Mark Scandrette

Here’s a workshop ReIMAGINE will be facilitating in early May. I think it will be really helpful to people who dream about new kinds of Christian community. Register here.
CREATING COMMUNITY: IN THE WAY OF JESUS
Missional. Experimental. Generative.

DATE: May 2-4

SCHEDULE:
Friday night 7-10 P.M.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 P.M.
Sunday 9 a.m. to 12 P.M.

COST: $95 Includes 2 nights lodging and 3 meals. Scholarships and student discounts available upon request. Sign-up at www.reimagine.org

LOCATION: Clunie Conference Center 301 Lyon Street San Francisco 94117 (Lyon @ Fell)

In an age of high mobility and social fragmentation, we search for
ways to connect with one another around our deepest values and highest aspirations–to see our Maker’s dreams become as real “on earth” as they are “in heaven.” Simply put, we want to be “making a life in the way of Jesus”–but we don’t want to (and we can’t) do it alone. In this weekend intensive we will explore simple and organic ways we can create communities together–that are missional, experimental and generative.

Over the past 10 years ReIMAGINE has helped cultivate neighborhood-based faith communities throughout San Francisco and around the bay area.

THIS RETREAT IS DESIGNED FOR YOU IF:

* You want to create or participate in an intentional Christian community experiment
* You are part of a community or small group that you hope to see become more intentional, missional or formational.
* You are a leader who wants to learn more about organic and relational approaches to community & formation

SOME OF THE TOPICS COVERED DURING THIS WEEKEND:

* What Jesus modeled and taught about our life together.
* Historical examples of Christ-inspired community and mission
* Community, personal healing and growth
* Cultivating common values, commitments and practices
* Leadership, collective discernment and mutual submission
* Cultural awareness and the development of your common mission & vision
* Embracing the fluid, improvisational and networked nature of community in an urban society
* Hospitality, transparency, trust and generosity
* Love, forgiveness, humility and reconciliation

AT THE END OF THIS RETREAT WE HOPE PARTICIPANTS:

* Have a greater understanding of the nuts and bolts of creating community together
* Identify their next steps for pursuing missional community with others
* Commit to a 2-3 month missional community project/experiment

There will be follow-up project consults for the next 3 weeks. Wednesday nights in May.

March is spring break for many students—and for us this means a month packed with visiting groups of students from various colleges and universities. Twenty-five students from Winona State spent the first week of March with us, followed by students from Vanguard University, Westmont College and group middle schoolers and adults from the East Bay.

For many of the groups that visit us, the city offers an eye opening look at the diversity and complexity of humanity, a vision of the future, and an invitation to seek the way of Jesus more fully in every dimension of life.  Here’s what one group organizer had to say about their experience with us:

 “I want to say thank you for sharing with my team this past week.  They really caught on to the vision that you cast for ReImagine and for SEVEN.  It deeply challenged them and their perspective of their role in the church and in their relationship with Jesus.  It came out through the number of deep conversations we had on the drive home. Students forming their own relationship with Jesus separate from that of their parents is a huge part of why I do what I do.  So thank you for giving them something of depth to process.” 

Our day-long prayer and poetry exercise continues to be a favorite trans-formational experience for visiting groups—as they walk through various neighborhoods encountering new foods, people and cultures.  We invite people to look for signs of God in the fabric of the city and to ask for the Maker’s dream and will to be “on earth as it is in heaven.” Groups also join us in service projects in various neighborhoods–  painting and cleaning at community centers and cooking and eating with homeless friends.

Most groups also do a creative art and prayer exercise. This spring we developed a new project in which groups make colorful flags that express their prayers for the city. We hang these sets of flags around the neighborhood to add beauty and a lasting symbol of the intersessions of the students. Groups also spend time with people from our community who work in various professions and challenge the students to find ways to intentionally seek God’s kingdom in their vocational choices and lifestyle.

We do our best to not only welcome students into the city but also into our lives and the life of our community. Lisa and I have each group come to our house for a meal during their visit and we spend the evening with them cooking and talking. Its an opportunity for us to help students process their experiences and further integrate the message of the gospel into their every day lives.   

If you are new to the bay area or curious about Emerging Faith and the Emerging church, this is a great opportunity to connect with co-conspirators.

Sugarlump Theology Salon.

When? February 24th, 7-9pm

Where? Sugarlump Coffee Lounge
2862 24th Street @ Bryant
San Francisco CA 94110
http://www.sugarlumpcoffeelounge.com/

Upcomimg Topic:

Where does the emergent church stand in relation to this mystical relational faith? Does its focus on contemplative exercises combined with its hostility towards evangelism lead to self-focus? Does its formulation of the Gospel in terms of “following Jesus” and his kingdom lead to an impersonal “way” rather than a relationship?

Familiarity with readings from “mystic” texts such as: St Dionysius, Meister Eckhart, St John of the Cross, & The Cloud of Unknowing, New Seed of Contemplation, etc.   will be helpful in your participation.

Also check out this post by Scott McNight: http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=1001

In order to facilitate the best conversation possible it is helpful for us know how many people are coming. PLEASE R.S.V.P. to this event, by contacting Adam Klein, adam AT reimagine.org

The Sugarlump Theology  Salon is a gathering of theologians and thinkers in the San Francisco Bay Area who meet in order to share and discuss their ideas and get peer feedback from one another. In the tradition of “The Inklings” (the literary group of C.S. Lewis’s and J.R.R. Tolkien that met in a pub for readings and criticism of their own work) we meet in a coffee house (the San Francisco equivalent of a pub) called the “Sugarlump Coffee Lounge”.

This summer I will be on the road with my friends Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones. We will be traveling in an RV to towns and cities across America (and Canada) conducting GOSPEL REVIVAL meetings and connecting with friends who are similarly passionate about pursuing the Way of Jesus in the exciting times we are living in. You can help host us and become part of the show in your city!

Today in the mail I received my copy of my friend Tony Jones new book, The New Christians. I’ve take a quick browse and must say that it is a book that Tony should be very proud of: well written, hopeful and proactive. I also believe that for those who have been critics or just curious about the emerging church phenomenon, Tony does a great job of explaining some history and concepts that are defining what could be described as a move of the Spirit in our generation. His treatment of the topic is broad, even-handed, generous and personal– and Tony does a kind job of responding with humility to critics. Read this book!

9:30 P.M. Organized by students at Westmont College

We will be exchanging bursts of poetic flow with light snacks and conversation.

Ocean View Apartments #19 (second floor, left side, closest to road)
Ocean View Ave., Santa Barbara 93103

From E. Cabrillo Blvd heading towards Montecito:
Go under 101 overpass
Turn left onto Hot Springs
Left onto Old Coast Highway (very soon after turning on Hot Springs)
Right onto Ocean View Ave.
Apartments are first complex on the left.

Can be found here.

Hello Everyone,
Here’s the latest on Dieter’s condition. Dieter had a stroke sometime Sunday night. They did emergency brain surgery and induced a coma to help him stabalize so they could assess the extent of damage.

Dieter Zander is one of the founders of ReIMAGINE and we worked together for several years in San Francisco. Dieter was an influential voice early on in the gen-x/post-modern/emerging church transition. You can learn more about him here.

The Latest news from 5 P.M. on Tuesday.

They did a CAT scan, the bleeding has stopped, but the swelling is worse. The doctor likened it to a twisted ankle that gets swollen bruised.
Because of the swelling they are going to continue to keep him sedated for the next 24 hours.
As far as a “prognosis” the doctor said it was a substantial stroke and there has been damage.
Dieter has also got a small amount of pneumonia in one of his lungs. They are giving him antibiotics to help this go away.
Val has specifically asked for us to pray that pneumonia go away, so that his body will use it’s energy to heal his brain instead of fight the liquid in his lungs and that the swelling would go down in his brain. Until that happens they will keep him sedated and will be unable to further assess the damage caused by the stroke.

Matt got a bit choked up on the phone, so lets pray for him as he is communicating for the family, which can’t be easy. He did say that the boys are doing great.

Matt also said there probably won’t be another update until tomorrow.

This morning I heard that my friend, Dieter Zander, one of the cofounders of ReIMAGINE had a stroke last night and is in serious condition. Please pray for him and his family and community.

LIVING SIMPLY AND GENEROSLY
(In an era of scarcity and greed)
Finding a Path Toward Greater Freedom & Creativity

Saturday, November 10, 2007 9 a.m.- 3 P.M.
Location: The Mission District of San Francisco (specific location TBA)
Cost: $45 Includes lunch and materials (scholarships available upon request)
Register online here.
With the rising costs of housing, education and healthcare, many of us feel challenged to live within our means and pursue our dreams. At the same time, we are increasingly aware of the disproportionate privilege we possess in comparison with most of the worlds population. What does it mean live justly and sustainably in a culture of prosperity and materialism? How can we apply what Jesus taught about time, money and possessions to our current life context?

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

“A person’s life does not consist in the abundance of their possessions.”

“Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”

“Do not worry about your life… seek first the kingdom… and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Through this one-day workshop we will examine what Jesus taught about time, money and possessions and explore how we might translate important themes into life practices: Abundance, Gratefulness, Contentment, Trust, Generosity, Simplicity & frugality.

This workshop is designed for people who:

• Live in fear and worry about not having enough
• Wish to reduce, minimize or eliminate personal debts
• Long to have a more simple, sustainable and soulful life
• Want to rethink life beyond the empire of the American Dream
• Desire more time for family, relationships and the things that matter most
• Seek to leverage their life energy creatively for the good of the world

In this applied workshop participants will:

• Gain insights and tools for transforming your relationship to money– taming consumptive impulses
• Practice gratefulness
• Establish time, life energy and financial goals
• Develop a working budget, debt-reduction strategy and planned giving
• Learn creative tips about how to live more simply in specific budget areas

Whether you tend to spend too much and find yourself in debt, or you are thrifty and obsessive about saving, this workshop has something to offer because the genesis-dream for each of us is a posture of radical contentment and generosity!

FACILITORS:

Over the past 17 years, Mark Scandrette, along with his wife, Lisa have learned to maximize a modest family income to leverage their time creatively to serve and be of use to others. Through their example they have inspired many to live more simply and generously. Mark is the author of the recently released book, SOUL GRAFFITI: Making a Life in the Way of Jesus, and is the executive director of ReIMAGINE! in San Francisco.

Two years ago Damon Snyder left a lucrative position in a large technology firm to pursue a life of greater simplicity and service. He currently works part-time in a technology start-up and along with his wife, Alice, on the journey to reinvent their lives beyond the typical Silicon Valley scenarios. Damon also works with ReIMAGINE with a special interest in how our “cultural captivities” are challenged by the message of Jesus.