11.10.2007

SW VA cohort November meeting

We're meeting Sunday, Nov. 11, at 7pm. The location is Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea, 112 Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke.

We haven't met as a real group yet, so the agenda largely is still to get to know one another. Everyone is welcome.

Email me (Chris) for more info.

8.11.2007

SW Virginia cohort first meeting

I've been living in Roanoke now for almost two whole weeks. I've left my house to get a driver's licence and to go to Kroger. Other than that, haven't gotten out much. I'm hoping to meet some folks.

To that end, we're having our first meeting. The only agenda is to get to know those who have expressed an interest in emerging-church topics. Ironically, the meeting will be at our house. (Really, I do want to get out and see the area...)

If you're interested in coming, drop me an email or leave a comment. All are welcome--for this meeting, even kids are encouraged to come. (We'd love to convert your entire family to emerging-church apostasy. Short of that, they can jump on the trampoline and eat a hot dog.)

In the future, we also hope to schedule some coffee-shop-type meetings. (Does anyone remember the quote about coffee shops in "Good Will Hunting"? Ha...caramels...I love that...)

7.21.2007

Meeting Suggestions and Changes

Peace and grace to all,

Since my last post, I have been doing some thinking (which is always dangerous), balancing it with some reading (which is beneficial), and asking for input (which is wisdom). In an attempt to promote dialogue in the area, and perhaps open the door to more participation, what are your suggestions about getting together over the internet? While there has been a fair amount of interest in meeting, scheduling and distance problems seem to be a limiting factor. Instead of having a face-to-face meeting on the 25th, perhaps we can schedule an internet meeting via one of the chat rooms, Skype, instant messengers, and/or video conferencing?

Also, I am reading R. Scott Smith's Truth & The New Kind of Christian: The Emerging Effects of Postmodernism in the Church (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005) and have corresponded with Scott via e-mail. I would like to suggest this as a topic and invite him into the dialogue.

This may even provide an opportunity to include the other cohorts in Virginia and establish a state-wide dialogue .... What do you think?

Regards,
Brett

7.17.2007

central va cohort to host 'the cobalt season'

the central va emergent cohort will be hosting the cobalt season in for a fun night of music, fellowship, and conversation on November 5th.


they have been featured on Emergent Village and much credit goes to Brian Mclaren for a great endorsement
we will keep you posted with more details


http://www.emergentvillage.com/podcast/life-across-the-tracks-the-cobalt-season

6.21.2007

Roanoke cohort

Hi there. As Scott has already mentioned, we're hoping to start meeting in SW Virginia really soon. We close on our new house July 31, so after that we'll officially be Roanokers! (Roanokians?) The high cost of living in Baltimore has driven us south, and we're excited about the area and the people we've already met.

Look for more information about our first meeting here, as well as here: http://swvacohort.blogspot.com/

We're looking forward to meeting folks in Roanoke and in other nearby areas, as well as meeting with the folks in Lynchburg. See you soon.

June Update

Howdy...

Looks like things are slowing coming together for emergent virginia.

Southwest hopes to have a first meeting in August, thanks to Chris selling his house in Maryland and buying one in Roanoke. If anyone is interested, it seems that the group is going strong through meetup.com

We have had a couple people (Laura and Todd) ask about starting a group in Northern VA - and thats pretty exciting because it means that we are well on our way to having a group in every region.

lets keep the conversation rolling!

5.28.2007

regional cohort updates...

here's the latest on the developing virginia emergent cohorts:

southeastern va - June 2, 2007 at 10:00 at the Starbucks on Independence Blvd near Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach. visit - http://sevacohort.blogspot.com/

central va - is looking ahead to its 2nd meeting on June 7th at 7:00 at Starbucks on Timberlake Rd. go to: http://centralvacohort.blogspot.com/

southwestern - Chris will be moving soon to the Roanoke area and will keep everyone posted... http://swvacohort.blogspot.com/

anyone interested in starting up a northern va cohort?

4.25.2007

what's an emergent cohort?

this is info sent to me and several others in VA from Emergent Village:

One of Emergent's dreams for the next several years is the development of local/regional learning communities in strategic locations around the country, which we call cohorts. We hope to do this because:
* We are eager to identify and assist a new generation of leaders.
* We desire to promote and enhance the local participation and the grassroots nature of the emerging church conversation.
* We hope to encourage and continue this kind of theological dialogue in many different strategic locations.
* We hope to utilize these cohorts through the hosting of local/regional mini-conferences....

They are local/regional Learning Communities
What is a learning community? While being a place of connection and support, an Emergent learning community (cohort) is primarily a place of communal exploration, theological and professional reflection, honest connection, and strategic collaboration. These learning communities are geared toward post-critical, constructive conversation, rather than deconstructive rants about the current state of the Church. Why learning communities?

1. Local (Intrinsic)
2. To enhance the local participation and the grassroots nature of the emerging church conversation.
3. To generate new forms/ideas of the Church.
4. National (Extrinsic)
5.
6. To identify/support a new generation of leaders.
7. To host regional gatherings. How will learning communities function within Emergent?

Learning communities are a primary space for belonging to Emergent on the local, face to face level. Beyond the books they have read or the conferences they have attended, cohorts are places where people can gather who desire to continue this conversation. Our hope is that these local learning communities would begin to hold larger regional events , which might showcase some of what they are reflecting upon. These types of exchanges will create a transfer of ideas from the local to national level, and will also assist in identifying and raising up a new generation of leaders.

update...

The Central and Southeastern Cohorts are actively working on their first meeting places and times...head over to their respective sites to stay up to date.

Chris H, has reserved the blogger address for the Southwest but wont be moving to the area for a couple months. Please contact him if you are interested in joining up in that area. He also has a Roanoke Emergent Meetup group to search out like-minded folks. You can visit it here.

keep exploring.

4.10.2007

welcome!


hello!


we are in the process of forming regional emergent cohorts throughout VA, looking to cooperate under the banner of a larger virginia cohort...so hopefully this blog can become a hub so that people accross the commonwealth who are interested in the conversation can get to know one another and join up from time to time.


feel free to leave a message and say 'hi'...


peace