A change of Space

Our Sunday night gathering is in the midst of a truly life-giving weekly conversation focused on “Why we do What we do…” (Intro here) This Sunday we will be moving into our new space back at First Presbyterian… the side chapel with the funky stain glass windows. This is timely as our conversation will be focused on “The Importance of Sacred Space Why meet here?

Personally, I am so excited as my folks will be in Bend for the first time ever. They’ll be joining us for our conversation. Also, parker from Seattle (the original Knucklehead) and Carley from Portland (who is doing some very exciting things in the Presbyterian | Emergent church there). This week’s conversation, I believe, will prove to be quite intense as we encounter such a wide array of stories around the idea of whether space matters to our community gathering | worship.

On a very significant note for me… a year ago today I was turned down for the position I was hoping for at Wenatchee Free Methodist Church. I had a lot banking on this job as it was the first real interview since I graduated seminary a year before in ’06. They flew me out and so many things had seemed to go so well. Wenatchee was on my top five places to live in the country… of course, I knew nothing about Bend at the time. When I found out that I was not to be moving to Wenatchee I was shattered and got pretty desperate looking for ways of planting a church there. I was at a point that I was feeling so disconnected with traditional church that I could do nothing but start one of my own with similar minded folks. A week and a half later, I found First Pres Bend, and a month later I was gearing up to move out here.

So here I am… on the journey of beginning. Below are some pics of our new space and the beginning there.

About Nate

Currently, Nate is living in Bend, OR, working as the co-founder for VillageWorks (celebrating abundance | creative connectivity) and the singular Bend|OR advocate of BridgeWorks (an educational 501[c]3). He is connecting and holding space for an emerging community of people, young and old, who are seeking to grow into more sustainable and mature relationships… with self, community and God. The vision on his heart is one of giving people experience of village culture and practice. Nate can be found connecting people through at The Hub, VillageWorks’ Central Oregon community connection center (www.rockthevillage.com) and making oven pancakes for the biggest regular “village” breakfast in Bend every Saturday morning at 9:30. Nate went to Bethel College in St Paul, MN (’03), got his BA in Youth Ministry, completed his Masters in Divinity at Bethel Seminary (’06) with an emphasis in Spiritual Formation, and is currently pursuing a certificate in Spiritual Formation at George Fox Seminary in Portland. His hope is to continue to pursue community spiritual formation within the framework of the neighborhood conversation and cross-cultural dialog. Nate has been connecting people into more authentic community in Bend | OR since June ’07. Since day one of his arrival, Nate has been gifted with the chance to listen and learn about the culture and people of Central Oregon. Because of his passion for conversation and community, he has fallen in love with the people of this wonderful city and is committed to the growth of more intentional and transformational community. Nate’s particular areas of interest are: * conversational transformation * spiritual formation * relational mentoring and counseling * small group strengthening * men’s work (spiritual, emotional, and relational) * “Village Knowledge” of homecraft, live food, etc * Intergenerational community * New visions of the gifts we offer to the community * teaching for the 21st century, and more. At this time Nate has not written any books, but hopes to some day have enough material to put into some type of publication. At this point, he is dedicated to building relationships in Bend, Central Oregon, and across the United States to connect people to what is happening in an emerging and evolving paradigm and with those who are seeking to follow God and live more authentically in the transforming presence of the divine.
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