VergeNow

Our "Gather" series continues this week with Erik Martinez Resly of The Sanctuaries DC. https://www.thesanctuaries.org

Rev. Erik is a visual artist, community organizer, and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister from a mixed religious family, who grew up in Frankfurt, Germany. He brings experience as a hospital chaplain, public speaker, and panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. He served as a Creative Community Fellow with National Arts Strategies and has received multiple awards from Harvard University. He is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Divinity School.

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

"Gather" continues this week as Lisa Smith is joined by Josh Hayden and Tom Lynch of Mission Possible and First Baptist Ashland, VA 

Josh Hayden, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Ashland and Tom Lynch, Minister to Students and Families, First Baptist Ashland; Co-Founders of Mission Possible, a one-day conference that allows young people to explore faith and calling through art, justice, and mission.

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

Lisa Smith interviews Sam Bodkin, CEO of Groupmuse on the way intimate gatherings around classical music are meeting the need for soulful community among Millennials.

Sam Bodkin is the founder and CEO of Groupmuse - bringing us together to nourish and harmonize our inner lives and our social, “outer” lives. By deepening our interior worlds with timeless, contemplative music and enriching our social lives with inclusive, joyous community, Groupmuse seeks a greater wholeness in your neighborhood and around the world. For more information visit https://www.groupmuse.com/

VergeNow's newest podcast series "Gather", is a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community. For more episodes visit www.vergenow.org/podcast-2

Lisa Smith of Convergence continues our series on "Gather", a current case study on re-imagining worship and gathering well in soulful community.

This week we sit down with Lindsay Hayes, a Ph.D student in Learning, Design and Technology from Penn State University as she outlines how the "flipped classroom" education model might translate to churches. "The humans in the building are the biggest resource we have. Talking to each other is the reason we should be coming together in person"

"Lindsay Hayes is a Ph.D student at Penn State University where she is studying virtual learning communities. For more information about the faith based group Daughter of a King Organization, visit DaughterOfAKing.co/“

Artistic Director and Pastor, Lisa Cole Smith opens up the Gather series with an introduction episode on VergeNow's current case study discussing the "How We Gather" reports, Priya Parker's "The Art of Gathering" and recognizing that change is necessary in our quest to gain insight into how Millennials are changing the way we gather and the opportunity for communities of faith to effectively meet the yearning for soulful community among rising generations.

"Gather" is our newest podcast series which is a Current Case Study from VergeNow asking how we might transform our worship at Convergence to meet a rising generation. Through an ongoing study group, podcasts, blog, virtual conversations and interviews with “experts” we will explore the How We Gather and Something More reports from Harvard Divinity School and the book, The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker.

This project is made possible through a Vital Worship Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by the Lilly Endowment Inc.

Part 3 of VergeNow's first series of becoming Creative Church. Lisa Cole Smith, Artistic Director and Pastor of Convergence is joined by Community Coordinator, Dan ABH and Cultural Architect, Jay Smith to begin the discussion of "The Big Why".

Artist Director and Pastor, Lisa Cole Smith discusses what Convergence is, what risk, creativity, and experimenting can do positively in Church, struggles with openness, and continuing what we are called to do.

Episode 1: Beginning

Artistic Director and Pastor at Convergence, Lisa Cole Smith begins part 1 of 3 of our first series on becoming Creative Church

Artistic Director and Host / Lisa Cole Smith is joined by Charlene Smith / Producing Artistic Director of Brave Spirits Theatre as they discuss creative courage and the crisis of faith that occurs in creative fields.