My wife and I recently hosted a dinner party around a discussion of the book, The Wind in the Willows. Like many enduring children’s books, this one from Kenneth Grahame operates on several levels - engaging for children with talking animals, humorous mishaps, and obvious good guys and bad guys; and stimulating for adults with its themes of deep community, perseverance, and morality. As we discussed these aspects, our conversation slowly wound toward our own community of faith - do we see these same issues extant in our relationships and church? It was a rich time of reflection on the praxis of our faith - are we swimming in the stream, or just dipping our toes in the water? It’s awfully easy to just do the latter.
When it comes to living and working in New York, it’s easy to be content with dipping our toes in the water. Simply surviving at work (and/or school, home, community) can seem exhausting enough. Bringing a robust faith into any of these can seem almost foolhardy in today’s pluralistic society, and so often we don’t. Yet I’ll argue the opposite is less exhausting and much more fulfilling. Thinking and working with redemptive purpose where God has placed us is exhilarating - because it’s real and it’s true. Because it is what we’re made for and in our hearts (if not our emotions) we know it is so, and because we’ve all done it, at least in small ways.
It has been a busy month of events in New York - our salon, God in the Newsroom with journalist Paul Glader on May 7, a breakfast with N.T. Wright on Vocation and the Will of God on May 9, and a forum on True Paradox: How Christianity Makes Sense of Our Complex World with Penn law professor David Skeel on May 20. All of the above speakers attested to this idea of engaging our work and community in redemptive ways, of not being content to be on the sidelines, of wrestling creatively and with others to pursue the ought. Click on any of the above links to listen to the audio of the event.
In June, we will host our annual CU Cities conference here in New York. James K.A. Smith (Desiring the Kingdom, and You Are What You Love ) will launch the conference on Friday evening, June 21 at the Union League Club. The following day we have a full schedule of plenary speakers and numerous breakouts that will likely annoy - because you won’t be able to attend all of them. Check out the conference website and register now. Don’t double-book June 21 and 22. I look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you for the part you play in all of this - prayer, finances, camaraderie, attending events, and being a critical part of the mosaic of faith in this remarkable city. Blessings on you,
Scott Crosby
Ministry Director
Christian Union New York
Christian Union DC
For more information on New York City Christian Union Bible Courses and activities, or resources available to you please contact Scott Crosby.
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates, via email, on how to pray for City Christian Union, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
