Friday, March 13, 2009

Personal Economics and Spirituality Workshop

Last night the endowment for creative ministries program committee hosted a gathering Dr. Steven Tomlinson at the green pastures restaurant here in Austin. While we sure dinner together a group of 24 people led by Dr. Tomlinson reflected on the current economic troubles the world is facing and then asked questions about how those stresses and opportunities appeared to those present. The room included many members of University Christian church as well as representatives from the Congregational Church in Austin, University Baptist Church, the University Avenue Church of Christ, Central Christian Church. Dr. Tomlinson had us focus and on three basic questions:
- How bad could it get?
- What does faith have to do with it?
- What is the best thing that could happen?



The conversation was fascinating and took many turms. People present seemed engaged and challenged by new ways of looking at the matters at hand. Of note, Bert Crowson from University Avenue Church of Christ reflected on an acronym for hope: Holding Onto the Perspective of Eternity. Later in the session he gave another potent quote, “where there is heart room, there is house room.: This was a quotation that his mother offered to say that there would be space in their home for those who need it because they based their family on compassion.

It was a fascinating evening and a wonderful beginning as we make preparations for the April 26 workshop at University Christian church that Dr. Tomlinson will be leading. For those interested in hearing more about the matter, please go to the following web address www.ucc-austin.org.