Sunday, June 29, 2014

The Christian Sojourner

"The Christian sojourner is a dweller, but all dwelling this side of God's good future fully realized is provisional and incomplete. The sojourner sinks roots in a particular place, makes a home, dwells, but she always knows that she could be called elsewhere, to sink roots there, to make a home, and to dwell. The sojourner neither clings to her particular place, like the plowman, nor is indifferent to all places like the wayfarer or postmodern nomad. The sojourner loves her place but without clinging to it."

Hsu Prayer Newsletter, 4th Edition, "Glorious Ruins"


Hi friends, we send out a quarterly prayer newsletter to friends and supporters. I thought I'd post it here- if you'd like to be added to the list, just let me know.

Blessings,
                                   Hsu Prayer Newsletter, 4th Edition
Mike

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

It's Go Time

Wow, what a whirlwind of a year- we moved to Vancouver, have adjusted to a new city, country and congregation, . . . basically a new life. My Doctor of Ministry work at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis has experienced a gradual progression, I might emphasize, "gradual" : ) And now I find myself having completed my coursework for the D.Min. program. So it is "go time" on the dissertation research and writing. Prayers are appreciated as my advisors are encouraging me to finish and submit my work by February 2015. I honestly do not know if I can get it done, but it's nice to have some kind of target to shoot for. Before giving away too much regarding what my topic is, as it is still in the "pre-approved" rather than "approved" stage, I'll simply quote, . . . guess who? . . . Wendell Berry!

"But the fall of community reveals how precious and how necessary community is. For when community falls, so must all the things that only community life can engender and protect: the care of the old, the care and education of children, family life, neighborly work, the handing down of memory, the care of the earth, respect for nature and the lives of wild creatures."

-Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community, p. 133

Friday, June 6, 2014

Reframe and Washington Institute

I had the privilege last fall joining the Reframe conference put on by Regent College in partnership with The Washington Institute, the ministry of my mentor and friend Dr. Steven Garber: