This has been a full summer. Still is a full summer. While I continue to sigh and complain to my friends and loved ones that I'm too busy doing one thing or another, I admit to feeling quite satisfied in being productive, in actually being proactive instead of just slowly moving through my days trying to fill up time with semi-meaningful tasks. Alongside the fun activities of fellowship that one gets to do in the summer, I've also managed to move out of the spacious apartment and moved into the slightly smaller apartment around the corner. In addition to having successfully stuffed myself into this new space, T4 and I will be hosting our very first open house BBQ this weekend with an expected 40 guests in attendance.
Some things that HAT has been working on:
1) Holy/Wholly Poetry: Articulating the Sacred in Poetic Form.
Thanks to CDSP's Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership, I am teaching an online class on poetry and spirituality. Since this is a summer course, is online, and includes creative writing, the Director of the center and I did not expect for the class to launch with more than 5 students. To our surprise, the class was filled with a rich, diverse group of students (I say students but they're all older continuing education folks who are taking the class for "fun" in addition to their full-time work). I have been blessed by their continued patience and enthusiasm, and I am excited to have this opportunity to challenge myself and to learn and grow alongside these incredibly talented individuals. We have finished five weeks and are headed into our sixth with great energy...
2) Small group discussions
For the past two months, our Chinatown-based multi-generational, multi-cultural congregation has been fortunate enough to welcome new, young, career professionals into our community. These folks are a part of my particular demographic, with similar interests and concerns about faith, religion, community, etc. We've decided to start a small group which meets every Friday night to discuss a variety of issues. I just happened to be the person designated to "call the meeting" but mostly it's because I'm lucky enough to have space to host the small group at our house. We have energy and we are excited about where we're heading.
3) unFound Exhibition 2008
Yes, yes, yes, we are actually doing it! The exhibition is on! We have finalized the writing materials that will be used for the visual arts portion, which is being constructed as we speak. The plans are in place and we launch on the weekend of September 6th in Stockton. The exhibition will also include an opening reception, with writing and arts workshops being offered on the weekend. After the Stockton show, we'll be exhibiting in Oakland at Interplayce. Afterwards, we'll be hanging the installation in the Bade Museum in Berkeley. Abby and I are absolutely thrilled (albeit still slightly shocked, in disbelief) that this is coming together so quickly and so well. Preparing for the exhibition has kept us tremendously busy, but we are pleased to have the opportunity to bring our creative arts together with our faith, culture, and theology.
4) Hospitality task force
While our church continues on our path of (re)(en)visioning, we seek to restructure our culture of hospitality by developing a brand new hospitality task force. Since I started working with the planning team, I find myself mired in notes-taking, phone conferencing, email exchanging, and after-worship discussing -- so similar to the office work, but only a bit more complicated and less structured. I'm encouraged by the dedication apparent in the other members of the team, and am inspired by them to continue working on these monumental tasks, even if at times it feels so overwhelming. Over the summer, we picked up momentum and are steadily gaining speed as we continue through Ordinary Time.
5) Fertile Grounds Writers Group
I call it a group, but it really only includes three. We meet every Monday at the designated time in our favorite cafe and talk about writing. We alternate turns submitting work for critique and we cycle through all the genres, depending on what we are working with currently. I appreciate this group b/c we are all writers of one kind or another, and we really get into the meat and potatoes. Last week, we talked about redemptive figures and hero myths in a children's story that one person is writing. This Monday, we talk about identity issues and naming. Next week, we'll probably have a piece dealing with theology and missiology. I'm practically drooling as I think about the tough work we have ahead. I'm so excited that we actually do this!!!
6) Renga Writing Group
As some of you know, I am a member of the renga writing group. We've been slowly but steadily compiling our rengas about a variety of topics. The seed for this group was sown years ago in a graduate writing workshop, and after months of collaborative writing, and through hundreds of books that we've read, we've now reached the penultimate verse of our most recent renga (more accurately called a kasen) about Idolatrous Art. Just last week, we've gained another member to the group, and we are busily thinking about possible topics for the new kasen. Stay posted and you'll soon see the new kasen unfold on our blog.
All these projects, in addition to work, have kept me busy, so even though I am complaining on the side, it's only by habit. I am grateful for the chance to do all these things. For the ability to bring together my writing, my faith, and my administrative skills in productive and meaningful ways, I give thanks to God, our Creator, Inspiration, and Teacher.
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