A very full day

12/4

The Composers Concordance orchestra is loading in for their first rehearsal for their upcoming concert of Shakespeare inspired music this weekend.

I’m waiting for my noon appointment with Russ when I look up and Daniella is here. I met her at the Princeton weekend on Poverty and Peacemaking. She is a translator who has juts published her translation of the Argentinian '50's classic, Operation Massacre, by Rodolfo Walsh. (http://www.amazon.com/Operation-Massacre-Rodolfo-Walsh/dp/1609805135) But here in New York City , she is part of the collective who is managing the Word Up bookstore in Washington Heights, a Dominican neighborhood trying to survive against the onslaught of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital gentrification. We head across the street to the Bean and she shares with me her outrage on the Eric Garner grand jury decision. It fills her with an anger too deep for words. She wants to at least march but that doesn't go deep enough. Knowing what to do is hard. I admire her commitment to a collective decision making process, despite all its inherent issues. Word Up, as I tell her, has an intuitive philosophy but no coherent ideology. Community building projects like Word Up are inherently political, subversive, but in an organic, not strategic sense. It’s all part of the new reality being created out there. (htttp://wordupbooks.wordpress.com)

When I give Daniella a tour of the building, there is a syncopated dance group rehearsing in the gym. A walk up rental snagged by Charles. Looks like they will be coming back.

The Koreans are back again. They are pressing hard for a major buy in with our building. They are connected to one of the innumerable Korean Presbyterian denominations, conservative Reformed theology over Confucian culture. Politically liberal, socially conservative.I remember a previous Korean congregation we worked with. When I asked the pastor about their relationship with the LGBTQ community, he said, No problem, there are no homosexuals in Korea.
Well, alright then.

Russ does show up. We continue our conversation about revolution and religion, The meaning of radical discipleship. And very existentially , how we should respond to the Garner decision. We want to continue this conversation. But how to even invite people? Get the word out? We know there is a hunger… but how to connect? That is the question…

Berik still wants to get his Kazakh friend a crack at our reconstruction project.

Pat is in to begin the go ahead conversation with our construction manager Jerry. We're way behind, need to get this work moving forward. have to get the roof. beefore winter sets in. Jerry and his subcontractor are into walk the roof with Pat O and figure out the next move.

Karen has complicated problems from Hawaii she wants me to help solve. And then she plays some very reflective piano.

Diane and Teddy and Tricia are in to share their ideas for hoer next performances but also an eye toward put reconstruction work. Everyone  has their own opinion. I just wan to get it done.

Reggie who took pictures of Thomas Bo’s performance wants to share the photos.

Anna has a host of stories to tell. Her keeping me up to date with what's going on in the projects is invaluable.

A very full day.