So I’m sitting out in the yard, with a cold beer and a wireless connection, ruminating on the state of the blog. This has been a great exercise in expression for me over the past few months, being able to set out roughly hewn ideas and have intelligent people mull them over with me. I thought I might take a minute to link to a few of my favorite posts from the past few months.
Opening Salvo
The very first post of the blog, and still one of my favorite statements of life-worship.
Cool
and
1993
My favorite thing that Aly does is to recast the personal experiences of life in ways that make them into communal events. I, too, mourn the death of my own personal coolness. For me, this is easier, since I didn’t have much coolness to lose.
http://www.EmergentOrNot.com
and
Loyal, Prodigal, Seeker
Part of this blog has been an exercise in discovering what this emergent movement was all about. I’m still a bit confused, at times skeptical, but some of the early posts stand for me as benchmarks of the values that are being untangled.
Motel California
I was overwhelmed by the response of this community to a real and present need at Motel California. I don’t know if we should start calling this thing church yet, but on that day, it surely was.
So there we are. Those are my faves. According to the site stats, they aren’t the most popular, but I’m establishing truth by fiat here, not by consensus. If you have different ones, link them below.
aly hawkins 9:32 am on 20 August 2005 Permalink
I was talking with my mom on the phone this morning. She is interviewing for professor spots at both Anderson University’s School of Theology and Asbury Seminary, and has not yet discovered the blogosphere. As I was giving her a stern lecture on the emergence of new forms of community, I heard the strident passion in my voice – and was surprised. I don’t think I had recognized how important this “church” has become to me, not until that moment.
Thanks for the blog review, Michael. (For the record, one of my all-time favs is still An Open Letter to Music Pastors.) Thanks, too, for having a vision (however dim) of people talking about life and other stuff that matters in a place where they are loved. That’s church, my friend. Maybe we should change the name to “Addison Road First Christian Church” or “Temple of the Fiery Holy Ghost Full Gospel on Addison Road.” But only if we let girls be deacons.
MaryAnn 9:59 am on 20 August 2005 Permalink
Aly’s mom here — I’ve discovered the blog [at least this one!].
Thanks Aly for the continuing education — yes, I’ve read the review [Mike] and
I would agree that the emergent church [re-development of community] it where
today’s church must go to be viable in the next generation.
aly hawkins 10:03 am on 20 August 2005 Permalink
Welcome, Mommy!
Morphea 12:13 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
Wow. Mrs. Hawkins. My blasts from the past are coming out all over the place. So nice to ’see’ you again! Um, can you still shut Aly up with the one raised eyebrow? Just curious. The fact is, Aly is to date still the only person on the planet (my husband included) who can stop me in mid-sentence with a look. I think it’s her spiritual gift, among others.
Aly, let’s call this place (with an amalgam of all denominational names) the Addison Road Mapcostal Angloholics. I wish I could take credit for that, but it’s actually the idea of British Christian humorist Adrian Plass. If you guys haven’t read him you should. I wonder sometimes if his church was emergent before its time.
Michael and Aly, (no false humility here, Aly, so don’t kill me, please) I’m not sure I qualify as being one of your intelligent mullers-over, but I can certainly mull, and I’ve never been happier and more intellectually and spiritually challenged than here at Addison Rd. It’s been thrilling, too, to come here and watch an old and much-loved friend bandy ideas about with such grace and intelligence (that word again) and humor, and meeting you, Michael, has brought me more joy than I can express. The same goes for Ash, Chad, and other regular contributors. You are all the best of church to me.
Cerise
aly hawkins 1:33 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
She is raising an eyebrow at you right now for calling her “Mrs. Hawkins.”
Morphea 1:45 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
Oh, crap. I can’t call her MaryAnn. Help…
Morphea 1:50 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
Dr. Hawkins? Rev. Hawkins? Flailing, flailing…
aly hawkins 1:52 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
Dr. Hawkins would really make her day. But she’d probably prefer MaryAnn.
Mike, I also love EC Planting Staff. Good, solid vision-casting. And anytime you say the word, I’m in.
aly hawkins 1:53 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
EC Planting Staff. Oops.
Morphea 1:58 pm on 20 August 2005 Permalink
If I ever have the pleasure of meeting your (admittedly beloved by me for a long time) mother again in this life, you’ll get to watch my eye tic as I try to call her “MaryAnn”.