I was asked what my intentions were with this blog. It started as a project. I spent the Spring Semester working on an independent study. It started with a panic phone call to my advisor. I realized that I got confused while registering for classes. I registered for two classes that fulfilled the same requirement. I needed to find something else.
Nancy asked me what I was thinking. I have a deep curiosity for pluralism, emerging adults and ministry in the city. As our conversation went on she said what about community in the city. I do not remember how I answered, yet I know I had some apprehension of what I would do and read.
More clarification came my way as we begin to realize there is something unique about ministry in the city. Nancy wanted me to play with that.
It all made sense. My favorite thing is community. If I could have anything in the world, it would be community. I believe I first experienced community, well initial Christian community, when I participated in the Summer Theological Academy with Theological Education with Youth. I could talk about that experience and being in community, but I do not believe that I was able to truly articulate with that meant.
As we began to look for texts for this project, Nancy and I made suggests to one another. Through the reading, we begin to see how this would all play out. We knew in some capacity I would research congregations. After attempting to interview one congregation via phone, I knew that I needed a different route. At that point I realized the power of social media in our culture. The unique urban congregations I took interest in all had something in common, a website that articulated their history, ministries and hopes not just for their congregation, but the community that surrounded them.
I believe that social media and the internet held the identity for the congregation, and I would even suspect that many people in the congregations may not even be aware of the identity the congregations presents to the public.
It was through interacting with the internet presence of these congregations that I began to learn what makes community in the city unique. And as I moved forward, I started to transition from using the word community to embrace.
As the semester began to wind down, I knew that I needed to begin to present my findings. As I begin to write up formal papers to send to Nancy, I realized that this did not shape the project. I thought how can my final product look different, mainly because I was excited about how technology has changed ministry. Therefore, this little space came alive.
If you go back to the archives, you will find posts that look to my reactions to some unique congregations in the city, as well as being in dialogue with texts and people about what embrace/community. It was fun, because I am finally being able to articulate something that is my passion.
So, now I am left wondering, do I continue on this journey. And I suppose I will. I don’t think I will stop defining embrace. Because after that semester, I am left to define embrace for myself. I can see and read about it, but what does it mean to experience it.
As we move on, I transition to share my unique experiences with embrace while living in the Twin Cities, finishing a graduate degree or two or three, and serving three congregations and communities in South Minneapolis doing children, youth and family ministry.
I know that embrace is unique, and I’m ready to find a definition of it for myself.
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