{"id":895,"date":"2011-05-15T15:55:40","date_gmt":"2011-05-15T19:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/yearofsundays\/?p=895"},"modified":"2011-05-16T20:58:51","modified_gmt":"2011-05-17T00:58:51","slug":"tents-tables-tears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yearofsundays\/2011\/05\/tents-tables-tears.html","title":{"rendered":"Theophilus Church: Tents! Tables! Tears! Oh My!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We had big plans to visit our local Mosque this evening, but unfortunately, having read our blog, they aren’t 100% sure they want us to come anymore. We’re in limbo waiting for their board to meet and make a decision. The sad thing is we were really looking at our visit as an opportunity to address the recent Osama-inspired xenophobia and explore a religion that few Americans, myself included, even remotely understand. I hope they rule in our favor and give us a chance to see Islam from the inside.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, tonight we’re checking out Theophilus Church.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>They are a Christian Church that practices together in three distinct ways:<\/p>\n

Tents<\/strong> – Because “We are all wanderers. Our tent is where our community gathers to pray, worship, celebrate communion, and learn from the Scriptures with God and each other on Sundays. Anyone of any race, religion, sexuality, and background are invited to enter this tent to worship.” Also – they SERVE DINNER at 5PM before the service. We’re totally IN. This is what we’ll be attending tonight.<\/p>\n

Tables<\/strong> – Because “Jesus ate really good food with really bad people.\u00a0 As a community we eat together a lot because we believe those we eat with are those we are closest to. We call these Table Communities. Different people like to cook, others set up tables, clear plates and wash dishes, and some just need a meal and friendship. There are Table Communities throughout the week that gather to spend time together, build friendship, and eat a good meal.” How rad is THAT?<\/p>\n

Tears<\/strong> – Because “This God needs Kleenex. Jesus wept. By and large, most gods are too strong, immovable, and plain busy to be concerned with suffering in the forms of poverty, hunger, injustice, sex trafficking, loneliness, addiction, and oppression in all its manifestations. As a community sharing life together means to know and be known, to be there for each other during good times and bad, to laugh and cry together with the compassion that Jesus has for us. Not just in our community alone, but the city where God has placed us: Portland. To be more active in serving the community we have an available network of nonprofit organizations through which we actively invite all to serve through to better participate in God\u2019s justice wherever and however it may be found.”<\/p>\n

I don’t know, but I’m thinking this church might be kinda rad.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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