Archive for the ‘From the Trenches’ Category

The John 17:23 Network – November gathering

November 11th, 2011 by Beyth Hogue Greenetz

The John 17:23 Network exists to encourage, exhort, and equip the multi-ethnic Body of Christ in the greater Portland area to fulfill Jesus’ prayer that we might all be one. We will be meeting on November 13 from 7 – 8:30pm at Trinity Full Gospel Pentecostal Church (4801 NE 19th Ave. in Portland). You are invited to attend this gathering, at which John Canda will be speaking on gang violence and related issues in the Portland area. This event, sponsored by The John 17:23 Network, is a sustained effort to become more aware of and engage issues of gang violence.

John Canda is on the front lines of gang violence intervention efforts both locally and regionally. He has a close working relationship with the Portland Police Bureau and their Gang Violence Task Force. He has appeared on the local news as an authoritative voice on the issues of Portland gang violence. John is the founder of CONNECTED which seeks to reduce youth violence through youth engagement and other prevention efforts. Connected was founded on April 27, 2011 just after the gang-related murder of Shiloh Hampton at Holladay Park in Ne Portland.

The John 17:23 Network – October gathering

October 5th, 2011 by Beyth Hogue Greenetz

The John 17:23 Network exists to encourage, exhort, and equip the multi-ethnic Body of Christ in the greater Portland area to fulfill Jesus’ prayer that we might all be one. We will be meeting on October 9 from 7 – 8:30pm at Imago Dei Community (1302 SE Ankeny; Portland) in room 201. You are invited to attend this gathering, at which Robert Richardson will be speaking on gang violence and related issues in the Portland area. This event will introduce The John 17:23 Network to a sustained effort to become more aware of and address issues of gang violence.

Mr. Richardson has been on the front lines of gang violence intervention efforts both locally and nationally. He has a close working relationship with the Portland Police Bureau and their Gang Violence Task Force. He has appeared on the local news as an authoritative voice on the issues of Portland gang violence. He comes to The John 17:23 Network as an Elder at Emmanuel Temple in Northeast Portland.

The John 17:23 Network – May gathering (with a special focus on refugees)

May 6th, 2011 by Beyth Hogue Greenetz

On Sunday, May 15, The John 17:23 Network will take a special look at how the values of the network penetrate the issue of caring for refugees.

Join us on Sunday, May 15 at 6:00pm at Central Bible Church (8815 NE Glisan St. in Portland). This event is open to the public. See you there!

UPDATE: Wondering how you can learn more about refugees in Portland? Click here for a list of resources.

The John 17:23 Network – April gathering

April 7th, 2011 by Paul Louis Metzger

The John 17:23 Network will be gathering for a time of worship, prayer, and celebration on Sunday, April 10 at 6:00pm at Trinity Full Gospel Pentecostal Church (4801 NE 19th Ave. in Portland). We hope you’ll join us!

The John 17:23 Network – March gathering (with a special focus on illegal immigration)

February 23rd, 2011 by Paul Louis Metzger

On Sunday, March 13, The John 17:23 Network will take a special look at how the values of the network penetrate the issue of illegal immigration – moving beyond petty politics to people. This will be a great opportunity to engage the many complex issues surrounding this specific challenge to unity in the Body of Christ.

Join us on Sunday, March 13 at 6:00pm at Imago Dei Community (1304 SE Ankeny in Portland) in the Ankeny building, room 101. This event is open to the public. See you there!

For some material to get you thinking, check out the film Papers, this article by J. Mark DeYmaz and this op-ed by Rabbi Maurice Harris.

The John 17:23 Network – gathering on 2/13

February 11th, 2011 by Paul Louis Metzger

Dear friends,

We thank God for your partnership in The John 17:23 Network. Many of you were able to attend the gathering at Trinity Full Gospel Pentecostal Church on January 30. God moved mightily in our midst through worship and celebration. As many people said during and after the event, they experienced a taste of heaven, witnessing such diverse unity in the body of Christ.

Whereas the January gathering of The John 17:23 Network focused on worship and celebration, the February and March gatherings will be more educational in nature. This Sunday evening, 2/13, Dr. Brad Harper will co-lead with us and share about the importance of developing multiethnic churches. Before coming to Multnomah University to teach in 1999, Dr. Harper was a pastor in St. Louis, Missouri for 13 years. He was very involved with seeking after unity in the body of Christ along multiethnic lines and will bring his experiences and insights to bear on the discussion Sunday evening.

Our February gathering will be held this Sunday, 2/13 at 6:00pm at Central Bible Church’s Wilcox House. Central Bible Church’s address is 8815 NE Glisan St. The Wilcox house is located on the southwest corner of the church’s property (at the corner of NE 87th Ave. & Glisan St.). You can park in the lower parking lot.
For periodic updates and related information pertaining to The John 17:23 Network, stay tuned at www.consumingjesus.org or email bgreenetz@multnomah.edu.

See you Sunday!

Paul Louis Metzger

The John 17:23 Network

February 1st, 2011 by Paul Louis Metzger

In April of 2010, many people gathered at Allen Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church for “An Evening of Prayerful Repentance and Reconciliation.” Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr. and Dr. John M. Perkins led us in a time of worship and celebration and prayerful solidarity that God’s people might become one in the Greater Portland area. Ever since then, many Christians have been meeting in different locations to encourage and exhort and equip the multi-ethnic Christian community in the greater Portland area. There have been ups and downs along the way. However, I now feel that we are gaining traction with these gatherings.

We are now giving a title to our monthly gatherings involving various churches. We are calling our gatherings “The John 17:23 Network.” The aim of The John 17:23 Network is to encourage, exhort, and equip the multi-ethnic Body of Christ in the greater Portland area to fulfill Jesus’ prayer in our midst that we might all be one.

We held our first meeting for the 2011 year at Trinity Full Gospel Pentecostal Church on January 30th. Pastor William Turner, the Senior Pastor of Trinity and his church’s choir, Pastor David Stevens, Senior Pastor of Central Bible Church, Pastor Cliff Chappell, Senior Pastor of All Nations Church of God in Christ, and a large gathering of people from various churches came together to pray and worship and encourage one another to seek to live into Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Many shared after the celebration how encouraged they were by the event. Our prayer is that such gatherings will energize us to run the marathon race of breaking down divisions and entering into the fullness of Jesus’ undying and reconciling love for the church.

Please stay tuned for updates regarding the upcoming meetings. Please see the attached document with details of the January 30th meeting as well as information regarding the meetings in February and March. Thank you. God bless you!

Paul Louis Metzger

Interview with Clifford Chappell

June 14th, 2010 by admin

Paul Louis Metzger interviews the Rev. Clifford O. Chappell, who serves as senior pastor of St. Johns All Nations Church of God in Christ, Portland. The interview furthers the discussion of an Opinion column that Rev. Chappell wrote for the Oregonian earlier in the year.

PLM: What moved you to write that column?

CC: I was hearing a one-sided debate in the media supporting the position that racism does not exist, and that all too much is being made of it. The Opinion piece was my attempt to speak up and state my position that racism is alive and doing well in this country. I was especially moved after South Carolina congressman Joe Wilson’s outburst during President Obama’s speech to Congress, which I believe was directly rooted in racism. Former President Jimmy Carter was the only leading statesman who spoke up and addressed it as to what it was, that it “was based on racism.” He took a lot of heat but held his position and I applaud him for his stand.

PLM: What was the main point of your column?

CC: My main point was to demonstrate that racism exists in all facets of our culture. People are either aware of it and don’t know what to do anything about it, or they are in complete denial.

PLM: What types of responses did you receive to the Opinion column?

CC: I received many responses from across the full spectrum of beliefs. From very positive “Thank you for writing the article” to “It was a great article” to some very nasty and negative responses.

PLM: Were you surprised by the responses? If so, how so?

CC: No, I was not surprised at all by the responses. As indicated in the article, I am fully aware that racism is alive and well in this country and the responses only supported what I wrote. I believe that racism is still such a big issue that most people can’t even recognize it; it’s like trying to observe an elephant while standing only one foot away. It just doesn’t look like an elephant from that vantage point.

PLM: If you were to write a follow-up column, what would you say?

CC: My follow up article would be an attempt to raise the consciousness and awareness of racism. It is the lack of these sensitivities that causes people to be in denial.

PLM: As a pastor dedicated to pursuing a multi-ethnic church vision, what would you say to the blog’s readership?

CC: I recently got my wife a bouquet of flowers just to say, “Honey, I love and appreciate you.” The arrangement was a beautiful mix of assorted flowers where each enhanced the beauty of the next. As I studied them I was reminded of the multi-ethnic church. If we can see our individual differences as a bouquet that enhances the beauty of our diversity instead of as something to divide us, we will begin to see the real beauty that God intended, and celebrate our diversity as we worship and serve our God.

From the Trenches|Curtis May, Grace Communion International

March 16th, 2010 by Bryan Dormaier

Our post for in the trenches comes from Curtis May. Curtis is Director of the Office of Reconciliation Ministries for Grace Communion International.  We’re excited to be able to have Curtis share about what he does with the Office of Reconciliation Ministries (from here on referred to as ORM).  Below is Curtis’ description of his involvement with ORM.

At ORM I counsel Christians and non-Christians alike on issues of conflict, disputes and broken relationships in general. We have 27 chapters in 5 countries – the U.S., Canada, Ireland, England and Scotland. Our work has extended into Africa and the Philippines as well. Our Vision is: ‘To put the teachings of Jesus Christ into action by advancing relationships between people of different beliefs and points of view.” Our Mission: “To respond to situations of racial or ethnic tension and to help build lasting, harmonious and accepting relationships.

Our Core Values are guided by Scripture:

1. Reconciliation as a ministry given to us by God (II Corinthians 5:18-19)

2. All humans made from one blood (Acts 17:26)

3. The inclusive mission/vision of Jesus (Luke 4:18)

4. Neither Jew, Greek, male nor female, but all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28)

5. Practical demonstrations of love and faith, including literature resources such as our book, Mending Broken Relationships (James 2:16)

In fulfilling our mission we conduct workshops, seminars and give presentations on the topics of reconciliation and conflict resolution throughout the United States and occasionally overseas. We see the need to stand in the gaps that divide people.

ORM has worked with police departments, city halls, schools and other organizations to participate in the mandate of Jesus “that they may be one” (John 17:20-23). We specifically emphasize this message of oneness as we work among churches in the spirit of interdenominationalism. As Dr. Paul Metzger points out so poignantly in his book Consuming Jesus, the church has a huge problem of race, class and consumerism.

We have received a number of awards and certificates for our work, including the key to the city of Memphis. (Please see “Awards” on our website at www.ATimeToReconcile.org.) We also work in inter-faith settings with Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Ba’hai.

Portland Network

July 1st, 2009 by admin

For the last two years I’ve been encouraging churches interested in figuring out how to be postured more intentionally to serve their neighborhoods, through bringing them together with service organizations for a monthly luncheon and ideas exchange. We started doing this after John M. Perkins visited Portland, and it brought many of us together for inspiration toward loving neighbors, ministering to ex-offenders, and seeking justice among the poor. We’ve been calling our group the Christian Community Development Network (CCDN). It has proven to be very beneficial for those of us who have met regularly. Collaborative efforts have taken place and I think most of us have received encouragement to press on in our areas of ministry. Lately though, I’m sensing from the Lord a need to increase the influence of a network like this.I wonder if there would be a way to bring together helping agencies, civic and neighborhood groups, city-minded educators, the business community, city government people, and churches (including a greater racial diversity than city networks typically have) to share their resources for collaboratively enriching our city. Could a larger network such as this create greater awareness of needs, resources, and opportunities to respond, resulting in greater potential for collaborative endeavors and ultimately greater love shown more consistently to Portland?

To do something like that would take buy-in by influential city leaders and opinion influencing church leaders whose involvement would encourage others to come together, too. That’s the piece that needs to be discerned; who would that be? And do they want something like this? Jeff Spry from City Connections in Little Rock Arkansas contacted me recently. He was encouraged to do so by a representative from the Luis Palau Association. He was told I might be interested to know what they are doing. I had shared with no one at that time what I was thinking, but City Connections is close to what I have been trying to conceive in my mind. Might this be an example that we could modify for the Portland context? I wonder if the momentum toward service generated by Season of Service could move closer to “whole-lives of service” through the kind of inspiration, relationship, awareness, and collaboration opportunities a network like this could provide.Take a look at City Connections’ website and watch the intro video. Could something like this be contextualized to Portland? What if there was a simple format of a once-a-month lunch-time gathering at a consistent city-central location. One helping group or issue could be presented in about 20 minutes or so, and the rest of the time people could network, exchange information/opportunities/needs. If we could get the right people to participate, would you be interested? Would you be willing to help get the right people to the table?

I know there are many conversations going on right now about how to perpetuate service beyond a season; loving Portland, caring for those in need, cultivating a generous Church, resourcing Christian ministries that serve the city (and those are just the conversations I know about). I wouldn’t see this as another competing voice but as possibly a simple and doable way to keep the conversation moving toward outcomes. Just get everyone to the table, build relationships, inform others about what helping people/orgs/churches/groups do, who they are, what they have available and need, then see what folks might be inspired to take back to their people. Basically, it would be about setting the table for dialogue, understanding, relationship, and opportunity. That’s all; we would leave the rest to God. What do you all think?
Clark Blakeman,
Executive Director, Second Stories