The beginning

Let's face it, I'm kind of a blogging whore, that is to say that I have blogs everywhere on the internet, some public, some private, some for business, and some that never even really took off. I decided, however, that I want a spot that is intentional (if THAT isn't a Christian buzzword, I don't know what is), a spot to discuss what is continually becoming more and more the focus of my life— the discussion of Jesus Christ and the community of screw-ups, hypocrites, liars, cheaters, Pharisees, good people, bad people, people people, judgmental jerks, friendly people, smart people, fake people, and everybody else people that we call the church. I want discussion because I think the conversation has either been very lacking or severely one-sided for a long time, and there is a shift happening, a transition in which people are becoming more open to talking about things that are not always (or ever) comfortable, but that have been swept under the rug for a long time. I know that in writing a blog, I run the risk of pontificating or sounding like I have a know-it-all God-complex, and that is really not the tone I want to assume. I just wanted to make that clear, and that's really why I want to have a discussion, because obviously I don't know it all. I have a lot of ideas about the church, and about how Christ should be the central focus of the church, and how He should be our reference point for treating one another and people who don't agree with us, or who even dislike us, but sometimes there are confusing or controversial issues, and I want to rant or talk or ask questions and get insight from other people who might have the same questions or beef that I do, or who might disagree entirely with me, and that's good. I am looking for conversation, and since I spend a lot of time at coffee shops, the blog name is fairly straightforward. I suppose from time to time I'll just ramble here, but like I said, I have 30 other blogs for that... or at least 3, and one that only a few of you know about. In any case, I don't where this is going to go, or if it is even going to go for long, but I'll/we'll see.

So my first question/topic is simple: what does 'church' mean to you? What does it feel like? Where is church? What do you like/dislike about church?

I'll try to respond at least once a day to any responses left by people, so I hope a few people who read this will dive in and leave some input!

Be well, be present-
patrick