we need the Prince of Peace

I think a bunch of you are already planning on going to the Shalom House Festival tonight at 2007 Frankford Ave (6:30-8:30, btw-that’s before Lost starts).

Besides dinner and learning more about who Shalom House is (and what they do), there will be time to share experiences about violence.  I hope that you might feel okay [...]

I pardon you

Here is a message that I sent to the Circle of Hope cell leaders this morning.  I hope you might be encouraged, too.
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Let’s begin this week praying for the peacemakers.
Jesus, during the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Like the others on the list, [...]

Writtenhouse

My Hip Hop & Black Culture class has been pretty great throughout the year, but the past week or so has been particularly cool.  Last week Chris Conway & Charlie K from the Germantown-based hip hop trio Writtenhouse were our guests.

Last tues, Chris gave the lecture about “finding the perfect” beat.  He taught on the [...]

psalters spring 09 update

this is a cross post with the new handsome Circle Venture blog.
For psalters Jay Beck & Scotty Krueger, creating a working Philadelphia headquarters has been a challenge.  They spent the better part of the last five years living on a converted veggie oil-powered school bus with the rest of psalters travelling around, leading worship, leading [...]

poised to forgive

Read that post here at the circle of hope blog.
The sentencing yesterday  was really sad.  It seemed like there wasn’t any good option that the judge could say that would bring the healing needed by Conor, his family, or the victim’s family.  There was a strong presence of support for people having a hard time, [...]

addicted to crisis

Great time at the vigil last night.  Afterwards, some of us remarked how different it was to not only be downstairs (past 4yrs we were upstairs) but that we had chairs to sit in.  We had 2 stations to use for the burning & ashes.  It flowed smoothly.  It actually took only one hour.
Sometimes when [...]

serious stakeholders

I was really impressed by the depth of those who were able to make it out last night to the FN Stakeholders meeting.  When we get together like that something profound happens.  I’m grateful for so many partners.  I’m glad we not only have something great going in our little congregation but are part of [...]

me 3.0

my brother Jeffrey (funniest of the 4 of us) made a couple cracks to me about 3.0 today.  He is not only funny, he’s right.  I’ve been getting ready for the next version of me, today is a good day to be feeling it.   I feel good.
Lots happening these days.  Last week I was in [...]

love feast-camden

Last night was awesome!  More about it on a Circle of Hope post.
Anyone get any pics?
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Beside still waters,
Not just the kind on canvass
But storms we can’t calm.

sitting next to strangers

I love how funny people are.  Most Americans from the US have this thing about sitting next to strangers, especially when eating.  It’s not cool.  Sometimes I’ll go to a restaraunt in Center City with Martha and we’ll sit 6″ away from strangers, and it’s kind of weird for a minute.  You see what they [...]