free spirited socializing and card grabbing, but there were a few spots I was able to identify others with whom I may be able to interact further in the future. Unfortunately, they were all far far away (NYC and Washington D.C.). Thankfully though, there is technology available to help us stay better connected these days, such as LinkedIn, not to mention your basic email correspondence.

The conference was great. I had a chance to deepen a couple relationships with my friends (previously known only via email) from Colorado and Canada and develop some new ones with people sharing like interests including a nearly 7 foot tall former ESL teacher from Japan who now does technology consulting and a former weight lifting champion / Notre Dame football player with Irish parents! Was it easy? Perhaps easier than I thought it would be. The community of people I met was excellent. They care passionately about their work and they were willing to meet me, an outsider coming from the corporate world, many times over during the conference. I'm looking forward to taking my wife next year when it's in San Francisco.

The Color of Loss

awake & participating: The Color of Loss| posted by Shaun

I continue to post updates about this gallery on our blog here.  I really enjoy visiting this place, so I'll continue to post updates.  I feel like I've found an art outlet that just seems to match up with me- much like this magazine.  At Sun to Moon Gallery, each exhibit is very interesting to me.  I'll miss not living near it come June.
And, because of the Ohome's latest plight - "the color of loss" is mildly fitting.  Let me know if you want to go! 

The Call to Conversion: Community

awake & participating: The Call to Conversion| posted by Nate

I read this book last year after picking it up at a Half Price Books store. I paid $3.58 according to the sticker I still have on it. Some of the best money I've ever spent on a book. Jim Wallis wrote this book almost 30 years ago. He wrote from experience out of a community of Christians in Washington D.C. known as Sojourners. I want to quote from a passage for reflection. Today my wife and I worked with the youth at St. Mary's church in Irving again. We actually had a game day, took a break from teaching out of scripture on various topics and went to teach through experience...which was the subject of this passage. Experiencing community. It's tough sometimes. That's for sure. Hear these words from the community of Sojourners.

In Sojourners community, we are still learning what it means to love. God has taught us much, softening our hearts and expanding our capacity to love one another and the whole of God's creation. The process is always one of conversion. The "turning to" part of conversion has enabled God's love to deepen among us in some exciting ways. But the "turning from "part of conversion has never been easy. In the early days of our community, the conversion taking place among us was especially painful. We learned that all our models and schemes for community had to die before God's creative work among us could begin. Our plans and pride over what we could build with our own strength and resources had to be shattered before the Spirit had any room to work. And we had to learn that the necessary building materials of Christian community include two characteristics of love: forgiveness and a humble spirit. Being human, we could not avoid conflict and hurting one another. It took us a while to realize that we were utterly dependent on God's forgiveness in our corporate life. Learning to forgive one another, and to know our own need for forgiveness, were early lessons that tested the survival of the community. We also had to get over any notion of being perfect people building the perfect community, which could then take on all the big issues of the church and the world. The big issues overwhelmed us, because we forgot to tend to the simplest things, like learning to love and serve one another in our imperfection. The lesson here is a basic one: the Church will never discover what it meant to lay down its life for the world until its members begin to lay down their lives for one another. An authentic public witness requires an authentic community existence. The love, care, justice and peace we desire in the world must also be practiced among ourselves.

Responsible for Change

awake & participating: Everything Must Change| posted by Shaun

We notified this readership back in June of McLaren's conference coming to DFW, and now it's two weeks away.  I read most of his book (blogged couple thoughts here and here) and I'm going to finish it before the conference.  I like it, as usual, and perhaps with the voting races going wild right now, the thoughts are fresh and poignant. 

But truthfully I know that this country, our churches, and our civilized societies need new direction.  I don't presume to know the interests and situations of communities around the world, but we'd be blind not to see the effects of all our consumption, pride, and cryptic greed. 
--
I see it each morning, a quiet mirror-surprise that causes me to question things, just for a moment.
Then I shrug, wiping crust from my eyes and reaching for my oral B.
--

Are we truly aware of what has happened and what we can/should do?  Can we try to change? 
I will be at McLaren's conference because I want to be part of a conversation seeking a better way.

 

From the spiritual writer, Hermann Hesse:

"History seems to us an arena of instincts and fashions, of appetite, avarice, and craving for power, of blood lust, violence, destruction, and wars, of ambitious ministers, venal generals, bombarded cities, and we too easily forget that this is only one of its many aspects. Above all we forget that we ourselves are a part of history, that we are the product of growth and are condemned to perish if we lose the capacity for further growth and change. We are ourselves history and share the responsibility for world history and our position in it. But we gravely lack awareness of this responsibility."

*Hesse's Siddharta was my favorite book of freshman English at Texas Tech - my first hints at writing about "enlightenment."   

Going Green exhibit

awake & participating: Going Green| posted by Shaun

A great exhibit - "Going Green" is at a great gallery in Carrollton til February 3rd. 

I really love the Sun to Moon gallery, and it has played a big role in my passion for nature writing, seeing the places I've read so much about.  While at UTA, I passed a flyer about a photo exhibit that would also feature speakers on Thoreau and his continued impact on literature and philosophy.  I showed up there - to the gallery in Carrollton - and was one of the only ones there.  So, I got to meet and talk with some great scholars, including the late Brad Dean. 

Not only am I grateful for the relationships that came from the talks that day, the photographs are truly inspiring.  It is an quite an experience simply to walk quietly through the gallery and soak the images in.  Please leave a comment if you can go to catch this wonderful exhibit, and I'll be sure to meet you. 

One World - w/wombat

awake & participating: Global Mind-Shift | posted by Shaun

On Saturday I had the pleasure of spending the day at small conference on environmental sustainability, spiritual fulfillment, and social justice issues.  I'll tell you more and link to more soon, cause there's obviously a ton involved there.  But one cool/fun link to come out of the conference is below - created by some good people at Global Mind-Shift - an organization about global community, not in terms of creating global consumers, but  more of understanding our earthly community!  Enjoy the wisdom of the wombat!

Eat a burrito tomorrow!

For lunch or dinner tomorrow,  head to your neighborhood Chipotle and  have a burrito while you contribute to a good cause - FarmAid.

"On Wednesday, August 29th when you purchase a burrito, tacos, salad or bowl with any of our naturally raised meats, at any of our restaurants, we'll donate 100% of the proceeds, up to $50,000, to Farm Aid.
This year's Farm Aid concert - "Farm Aid 2007: A Homegrown Festival," featuring Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and Dave Matthews, will be held September 9th in New York City. Chipotle will be there too, serving up our great food.  For more information about the show and Farm Aid, please visit www.farmaid.org."

If you're in DFW and headed there, give a call and we'll see if we might break tortilla's together!  :)

Brian McLaren - Everything Must Change tour

awake & participating: McLaren | posted by Shaun

I want to link up to an assuredly great event coming to Dallas Feb. 22-23, 2008.  The Everything Must Change tour with Brian McLaren.  I won't be missing this.  Brian is an amazing speaker, and I say that not in the sermonizing - "feel like I'm on a spiritual high" when he preaches - kind of way.  He is an intelligent, humble, passionate, and articulate spiritual leader.  That is why it is great to read him and to hear from him. 
And I like the idea of him doing this tour as his new book is out. 

The new book is Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope. 
There has grown to be so much gossip and worry about McLaren, leading to too people making statements about him and his work without ever really getting close to it.  (anyway, this discussion has gone on everywhere, and doesn't need to happen here now, so not one link is provided!)

It's great that the tour is coming to Dallas, so let's get a tally of who can/wants to go!  Trust me, it will at least be a great intellectual exercise, and there is so much more to gain too. Heck, I'd consider sponsoring someone who wants to go but can't afford the $79 for the Earlybird sign-up! Earlybird price ends Sept. 30th, so let's make the move and purchase now.  Let me know if you're in! 
I'm really looking forward to it. 

Field studies Workshop - Corey Lee Lewis

participating: ASLE | posted by ThoseAwake

Richard - This session was so refreshing and I’ll tell you why.  Dr. Corey Lee Lewis is an amazing teacher. Yeah, not just a really smart guy who studied a bunch of dead writers and then put his thoughts down in an academic paper. It’s not that I’m against that, but it was just refreshing to spend time with someone who is a passionate and true teacher. After a brief classroom talk/discussion, Dr. Lewis took the group outside to give us a real-life example of a "field study."

Once we got outside to the beautiful campus of Wofford college, we made two stops. First by some trees where Dr. Lewis read Annie Dillard’s “The Sycamore.” The purpose was to engage a text out in the environment in which was either written or was talking about. This should not be a novel idea, it seemed to me to be the obvious thing to do.

Our second stop was by a little man-made pond. We stayed there for a while and did some writing in response to our surroundings. We found a plant, tree, whatever and sketched it. Then we wrote about it. Using these three basic principles: Observation, Research, and Reflection. So the idea was that an environmental writer observes their environment, researches it, and then reflects upon it. It seems like a basic model for just about any type of writing, but it really helped to break it down as we undertook the process ourselves.

Here’s a little taste of what I wrote: “This little guy is leaning slightly on the side of the hill and sprouting up in a plump and fluffy greenness. I might say it is young if I knew anything about this tree-ish plant. Non-the-less, I have tested it’s sturdiness with a friendly shove and noted it’s fine community of spiders, ants, and termites…Yet to step away and look through–to try seeing what lives on the other side of my specimen, it’s neighbors are darkened and shadowy even on this sunny hill Even my friend Brian is treed in the green view that I am taking from my strange new friend.”

And here is my reflective, or emotional response to another plant in the area: (don't judge me too harshly, it's my first try.) Read below, or listen here: Download mighty_oak.mp3

“How shall I call thee, approach thee, cower before thee? Forgive me my ridiculous self. I am normally quite bold, but I have been struck by your woody might. If your roots really do extend beneath the earth as far as your branches stretch skyward I cannot hold you all together in my mind! And maybe it is better this way. I should stay low, looking up with bent neck. What right do I have to the sky in the face of your gray chiseled features? But please don’t send me away. Tell me of your deep strength and I will love to fear you always.”

Brian - Yes, Dr. Lewis was incredibly inspiring; the sort of teacher that I aspire to be: passionate, knowledgeable, encouraging and daring. When it was time for us to find a place to commune (as cheesy as that sounds) with our surroundings and respond in writing, I came up with the following. You can read it below or listen here: (organic_white_noise.mp3):

This guy, this sort of one-with-nature, Zen master, Cherokee descendant guy once told me, "Whenever you're troubled, return to the water. Find running water."

That was on vacation with my wife and I wasn't troubled at the time so I had no need to test his advice then. But now, a couple years later as I sit next to this babbling brook - a blatantly manmade and carefully engineered brook, but a brook nonetheless! - as I sit here and listen to the sweet twinkling of the water, this sound, this organic precursor to electric white noise; as I listen, I know he was right.

Shaun - Yes, to all.  I completely agree - this was a moving, interesting, and very good part of our sessions.  A couple things came out of the research & reflection.  I just focused on drawing the plant I found.  This was new for me - I usually would try to write more - but I kept Thoreau's botany journals in mind and just wanted to (attempt) to draw.  It was a fun exercise, and I think I could gleam a lot from doing it more often.  Later came the writing on something we could notice around us.  It was at this moment that I became really tired.  I mean, when we got five minutes to write, I was dozing in and out of sleep, leaning on hand.  Still, I did try to write ... and the following is what came out.  It makes a little sense at first, then sorta changes.  We cracked up together when I read this back as we walked away from the workshop.  I really wasn't even aware of what I was writing at the time.  Unreal!  Read below or listen here: (tired_writing_mp3.mp3)

Water.  Moving water.  It sticks out to me, and it's not entirely new.  I have enjoyed moving water before.  But this persistent trickle is so alive right now.  I do feel at peace.

It is a small sound - so it's similar to being young, playing outside, and turning the water hose on for a drink.  The water comes pouring out to lap and slap the grass and soil.  Yet, the water in this pond sounds similar.  Water to water, and water to soil.

I love to taste -- ... -- I am tired.  I want to rest, but I keep being awakened.  What will I do about this?  What does today hold??

Okay.  I'm back - but I'm done for now.  Nothing more to reporort.

Chirp.  Chirp bird.  HELLO! What are you doing?  You make me happy.  Eat something weird for me!

ASLE Plenary Sessions 2 & 3

awakening: ASLE | posted by ThoseAwake - Shaun

Great sessions so far today!  And another Plenary is underway (it's just okay). 
This afternoon, during session 3, I had the great privelege of hearing from Nalini Nadkarni, a faculty member at The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Washington, where she teaches in the Environmental Studies program. Her research is focused on the ecology of tropical and temperate forest canopies in Washington State and in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and she is the author of two books and over 55 articles in her field. Her newest book,Trees and Humans: Intimate Connections to the Arboreal World, is full of story and adventure having to do with her great love of trees. 
This is a woman of science, but a woman of great passion.  She is infectious.  I got the sense that she was a "new" type of speaker for the conference - and both sides were glad she was here.  Her presentation included great slides (as you'll see on flickr), and it helped her message come across.  It was about:

-Canopy Trees
-Conservation
-Compassion
-Community

Very good stuff from each.  I'll share more later, but just so glad to hear so many great voices in this environmental discussion, and I'm happy to have seen what great passion can do to help someone get their message across.  She was a great presenter, and surely seems like a good teacher and an exceptional person.  And like she said - and you can see to the left - she has trees in her heart! :)

Listen to Part One :

Listen to Part Two :

Q&A :