Friends 2007: QRoH Notes 39

I thought it would be a good idea to have some running commentary on the behind the scenes happenings as far as the Friends in Conversation : A Quiet Revolution of Hope event is concerned. So I decided to use “Friends 2007: QRoH” for short. I also hope to give due credit and appreciation to all those who have helped in one way or another.

Things have been moving really fast since we got to know Brian McLaren could stopover in Malaysia. My mind goes back way in 2000 when we had a number email exchanges here and there and continued our “conversations” since then. It’s pretty exciting to finally have the chance to meet face to face. What I value more is that through his visit, we could initiate some “space” to get those whom have been already talking about the issues that concern us together. When all the conversation partners said “Yes” on the phone to me that they are able to join us , I can’t help but say “wow! Thanks be to God!”

The “Working Committee” has been great …

The Three Muskeeter communications team has synergized beyond my imagination : Kevin Thomas did a fantastic job with the brochure and logo design. And it was wonderful to sit with Joel Limand be part of the process of “copywriting”. I suddenly realizes how jargon-bound I am. Wonder Bob gradually has “morphed” the emergent Malaysia site to be more pleasant and useful. A special highlight for us is the online registration form on live now.

Laurie from Council of Churches of Malaysia has already been taking calls and receiving registrations. Siew Foong has gotten Brian’s answers for “An Interview with Brian McLaren” and we’re looking forward for it to appear in the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship Newsletter. We will also post it on our website (and this blog) too after they put it online.

Michael Foong is already working on our recording possibilities whether video or Mp3. so we await for good news. Food quotations are on the way with the help of Adeline Lim. Kia Meng is brianstorming the corporate worship segments. I hope to work on more details with the conversation partners and facilitators. Yew Khuen is keeping us on track!

There is NO fulltime staff running this event. All of us are chipping in as much as we can while pastoring our churches, slogging at work, feeding our babies, marking exam papers, sitting in meetings, trying to get some rest … seeing what we can do for the flood relief in Johor, and many other concerns as well.

But we believe this is going to be a wonderful chance for a good thing to happen … a quiet revolution of hope. Sure, it’s going to be a lot of talking and listening. But prayerfully in the context of respectful and loving relationships, honesty and humor, and having the dance of orthopraxis, orthopathy and orthodoxy in mind. That in a new way (at least in our Malaysian context) Christians can participate in a healthy conversation involving reflective thinking, deep spirituality and missional praxis. This so needed in our activity driven culture and ministry.

A short pause before our next move.