Reedland Street: Our Block
October 2012
What brings you rest? It’s currently the morning of my Sabbath. I’m sitting downstairs alone listening to the sounds of the rain outside. Soon, I’ll be taking the trolley to Center City, our downtown area, to walk the busy metropolitan streets and eventually settle down for the afternoon in the main branch of the public library. But right now, I reflect. I reflect on the last month here in Philadelphia.
The 6 weeks of our technology fast is over. Living without the use of our phones and computers has contributed greatly to the cohesion of our team. Mission Year is a tough balance of being totally present here in Philadelphia, yet still staying connected to our friends and family back home. We have taken a vow of dedication to this city and its people for this year. In order for that to take root in each of us, we each needed a time to disconnect from the outside world in order to develop our love for the people here and embrace the simplicity of community living.
Moving out of our technology fast, my house began to create our team covenant. This covenant is a list of expectations and commitments that will guide us through the rest of the year. We covered topics including our alone time, our use of technology, and our relationships with neighbors. We also established “check-ins”, a time every week where we will gather as a team and individually share where we are in our relationship with God, relationship with ourselves, and our relationships with others.
After a week and a half of long discussions, our team covenant was completed. That Thursday night, the three Mission Year Philadelphia teams gathered together to eat a meal together and participate in a commissioning service. We met in our city director’s church at night and ate in the basement where the Sunday services were held. This church had taken over a beautiful, old, abandoned church building in the neighborhood. After the meal, we climbed up into the old, abandoned church sanctuary with its huge, soaring stained glass windows. It was lit by hundreds of small tea lights. There was such an overwhelming beauty there in the crumbling, decrepit sanctuary. We worshiped together, each team shared their covenants, team leaders washed and blessed the hands of their team, Mission Year alumni prayed over us and offered their wisdom, and finally we took communion with each other. Throughout it all, the building that surrounding us provided a powerful metaphor of the transformative power of the Gospel, the work that God does to transform the broken and marginalized into something beautiful.
Thank you so much for keeping me in my prayers and supporting me. The days are long and it is easy to grow weary, but God is working in and through me in this place. Next month our house will be starting a fun fundraiser, so look forward to hearing more next month!
With Love,
Michael Mann
michaelinphilly.blogspot.com
Books I've been reading this month:
Restoring At-Risk Communities by John Perkins
Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Tatum
Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling by Mark R. McMinn
God Space by Doug Pollock
