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)
Monday, February 28, 2011
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:
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