Salt and Birds
We viewed Salt Lake while eating breakfast. Would you like some salt on your eggs? Get some right out there.
Morton Salt Factory
JONATHAN: “Do they WASH the salt?” Me: “That would dissolve it” JONATHAN: “You mean our salt has bird pooh on it?”
Stopping to walk about
That's a TALL train
“Moon River” (aka Colorado River)
Jonathan watching the Colorado River
- Jonathan watching the Colorado River
We had a relaxing and long journey from Chicago to Sacramento. As often as not, across the country, we were following a river–and we were usually right NEXT to it (looking down directly to water!) We followed the Colorado River for at least five hours. The views were spectacular and they are quite different than what we get from the road. When I asked whether the great views of the river or the steep rock cliffs or the long views of the sky were best, JONATHAN said: “The best part was when the river rafters MOONED us.” He learned a lot on this trip. Apparently it is standard procedure for the river rafters to moon the train whenever it goes by. Each one (in different groups even) gave us this standard greeting. So much so, that it has come to be know by train-riders as ‘Moon River’
Empire Builder Closed
The route from Chicago to Portland (The train route known as the Empire Builder) is closed due to flooding in North Dakota. Perhaps this is a good omen that the EMPIRE is about to fall.
Anyway–this means a couple stops we had planned are not possible (including Missio Dei in the Twin Cities). It also means we’ll have many, many hours added to our train ride as we go south through Denver, to Sacramento, then up to Portland.
But we’re rolling with it, and it’s all part of the adventure. It should be beautiful going through the rockies
Next we're re-routed through the Rockies
REBA Place
We spent a couple nights in Evanston (just north of Chicago) interacting with the many different forms of intentional community expressed here. I have much more to say about this well-established, and wise community, but we’re about to leave Chicago for the next leg of the trip. Wonderful relationships started here…looking forward to more.
JONATHAN loved the rope swing in one of the backyards, and we went to the OTHER (west) shore of Lake Michigan.
REBA-LAND
We were welcomed with warm hospitality to many of the different arms of community known as the Reba Fellowship. This group is one of the oldest Protestant Christian Communities (if not THE oldest). Sally showed us the daughter community known as Living Water Church (and Rogers Park Community of Reba Fellowship). More on this later.
Place for recycled bikes--one of many ministries here
- LivingWater Church
Chicago and the Jesus People
We were welcomed to Chicago by JOBY from Jesus People USA (JPUSA). A community of about 400 people living with a common purse in uptown Chicago. Thanks for welcoming us into your community. Many of them were on their way to host the famous Cornerstone Festival. Many thanks to Joby for filling us in on the oral history of this famous and long-standing community. They are really reaching out to the city around them, and I love the humble approach to life (and to themselves) that they take!
Over 400 people live in community here!
Kalamazoo!
What a treat to meet up with Mark and Kristin, whom we started a community house with back in New Haven. We spent Saturday on the shores of Lake Michigan, catching up with dear, good friends from past community!
Jonathan had a great time being the ‘big kid’ to Grace (4) and Jake (2)
(will write more about our time there later)
Grace and Jonathan in Lake Michigan
Leaving Kalamazoo to Chicago
Jesus Radicals
Thursday evening we had dinner with Joanna (currently working for the Mennonites) and Mildred (who worked for the Mennonites for over 40 years). More inter-generational community–thanks for hosting us!!
And then we hung out talking late into the night with Andy, Nekeisha (who host Jesus Radicals) Josh, Joanna and others about different ways people are trying to radically follow Jesus. Looking forward to connecting more with these good folks!
Play Ball!
Have Glove and Ball--Will Travel
We brought our gloves and a ball in our packs and have played catch at many spots along our journey!
Swamps, Snakes and Dragonflies, OH MY!
We went wading in this swamp at Merry Lea,
Thanks to Paul Steurry, a professor from Goshen I met in Oregon, we were able to go on a swamp adventure (waders, bug-catchers, and all) and find all sorts of creatures. Paul also gave us a tour of their great agroecology program. Thanks Paul!!
That evening, we were welcomed to the community meal at the Jubilee house in Elkhhart. What a vibrant, diverse, inter-generational and outreaching community! I’ll add more on this later!
Jubilee House--where we gathered for a community meal
We heart Elkhart
Arriving at Elkhart, Indiana
We arrived at Elkhart on Tuesday morning and Joanna Shenk graciously hosted us and helped get us introduced to the many different parts of this beautiful community. It’s interesting what children remember. As we wrote a thank you card three days later (to Joanna), there were many, many things he could have mentioned to be thankful, but JONATHAN wrote: “Thank you for picking us up at the train station and for waiting while my Dad went to the bathroom.”
We visited a newly budding cooperative permaculture farm run by a group of people–many of whom are also living in community. The farm works as a CSA to generate funds, but they also have bees and are planning more permanent agricultural features. We spent the afternoon working on the farm, and as we were doing some weeding, talking some lively theology, JONATHAN chastised us saying, “You’re murdering the weeds, you’re murdering the weeds.” Maybe he just didn’t want to weed, or maybe he was a plant egalitarian–who knows?
Colorful bee high-rises at Rise-Up Farms
Back on the Rails
Monday morning we took the Amtrak back to Penn Station and then embarked on an overnight train trip west–to Elkhart, Indiana. This train followed the Hudson River from the time we got on the train (3:30pm) until sunset. Right next to the river the whole way–stunning.
JONATHAN says: “There were sailboats getting in the way of the river. There were buildings too [in the way of the river]. It was pretty interesting sleeping in the sleeping bags on the train. The audio book was interesting. I was listening to the part about Charlie trying to rescue the lions trying to keep away from Edward, the best security officer in Bulgaria and King Boris in Bulgaria.”
Tucked away ready to sleep on the train
Father’s Day
On Father’s Day we were in New Haven, Connecticut for the afternoon. We went to a favorite restaurant (Bangkok Gardens–Thai–a place we’ve eaten over 50 times) and then heard some live music on the downtown ‘Green’ where we got some Italian Ices. Then we were walked past Atticus Bookstore, and JONATHAN said, “Hey, let’s go in there!” No argument from Papa. We each bought a book, and for the rest of the day, Jonathan kept saying, “let’s find a bench or someplace where we can read.” We went into Yale Art Gallery where I showed Jonathan a painting and said, “Do you know who painted that?” JONATHAN: “Yeah, Van Gogh.” Now can we go find a chair where I can read my book?” “Well, if you insist.” Then we went to my favorite coffee shop–Willoughby’s–and got coffee and coffee cake and we sat on the sidewalk tables and read our books. It was a sunny day, I was reading a new book, drinking coffee, and my son was engrossed in a new book. And I thought, “Okay, this is a good Father’s Day.”
Jonathan Tree
We started our tour of intentional communities by spending two nights in the house on Mansfield Street where we started a community house back in 2001 (with Mark and Kristin Rhinehart-Totten–whom we’ll be visiting later in this trip–they now live in Kalamazoo, Michigan).
It was fun to see the FIRST HOUSE where Jonathan lived, and the 1891 house that we renovated–the place where Jill and I first tasted deeply of the goodness of community living. The house is still a community house and we had a rich time talking about the history of the community and about the challenges and fruits of living in community. A highlight was having a candlelight dinner in the beautiful backyard–and it brought back many good memories of community meals together–especially meals outside on the picnic table. Thanks to Sarah and Natalia and Madeline (and Eric and Jane) for hosting us!!
Out in front, was a Sycamore tree Jonathan “helped” plant when he was 3 months (and my Dad was there, too). Now, here’s Jonathan in front of that tree–and both have grown significantly.
Tree planted when Jonathan was 3 months
Favorite Jonathan Quote of the day, which he said while talking about the tree we planted… JONATHAN: “Papa, I liked it before Daniel was born because I got more attention then.” ME: “Well, right now, it’s kind of like that because it’s just you and me, and you’re getting all the attention.” JONATHAN: “No, YOU’RE the one getting all the attention [we had just been at the conference]. Everyone is coming up to you saying how much they like your talk, and I was just sitting there listening.” Perceptive kid, this one. I did point out that everyone at the conference loved interacting with him…and one person even said, “That Jonathan–he really brings out the love in people. There’s something about him that just makes people want to love him.” And it’s true–he got a lot of attention–and hugs.
Jonathan’s birthplace
Old (good) friends from Connecticut
We rode Amtrak from Penn Station to New Haven, CT–the place where Jonathan was born and where he lived the first four months of his life. We visited the church we helped re-plant about a decade ago, and now it meets in a building it bought from the Catholics and now owns free and clear. Good to connect with friends we haven’t seen in 8 years.
JONATHAN says: “We had this dinner and I watched Toy Story 3 [sunday night is movie night]. My dad told me a lot about when I wasn’t born and he told me a lot about Yale and….yeah.” We went to Lilly Gibson’s house–his first babysitter–and JONATHAN says: “I practiced hitting the ball with Lilly’s two grandkids”
Bull Market? Bear Market? or Bull$#!t Market?
Wall Street Bull-Sh*t
While near Wall Street, we stopped by the famous bull. While the financial spinsters are arguing about whether we have a bull or bear market, I wonder if the pile of smelly manure under this bull is more indicative of the true state of our economy. It is built on debt…and debt that individuals or our nation cannot possibly repay. Here’s a fascinating video about the true nature of our money system. Our economy is dependent on the creation of debt, and so it is an economy built on a fiction,
JONATHAN says, “Why did you put $ then # then ! then t?” Good question.
Times Square is ‘BORING’
Jonathan is not impressed with Times Square
JONATHAN says: “We went to Grand Central Station, [because Jonathan loves Cricket in Times Square–oh wait, Jonathan says, “I don’t LOVE Cricket in Times Square, I just LIKE it] but it didn’t look like I imagined it. I just think it was back when there were News Stand like the Billini’s News Stand where they left the cash register drawer open. We didn’t find any news stands like that.”
And when we got to Times Square itself, I took some pictures then asked, “So what do you think of Times Square?” JONATHAN said, “Not so interesting!” With all the billboards, lights, advertising, etc., I am not at all sad that he found this ‘center of ‘where it’s at’ Boring. Any other time he says he’s bored, I tell him that only boring people get bored. But when he was bored with Times Square, I just soaked it in and smiled.
Chester the Cricket quickly got tired of New York and wanted to go back to the countryside in Connecticut…which is how Jonathan felt. So that very evening, at 8pm, we caught the Amtrak train from Penn Station to Connecticut.
Tasting New York
Jonathan tastes New York
In between sessions at the conference, Jonathan and I hopped on the bus and just rode it for about 50 blocks checking out the city, and then we walked many blocks by foot. JONATHAN says, “It was really fun. We saw the Central Park.”
After the conference, we took the subway to downtown in order to check out the Statue of Liberty and the financial district.
JONATHAN says: “I couldn’t believe we were seeing the REAL statue of Liberty because we had seen hundreds of fake ones [in stores].” Almost everyone we met asked Jonathan, “Is this your first time in New York?” hoping to hear what new things he had seen, and he would very nonchalantly say, “No, I’ve been here before.” End of conversation. Until I added, “Yes, he was here when he was three months old.” This guy is an INTJ and not inclined to express enthusiasm. I’m learning a lot about my son. But he is very perceptive of all what is going on around him, and despite his underwhelming expression of interest, he is having a good time.
ENVISION 2011–NYTS
After Stony Point, it was back to Penn Station on the NJ Transit Train, and then we took the subway up to New York Theological Seminary where Envision 2011 was being held. 
Jonathan says: “We went to New York and we got a room and it had a refrigerator but it didn’t have anything in it. And we had this double bed. Then we went out to Riverside Church and we had this big meeting–and that was a lot of fun.” What happened at the meeting? “There was a dance [Young did a Grass dance] and there was this choir [a Gospel Choir] and during one of the songs they had everyone dance ‘like David’ and everyone starting dancing about–my Dad actually got out of his seat.” [Randy Woodley gave the opening address, and he really preached it–what if we really accepted the fact that Christ is our Creator–for example, John 1–In the Beginning was the Word…
Here is a photo of the beautiful Riverside Church where some of our meetings were held (it’s the one with the big tower. The opening session was held in the chapel, and the final day’s session–the one I spoke in–was held in the tenth floor of the tower–about half way up).
Jonathan continues…”We had some conferences, and then we had some more conferences…and then we went to Connecticut.” Here are a list of the speakers..and link to the conference..
[note: we spent a day in Manhattan before going to Connecticut..next post.]
Kindling the fire
In and out of conversations at Stony Point, several words arose for me–
WAIL—-> (let people wail and acknowledge the many wounds that are being suffered in our world) EAT —->(feed the body–comfort with the food that binds all creatures together–who doesn’t like to eat? Let food be thy medicine. Break bread together, and ‘in remembrance’ of Christ) HOPE —->(without needing to be optimistic–without needing to be over-confident–without needing to deny the reality of the suffering–we can still have hope–and this is best–only?–done in community. Hope in solitude dies like a solitary ember) DANCE—->There is a time for dancing–for joy–for laughter–and for celebration. This does not mean the suffering has ceased, necessarily, but it means that despite suffering, there is cause for joy, and the cup of joy is cut as deep as the cup of sorrow. And we move through this not in linear fashion, but in cyclical fashion. WAIL–EAT–HOPE–DANCE–WAIL–EAT–HOPE–ETC.
Story and Inspiration around the Fire
Arriving in NYC
After a red-eye flight to JFK airport, Jonathan says, “it was really awesome there. There were so many things going on. Then we took lots of trains [Corey: 5 to be exact–Airtrain, subway, metronorth and NJ Transit] and finally got to Stony Point, NY. Then we had lunch there and waited awhile and had dinner–then Young and Redbird [Woodley] got there just in time for dinner.” Jonathan had fun hanging out with Young and Redbird, and we ate very well–food that was local, just and DELICIOUS.
- Jonathan arriving at Stony Point, NY
Note: we went to Stony Point Retreat Center for a 2 day board meeting for E4J (Evangelicals for Justice) along with some good folks like Andy Smith, Peter Heltzel, Lisa Sharon Harper, Mae Cannon, Randy Woodley, Alexia Salvatierra, Al Hsu, and Soong-Chan Rah. We were developing a vision for how we might think and act holistically in the pursuit of love and justice, and had some inspiring times around the table, on the dance-floor, and around an open fire. The idea of fire kept coming into our conversation–how can we rekindle hope in each other and in the communities of faith we’re part of? We talked theory, but also practically, as we planned on ways to further cultivate hopeful action toward love and justice.
We’re off!
On Monday, June 13, Jonathan (8) and his Papa (older than 8 ) embarked on a nearly 3-week journey to New York City and back. Our journey from NYC to Portland will be via TRAIN (Amtrak). We’ve purchased 15-day passes and will be working our way west making stops at various places that inspire hope–places of intentional community, living in good relation to the land, to each other and to our Creator.
tour of hope 2011 