Saturday marked the day that 141 NYC forged ahead and put our feet into motion. All this time I’ve been comparing our move to NYC to labor pains, and the birth being our arrival to NYC, but last Saturday marks the official birthday of 141 NYC. I’ve walked around 14th Street and Union Square over a dozen times before to prepare for the day, but Saturday was like no other. The past 8 months of living in the unknown have been filled with uncertainty and constant waiting. I have spent many restless nights, waking in cold sweats, and crying out to God, “What have you done with my heart?” I’ve missed my friends and family. I’ve pined for the warm sand and perfect longboard waves of San Diego, home. I’ve yearned for those wet and misty streets of Portland, my heart. I’ve loved and lost lives to those streets. My blood, sweat and tears have dripped alongside my friends, into its very core, giving life to the roots that have intertwined us.
In 8 months I’ve struggled to have a heart for NY. The streets of Manhattan are rougher and usually have dog shit or bubblegum to welcome your brand new sneakers. Mixtures of strong perfumes, rotting mountains of garbage lining each block, Halal food carts, and the pungent odor of piss are a part of everyday life. Although Portland can have these qualities, it’s funny how the mind distorts our memory when we miss something so much. For a while all I could remember were the 70 degree days and sidewalks that glitter. I couldn’t get past those summer nights when we’d all sit around and either Keith, Sam, Dorje, Vern, and/or Jamie would serenade us with their guitars.
As soon as my feet touched the sidewalk last Saturday and I looked up into that building-lined gray sky, I sensed a familiarity. Light snow fell on me and I found my feet doing that back and forth cold dance that Ken Loyd has mastered so well. It was all coming back to me. My backpack was heavy and my stomach was knotted. I prayed for the spirit to guide us, then pushed off into the chaos. We made many friends and passed out many socks. We laid hands on a very ill older man and prayed over his fragile, dying body. He clutched onto my Dad’s hands and wouldn’t let go. His eyes were the same eyes I had seen a thousand times before, gentle and wise. At the end of the day we even found a $20 bill which covered our costs for the day (thanks to our friends Jeronimo and Rebecca for their donation)
Every second I’d lived up until that moment was preparation for what was to be born that day. All of the waiting and days spent in the dark had to happen. The streets may look, feel, and smell different, but I saw Christ in every eye that I looked into. The very eyes that brought me back to Him when I fell away. So in a way 141 NYC wasn’t born, but rather begotten. It took 3 years and 8 long months to get here, but we’re here and we’re lighting the way. All has been confirmed and my heart has been restored. The roots are still intertwined with family and friends in San Diego, and our Brothers and Sisters in Portland. But now they go deeper and spread further, as far as the East is from the West. Happy Birthday 141 NYC!
-Kelly
Monday, February 25, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Much love
Big, big ups and heaping piles of love to Fusion Purchase (as in SUNY Purchase), our new partners who are starting a collection to help out with supplies for 141NYC. Notice that the call for help was posted on Feb 11th - last week - and they were there and down to help almost instantly. God is good.
In other news: HomePDX now on the interwebs, via Myspace -- go and be a friend.
In other news: HomePDX now on the interwebs, via Myspace -- go and be a friend.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Update-idge
The latest updates from Tortuga Central Command:
- We are now called "Tortuga House." I think it has a better ring to it. Also it goes along with the traditions that we draw from -- for example the Houses of Hospitality of the Catholic Worker Movement.
- This Saturday will be our first "official" outreach in Manhattan. Thanks to those who donated, your gifts will be utilized on what looks to be a rather cold, dreary day.
- We are now partnering/ volunteering with a great organization called Reaching Out Community Services in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. They have a food pantry serving the poor in south Brooklyn and also lots of insight into homeless outreach.
- We have been participating in the "Artists Group" at North Brooklyn Vineyard. This has been very fun so far, and is helping us to work out some ideas for our community gatherings as well. It is truly amazing to experience how just being around other creative people gets the stagnant juices flowing once again.
- An actual website for Tortuga House is under construction.
- We are considering having an informational gathering for anyone interested in being a part of Tortuga House, whether through the outreach or the community gatherings (which will start happening very soon). If you are reading this and would like to know more, leave a comment with your contact info, or send us an email.
That's it for today - we want to hear from you, please leave comments!!!
- We are now called "Tortuga House." I think it has a better ring to it. Also it goes along with the traditions that we draw from -- for example the Houses of Hospitality of the Catholic Worker Movement.
- This Saturday will be our first "official" outreach in Manhattan. Thanks to those who donated, your gifts will be utilized on what looks to be a rather cold, dreary day.
- We are now partnering/ volunteering with a great organization called Reaching Out Community Services in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. They have a food pantry serving the poor in south Brooklyn and also lots of insight into homeless outreach.
- We have been participating in the "Artists Group" at North Brooklyn Vineyard. This has been very fun so far, and is helping us to work out some ideas for our community gatherings as well. It is truly amazing to experience how just being around other creative people gets the stagnant juices flowing once again.
- An actual website for Tortuga House is under construction.
- We are considering having an informational gathering for anyone interested in being a part of Tortuga House, whether through the outreach or the community gatherings (which will start happening very soon). If you are reading this and would like to know more, leave a comment with your contact info, or send us an email.
That's it for today - we want to hear from you, please leave comments!!!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tortuga, part 2
The last month has been an exercise in jumping into the whirlwind. Since the "idea" of the Totuga House/ Collective was brought into existance, we have experienced many ups and downs and felt the birth pangs of something new. Our core team of myself, Kelly and her father, Larry, have been spending many hours in our "upper room" (since it's on the third floor, duh) hashing out the various fears, dreams, plans and words that have been coming to us. We are attempting to wrestle the idea into shape, to give it legs and arms. So here is what we have so far:
- Our passion for outreach remains. The apparent lack of an obvious, cohesive street community (a la Portland) does not change this. We have been given a love that is irrational, a love for people who are at best ignored and at worst hated. And it is our calling to stay faithful to this, despite the "lack of effectiveness" assumed from an organizational standpoint. So we are currently purchasing supplies and scoping out locations for carrying out the outreach. Kelly has been particularly illuminated in this area, having seemingly random run-ins with various kids in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. The strange thing is that the people she has met are drawn to her -- as if she is communicating safety to them without speaking a word. I think that this is confirmation of what we know to be true. So on that note, donations of supplies (socks primarily, but other warm clothing items are good also) would be appreciated, and you can contact us if you are interested in doing so.
- Something we did not anticipate at all: For a while now, we have struggled with the "church vs. ministry" quandry. In other words, are we here to plant a church or are we here to start a ministry, non-profit or other somesuch organization? The answer has never been clear. We have always been hesitant to say we are "planting a church," just because we are trying so hard to see things from a Kingdom perspective, where "church" means the Body of Christ and not some particular, exclusive franchise that has no interaction with other franchises. But we have also seen a gap here in the city. And we have also remembered that we come from a specific tradition and background. We did not invent ourselves. Our tradition is very young and small as far as church history is concerned (it's been around for about 10 years, and we are one of 4 manifestations of it), but its distinctives have been so formative for us that we cannot simply discard it and move on to something else. It is the vision at the heart of this tradition that we bought into several years ago, and it is an integral part of what we have come here to continue.
The "tradition" of which I speak is the one of The Bridge in Portland, Oregon. This is the place where Home PDX came from, and as a result, 141-NYC as well. And we have begun to realize that without The Bridge, there would be no 141-NYC. It took a community, a church where freedom and safety were central, to incubate the ideas that would hatch into 141. We feel that a similar environment is necessary here in New York, to become a new incubator of transformative ministry. So, it is essential that we concentrate not just on the outreach, but on the community itself, to make the outreach possible. The two can be separated for organizational purposes, but in reality they are connected parts of one organism.
All this to say, we sincerely feel that "planting a church" is part of the reason that we are here. And so our focus splits into two separate but equally essential directions: the outreach and the church. I have been working a great deal lately on the connection between the two, and the mechanics of said connection, and I will post these later when I have more time. But for now, suffice it to say that we have announced our plans, and are working toward action steps to get them going.
The nitty-gritty then, or what I like to call "the details":
- The church is basically going to be a house church, for now. Which makes sense, considering that we currently have four members!
- Our core values, distinctives, etc, are currently in the process of development. But once again, we feel that we are aligned with a tradition started by The Bridge in Portland.
- We are not looking to steal members from established churches. We are looking for people who do not fit into any established church.
- The outreach is not a ministry of the church, in the classic sense (i.e, something that certain people in the church "do"). It is an integral, essential part of the way of life of the community.
- Our official start/ launch date is TBA. We have a lot of things going on right now. I have a hunch it will happen fairly soon, though.
Those of you who read this blog, I would welcome your comments and suggestions. I would also request your prayers, for wisdom and peace as we continue to wrestle.
- Our passion for outreach remains. The apparent lack of an obvious, cohesive street community (a la Portland) does not change this. We have been given a love that is irrational, a love for people who are at best ignored and at worst hated. And it is our calling to stay faithful to this, despite the "lack of effectiveness" assumed from an organizational standpoint. So we are currently purchasing supplies and scoping out locations for carrying out the outreach. Kelly has been particularly illuminated in this area, having seemingly random run-ins with various kids in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. The strange thing is that the people she has met are drawn to her -- as if she is communicating safety to them without speaking a word. I think that this is confirmation of what we know to be true. So on that note, donations of supplies (socks primarily, but other warm clothing items are good also) would be appreciated, and you can contact us if you are interested in doing so.
- Something we did not anticipate at all: For a while now, we have struggled with the "church vs. ministry" quandry. In other words, are we here to plant a church or are we here to start a ministry, non-profit or other somesuch organization? The answer has never been clear. We have always been hesitant to say we are "planting a church," just because we are trying so hard to see things from a Kingdom perspective, where "church" means the Body of Christ and not some particular, exclusive franchise that has no interaction with other franchises. But we have also seen a gap here in the city. And we have also remembered that we come from a specific tradition and background. We did not invent ourselves. Our tradition is very young and small as far as church history is concerned (it's been around for about 10 years, and we are one of 4 manifestations of it), but its distinctives have been so formative for us that we cannot simply discard it and move on to something else. It is the vision at the heart of this tradition that we bought into several years ago, and it is an integral part of what we have come here to continue.
The "tradition" of which I speak is the one of The Bridge in Portland, Oregon. This is the place where Home PDX came from, and as a result, 141-NYC as well. And we have begun to realize that without The Bridge, there would be no 141-NYC. It took a community, a church where freedom and safety were central, to incubate the ideas that would hatch into 141. We feel that a similar environment is necessary here in New York, to become a new incubator of transformative ministry. So, it is essential that we concentrate not just on the outreach, but on the community itself, to make the outreach possible. The two can be separated for organizational purposes, but in reality they are connected parts of one organism.
All this to say, we sincerely feel that "planting a church" is part of the reason that we are here. And so our focus splits into two separate but equally essential directions: the outreach and the church. I have been working a great deal lately on the connection between the two, and the mechanics of said connection, and I will post these later when I have more time. But for now, suffice it to say that we have announced our plans, and are working toward action steps to get them going.
The nitty-gritty then, or what I like to call "the details":
- The church is basically going to be a house church, for now. Which makes sense, considering that we currently have four members!
- Our core values, distinctives, etc, are currently in the process of development. But once again, we feel that we are aligned with a tradition started by The Bridge in Portland.
- We are not looking to steal members from established churches. We are looking for people who do not fit into any established church.
- The outreach is not a ministry of the church, in the classic sense (i.e, something that certain people in the church "do"). It is an integral, essential part of the way of life of the community.
- Our official start/ launch date is TBA. We have a lot of things going on right now. I have a hunch it will happen fairly soon, though.
Those of you who read this blog, I would welcome your comments and suggestions. I would also request your prayers, for wisdom and peace as we continue to wrestle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
