reyes-chow :: FAITH

This one is so about me, GA opening statement

Over on my MODBLOG I was recently called a narcissist.  That's cool, somewhat true, but hey, my blog.  Over here, it really is about me ;-)  And what better way to feature me than this great little ditty.  For those of you who were not able to be at the General Assembly to watch those crazy 1000 Presbyterians try to discern the will of God in seven days using Robert's Rules of Order and guided by some yahoo named, Bruce, here is the opening statement from the election night when this tie-less upstart was elected Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) - And yes, you should stand as you watch this ;-) And yes, I am the king of run-on sentences.

All kidding aside, I think I am still in some silly state of awe that this has all happened.  It is like watching a movie of myself, a movie that is exciting, important and challenging, but still, pretty surreal.  Only grown-ups are supposed to be involved in this kind of stuff.  Uh-Oh.

You want more?!?!?!?

• MORE BRC on Youtube ;-)
• Official PC(USA) YouTube Videos

Hop on the BRC moderator bandwagon

Over the past few weeks and after a quick google search, I have learned . . .

BRC = Billy Ray Cyrus
BRC = Black Rock City
BRC = Bragging Rights Corner
BRC = Big Round Cubitron
BRC.org = Bowery Residents Committee
BRC.edu = Baton Rouge College
BRC.com = Baxter Research Center

I think Billy Ray is my fav.

BRC are also my initials and the initials of this yahoo standing for the ridiculous/significant office of Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).  And while I did promise not to weigh this blog down with too much Presby-nerd stuff, I come to you today to ask you to join in for the stretch run. Only seven weeks to go until the election on June 21 and after the first gatherings with all candidates, I am really energized.  The church is asking difficult questions of itself and having some great interaction about the future of the denomination and the church.  The candidates are honing their messages, listening to the church and each brings particular gifts and experiences to the journey.

As I engage in my own style of standing for moderator, I humbly come to you asking for your support in various ways.  If you would like to lend a hand, click a link or make a donation, here are some ways to get involved:

BLOG // Subscribe to and engage in the conversations over a the moderator blog.

FB // Waste spend some time over on Facebook*

• "Friend" me or introduce me to your Presby-friends
• Join the BRC for Moderator Group // Now close to 600 with updates every 100 memebers.
• Become a Facebook Fan // Yeah, goofy, but you'll get "fan-only" updates on occasion ;-)
• Add some "Profile Flair" // Search for Reyes-Chow

BLOGGING // If you do think this whole moderator is a good thing for the church, please consider blogging about why you think so.  I think this is not so much about ME, but what kinds of questions would I ask, what tone would I try to set and generally what would be the focus of the two years should I be elected.  As you have gotten to know me, if you think I would do those well, I would appreciate an encouraging word.  [Current "Endorsements"]  You can also add some bling to your blog!

GENERAL ASSEMBLY // If you are going to be at GA and would like to help "staff" my booth, please let me know and I'll pass your info along to the scheduler.  You never know, you may just score a free t-shirt, button, sticker or lanyard.  Yeah, I know, try to contain your excitement.  And unless you are a GA volunteer, it may cost $20 to register for the evening as an on-site visitor.  I am trying to score some passes, but just a heads up.  You won't get to vote if you there, but if you REALLY want to you can [VOTE HERE] on this online poll.

DUCKETS // While most of this support soliciting is supposed to be done underground, call me crazy, but if I don't ask, it won't happen.  Plus, I have no shame ;-)  If you want help defray some of the costs of this journey (Roughly 5K) feel free to pitch in.  Here is how my sister asks on her website, www.reyesrivera.com.

The hot issue in our family is that Bruce is running for moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA. BIG- BIG deal people, equate it to the Pope of the Catholic Church, the President of the Universe or Optimus Prime. Regardless of your religious affiliation please support the brother, (and by brother I mean sibling not hommie). If you would like to contribute to his campaign please send your scrilla:

Tax Deductible Donations should be made out to:
San Francisco Presbytery
ATTN: BRC for Moderator
2024 Durant Avenue
Berkeley CA 94704

PRAYERS // Well maybe this should be first way to take part, but in any case, your prayers are welcomed.  This is a pretty amazing journey to undertake something that I truly feel called to do.  This denomination has raised and formed me, and while we have a great deal of work ahead of us, I think that we bring some foundations of faith that are worth gifting to the future of the church.

• For Robin - and her partnership in all of this;
• For the Girls - that they might understand why dad is traveling so much;
• For MBCC - that, even though they might not fully understand, for the support given;
• For Me - that I remain true to who God has called me to be;

I think that is it for now.  Thanks to so many who have already shown their support in so many ways. As I said before this has been a WILD ADVENTURE up to now and it is only getting more intense and invigorating every day!

*If you have not yet joined the time-suck that is Facebook, you can either click on any of the Facebook links above or just send me an eMail and I'll send you an invitation.

Four cultural shifts the PC(USA) needs to make

Okay so this is kind of cheating, but I have found that I am doing more of my big-picture theological musing over on the Moderator Blog.  I just posted something over there, that would I love to get a wider audience to respond to. 

Basically, I submit that there are at least four shifts that need to be recognized and embraced, not just by individuals and congregations, but the larger institutional church.  Here are the one-liners with a tad bit more flesh on the original post.

• Towards organic movements of collaboration and away from mechanistic structures of regulation. 

• Towards committed relationships built on values and away from mandated loyalties to camps or pre-determined agendas. 
  

• Towards appreciation and interaction with the other and away from tolerance for and debate with the enemy. 

• Towards engagement driven by hope and optimism and away from reactions based on suspicion and scarcity. 

To read more and comment, see the complete post, Four cultural shifts the PC(USA) needs to make.

Holding non-presby readers hostage

We'll, they done lost their minds ;-)

This evening the Presbytery of San Francisco endorsed me to stand - we say "stand" because we are not really "running" . . . stop laughing - for Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).  With this post I will try as much as possible to NOT blog about the moderator stuff because i know for many of you think I have simple lost my mind and/or you just don't care.

I hear ya.

So in exchange for not blogging about Presbyterian moderator stuff I would ask the following from my Presbyterian and non-Presbyterian readers:

• Subscribe to my moderator blog if you want to stay in the loop;
• Add some blog bling to your blog or website to help a brutha out;
• Write an endorsement on your blog;
• Create a video endorsement and upload to YouTube with"Reyes-Chow" as one of your tags;
• Join the Facebook Group and/or add the Facebook Fan Page to your FB profile;
• Pray pray pray pray and pray some more;
• And if you are in the mood, send me a Schrute Buck ;-)

This in a very exciting time for me, my family, the church I serve as well as many friends and strangers who have offered notes/words of encouragement.  Thank you.

Looking for Moderator Info?

If you are here looking for info about that yahoo, Bruce Reyes-Chow, who is standing for Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) - say that 5 times fast - you are sort of in the right place.  Here you will find musing and rants by Bruce that - as much as possible and for a price - are NOT about his Moderator journey.  You are of course welcome to poke around here, but if you really want to get the 411 on the whole moderator thing, click on over to www.mod.reyes-chow.com.

Jesus owes me big time

Okay, so tonight it finally happens.  All the talk, all the prep, all the reconnecting with friends and asking folks to give up even more time to something as crazy as a denominational moderator election.  5:30 today, it happens.  SF Presbytery will decide on whether or not they will endorse me to stand for Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the PC(USA). 

Approved or not, the journey really has been a lot of fun even before it has become official in any sense.  Thanks to those who have helped me discern, pushed a little and have been the voices, faces and eMails of Christ for me over the past six months.

Yeah, yeah, in some ways this is HUGE: this under-40, pomo, urban, pastor looks create some movement for a 2million+ member denomination.  And yeah, yeah, in so many ways it is pretty insignificant in the whole scheme of the things.  Sitting with both voices in my head, I am.

If this should happen it all begins with some kind of sacrifice, willingly done, but a sacrifice nonetheless.

Mine begins with the fact that I have a ticket to opening day of MacWorld, but because of this whole moderator thing, I can't go until tomorrow.  Oh the sacrifices we make in the name of Jesus ;-)

Sad macboy, I'll try not to let it show at Presbytery today ;-)

And, if you care, check back on this blog at 8:00 Cali time to see how it went.

Say a little prayer that God's will be done AND we recognize it for what it is, not just for the moderator endorsement, but for our decisions regarding the ordination of Lisa Larges.

Help build "Blogging Basics" page, get more traffic

Should the moderator endorsement happen on Tuesday, you will soon see the launching of a new blog, facebook/myspace groups, national travel plans and more all in an effort to get the word out about my stand for moderator and the issues I hope to address.  While I am taking nothing for granted, I am also being transparent about the realities of such an endeavor.  Being faithfully and diligently organized is a gift and for the many folks who have already stepped up to offer help and support, in the words of my 6-year-old, "You rock!"

One of the issues will be that some folks will be new to the whole blog thing and I want this to be a positive experience for folks.  I know that it is not always possible.  In fact, "Blog Newbie Condescension" or BNC is  seriously underreported phenomenon afflicting church people everywhere.  We all went through it, but our shame has been hidden for years. Remember, it went something like this.

Geek: "Dude, have read "_______'s" blog? "
You: "What's a blog?"
Geek: "What?!?!?  You don't know what a blog is?  Man you are square.  How can you call yourself a 21st century church.  You are the reason the church is dyeing.  You suck and i am pretty sure Jesus in NOT a happy camper!"
You: slowly melting into a pile of shame, "Sorry for living."
Your inside voice: "All I need is a little help and I am sure I would get it."

Well, maybe it wasn't that bad for you, but you know how it can be.

One of the pages that we want to have on the blog is kind of a "Blogging 101" page that is not filled with a bunch of jargon, but provides enough explanation to make even the most novice reader feel like that can get around.

So . . . because this could be quite the thing for one person to take on, I turn to you all (techies, veterans or newbies) to help me answer these questions for folks who might be new to this whole interwebs thing.  So my geekyfantastic friends, if you submit SOME kind of response in the next few days, you'll get a link from my new blog*, thus appealing to your blogging narcissistic side and possibly generating some traffic.

In not more than three sentences (not including any additional outside links you would suggest) how would you answer any/or all of the following?

What is a blog? 2.0?
What are comments and how do I leave one?
How do make sure I don't miss new posts?
What is a widget?
This is cool, how do I start my own blog?

Other links that might be helpful for those who want to dive in a little further.

Please feel free to answer here or drop me an eMail.  Thanks in advance.

* If I do not already know you, I reserve the right NOT to link back if your blog is rated R or higher.  Sorry got the kiddos to think of.

How would you run a viral/2.0 campaign?

Apparently there are only 24 hours in the day.  Go figure.  I have been hard at work getting a new blog organized for this thing that may or may not happen on January 15th, so blog energy and time have shifted over there for the past few weeks.

But . . . quick question for those of you who are all hooked up in the blog and 2.0 world, "If you were running ("standing" in our tradition) for some kind of national church office and wanted one aspect of your campaign to utilize Social Media, Blogging and all things 2.0 to get your message out there what would you do?"

• Widgets and Blog bling?
• Facebook Fan Page?
• Podcasts?
• ?
• ?

In the meantime, The Corner just sent me this comforting, yet disturbing image,  Jake Bouma gives us the funny video Christmas List, Yo and DAIO just let me know about A Cavalcade of Bad Nativities.  Enjoy.

Help me reconstruct my past

While most days I do not feel young, and after 12 years of ordained ministry, should this whole moderator thing really happen, one of the realities of the campaign is that some in the denomination will not feel like I have paid my denominational "dues."  And since I have not had to write my Personal Information Form (A Presbyterian resume) in about seven years and have never really tracked all of the ways I have served the church, I am hoping that folks can help me reconstruct my past.  I tried to remember all of the ways that I have been engaged in church work outside of the congregations I have served over the years and all the events and committees started to blend together into one stream of "I think I did ____________ in __________." Sad really.

This lack of tracking could mean a few things:

1. I am going senile
2. I seriously need a personal assistant
3. I simply have not kept track

So any info would be greatly appreciated as I am basically self-fact-checking all of my dates, service, etc.

• event/project/committee/team
• timeframe
• my role on said event/project/committee/team

Feel free to leave a comment or just eMail me.  Again, should the SF Presbytery endorsement happen on January 15th, all of this will appear somewhere where folks can feel okay that this "youngster" has paid his dues.

Moderator Update: San Francisco Presbytery

This weekend we held the final 2007 meeting of the Presbytery of San Francisco.  It was a good meeting overall as far as presbytery meetings go with the most excited we got was debating whether or not to have 1 or 2 Saturday meetings next year.

At this meeting I, along with 7 others, were nominated to be commissioners to the 218th General Assembly. 

The complete slate is as follows:

Minister Commissioners:

• Rev. Ho-Wong, Member-at-large
• Rev. Peter Whitelock, Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church
• Rev. Gail Doering, Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church
• Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, Mission Bay Community Church, San Francisco
• Alternate: Rev. Beth Wheeler, Member-at-large

Elder Commissioners:

• Ernie Tan-Vicentina, First United Presbyterian Church
• Pat Griggs, First Presbyterian Church, Livermore
• Tim Hunt, Pleasanton Presbyterian Church
• Janice Kamikawa, First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley
• Alternate: Barbara Brown, First Presbyterian Church, Newark

Surprisingly there were no nominations for the floor, which is unusual for our Presbytery and bodes well for the January meeting as nominations are closed and folks will basically have to vote on the entire slate as submitted.  So the first step of this whole moderator thing has begun.  The vote to approve the slate and then hopefully to endorse happens on January 15, 2007 at First Presbyterian Church, Richmond.  This is a change in location from previously thought.  If you are interested in helping with the local "get out the vote" please let me know and someone will get in touch with you.