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.