Report from the Emergent Summit - Part 3 of 4

What’s the Coordinating Group?

by Tony Jones, Emergent-U.S. National Coordinator (effective October 1, 2005)

Over the years, we have really struggled at how to effectively engage the many people who have wanted to be more involved with Emergent. There have been opportunities to help plan events, but, other than that, we have simply not been organized in such a way to allow people (and organizations) to be engaged together.  We fully realize that there are myriad things already going on in the Emergent/emerging church universe, which is why you will see this terms like “coordinator” and “coordinating.” We are not so much interested in directing the Emergent conversation as we are in coordinating the existing and new efforts.  (This is why I, for one, reject the dichotomies of “big ‘E’” vs. “small ‘e’” or even “Emergent” vs. “emerging church” – at this point, these are not helpful differentiations and already show the nascent signs of in-fighting.  Let’s table these debates for a couple years, OK?)

As a result of this issue, we have batted around some different terminology over the past few years.  First we talked of “Fellows” and “Senior Fellows,” but that sounded too masculine and too academic.  More recently, we have talked of “contributors” and “friends,” and we’ve talked about ways to effectively gather these contributors.  For the past year, a group of about six of us have done our best to coordinate the contributors (and now the terminology is getting tricky!).

As a result of our recent summit, we have decided to expand this group significantly, to take it to about 30 to 35 individuals, each of whom will be a significant contributor to Emergent and also responsible for gathering others who want to contribute.

The Emergent Coordinating Group (ECG) will roughly be working on several “streams” – that is, we think of it like tributaries of the same river, all flowing in the same direction (hat tip to Jay Voorhees for this idea).  The metaphor of streams also conveys the idea that these are not mutually exclusive, that many people have several interests, and that these will often overflow their banks and merge with other streams.  So, for now, here are the streams we’re working on:

• Justice: partnering with individuals and organizations that are working to end hunger, poverty, human trafficking, and environmental degradation

• Community, Connections, and Cohorts: coordinating the efforts of existing networks and establishing cohorts around the country

• New Networks, Outreach, and Affiliates: establishing new connections with various networks and organizations

• Events: coordination of events that Emergent hosts, co-hosts, and sponsors

• Diversity: a thrust to broaden the Emergent conversation, to bring in persons of different ethnicity, socio-economic, racial, and theological persuasion; also works to ensure that the male-female ratio in all Emergent initiatives are as close to even as possible

• Communication and Development: coordination of our efforts to communicate clearly and to raise funds

We will also have some other initiatives that won’t exactly fall into one of these streams, but that will be a part of the ECG.

Later this summer, the teams who are heading up each of these streams will be posting on who they are and what they’re up to.  At that time, you will have the opportunity to contact them and to get involved, if you wish.  And please remember, these are all evolving – they are sure to change and morph over time.  This is simply a report of where we stand right now.

Coming Friday: What will the National Coordinator Do?

Comments

[Bill Ekhardt]

Thanks for the update. I look forward to seeing what develops.

[Steve Bailey]

These developments are very encouraging for me. After teaching a very meaningful Lenten series using "Generous Orthodoxy", I'm encouraged by the desire to embrace a wide constituency of Christians looking toward our collective future in a rapidly changing cultural and intellectual context. I hope we can move forward in the power of God's Holy Spirit working among us.

Rev. Steve Bailey, Deacon
Anglican Church of Canada, Diocese of New Westminster,
Provincial Synod Ministry Committee, Prov. of British Columbia and Yukon.

[steve hollinghurst]

interesting to see developments after meeting Tony and others in the states on a recent trip from my resident UK. the terminology issue is worth some thought. Tony i agree an argument between Emergent and emergent and emerging church is bad news. on the other hand allowing distinction between the terms with a 'generous terminology';o)is no bad thing, folks are getting very tribal about the terms this side of the pond, your comment suggests similar in the US. on the other hand folks are also very confused and keep assuming all are equivalent, not too helpful either. a relaxed openness and lack of owning the terms is i suspect called for, the exception beeing Emergent with the big E to be owned and shared generously by those of you who put in the work. all blessing to all of you who do, it helps a fruitful conversation

Steve

[Ken Hoyle]

How wonderfully encouraging! As a youth minister in the Church of the Nazarene, I'm heartened to see brothers and sisters in Christ looking forward, striving to see The Church in our future. Sounds like the kind of stuff Jesus would want us involved in.
Thank you...I'll keep checking in.

[Dignan]

Tony:
After reading the list of different "streams", this is beginning to sound more like a political movement. I am very confused about what the purpose of these "streams" are.

Peace,
Dignan

[john o'keefe]

my prayer is that in selecting the new "board members" you remember those who have voices on the edge, and who speak more in the "white water" of the streams of the conversation. remember that we are a ver diverse people, so the voices need to be just as diverse.

[Kit McDermott]

What about the arts and their role in the movement? How will they be represented in your focus? Are they not key to the future church? What about sponsoring a national festival orconversation/festival?

[Aj]

Like many folks I've had feelings of uneasiness (perhaps it's unnerving to deal with change or feel like you're not 'in control' of that change), but moreso a sense of energy and enthusiasm. Many have voiced a fear of things becoming 'institutionalized', but I see it more as a consolidation of resources, a sort of "emerging library". Good librarians don't horde or control information; they assist the patrons in their search . . . and only if the patron requests help. Thanks for being proactive in "pooling" our resources.

[Steve B.]

All of these recent developments with Emergent-US excite me very much. I'm wary of over-institutionalization, but my sense is that the emergent theological option is woefully under-institutionalized, and the organizational efforts you're describing are much needed. I'm very happy that justice is at the heart of the efforts of emergent-US.

[Van S]

These streams sound wonderful. God's blessings in this endeavor. I still think it would be helpful for Emergent to change its name (shelving things for a couple years isn't wise, since that will add two years of added language-confusion), but I'll swallow my dissent and hope for the best.

[Jamie Arpin-Ricci]

These streams sound very promising. I look forward to finding ways to invest and get involved.

I would like to add my voice to Kit's as to the importance of the arts. Is there any conversation of emerging artists? I am sure there is.

[Rick Bennett]

This is why I no longer call you Emergent's Bulldog. I am now refering to you as Emergent's Border Collie (I guess it could be an Australian Shepherd- but I like collies better).

Good luck trying to coordinate a bunch of us sheep going in many different directions.

Your new job reminds me of the Super bowl commercial a few years back in which in which a group of cowboys need to herd cats.

Can we change your title to "cat herder?"

[Kit McDermott]

I ask in concert with Jean: "Is there a conversation with emerging artists?" Should that not be a key initiative in this dialogue of emerging? Are there artists on the Board? Why not? Is there a festival in the works? Why not?