There were several things that I really enjoyed or appreciated about this class and how it was run. For one, I was completely surprised at how much I enjoyed tutoring at NALC. I was extremely nervous going into my first session, but after two or three lessons, I felt very comfortable - I never had one unpleasant student. I was able to talk with some dynamic people and I loved it. One thing I really valued was the fact that we took several preemptive steps in going about the semester-long project and paper. I appreciated that - that by the time I sat down to officially write my research paper I already had my research and four pages completed. I like that I had the liberty to choose my project topic. Even though 15-20 is a lot to write, and even thought I spent several hours doing it, I enjoyed what I was writing about, it felt like a fulfilling endeavor.
I enjoyed some blog activities, but by the end of the semester, I was weary about having to continue posting in it. I understand that a comprehensive quality is necessary for blogs, but I didn't enjoy it by the end. Same goes for the reading. I like the Fieldworking reading, but having to continue reading material about cohesion and digital stories became somewhat dull by March and April.
But overall, I really had a good time in this class. Our particular section developed a strange sense of community which was refreshing. It most likely won't continue outside of class, but it was nice to meet with a group of social, friendly people. I loved watching all of the digital stories and seeing the person reflected in his/her work. Very fun!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Service Learning Reflection (Question no. 4)
I’ve already written about my encounter with CH in a previous reflection. But as I led the expert hunter/fisherman through listening and writing exercises, I was reminded in addition to the existence of sub-culture-specific “glossaries” the effect of lists. We discussed in class how lists are everywhere - how we organize things in list form, how we simplify extensive pieces of information for lists, how they work their way into our everyday life. We have grocery lists, bus schedules, TV guides, etc. If I remember correctly, most of my classmates agreed that lists are generally very helpful.
I was instructed by NALC to work with CH through a series of exercise designed to help students recognize beginning consonant sounds. It worked like this - CH had before him a workbook filled with several columns. Each column had a heading of four letters of the alphabet followed by twenty blank lines for writing. My job was to read aloud twenty words and on each line CH would write the letter that each word started with, one of the four letters listed. He did fairly well; he had to struggle and think through a few of the words, and had a lot of trouble particularly with the letter “c.”
While this exercise proved helpful, and CH did show improvement, there was a flaw, I think, in the lesson plan. We didn’t do this exercise five or six times, not even nine or ten times. We did this same exercise for the entire session as instructed by the NALC staff. CH commented, and I agreed with him, that the activity was pretty monotonous. It was overwhelming to look at CH’s workbook and see four pages filled with dozens of blank lines. It was in this case that I figured that the “list” was an almost discouraging tool. Even though repetition is key in learning anything, it’s a different story to have an adult humble him/herself in order to learn a skill such as reading and writing. The pages of lists definitely brought down CH.
I might have gone about this exercise differently. Instead of presenting the entire book incomplete, it might seem less daunting to give the student scanned copies of the workbook - one or two pages at a time. I would even try and get rid of the list; it might be more suitable to give the student a blank sheet of printer paper and have him or her use a pen or pencil and write out the words in a more individualistic fashion.
It’s been a few weeks since I met with CH. I knew that after our time together that he would be working on those lists for his next several sessions. I wonder how he did with the rest... Either way, that particular hour at NALC showed me that there is a downside to an otherwise helpful everyday writing device. Hopefully we learn not to overdo lists.
I was instructed by NALC to work with CH through a series of exercise designed to help students recognize beginning consonant sounds. It worked like this - CH had before him a workbook filled with several columns. Each column had a heading of four letters of the alphabet followed by twenty blank lines for writing. My job was to read aloud twenty words and on each line CH would write the letter that each word started with, one of the four letters listed. He did fairly well; he had to struggle and think through a few of the words, and had a lot of trouble particularly with the letter “c.”
While this exercise proved helpful, and CH did show improvement, there was a flaw, I think, in the lesson plan. We didn’t do this exercise five or six times, not even nine or ten times. We did this same exercise for the entire session as instructed by the NALC staff. CH commented, and I agreed with him, that the activity was pretty monotonous. It was overwhelming to look at CH’s workbook and see four pages filled with dozens of blank lines. It was in this case that I figured that the “list” was an almost discouraging tool. Even though repetition is key in learning anything, it’s a different story to have an adult humble him/herself in order to learn a skill such as reading and writing. The pages of lists definitely brought down CH.
I might have gone about this exercise differently. Instead of presenting the entire book incomplete, it might seem less daunting to give the student scanned copies of the workbook - one or two pages at a time. I would even try and get rid of the list; it might be more suitable to give the student a blank sheet of printer paper and have him or her use a pen or pencil and write out the words in a more individualistic fashion.
It’s been a few weeks since I met with CH. I knew that after our time together that he would be working on those lists for his next several sessions. I wonder how he did with the rest... Either way, that particular hour at NALC showed me that there is a downside to an otherwise helpful everyday writing device. Hopefully we learn not to overdo lists.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Service Learning Reflection (Question no. 3)
For my second session at NALC, I met with a Nashville native. CH was a slow, soft-spoken African-American man who lived in the area and worked a third shift janitorial job. When I first sat down to talk with him, he was extremely tired, having skipped his afternoon sleep so that he could take his nephew to and from school. Though he spoke English well enough, in a thick, southern dialect, he came to NALC looking to learn how to read and write. We worked together on listening and discerning consonant sounds.
What interested me most about CH was that at first he was pretty shy, responding to my questions with short, three or four-sentence answers. But as soon as I asked him about his hobbies and how he spends his free time, he became an open book. He told me that he really enjoyed hunting and fishing and that he often took weekend trips with friends to hunt deer or turkey. Now, my dad picked up fishing on a serious level a few years ago, and so I got to know a little bit about it through him. When talking with CH, I reached into my memory and pulled out what little vocabulary and know-how I could remember. When I engaged him, he engaged me in an amusingly enthusiastic way.
At a certain point, CH began teaching me about different hunting techniques and different places for fishing. While he displayed his knowledge, I was reminded of our class lecture on how sub-cultures tend to have their own “glossaries.” Though I can’t remember any specific terms, I remember a lot of the rules and tips that CH shared. He told me never to approach deer in the wild; let them come to you. Though seemingly timid and weak, wild bucks are actually very strong and will charge if startled. He cautioned me by telling me of his friend who ignored this protocol and ended up seriously injured. CH also told me about fishing courtesy. When you fish at lakes such as Percy Priest, you are only allowed to keep a maximum of 30 fish, and those 30 must be a certain length. He said that public spaces are heavily patrolled, and will slap a hefty fine on anyone who breaks those rules. When I asked how he prepared his fish for eating, he said, “I make ‘em real good. But I can’t tell you how!”
I was amazed actually to see the shift in CH’s energy and attitude as he told me about his passions. Our conversation didn’t only take place in the beginning of the hour. We talked about different things throughout the entire session. I worried about sending CH off because he was so tired and only had about two hours to rest before he had to go in for work, but he didn’t mind - he had already planned his next hunting trip for the following weekend.
CH showed me that the more you invest in an interest, the more likely you develop a new language. He also showed me that your “job” doesn’t define you; as long as you are able to do what you love, even if you don’t get paid or recognized for it, then there’s where your happiness lies.
What interested me most about CH was that at first he was pretty shy, responding to my questions with short, three or four-sentence answers. But as soon as I asked him about his hobbies and how he spends his free time, he became an open book. He told me that he really enjoyed hunting and fishing and that he often took weekend trips with friends to hunt deer or turkey. Now, my dad picked up fishing on a serious level a few years ago, and so I got to know a little bit about it through him. When talking with CH, I reached into my memory and pulled out what little vocabulary and know-how I could remember. When I engaged him, he engaged me in an amusingly enthusiastic way.
At a certain point, CH began teaching me about different hunting techniques and different places for fishing. While he displayed his knowledge, I was reminded of our class lecture on how sub-cultures tend to have their own “glossaries.” Though I can’t remember any specific terms, I remember a lot of the rules and tips that CH shared. He told me never to approach deer in the wild; let them come to you. Though seemingly timid and weak, wild bucks are actually very strong and will charge if startled. He cautioned me by telling me of his friend who ignored this protocol and ended up seriously injured. CH also told me about fishing courtesy. When you fish at lakes such as Percy Priest, you are only allowed to keep a maximum of 30 fish, and those 30 must be a certain length. He said that public spaces are heavily patrolled, and will slap a hefty fine on anyone who breaks those rules. When I asked how he prepared his fish for eating, he said, “I make ‘em real good. But I can’t tell you how!”
I was amazed actually to see the shift in CH’s energy and attitude as he told me about his passions. Our conversation didn’t only take place in the beginning of the hour. We talked about different things throughout the entire session. I worried about sending CH off because he was so tired and only had about two hours to rest before he had to go in for work, but he didn’t mind - he had already planned his next hunting trip for the following weekend.
CH showed me that the more you invest in an interest, the more likely you develop a new language. He also showed me that your “job” doesn’t define you; as long as you are able to do what you love, even if you don’t get paid or recognized for it, then there’s where your happiness lies.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Service Learning Reflection (Question no. 1)
By April 12, in my previous NALC sessions, I had worked with a Mexican man, a Turkish man, and an African-American man. Never once did I expect that I would be tutoring a Buddhist monk. The most ironic part of this encounter was that just a few days prior I had visited a temple, Wat Lao Buddhapathip, with my world religion class.
SC had been in Nashville for only 3 months, originally from Cambodia, yet already wrote and read English very well. His biggest struggle was speaking and listening. In the first 5 minutes of our time together, I experienced great difficulty in trying to convey to him the rules and regulations of NALC, and even trying to carry on a conversation with him. But the more time that we spent learning new words and looking at pictures, the more that we both loosened up and learned to be patient with each other. Still, I felt a playful air of pressure; for the entire hour he referred to me as “teacher.”
What interested me most about this session had less to do with the session itself. As soon as I met SC, I began to mark differences in literacy experience. For one, he was wearing an orange robe, a trademark of Buddhist monks. Originally sewn as an inexpensive way to keep comfortable in going about monastic life, the robes came to be known as a symbol of one who has devoted his/her life to Buddha. I thought of my own faith, and how my clothing, when not adorned with writing, does not explicitly reveal my devotion to Jesus, nor my poverty.
We spent the last 15 minutes discussing the “sharing questions” at the end of our planned lesson. This conversation intrigued me because as SC described his life in Nashville, I found that his answers were dotted with obvious differences, but also surprising similarities to my literacy experience. He studies Monday through Friday, as I do, but he spends his time learning English and Buddha’s teaching, and I spend my time learning about religion and music. He prays throughout his day, as I do, but he prays to Buddha, and I pray to the God of the Bible. He likes to cook, as I do, but he cooks for his monastery, and I cook for myself. I felt us growing closer as he told me a little bit about his philosophy and what he enjoys. He talked to me about gardening, meditation, his abstinence from alcohol, and about music. I had to laugh when he told me that he goes grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.
I was really grateful for the time that I spent with SC. I never asked why he moved away from Cambodia, but it seemed to me that he was happy here in Nashville. I think what I learned from this session is that there are no two literacy experiences completely opposing each other. I think there is an element of “humanness” that we all share. SC has a long way to go in his speaking English, but as long he has his faith, he’ll be just fine.
SC had been in Nashville for only 3 months, originally from Cambodia, yet already wrote and read English very well. His biggest struggle was speaking and listening. In the first 5 minutes of our time together, I experienced great difficulty in trying to convey to him the rules and regulations of NALC, and even trying to carry on a conversation with him. But the more time that we spent learning new words and looking at pictures, the more that we both loosened up and learned to be patient with each other. Still, I felt a playful air of pressure; for the entire hour he referred to me as “teacher.”
What interested me most about this session had less to do with the session itself. As soon as I met SC, I began to mark differences in literacy experience. For one, he was wearing an orange robe, a trademark of Buddhist monks. Originally sewn as an inexpensive way to keep comfortable in going about monastic life, the robes came to be known as a symbol of one who has devoted his/her life to Buddha. I thought of my own faith, and how my clothing, when not adorned with writing, does not explicitly reveal my devotion to Jesus, nor my poverty.
We spent the last 15 minutes discussing the “sharing questions” at the end of our planned lesson. This conversation intrigued me because as SC described his life in Nashville, I found that his answers were dotted with obvious differences, but also surprising similarities to my literacy experience. He studies Monday through Friday, as I do, but he spends his time learning English and Buddha’s teaching, and I spend my time learning about religion and music. He prays throughout his day, as I do, but he prays to Buddha, and I pray to the God of the Bible. He likes to cook, as I do, but he cooks for his monastery, and I cook for myself. I felt us growing closer as he told me a little bit about his philosophy and what he enjoys. He talked to me about gardening, meditation, his abstinence from alcohol, and about music. I had to laugh when he told me that he goes grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.
I was really grateful for the time that I spent with SC. I never asked why he moved away from Cambodia, but it seemed to me that he was happy here in Nashville. I think what I learned from this session is that there are no two literacy experiences completely opposing each other. I think there is an element of “humanness” that we all share. SC has a long way to go in his speaking English, but as long he has his faith, he’ll be just fine.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Service Learning Reflection (Question no. 2)
Having signed up for two one-hour sessions, I went into the NALC office on Tuesday, April 5 thinking that I was going to tutor two different people. But, one student canceled, and so I ended up working both sessions with one person, a man from Mexico named JM. He’d been in Nashville for 11 years and spoke English fairly well, though couldn’t quite pick up on the southern-tinged expressions I said (he was confused when I said, “Let’s call it a day."). He was at NALC that night to prepare for the US citizenship test, which he was going to take the following weekend. He was a hardworking student; he had practiced a lot outside of class and knew almost all 100 questions on the test by the time I quizzed him.
What was interesting about this sessions was how materials and atmosphere really played a part in his preparation. Rather than working at a small desk or booth, we worked at a long table in the south-east corner of the room, which was more quiet and isolated. It surely felt more personal and learning-friendly. He was supplied by NALC with a mock application to study, so that he could relay all of his personal information in English when he took the real test. The application was interesting; it made the goal seem more reachable. To see those ten pieces of paper made us both feel like citizenship was close. There was a lot of specific information, such as time since becoming a legal US immigrant that was spent outside of the country, that JM would have to memorize, but I could tell that he was getting excited to fill it out himself.
He had his own notebook and pen too, which told me that he was serious about this test. We practiced a portion of writing out American history and culture-related sentences, and took great care to write neatly. His handwriting was very blocky and in all capitals, and he left a line blank in between each sentence. There were other notes in there as well; I was very impressed with how he took his time at NALC seriously.
The most interesting material was the sheet of paper which explained the oath of US citizenship. JM and I read through the long phrase a few times. It was strange to me that to officially become a citizen, one has to repeat a very confusing, very wordy oath. I imagine that most people who repeat it do not understand it. It must be a matter of tradition.
Materials played a big role in this session. JM took a lot of cheat sheets and other helpful pieces of information home with him to study. Though I did not expect to work with someone who was preparing for the US citizenship test, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to going in next time and finding out if he passed, because he certainly seemed ready to me!
What was interesting about this sessions was how materials and atmosphere really played a part in his preparation. Rather than working at a small desk or booth, we worked at a long table in the south-east corner of the room, which was more quiet and isolated. It surely felt more personal and learning-friendly. He was supplied by NALC with a mock application to study, so that he could relay all of his personal information in English when he took the real test. The application was interesting; it made the goal seem more reachable. To see those ten pieces of paper made us both feel like citizenship was close. There was a lot of specific information, such as time since becoming a legal US immigrant that was spent outside of the country, that JM would have to memorize, but I could tell that he was getting excited to fill it out himself.
He had his own notebook and pen too, which told me that he was serious about this test. We practiced a portion of writing out American history and culture-related sentences, and took great care to write neatly. His handwriting was very blocky and in all capitals, and he left a line blank in between each sentence. There were other notes in there as well; I was very impressed with how he took his time at NALC seriously.
The most interesting material was the sheet of paper which explained the oath of US citizenship. JM and I read through the long phrase a few times. It was strange to me that to officially become a citizen, one has to repeat a very confusing, very wordy oath. I imagine that most people who repeat it do not understand it. It must be a matter of tradition.
Materials played a big role in this session. JM took a lot of cheat sheets and other helpful pieces of information home with him to study. Though I did not expect to work with someone who was preparing for the US citizenship test, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to going in next time and finding out if he passed, because he certainly seemed ready to me!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Digital Story Script Outline
OVERVIEW: A combination of music, picture, and video. The aim of this presentation is to showcase the sense of family and community that accompanies the Axis Church, as seen specifically in the arrival of people and the departure of people on a typical Sunday service. I will highlight relationships between members and the interaction of the Axis Church pastor and members.
MUSIC: There will be no dialogue, just image and a background song running through the whole piece. The song is one that I wrote myself, called “Gathered/Scattered, which discusses the very thing I wish to portray: Christ-centered community.
TIMELINE:
0:00 - 0:20 (approx.): Appearing and disappearing still images of the Axis Church early in the morning a few hours before the congregation is to arrive [possible transitional text, reading “gathered”].
0:20 - 0:40 (approx.): Fast-motion “security camera-esque” footage of people starting to trickle in to the Axis Church building, capturing interaction and expression [if possible].
0:40 - 1:20 (approx.): Slow-motion close-up video and photography of friends, family, and children enjoying each others’ company. Really hoping to express the warmth and love in these scenes [possible transitional text, reading “scattered”].
1:20 - 1:40 (approx.): Another round of fast-motion footage, but this time it will show people starting to trickle out of the Axis building [if possible].
1:40 - 2:20 (approx.): Another round of slow-motion video and photography, here showing people leaving the building, talking with pastor Jeremy as he stands outside of the building waiting to greet each person.
2:20 - 2:40 (approx.): The same still images which were shown at the beginning of the short.
If the fast-motion footage cannot be obtained due to technological reasons or concerns by the church staff, then more slow-motion video and photography will be used.
I will have two Sundays, 4/17 and 4/21 to get the necessary shots.
MUSIC: There will be no dialogue, just image and a background song running through the whole piece. The song is one that I wrote myself, called “Gathered/Scattered, which discusses the very thing I wish to portray: Christ-centered community.
TIMELINE:
0:00 - 0:20 (approx.): Appearing and disappearing still images of the Axis Church early in the morning a few hours before the congregation is to arrive [possible transitional text, reading “gathered”].
0:20 - 0:40 (approx.): Fast-motion “security camera-esque” footage of people starting to trickle in to the Axis Church building, capturing interaction and expression [if possible].
0:40 - 1:20 (approx.): Slow-motion close-up video and photography of friends, family, and children enjoying each others’ company. Really hoping to express the warmth and love in these scenes [possible transitional text, reading “scattered”].
1:20 - 1:40 (approx.): Another round of fast-motion footage, but this time it will show people starting to trickle out of the Axis building [if possible].
1:40 - 2:20 (approx.): Another round of slow-motion video and photography, here showing people leaving the building, talking with pastor Jeremy as he stands outside of the building waiting to greet each person.
2:20 - 2:40 (approx.): The same still images which were shown at the beginning of the short.
If the fast-motion footage cannot be obtained due to technological reasons or concerns by the church staff, then more slow-motion video and photography will be used.
I will have two Sundays, 4/17 and 4/21 to get the necessary shots.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Update
Here's an update on my project. I've made some progress, but there is much still that needs to be done.
Completed:
- 1/3 interviews with Axis Church members
- interview with pastor Jeremy Rose
- observational notes
- organization of project (intro-body-conclusion-methods)
- introduction
- script for digital story
Still needs to be done:
- 2/3 interviews with Axis Church members
- organization of ideas/interview material
- begin first draft of paper
- prepare portfolio
- take pictures/video for digital story
So, I'd say I'm about 1/3 done with the project. Given how busy my schedule is, it's gonna be hectic trying to finish the digital story in tandem with the paper, especially since the Axis meets once a week on Sundays. I only have a few more opportunities to gather visual aid for the digital story. I need to stay organized, and it will get done.
Completed:
- 1/3 interviews with Axis Church members
- interview with pastor Jeremy Rose
- observational notes
- organization of project (intro-body-conclusion-methods)
- introduction
- script for digital story
Still needs to be done:
- 2/3 interviews with Axis Church members
- organization of ideas/interview material
- begin first draft of paper
- prepare portfolio
- take pictures/video for digital story
So, I'd say I'm about 1/3 done with the project. Given how busy my schedule is, it's gonna be hectic trying to finish the digital story in tandem with the paper, especially since the Axis meets once a week on Sundays. I only have a few more opportunities to gather visual aid for the digital story. I need to stay organized, and it will get done.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Archive
For class, we were to bring in an "archive" related to our project topic. Being a very electronic-based society, most of the history of the Axis Church is archived online. I mentioned in an earlier post that the Axis sends out a weekly newsletter with announcements about what's going on in the community. Personally, I save every email that I get, and so I pulled up an archive of emails sent to me by the Axis over the year and a half that I've been attending. There are 140 emails saved in the folder.
So what does this tell me about my culture? For one, it tells me how the Axis has progressed. You can see changes in newsletter layout, changes in the content, changes in church structure, all made known in these emails. You can see trends of worship songs being played, trends of what our pastors use to encourage people in the emails, etc. It brings me a lot of joy actually see where the Axis has come; to connect different periods of history in the church with different periods of email activity.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Response to Interview
In conducting this first interview, I feel more confident about where I want my project to go. As I was planning what questions to ask the Axis congregation and what questions to ask the Axis pastor, I chose a few general prompts of conversation to share between both parties. So, during the interview, it came to mind that it would be interesting to compare responses between the congregation and the pastor and see what things line up with each other.
One of these general questions involved the relationship between pastor and role model. When I asked my interviewee if he thought a pastor should be a role, he replied, "Definitely, they're supposed to be a role model, 100%. Paul in Corinthians says, 'Be imitators of me,' and then also later in another book, it says, 'Be imitators of God.' So really, being a pastor, you're a huge role model because you are someone who people are looking at as a Christian, and as someone who knows what they're talking about; you hold a lot of responsibility in being an image-bearer of God."
This is a great response. I now plan on taking this answer and comparing it with what the Axis pastor believes to be the answer. I'll be looking for similar words being used, similar philosophies, similar references to Scripture, etc. I'm eager to see what relates in a positive way.
My interviewee used a bit of insider language during our time together. Some words/phrases that were used: "sermon," "disciple," "the Great Commission," and "gospel."
One of these general questions involved the relationship between pastor and role model. When I asked my interviewee if he thought a pastor should be a role, he replied, "Definitely, they're supposed to be a role model, 100%. Paul in Corinthians says, 'Be imitators of me,' and then also later in another book, it says, 'Be imitators of God.' So really, being a pastor, you're a huge role model because you are someone who people are looking at as a Christian, and as someone who knows what they're talking about; you hold a lot of responsibility in being an image-bearer of God."
This is a great response. I now plan on taking this answer and comparing it with what the Axis pastor believes to be the answer. I'll be looking for similar words being used, similar philosophies, similar references to Scripture, etc. I'm eager to see what relates in a positive way.
My interviewee used a bit of insider language during our time together. Some words/phrases that were used: "sermon," "disciple," "the Great Commission," and "gospel."
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
First Interview
Click here for audio of the interview
I had my first project-related interview today with a regular Axis church attender. He has been going to the Axis for over a year and feels very at home in the body. I'm keeping him anonymous.
My field notes are pretty illegible, so instead of taking a picture and uploading it, I'll paraphrase and type my notes in here. The audio clip above is the complete interview, so all of this information is taken from our 10-minute conversation.
WHAT IS A PASTOR? | oversees, looks out for church, over spiritual wellbeing of church
QUALITIES? | deeply in love with Jesus, leader, organized, run things
ROLES/DUTIES? | Preparing sermons, building disciples (see leaders in people - Great Commission), delegate duties, structure of church
EXPERIENCE WITH PASTORS? | 18 years old, pastor was behind-the-scenes, only on stage, only on Sunday, next church: pastor way more personal, engaging
ROLE MODEL? | 100% supposed to be role model, Paul says, "Be imitators of me" and God, strong person, strong Christian
AXIS PASTOR - QUALITIES? | personal, talking, loves community and neighborhood, coaches basketball in neighborhood, great guy
ROLES? | living out what he preaches, sharing gospel, spend time with people
HOW HAS HE INFLUENCED YOU? | every week - sermons influence me, truth in Bible, makes me wanna go out into community, can see the benefits of this
AND IN THE CHRISTIAN WALK? | appreciation for journaling, note-taking, underlining, engaging more
So there it is in a nutshell - I'm looking forward to interviewing more people from the Axis and especially the pastor himself.
I had my first project-related interview today with a regular Axis church attender. He has been going to the Axis for over a year and feels very at home in the body. I'm keeping him anonymous.
My field notes are pretty illegible, so instead of taking a picture and uploading it, I'll paraphrase and type my notes in here. The audio clip above is the complete interview, so all of this information is taken from our 10-minute conversation.
WHAT IS A PASTOR? | oversees, looks out for church, over spiritual wellbeing of church
QUALITIES? | deeply in love with Jesus, leader, organized, run things
ROLES/DUTIES? | Preparing sermons, building disciples (see leaders in people - Great Commission), delegate duties, structure of church
EXPERIENCE WITH PASTORS? | 18 years old, pastor was behind-the-scenes, only on stage, only on Sunday, next church: pastor way more personal, engaging
ROLE MODEL? | 100% supposed to be role model, Paul says, "Be imitators of me" and God, strong person, strong Christian
AXIS PASTOR - QUALITIES? | personal, talking, loves community and neighborhood, coaches basketball in neighborhood, great guy
ROLES? | living out what he preaches, sharing gospel, spend time with people
HOW HAS HE INFLUENCED YOU? | every week - sermons influence me, truth in Bible, makes me wanna go out into community, can see the benefits of this
AND IN THE CHRISTIAN WALK? | appreciation for journaling, note-taking, underlining, engaging more
So there it is in a nutshell - I'm looking forward to interviewing more people from the Axis and especially the pastor himself.
Mapping Exercise
Since for my project I'm researching the influence of a pastor on his congregation, I decided to create and map out a "chart of influence" within the church.
(I noted at the top, "this map doesn't necessarily reflect what ACTUALLY exists, because the church is so differing, diverse, and vast, but rather, what I think it SHOULD look like.)
Firstly, the three inner rings: the ring on the top left represents the things a pastor can teach; it doesn't represent the pastor himself, but his influence upon people. The ring on the top right represents what a public or published theologian can teach. The ring below those two represents what a congregation or other members of the body-of-Christ can teach. The way the rings connect shows that all three can teach each other and learn from each other. If I put an X in the space where the upper-left and lower ring hook together, it means that a pastor influences his congregation while at the same time the congregation influences their pastor.
Finally, the outer ring. Even though all three of these entities are teaching each other and learning from each other, they all are included in the outer ring of the Holy Bible, meaning that the Bible solely teaches and those who read it learn from it. When the other three entities learn from it, then they too can go out and teach, but not to the extent that the Bible can, for the Bible is a living, breathing Word.
So, it's a kind of confusing sketch, but it makes a little sense to me and can help me in my research.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Church Culture Glossary
There are two sections of "insider language" that define the Axis Church. One is text from the Bible, a universal language known by all Christians, no matter where they live and worship. The other is made up of terms specific to the Axis Church, an evangelical church.
BIBLE GLOSSARY:
- New Testament: books about or centered on the ministry of Jesus Christ, comprised of narratives and letters.
- Old Testament: the collection of biblical books highlighting the involvement of God in the Israelites before the birth of Christ.
- Gospel: the "good news," God sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins and bring us eternal salvation.
- atonement: Jesus as a substitute, to clean us from our sins.
- church: the body of Christ, all Christians are bound together by Christ and are thus members of a universal church.
- prayer: communication with God through Jesus Christ, verbal, silent, in groups, etc.
AXIS GLOSSARY:
- Acts 29: the network under which the Axis operates. It trained and financially aided its pastor.
- Church-planting: the act of encouraging people to form local church communities.
- missionary: the Axis believes that all Christians are missionaries for Christ, and entrusted with sharing the gospel to their communities.
(to be continued)
BIBLE GLOSSARY:
- New Testament: books about or centered on the ministry of Jesus Christ, comprised of narratives and letters.
- Old Testament: the collection of biblical books highlighting the involvement of God in the Israelites before the birth of Christ.
- Gospel: the "good news," God sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins and bring us eternal salvation.
- atonement: Jesus as a substitute, to clean us from our sins.
- church: the body of Christ, all Christians are bound together by Christ and are thus members of a universal church.
- prayer: communication with God through Jesus Christ, verbal, silent, in groups, etc.
AXIS GLOSSARY:
- Acts 29: the network under which the Axis operates. It trained and financially aided its pastor.
- Church-planting: the act of encouraging people to form local church communities.
- missionary: the Axis believes that all Christians are missionaries for Christ, and entrusted with sharing the gospel to their communities.
(to be continued)
Interview Exercise - Cohesion/Coherence Revision
For our in-class interview exercise, I chose not to ask questions related to my topic. I was not prepared to do so, nor did I think that my topic-related questions would pertain to my interviewee, Alex, who doesn't attend the church that I'm studying. This being the case, I decided to ask a few questions about something we had talked about in my Christian Ethics class: the surrounding areas/neighborhoods around Belmont.
(I switched the paragraph so that Alex, the interviewee, was not in the main sentence.)
My main question was "What do you think about Belmont's position/influence in the surrounding communities of Edgehill/Melrose/Hillsboro?" In addition, I prepared a few smaller questions to support the main one. Some of them I used, some of them I did not. They were, "How would you describe the area around Belmont?", "Do you feel safe/enjoy it/know it well?", "Are you aware of the things Belmont is doing in the community?", and "Are you aware of the racial/economic makeup of surrounding communities?" All of these questions, I thought, built up to the main question.
(I added a concluding sentence.)
Firstly, Alex told me that he doesn't spend a lot of time around Belmont when not on campus for class/soccer (with the exception of the Belmont Blvd area near campus). When I asked him about the Edgehill neighborhood, one of the first things he mentioned was the "blidget" (a crude combination of black and midget), a well-known resident of the area who is commonly seen at the intersection of 12th and Wedgewood. Alex also knew that Edgehill was a "ghetto" area, primarily African-American. When I asked Alex the main question, he said to his knowledge, Belmont is doing good things in the area. He did mention that he thought it was wrong forcing local houseowners out of their houses, but he also said it was less devastating if Belmont compensated for moving costs to the owners. Alex alluded to Belmont as a growing university and said, "We need the property."
It was a good interview - I don't think Belmont has been as accommodating with the surrounding neighborhoods as they've made out to be, or as students understand it to be, but I think it's important that we do know what surrounds us and get to know what that is.
(I switched the paragraph so that Alex, the interviewee, was not in the main sentence.)
My main question was "What do you think about Belmont's position/influence in the surrounding communities of Edgehill/Melrose/Hillsboro?" In addition, I prepared a few smaller questions to support the main one. Some of them I used, some of them I did not. They were, "How would you describe the area around Belmont?", "Do you feel safe/enjoy it/know it well?", "Are you aware of the things Belmont is doing in the community?", and "Are you aware of the racial/economic makeup of surrounding communities?" All of these questions, I thought, built up to the main question.
(I added a concluding sentence.)
Firstly, Alex told me that he doesn't spend a lot of time around Belmont when not on campus for class/soccer (with the exception of the Belmont Blvd area near campus). When I asked him about the Edgehill neighborhood, one of the first things he mentioned was the "blidget" (a crude combination of black and midget), a well-known resident of the area who is commonly seen at the intersection of 12th and Wedgewood. Alex also knew that Edgehill was a "ghetto" area, primarily African-American. When I asked Alex the main question, he said to his knowledge, Belmont is doing good things in the area. He did mention that he thought it was wrong forcing local houseowners out of their houses, but he also said it was less devastating if Belmont compensated for moving costs to the owners. Alex alluded to Belmont as a growing university and said, "We need the property."
It was a good interview - I don't think Belmont has been as accommodating with the surrounding neighborhoods as they've made out to be, or as students understand it to be, but I think it's important that we do know what surrounds us and get to know what that is.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Interview Exercise
I paired up with Alex for the interview exercise we did in class. I decided not to ask questions related to my topic, because I wasn't really prepared to do so, nor did I think it would relate too much to someone who doesn't attend the church that I'm studying. So I asked a few questions about something we had talked about in my Christian Ethics class - the surrounding areas/neighborhoods around Belmont.
My main question was, "What do you think about Belmont's position/influence in the surrounding communities of Edgehill/Melrose/Hillsboro?" I had a few smaller questions that I prepared beneath that one - some I asked, some I didn't. Those were, "How would you describe the area around Belmont?", "Do you feel safe/enjoy it/know it well?", "Are you aware of the things Belmont is doing in the community?", and "Are you aware of the racial/economic makeup of surrounding communities?"
First off, Alex told me that he doesn't spend a lot of time around Belmont when not on campus for class/soccer (with the exception of the Belmont Blvd area near campus). When I asked him about Edgehill, one of the first things he mentioned was the "blidget" (a crude combination of black and midget), a well-known resident of the area who is commonly seen at the intersection of 12th and Wedgewood. Alex also knew that Edgehill was a "ghetto" area, primarily African-American. When I asked Alex the main question, he said to his knowledge, Belmont is doing good in the area. He did mention that he thought it was wrong forcing local houseowners out of their houses, but he also said it was more acceptable if Belmont compensated for moving costs to the owners. Alex alluded to Belmont as a growing university and said, "We need the property."
It was a good interview - I don't think Belmont has been as accommodating with the surrounding neighborhoods as they've made out to be, or as students understand it to be, but I think it's important that we do know what surrounds us and get to know what that is.
My main question was, "What do you think about Belmont's position/influence in the surrounding communities of Edgehill/Melrose/Hillsboro?" I had a few smaller questions that I prepared beneath that one - some I asked, some I didn't. Those were, "How would you describe the area around Belmont?", "Do you feel safe/enjoy it/know it well?", "Are you aware of the things Belmont is doing in the community?", and "Are you aware of the racial/economic makeup of surrounding communities?"
First off, Alex told me that he doesn't spend a lot of time around Belmont when not on campus for class/soccer (with the exception of the Belmont Blvd area near campus). When I asked him about Edgehill, one of the first things he mentioned was the "blidget" (a crude combination of black and midget), a well-known resident of the area who is commonly seen at the intersection of 12th and Wedgewood. Alex also knew that Edgehill was a "ghetto" area, primarily African-American. When I asked Alex the main question, he said to his knowledge, Belmont is doing good in the area. He did mention that he thought it was wrong forcing local houseowners out of their houses, but he also said it was more acceptable if Belmont compensated for moving costs to the owners. Alex alluded to Belmont as a growing university and said, "We need the property."
It was a good interview - I don't think Belmont has been as accommodating with the surrounding neighborhoods as they've made out to be, or as students understand it to be, but I think it's important that we do know what surrounds us and get to know what that is.
Monday, February 14, 2011
What can I learn about my site from lists?
In thinking about the Axis Church, there are two distinct lists which play a crucial role in telling others about itself. Those are the "order of service" and the "weekly announcements." The order of service is a chronological list printed out each week for the leadership team to reference during Sunday service so that each member will know what comes next, what to play, what to read, etc. The weekly announcements are a bullet-point list sent out in an email to those who choose to sign up. So how do these two lists define the Axis Church?
* For one, the order of service reveals a little bit about the church's theology. The list shows that after the message, the church engages in holy communion. This is done every week and is always on the order of service. So one can look at this list and know that the church views this sacrament as an important part of the Christian faith. One can look at the list of songs and know that the church holds a high view of old hymns as well as theologically-sound contemporary songs.
* As for the weekly announcements, one can look at that list and get to know more about the church. The second bullet point lets readers know that the church is willing to pray for them and provides an email link to send prayers. This tells people that prayer is held in high regard for the leadership. In the list also is a link to listen to the previous week's sermon. This tells readers (indirectly) that the church believes that a digital sermon/podcast is a fruitful and worthwhile thing.
I actually never realized how much you can learn from a place by looking at its lists.
* For one, the order of service reveals a little bit about the church's theology. The list shows that after the message, the church engages in holy communion. This is done every week and is always on the order of service. So one can look at this list and know that the church views this sacrament as an important part of the Christian faith. One can look at the list of songs and know that the church holds a high view of old hymns as well as theologically-sound contemporary songs.
* As for the weekly announcements, one can look at that list and get to know more about the church. The second bullet point lets readers know that the church is willing to pray for them and provides an email link to send prayers. This tells people that prayer is held in high regard for the leadership. In the list also is a link to listen to the previous week's sermon. This tells readers (indirectly) that the church believes that a digital sermon/podcast is a fruitful and worthwhile thing.
I actually never realized how much you can learn from a place by looking at its lists.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Church Culture - Welcome Cards [Revision]
[Altered sentences are italicized.]
Our assignment was to come up with a list of artifacts relevant to the specific culture that we're studying. I brainstormed and came up with a few things which define church culture, particularly things which encompass the Sunday gathering. Those were the Bible, worship music, announcements, the building itself, seating/pews/chairs, sound equipment, and childcare facilities. I would like to focus more on what many church's call the "welcome card." What an interesting thing.
As long as I've been going to a church, there have always been welcome cards. At the first church I attended, we were given pamphlets at the door, which welcomed us, reminded us of the church's mission statement, and gave us space to write down any prayer requests. We placed these cards in offering baskets which were passed around every week and then distributed to the church deacons and ministers. At the church I attend now, we arrive each Sunday to find small, simple welcome cards already waiting in the seats. Regulars and visitors too place these cards in an offering basket, but do so on their own time because the basket isn't passed around, it sits by the door. In both cases, the welcome cards make an effort to warmly welcome and encourage those who have never attended the church before.
What an interesting thing. I've never thought about how a church goes about designing and embodying the welcome card. Are they all the more significant than a simple verbal welcome? Do people respond well to these? Personally, I feel comforted when it is made known to me that a church is willing to pray for me.
I will surely look into this more as I go about my project.
Our assignment was to come up with a list of artifacts relevant to the specific culture that we're studying. I brainstormed and came up with a few things which define church culture, particularly things which encompass the Sunday gathering. Those were the Bible, worship music, announcements, the building itself, seating/pews/chairs, sound equipment, and childcare facilities. I would like to focus more on what many church's call the "welcome card." What an interesting thing.
As long as I've been going to a church, there have always been welcome cards. At the first church I attended, we were given pamphlets at the door, which welcomed us, reminded us of the church's mission statement, and gave us space to write down any prayer requests. We placed these cards in offering baskets which were passed around every week and then distributed to the church deacons and ministers. At the church I attend now, we arrive each Sunday to find small, simple welcome cards already waiting in the seats. Regulars and visitors too place these cards in an offering basket, but do so on their own time because the basket isn't passed around, it sits by the door. In both cases, the welcome cards make an effort to warmly welcome and encourage those who have never attended the church before.
What an interesting thing. I've never thought about how a church goes about designing and embodying the welcome card. Are they all the more significant than a simple verbal welcome? Do people respond well to these? Personally, I feel comforted when it is made known to me that a church is willing to pray for me.
I will surely look into this more as I go about my project.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Church Culture - Welcome Cards
We for class were asked to come up with a list of artifacts relevant to the specific culture that we're studying. In my brainstorming, I came up with a few typical things which define church culture, particularly things which encompass the Sunday gathering. Those were the Bible, worship music, announcements, the building itself, seating/pews/chairs, sound equipment, and childcare facilities. One thing which I want to think about further is the "welcome card." What an interesting thing.
As long as I've been going to a church, there have always been welcome cards. In the first church I attended, we were given pamphlets at the door, welcoming us, reminding us of the church's mission statement, and providing space for input/prayer requests. These cards were placed in the offering baskets which we passed around every week and then distributed to the church deacons and ministers. At the church I attend now, the welcome cards are waiting in the seats when we arrive and are small, two-sided, and very bare. They too are to be placed in the offering basket, but one is to place it in the basket him/herself, as the basket isn't passed around; it sits by the door. In both cases, the welcome cards are sure to warmly welcome and encourage those who have never attended the church before.
What an interesting thing. I've never thought about how a church goes about designing and embodying the welcome card. Are they all the more significant than simply a verbal welcome? Do people respond well to these? I know I feel comforted when it is made known to me that a church is willing to pray for a stranger.
This is something I will surely look into more as I go about my project.
As long as I've been going to a church, there have always been welcome cards. In the first church I attended, we were given pamphlets at the door, welcoming us, reminding us of the church's mission statement, and providing space for input/prayer requests. These cards were placed in the offering baskets which we passed around every week and then distributed to the church deacons and ministers. At the church I attend now, the welcome cards are waiting in the seats when we arrive and are small, two-sided, and very bare. They too are to be placed in the offering basket, but one is to place it in the basket him/herself, as the basket isn't passed around; it sits by the door. In both cases, the welcome cards are sure to warmly welcome and encourage those who have never attended the church before.
What an interesting thing. I've never thought about how a church goes about designing and embodying the welcome card. Are they all the more significant than simply a verbal welcome? Do people respond well to these? I know I feel comforted when it is made known to me that a church is willing to pray for a stranger.
This is something I will surely look into more as I go about my project.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Fieldworking Notes
I was put in an interesting situation for this assignment. I didn't attend class on Friday because myself and several other friends who make up a part of our Bible Study were heading out of town for a weekend retreat at Center Hill Lake, an hour and a half east out of the city. Having not checked my email until Saturday, and the area being incredibly isolated, I was forced to observe the only environment I could discern: our own. So on Saturday night, as all 22 of us were gathered in the living room of the small cabin where we stayed, I held back and observed my friends. We generally are a very social group so I was more than able to sit at a table to the side unnoticed and listen/look (I pretended like I was reading). Here are some things I took out of it, based on the Fieldworking rubric:
- What surprised me: very little actually. I'm sure this is because I know these guys and girls. But one thing that did catch my attention was how much the group wanted to participate with each other. Rarely were there any "side discussions" - for the most part everybody talked with each other. I thought that at this point, one day and one night into the trip, people would be tired and worn out from big groups, but most everyone was engaged with each other in conversation.
- What intrigued me: lots here. I was fascinated with the constant bringing up of old stories and memories from the group's previous cabin trip (which took place last fall). I noticed in my observation several references to inside jokes and funny moments from the fall trip. It interested me because not everyone on this trip attended the last trip, so several people were removed from that discussion. Another thing that intrigued me the repetition of jokes and sayings which occurred on this trip. One guy, Ryan, said something embarrassing and funny the previous night, and it was repeated several times throughout the next night. One last thing - the role of food/drink in socializing. It was interesting to me that the people who tended to be the most social and prominent in the discussion were those who had, say, a bag of chips or a can of soda. This was almost always true in my observation.
- What disturbed me: the dynamic of a big group almost inevitably leads to exclusion. And even if I was an outsider, I would have no trouble pointing out the less dominant and social people in the group. This disturbed me. Especially when the apparent outcasts tried to add to the conversation, but were followed by very short or entirely different responses. The dynamic became overwhelming at times. I was disturbed at the obvious competition for loudness or control of the discussion. If one person had something to add that he/she thought was REALLY important, usually they talked even louder over the other people to get it across.
So those are just a few things. This is actually good practice for me, because the culture that I will be observing for project is one of which I am already a part. It's good practice for me to remove myself and take note subjectively.
Here is a rough picture from my phone of the notes I took:
- What surprised me: very little actually. I'm sure this is because I know these guys and girls. But one thing that did catch my attention was how much the group wanted to participate with each other. Rarely were there any "side discussions" - for the most part everybody talked with each other. I thought that at this point, one day and one night into the trip, people would be tired and worn out from big groups, but most everyone was engaged with each other in conversation.
- What intrigued me: lots here. I was fascinated with the constant bringing up of old stories and memories from the group's previous cabin trip (which took place last fall). I noticed in my observation several references to inside jokes and funny moments from the fall trip. It interested me because not everyone on this trip attended the last trip, so several people were removed from that discussion. Another thing that intrigued me the repetition of jokes and sayings which occurred on this trip. One guy, Ryan, said something embarrassing and funny the previous night, and it was repeated several times throughout the next night. One last thing - the role of food/drink in socializing. It was interesting to me that the people who tended to be the most social and prominent in the discussion were those who had, say, a bag of chips or a can of soda. This was almost always true in my observation.
- What disturbed me: the dynamic of a big group almost inevitably leads to exclusion. And even if I was an outsider, I would have no trouble pointing out the less dominant and social people in the group. This disturbed me. Especially when the apparent outcasts tried to add to the conversation, but were followed by very short or entirely different responses. The dynamic became overwhelming at times. I was disturbed at the obvious competition for loudness or control of the discussion. If one person had something to add that he/she thought was REALLY important, usually they talked even louder over the other people to get it across.
So those are just a few things. This is actually good practice for me, because the culture that I will be observing for project is one of which I am already a part. It's good practice for me to remove myself and take note subjectively.
Here is a rough picture from my phone of the notes I took:
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Official Project Proposal
Though I originally developed a research project centered around the phenomenon of evangelizing, or spreading the gospel, to different Discourses, I’ve decided to switch gears and instead focus on those who play a pivotal role in the sharing of the gospel, pastors. As a member of an urban evangelical church, the Axis Church, I am intrigued with how senior pastor Jeremy Rose communicates with the church body and goes about his duty as one who preaches the salvation of Jesus Christ. Even more intriguing is his influence on the church body and how hints of his personality and theology become mixed within the personalities and theologies of those who learn from him.
What I ask is this: how is a particular church’s head pastor reflected in his/her congregation? What sorts of mannerisms or beliefs do regular attenders of a church pick up from their pastor? Is it healthy admiration? Is it unwanted? Does the church itself notice the occurrence? Does the pastor? How do both feel about it?
I plan on examining two different churches, one being the previously mentioned Axis Church and another to be determined. Apart from the initial pastor-to-congregation study, I will compare the findings from each church, look for similarities, and point out the differing aspects and attempt to explain why they differ. I will conduct interviews with both parties, the pastor and the regular attenders. I will look at things such as a pastor’s typical Sunday, how the church worships, how the pastor preaches, etc. Given this, the project will also be examination-heavy. I am eager to pick out another church to research as well as begin to develop criteria and questions. I am sure this will be an enlightening and memorable project for me, as one who is very attached to the church and would possibly like to be involved with one in the future as a career.
What I ask is this: how is a particular church’s head pastor reflected in his/her congregation? What sorts of mannerisms or beliefs do regular attenders of a church pick up from their pastor? Is it healthy admiration? Is it unwanted? Does the church itself notice the occurrence? Does the pastor? How do both feel about it?
I plan on examining two different churches, one being the previously mentioned Axis Church and another to be determined. Apart from the initial pastor-to-congregation study, I will compare the findings from each church, look for similarities, and point out the differing aspects and attempt to explain why they differ. I will conduct interviews with both parties, the pastor and the regular attenders. I will look at things such as a pastor’s typical Sunday, how the church worships, how the pastor preaches, etc. Given this, the project will also be examination-heavy. I am eager to pick out another church to research as well as begin to develop criteria and questions. I am sure this will be an enlightening and memorable project for me, as one who is very attached to the church and would possibly like to be involved with one in the future as a career.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Ideas for Research Project
I've got a pretty solid idea of what I'd like to do for my research project. At the moment, I just need to choose between the two perspectives that it entails.
As a religion major and a Christian, I've become increasingly interested in how one goes about "evangelizing" or sharing the gospel and converting others to Christianity. This too has been fueled by my commitment to a church in north Nashville called The Axis Church. It was strategically planted in the Salemtown neighborhood, a low-income, predominantly African American part of town. My pastor, who is white, and having grown up as the son of a pastor, has encountered throughout his life a great number of different social groups, all bound by Christ. He feels very at home in Salemtown and equipped to administer the gospel to anyone, white, black, homeless, etc, who enters the Axis Church.
So for my project I'd like to examine and investigate how one goes about evangelizing to different Discourses. The core is obviously the same, the gospel remains the same in any circumstance, but I'd like to narrow in on vocabulary, body language, tone of voice, really specific speech patterns, and see how one might go about talking about Jesus to different socio-economic groups. Is there a huge difference? Where are the links?
What I need to decide is whether I'd like to approach this from the pastor's perspective, or the people's perspective, or both. This will be an interview-heavy topic. What I will need to do is interview a WIDE range of people; I am aware that a relationship with Christ is a very personal thing and no two people have come to Christ in the exact same way: however, I want to see if any trends occur.
We'll see where this takes me.
As a religion major and a Christian, I've become increasingly interested in how one goes about "evangelizing" or sharing the gospel and converting others to Christianity. This too has been fueled by my commitment to a church in north Nashville called The Axis Church. It was strategically planted in the Salemtown neighborhood, a low-income, predominantly African American part of town. My pastor, who is white, and having grown up as the son of a pastor, has encountered throughout his life a great number of different social groups, all bound by Christ. He feels very at home in Salemtown and equipped to administer the gospel to anyone, white, black, homeless, etc, who enters the Axis Church.
So for my project I'd like to examine and investigate how one goes about evangelizing to different Discourses. The core is obviously the same, the gospel remains the same in any circumstance, but I'd like to narrow in on vocabulary, body language, tone of voice, really specific speech patterns, and see how one might go about talking about Jesus to different socio-economic groups. Is there a huge difference? Where are the links?
What I need to decide is whether I'd like to approach this from the pastor's perspective, or the people's perspective, or both. This will be an interview-heavy topic. What I will need to do is interview a WIDE range of people; I am aware that a relationship with Christ is a very personal thing and no two people have come to Christ in the exact same way: however, I want to see if any trends occur.
We'll see where this takes me.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Clash of Discourse
In class, we talked about Discourse. One develops this during childhood, growing up and becoming familiar with certain types of communication, actions, and language specific to his/her family. This is called the "primary" Discourse. But we also develop "secondary" Discourses throughout life as we enter into society and into different cultures and contexts. We have a unique Discourse as a student, an employee, and a friend, all the while retaining the original manner of socializing we learned as a child. The trick is to know when and how to shift between Discourses as appropriate for the occasion; not to create a new identity or destroy another, but to allow them to coexist.
Our assignment was to find a video clip which showcased an obvious clash of Discourses. This could occur between people because of norms, appearance, status, etc. I've chosen a hilarious Saturday Night Live skit performed in the 90's by Mike Myers and Chris Farley. Here the obvious clash of Discourse involves language and culture, as an American man ends up trying to survive on a Japanese game show without knowing any Japanese. Even though the skit features North American actors, the differences between Japanese and American culture are great; writing, body language, dress, are all examples. "Rory" the American totally stands out amongst his fellow contestants. He is shocked to see them willingly cutting off their own fingers, while they seem unfazed. Really notice how Farley portrays the stereotypical American with his vocabulary and conversation. It's a lighthearted look at a very real and very wide culture gap.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Goal for the Semester
I've always enjoyed writing, particularly poetry and short stories, but even a good essay or research paper here and there. One thing I always seek to improve upon, and something that I want to focus on this semester, is to be able to write with less contemplation. Even now as I'm typing this paragraph, I find myself stopping to tweak certain words and make it as "pristine" as possible. I don't need to spend all that time trying to make it perfect. It's not that I want to write more sloppily, I would like to be able to make my point as clear and effortlessly as possible. More often than not, the revisions I make don't sound like something I would say. I'd like to develop a writing style that sits nicely somewhere between informal and elegant. My classes this semester are filled with enough time and writing assignments needed to produce at least a small change in my current style. It should be a good year.
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