The Journey & Heroes of Aldea | Jean Gage

Join us as Jean Gage walks us through the "Hero's Journey" that Aldea has been on over the last 25 years! 

 

Quotes: 

 

Paulo Coelho:

When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.  

 

Will Craig: 

When the hero is ready, the mentor appears.

 

Aldea's Application for Tax Exemption: 

Aldea is a progressive Christian church and we recognize that there are many ways to be Christian, and there are all kinds of churches for all kinds of people. At aldea, we affirm this truth. We also celebrate that we are progressive in our approach to faith. So the question is: What does it mean to be progressive? Here are a few things it means to us: We are passionate about living our lives in the way of Jesus, and we hold love as life’s highest value. As progressive Christians, we affirm that how we live out our faith in daily life is more important than the specific beliefs we hold. We seek to live as Jesus lived. We find beauty in his way of life. Central to that way of life is love. Jesus once summarized his way using these words: Love God with all your heart; love your neighbor as yourself. Love God; love people. Love. Period.

 

We take the Bible seriously, but we don’t always take it literally. Our reading of the Bible is most often characterized by a historical and metaphorical approach. We appreciate that the Bible tells the story of our tradition, it’s the history of our faith. It was written by people struggling to make sense of God and spiritual matters. It reflects their thinking and the evolution of that thinking from generation to generation. We also read the Bible metaphorically. Rather than taking the stories of Scripture as always factual and always literal, we appreciate the power of metaphor. From the opening words of Genesis, to the final words of Revelation, we read Scripture seeking to find meaning for the present day. We are deeply rooted in the Christian faith, but we appreciate the wisdom of other traditions. Too often, faith communities make exclusive claims on God and spiritual Truth. At aldea, we make no such claims. We practice our faith with passion but also with humility. We appreciate the wisdom of our tradition, but we also celebrate that other people and other traditions can speak into our lives. We believe that appreciating the wisdom of other faiths can actually enrich our own Christianity. Because of this approach, we look for opportunities to create dialog with others. In this way, we seek to be “evangelized” rather than evangelizing others. Even within aldea, we do not all believe exactly the same way; these internal differences are also enriching. 

 

Discussion Questions: 

 

What does Aldea mean to you?  Do you have a story about Aldea you would like to share?

 

What ideas do you have for Aldea to become sustainable?