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No, I'm not going to write a review of the interesting, quiet movie starring Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson - though it is a good movie. I'm going to talk about going from seminary back to church.

Last Monday, I walked across the stage of the National Cathedral and received my diploma. Behind me, beyond the choir area of the massive, beautiful Episcopalian cathedral, a holy wall lined with past saints looked on as I completed one journey and moved irrevocably into the future.

The following is something that appeared on my blog late last year. I am sending it out again in the hopes that there are people (living in or near the MInneapolis/St. Paul area) who might be interested in being a part of this. Feel free to email me at dennis.sanders@gmail.com if you are interested or know someone who is.

Is this thing on?

The desire to be among others who exhibit similar characteristics seems to be an intrinsic human desire which culminates in the exclusion of others. Historically humanity has drawn many lines which testify to this need to identify some as “us” and some as “them.” Some have even used religious ideas, such as Manifest Destiny, to promulgate and justify the oppression and subjugation of those considered others.

Fellow blogger Bruce Reyes-Chow is running for Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA). He has a fascinating post about four shifts that his denomination needs to take. I won't go into all of them, but I will highlight number 4:

Every so often, when I feel down about myself, I tend to read this article by Bob Hyatt, a church planting pastor. I like reading his short essay because he reminds me that church planting isn't crazy.

Something that has struck me lately is that planting a church is really an act of faith. Hyatt writes: