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From the Editor
Greetings, brothers and sisters! As we
prepare to enter the holy season of Lent, I
pray that God may guide each of us in this
journey of solemn reflection, repentance, and
preparation. Individually and corporately,
we have much to repent of if we are to share
in God's joyous Easter victory.
We are eager to open participation in the EP
to all those whom God is guiding in the path
of discipleship. If you have friends or
colleagues who might discover the EP through
this newsletter, please invite them to receive it. If they
agree, pass along their
email addresses and we will add them to our
mailing list. Thanks, all, for your
Christian friendship, participation, and support!
John McFadden
"How to Become Saint"
Jack Bernard, a co-founder of Church
of the Sojourners in San Francisco, was
diagnosed
with cancer in November of 2002 and died three
weeks
later at the age of 60. Our friends at Brazos have
just published Jack's book How to Become a
Saint. Jack Bernard was the real
deal, a
radical
Christian who walked the talk. His walking
drove him
onto the mercy of God. How to Become a
Saint
is required reading for those of us who aspire to
holiness but have repeatedly tried and failed.
Grounding his appeal in the trustworthiness
of God,
Jack speaks a theology that springs from
experience
and is filled with practical advice.
"This is a simple and personal book that is
anything
but simplistic. Newcomers to the faith as well as
lifelong followers of The Way will all find
encouragement, challenge, and practical guidance
herein." - Michael Budde.
Meet the EP
Phillip Saieg, a native of Detroit,
currently
lives in Denver. He is a twenty-three year-old
graduate of Colorado Christian University,
where he
studied theology and human communication. After
graduation, he spent a half-year in Kenya as a
schoolteacher before returning to Denver. He
works
as a carpenter and seeks to engage more deeply
questions of theology, the Church, and the
challenge
of poverty. His desire to bridge the gap between
technical theology and the everyday challenges
facing Church members led him to EP. He is
exploring the possibility of attending graduate
school.
Gathering News
Gathering 2007 will focus on congregational
formation. As always, we'll begin with a worship
service. We're pleased that Sharon Huey has
agreed to
preach. Sharon and the congregation she
pastors, Grace
Community Fellowship, have a longtime
commitment to formation as disciples of Christ.
Sharon communicates that commitment with passion,
clarity and grace.
EP Finances
EP continues to keep our head above water
financially due to the generous support of
endorsers and friends. But one odd and
somewhat unsettling fact is worthy of note.
Endorsement includes a pledge of financial
support,
but in 2006 only 27 of our 700 endorsers
contributed. I
will not attempt to interpret
the meaning of this observation, but it would be
helpful to hear from some of you possible
interpretations. What would be even better is an
avalanche of contributions in the next few
months. If
every endorser contributed only $20, we would
make
our operating budget.
Giving to support the work of EP has been
simplified
by the addition of an online donation option.
Managed by
Entango,
an organization that works solely with
not-for-profit
organizations, the site is secure and easy to
use: no writing a check, no addressing an
envelope, no stamps; just point and click. It's as easly
as impulse buying at the grocery
store. :) All kidding aside, this new option is already
helping some endorsers to keep their pledge of giving
to our
work together.
Please feel free to e-mail me
directly if you
have
any questions concerning our financial
position. And of
course, if
you would rather send your checks the
old-fashioned
way, please feel free to print out a form and do
so.
Michael Bowling
EP, Treasurer
"Erasing Hate" Tour Includes EPers
The Matthews House Project is one of the
best Christian engagements with popular culture that
we know. Several of the people behind MHP are EP
endorsers. They recently launched a national
speaking campaign called "Erasing
Hate."
"Touching down in twenty cities across the U.S., the
Erasing Hate tour will offer an opportunity to discuss
the questions of why we hate and how we can love.
The presentations will be free and include lectures
and discussion led by authors and
activists."
Several of these speakers are EP
endorsers, including Robert Brimlow, Brent Laytham,
Charles Pinches and Wes Avram.
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As always, we welcome your feedback and, more
importantly, your participation. If you have ideas,
time, or a willingness to serve, email us.
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