Green Jello Hotdish

Last week, Penelope Trunk (of the Boston Globe) posted one of the most interesting blogs I’ve read in a while related to generational differences in today’s society and workplace. An excerpt:

The victories of Generation Y will not look like the Boston Tea Party or Kent State. They will look like this Iowa caucus: Gen Y, playing by the rules, and winning.

My friend Alicia had forwarded the posting on to me, and it was so strange that it came following a long conversation just a day earlier I had with a colleague about generational differences particularly in the area of racism and systemic change. In fact, it was that colleague who had the best summation of today’s change:

Many baby boomers have been ‘fighting’ for so long we don’t know how to stop and assess the ‘victories’ and ‘changes’ that have already occurred in our society.

I see it at work. I see it with my friends. I’ve seen it growing up — my mother’s best friend likes to poke fun at me for a remark I made when I still required others to wipe me: “Does it matter?”

Of course it matters, but that gets followed up by another question: “So what?” And there’s the root of the friction between the generations. The outgoing Boomers think the so what means a fight. The Gen Xers think the so what means proving themselves on the backs of others. And the incoming Millennials think the so what is working together with what is, imagining what can be from it, without spending a dizzying amount of time decrying what it isn’t. In the words of Trunk, GenY is seeking its mandate to “do things differently, within the established structures of power.”

Social video/networking site GodTube was today’s feature story on the religion page. The idea is simple: provide a forum for people to connect, share videos and messages, all in a safe, “family-friendly” environment. Sounds OK, even good, right?

Here’s the problem with GodTube, and all the other residents of the Internet Christian Ghetto: they’ve missed the point.

Before I get into this, I want to be clear about one thing. I am, in no way, condoning all of the material on the big social media sites like YouTube, Facebook and MySpace. However I am universal in my criticism: God didn’t command God’s followers to lead a safe, sheltered life in a gated community. And that’s exactly what the Ghetto is all about creating.

At work this Advent, as I’ve written about here, I’ve been recording weekly video reflections from staff members, congregational members and next week a campus pastor. They’ve been hugely successful, and are receiving mention from outside the Greater Milwaukee Synod sphere. Trackbacks on the entries show even non-church organizations are linking to some clips. This impact is due to the fact that I am hosting them on the YouTube and Facebook services, rather than GodTube.

The denominational office uses and encourages Google Video for web video content, also to a hugely successful degree.

A colleague of mine who works for a different denomination pointed out the sad irony in calling these Christian sites a ghetto — not because of the isolationist feel, but because the church (universal, not just Christian) has been establishing or supporting ghettos for different classes of people throughout history, and now it is simply retreating to the suburbs, so to speak, from the scary, untamed Internet.

From a communications standpoint, I really should be using GodTube in addition to the mainstream sites, in order to attain the largest reach of audience. But I’m torn supporting a system which is arrogant and elitist in any way. So far, no one has inquired why I’m not posting on GodTube, so I’ll keep below the radar for a while.

Jesus calls us to be in the world. The Christian faith requires a change of lifestyle. GodTube does nothing to accomplish that; but I believe the sum of its mission can be found in the last two paragraphs in the article:

Q: When do you expect GodTube to make a profit?

A:Next year, sooner than later.

This was the front page video on Ragan today. Anyone who works with internal comm knows exactly why I’m laughing.

I just had a revelation. OK, so not so much a revelation as a continuation of a conversation I had with a ministry colleague in a neighboring synod.

This is going to be big. (In that “I work for a mainline Protestant denomination and we’re always at least five years behind the times” sort of way.)

Before Synod Assembly this year, I’m going to go visit congregations and talk with the people. I’m going to find out what they think about the life of the church. I’m going to listen to their stories. I’m going to pay attention to their most cherished traditions. I’m going to let them “be Bishop for a day” and tell me what they would change.

And while I do this, I’m going to record it. Call it SynodTube. And broadcast it throughout the convention center at Synod Assembly.

Is this going to be a ton of work? Absolutely. But how many conversations will it start? And how will it allow us to think differently about how we do church in our corner of the world? And what things need to stay the same because they’re such a part of our DNA? And what things really need to change? And how to tell the difference? And how to live with our differences — in fact embracing them — with ourselves, with those in our theological family, with our inter-faith brothers and sisters, indeed with everyone.

I’ve heard it said before: “You’re a unique individual, just like everyone else.” Could this be a ticket to demonstrate our unity in diversity?

Oh… in case you missed it, the GMS is doing an Advent vlog. Check out Amy’s reflection!

I’m excited, in that dorky communicator way. As of January 1, 2008, communication in the Milwaukee Synod as we know it will change dramatically. One might even say its so new, the old simply is no more.

Stay tuned…

The alarm system in the building is fubared. It just beeps and beeps and beeps and cannot be silenced. Apparently if I rip the command box out of the wall, bad things happen, so I haven’t done that yet. I’m just holed up in my office with my door closed and the radio louder than normal. It’s getting stuffy in here. This isn’t a good omen for the rest of the day.

When I get to the office in the morning, I chat with Jane (our receptionist) for a little while before clearing my way through the brush to find my desk. Morning tea, phone mail and computer startup later, I double-check a number of sites and blogs.

• Church Marketing Sucks. I’ve linked to CMS for a while on the blogroll, but I really can’t tell you how much I enjoy checking in on the discussion here. If you’re a church communicator, this should be one of your top bookmarks.
• PeaceBang’s Beauty Tips for Ministers. Alright, so I’m not rostered clergy, but I do take communication as a ministry and I am a public face. While I admit there are a number of days when, after a major event or the like, I’ll show up to my office in ratty jeans, sneakers and a hooded sweatshirt, I think there is a lot of truth in “fighting frumpiness” from PeaceBang.
• The Lutheran. Check in on their blog and news from around the ELCA.
• World Faith News. It’s not so much an online thing as I am subscribed to their e-mail listserv, but it’s a great roundup of the worldwide American abroad faith community.
• Moravian Daily Texts. Subscribe to receive one of the world’s best ecumenical Bible readings on a daily basis.
• Be Still and Know… From Jesus Metropolitan Community Church in Indianapolis, this daily blog is a great resource for quiet time before a crazy day in the office.

Of course, don’t forget our own Web site. And if I know we’re going to be on public radio or in the newspaper that day, or a quick roundup to see if any of our members or leaders are there.

The prestigious Newbery medallion went to “The Power of Lucky,” a book about a 10-year-old girl who is piecing together her scattered family. But this report from the Minneapolis Star Tribune paints a picture of a country gone mad:

Objections were first raised early this month on LM_NET, a listserv for media specialists nationwide, and reported in Publishers Weekly and the New York Times. Some elementary-school librarians, from Colorado to Kentucky, said the word made them uncomfortable, especially for reading aloud, and found the book (for ages 9-12) inappropriate for their readers.

What will they do once they get to eighth grade health class?

We got sent home early from work today because of the weather. Folks were concerned with our cars not starting or breaking down on the way home. So now I am enjoying my unexpected afternoon free.

My apartment is 63 degrees, however, and I have the heat up all the way. I need a space heater or something. There is some moisture in the building, I can tell, since there’s a biting chill in here. Living on the first floor does have its downfalls.

The Ascension confirmation students have been painting a mural in the hallway outside of the synod office over the past two weeks. (The synod office is located in leased space in a wing of the church.) The images are self-portraits of themselves, and the addition of bright, vibrant color in the hallway has stirred up a lot of discussion.

My favorite is a girl who imagined herself with art deco qualities. You can spot the pastors of the congregation from a mile away, but in the center is the image that receives the most attention. It’s a tall man — standing at least six-foot-five in the hallway that is only seven feet tall, with a familiar golden glow surrounding his head. He’s wearing a sports jersey, and holding a helmet at his right hip. His left hand is extended, inviting you in to the game.

I never knew Jesus was a football star. I’m not a football fan; truth be told I think the game is a disgusting waste of time and energy — but there’s something to that imagery. In an environment when religious strife is all too prevalent, these youth have created an image of Jesus they can relate to, and one that is completely different from every image we have seen before. It’s an image that challenges all definition, that violates all conventional boundaries. It’s an image of a youthful Jesus, just hanging out and playing a pick-up game with his friends.

And he wants you to join in. There’s room for you in the game. Whoever it is you happen to be.

I like it.