Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Columbus

I spent the weekend in Columbus, Ohio with Paul, Darren, and J. Jackson.

Saturday afternoon, we met up with Nick Nye, pastor of newly launched Veritas Community Church. He took us for a walk around his neighborhood, the Short North, and told us about his vision and heart for the city. The Short North is essiently the arts district in Columbus and has emerged as one of the most influential cultural centers in America. To Louisville residents, I would compare it to the Highlands, only much cleaner. The neighborhood is filled with all the trendy stores and restaurants one would expect from the city with America's largest university. Hookah bars, American Apparel clothes, vegan cafes, and fixed-gear bike shops were seemingly on every corner- each with recylcing bins in front.

Saturday night, Paul, Darren and I went to see the Columbus Crew play the L.A. Galaxy. Unlike the game from last year, David Beckham, the best dead ball player and possibly the most beautiful man on earth, was there. Thankfully for the Crew, Beckham's amazing finesse and agility proved insufficient to carry the rest of the struggling Galaxy. The Crew won the match one - nil.

Sunday morning we jumped on our bikes and went for a spin around the Short North and downtown. Beautifully smooth payment was well complimented by a nearly complete absence of traffic, so needless to say the ride quite delighful. We found an empty parking garage in the middle of downtown which offered a panoramic view of the city- and plenty of smooth concrete for some superfluos skid-stopping. The highlight of the weekend was without a doubt the launch of Veritas. Nick preached a very gospel centered message on 1 Corinthians 2. The three of us Sojourners were encouraged to see many of our liturgical elements to be present in the gathering, including the weekly celebration of communion and the different movements ( adoration, confession, and so forth) during worship. Joe Byler and the rest of the band sounded great, especially their take on In the Shadow of Glorious Cross and There is a Peace. I eagerly anticipate seeing how God uses this church in spreading his gospel.

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