Ekklesia Project 2006

        This is the second year I’ve been able to attend the annual Ekklesia Project gathering held at DePaul University in Chicago. By the way, I am still very impressed with Chicago’s public transportation, way to go CTA! I met up with Kaz again for this year’s EP gathering and as always it was good to see my old friend. This year’s theme was about imagining what the Kingdom looks like. There was a heavy emphasis upon artistic expression of the Kingdom. We Ekklesia folk can tend to get bogged down in “resisting the Empire” (which was last year’s theme) that we often forget to do the positive work of creatively expressing what the Kingdom looks like. There was talk of Christian discipleship looking like improvisational theatre via Sam Wells. At the end of the first day we heard the music of the Psalters. This was the first EP “concert” that I’m aware of, and it was nice to see old theologians and pastors get into the upbeat nomadic sounds of the Psalters.
        The second day was about “Kingdom Practices.” Brenna Cussen, a young woman from a Catholic Worker House in South Bend, IN told us about her life with CWH and the daily practices of caring for the poor and homeless and practicing hospitality that her community finds to be essential to their life together. Fred Bahnson and Grace Hackney spoke to us about Anatoth Gardens, which their church began after the shooting of a man in their community. It was a really encouraging story of how a church was able to “practice resurrection” in the midst of a violent world. We ended the day with a “coffeehouse” which is academia for “variety show.” Many of the artists were inspired by Wendell Berry, including a photographer, a fashion designer and a painter. Songs were sung and poetry read... it was a great time together.
        For more on this year’s Ekklesia Project check out, AKMA’s thoughts on day one, day two and day three.