Many of you know that Geoff Holsclaw and I started a group called Up/rooted about 5 years ago with the help of a little money from our church Life on the Vine. It was meant to be a discussion group bringing pastors, leaders, an interested minded Christians of all ilk together around the issues of post modernity, post-Christendom that we were all dealing with at the time. Geoff was active in Emergent and Up/rooted became a cohort of Emergent. The thing grew, Geoff and I got over whelmed with our own church’s responsibilities, plus various tasks related to ministry, writing, speaking and teaching (for me at the Seminary). We handed off the reins to Mike Clawson who has down an outstanding job. Up/rooted west has really developed a great conversation due to his and Julie’s leadership. Way to go!As far as Up/rooted meeting again up here in North West Suburbs, I have been asked about that happening from time to time. I am in process of reviving a meeting of Up/rooted here up in the NWest part of the suburbs aimed at some theological discussion on issues of church and culture and modernity/postmodernity. I’m hoping to restart it in January. It will be somewhat informal, but also intentionally theological, built around a 10-20 page reading for each gathering. If you are in the area, and you are interested in connecting like this, would you e-mail me through LifeontheVine’s website. I’ll put you on the list and we’ll make this all happen. Thanks!

Meanwhile, let me put in a plug for Up/rooted’s gathering with Doug Pagitt, pastor of Solomon’s Porch, author of the books Church Re-Imagined and Preaching Re-Imagined, and the orginal founder of what has become Emergent. Doug is an articulate spokeman for Emergent, knows many of the issues of postmodern thought, and I am sure has new things to say regarding the development of emerging churches, emergent as an organization, and how we must go forward doing church in the contexts we find ourselves in. Though I don’t always agree with Doug, I have used his books in my classes, and have found his work insightful, importaht and challenging. It should be a good night! This all happens on Thursday, September 28, 7ish p.m. at the Socall home, 26W325 Torrey Pines Ct., Winfield, IL 60190. We all look forward to engaging him on the issues Emergent is facing these days. Hope to see some of you there!

Blessings, David Fitch