Well, I headed off by myself in the mighty black 6 speed manual Youth Vision ute to Mandurah. I was attending the anual Churches of Christ counsel meeting. This included the .acom graduation ceremony. We saw about 9 students graduate from a various streams. Degree in Theology, Advanced Dip of Theology, Grad Dip in Past Care, MA in Church Leadership.
I did a little presentation, Barry Austin (the boss of CoCWA) worked with me and when it was over the .acom crew and families went out for lunch to the ‘Stage Door’ in Mandurah.
I stuffed down my meal in time to return to the meetings to give a Youth Vision report on power point.
At the end of the proceedings Barry Austin gave a short address about where we are at as a leadership in COCWA.
I would have to say, I have been unispired by all the governance stuff Barry has been doing in our movement since his arrival. But he stood up and first grabbed my attention by expressing the urgent need for us to be connecting to what God is doing in the emerging church. To be aware of new models of doing church, to be open and risk taking regarding new models. He had me listening, but still thinking about why so much governace stuff (apart from some other doubts, including such a CEO style leadership model being encouraged when in fact most emergent types are so over this form of leadership), but…staying open, I continued to listen…
Barry showed a video of a gen-x girl speaking to a crowd of people on behalf of her generation…wooooo, I was in tears. She was appealing to an older generation for them to try and understand ‘us’, to reach out and not be scared. It was a wonderful appeal and went even as deep as theological challenge, and ways to reach ‘us’ with the good news.
I would say that 70% of the crowd there in mandurah were around 50 – 70 years old, sad really, but certainly they needed to hear this message. Well done Barry.
He then showed a picture of a vine growing on a trellis. He pointed out that for three years he had been building the trellis, governance and policies, but now it was time for us to begin to see the vine grow and see some fruit from it. A good structure will support a great movement.
Lets hope the ladder is up against the right wall! (Sorry mixed metaphore!)
No Guarantees 
Wow!!!