Friday, October 17, 2008

Upcoming Gathering: A Heart & Mind for Social Justice

Hey all,

I just wanted to give everybody a quick heads-up regarding next Sunday's gathering. A number of weeks ago, Justin Narducci (a very close friend to me and many others in the cohort) asked if there would be a date in October that he could come spend some time with our Emerging Desert community to talk about ideas surrounding social injustice. Justin and his wife, Erin, (both AZ natives) moved their family to California last year as Justin took the USA Country Director position for the non-profit organization, Life In Abundance International [LIA]. To put it simply, LIA's work centers on addressing the physical & spiritual needs of the poorest and most vulnerable communities across Northeast Africa.

I thought it would be a great fit, given the nature of many of our cohort conversations over the
past months, for Justin & Erin to come back and join us in wrestling with these issues... so we targeted October 26th. Coincidentally (providentially?:-), the next chapter that we will be discussing in Frost's Exiles just happens to be chapter 9, Restless with Injustice.

So, that's the scoop. I'm looking forward to building on the sentiments behind the recent posts & comments made by many of you here on the blog as we collectively seek to become more informed, and ultimately more loving as we try to build the Kingdom.

7 comments:

Penitent said...

Hey AZ folks, you guys going to the conference? Maybe we can all meet up there? Check the vegas blog for the link to the site.

Jimbo said...

Hey Penitent (in Las Vegas)!
Looks interesting. Found web site at: http://www.cacradicalgrace.org/conferences/emer/
Isn't until March 2009 so time to plan. There's group rates for 10 or more if registered before Feb, 2009.
Key speakers are:
- Brian McLaren
- Shane Claiborne
- Phyllis Tickle
- Fr. Richard Rohr
- Alexie Torres-Fleming

Yard said...

Very cool. Thanks Pertinent and Jim(bo) I'm excited about this. I think Heather and I can go...I'm putting it in the works.

Thorn-67 said...

What a great turn out this Sunday! Thanks so much to Justin Narducci for his thoughtful presentation and willingness to make our group a priority while in the Valley.
It was also a real privilege to enjoy the company of Ron and Sarah and to hear of their recent experiences abroad.
A big 'welcome back to Tom' and loved-loved-loved meeting Carrie and Jerry (sp?) and their great kids!
I am always surprised to see new faces 'every single week'. It's encouraging for me as I recognize how pervasive the un-rest is within the tradional model of the church...it's not just me after all. With each new person I meet @ EmDes...I experience a buoyancy of hope that propel me on to find a new kind of Christianity and dare I say a new way to be and do church.

Thorn-67 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nardrod said...

I really enjoyed being with your group last night. You were all warm, inviting, and interested in playing a role in alleviating poverty in Africa. I hope to join you next time I'm in town, to just be a part of what you are doing...

Sincerely,
Justin

Yard said...

Everybody who enjoyed Justin's presentation: please read.

I'm horribly unorganized at times, (especially times of corralling children) and as a result I 'misplaced' those comment/info cards that some of you filled out. Justin would like the mailing addresses of anybody interested in being connected with his org, Life in Abundance. Please email me with your addresses, he would much appreciate it.

Sorry Justin, I hope we can still be friends.