I'm Back

I'm back. Well it has been a long summer and I have completely neglected my blog. Two of my most loyal readers, Marc Richter and Jake Rinard probably think I'm dead.

Actual Marc knows I am still alive since I go to church with him every Sunday.

Speaking of which, an exciting thing that happened over the summer was Marc's talk he gave in church on Christianity in the Matrix. He talked about using online communities forming around online games as a way of developing relationships for Christ. So far only one person in our church has church has declared him a heretic.

Speaking of which, I am waiting with great anticipation for the release of Middle Earth Online. I am going to play a kind of maverick Hobbit named Olo Brambleburr. Can't wait.

Now to more serious matters. Over the past two days I had conversations with two different groups of people that were quite striking in their similarity. Aesthete I met with two guys who I fellowship with on a monthly basis who are in my church and collegaues in ministry. Today I spoke with the pastor from the local YUCCA church who is part of the Greater Toms River Ministerial association to which I belong. The common thread to both these conversations was about clergy and their need for spiritual friendships. It amazed me because my two friends from yesterday are of a clearly evangelical bent (although pretty progressive) and the person I was with today self identified herself as very liberal however to Christian to be a Unitarian universalist. So it is amazing to me about how this needs transcends theological and denominational orientation. 

These conversations are leading me to reflect on the question of what is the point of fellowship for clergy of various denominational and theological orientation. I believe issue also goes to the question of how the church is to do ministry and mission in a post-modern culture. At our clergy association meeting this morning one of the questions that was asked is what is the point of our being together and related to that -- why those clergy from a more conservative theological orientation find no value in being together with other clergy from our community. I have to believe that based on these two conversations that a common experience of pastors is need for other pastors to be their spiritual friend.

Anyway, a pretty blog in response to a pretty random two days.