Friday, August 25, 2006

I quit going to church a few years back because I lost sight of what church is suppose to be. I can't blame the organization that I was a part of because it was something that happened in me. It no longer satisfied me to go to church, I wanted to be a part of a community. I liked the community part of church, but it seemed to me that much of the activity revolved around the promotion and preservation of the organized fuctions of the church, and in fact hindered my relationships with people. I quit—not the community—but the parts that lost its meaning. The fact is my real church has always been the people I live and work with, like those who went to Honduras with me to rebuild after Hurricane Mitch. And what about my family? They have always been a part of "church", but I so often failed to recognize the opportunities God gave me to know spirituality through them. What about the people that I have met at work and through common interests like wine. Maybe we need permission to expand our ideas of what church is. Call me a heratic—YOU HAVE PERMISSION! By the authority of the power invested in me as a thinking, spiritualty discerning, never heard that you can't, mentally healthy (I think), and happy human being, I declair that we be friends, have fun and try to know God better.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Welcome to Solitude and Streets Community

What's is in a name? The name was coined by Dr. Frank Fromhurst and the significance is understood in the seeming contradiction. Solitude speaks of our need for finding a spiritual grounding in the soul of our being. Contemplation is where we seek spiritual truth and find meaning and purpose in our lives. But it is strange that as we simply stop and enjoy inner fulfillment, we also receive a revealation of our connectedness to the world and the injustices that exist. This is where "streets" fit in. This is where we act. The purpose of solitude and streets is to encourage each other to action and prayer. Join us if you dare. marc