Did some stuff at the Realize conference in Paolo Alto in the US yesterday. About 80 people turned up from the Episcopal church of the US, mainly ministers or those in full time employment of the church. We were exploring new emerging forms of church.
We had a Q and A session with a few of us on a panel which was fun – Karen espoused the link between drinking Belgium beer and the emerging church, and Jonny B talked about loving to drink it! Generally people were very receptive to the stories we had to share.
Sarah commented yesterday on the easiness of seeing the emerging church in the states as only the evanglical churches dressed up in candles and coffee, and I think this is something that a lot of people are struggling to get beyond.
The term ’emerging church’ unfortunately is being heavily commercialised and sold as the next solution to your church problems. So it was great to hear yesterday of some great stuff going on around the Bay Area, and hearing from people who are keen to release people into re-imaginging the church for todays postmodern culture. We met a few guys & gals from Vintage church who look like they are doing some really cool stuff in Santa Cruz, as well Mark Scandrette who is doing some cool monastic style stuff in San Fransisco.
Hopefully it will be groups like these who get some limelight and exposure in the US so people can really see how imaginative, creative, radical and contemporary the church can be rather than just a rebranded entity with little change under the surface.