Your choice, but . . .

Friends & colleagues, if I'd gotten ahold of this earlier, it would have been MANDATORY reading; as it is, this is simply strongly commended to your consideration -- the essay from Keith upon T.J.'s passing, and mainly I mean the pdf link at the end to T.J.'s wonderful short history, which I couldn't find in a reproducible form before. Here it is!

(And don't forget the four of you for credit: sermons next week, text/detailed notes may be handed in that day, May 4th, 7 pm, or e-mailed with your research papers no later than May 11, 4 pm. And preview/review texts will be considered by me in advance!)

http://keithwatkinshistorian.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/mormons-and-the-disciples-of-christ/

Worth following the news link this week!

From the UMC GC2012 News tab, an excellent overview of the current state of "polity" knowledge in that denomination. I think you can find much to usefully reflect upon in the DoC/UCC polity landscape in comparing/contrasting to the UMC situation.

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=8057055&ct=11717951

General news tab (bookmark & refresh through Friday!):

http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.8038093/k.51F6/News__General_Conference_2012_The_United_Methodist_Church.htm

Aaron, Brian, Seth? (Sorry, you other four!)

http://www.disciples.org/DisciplesNewsService/tabid/58/itemId/1206/Disciples-Leadership-Institute-for-23-40-year-olds.aspx

I'm still confused.

Check out this new "Q&A" with the Hope Partnership head (note: pops up as pdf only, not sure why); as I've observed on my Facebook feed, their logo has three fonts, four thematic elements, and six or seven colors (depending on the white/negative space issue for the dove). I've found that overly-complicated unclear logos are actually quite indicative of vision/mission clarity. Not trying to be snarky, I'm just still not getting it. But read, discern, and maybe you can teach the teacher!

http://www.churchextension.org/about/upload/Hope-Partnership-Q-and-A.pdf

Data from Nashville - check out the "how many GAs have you attended" final category

http://www.disciples.org/Portals/0/PDF/ga/2011/GA11DemographicsEvalSummary.pdf

A.B. Maston & Ministry

http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/gpittman/labm/LABM05.HTM

Built environments & the theology they stand upon

Architecture and the theology of communion (or Eucharist, if you prefer!):

http://www.amazon.com/From-Age-Christians-Celebrated-Eucharist/dp/0814630782

Hat tip to Terry for the notice of the resource.

The Island of Guernsey, 1842

Campbell & Church Organization beyond the Congregation:

http://books.google.com/books?id=NIkoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=alexander+campbell+guernsey+island&source=bl&ots=KPTXjvJ2nm&sig=1ynN9HjqAlnW2G7xQLbpflUIKaY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aB2IT8mNBorctgfn-bzZCQ&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

The book itself, all 917 pages over eighteen days of debate:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Eu8oAAAAYAAJ&dq

Every 3 years? Every 4? Or . . .

This is here less for the contents of the story (which I've been following, and has some relation to our common subject, but still) than for the picture, and what it tells us. Look at the LDS polity, and do a historical counterfactual tour of the last almost 200 years . . .

http://swampland.time.com/2012/04/12/the-story-behind-lawrence-odonnells-apology-to-mormons/

This is actually quite cool (IMHO)

http://www.disciples.org/DisciplesNewsService/tabid/58/itemId/1204/Disciples-and-Brethren-leaders-explore-partnership.aspx

Here's an ordination track for you!

"(The church) finds people active in ministry, and ordains them" -- which some will call backwards, others about time. Your thoughts?

http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-03/new-clergy-new-churches

April 24, Tampa FL - UMC Cage Match!

Very, very well crafted critique of the UMC "Call to Action" and the first to get me fully engaged with alternatives. Too many of the other "no" statements have been more of the "don't gore my ox" category, but this makes a better case for why the CTA has problems (I still think it will pass, though).

http://hackingchristianity.net/2012/04/no-large-southern-church-left-behind-calltoaction.html

On the other hand, I know at least three directly and two more by way of others who are signatories, and they aren't mindless megachurch drones by a long shot.

On the other hand . . .

. . . is this how the non-church-going world sees us?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuAUI_0knfk

A noted Christian blogger with a good word for the DoC!

Fascinating. You don't have to agree with each element of her post here, which is intended as a ramble more than an analysis anyhow, to end up thinking she's onto something -- at least for some. And she wraps up with a shout-out to a Disciples of Christ church plant!

http://rachelheldevans.com/mainline-and-me

Beware following the links, or this one story can eat a week!

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5723427&ct=11678525&notoc=1

Plan B? New UM Admin Order? Call to Action?

And as all ask in one way or another - how do any of these plans affect the local congregation?

The link that will anchor our next class section

http://www.disciples.org/RegionalMinistries/RegionalMap/tabid/157/Default.aspx

What regions are becoming, or can . . .

http://www.uppermidwestcc.org/communication/dt-express-issues/special-edition-january-2011/

Um.

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/03/30/presiding-bishops-easter-message-give-thanks-for-easter/