I've held a blog account for over 6 months and haven't blogged once. not sure what i was waiting for, but have always had a hard time writing consistently in any sort of journal/daily writing way. i think my perspective changed over last weekend though in ways that i'm not sure i can even articulate.
I attended and spoke at the Christianity21 conference - my heart and mind was shaped - here is an attempt to list things about that conference that were transformative to me:
* the process leading up to the conference was one of six months of me holding and meditating on the topic of "confession: a relief from righteousness"...enough said about that.
* i've been in a pretty reactionary place with "the church" and church communities for the last 10 years or so of my life...being invited to participate in this event shifted that - i no longer had the luxury or role of reacting, but was asked instead to create.
* i encountered incredibly kind people
* folks showed up to the conference to participate - not to be entertained, or directed, or to have information dumped into them - but to participate. with each other, with ideas, with food, with art, with themselves. i can't imagine what the church would look like if we all started showing up more like this. i can't imagine what the church would look like if we were more intentional about building our spaces to invite that.
* i watched two straight, white, men spend (and disrupt) their privilege. they had access to venues, connections to people, support from sponsors, budgets to watch, and reputations to maintain, and they organized an event that supported the leadership and voices of folks who have been asked to take the backseat in the church. and asked other folks who have similar privilege to show up for it. and we were transformed. and that laid a foundation of courage for each of us to turn to the people in our midst who we take for granted are in the backseat of the church and start figuring out how we disrupt our own privilege in order to bring more voices into informing the church in its process. it turns out, we can only be transformed by inviting more participation.
* i got some glimpses of what it means for us to confess our selves and our faith to each other
* i was reminded, once again, why christianity is not a faith that can be practiced in isolation
I have to echo your sentiments about the privileged white dudes. It was a great thing to watch them hold the space for so many--new people and familiar faces, all with 21 minutes, with grace and humility and openness.
Oh and ps - SO glad you are blogging. So much loved your 21 minutes. So grateful.
Posted by: Rachel | 10/14/2009 at 04:52 PM
Seth Donovan is blogging. The world is finally as it should be.
Do try and be a less lazy blogger than myself.
I look forward to being your reader
Posted by: Nadia | 10/15/2009 at 08:14 PM
Oh Seth, I am so happy you are blogging!! I know you have so much to teach me.
Posted by: twitter.com/livingsexuality | 10/15/2009 at 09:39 PM
One of the best parts of that trip was seeing you at the airport (reading GENERATE *smirk) and being able to switch seats to sit with you. Our conversations were the stuff of the "breath of life". Thank you Seth.
Posted by: Makeesha | 10/16/2009 at 09:46 AM
Your presentation was beautiful and inspiring, Seth. Also, it truly was "creating" reality of what church can be, especially around a topic so mis-used mis-understood mis-applied as "confession." Your talk was really about love. And I loved it.
I too was transformed by being part of this C21 gathering.More than any piece of it, the whole thing transformed me for all the reasons you name in this post. The shifting of power and attention and the lifting up of women's voices was amazing.
Thank you for taking the risk and being part of it.
Posted by: Nanette Sawyer | 10/16/2009 at 12:50 PM
I also want to thank you for what you created over the weekend and to add my voice to the chorus of those saying they were changed by the weekend. Also looking forward to seeing your movie some day soon! :-)
Posted by: Dave H | 10/16/2009 at 06:29 PM
coming by to give you a high five! :) glad to see you blogging and couldn't agree more.
blessings!
Jules
Posted by: Jules | 10/16/2009 at 07:22 PM
Hey Seth. I enjoyed meeting you at the conference. I would LOVE to hear more about your story and journey of faith. I am thrilled that you spoke and gave your perspective. It was challenging on many levels. Thank you for demonstrating such courage. :)
Posted by: Tia Lynn | 10/16/2009 at 07:53 PM