Mark Scandrette

See the article here.

Our friend Dieter Zander had a stroke earlier this year and is working hard on regaining his speech and movement capacities. Its going to be a long journey, and some of the many people who love the Zanders are running a campaign to raise the amount their family needs for the next two years. Dieter has been a personal mentor of mine and we cofounded ReIMAGINE together back in 2000. If you live in the bay area, come to the benefit event on Sunday June 8.

TRANSITIONS & MILESTONES
Around the dinner table this month our family has been reading through and discussing the book of Genesis. I’ve been struck by the importance the author put on milestone events and transitions. An entire chapter is taken up with Abraham’s negotiations with the Hittites to buy land in Canaan so he can bury his dead wife. Later along the road his son Isaac has a dream and hears the voice of God and sets up a pillar of stones calling the place Bethel. His son Jacob spends a long night wrestling with God, is marked with a limp and given a new name– Israel– “one who struggles with God.” (as an aside, I continue to ponder the significance of a people named “struggles with God”– and the possibility that we are also invited to struggle with God– to stay engaged and conversant with a creator we don’t always understand).

Our lives, also, can be measured by milestone events and transitions– and these take on even more meaning when we observe them consciously. As a family and a larger community we’ve been working at making transitions and marking milestones well. At the beginning of this month we sent Adam Klein to represent our community in Guinea Bissau, Africa where he is helping set up mobile medical clinics for 3 weeks. We also bid farewell to Nate & Andrea and Damon & Alice– two couples who have been an integral part of ReIMAGINE the past 3 years. In the next few months they will move to East Oakland together to start a new missional community called SHALOM. A wonderful picnic celebration, commissioning prayer, gifts and hugs were preceded by months of long talks, discernment meetings, bike rides around east Oakland, and renegotiating expectations of relationships. The work our community put into this transition has allowed us to really celebrate and affirm their next steps. Whenever possible we would rather observe a transition well than have people leave or fade away without closure.

RITES OF PASSAGE. On a cold and clear April evening six men and three boys wandered into the woods to observe another kind of transition–a rite of passage from boyhood to manhood for our son Noah, who turned 13 on April 8th. Together we collected sticks, built a fire and roasted sausages. As the sun set and darkness fell over a Eucalyptus grove we gathered around the glow of the fire. “We are here tonight to observe the beginning of Noah’s journey to manhood.” One by one the men began to speak– first his father, then his grandfather and then other men in Noah’s life who he feels known and loved by. Some told stories about the excitement and awkwardness of their adolescence. Each man shared affirmations, encouragement and wisdom about becoming a man.

• “Use your strength and talents to do good in the world.”

• “Honor the woman you may choose to marry.”

• “Remember your creator when you are young.”

• “At 13 you are already so thoughtful, caring and wise. I am so proud of you!”

Several of the men became emotional as they reflected on the beauty of this ceremony and the void of such a milestone marker in their own lives. In recent years many have observed the conspicuous absence of meaningful rites of passage rituals in our culture. This loss is often attributed to the increasing mobility and fragmentation of our society and the breakdown of traditional social networks. Many of us feel adrift and left alone to figure out life “on our own.” Often when I meet with people in their early twenties they lament and exclaim: “Where are the elders? Who can speak into my life? And where can I go for wise counsel? A young man recently drove two hours in traffic to meet me at an airport so we could talk for 40 minutes before my flight! In this case he simply wanted to hear my story and get a bit of advice about his future.

PERSONAL GROWTH FEEDBACK. Many of the people who seek out a connection with ReIMAGINE tell us that they feel “stuck” in their lives: wounded by disappointment, in a difficult marriage or relationship, in a career where they don’t thrive, or trying to manage persistent addictions, anxiety or depression. Often they have lost faith in religion or church because they’re experience of these has failed to address pressing issues. We think that faith at its best offers hope by connecting the good story of God with the gritty details of our daily lives.

If you were to visit our EXPERIMENTS IN TRUTH workshop you might find it R-rated—people talk with great honestly and authenticity about the messiness of being human and reaching out to live in the Way of Jesus. In this workshop we encourage one another to listen to three sources of wisdom as we seek transformation: (1) the ancient scriptures; (2) the present voice of the Spirit speaking to the soul and through life experiences; and (3) the wisdom and insight of the people who care about us. We invite participants to send a personal growth feedback inventory to 5-7 trusted friends, mentors and parents with questions like the following:

• In what contexts have you seen me most alive?
• What do you see as my strengths and gifts?
• Where do you sense God at work in my life?
• What is my best contribution to the world. How do I best serve those around me?
• What are my blind spots? Are their any areas where you sense that I lack self-awareness or sensitivity?
• Where do you sense a need for greater wholeness, growth or maturity in my life?

In small groups we spent three weeks processing the feedback that people received. Some of us were surprised by the affirmations we heard. Many of us had to wrestle with the discomfort of hearing painful truths about ourselves that we know we need to address. The goal of this exercise was to help each other have the courage to face our challenges and mistakes, believe in ourselves and take our next steps towards the greater wholeness that the creator offers. We also encourage participants to find a mentor or peer mentoring group who can support their progress.

I really like the advice that Paul gave his young apprentice Timothy,

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity…Do not neglect your gift…Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”
As a father I love to watch my kids grow, mature and discover who they are and what they love. Lately I find myself staring at them in wonder and amazement. And I think, “She is so talented.” or “he looks so much like his grandfather.” I don’t want to miss these moments of beauty and growth. My thoughts are interrupted with “DAD, what are you looking at and smiling about?” I can’t help but think that this is something like the affection, pride and wonder the Maker feels towards each of us as we become God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” How can we cooperate with what God longs to do in and through our lives?

Your life, like spring time, is a fertile garden waiting to bloom.

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 haven’t been to our website recently, check out the new look. Pictures and resources will be added soon. www.reimagine.org

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.

You can read our latest ReIMAGINE newsletter here.

ReIMAGINE presentsa Learning Lab on COMMUNITY
Sundays June 3, 10 and 24 at 5-7 PM
(optional) Community Retreat June 31- July1

During the month of June ReIMAGINE will host a Learning Lab on the theme of community. These labs, formerly called the Jesus Dojo, serve as a project based learning experience designed to help people integrate the teachings of Jesus into real life.

This Community Learning Lab will focus on reconciliation. We will help one another take personal risks to be reconciled wherever needed, with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and anyone else. We will divide into teams to host parties of hospitality and visit local communities of faith with the intention of pursuing unity. We will pursue reconciliation where necessary while training ourselves to develop an attitude of love and appreciation that will keep us from drifting into judgment or fear in the future.

We hope that acting together will spur us on towards a life of unity and reconciliation flowing from our love for the Creator and creation. As much as possible it will help the flow of the Learning Lab if people attend all three sessions. Know that everyone who attends will have the opportunity to form this experience together and take it to a meaningful level for all of us.

Details of the Community Retreat will be shared during the Learning Lab.

Details:
When? June 3, 10 and 24 from 5-7 PM
Where? 3166 25th Street in the Mission District
Registration? Please email nateATreimagineDOTorg to register or ask questions
How much? Please bring $3-5 per night to help pay for dinner and printing costs

The first two months of 2007 have been an incredibly productive and fruitful season for all of us working with ReIMAGINE. We’ve had the opportunity to interact with over 1,000 people through speaking engagements, training events and one-on-one appointments. In a small way we hope that our work imitates the pattern of Jesus and his earliest disciples. There was a broad continuum to their contact and impact with people– from large crowds in the daytime to intimate conversations at midnight. Jesus traveled and communicated his message in many different places. His disciples also made itenerant visits to various towns and villages. As Jesus traveled certain people responded strongly to his message and he spent time explaining further and training these disciples. Jesus also took the time to relate one-on-one when people had deeper questions or needs.

Over the past two months our team has traveled extensively throughout Northern California teaching and speaking to groups (prespectives courses, training classes in churches, group retreats and public discussions). We also facilitated several local workshops and events, (previously named the Jesus Dojo and now called Learning Labs). Our travels and networking have helped bring energy to our local SEVEN community. It has been exciting to meet new people every week visiting our SEVEN gathering on Sunday nights. We are literally busting at the seams, averaging 30 people a week, and are searching diligently for a larger meeting space. Yet for all of us, the most rewarding part of our work is the time that we get to spend with individuals over a meal or coffee, hearing life stories, and helping guide people in their next steps through spiritual friendship, mentoring and service.

I’ve had the privledge this month to begin meeting with Jason who has recently begun seeking the way of Jesus. Six years ago no one would have expected Jason to be interested in Jesus as he traveled to our neighborhood to buy a daily dose of heroin. During a process of drug recovery Jason slowly began noticing that many of the people surrounding him were Christians– not the kind he anticipated from the steorotypes, but people who lived with a great deal of integrity and compassion. Jason started asking questions and out of curiousity began reading the scriptures. Gradually he came to see himself as a disciple of Jesus and is eager to discover how to rethink or reimagine his life to pursue the greater wholeness we are invited into. Together we’ve been exploring what it might mean for him to reimagine specific dimensions of his life: his time, money, relationships, mental space, goals and vocation. Its been fun for me to see Jason making new choices that are opening up new possibilities.

CREATIVITY is one of the seven vows we have taken as a community based on the example and teaching of Jesus. Jesus communicated his message using poetry, stories and provocative performance art. When Jesus announced, “The kingdom of God is at hand” he invited us to repent, reimagine or rethink our thinking about life. Awakening and renewing the imagination is an essential step toward returning to the Maker’s vision for our lives. And because we were made in the image of a Creator, exercising freedom and creativity is an important response to the sacrifice of Jesus. The apostle Paul described the fruitfulness we were made for when he wrote: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).

Although some people may fear the concept of imagination, (as though it is synonomous with myth or fantasy), as a culture I believe we suffer, not from too much imagination, but a lack of redemptive imagination. In our work with ReIMAGINE we try to help people awaken their imaginations for what it might mean for them to live more fully in God’s dream for our lives. We think this is one of the essential goals of reading scripture and doing theology– learning to connect our individual stories with the larger story revealed through scripture and in history. So, if you ever visit our community in San Francisco, you will meet people using the arts to connect their story to God’s story through painting, poetry, song-writing and other creative endeavors. Not all of us are professional artists, but we encourage each other to find ways to explore and express the story of God and humanity in artful ways. We hope that through the freedom and creativity found in person of Jesus we can be apart of awakening the imagination of our society to “a new way of life.”