We have a growing list of potential hosts who would like us to bring "Everything Must Change" to their city, and we're considering doing so in Fall 2009. Stay tuned ...
In the meantime, if you haven't yet signed up for our regular newsletter, I hope you will, and let other folks know about it as well. You can sign up here ...
In the months to come we'll be sending out resources to help you put the EMC message into action - in your life, your home, your faith community, your work, and our world. For example, here's the version of the Lord's Prayer that we sang on the tour, simply ascending a scale five tones and then coming back down:
1. Our Father above us and all around us …
2. May Your unspeakable Name be revered.
3. Here on earth may Your kingdom come …
4. On earth as in heaven may Your will be done.
5. Give us today our bread for today.
4. Forgive us our wrongs as we forgive.
3. Lead us away from the perilous trial.
2. Liberate us from the evil.
1. For the kingdom is yours and yours alone
2. The power is yours and yours alone
3. The glory is yours and yours alone
4. Now and forever, amen.
5. Alleluia
4. Alleluia
3. Alleluia
2. Alleluia
1. Amen
And if you haven't yet checked out Everythingmustchange.org ... that will be a main place to share ideas, links, and ways to keep the change process unfolding.
OK ... now I REALLY have to pack for Africa ...
I really have only one regret about the tour - well, make that two, no actually three.
First and most significant, I wish we had kept the gatherings smaller and had a lot more time for personal interaction. I did my best to be available during breaks, meals, etc., but I still wish I had more chances to talk to people in more depth on an individual basis. The people I had a chance to meet were so interesting and their stories were so compelling - but I know I missed the chance to meet probably half of the people or more in each city.
I told Linnea last week that if I we do another tour, instead of working for large groups in each city, I would seriously consider limiting each gathering to maybe 75 or so, and emphasize even more that this would not be a "learning event" as much as a "training trainers" event. I don't now how the finances would work for something like that, and in the end I'm glad that everyone who wanted to come was able to come this time, but that's my only significant regret.
Second, I wish we had more high school kids present. Maybe if we do another tour, we should do one just for high school students. My feeling is that the emerging generations have a natural "get-it factor" in regard to the EMC message ... and it would be a delight to encourage and network them.
And third ...
Continue reading Reflections on the Everything Must Change Tour, Part 2...
I'm down to my last few hours before leaving for a trip to Africa to be part of the Amahoro-Africa gathering in Kigali, Rwanda. Before I finish (actually, start) packing, I want to thank everyone who participated in our recent eleven-city Everything Must Change tour. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life, and I believe that the ripples from our eleven gatherings will spread with good effect for many years to come.
As you can imagine, I'm unspeakably grateful to Linnea Nilsen Capshaw, founding partner of Deepshift.org, and colleague in this tour. Wise, sensitive to the Holy Spirit, gifted, highly competent, cheerful, fun-loving, and prone to erupt into laughter ... she's been a pleasure to work with.
Add to that pleasure the joy of working with Tracy Howe - our worship leader and co-producer of the tour CD, and Eric Haines - a man with many super-powers which include technical wizardry and old-fashioned helpfulness, and Jo and Will Burgess - newlyweds who helped us with all sorts of logistics before and during the tour.
Then I'm so grateful to all our sponsors - Emergent Village, the Sierra Club, Sojourners Faith and Justice Churches, the One Campaign, Mars Hill Graduate School, and Faith at Work.
To our official sponsors, I'd have to add my friend Ian Morgan Cron and the good people of Trinity Church in Greenwhich, CT, who generously covered basic expenses for one of our events.
We truly were partners in this tour, and we've truly become friends as well. If you don't know about these organizations, I hope you'll take a few minutes to check out their websites - and maybe get involved.
I'm equally grateful to two other groups of people ...
Continue reading Reflections on the Everything Must Change Tour, Part 1...
The first Amazon review of Finding Our Way Again is up ... the reviewer said the book made her think and laugh, which is, from an author's point of view, a pretty good combination.
If you've read the book, I'd be grateful if you could take a couple minutes to post your review ...
The Publisher's Weekly review is here ...
By the way, three books that have made me think and laugh this year are Doug Pagitt's A Christianity Worth Believing and Tony Jones' The New Christians and Shane Claiborne's Jesus for President.
Earlier this year, I met South African filmmaker Anant Singh. You're probably familiar with his work - powerful movies like Sarafina!, Cry the Beloved Country, and Red Dust.
Here's a powerful short video that he produced - for all of us who believe that everything must change, it's worth watching and linking to.