those mennies...

So I'm working this summer with a Mennonite organization called Sharing With Appalachian People. Every since I heard about it, I expected it to be a very good and rewarding job. I also was very apprehensive. We host volunteer groups and do home repair projects. I've been here for two weeks, and the first group of volunteers arrived tonight. When we held a little orientation meeting the group, the Location Coordinators (my bosses) encouraged them to do some journaling. I decided after that I would finally sit down and start blogging about SWAP, which I've been planning to do since I arrived.

One of the things that definitely makes this experience very interesting is that my faith is very different from all of my coworkers. The majority of them are Mennonite. Keith and Charlene, the Location Coordinators, have Mennonite background, but now attend a Pentecostal Church of God. One coworker is not Mennonite, like myself, but seems to me to be a Southern Baptist type (she doesn't associate herself with a particular denomination, but that's what her religious behavior reminds me of.) And here I sit, a liberal Presbyterian Meher Baba lover that, when makes it to church, goes to a Unitarian Universalist one. I knew getting into this, that it would be a very religious and spiritual job (part of the reason I was interested in it) and I also knew it would be different from anything I've experienced before. But I was never really sure what quite to expect.

But despite these differences, one thing that I've noticed is that there are a few commonalities as well. And those commonalities just so happen to be things that are most important in my faith. The people I'm living with, working with, and interacting with use terms and language I've never used or try not to. Things like "eternal damnation," "born again," and a very extensive use of "Father" for God. The latter of which I'm used to to an extent, but they use it quite frequently and I try to use more inclusive language.

I'll elaborate with examples. Last Sunday, I went to church with everyone at the Church of God up the road. I was honestly a bit uncomfortable worshiping there. There was so much focus on sin and hell. Hell was a more common topic than grace - something I'm not used to and am opposed to. However, there were a few things I did appreciate. The main one being that everyone in the congregation called each other brother and sister. That was a habit I tried to get myself into years ago at camp, but it faded after a while. I love the feeling of community and comradeship it creates within their congregation. But for me, I would extend the use of brother and sister to those that "aren't saved." They use it to remind themselves that they are all one in Christ. I would use it more widely to remind us that we are all one in this Earth. What I surely wasn't used to, and honestly don't really buy, even though I witnessed it right in front of my face, is a lot of the hooting and hollering and practically speaking in tongues that happened in this church. At one point, people went to the front of the church to be prayed for. As the pastor was praying for one woman, her mouth was just running and running and I couldn't understand I single word. Then her body began shaking and she nearly fell to the floor. I still don't know what I think of this. It's really just something else. But another thing I did appreciate was during Sunday School, the leader made one point that whenever we come to God, we must free our minds and spirits of everything else going on in our lives. I like this because I agree, and I found it especially interesting because I very recently just read about Baba making the exact same point. The paths, the worship, the prayer, is so very different - but that one point was exactly the same. And that point is the most important aspect of that Sunday school and lesson and of that particular message of Baba. I dig that.

On Friday night, our neighbor Randy, who is a preacher and a business partner with Keith, came and spoke to us. He isn't the typical preacher I would be a fan of, but again, I appreciate to similarities more than I criticize the differences. (Which it took me a few days to get to that attitude, I'll admit.) One of the first things I noticed is his obvious passion and love for God, which I admire and love witnessing. When he opened in prayer, and every other time he prayed, almost every other word was "God" or "Jesus" or something along those lines. He spoke so quickly, I was almost annoyed by it. But then I made a connection. His prayer reminded me of Baba telling to keep God's name (whatever it may be) on your heart and have your heart and mind always be saying God's name. Randy's heart and mind, and mouth, were clearly repeating God's name. When Randy got to speaking, he spoke mostly of being born again. He told the story of when he was saved and when he was born again and proclaimed that everyone must be born again to go to heaven. When left at that, I disagree on many levels. But as he continued, he said "maybe you don't call it born again - but whatever you call it - everyone should have a time in their lives when God transforms them." Now that I can handle. I was easily reminded of two specific moments in my life when God certainly provoked a change in me. I cherish those moments and recognize and appreciate God's presence in my life before and after those moments, but I would never say I was born again. But once I got past my stubborn disapproval of that term - I appreciated Randy's message.

So far, I've certainly already changed spiritually a lot. I can see that I have - but I can't quite say how. We shall see...

obama

Our sexuality is such a small part of who we are.

It'd be good to have a friendly face in the crowd.




I've grown so much. But I still have so far to go.


That's all.

peace in gaza

This evening, a one Russ Kerr and I ventured down to Charlotte for a peace vigil for the current Palestinian/Israeli conflict. It was a good time, with a good crowd of good people, and a good amount of support from people who passed us. We just stood at an intersection, holding signs and candles. We ourselves were a diverse group. I'm really glad I went. I love being a part of these things. CODE Pink, one of the groups that sponsored it, does it every week. Which is awesome. Duh. Anywho, I stole these pictures from a girl who was there:

Never Blend In

"My name is Harvey Milk and I am here to recruit you."

I saw Milk tonight. It was an amazing film, one that I'm still trying to articulate my reaction to. But I figure right after seeing it is the best time get down some initial thoughts. I think one of the hardest thing is that now, 30 years later, we are still fighting the same fight they were in the 70's. Things have come far, but there is still so far to go. Milk's fight against Prop 6 parallels, for obvious reasons, our recent fight against Prop 8. But that fight was won. Only to face more struggles down the road. The fight never ends. Not only are we fighting to gain rights, we have to fight to keep them. It's difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that lives have to be taken in the process. People are beaten to death, shot and killed, because of who they love. How can so much hate develop from something based on love?

Milk, the man and the movie, are incredibly motivating and inspirational as well. Though I hate that the fight must happen, I'm glad to see and be a part of the Gay Rights Movement. I love that Milk refused to clump gay rights into human rights. He insisted that it stick out, that it be a direct fight, a direct demand. Despite multiple assassination threats, Milk stood strong and put himself out there: a bravery I'm proud to see exists, a bravery I hope I possess.

I'm also disappointed that the film isn't more mainstream. But I also have the feeling that it will be a quiet success in certain circles, then word will spread, and it will be a hot topic everywhere.

For the High School Musical fans, (Emily!) Lucas Grabeel who plays Ryan in HSM plays Danny Nicoletta in Milk. I was glad to see him in a film where he plays a gay man, and openly so. We all know he's a giant queen in HSM, but of course they couldn't say that there.

May more and more people be recruited every day. One of Milk's points to gain support was that everyone come out. If "they" know one of "us" they'll be in support.

Maybe it's time.
I've got some Republicans to convert.

transition for change

I'm settling in after transferring from Presbyterian College to Warren Wilson College. It's an interesting transition, but I believe an improvement. The question of faith has been present for me since I've been here. I left a place where it's harder to say "I'm gay" than it is to say "I'm Christian" to a place where I'm embraced when I say "I'm gay" and get a questioning look when I say "I'm Christian." I hope everyone can see what's messed up with that. So which is better? Being around people with my same faith that judge me for who I am, or being around people that act like Jesus but aren't fans of Christianity? Christians are judged and looked down upon for various reasons, and lately I've felt that's valid. Men are more often the leaders of a congregation than women. Youth aren't always given a fair opportunity. The Presbyterian Church doesn't allow homosexuals to be ordained across the board. Baptist churches insist homosexuality is a sin and condemn people to hell. People are excluded from a faith that the most important lesson is to love. Love. That's it. The exact opposite of exclusion. We are called to live as Jesus lived before us. Doesn't that mean seeing a person as a person and not a label? I know more atheists that act like Christians should than I do Christians that do. I've slowly been reading a book that includes personal accounts from folks that like Jesus but don't like the Church. They dislike the hierarchy and hypocrisy. And I don't really blame them. I feel like the Church today doesn't follow what the church itself teaches. There's a lot in the Bible we can delve into, and study and question and debate over. But what's so hard to understand about "Love your neighbor"?

Human connections and human community can be so intriguing and powerful. They aren't the same for everyone, but I think I love how they are for me. I feel I connect quickly and that's just plain fun to get to know people, but it's beautiful that we can connect and relate. And you never know how it's going to happen. I can randomly meet someone in a restaurant and then become good friends. I can meet a friend of a friend, and have that person someone I miss when they're gone for just one weekend, when I've known them for a mere two or three weeks. I can meet someone at a Rilo Kiley concert and run into them the next week at a bar. And it's even cooler when they know the people I'm with from other contexts. I can go to a bluegrass concert and see a woman dancing, who I saw dancing at Old Fort Mountain Music the week before. It's awesome how connected we all are to each other. And without even knowing it. And it's so simple and complex. Pretty much everywhere I go I see at least one person that I recognize for one reason or another. Usually I have no idea why. I only assume it's something as simple as being behind them in line somewhere or looking over into their car on the interstate. And then we meet and we have no idea how our paths have crossed in the past or how they will cross in the future. In a week, a month, a year, someone could introduce to this guy I'm sitting next to in the coffee shop right now and we could become lifelong friends. Or I could think he's incredibly annoying. Either way, it's crazy how we have no idea how much we all are interconnected.