Celebrating The Local: Concern About The Global

At this time of our one year anniversary of the inspiring success achieved out of our "Saving Centennial Mission" project (and Centennial's 110th anniversary), it is time for expressions of gratitude for a job well done and celebration of a congregation of people who truly exemplified the dedication it takes to find elegant solutions to pressing problems such as the dire financial straits as well as the organizational distress they were experiencing.

While the specifics of the "Saving Centennial" adventure to awe are still being revealed -- if they ever are (and maybe they are none of our business) -- let us enjoy and appreciate the wonder of the mystery.  

Centennial Methodist Church
Downtown Frederick, Maryland

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Concurrently, a new, critical situation, the NYC mosque controversy, has arisen, prompting a shift in focus for myself and the New Horizons Small “Zones Of Peace” Project. I hope you will check out my expression of rousing concerns on this issue by visiting today’s posting on our other blog. The blog article, Chaos On Ground Level Aborts Climb, not only gives voice to the present distress (re: the NYC mosque controversy), among New Horizons "Zones of Peace" volunteers, but is hopefully an invitation to you to please converse with us.

Conversation may be all that we can presently do about this serious challenge. Nonetheless, if talking could put money in the bank for a church in trouble, what might we now be able to co-create, if cultural diversity difficulties are successfully overcome by dialogue. Why not give conversation a try, if you haven't already? Tell your stories. Make a new friendship bond over coffee, especially with someone having a diverse background from yourself. 

As we gather people -- in greater numbers -- together with the hope of collectively finding elegant solutions to this pressing issue. I am encouraged that readers of our blogs have quickly -- in the last few hours -- already sent in emails voicing their personal views and concerns. 

Please join with them -- and -- us. "Irreconcilable differences" are not an option for a global village in response to an issue of this magnitude of conflict.

As Good As Money In The Bank

Two Pastors, Two Ministries, One Church And An Experience Of Awe

How did congregational conversations lead directly to money in the bank?

This is the story I am sure you would most like to hear. People's ears perk up when I suggest that this is what occurred that tangibly affirmed the power of the "awe" I witnessed at Centennial.

So -- "tell us, Anastasia, how can simply talking among congregants – in a facilitated, organized fashion -- lead directly to money in the bank?

(A welcome corollary (for me) is -- "Anastasia, will you next help us do the same?)

Though I am still connecting the dots myself, I assure you that "money in the bank" is what resulted.

How fun!

I saw it with my very own, beautiful new eyes. I promise to keep you posted as my wrap-up of the project -- and -- its accompanying questions are answered.

However, the general, overall answers to the "how" of Centennial's success are tied to the power of conversation, geared toward bringing two very polarized congregation, operating in one church, into unity with one another. It was a challenging endeavor. And, both congregations rose to the occasion (with many stories yet to be shared, both poignan,t and profound, from the intense adventure we had.

The most telling results of our efforts were observable in the following ways --

1. Systemic change; and

2. Organizational dysfunction set aright.

Maybe that's all anybody really needs to know.

We, at the New Horizons Small "Zones of Peace" Project have a successful model designed to accomplish just these outcomes!

Called "Campfire Conversations" for our metaphoric climb to the peak of the Mountain Of Awe, they have more frequently been identified as "Coffee House Conversations." At Centennial we called them the "Saving Centennial Conversations."

Point of interest: This highly successful model of the New Horizons Small "Zones of Peace" project originated out of my/our partially successful, partially abortive efforts to reconcile differences between local Jews and Muslims.

The story of the models evolution out of that controversy is the essence of my manuscript in progress -- "The Middle East Crisis In My Backyard."

I will be posting excerpts frothat mss in progress in posts to follow. The essence of that controversy is almost exactly replicated now in what we are seeing regarding the NYC mosque controversy. How can we now use what we have learned?

Please stay tuned in -- or -- whatever they call it these days.

Two Pastors, Two Ministries, One Church And An Experience Of Awe

I want to tell you – whoever you are -- my stories about an exceptional congregation of people. Congregants who were – almost to the person – willing to transform any – and all -- of their own personal darkness into Light in the service of a mission I headed, the “Saving Centennial” mission.

I want to share my collection of stories about this congregation of people who were so willing to be fully accountable – in every personal and collective action -- that they saved their church from closing.

I want to talk about the systemic change that occurred within that church. I want to talk about organizational dysfunction set aright.

I want to talk about congregants whose love for their church and their pastor, their faith in prayer and their willingness to surrender to Divine Guidance is allowing them to continue to build a ministry to profoundly aid the disenfranchised.

The local newspaper can tell you that this church went from “Little Left To Give” (Frederick News Post, June 27, 2009) -- on the brink of being closed down – to a renewal that allowed them – in a period of nine or ten months to achieve their essential fundraising objectives (Frederick News Post, April 3, 2010).

However, the words of a reporter cannot do justice to the “awe.” Awe is just not the language of daily news, even in a smallish community such as the locale of Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church (Frederick, Maryland).

But how does one convey the wonder that might be found in "seeing” beyond the ordinary?

The words that make ideas, concepts and experiences easily understood do not come easily to me.

And, “awe,” even defined is not an adequate explanation.

Lisa, my loyal and generous board member who has designed this blog (and the other) and helps me continue to develop it – with beauty – tells me (as have others) that I write like an esoteric, graduate school professor. They say I need to write in the language of a #101 class.

I think I used to be able to do that. But it was a long time ago. Before I was blind; the state in which I first found the natural highs of “awe.” So am I, now, more limited in the mainstream world? Perhaps that is the case.

So how can I, now, tell you about my experience of "awe" in working with the congregation of Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church and its esteemed leader, Pastor George Earle, Jr.? And, convey the fundamentals of “how” with Pastor George’s guidance, my willingness to lead for a time and an exceptional congregation of people – we reached the peak of the Mountain of Awe – for awhile?

A few of the clues as to “how” what was accomplished came about are: personal accountability, prayer, synergy ( a high step above cooperation) – and – the almost lost art of Conversation which we all did almost non-stop for a time, even those who usually love to text!