VergeNow

Created To Create: Giving Up and Giving In

Created to Create: Giving Up and Giving In.

Could giving up and giving in be the key to success and happiness?

In the lectionary text for this Sunday (Genesis 21:8-21 and Matthew 10:24-29) two stories are told about giving up and giving in.

In the Old Testament, Hagar is at the end of herself. Having been mistreated so badly she is hopeless and ready to give up her life and that of her son when God comes to rescue them both and give them new life and a new destiny.

In the New Testament, Jesus gives the mystifying "secret of life;" that in order to really live we must give in to an identity that is full shaped by God.

Whether you feel like giving up or you need to give in, this video invites you to give in to the music of your life that you were born to create.

www.vergenow.org

Created To Create

The Cultural Mandate of Genesis 1 insists that we are to form a culture, not simply allow it to happen to us. Yet, without conscious attention, we are left with a serious deficit of artistic and creative practitioners in our faith communities leaving us ill equipped to take on the task of culture making. How and why must we prepare those who would take on the vocation of artist?

In this series we are invited to consider our responsibility to curate and create culture not only in our churches but in our world.

Production: Dan ABH

Script/Narration: Lisa Smith

Original Score: Jay Smith, www.Jmusic.us

 www.vergenow.org www.ourconvergence.org

Learning To See: Fermentation

What if we believed Jesus as much as we believe in Jesus?

Learning to See: Fermentation

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus describes a process of complete transformation akin to fermentation; a process by which old ideas, habits and patterns are overturned and new insights are introduced to strengthen and ensure our flourishing.

In this meditation series from Convergence on learning to see through the eyes of God, you are invited to consider the ever present mystery and symbol that points to something bigger than immediate circumstances.

Check out the video mediation of this episode at www.youtube.com/vergenow

Production: Dan ABH.
Meditation/Narration: Lisa Smith.
Original Score: Jay Smith www.jmusic.us

Subscribe to Convergence Newsletter to learn more and stay connected:
www.ourconvergence.org; www.vergenow.org

Learning To See: Drowning In Process

Right now, we are all left "looking up to into the sky" just like the disciples; watching and waiting. "Drowning Process" is an invitation to go with it. (Acts 1:6-14) Why not accept this forced break as a time to catch your breath? Why not observe (perhaps for the first time ever) this holy week in the church calendar to wait and pray with the disciples for that breath to arrive?

In this series from Convergence on learning to see through the eyes of God, you are invited to consider the ever present mystery and symbol that points to something bigger than immediate circumstances. Video Editing and Production: Dan ABH. Meditation/Narration: Lisa Smith. Original Score: Jay Smith.

Subscribe to Convergence Newsletter to learn more and stay connected: www.ourconvergence.org 

www.vergenow.org

 

Learning To See: For Mature Audiences Only

For Mature Audiences Only from VergeNow, suggests that sometimes we may be asking the right questions but, are unwilling or unable to listen for the right answers.

Are we trained well enough in our sensitivity to the symbolic to really see where God is at work in our world? (Acts 22:17-31)

In this series from Convergence on learning to see through the eyes of God, you are invited to consider the ever present mystery and symbol that points to something bigger than immediate circumstances.

Production: Dan ABH. Meditation/Narration: Lisa Smith. Original Score: Jay Smith

Subscribe to Convergence Newsletter to learn more and stay connected:

www.ourconvergence.org

www.vergenow.org

 

Learning To See: A Surveyor's Map

A Surveyor's Map considers the well worn paths of our daily lives as an opportunity for reflection on memory as a composite of all that has been, is now, and that is still to come.

In this series on learning to see through the eyes of God, you are invited to consider the ever present mystery and symbol that points to something bigger than immediate circumstances.

Meditation/Narration: Lisa Smith; Music: Jay Smith; Production: Dan ABH.

www.ourconvergence.org  www.vergenow.org 

Learning To See: A Distinctly Christian Imagination

"Imagine the world and all that is in it as enchanted, haunted by the Holy Spirit and the presence of grace.” Andrew Greely. Explore the idea of "God's Word" as an invitation to seeing the presence of God in every aspect of life and nature.

Meditation: Lisa Smith; Music: Jay Smith; Production: Dan ABH. www.ourconvergence.org  www.vergenow.org

Please consider supporting Convergence and all the great online content we are creating for you during this time by becoming a regular giver. You can make a donation here: www.ourconvergence.org/donate.

Thank you for helping us create better together!

Learning To See: Invited To The Sound

This week, Pastor and artistic director Lisa Cole Smith at Convergence leads with a mediative exercise and thoughts based upon a song written by musician/artist Sufjan Stevens.

"We Christians believe that God is worthy of worship, but I wonder how many of us are secretly uncomfortable with this idea that it is our sole reason for existence. I often find myself preferring to believe that God exists in order to help me with my life. To make it easier or make me feel better. God exists because I need someone to call on in times of need. Yet, if this is the case, the atheists are right. That kind of faith is a fantasy of sorts. In that faith, I am fashioning a God to fill my needs
rather than worshipping a God who fashioned me."

- Lisa Cole Smith

"All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands" written and performed by Sufjan Stevens 

Gather: Ethics, Architecture, and Convening Difficult Conversations with Dr. Elise Edwards

Our "Gather" series continues this week with a LIVE conversation from our Gather 2019 conference with our good friend Dr. Elise Edwards on the topics of ethics, architecture, and convening difficult conversations in Church.

Dr. Elise Edwards teaches courses in Christian ethics and theology at Baylor University.  She earned her Ph.D. in Religion at Claremont Graduate University in California, where she studied Theology, Ethics, and Culture.  Prior to pursuing a Ph.D. in theology, Dr. Edwards worked as an architect in Washington D.C. and she still maintains her license to practice architecture.

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

Gather: Brian Kirby on Taize

The "Gather" series continues this week with Brian Kirby and our conversation about Taize and contemplative service gatherings. 

Dr. Brian Kirby graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry in Theology and the Arts. He has pastored in Europe, Asia, and the US. Dr. Kirby is a musician and snowboarder who minsters in the Washington D.C. area as the Senior Director for Community Life at Community Church.

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

Gather: The Sanctuaries

Our "Gather" series continues this week with Erik Martinez Resly of The Sanctuaries DC. https://www.thesanctuaries.org

Rev. Erik is a visual artist, community organizer, and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister from a mixed religious family, who grew up in Frankfurt, Germany. He brings experience as a hospital chaplain, public speaker, and panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. He served as a Creative Community Fellow with National Arts Strategies and has received multiple awards from Harvard University. He is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Divinity School.

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

Gather: Mission Possible

"Gather" continues this week as Lisa Smith is joined by Josh Hayden and Tom Lynch of Mission Possible and First Baptist Ashland, VA 

Josh Hayden, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Ashland and Tom Lynch, Minister to Students and Families, First Baptist Ashland; Co-Founders of Mission Possible, a one-day conference that allows young people to explore faith and calling through art, justice, and mission.

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

Gather: Sam Bodkin of Groupmuse

Lisa Smith interviews Sam Bodkin, CEO of Groupmuse on the way intimate gatherings around classical music are meeting the need for soulful community among Millennials.

Sam Bodkin is the founder and CEO of Groupmuse - bringing us together to nourish and harmonize our inner lives and our social, “outer” lives. By deepening our interior worlds with timeless, contemplative music and enriching our social lives with inclusive, joyous community, Groupmuse seeks a greater wholeness in your neighborhood and around the world. For more information visit https://www.groupmuse.com/

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

 

Gather: Lindsay Hayes on Technology & Faith Among Millennials

Lisa Smith of Convergence continues our series on "Gather", a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community.

This week we sit down with Lindsay Hayes, a Ph.D student in Learning, Design and Technology from Penn State University as she outlines how the "flipped classroom" education model might translate to churches. "The humans in the building are the biggest resource we have. Talking to each other is the reason we should be coming together in person"

"Lindsay Hayes is a Ph.D student at Penn State University where she is studying virtual learning communities. For more information about the faith based group Daughter of a King Organization, visit DaughterOfAKing.co/“

 

Gather: An Introduction

Artistic Director and Pastor, Lisa Cole Smith opens up the Gather series with an introduction episode on VergeNow's current case study discussing the "How We Gather" reports, Priya Parker's "The Art of Gathering" and recognizing that change is necessary in our quest to gain insight into how Millennials are changing the way we gather and the opportunity for communities of faith to effectively meet the yearning for soulful community among rising generations.

"Gather" is our newest podcast series which is a Current Case Study from VergeNow asking how we might transform our worship at Convergence to meet a rising generation. Through an ongoing study group, podcasts, blog, virtual conversations and interviews with “experts” we will explore the How We Gather and Something More reports from Harvard Divinity School and the book, The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker.

This project is made possible through a Vital Worship Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by the Lilly Endowment Inc.

Part 3: The Big Why

Part 3 of VergeNow's first series of becoming Creative Church. Lisa Cole Smith, Artistic Director and Pastor of Convergence is joined by Community Coordinator, Dan ABH and Cultural Architect, Jay Smith to begin the discussion of "The Big Why".

Part 2: What The Heck Is Convergence Anyway?

Artist Director and Pastor, Lisa Cole Smith discusses what Convergence is, what risk, creativity, and experimenting can do positively in Church, struggles with openness, and continuing what we are called to do.

Part 1: Beginning

Episode 1: Beginning

Artistic Director and Pastor at Convergence, Lisa Cole Smith begins part 1 of 3 of our first series on becoming Creative Church

Beta Episode 2 - Creative Courage w/ Charlene Smith of Brave Spirits Theatre

Artistic Director and Host / Lisa Cole Smith is joined by Charlene Smith / Producing Artistic Director of Brave Spirits Theatre as they discuss creative courage and the crisis of faith that occurs in creative fields. 

Beta Episode 1 - The One About George Michael