[Dialogue] Those who Care

[karenbueno at aol.com]

I'm reading "Christianity for the Rest of Us" by Diana Butler Bass.  It 
is a bishop recommended book for the Rocky Mountain conference of the 
United Methodist church.  Ms. Bass did a research study of mainline 
Protestant churches across the US (Nancy's may have been one of them) 
and write for "the rest of us", who are not members of evangelical 
fundamentalist congregations.  An interesting study!  Her ideas will 
resonate with those who have had RS1, and others who consider 
themselves progressive Christians.

Karen Bueno

-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Lanphear <nancy at songaia.com>
To: Colleague Dialogue <Dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:26 pm
Subject: [Dialogue] Those who Care

Dear Randy and all,
Your emails have sparked a need in me to respond with a positive 
picture of the Church.  This does not intend to speak to the larger 
contradiction of the Church nor negate what is being said here by 
Randy. Jim and others.
Finding that our work community and our home community took all of our 
energy and passion,  Fred and I were "un-churched" for 17 years after 
we returned from India.  Now that we are "retired" we are members of an 
incredible Congregational UCC church near our home in Washington state.
It is a church with soooo many white hairs (including Fred's), and they 
are passionately involved in the church and in other eco-justice 
efforts.  Fred has just completed facilitating 2 groups of church folks 
in a series called Elders as Earth Keepers.  They have taken on the 
task of helping to establish the church to become a green congregation. 
  Our "bible" studies are held during the week and have, over the past 2 
years, involved a high percent of the members, with studies such as  
Opening the Box, Living the Question, Saving Jesus, and The Heart of 
Christianity by Marcus Borg.  Several times during the year the 
congregation does a series of sermons, the pastor becomes part of the 
congregation for the time.  We are quite active in the local ecumenical 
parish organization. We have recently decided to join the progressive 
christianity movement  and are, of course, a welcoming and affirming 
congregation. As we "speak", Tent City IV is living in our church 
parking lot.  This is a mobile community of about 100 homeless folks 
who move from church to church every 3 months.  Some communities have 
not been happy with the arrangement which is the reason for the brief 
stay in each location.  These are just some of our activities - a 
lively and wonderful community!
You are loved,
Nancy
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