Central Jersey Cohort: Check-In time

For those of you in the Central Jersey Emergent Cohort, please use the comment section on this post to chime in regarding these questions/comments. After a week or so, we’ll see if a consensus builds about how to move forward.

1) The Content: Do you want to keep meeting? Does it have value to you? What are the things you’d like to see us discuss? Dr. Guder came to our first meeting, and that shows a unique opportunity we have in the Princeton area — are you interested in us extending invitations to other theologians from the seminary and the university to join us? Do you want conversations tilted more toward theory of the church, praxis of the church, or an attempt at balance?

2) The Venue: There were many pro and con comments on Adam’s blog following our last meeting regarding Charlie Brown’s, and, I’ll admit, the fact that that couple sat right in the middle of us was a bummer. I’ve checked with Mark (the waiter), and we could reserve the room to the immediate left when you walk in the door, which would be quieter. But then there’s the problem of the last person there getting stiffed with the check for those who underpaid or undertipped (it was I who got stiffed in November and someone else last month). Those are the cons to CB’s; the pros are cheap beer, a casual atmosphere, and following in the long tradition of theological conversation over a pint. Further, there’s something to be said about theological/missional conversation being more grounded when it’s taking place in a bar than when it’s in a seminary classroom.

On the other hand, we could drive down to Buck’s County and meet at The Well, we could find a coffee shop setting in the Princeton area, or we could gather in someone’s home or in a church. Pro: all these would be less raucous. Con: all these would be less raucous. What say you?

3) The Time: Should we stick with the 3rd (or 4th) Thursday of the month? If that’s the case, I won’t be around for any more of the gatherings. Is evening better than daytime?

4) Leadership: Because of my schedule, I shouldn’t be the point person for this anymore — I’ll only be at PTS for short stints this Spring semester, and only four or five times. Of course, I’d love to be around for the cohort, but I think there’s enough momentum right now that you all have to schedule them when they work for you. So who wants to be in charge???

OK, weigh in…