I remember flying on a Hughes Airwest flight with the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator in the cockpit. My child eyes were wide with curiosity as I boarded the plane. Now, with advancements in technology, the navigator seat is no more. Computers handle the navigating tasks and a live person to navigate in the cockpit is no longer necessary.

If we use the jet plane metaphor for the church, we often think of the pastor in the pilot's seat, giving direction and leadership to the flight, but when it comes to the church there is no way to set an auto-pilot to do the navigator's job. With church no longer working the way it used to, navigating our way through the turbulence takes different skills, new learnings, and of course, lots of prayer.

Some of the traps we have to navigate our way out of include:

• If the doors of the church are open, people will come.
• Our community is no different than it was 10 years ago (or 20, or 30.)
• If we work harder at what we've been doing we'll get different results (remember the definition of insanity?)
• The pastor can do it/the pastor can do everything.

As you start navigating a different flight pattern, don't forget 1) it's normal for others to question what you are doing, and 2) the only person you can control is yourself. God is looking for leaders who will take God's vision for the church, and move it from paper, to materials, to flight.

Gibbs and Bolger start off telling us why an understanding of emerging churches is so important:

• cultural understanding has always been essential to good mission practice
• the west is in the midst of huge cultural shifts
• the church is in decline
• the primary mode and style of communication in western culture have changed
• Boomers are the last generation that is happy with modern churches
• many Christians no longer follow the religion of their parents

While there is still disagreement on the definition of "emerging church" what I find helpful are chapters on the distinct value shifts that were identified out of those doing church in a "new way." These values, primarily being reclaimed out of the early church, include living in community, commitment to service, and participatory leadership. I believe these emerging values will especially resonate with those who have no church background or experience, a key focus group for many of us.

Thursday, November 15th for Clergy Women featuring Patti Pierce of Wellspring

At Redwood Glen, we are committed to equipping leaders for service in their church, but also in their personal life and family. This specialized one-day retreat for Clergy Women is being developed to address the issues women who are called to God's work face. As a wife, mother, and minister, Patti Pierce has a strong desire to help others learn how to let the Truth of God's Word meet the cries of their own hearts. You will be blessed by the fellowship, teaching, and times of refreshment during this first-time one day event.

Register by October 31st for $75 and save $20. Prices increase November 1st through the start of the event. Rooms in our Conference Center are still available for the Optional Overnight, Wednesday, November 14th which features a special "breakfast in bed" for only $35.

Discounts for first-time Meta registrations (and inviters) are also available.
For more information, click here for a downloadable brochure.

ALSO COMING IN 2008...
Our second annual Pastors' Conference - February 25-27, featuring Chris Gambill, Senior Consultant for the Center for Congregational Health.

Redwood Glen is located in the Santa Cruz mountains just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. We are an hour drive from the San Francisco and San Jose airports. For more information on our programs and facilities, check out our website at www.redwoodglen.com.

If you are interested in having someone from Redwood Glen or Metamorphosis staff provide pulpit supply, please email us at meta@redwoodglen.com.
Available dates for Joan Friesen this fall: October 28, November 11, & December 16

Previous editions of our Metamorphosis e-newsletters may be found on the Redwood Glen and Metamorphosis websites.