day five immersion

Final day of Immersion was beautiful. We spent the morning with Noel Castellanos talking about redistribution in the context of all 8 components of Christian Community Development. We also went out on site visits to La Villita Community Church and Breakthrough Urban Ministries in the afternoon. When arriving back to South Loop Community Church, we walked in to find a chocolate fountain in one corner, and Dave Clark and band providing some great background music up front. A social time led into dinner, worship, sharing, and prayer. A tremendous time together as we closed out the week of Immersion.

To follow-up our immersion experience, we are to have read all of the required books and write a 10 page paper. I already know what I am compelled to put into writing. I'd highly recommend an Immersion experience for anyone who is called and working to restore under-resourced communities. If you wanted to get a peek into the content, check out one or more of the required reading:

Generous Justice by Timothy Keller

Real Hope in Chicago by Wayne Gordon with Randall Frame

Beyond Charity by John M. Perkins

Empowerment by Mary Nelson, PhD

Compassion, Justice, and the Christian Life by Robert D. Lupton

Theirs is the Kingdom by Robert D. Lupton

Reconciling All Things by Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice

Communities First edited by Jay Van Groningen