32% of Influential Churches in U.S. Using Facebook

Very interesting stuff here. I’m actually working on something along these lines for the Chattanooga area. Hat tip to Andrew Yeager-Buckley for tweeting this.

Thirty-two Percent of Influential Churches in the U.S. are on Facebook.

(April 8, 2009) According to a recent survey conducted by Sojo, Inc. (Sojo), 32% of the country’s most influential churches surveyed are using Facebook. Companies and brands are not the only ones noticing the creativity and interaction benefits that the mainstream social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace offer. Many organizations, especially religious affiliations like churches, have begun to experiment with Web 2.0 technologies.

Read more here and here.

One church’s perspective on the “English Only” charter amendment

TOMORROW, January 22, is voting day on the English Only charter amendment.

Hearing the biblical call to welcome the stranger, the Session invites the congregation to prayerfully consider the following:

On December 18 the Session voted to urge members of Trinity to vote against the “English only” charter amendment in the January referendum. The Session gave the following reasons for its action: The “English only” requirement does not acknowledge the linguistic diversity that has always characterized the U.S. (the result of many factors, including voluntary migration, conquest, employment practices, and compassion toward refugees) and continues today. Furthermore it does not manifest the hospitality toward immigrants and refugees that we have every reason to expect in our public and private life. And it is out of keeping with the future character of our nation, region, and city, which will remain both red and blue, black and white, yellow and red and brown. The Presbyterian General Assembly in 1990 acknowledged “the special claim that immigrants make on Christian conscience and the contributions they make to U.S. society,” and reaffirmed the following principles:

-providing for the human needs of refugees and immigrants;

-non-discrimination in aid and in application of laws and policies;

-upholding constitutional and civil rights;

-protecting lives;

-special consideration for women and children, individuals with special needs, and unification of families;

-provision of adequate resources to communities in order to reduce tensions;

-vigorously combatting expressions of racism in policies and their implementation.

From Trinity Presbyterian Church PC(USA), Nashville, TN

Job Nonfulfillment

You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

Commencement address by Steve Jobs, delivered on June 12, 2005 at Stanford University.

The only time I have felt like I have been doing “great work” or at least meaningful work, to me, was working for the Montreat Conference Center. And that was in any capacity. I’ve been a wilderness ranger taking care of their 2,500 acres of wilderness, a bellman in the Assembly Inn, a night auditor in the Inn (3rd shift one winter and read The Shining. Awesome.), AV Technician on up to Director of Production. I, also, felt like I was doing good work as a sound guy and sometimes bartender at the original Grey Eagle in Black Mountain working for beers instead of money. In each of those positions I have felt like I was doing something I loved. Maybe it was being surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Maybe it was the folks I was working with or the people I was serving. Maybe, in Montreat, it was working for the “Dear Lord baby Jesus, lyin’ there in [his] ghost manger, just lookin’ at [his] Baby Einstein developmental videos, learnin’ ’bout shapes and colors.” It just might be a combination of all of those things. While I’m in an industry that I enjoy I just can’t get behind what I’m doing here. Sure, it’s putting food on the table and insurance for the family, but, ugh. I just can’t stand being here wearing a tie and pushing for the almighty dollar instead of the Almighty.

I suppose I’m having some employment angst. It’s come up more so since I have been the new director of event technology at my current location. Also, with the Elder Extroverted Holy One’s graduation from Vanderbilt Divinity School and her current church search (that’s sounds kinda cool, “Church Search ’08” should be a t-shirt). There is a possibility that depending on the call she gets I might be able to be a stay-at-home dad. With the Young Extroverted One going to public school I could stay with the Bobblehead to save on childcare costs. We’ve even had a short discussion of possibly just owning one car.

With all of the possibilities of being able to be more of the domestic goddess that I could be I am certainly finding it difficult to get motivated to get up in the morning and put on that tie and coat. Thankfully, my work ethic kicks in and I continue to do the best I can no matter what I’m doing. . . . Stupid ethic . . .

**UPDATED: Peter Rabbit vs. Jesus Christ*

*But not that vampire hunter version. That wouldn’t be fair for that poor rabbit.

The other day the crew (Young Extroverted One, Elder Extroverted Holy One and I) went to the 12th South Taproom to attend the CD release party of Leslie McClure. We got there a little too early but we sort of planned to eat before the show. After finishing our meal the YEO started to get restless and began singing Easter songs which mostly consisted of bunnies and stuff.

While we aren’t freaky and fundamental about it we do try to be intentional about the Christian holidays. So, EEHO brought up that we also, and mostly, celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at this time of year. “So, why don’t we sing songs about Jesus instead of Easter?”** thus spake the YEO. Because in her mind Easter is the candy and bunnies and chicks and that annoying fake grass you put in baskets.

It’s kind of difficult to keep a balance between the secular, commercial side of holidays and the other religious side. For Pete’s sake (ya like that don’t ya?), the YEO is a potential preacher’s kid. She shouldn’t go through life just celebrating the Roman-pagan holidays. I think she needs to see both sides of the festivities (while not demanding the double-up of goodies).

Not only do we like to be religiously appropriate but also historically appropriate. It’ll make for a nice clash of ideals for teachers/authoritarian figures to deal with later. Maybe we’ll send her to a private Christian academy of some sort in Kansas.

**UPDATE: Apparently, my recollections of the YEO’s quote were clouded by the many Highland Brewing Company’s Gaelic Ales that I consumed. I suppose the EEHO should be my editor before I publish my posts. But that would take way too long.

The Young Extroverted One actually said, “Why would we sing songs about Jesus at Easter?” I apologize for my misquoting of the YEO lest she sue me for libel.

Sunday Happenin’s

Anyone in the Nashville area that is without a place to worship or want a change of scenery should come to Trinity Presbyterian Church tomorrow.  This is where the Elder Extroverted Holy One will preach at 11:00AM.  I’ll be there even though by then I will have heard it for the fourth or fifth time.  I guess it makes up for all of the unchurchiness I have done in the past.

My lovely bride is so awesome up there preachin’ to the masses!