Monday, May 21, 2007

Cohort tomorrow--May 22nd--Amahoro Africa!

Come and join the Baltimore cohort of Emergent Village as we gather TOMORROW--Tuesday May 22nd from 7-9pm at Bare Bones Grill in Ellicott City to hear from Caitlin Kelley, Heather Kirk-Davidoff, and Tim Hartman about their recent experiences at the Amahoro Africa conference in Kampala, Uganda. This will be the last (formal) gathering of the Baltimore cohort until September. The conference brought together 200 people--the vast majority from Eastern and Central Africa to consider the shape of the church that is emerging in Africa. We Americans we there to listen and learn. We are eager to share the fascinating stories we heard from the amazing people we met, as well as some reflections on potential partnerships and implications for faith and churches in the USA. To learn more about the conference, including summaries and podcasts, visit futurechurch or the Amahoro africa blog. See you tomorrow, Tim P.S.--Don't forget 2 upcoming events in DC on Global Poverty--domestic and international--that Emergent Village is a part of.... Sojourners/Call to Renewal Pentecost 2007: Taking Vision to the Streets June 3-6 in Washington, D.C. National City Christian Church Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama will be joining those who attend Pentecost 2007 for a nationally televised presidential candidates forum to focus exclusively on faith, values, and poverty. We'll be asking candidates the important questions - and you can be there in person. Micah Challenge leaders such as Lawrence Temfwe, Co-Chair of Micah Challenge Zambia and Director of the Jubilee Centre and Peter Vander Meulen, Co-Chair Micah Challenge USA, and several other Micah Challenge associates from around the world will be leading workshops on global wealth, the Millennium Development Goals, and doing truly integrated ministry. The goal of Pentecost 2007: Taking Vision to the Streets, is to call individuals, churches, and especially our political leaders to put poverty at the top of our national agenda. Come and be inspired by speakers including Jim Wallis, Freddie Haynes, Brian McLaren, Lynne Hybels, and Gary Hagan, among others. The conference will also offer training to help you form partnerships and get organized to do your part right where you are in your local church or school. See the schedule of events. Register now. Scholarships available. Bread for the World's Gathering 2007 Sowing Seeds: Growing a Movement June 9-12, American University, Washington, DC Based on Micah 6:8 passage "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God,", thousands of people of faith will gather in Washington, DC to launch a renewed movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. Bread for the World is honored to host several Micah Challenge leaders from around the world at Sowing Seeds, including Joel Edwards, Co-Chair, Micah Challenge International and Lawrence Temfwe, Co-Chair of Micah Challenge Zambia and Director of the Jubilee Centre. These Micah Challenge leaders will speak candidly about the energy and passion that is building public will in both developing and developed countries, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Join us in prayer and in action at the second Interfaith Convocation on Hunger, the U.S. faith community will renew our own commitment to overcoming hunger and poverty and insist that our government provide meaningful leadership in this work. A celebration on the great lawn of the Washington National Cathedral will prepare participants for an evening of inspirational music, solemn prayer and instruction from sacred texts. All those in attendance--old and young, experienced anti-hunger leaders and those new to the movement--will be commissioned to carry on this work from this day forward. See the schedule of events Register now Scholarships are available

Friday, May 04, 2007

May cohort--Tuesday 5/22--AFRICA

The Baltimore cohort of Emergent Village will next gather on Tuesday May22nd from 7-9pm at Bare Bones Grill in Ellicott City. Our topic will be the Christian faith in Africa. A small number of our cohort will be traveling to Uganda for the next 2 weeks along with Brian McLaren and 40 others from Western nations to meet with 160 emerging and innovative African leaders who are working with organizations focused on mercy and justice in a conference called Amahoro Africa. We will be hearing from these African leaders and listening to their stories about what it means to follow Jesus in a time after the colonial powers have left. Our cohort on 5/22 will focus on issues of global Christianity, shaping a post-colonial theology for the church that is emerging, and reflecting on what Africans have to teach us about our American context. If you want to do any advance reading, I recommend The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins as well as a short interview with David Zac Niringiye. Here's the pdf. I hope you can join us, Tim