Tom Woodward [Nashua Presbyterian Church, USA] talks emerging opportunities.
[01.05]

Hi, welcome to our virtual coffee shop. Pull up a chair, take the load of your feet. Let's chat.
Glad to meet you. I am Tom

So who are you, where you from, what do you do in life?
Pastor of the Nashua Presbyterian Church in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Can I get you a drink? Cappucino, earl grey, dandelion and burdock, pale ale?
Earl Grey will do fine. No sugar or cream.

Would you like a doughnut or pastry to go with that?
I would love to have one, but will pass this time.

So, if you had to describe the church/project/experiment/thingy you are currently involved with in one sentence, what would that sentence be?
We have the opportunity to be a multiculture church. We have a group of Presbyterians from Brazil who would like to join us. This is emerging church for me.

Are you an instigator? / new recruit? / have absolutely no recollection of how you got involved?
Christian Century magazine in its November 30 article cited some websites, so I came exploring.

What excites you most about it?
The fact that life does not stand still. We are all interacting and find ourselves.

Has anyone ever turned up out of the blue not knowing what to expect?
What did they say?
Sure, a lot of people you met have no idea of where a conversation will lead, or even if there is an invitation to stick around.

Three words that describe your attitude to 'being church' in the big wide world: Presence, Compassion, Healing

Three words that DON'T:
Isolation, Self-Centered, and Biased.

You have this weird dream - you meet Jesus face to face.
Where does it happen, what does he say to you?
I would meet Jesus face to face on a lakeshore. This happened once in Guatemala, but I would like to have it happen again. Jesus would say: "Come unto me." He is gentle and open. This is such a contrast with how many persons encounter other people.

What's the big secret you're itching to share with everyone?
I having a ball in my life.

What would your 'emerging church survival kit' contain?
A training book in how to relate with others as Jesus related to his contemporaries. And a guide to the local organizations that reach out in compassion to people.

Anything else you'd like to share with us before you have to rush off?
Hang loose, and remember God is still creating His people and His World

Thanks. Good to see you, have a good day!