Awake Church

This past week and weekend was filled with time for reflection about what guides our ministry, or at least, should guide our ministry.

In today’s church culture, it’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that a local church’s distinctives guide it’s ministry. In other words, the things that set us apart from other churches and ministries, the things that make us unique, are the things that we should keep coming back to as we discern God’s call for our community. So maybe for Awake, it would be stuff like our commitment to Aurora, like a community garden and BBQ’s, like building relationships with people who call motels and vans ‘home’, like a more organic approach to community, like a commitment to justice. Like, a lot of stuff. Good stuff, too. Stuff that Jesus has called Awake to be about.

Yet none of these things should guide or ministry.  It seems obvious, right?  Our ministry should never guide… our ministry.  But I know what should.  Or, I  should say, who should.

God has given followers of Jesus his Spirit, his Presence.

My prayer for Awake (one that I would welcome you to join us in praying) is that we would be people who recognize that our distinguishing mark as God’s people – the one thing we have to offer the world – is God’s loving and powerful and life-bringing Presence.

I don’t want us to go forward without and without acknowledging God’s Presence.

Nor can we.

12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

Yes, Lord, now show us your glory…

One of the often overlooked characteristics of Awake is this: Awake is a community of artists.  I’m not sure why that it’s overlooked. Maybe because it’s just easier – or more tangible – to think of motels and gardens and service and justice and mercy, etc.

At any rate, we are a community of creators created by the Creator…

Up to this point we have had minimal expression, collectively at least (though there was this and this), of this quality of our community.  That’s okay, I suppose, for now.  But I am eager to see what happens when we have the opportunity (perhaps, space/time/resources) to create as a community.

In the meantime, I invite you to take a moment to get acquainted with some of the poets and painters in our community who are doing amazingly creative things:

• Andy’s recent interview with Scott Cairns, poet of faith and mystery, got published by The Other Journal.
• See Heather’s always-interesting thoughts/refections/photography here.
• Check out Scott’s new show at Cafe Verite in Ballard.
• Learn from Lisa’s life and love.

This past week some Awake people got creative and got out on the Avenue with a message in an attempt to wake people up to the reality of brokenness and the possibility of hope in our community.  This artistic endeavor was connected with Urban Hymnal‘s breathtaking and Aurora-themed “The Bridge, the Corner, & the Dawn,” which took place last night at Bethany Community Church.  Thanks to these Awake leaders for their creative leadership and thanks to Urban Hymnal for blessing/challenging the city, the neighborhood, and Awake Church.  Aurora does mean dawn.

A few weeks ago, Awake began work on a community garden that we hope will be a gift to the Aurora area.  It is our dream that this will be a place where people come together, where life and food are shared, where beauty is born, and where God’s presence is experienced.  Some gifted and dedicated members of our community have led us brilliantly and we’re making great progress – the seeds went in the soil this past week!

I had the chance to preach at my home church this past Sunday.  Brookfield Christian Reformed Church outside of Milwaukee, WI still supports me in incredible ways and I am immensely thankful for them.  It was such a blessing to be able to preach since what happens on Sunday nights at Awake is a bit different.

I was invited to preach on JUSTICE, in particular on Micah 6.6-8, since it was the theme verse for GEMS (an organization for young girls), and it was GEMS Sunday – hence you will hear me mention the girls and GEMS and the Micah Road (their theme).

Anyways, take a listen if you’re interested.  The themes of this message guide most of what we’re about at Awake.

Mark 16.1-8 (TNIV)

¹ When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”

⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

———

If you page through a few different translations of the end of the gospel of Mark, it won’t take long for you to realize that there is not just an end… there are ends.  One of these ends includes this quotable verse: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” But it also includes, “In my name… they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all.” With the exception of a few snake-charming churches here and there, these words haven’t exactly been adopted by Christians everywhere.  Yet another ending includes this colorful conclusion: “But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.”

Now why would this story have so many different endings?  Continue reading →

Greetings to anyone who may stumble across the humble beginnings of the Awake website.  If it isn’t already apparent, we are in the midst of constructing our web presence.  Among other things, this will will include transitioning my blogging from blogspot to this site.  Not sure exactly when this will happen, but at some point I’ll indicate the change on my soon-to-be former blog: awakeseattle.blogspot.com.