en http://www.symphonicforthecity.com © Copyright 2000 - 2010Church Community Builder. All Rights Reserved. http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=58 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=58&article_id=92 For those who believe Christ is moving them to join the church Symphonic, we ask you to download and read our covenant of membership. Each quarter the church spends one Sunday morning celebrating as a community. We baptize those who desire to follow Christ's command; we remember Christ's work by sharing communion, and we have a meal together and play music and catch up on each others lives. Basically we have a party. On those days we ask people to turn in signed membership covenants as part of the celebration. If you find yourself questioning any aspect of our document, "Membership in Symphonic," or our covenant, and you desire further explanation, we ask you to contact one of the elders personally or you can send an email to symphonicforthecity@gmail.com with a subject line of "membership questions." Thu, 4 Feb 2010 12:27:08 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=58 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=58&article_id=91 Beginnings What do we mean when we say we are members of the church Symphonic? How does someone become a member of the church Symphonic? What difference does being a member of the church Symphonic make? To me? To others? The term "church" as it is used in the bible has several different levels. A church can be a group meeting together in a home or a city; it can be a reference to all believers who live in a particular region; it can be a manner of discussing all people who have ever become part of God's family from the beginning of time. When we speak of the church Symphonic, we mean the local gathering of Christians who meet together under that name. A local church is characterized by recognized/defined members who are mutually submissive and accountable to each other and to recognized/defined leaders, all of whom are under submission to the leader and founder of the entire church, Jesus Christ. No person ever started a church or became a member of a church or led a church without Jesus Christ first starting it, adding people to it, and leading it. He is the measure of all things, the maker of all things, the sustainer of all things, and the head of all things. Symphonic exists only through Him and to accomplish His purposes in the earth. Without Him Symphonic ceases to have either a means or a meaning for existing. Each person who becomes a member of Symphonic can only do so at His calling and in obedience to Him, and will only remain a member of Symphonic for as long as He has a purpose in their continued participation in the church. The Real Church In a real church Jesus chooses the members and informs them of His choice. Jesus also defines the roles and responsibilities of those He chooses. All of this is a work of the heart that is discerned in our spirit. Like love, it involves a leap of faith. Joining a church is risky, and we should approach the decision with prayerfulness and thoughtfulness, leaning hard upon Jesus and trusting Him first and foremost. We need to be able to say, "I joined this church because I believe Jesus asked me to join myself to it." Leaders or people who take on particular roles and responsibilities within the church also need to be able to say, "I serve in this capacity because I believe Jesus has asked me and equipped me to serve." While those who are already members and leaders of a church play a part in helping others to find their way into membership and areas of service, no other answer will ever substitute for the clear and simple statement of faith in Jesus's call to an individual. A church is an organism standing in the gap between the seen and the unseen; this world and the next. Because the church is a living organism it would be wrong to refer to a place or a building as a church. This concept has caused confusion in American society and brought about a belief that church is something that one can go to, rather than understanding it is something that one becomes a part of. When we speak of "becoming a member" of a church, we are speaking along lines similar to the mysterious organic bonds that form between husband and wife, parent and child. We are not "in charge of" these forces, although we can recognize them and make choices about them. Becoming a church member is much more like falling in love than it is like joining the YMCA. Since a church is much more like an organism than an organization, it isn't surprising that its early stages should be characterized by less form and that, as it develops, it becomes more structured. Every organism begins as a single cell. Even after many cell divisions an organism may not appear to have much in the way of organization, but eventually cells take on more specialized functions to bring the organism the form it needs to live fully. The great mystery in living organisms is this: no one knows why cells divide; it just happens. Cellular growth happens after the nature of the organism and in the proper time for each organism. The church grows in this same mysterious way. Spiritual forces act upon us according to the purposes Jesus has for us. Our growth principle; the thing causing us to grow at all and to take on definite form for full life, is Jesus Christ. Family Resemblance The bible teaches us about milestones and characteristics which go along with people who have come to know they are part of God's church through the work of Jesus Christ. Just as siblings from the same mother and father can share a "family resemblance" even though they are unique individuals, members of God's family have common characteristics while retaining their own unique and personal relationship with God. Salvation by grace through faith in the work of Jesus Christ alone is the beginning of the spiritual life of Christians, and the primary "family resemblance" of all the members of God's family down through all the ages. It is the first mysterious work of God in us that we come to realize the truth of the Gospel and to believe it applies to us personally. This work may come as an explosive revelation or a gentle awakening, but it comes to us. None of us makes ourselves into a Christian. We recognize who we are when we recognize what Jesus did through his birth, life, death and resurrection. Our birth into the family of God (the universal church) comes through this vehicle of God's work, God's prompting us to look at his work, and God's enabling us to believe in his work. Once we recognize who Jesus is and who we are, we submit to the rite of baptism. Baptism is very much like a wedding ceremony: we fall in love, we sense a desire to join ourselves to a person, we invite our friends and loved ones to help us acknowledge and celebrate the mysterious bond we've discovered in our hearts. Just as a wedding doesn't create a marriage, but displays it, so our baptism displays the relationship we've found in our hearts with God through Jesus Christ. And this is the way Jesus asked his followers to acknowledge the beginning of their relationship with Him. The rite of communion is the manner in which Jesus asked his followers to remind each other of their relationship with Him. Continuing with the analogy of a marriage, communion is similar to celebrating wedding anniversaries, or the renewal of vows. Together with our friends and loved ones we stop the normal flow of life and take time to remember how love arrived, how we continue to love and how we hope to love in the future. In the bread and the wine of communion we see the work of Jesus Christ for us again; his broken body and his shed blood, and again we see who he is and who we are. Life in The Family What does a church do? One of the primary analogies used in the bible to describe church is that of family. Families are as unique as individuals, and each family has its own set of values, chores, routines and rules. If you grew up in a family where mom and dad ran a painting business, it was unthinkable to grab any paintbrush and use it to paint your face with mud from a back yard mud puddle. In a different family, pulling that stunt got laughter and pictures taken; in the painter's family you were sent to your room. The family business of the church is telling everyone about the gospel. This is why the church exists. We are a repository of the gospel of Jesus Christ; a community in which the Good News operates all the time. We are to relate to one another through the gospel, resolve our conflicts through the gospel, grow and build through the gospel, endure hardships through the gospel, raise our families through the gospel, work and learn and marry through the gospel. A church has the gospel as its lone resource for life. A church puts forward an alternative community; a city within a city. A church says to all people: This is what your life can be if you live in light of what God has done through the gospel of Jesus Christ. By doing this we live fully ourselves while helping others to picture themselves as part of God's family. Family Arguments A good rule of thumb for relationships is this: no conflict means no growth, conflict without resolution means hell, and conflict with resolution means life and growth. Families don't always see eye to eye, and as we've already said, churches function much like families. Sometimes our simple affirmations of what we believe Jesus has called us to do conflict with what Jesus seems to have told others to do. Now what? There are three different outcomes in such a scenario: neither person is hearing Jesus correctly, one is hearing correctly and the other isn't, or both are hearing correctly. The first two need no explanation, the last is explained by something all Christians need to accept and live by - God sees possibilities that never enter our minds at all, and what we often see as mutually exclusive, "either - or" situations, turn out to be expanding possibilities of a "both - and" nature. When conflict arises the church must go to our one resource for resolution: the gospel. The gospel disarms all conflicts because it sets us at the foot of the cross where The Conflict was resolved through Jesus Christ on our behalf. All other conflicts are not to be compared to this. The gospel swallows them up. When those who disagree are brought to the cross and shown their true position again, often there is instantaneous reconciliation. Each person in the church carries the responsibility to live in light of the cross and to attempt conflict resolution by reminding themselves first of the gospel and then reminding those with whom they struggle. Sometimes we are so blinded by conflict that the cross becomes blurred or distant. Then we must seek the help of those who are seeing it more clearly than we are. Church "leaders" are called elders. Elders are people who have walked through many situations and days with Jesus and others. We rely on them to see the cross clearly on a regular basis and to point us to Jesus. Church leaders are called to use their experience with God and their knowledge of scripture to point the church to Christ at all times, but especially when conflicts arise. The church should bring conflicts to elders and seek their help in resolving them, and elders should be alert to conflicts in the church just as a father or mother know the sound of unrest within their own homes. One of the most unique aspects of the church from its earliest days was its social, political, racial, and gender diversity. The gospel allowed human beings to remain in close community who could not be together in any other context. The New Testament is full of warnings to these early gospel communities: stop lying to each other, don't steal from each other, be fair to each other, etc. So from the beginning churches have had plenty of conflict, but they've also shown the world a way to live in it without destroying themselves. We must not try to cover up our disagreements. Both inside the church and out, solving real conflicts through applying the truth of the gospel is one of the most powerful ways we show the real presence of Jesus. The church is encouraged when Jesus shows himself more wonderful than our brokenness and the people not yet in the church get to see the practical way the gospel works with real people. A final word about conflicts. There are times when godly people cannot find a resolution. Each of us is responsible to Jesus Christ above all else. We must not lay aside our genuinely held beliefs about what He has told us to do just for the sake of "keeping the peace" or "going along to get along." The gospel enables us to both lay down our conflicts in peace and to pick them up and hold onto them with confidence. If laying down a conflict or holding onto one produces bitterness or pride, or other distance from Christ, we need to re-examine what we believe Jesus is showing us to do. The Gospel In Unlike organizations operating within the framework of the world where "membership has its privileges" and potential members ask the question "what is in this for me?," the church is an organism living within the framework of God's kingdom. Membership in a church has many benefits, but no privileges, because, as we've already seen, we do not join a church, Jesus adds us to a church. Jesus alone holds all privilege and power in a real church. For our part we recognize how he exercised his power and laid aside his privilege in order to add us to God's family. Once we recognize this work of God in us and for us, we ask the question, "what is in this for Christ?" And we begin to work in the family business of telling the gospel to everyone, starting with the church itself. People who become part of a church give up their right to live as independent agents seeking their own good before others, and become interdependent upon each other through complete dependence upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. This binding of ourselves together through first being bound to Jesus Christ is the key to true community, and is at the root of the main benefit of church membership: gospel correction. From our earliest days we've received many messages about who we are and what we are worth. As a result of these messages all of us have developed ways of coping with the world. A boy who grew up receiving messages telling him he was valuable because of good grades in school grows up to be a man who gathers graduate degrees like dandelions because he's "the smart one." A girl who received messages telling he she was valuable because of her looks becomes a woman who never puts on makeup because she rejects the identity of "the pretty one." No one escapes these messages and they create areas of untruth in us; places where we live according to a lie. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the way we overcome the false identities and values, however we are usually the last to see our coping mechanisms. We've developed these identities over many years. It is hard to see the lies we've embraced as truth. Gospel correction is the way in which the members of a church consistently use the gospel to break up those lies and to accept the full truth of value and identity given to us in Christ. Having others observe your life for defects which are beyond your own powers of observation, lovingly communicating them to you, and walking with you until they are rectified is powerful and good, and is crucial in developing the alternative community through which others can see the gospel at work. In this light a true community cannot ever be one in which members come and go with no consequence or who are not clearly committed to membership in the community. This would destroy the ability of the community to speak truth and love to each other. We must always take into account the fact that we are joined together with others through the gospel of Jesus. The Gospel Out Recognizing you are part of a church is not a way to set yourself apart from anything; it is the way to understand how you are to fit into everything. It is true there is a line between those who have not become followers of Christ and members of His church, but it isn't a line of hostility; it should be a line of hospitality. The meetings and business and life of the church should be as open as possible to those who don't know or believe the good news yet. Remember, the family business of the church is to tell the gospel to everyone. We tell it to each other. We tell it to others. Like Jesus Christ, we do not engage the world from a distance but neither do we attempt to erase our distinct identity as ones who belong to God's family. Christians cannot deny either their humanity or their divine calling. We must always identify ourselves as BOTH members of the broken and desperately needy human race AND members of God's eternal and holy family. The service of the church to those who are not yet part of God's family is the telling of the gospel. Although the church engages many temporal needs of people, no temporal need supercedes this service and no service of the church can ever be detached from gospel service. Our motives are gospel motives. Our means are gospel means. Our ends are gospel ends. We must use our resources in this world to do whatever Jesus asks us to do. He alone sees clearly what a person's need really is, and only in him are we safe to give to others. Human charity and compassion are often the enemies of true gospel service because those who engage in them are attempting to build themselves up or alleviate guilt rather than bring others to the true and full life Christ has for them. When we serve we must be able to express the same sentiments as when we joined the church: Jesus has called us to do this work and so we do it. Those who receive gospel service may bless us or curse us. Amen. We are not trying to build a good reputation or please the world through our good actions. We are attempting to build the kingdom of God through obedient service to its chief architect, Jesus. Endings The church is the community Jesus Christ came to create and to inhabit through his Holy Spirit. We love Jesus. We follow Jesus. We talk about Jesus. We remind each other about Jesus. We ask others if they know Jesus. We are corrected by Jesus. We love each other through Jesus. We have hope for all people through Jesus. The tiniest bands of people, joining themselves together in the name of Jesus, have been agents of radical change for good in our world. We who are called together in this time and place in the church Symphonic say through him and to him, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done." Thu, 4 Feb 2010 12:15:02 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14&article_id=63 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:44:48 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=14&article_id=4 If you've been to a meeting of the church Symphonic, then you've heard a lot about being a part of a small group. There are several groups that meet throughout the week and we encourage everyone to become a part of one! These groups are small communities whose primary focus is to use the truth of the good news of the gospel to interpret their circumstances. There are moments in our lives when we can become overwhelmed with our circumstances and these groups create an opportunity for us to focus on God and respond to him in the midst of these circumstances, good or bad. Using the truth of the gospel, these groups are able to respond together in a sense of awe, a sense of praise, and a sense of gratitude towards a God who is active in our lives. Whether you would describe yourself as being a follower of Jesus Christ, or are still considering the claims of Jesus, we invite you to join us in one of our small groups. If you are interested in joining a small group or have any questions, please email Sean at symphonicsmallgroups@gmail.com. Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:40:01 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=33 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=33&article_id=65 Renewal is a juried art exhibit held each Spring and inspired by the themes of creation, resurrection and rebirth. Artists are encouraged to explore these themes from any perspective (i.e. Renewal is not a "Christian" art show). Honesty is essential to any art worth producing in any medium and we desire to maintain an atmosphere at Renewal where artists feel free to create honestly. Therefore, honesty dictates we should share our motives for, and beliefs about Renewal. We believe in a Creator who has expressed himself through all that is created and most especially through each person. We also believe the desire to create is a reflection of the imago Dei (image of God) within all human beings. Art is essential to human flourishing because it creates rifts in the here and now and allows (sometimes forcing, sometimes seducing) us to see the transcendent. We don't start to become fully human until we stop living in the animalistic pursuit of biological necessity and embrace both ugliness and beauty as real things. Symphonic's goal is to build a great city in which all people can flourish. A city without art is not a city where humans can thrive; a great city has great art. We understand all people do not share our beliefs. Renewal is an event for people of all beliefs or no beliefs. If you are an artist, please express yourself freely and honestly knowing you will be welcomed and appreciated. if you decide to attend Renewal we welcome your reactions to the art and look forward to the conversations generated by the efforts of all the artists. For more information about art shows in the Warehouse visit our facebook page or email warehouseartshows@gmail.com. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:52:39 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=57 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=57&article_id=90 Artists of all ages, levels of experience and personal/professional backgrounds are invited and encouraged to apply. Artists are invited to submit up to 4 pieces. Please send a completed application with your images. There is no entry fee to participate. Only original works will be accepted. All media, styles and techniques are welcome. Please note that because of the public and multi-use nature of the space, some artwork may be selected to show only for the opening reception and may not remain on display for the duration of the show. Jpegs or Tiffs are ideal and may be sent via email to: WarehouseArtShows@gmail.com If work is submitted on CD-ROM or electronically, send as tiff or jpeg files saved as: Last Name of Artist-Title.ext, for example: Jones-Beauty.jpeg or Jones-Beauty.tiff. Adobe Photoshop will be used to open these documents. Please list all included works on or in the CD case with number as on the hard copy entry form, artist's name, title of work, media and dimensions. Photos or CDs may be mailed to ART SUBMISSIONS 1229 W. Olney Road, Norfolk, VA 23507. If you would like your CD or photos back please send a SASE as well with proper postage in place. Delivery & Pick-up of Work: Artists are responsible for the delivery and pick up of all artwork at the designated times. We will not be accepting or returning artwork by mail. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:42:31 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=56 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=56&article_id=89 All artists submitting work for consideration in Renewal 2010 must download and submit this from with their work. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:40:01 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1&article_id=61 What's new in the New Year? Believe it or not we are making plans for the next installment of Renewal, our annual Spring art show. We are also making plans to redesign the Warehouse to maximize our use of the space. What could we do with it? How could we love our city with this building? In the weeks to come we'll be discussing these things as a community and joining together to remake our space. Small Groups: If you are interested in being part of a small group please take a look at the information displayed on the flat screen near the entrance of the warehouse or email us at symphonicsmallgroups@gmail.com. Park Place Child Life Center: For Park Place volunteering please contact Josh. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:20:37 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29&article_id=43 The Gospel of John: Good Endings Typically we use this time of year to assess our lives; where we've been, what we've done, how we'd like things to be different in the future. It is a fact, though often overlooked: our new beginnings are bound to fail if we fail to make good endings. The gospel offers a great resource for us to close down things in a good and lasting way so we can live freely in the future. Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:12:55 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=52 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=52&article_id=87 Symphonic's goal is to build a great city in which all people can flourish. A city without art is not a city where humans can thrive; a great city has great art. Why is this the case? The arts are things which possess inherent value; transcendent worth. When we buy an album or bring home a painting, we don't do it because they are useful, but because they are beautiful. They send us. They take us. Art interrupts biologic necessity and loosens psychological strait jackets with something beyond ourselves. When we disagree about art it only proves how value exists in some framework other than the one in which we normally live - a dollar's worth of art has no meaning; I only know I love the art and I pay for it. A city which only has time for "useful" things will not be a city where humans can flourish; it will be restless, cold, heartless. A city with great art and space for artists to explore and exhibit their art, is a city where real life, real value and real love can increasingly emerge. We believe in a way of living in this world that looks to Love as that which sets value. We believe God loves us not because we are useful, but because we are beautiful. We believe God is the Artist who died to redeem his art when it had been stolen and subjugated to a system which tried to cheapen it and make it only "useful." For us, then, art sends tremors through the corrupt world and opens up the opportunity to find Value, Beauty, and Love in their highest form: Jesus. Symphonic sponsors two art exhibits each year as a way to put life to our beliefs. Renewal is held each spring and centers upon the themes of creation and resurrection. Each fall we hold a show with a theme that strikes our fancy. These shows are not "Christian" shows. We encourage artists of all beliefs (or none) to participate and honestly explore the themes. For more information regarding art at Symphonic you can email warehouseartshows@gmail.com or you can join our facebook group. Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:59:26 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=39 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=39&article_id=72 horizon (hu'rIzun) - [n] the range of interest or activity that can be anticipated; [n] the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet. For too long people have asked the question: "where do you go to church?" A better question for a group of people who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ is: "where is your church going?" Symphonic is going many places every day and all the time. We are in our city, and schools, and neighborhoods; normal, everyday living and going. But sometimes we see further and go places we never dreamed of before. We go a little further. We find new horizons. Some of us follow Jesus into China and open coffee shops, others follow him to Las Vegas and start community serving non-profit organizations. Every one of us must never forget we are part of a movement; The Movement. Each of us must ask one more question: where has Jesus asked me to go? The church Symphonic must always be ready to ask: how can we encourage and support Christ followers who begin moving toward new horizons? Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:51:55 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=44 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=44&article_id=79 The Dwelling Place The Dwelling Place is an Ecumenical Shelter for Families with Kids (mainly battered/homeless women and children). Volunteers will be engaged in several projects simultaneously: Team A will lay down laminate flooring in the shelter’s kitchen that is in desperate need of repair. Team B will repair and build a broken handicap ramp for the shelter Team C will design a garden in front of the shelter Team D will teach computer seminars and various activities for the parents, beauty team will cut their hair, do nails, massage shoulders, teach cooking class, etc. Team E will do games and activities will children ages 0-12. *Special skills: need a hair stylist able to do African American hair, access to water and other facilities provided. *Special skills: need someone to do nails for the ladies at the shelter. *Special skills: need a cook able to teach a cooking class- nutritional meals on food stamps *Special skills: need a teacher who can easily teach MS Word. ARK (Acts of Random Kindness) A team of volunteers will randomly bless the people of Norfolk. Some ideas for the time include handing out roses to women, giving away cold water to drink at the bus stops/construction sites, putting coins in the laundromat for people. The team will look for and discover ways to love people in practical ways. Lifeworks Rehab of Norfolk Lifeworks Rehab of Norfolk is an inpatient rehabilitation service center for patients who’ve had surgery, experienced a stroke or been injured in a car accident. It is a low-income facility catering mainly to the elderly. A lot of the patients who live there do not have family in the area. They rarely get visitors. Our focus this year is simple: to give of ourselves, our time, and our hearts to the patients of Lifeworks Rehab. We will be facilitating and participating in social activities for the residents/patients on each floor of the center, helping the staff promote a Community Health fair and aiding the maintenance crew with small repair projects around the facility. Park Place Playground Landscaping/Painting Sport Images Volunteers will landscape a play area in Park Place from start to finish and create art work on boarded up windows. *Special skills required: need a couple of artists to paint the sports figures on the boarded up windows next to the play area Park Place Feeding the Homeless (at the Park Place Methodist Church) (Sat only) Volunteers will help feed 150 people at the soup kitchen of the Methodist Church in Park Place, will interact with the homeless, provide music entertainment, play boards games, etc Monroe Elementary School Sports Camp (Sat only) Volunteers will be holding a basketball tournament and a children’s Olympics. Hope House Foundation We have an opportunity to work with Hope House Foundation, the only organization in Virginia that supports adults with developmental disabilities in their own homes. Lauren Knowles, the development assistant from the organization, has created a painting project for Serve the City to complete which involves painting a kitchen and two bedrooms in an apartment building. Some of the people Hope House supports will be in the apartment building so there will be plenty of opportunities to interact with them during the project. We will serve from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, the 13th of June at 801 Boush Street, Suite 302, Norfolk, VA 23510. Painting supplies will be provided but enthusiastic attitudes are needed. Please join us for this exciting experience! Sunday Night Concert and Picnic Celebration of the end of the projects. All volunteers and recipients of kindness are invited, also homeless downtown are invited. 5-6 bands of various styles will play (acoustic, hard rock, hip hop, etc.) Volunteers will help set up, serve free food and drinks, and help clean up. Wed, 3 Jun 2009 18:25:09 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=42 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=42&article_id=77 Serve the City (STC) Norfolk, is an off shoot of a project begun in Brussels over 4 years ago when a few people decided to find practical ways to lovingly help the people of their city. A few summers later people from all around the world were flying in to spend two weeks working on projects ranging from basketball camps for refugee children to handing out clothes to homeless people on the streets. STC Norfolk hopes to do the same thing here in our city. Many people have the desire to "give back" or to do "something for others" but often lack the specific focus or entry point. STC is a way to start with small, practical projects over a brief period of time that will make a difference in people's lives. Although STC is organized by people who are followers of Jesus Christ as an expression of love for Him to all people, it is open to everyone. Your motive doesn't have to be our motive; we can still do great things together. All you need is a willing heart. Want to see what it looks like when we come together? Check out a video of STC Norfolk 2008. Interested? Look over our list of projects and see what special skills are needed and where you'd like to work. Download and fill out a STC application. Contact our administrators or project leaders for details of where and when to turn in your application. Pay your $10 registration fee (please note: we use paypal for online giving. In order to pay your fee online you must write "STC Norfolk" under the "add special instructions to the seller" tab). Show up at the Warehouse for the kickoff meeting June 12th. Fri, 29 May 2009 17:46:41 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=47 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=47&article_id=82 Applications: Emily Johnson (ejohnson@tabchurch.org) - or - Masha Peek: (maria@aurorismedia.com) ARK: Rebecca Clark (rcgrace84@hotmail.com) Lifework: Niki Giacchina (nikigiacchina@yahoo.com) Dwelling Place: Nate and Maureen Allison (maureen.allison@gmail.com, n8allison@gmail.com) Park Place (playground, feeding homeless and sports): Stephen Peek (stephen@aurorismedia.com) Hope House: Eden Klinedinst (Ethom036@yahoo.com) Sunday Night Celebration: Ben Clay (food) (ben@currentpictures.org) and Nate Barkley (music/concert) (nathan559@earthlink.net) General Questions: (norfolkstc@gmail.com) Fri, 29 May 2009 17:37:41 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=46 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=46&article_id=81 To apply for 2009 STC, download this form, fill it out, and submit it to your organization's point of contact for STC. Fri, 29 May 2009 12:45:29 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=45 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=45&article_id=80 1. How can my church/organization/group get involved? Step 1: Download the application form Step 2: Show/View video from last year Step 3: Bring filled out applications to one of the leaders (email Emily ejohnson@tabchirch.org or Masha maria@aurorismedia.com for directions in how/where to turn in applications) Step 4: Come to the morning meeting at 8am on Friday June 12 at Symphonic Church warehouse, pay $10 registration fee, get your t-shirt and meet your team. Go Serve! 2. Can I just show up? Yes, just come in the morning for the registration and we will plug you in to the project that needs most volunteers. You do not have to have any special skills to participate- just willing heart and willing hands. 3. How did Serve the City movement start? In Brussels Belgium 4 years ago- check out www.servethecity.eu to find out more 4. What is the main premise of Serve the City? Showing kindness in practical ways to people in need. Fri, 29 May 2009 12:42:55 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=37 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=37&article_id=76 One of this year's judges, Hannah Serrano, wrote this introductory piece describing the show at 24/7 Cities. Deb Markham, a past contributor to the show, wrote up a story for the Ghent Reader which contains multiple links to Renewal related stuff. Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:52:14 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=37 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=37&article_id=69 The winner of 1st place in the 2008 show was local artist Davmo with a mixed media piece named The Lotus Dream. ODU professor Richard Nickel entered his fun and cool ceramic piece, "We Are Vegetables," which took third place in show. 2008 marked the beginning of Symphonic's relationship with the Norfolk Drawing Group. They are great about documenting local art events and have several groups of the '08 show on flikr (here is one of the best). K@t Marsh and Gabriel Perry of MC7C deejayed the show, adding their touch of awesomeness. Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:52:14 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=37 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=37&article_id=70 Deb Markham's article on the 1st annual Renewal show sponsored by Epic before Symphonic and Epic became one church. Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:52:14 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=41 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=41&article_id=75 A good question to ask is this: why should we give money to God? Doesn't God already own everything? It is true that giving to God is like a child using money her father gave her to buy him a present. But the act of giving has its own value, and it pleases the father and changes the child. We are part of a world which says very loudly and insistently "no one is looking out for you," and "you'd better take care of yourself." Because of these constant messages, money has developed its own pull; its own gravitational field holding us in its grasp. We place our hope in money to give us more time, security, status, and health, yet no bank account was ever large enough to stop a drunk driver, prevent cancer or mend a fractured marriage. We, the church Symphonic, give our tithes and offerings to God as a declaration that we belong to a different economy; the economy of God's kingdom, not the world's. Each time we give it reminds us that money will not fulfill its promises to us, but God never fails. Each time we give it breaks our hearts free from the gravity of the world's economy and allows us to come closer to the Kingdom economy. Give Online Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:29:25 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=40 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=40&article_id=73 In early 2009, Symphonic co-pastor Robb Overholt along with his family and another Symphonic family moved to Las Vegas to begin a church on the strip. The name of the church is Verve (if you haven't noticed yet we like words): [Verve [vurv] n. Excitement of imagination such as animates a poet, artist, or musician, in composing or performing; rapture; enthusiasm; spirit; energy.] We've discovered that part of being a part of a movement is the pain of a dislocated heart. It hurts, but it hurst so good while a new pulse begins and Symphonic's heart beats in the Nevada desert. Visit Verve Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:21:16 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=31 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=31&article_id=62 Many of you are familiar with the web based classified ads known as Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) where people post items for sale or look for employees, etc. It gave me an idea for another kind of list we can use to build community and love our city and each other. Most of us have things in our homes we no longer need but aren't so worn out or damaged that we want to throw them away. Maybe those things are needed by other people in the Symphonic community OR people in the Symphonic community know someone who needs them. SymphonicList is an experiment in generous communal living modeled on our earliest forerunners (Acts 2:44-45). Here's how it works: (1) All of us take an honest inventory of our possessions and find useful things we no longer have use for. (2) Write a description of the things you want to post on SymphonicLlist including all pertinent information about each item (i.e. if its a text book, what edition, if its a computer what make and model is it and what are the technical specs, etc.) (3) Log onto www.symphonicforthecity.com and create a listing for your item(s) as follows: (a) type in your name and password to enter the site - you can't add to or use SymphonicList without logging into the site! (b) on the right hand side of the page that comes up you will see a listing titled "My Groups." In that list click on SymphonicList (c) A screen will come up with three sections: upcoming events, messages, and tasks. In the message section, click on "new message" (d) A screen will come up with the title "Post a new message." In the title section write a brief name of what you want to list on SymphonicList (ie picture frame, or Chevy Lumina, etc). In the body of the message give the particular details of the listing (condition, year, edition, color, etc). At the bottom of the listing MAKE SURE TO ADD YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. This means your email address or a phone number NOT a home address. (4) Check SymphonicList regularly to see if there is something you need or if you hear about a need check the list to see if the community might be able to provide for it. Coordinate with the person listing the item to pick it up and deliver it. Some things to remember: - all items on SymphonicList are to be GIVEN AWAY - only list one item per message - only list useful items you no longer have a use for, not things that belong in the dump - DO NOT bring things to the Warehouse unless you have prearranged to give them away THAT DAY - Don't just think of your needs when reading the messages but how you might help your neighbors and coworkers, and friends. Wed, 4 Mar 2009 10:31:50 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=26 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=26&article_id=40 Join us Sunday at The Warehouse for our weekly worship gathering in West Ghent. The Warehouse is located at 1229 W. Olney Rd. Our mornings begin with breakfast together at 10am and end around 12 noon. Children - all kids meet with us during breakfast time. Infants and toddlers stay in The Warehouse. K-5 stay with everyone through the end of musical worship and then gather with their leaders in the cafe' area for their class. Breakfast - ranges from fruit and cereal to eggs and bacon. It isn't about the food; it's about sitting down together for a family meal. Don't eat breakfast? Have a cup of coffee and find someone to get to know. Music - the sound of live music (about 1030-1045) usually signifies the beginning of our meetings. We enjoy as many kinds of music as there are people in our group. You never know what may happen week to week. It's like hitting 'shuffle' on your iPod. Speaking - Symphonic has two pastors who share responsibility for teaching and leading the church. They may speak together, separately, one after the other or not at all depending upon the needs of the church week to week. Normally they will speak for about 35-45 minutes. Questions? We expect you probably found Symphonic through a friend. If they can't answer your questions or if they have more questions than you do, let us know. We want to hear what you are thinking. Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:16:27 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1&article_id=1 Symphonic is a group of people committed to being a city within our city, an alternate city where our friends and neighbors can see and experience what it's like to live within the kind of kingdom Jesus told people about; a place of good news concerning the primary issues of life... like sex, money, power, and identity. We gather once a week to be reminded and encouraged about our calling to live out the values of the alternate city, then we scatter back into the world to be salt and light in the name of Christ. Our goal is to live authentically as followers of Jesus; our desire is that others will see Him, love Him and decide to follow him with us. Mon, 12 May 2008 10:15:17 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=29&article_id=45 Subscribe to Symphonic's podcast iTunes without iTunes Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:22:49 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=7 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=7&article_id=22 Beliefs... we all have them and they are essential to how we live and the choices that we make. Here are our basics... The Bible The Bible is God's completely true Story about who He is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. It was given by God to human writers and so reflects their backgrounds, styles, and use of language. The Bible is the final authority on all matters to which it speaks. About God There is one God, who exists as three persons living in perfect community—Father, Son, and Spirit. God created everything and sustains everything by His life. He is holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, unchanging, and full of mercy and grace. Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, God's Son, became fully human when He was born to the Virgin Mary. He was fully human and fully God. He lived a perfect life in place of our imperfection. He voluntarily died on a cross to pay the price for our sins and then rose again thereby allowing us the possibility of a renewed relationship with God. He offers us full life by the promise of his own resurrection. He then ascended into heaven and today is our representative, intercessor, and advocate with God the Father. Holy Spirit We experience the full life and presence of God in our relationship with God the Spirit, who reveals sin, points us to Christ, and applies Christ's work to our lives, compelling us to be more like Him. The Spirit gives gifts and power to the church and is the one who creates biblical community within the church, revealing truth and guiding our lives... individually and together. True Life We are connected to God in only one way—by choosing to accept the offer of forgiveness and reconciliation God offers to us by Christ's life, death, and resurrection. If we ask Him to, God treats us as if we were Christ, because of what Christ sacrificed for us. God's gift of grace makes us His adopted sons and daughters. There is nothing we can do to deserve this life—it is all a gift of God, and our job is simply to receive it. When we do, God begins the process of changing our hearts and minds from the inside out and making our characters more and more like Jesus'. As we have been reconciled to God, we also have hope for being more fully reconciled to other people. The Church If we are in relationship with Christ, we are part of the church. It is not somewhere you go, rather something that you are. The church is universal, but it is always expressed locally. The church is the visible and local demonstration of the new community Christ came to create. The Spirit leads our community life as we are devoted to worshiping God, understanding and applying the Bible to our lives, offering connection to others, living life together, serving our community, and using our Spirit-given gifts to serve Christ and others. The church celebrates the Sacraments (Baptism and Communion), which are gifts given by Christ and are experiences of his promise and his presence with us. The church is made up of imperfect people who are responding day by day in all their relationships to God's stunning grace. Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:42:13 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12&article_id=35 FIND AUDIO FROM RECENT GATHERINGS HERE.. Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:30:51 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=4 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=4&article_id=39 Image: "Girl Before a Mirror" by Pablo Picasso When I think of all the things that have been distorted in this world, I think of the distorted You. As you bled and walked and died, we distorted You. As you were beaten, we distorted You. Your physical body, distorted. As You taught, we distorted your words; as You listened, we distorted your presence; as You endured, we distorted your purpose for the world. The cross distorted You. Our sin distorted You. You show me through your life and my own that I distort your love. When I distort your love, I distort others. Correct me so I can love purely. Correct me so others may know You. Read John 4:4-42 this week... the Samaritan woman had a distorted view of herself. The disciples had a distorted view of the woman. The Samaritans had a distorted view of Jesus. Jesus was at the center and through His actions and words, everyone saw clearly, loved deeply and came to know Him as Truth.Monday Contemplate: How do I see myself? Make a list of adjectives, positive and negative. Finish this sentence: I think the world is telling me I am... By serving Jesus, the Samaritan woman no longer saw herself as less, but through His actions, His words and His truth, she began to know herself as much, much more. Pray: Help me know myself not by the world's definitions or my own. Show me where to serve. Define me. Tell: Send us artwork or a writing that illustrates how Jesus defines you.Tuesday Contemplate: What does it mean to serve? How did the woman serve Jesus? When she did, what was revealed? If you could see yourself serving, what scene would you paint in your heart and mind? When you serve, Jesus reveals the truth about your belief and your belief will never be the same again. Pray: When I serve, reveal to me the person that I really am, a person that wants to love. Tell: Through art or words, describe your character when you are serving.Wednesday Contemplate: Who did the disciples distort? What was their need and how did they try and meet it? When we are serving ourselves only, we distort others and our own needs. Pray: Help me do something today that serves others and not myself. Help me love what I think is unloveable. Tell: What was once unloveable to you but is now loveable?Thursday Contemplate: How were the people of the village led to Jesus? How were they drawn to Him? We are first drawn to Jesus through someone else's experience of Him. Pray: Draw me towards you. Tell: What in the world and who in the world draws you to Jesus?Friday Contemplate: Are you willing to spend two days with Jesus after you hear someone else's experience of Him? If so, take this weekend to be with Jesus. C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, "They are told they ought to love God. They cannot find any such feeling in themselves. What are they to do? The answer is the same as before. Act as if you did. Do not sit trying to manufacture feelings. Ask yourself, 'If I were sure that I loved God, what would I do?' When you have found the answer, go and do it... Pray: I want the real you. I believe. Thank you for connecting me to those who show me You. Tell: How will/did you apply the C.S. Lewis quote? Tue, 19 Sep 2006 13:45:09 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=4 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=4&article_id=38 These weekly Illuminations are designed to help us re-connect throughout the week, with God and with each other. Sort of, "until we meet again." Each day we will be encouraged to do 3 simple things... Contemplate. Pray. Tell. You can correspond with us via info@epiccitychurch.com. We would love to use your reflections for possible Solitude during our worship gatherings, potential song lyrics for Worship Songs, as inspirations for future series themes and or / Epic Artwork, etc. Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:58:00 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=15 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=15&article_id=6 When it comes to considering where to have your church gather for weekly services, there is one real estate lesson to keep in mind... location, location, location. So we searched for the perfect building with the perfect ambience in the perfect part of town...you get the idea... we found the Regal Columbus 12 movie theaters. No building is truly perfect, but Regal is close. Located in the heart of the thriving and still up-and-coming Virginia Beach Town Center, this is a facility that meets all our needs. Because of its central location and quick access to interstate 264, Epic's weekend home is just plain easy to get to from all areas of Hampton Roads. With an already great canvas to work with each week, Regal is given an EPIC makeover every Sunday. Our crack staff volunteer crew (of which you can always be a part) arrives at about 8:15am and the magic ensues. It is truly amazing to see the environment changed over and back by 11:45am. That's just 3 1/2 hours! The worship gatherings themselves have taken on their own identity. With an industrial meets the arts flair, life at Epic is both raw and reverent. The EpiCafe opens at 9:50, EpicKids kicks off at 10:00, and Service starts promptly at 10:10am. We can't wait to see YOU this week at the movies. Fri, 24 Mar 2006 10:54:24 MST http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=16 http://www.symphonicforthecity.com/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=16&article_id=7 Each week, we offer an amazing experience for your EpicKids. We use relevant curriculum for school-aged children that is also edgy and participatory. With a Nickelodeon-style twist, KidMo is an exciting package of multi-sensory teaching geared towards a generation using multi-senses. It's a big hit!We also provide a safe, loving, and nurturing environment for our nursery and pre-schoolers. Crafts, songs, games, and big-time bible stories are just a part of the fun. We encourage everyone to get involved in the K'Motion. Thu, 3 Nov 2005 20:16:06 MST