Chicago Invitation
Author: teejtc / Category: ReligiousThere is a not-so-new movement in the RCA that some of you may be familar with (and others not) called the Chicago Invitation, the latest meeting of which took place yesturday (Wednesday, Oct. 12) and this morning. It is, among other things, a fellowship for reformed renewal and reflection.
As a matter of fact, that’s the phrase we’re now using:
Chicago Invitation: a fellowship for reformed renewal and reflection
If you’ve never heard of it before, it’s worth noting that the Chicago Invitation has nothing, specifically, to do with Chicago. The name is derived from the fact that the original document (an “invitation”) was delivered to delegates of General Synod several years ago when it met in Chicago (therefore: Chicago invitation.) That original document still guides us. If you’re interested in reading it, you can check it out at: http://www.chicagoinvitation.org/.
It’s also worth noting that the Chicago Invitation is not in allegience with any particular political group, classis, or regional synod. It is also not a group of either “liberals” or “conservatives.” Indeed, if you bother to read the original document, you’ll find that the movement itself is very “conservative” despite the fact that many would consider some of our members “liberal.” (Which just goes to show how useless those categories are in the first place.)
All of which is to say that we will be having another meeting in May 2006; it will be somewhere “out east” (since this one was in the mid-west). There will also be another meeting in October 2006 in the mid-west (likely Chicago).
I had the privledge of leading worship both days for the meeting this week. It was a wonderful time of rejuvination and fellowship with both like-minded (and not-so-like-minded) individuals! I hope to see some of you involved in the future.
Want to know more? Just ask! This is not some kind of secret or anti-establishment group. It is, as I already mentioned a fellowship for reformed renewal and reflection. We need it.
Grace and Peace,
`tim
3 Responses to “Chicago Invitation”
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October 14th, 2005 at 9:27 am
I signed on pretty early to the movement, but then found it got bogged down in long-winded articles which were good on diagnosis, and poor on remedy. I don’t like the RCA’s corporate, unrepresentative leadership culture, but I am not sure the Chicago Invitation is equipped to reach those in the pews, or to those ministers who don’t have the time or interest in theoretical postulations. I like this new emphasis on fellowship and renewal, as long as the reflection part does not devolve into further navel-gazing.
October 14th, 2005 at 12:10 pm
Scott,
You are so right!
That was, in many ways, what this meeting was intending to deal with. CI had lost some momentum and needed some focus. Hopefully, this will help provide that.
We are looking toward a greater convocation in 2007 and will be meeting twice, each year, to think very practically about the points brought up in the original document.
Stay tuned!
Grace and peace,
`tim
October 28th, 2005 at 6:43 pm
Something practical…that’s an idea…could start by calling for some resignations in the New York and Grand Rapids offices.