July 2015

In This Issue

Gathering info!

Downloads page

If you can't be here

bLOGOS

Creation Care

Dorm info.

media assistance requested

Gathering 2015

Forming Youth in Our Congregations

Raising Danielle and Daniel to Live in Babylon

2015 Gathering - downloads

If you're going digital for the Gathering, you can access the documents here as they become available. Some documents are still being finalized, so check back on registration day for the full list. You can also get to the documents folder from the Gathering 2015 downloads link on the left side of the Gathering page.

Missing the Gathering?

Maybe you can join us next year! We should have podcasts of sermons, plenaries and selected workshops after we have time to get it all posted. In the meantime, you can join us in spirit by watching the movie Soul Searching. You can see a preview here, and rent it online here. You can also listen to some of the podcasts from previous years. When we can, we'll post some pics on the facebook page too.

bLOGOS this Week

The World We've Made

Brian Volck

Whatever your opinion of Barack Obama, you can't deny the last full week of June was kind to him, climaxing on Friday as he celebrated the Supreme Court's decision on same sex marriage and delivered a moving eulogy for Clementa Pinckney, killed in the terrorist attack on Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.

I'll let others dissect the political implications of Mr. Obama's recent good fortune. I'll likewise refrain from comment on the same sex marriage decision. I have good friends on both sides of that issue, some of whom - again on both sides - have been treated quite shabbily by those with whom they disagree. This week's readings point through the news to something deeper.

What might it mean for North American Christians that the first mixed-race President of the United States spent a morning in June, 2015 cheering a political milestone for gays and lesbians, and that same afternoon eulogizing an African-American man murdered, along with eight others, because of the color of his skin? This ought to matter. Even in an era of much-discussed church decline, the world in which these events occur is - for good or ill - much as we have made it.

To read the rest click here.

Recycle

Consider creation

The 2015 Gathering is fast approaching! Our Gathering in 2014 emphasized fitting practices for caring for creation, and we want to continue those practices. As you make your final preparations to attend, please consider taking steps to reduce our impact on God's good creation

, such as:

bringing reusable items- a travel mug, a cloth napkin, a shopping bag, etc.,.
refilling your water bottles at the stations available on campus
using electronic versions of the paperwork provided on the website to avoid excess printing

We are also looking forward to sharing another locally sourced meal this year. We hope to see you there!

Gathering nights: in the dorms and in the neighborhood.

Thursday night at EP means Chicago style pizza, and following the meal we'll watch the film Soul Searching, an examination of the place of religion in the lives of American teens. After that, there are a few options. There will be an activity offered for any youth who are joining us this year. Any attendees who are not part of that activity may wish to head to the dorms or join with other EP friends (new or old) to visit the Chicago area.

Friday night will offer even more time in the evening for conversation and fellowship. We'll eat local food and worship together and then the rest of the evening is open.

The dorms have several social gathering rooms on each floor and you are always welcome to join in conversation there, even if you don't know the people there (you'll know them soon enough.) In the past, we've had the option to have a beer, glass of wine or other refreshment. Due to the cost of insurance, however, this will not be an option. So, dorm fellowship will be joyous and lively as always, but it will be dry. As always, attendees are welcome to go out with their fellow EPers to any of the numerous local establishments within easy walking distance for conviviality.

We can use your help!

We'll have a few people taking photos, but if you have some great pics from the gathering, we can always use more. You can email them to info@ekklesiaproject.org or post them to facebook or whatever your preferred method of sharing is.

We can also use some help with recording workshops. If you have a decent wave/mp3 recorder, like a Roland Studio Recorder Olympus Digital, or other device that will make quality recordings of the workshops, drop an email to info@ekklesiaproject.org or let someone at registration know you'll be able to help. We'll divide the workshops up among all those willing to help. Thanks and see you soon!