Friday, April 22, 2005
Post-WALP
The Emergent hippies have departed and in their place every youth group in America has descended upon the Mecca that seems to be Wilmore. I am one of maybe 3.2 locals not worked up into an Icthus frenzy.

My first reaction to any kind of service or conference like WALP is the question, “What did you get out of it?” It’s a question over the past several months I have been gradually trying to violently eradicate from my thinking paradigm. With extreme prejudice. It’s just so damn consumerist.

So this is what has me thinking: Brian McLaren on the importance of ritual and hospitality in public worship. Doug Pagitt on relational preaching beyond monologue-ing and also avoiding “cover” forms of faith. Maggie Dawn on the importance of the theology of Samuel Coleridge. Claude Nikondeha on the failure of the church in Rwanda to exercise justice. Sister Jeana has the Super Friends-like roster of bloggers in attendance who offer their own minute by minute accounts.

But my personal highlight was an informal gathering for dinner and coffee last night that included Eric Herron, Aaron “Captain Podcast” Klinefelter, his lovely wife Sarah and precocious little Chloe, Alan Creech, Jeana Clark, Jason McAnally, Jackie Daugherty and Pete Matthews.

I know that’s over 100 words. So sue me.

posted by Peter at 2:34 PM
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