Wednesday, October 26, 2005

What's in a name...?

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)

Monday, October 10, 2005

Snow Day... Take 2

Yes, ladies and gentlebloggers, Denver received its first snowfall of the season today (see MSNBC's coverage - with references to my neighborhood YMCA!). Yes, I am aware it is only OCTOBER 10!! - thus making it exactly 6 months since my last snow day posting. I'm just thankful that a) my roommate and I had the foresight to go hiking on Saturday, when we had a gorgeous 75-degree day in the mountains with aspens glowing golden; and b) with the illogic of Colorado weather, we should see a few more weeks of temperatures in the 50s and 60s before snow season takes serious hold of the Front Range.

I do like the first snowfall of the season as a rule, but somehow it seems more joyful when it comes in November or December... You know, after Halloween (when it has snowed the past 3 years in a row). Oh well - it'll save us pruning the trees in our yard, I guess.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Survey question: Who are young adults today?

As some of you already know, I'm involved in starting up a new year-long, full-time, community-based young adult volunteer program for the United Methodist Church in the Rocky Mountain/Yellowstone region. We're still working on a catchy name (and tag phrase), but in a brainstorming session today my colleagues asked some questions I wasn't sure I could answer definitively for all people in our target age range (I was the only "young adult" actually in the room). So I'm putting them out to you, O bloggers: If you are between the ages of 18 and 30, please respond to any/all of the following with your comments:

1. How would you characterize young adults today? Are there traits or values that cut across gender, ethnicity, economic background, education level for our age group?

2. What are young adults looking for in life? What is appealing?

3. Are athletic/sports-related images and metaphors relevant, limited, or overused?

4. Has the "eXtreme" concept been done to death?

5. What, if anything, would attract you to a program where you would commit to a year of full-time volunteer work, living in community in a house with other volunteers, learning about and reflecting on social justice issues and your own spiritual growth?

Thanks in advance for your input!