Diversity & The Covenant Denomination

While “emerging reactionaries” rail against denominationalism, my intro to the Evangelical Covenant via Eugene Cho has been a pleasant surprise. I’ve blogged in the past plenty of times about the blind spot of the emerging dialogue that America is fast becoming “brown” and that missional pundits don’t take this into account. Which is why the ethos of the Cov Church, including their educational institutions in Chicago have been a welcome network to join: “intentionally urban, intentionally diverse, intentionally Christian” (wikipedia). Their leadership in the emerging Church dialogue and intentional ethnic diversification have been refreshing to behold. Next month I participate in the North Pacific Conference Journey to Mosaic Conference which looks like this:

• Thursday, July 17th

2:00—6:30 pm Welcome and orientation @ Emerald City Bible Fellowship—Seattle, WA

Presentation Japanese Detention Center by Roy and Mary Okada—Kent Covenant Church

Dinner and view video: Going for Glory, Going for Broke

• 6:45 – 9 pm Site visit: TBD

Presentation by Sam Mitsui—Nisei Veterans Committee

• Overnight in Seattle area—Seattle area participants host out of towners

• Friday, July 18th

Coffee on your own with host families

6:00 am!!  Gather at Newport Covenant to load the bus  (Vehicles can be left here)

6:15 -11:30 am Travel from Seattle to Prescott (4 hours plus 1 hour lunch stop)

• • H20, OJ, bagels & cream cheese, apples and bananas available at bus

• In-route programming- The Color of Fear

• • In route programming- Dying to Live

• • Lunch in Pasco, Wa

11:30- 2:30pm Site Visit: Broetje Orchards/Vista Hermosa Community

• 2:30 pm Travel from Prescott to Toppenish (approximately 1hr. 45 mins.)

• • In-route programming- Celilo Falls and the Remaking of the Columbia River

• • In-route programming- Native American Residential Schools

• 4:30- 7:30 pm Site Visit: Yakama Nation Cultural Heritage Center

• Presentation on Celilo Falls by Annie Lou Alexander—Yakama Nation

5:30   Dinner at 14 Tribes Room

• Group debrief and discussion

• 7:30- 9:15 pm Travel from Toppenish to The Dalles, OR (approximately 1 ½  hrs)

• Overnight stay at Shilo Inn

• Saturday, July 19th

• Breakfast at hotel—included

8:30 – 10 am Travel from The Dalles to Portland (1 ½ hours)

• In-route programming- Race: The Power of an Illusion

• 10 am- 1pm Site visit: African American experience

• Lunch at Yam Yams

1 – 3:30 pm Travel from Portland to Tacoma, Wa (approximately 2 ½ hours)

• • In-route programming- Becoming American: The Chinese Experience

• 3:30-6 pm Tacoma Site visit:

• Chinese Reconciliation Park and presentation by Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation

• Drive by Northwest Detention Center

• Northwest Leadership Foundation and presentation on Northwest Detention Center by Sigrun Freeman

6 – 7 pm Travel from Tacoma to Seattle, Wa (approximately 1 hour.)

• In-route programming- Two Rivers

7 – 8:30 pm Site Visit: Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, Seafair powwow

• Dinner on your own at the powwow

8:30- 9 pm Travel from Daybreak Star to Tukwila (approximately 30 mins.)

Check into Days Inn

• 9 – 10:30 pm Group debrief and snack

• Overnight at hotel

• Sunday, July 20th

• Relaxing sleep in morning—please take some time for personal devotions and reflections of your journey with your partner

Breakfast at hotel–included

• 9:45 –10:15 am Travel from Kent to Seattle, Wa  (approximately 15  mins.)

• 10:15 am Worship at Emerald City Bible Fellowship/Urban Impact

1- 2:30 pm Final group lunch, debrief and closing with Communion

3:00 pm Return to Newport to pick up vehicles