wordXchange old dublin

the new wordXchange old dublin got underway this past sunday night after the emerge gathering. it was very interesting to settle, the five of us, into a back booth, while ryan read psalm 103 over the low hum of the pub conversations and big screen tv.

Psalm 103

A David Psalm

1-2 O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
don't forget a single blessing!

3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
He heals your diseases—every one.
He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
He renews your youth—you're always young in his presence.

6-18 God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he's rich in love.
He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we're made of mud.
Men and women don't live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God's love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
he rules over us all. He's the King!
So bless God, you angels,
ready and able to fly at his bidding,
quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

one comment was, it's interesting how the psalmist digresses halfway through into a bit of a declaration of our own mortality, and the frailty of our existence, then jumps right back into the effusive praise...

there was a lively discussion about the word "fear" as it often appears in scripture; to "fear" god. it was generally agreed that there is something felt for god which is much beyond either fear or awe, but that those seem to be the two english words. fear is negative in english, while awe is positive or neutral, yet god is bigger than mere human negativity and postivity...

there was an appreciation for the poetic phrases "as far as the sunrise is from the sunset", (in the n.i.v. "as far as east is from west") and "as high as heaven is above the earth"...

new blog for emerge

Hi, below I have re-posted the entries that had been posted on emergecommunity1.blogspot.com, which has now given way for technical reasons, to emergemtl.blogspot.com.

Paul

Bono speaks at a prayer breakfast

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Listen to Bono's Speech

I found this speech extremely interesting and moving . Bono speaks with such a bold heart for justice, especially for the poor in Africa, and it resonates with what emergers, and thousands of people all over the world are feeling. This is a 20 min clip, but it's definately worth a listen, and i'd be very interested to hear people's comments. For me, after listening, i felt my dreams expanding to use my gifts as an artist, to do whatever i can to alter the way people see each other, to fight against poverty, with whatever tools are in my hand and heart.
-Leah

wordXchange Isaiah

Yesterday the NDG wordXchange looked at Isaiah 1:5-17. God's impatience with the people's misemphasis on religious undertakings, sacrifices, rituals and the like is strongly worded. Most strikingly God "hates" our religious meetings and "will turn his head" and ignore our prayers if we don't add substance to our worship. At the end of the passage, in increasingly short and simple sentences, He states why this misemphasis is destructive: it does nothing to enhance our ability to take care of the needy, orphans and widows.

We found this passage incredibly poignant to our times, with many church experiences revolving around meetings about buildings and policys, and rituals of our own design, instead of working for justice.

wordXchange: Amos

Each of our four weeks at the NDG wordXchange we will be posting /commenting about what we read and the kinds of things that came up in our conversations. In our first session last night we read Amos 5: 7-17. After opening with an eloquent passsage reminding us how small we are in God's greatness, he proceeds with a scathing indictment of the selfish, wealthy Isrealites, reminding them that all these material concerns will ultimately not be enjoyed, in eternity. Ouch. The language is heavy and brash: worth a read!

P

Emerge Montreal

EMERGE ideas

maybe church is more about who & whose we are, than it is about where we go at a certain time, on a certain day of the week. maybe it's an idea that isn't limited by time or space but only by our imagination!

mission: to be a vital Christian community 24/7 that effectively engages people in the 18 to 35 age group working/studying/living/playing in contemporary downtown Montreal with the good news of Jesus Christ

values: intimacy, participation, friendship, belonging, action, and authenticity are all valued by this generation and the church

vision: to see a growing community of Christians in the 18-35 group effectively cooperating with God's mission, with the freedom to pursue the leading of the holy spirit in diverse ways, and being an authentic expression of the church, that is both biblically informed and culturally sensitive