The New Digs

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Last weekend the Detroit Villages community gathered with friends from around Metro Detroit at Cass Community UMC in the heart of the Cass Corridor. This monthly gathering is our chance to share the stories of our various villages - how they're living out their faith 24/7 amongst neighbors around the city. It's also a great chance for those interested in intentional community to meet those practicing this way of life and learn about what living in community is really like.

Our location for this gathering happened to be in Emergedetroit.org's new digs - Cass UMC. After a number of years located in the offices of the United Methodist district agencies, we've now moved down into the city. This move feels appropriate and missional, even if it is also economical in nature! Now we're living corporately among the people we serve. It's like our organization is taking the call to Christian community a little more seriously. Already we've felt the differences - lots more NA meetings and homeless friends around, lots less district planning committees.

While a relocation like this takes some energy - changing addresses, setting up and reorganizing the new office space, etc - it's also the kind of move that reenergizes. From a new place we can see the realities of our work in the city a little more clearly. Our summer interns this year may benefit from our deeper connection to their placement sites. Already, we feel more connected to the pilot campus ministry at Wayne State that has been going since September.

I'd hope for all our churches and Christian friends that you'll have opportunities for this kind of blessed displacement sometimes in your life. Sometimes, it's just this kind of disruption that can send you off into even deeper expressions of serving God and serving others.

Now enjoying strolls to Avalon Bakery during lunch times,
Carl
carl(at)emergedetroit.org

Visit the emergedetroit.org calendar, subscribe to the emergedetroit podcast, follow "emergedetroit" on Twitter, or join the emergedetroit facebook group for updates on upcoming emergedetroit.org gatherings, events and conversations.