A couple weeks ago I posted about the young adult volunteer program I'm helping set up, and asked for some feedback. I now have a list of possible names that I'd like your votes on - and that means any and all of you out there reading (all 4 of you).
A little more info on the program: an opportunity for young adults (18-30) to commit to a year of full-time service working with poor and marginalized people while living together with other volunteers in intentional community. (Similar to Lutheran Volunteer Corps and other programs.) Participants will receive room and board, health insurance, a small monthly stipend, and an education award at the end of the year. United Methodist sponsored, drawing on our Wesleyan heritage of combining personal spiritual growth with concerns for social holiness (from house level to local community to regional and international issues).
Below are the names currently under consideration. The ones I like best are in bold. You can vote for more than one, but if you can rate them, that'd be great. Questions about the program are welcome also. Thanks!
theological concepts:
GraceWorks Community (paradoxical opposition of "grace" vs "works" as basis for salvation, along with grace at work in and through us by faith)
FaithWorks Community (faith without works is dead)
Living Faith Servant Community (as opposed to dead faith = without works)
catchy biblical Greek words:
Kairos Servant Community (Kairos: God's time, ripe for transformation/something new)
Agape Servant Community (Agape: unconditional love)
Koinonia Servants (Koinonia: fellowship, community/communion)
Diakonia House (Diakonia: service/ministry)
nice acronyms:
Faith & Love in Action Mission Experience (FLAME)
Faith in Action Community Experience of Service (FACES)
Seeing the Image of God in All: Mission Experience (SIGAME, Spanish for "Follow me")
John Wesley/early Methodism references:
Heart in Hand Discipleship Year ("if your heart be as my heart, give me your hand")
Experiment in Social Holiness (there is no holiness that is not social holiness)
Heart and Life Servants (holiness of heart and life)
Watching Over One Another in Love (mutual support & accountability)
7 comments:
I'm a sucker for acronyms- what can I say? I vote for the acronyms first, followed by GraceWorks. Very cool.
How about Methodist Volunteer Corps? Then all the LVCers and JVCers will know what you're talking about. :-) One UCC church's version of this is the Westmoreland Volunteer Corps, named after the church that started it. Otherwise, I think I like the Agape name. But who am I to say? I've been trying to name my own project for months now.
Dear Kerry,
Here are my opinions
GraceWorks Community
FaithWorks Community
I like GraceWorks better, like you do. It makes sense, it sounds better, and FaithWorks just sounds too generic.
Just keep in mind that a quick Google search located lots of hits for both. Definitely GraceWorks is better to me.
Living Faith Servant Community
Too long and I just don't like the feel of it. It reminds me of some church names that include lots of good words seemingly shuffled in random order. E.g., True Gospel Holiness Service Ministry or somesuch.
Kairos Servant Community
Agape Servant Community
Koinonia Servants
Diakonia House
I like Agape, because I feel that it is a greek word that some Christians are bound to know, or at least know best of the ones you used. It seems like the only reasonable choice of the ones listed, and the others might just be confusing.
Faith & Love in Action Mission Experience (FLAME)
Faith in Action Community Experience of Service (FACES)
Seeing the Image of God in All: Mission Experience (SIGAME, Spanish for "Follow me")
I think the acronyms are too contrived for me. Definitely better to stick with something shorter and without acronymability!
Heart in Hand Discipleship Year
I really like the term "Discipleship Year" -- that sounds really appropriate. Gets the 'year' commitment out of the way and gives you an idea of all the things you'll be doing. Heart in Hand seems a very reasonable name for bringing humility into the equation too. I like it.
Experiment in Social Holiness
Heart and Life Servants
Watching Over One Another in Love
Experiment and Watching seem a little too wacky. Experiment, based on its name, could be anything. Plus, speaking as a scientist, it could be a FAILED experiment. Or beg the statement, "Well, that was ONE experiment that shouldn't be repeated!" when it's all done. Watching seems a little too authoritarian -- "Am I signing up to be watched over?" Heart and Life Servants seems a little too generic and a little too ambiguous ("What is THAT?")
So, my votes would be HIH Discipleship Year, or some variation on Discipleship Year, or GraceWorks, or Agape.
I have to second the suggestion of Amy as well, that Methodist (or Wesleyan) Volunteer Corps, might be very reasonable, if not very creative or exciting. Still, I think I like DY better. It might be as good as the others, though.
Just my thoughts, hope they're useful!
I like FaithWorks, but I imagine it would be overused by other groups.
How about God's Ass Kickers For Good?
I like Kairos Servant Community-- but the Experiment one does sound pretty interesting, even if it is in a Timothy Leary sort of way.
yeah, I'm not a big fan of the acronyms. I like some of the Greek ones, but I think you have to think of 2 things: (1) how will this appeal to the peopel you are trying to attract to this program and (2) how difficult is it going to be to explain to others (potential placements, churches you are goiing to try to beg money from, etc.)
Thanks, everyone, for your feedback and comments! If we ever come to a decision on this, I'll be sure to let you know!
Post a Comment