The first of our First Tuesdays conference call went great. After vision and announcements by Adam and Jonathan, Ben shared about growth and challenges in his life and work over the last six months. Jonathan shared how “practicing the presence” over the last couple weeks has both brought freedom from fear and exposed hidden fears and anger in his life.
Questions and conversation followed, with comments from a variety of people. It was good to hear and learn from each other. We all have things to think about and practice.
Some Where To From Here ideas:
1. Try doing it (practicing the presence of God) over the next few weeks. See what happens. All the theory in the world is no good without real world experiments and personal experience.
2. Read “the Practice of the Presence of God” available here...
3. Triangulate by studying a related subject at the same time (this is something Ben suggested on the call). A couple ideas for related practices/concepts: 1. abiding (John 15 concept), 2. meditation, 3. Worship, 4. monastic hours. See how your growth in practicing the presence benefits from cross-pollination with a related idea/discipline.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Communication, Giving, Movement
Regular Communication.
Generous Giving.
Clear Movement.
RC: We're a network with aspirations to be movement-like. That only works if we communicate. It happens some naturally. To become what we long to become it must happen more intentionally.
GG: We've spent a lot of our ten years frustrated -- at ourselves, our circumstances, at the lack of resources, at the challenge of living out this creative call. One of the things that will get our heads out of our hmmm, and move us forward will be giving. There's a lot of desperate needs and we get the huge privilege of being part of meeting a few of those. We may not have what we think we need, but we have something, so lets give.
CM: To get from the IDEA of growing community, cultivating creativity and following Jesus to the reality of a grassroots movement we must find the path that includes 1. our continual growth (sacrifice and strain followed by profound rest -- rinse, repeat) and 2. our inviting others to walk with us towards this goal, and 3. encouraging, challenging, training and equipping others with what we've learned or been given.
Generous Giving.
Clear Movement.
RC: We're a network with aspirations to be movement-like. That only works if we communicate. It happens some naturally. To become what we long to become it must happen more intentionally.
GG: We've spent a lot of our ten years frustrated -- at ourselves, our circumstances, at the lack of resources, at the challenge of living out this creative call. One of the things that will get our heads out of our hmmm, and move us forward will be giving. There's a lot of desperate needs and we get the huge privilege of being part of meeting a few of those. We may not have what we think we need, but we have something, so lets give.
CM: To get from the IDEA of growing community, cultivating creativity and following Jesus to the reality of a grassroots movement we must find the path that includes 1. our continual growth (sacrifice and strain followed by profound rest -- rinse, repeat) and 2. our inviting others to walk with us towards this goal, and 3. encouraging, challenging, training and equipping others with what we've learned or been given.
Friday, December 31, 2010
First Tuesdays
We're starting First Tuesdays at DSC! These are conference calls designed to challenge, inspire, encourage and equip participants in one or more aspects of our mission (Cultivate Creativity. Grow Community. Follow Jesus). All calls will include a brief description of DSC's vision, a short update from a DSC member, input from a speaker and time for questions and interaction.
The first one is January 4, 8:30pm EST. It's about Brother Lawrence, the Barefoot Carmelite monk known for "practicing the presence of God."
Next Month DIANA GONZALEZ will be speaking on something relevant. It will be a real privilege to have her with us. She's one of the most interesting speakers you'll ever hear. Feb. 1, 8:30pm.
The first one is January 4, 8:30pm EST. It's about Brother Lawrence, the Barefoot Carmelite monk known for "practicing the presence of God."
Next Month DIANA GONZALEZ will be speaking on something relevant. It will be a real privilege to have her with us. She's one of the most interesting speakers you'll ever hear. Feb. 1, 8:30pm.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Living our vision
We’ve been clear for some time that we’re about following Jesus, growing community, and cultivating creativity. It’s time to make that practical in some new ways. As the DSC we need to not just talk about this or even live it on our own (many of us are doing those things in our own lives and communities) but we need to keep intentionally growing and also equipping and training others.
I’m convinced that after years of serious work and sacrifice, mistakes and learnings we have something to share if we’ll take the time to look past ourselves, ask God for direction, and look for opportunities to serve. Most of our communities have isolated creative people in them who need community, need resources to help them develop community, and have never been exposed to the call of Jesus in a way that speaks to them in their language/mindset/framework. We’re just normal people, but I believe we can make a difference in small and big ways.
Some of that difference will come through our songs, videos, paintings, books, blogs and photographs. Some of it will come through conversations with God and people. Some of it will come as we step forward more intentionally towards this three part goal, and invite others to come along with us as we grow.
I’m convinced that after years of serious work and sacrifice, mistakes and learnings we have something to share if we’ll take the time to look past ourselves, ask God for direction, and look for opportunities to serve. Most of our communities have isolated creative people in them who need community, need resources to help them develop community, and have never been exposed to the call of Jesus in a way that speaks to them in their language/mindset/framework. We’re just normal people, but I believe we can make a difference in small and big ways.
Some of that difference will come through our songs, videos, paintings, books, blogs and photographs. Some of it will come through conversations with God and people. Some of it will come as we step forward more intentionally towards this three part goal, and invite others to come along with us as we grow.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
DSC News
People from Segue in Texas recently put on a creativity workshop with some DSC help. They targeted serious or professional artists (of whatever medium) and had three speakers address the theme "Obstacles." A spoken word artist, a partner in an artist management company and DSC founder addressed the questions:
-What do you do when you are confronted with obstacles?
-How do you overcome them?
-What do you do once you have overcome them?
DSC Millersburg, a group established in partnership with Living Acts (an intentional community house associated with a local church) has been meeting weekly since last spring. Their Thursday night dandelion seed meeting includes sharing recent work and giving feedback. This group is led by Carrie, a veteran of the Charlottesville Project (a 5 year experiment in creativity and community that sponsored DSC events and invested heavily in the DSC vision to grow community, cultivate creativity and follow Jesus). It’s a well-attended group meeting a real need for creativity-focused interaction and friendship in a rural part of Ohio. To learn more, check out Carrie’s blog.
The first Epic Life Studios Internship in Goshen (brainchild of Adam and Megan Fleming) is in full swing. Anna P has been working at personal and creative growth in the context of community and coaching since early fall, and has found the experience profoundly valuable. The Flemings have been developing arts coaching models and practices for several years now and are excited about how the internship has provided the space for people to step back, reflect, be transformed and catapulted forward towards their calling and life purpose.
-What do you do when you are confronted with obstacles?
-How do you overcome them?
-What do you do once you have overcome them?
DSC Millersburg, a group established in partnership with Living Acts (an intentional community house associated with a local church) has been meeting weekly since last spring. Their Thursday night dandelion seed meeting includes sharing recent work and giving feedback. This group is led by Carrie, a veteran of the Charlottesville Project (a 5 year experiment in creativity and community that sponsored DSC events and invested heavily in the DSC vision to grow community, cultivate creativity and follow Jesus). It’s a well-attended group meeting a real need for creativity-focused interaction and friendship in a rural part of Ohio. To learn more, check out Carrie’s blog.
The first Epic Life Studios Internship in Goshen (brainchild of Adam and Megan Fleming) is in full swing. Anna P has been working at personal and creative growth in the context of community and coaching since early fall, and has found the experience profoundly valuable. The Flemings have been developing arts coaching models and practices for several years now and are excited about how the internship has provided the space for people to step back, reflect, be transformed and catapulted forward towards their calling and life purpose.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Video and twitter
We posted a video from the conference. It's a helpful talk about the action-reflection cycle by Rich Meyer. You can find out more on our twitter account.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Our Three Part Mission
We have a 3 part mission: we're called to cultivate creativity, follow Jesus, and grow community. We're called to bring these three things together, to live out that mission in real life and encourage/release others who are also called to those three things. We do this through gatherings and projects: weekend gatherings, phone calls, conferences, collaborative projects, training weeks, internships, emergent/missional microchurch plants, etc, etc.
We are not a replacement for church (except when, like with the Charlottesville Project, where we are clearly planting a local church). And in those situations, we are replacing other churches, but bringing another expression of church to the table.
We're not an alternative to college (although we do some training and are interested in alternative learning models).
We're not bingo night, small group or the local bar (although people do find community at the gatherings).
Dandelion Seed people need to be connected to other institutions that will challenge them and take them farther/deeper in each of these areas (creativity, Jesus, community). Some people and institutions need the Dandelion Seed Co to expand their perspective and resource them in ways that they are not equipped to.
It's been a journey to embrace this 3 part mission -- at various times we've talked about dropping one or two parts of it so we could go deeper and be more effective at one thing. Over time, however, we've begun to see the value in establishing a group that embodies this tri-call (creativity, Jesus, community), even if it means the group can't go as deep into any one area. Here's some reasons:
- For some people who are committed to Christ/mission/church but who feel the lack of understanding/prioritization of the arts, it has been very helpful to interact with a community committed to Jesus and creativity. In some cases people connected with the DSC have started to fruitfully use their creative gifts and relationship-building skills in their churches and/or communities. Interaction with the DSC helped them recognize the call: somehow their art got connected with Jesus in a deeper way, and the community provided encouragement to move ahead which then later bore fruit in other contexts -- churches, galleries, bars, classrooms, businesses, etc.
- It could be helpful to people in the arts world who need to connect with a community who values what they value, but also emphasizes community and is focused on Jesus.
- It could be good for people who have friends but wish for more of a sense of purpose/direction to connect with a group that finds that following Jesus, cultivating creative gifts and building deep relationships.
We are not a replacement for church (except when, like with the Charlottesville Project, where we are clearly planting a local church). And in those situations, we are replacing other churches, but bringing another expression of church to the table.
We're not an alternative to college (although we do some training and are interested in alternative learning models).
We're not bingo night, small group or the local bar (although people do find community at the gatherings).
Dandelion Seed people need to be connected to other institutions that will challenge them and take them farther/deeper in each of these areas (creativity, Jesus, community). Some people and institutions need the Dandelion Seed Co to expand their perspective and resource them in ways that they are not equipped to.
It's been a journey to embrace this 3 part mission -- at various times we've talked about dropping one or two parts of it so we could go deeper and be more effective at one thing. Over time, however, we've begun to see the value in establishing a group that embodies this tri-call (creativity, Jesus, community), even if it means the group can't go as deep into any one area. Here's some reasons:
- For some people who are committed to Christ/mission/church but who feel the lack of understanding/prioritization of the arts, it has been very helpful to interact with a community committed to Jesus and creativity. In some cases people connected with the DSC have started to fruitfully use their creative gifts and relationship-building skills in their churches and/or communities. Interaction with the DSC helped them recognize the call: somehow their art got connected with Jesus in a deeper way, and the community provided encouragement to move ahead which then later bore fruit in other contexts -- churches, galleries, bars, classrooms, businesses, etc.
- It could be helpful to people in the arts world who need to connect with a community who values what they value, but also emphasizes community and is focused on Jesus.
- It could be good for people who have friends but wish for more of a sense of purpose/direction to connect with a group that finds that following Jesus, cultivating creative gifts and building deep relationships.
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