It was a good General Assembly, but for (me, anyway) the soft relationships defy programming. Trust and relationship building, arts of the ministry, stories that shape identity. Evidence about strength and weakness, and a willingness to address both. There was a spirit, and I don’t want to crush it with explanation. It was so good that I didn’t finish this thought on-site!
So, what’s the takeaway? Unclear. Perhaps we can experiment by spinning up some projects. Experimentation is also in the air. I mentioned Faithify for those that need funding, but sometimes there’s an itch that needs scratching at no cost than the doing.
I was lunching with a couple of colleagues in Christian churches who preach from the Revised Common Lectionary. We identified a need to share notes: ideas, themes, resources. Something simple.
Is this something you could use? Be interested in participating in? If so, please say so in the comments.
Scott, do you mean something like the BibleWorkbench? I’ve subscribed off and on for years, but finally had to give up because I’m never able to use much of it in the churches I serve. Something along those lines could be quite useful.
There is also this site, with lots of resources: http://www.textweek.com/. Even if you envision something different and create something new, they might be willing to link to it.
(To Tim.) I do use that, too. But it gets less useful as I go along. Also, no hymnal tie-ins, or tie-in to our traditions. And it’s good to know who you know preaches what.
I hadn’t thought of BibleWorkbench in a decade. But as I replied to Tim…
Reminds me of my frequent plaint that the denomination needs to put big money into aggregating, indexing, and sharing sermons and congregations used in our congregational worship. Back in my seminary days, coached by the late Peter Gomes, I used to venture into the Old Stacks, where printed volumes of old sermons were gathering dust under lock and key. Back in the day, no matter what they developed, preachers started with a “text for the day.”
Presumably these things are still there, so I pass along this caution: on one occasion that doors all locked behind me and I had to use my cellphone to get rescued.
Ha! On my archives research trip, I left though a closed library and a dying cell phone battery…
Have you looked at the wizduum.net project? It is an outcome of the Fahs fellows work of last year. A framework for the development of a Uu lectionary. Excellent work is being done here!