Friends:

I am still drinking lots of coffee--in case you
were wondering if the name of this blog was
still appropriate.

I drank lots of coffee at breakfast on Monday morning.
I had picked up Tony Campolo at Reagan Airport early and
we went to breakfast. The topic was , more or less, spirituality
and ministry. The key idea was ministry is rooted in prayer.

After all the coffee, we went over to Wesley Seminary. We linked
up with Dr. Michael Battle--now provost of the Episcopal Cathedral in
Los Angeles--the co-author of The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial
Reconciliation. [He is the former Vice President of VTS.]

The hour's presentation and 45 minute discussion in Wesley's chapel
with Tony and Michael was energizing. Many of the students and faculty at Wesley had read the
book. Several faculty members from around the Consortium joined us. The questions from the floor were thought-provoking.

I was gratified that so many were willing to devote their Monday
morning to Racial Reconciliation. Reconciliation is vitally important.

Afterward we had a faculty luncheon for about 20 colleagues.
[This spring semester event is sponsored by the Consortium Council of Academic Deans.]
Of course the discussion turned on the educational implications of the presentation/discussion.
There are many good ideas--and a lot of questions--in our group.

Coffee gives me a lot of morning energy.
I am even more energized to see colleagues considering and
acting on one of the most important issues of our time.

Peace,
John