I was recently at a meeting and it was, as has been the case over the last two years, a meeting in which there was a lot of energy. This particular group of men and women have been meeting to review where the congregation has been, discussing where it currently is, and imaging where the Spirit might be guiding. In times of such intentional reflection there is always richness. This group, as with most that engage with leadership, modelled self-challenge, as well as comfort in listening to ideas that were either new or difficult. I suspect that many who are in leadership, either Ordered or Lay, have been in this place. And, as my own experience has evidenced, there are moments of profound insight, perhaps even revelation ...

I have a friend who owns a restaurant. Actually, he is a Master Chef, one of about 400 in the world; he has been honoured as Chevalier de l'Ordre du Merite Agricole (like being knighted in France). Last week, he finally had a good restaurant review. Not that he's had bad reviews-in the past five years his reviews have been okay to good-but this one was great. It's not so much that the reviewer loved his restaurant, but rather that she understood what he was trying to do. Earlier critical reviews would say his was not a good bistro or that he failed to achieve modern synthesis; one reviewer didn't know Escoffier from Bobby Flay. My friend's restaurant is classic Parisian dining - not bistro, not roadhouse, not garlic-infused steakhouse. I think that his pleasure over the review was that the reviewer understood what the restaurant was trying to achieve - and had it been very critical, he would still have been pleased that they at least understood the concept and the goals.

Other than making me hungry and convincing you that I am a French cuisine snob, what does that have do with the Emerging Spirit?

Jon Meachem, in the lede to his recent article in Newsweek magazine say that the percentage of self-identified Christians in the United States has fallen 10 points in the past two decades. Canada is, and has always been, a different nation, but it can be argued that trends in the United States - religious, political and otherwise - have always affected us, and been reflected by us. How will this change affect the America we know, and how in turn will that affect us?

In the words of a pastor interviewed by Meachem: "The most basic contours of American culture have been radically altered. The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture."

But might this shift be a good thing, both for the state, and for the church? The church, while shrinking, is in no danger of disappearing. Could it be that the declining political influence of the church will lead to a re-orienting - a church separate from the corruption of political power, but still involved and engaged in the world? In many ways, the end of Christiendom in North America marks the beginning of a significant opportunity for the church to identify and live into the mission and the cutting edge of the gospel to which we are called to bear witness.

Originally posted at www.emergingspirit.ca.

How many of you have heard of Lumby, British Columbia. Few, I am sure. We are a small village of about 1800 people on highway 6, just south of Vernon in the North Okanagan. Close you Cherryville? Whitevale? Does that help?

1. Emerging Spirit provides an excuse for your congregation to engage in significant conversations about mission and the cutting edge of the gospel to which you are called to bear witness.

2. Living the Hope learning events provide resources, tools and theory to increase the effectiveness of your congregation's welcoming ministry.

3. WonderCafe's free, easy-to-use church microsites offer a place for your congregation on the Web.

4. The vibrant discussions on WonderCafe allow participation in conversations on spiritual issues that really matter to people.

5. Emerging Spirit offers provocative seasonal ads you can use to raise the profile of your congregation and invite people to explore your Christian community.

6. The Emerging Spirit blog offers insightful reflections and
discussion on ministry in 21st century Canada.

7. WonderCafe's national advertising campaign lets people know the United Church differs from the usual assumptions about organized religion.

8. Emerging Spirit has a network of gifted presenters across Canada who can visit your church to create a unique learning event.

There are many more ways that Emerging Spirit can help congregations. Please help us add to this growing list by letting us know the ways Emerging Spirit helps your congregation.

"When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time." Luke 4.13

In my last Blog, Oh, the Temptation..., I ended it with the following observation: "In the end, while mumbling below my breath, it all revolves around choice and to my frustration, I do not remember Jesus ever pushing someone through a door, merely pointing out that there were and are many doors on the journey of our lives..." Since writing that I have further thought about the challenge that poses for us - those in the demographic to which the Emerging Spirit Campaign is focused, and more generally about the larger generational reality that the research illustrates.

So, a few reminders, for me as much as anyone: We are a group of men and women who long for something to which to commit, to believe, to trust, to be vulnerable in a world in which such characteristics stand in tension. We live in a time and place in which the individual is celebrated, and the corporate is shunned. Perhaps this may seem like a stretch, but I have always wondered about the evilness of the Borg in Star Trek's imagining of the future ... often when the Borg spoke in one voice or communicated within the community the sound has often reminded me of Corporate Prayer within the United Church of Canada. Though I find great strength in hearing people speak the New Creed in unison, I also realise is sounds A LOT like the Borg ... a derisive pop culture reference that is also something for which we yearn. So the other reminder is that we really do not trust the institutions, primarily religious, as the places in which to seek. So, of course, the United Church of Canada through research and insight discerned that the Emerging Spirit demographic was looking for the very things which we claim to provide: safe space to seek without judgement.

Our minister has suggested that our church start a jazz worship service on a weeknight night that would would be an alternative to Sunday services. I know a thread about alternative services has already been started in this forum, but there are some specific issues that I would like to raise that could get buried elsewhere.

And so we gathered to watch ListenUpTV on Sunday. Well, actually, I was getting ready for Sunday Service, and talking a few minutes to watch on line... my parents were watching at home, a couple of friends were PVRing... and Emerging Spirit, I imagine, was looking forward to getting some of our point of view included in public discussion.

Not quite the conflagration we'd come to expect!

Emerging Spirit is scheduled to be featured on ListenUp TV (Global) this Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Rev. Norm Seli of Toronto's Jubilee United Church (and noted Emerging Spirit blogger!) represents the United Church in a discussion on the atheist ad campaign happening in several Canadian cities.

See the full list of airtimes here.