MoreThanMine An understanding that my life is a means for more ends than my own.

A chinese lion statue

"Who am I? I am not sure. I do not search in emptiness and need, but in increasing fullness and desire. Emptiness seeks any voice to fill a void, any face to dispel darkness. Emptiness brings crowds and shadows easy to replace. Fullness brings a friend, unique, irreplaceable. I am not as empty as I was. There are the wind and the ocean, books and music, strength and joys within, and the night. Friendship is less a request than a celebration, less a ritual than a reality, less a need than a want. Friendship is you and me--and I dream a lot. WILL YOU BE MY FRIEND? Beyond need."

( James Kavanaugh ) Will You Be My Friend?

Mark Driscoll v. The Emergent Movement

Nathanael Berends October 5th, 2007

Mark had written several articles for secular magazines and had been interviewed a few times on the radio and had gotten this reputation as a pastor who said cusswords. It is true that Mark said alot of cusswords. I don’t know why he did it. He hadn’t become a Christian until he was in college, so maybe he didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to say cusswords and be a pastor.

(Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz)

I read this book and excerpt nearly two years ago and I unwittingly sat through an entire service of Mark, The Cussing Pastor, without making the connection. Miller actually speaks quite well of Mark, and says that his church represented the first time in years that a church made him feel like he could breathe, but this wasn’t my experience.

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Mars Hill Seattle (or: How Heartbreaking).

Nathanael Berends September 30th, 2007

Wow… What a terrific letdown.

I went to a church here in Seattle… Mars Hill. It’s an 11-year-old church, and I had heard mixed things about it. It has many-thousands of members and four campuses here in the city.

And all I can say is that my heart was deeply saddened by what I experienced this morning.

Perhaps tomorrow when I have more time and emotional energy to devote to the topic, I’ll elaborate.

In the face of their huge growth–their main campus is adding a fifth Sunday service beginning next week–I can’t see how it’s happening.

Yes, the service was hip… But I have never felt less at church than I did this morning. What I experienced today was not church. When I figure out what it was, I’ll let you know.

(how heartbreaking.)

Shutdown The Mitten.

Nathanael Berends September 29th, 2007

Emily Bosma (10:38) : oh did you hear the that MI gov might shut down?

(Well, as a matter of fact, I did not hear that.)

At it appears, legislators in Michigan can’t agree on the budget which is due October 1st. As a result, parts of the state’s government will be shut down. Jennifer Granholm, Governor, has said that 35,000 of the state’s 53,000 employees are not to come to work on Monday if the shutdown occurs.

(what happens when a state shuts down? has this ever happened before?)

In other news, I went to a booksale today hosted by Friends of the Seattle Public Library, and found some treasures. Accordingly, I am well into the first chaper of Walking The Bible: A Journey By Land Through The Five Books of Moses. It’s pretty snazzy so far. Written by Bruce Feiler (NY Times, NPR’s All Things Considered) and very catchy.

But… Church is early in la manana.

Accordingly,

[joy fits.]

A Week In Seattle.

Nathanael Berends September 28th, 2007

It’s been a week since I’ve been in Seattle, and given my new geography, I’ve somewhat resolved in myself to spend more time recording my experiences… Recording life.

It’s been a few months since Lisa and I parted ways for the second–and last–time. One of the last things she said to me is that I should begin journaling again. (She even gave me a very nice journal she made by hand.) It struck me as perhaps her final suggestion that I find myself somehow. That was thoughtful of her.

Seattle has met my expectations in the 8 days that I’ve been here. It hasn’t yet exceeded them, but there’ll be plenty of time for that, I trust. There are all manner of cool neighborhoods and boroughs that I have been exploring, and that has kept me occupied between studies.

Speaking of studies… It has been somewhat of a shock confronting the reality that I am now attending a real university. I have been forced to study more in this week than I think I may have in a whole Boston semester. (And perhaps forced isn’t even the right word… I find every one of my four classes to be thoroughly engaging and worthwhile.)

8:00a–Christian Scriptures (MWF)
11:00a–Foundations of Educational Ministry (MWF)
1:30a–Arts & Christian Community (MWF)
6:30p–World Religions (M)

I am taking two classes in the school of theology and two from the university core curriculum. The theology classes have completely confirmed my interest and passion for ministry and the related arts.

Onto other things… I am getting more sleep that I ever did in Boston. Every day of this past week, I’ve been out of bed before 7:00a, and back in bed before midnight. Not too shabby. (I expect this to change, given my past habits.)

On the job front, I am now employed by three entities. I was hired yesterday by The Basketball Club of Seattle (who owns NBA Sonics and WNBA Storm) as a visitor services/ticket operations associate. More or less, this means I’ll be working in the Box office at Key Arena for all home Seattle Sonics games. This is pretty cool. (Each shift is paid at a 4-hour minimum, and usual shift only takes 2.5 hours.) This is 2 or 3 nights a week, beginning in late October. (The guys who interviewed me also said that they’ve been looking to fill a position in the video production department that my past experience qualifies me for, and that they’d pass my resume on to the right people. That’s pretty cool.) I also was hired by Seattle Pacific’s Office of Annual Giving where I’ll be making fundraising calls. Today I interviewed for a third job with SPU’s Office of Admission, and I am almost completely positive that I have that job as well. It’s a little tricky because all three jobs are in the evening, and I could really use some employment on Tuesdays/Thursdays during the day. (Perhaps this makes an ideal window for my studies… Who knows.)

At any rate… Given my newfound resolution to write more often, I’m certain I’ll be back here soon.

And for old time’s sake…

[Joy Fits.]

Seattle Public Library.

Nathanael Berends September 12th, 2007

This is cool.

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EIV April Weather Promo

Nathanael Berends April 13th, 2007

One of the many promo spots from EIV News At 6:00’s April campaign. I rather like this one. (I’ll give you one guess why.)

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Raw EIV Wx SOTs.

Nathanael Berends April 2nd, 2007

These are raw weather SOTs which will be used in an upcoming promo for EIV News at 6:00. I thought this unedited string of SOTs was funny. Enjoy!

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Will You Be My Friend?

Nathanael Berends April 1st, 2007

I have this problem, you see? I will walk into used bookstores, get excited about the treasures held therein, and buy as many of them as I can afford. I picked up this book to criticize the cover, opened it to read the title poem and, much to my surprise, ended the poem with teary eyes. Here it is: the title work in James Kavanaugh’s “Will You Be My Friend?”

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Jenny Davis is behind this one.

Nathanael Berends December 5th, 2006

This is a first take. I recorded it as I wrote it. I would like to re-record the song. I like it. Continue Reading »

In Meridith, NH

Nathanael Berends November 24th, 2006

Greetings, from Meridith, New Hampshire. I am currently staying with some relatives up here for Thanksgiving break.

Talking points:

The weather is great.
Thanksgiving was very delightful.
The stillness of the woods up here is fantastic.

Until I next update, I’ve attached a nice photo from one of the hikes we too. (We’ve been averaging a hike each day.)

I’ll certainly try to update more frequently.

Love.

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