(image from Jen's back)wabiSABI is the event that we are all arriving for here in Austin Texas. Thanks to a generous gift from the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the team is offering an incredible conference and experience to 150 artists and young ministry people who could not afford to attend most other conferences. And yes, some of them will be older, institutional Mentor-type people who we want involved in the conversation.
Here is the deal. wabiSABI are charging $35 for everyone to attend. We know that no one is getting paid to help or speak or, in my case, to be a pretty face. Artists have brought their own equipment to cut down costs - I can vouch for this, having to lug my video projector, camera and computer half-way across the world to be one of the video jockeys. (The other guy is Travis from Highway Video who I have not met yet, but if he is better than me then I will pull the plug on his computer during his set. [he he he]
But the question still lingers, what do I get for my $35?
First of all, DANG!, you have to be really stingy to ask that question. But some of you are . . .so . . . You are basically getting a free conference, an all expense-paid training and networking encounter that is being given to you as a GIFT . . . because . . . there are some older and more institutional folk in Texas who love you and are deeply committed to see new expressions of God's church for the future. And they believe you ARE the future.
They also know that you are poor struggling artists, or that the churches you have started are more organic and do not give you a salary and that coming to Austin will take a big chunk out of your budget. In fact, some of you sold the farm to pay for your plane ticket and they want to honor you and bless you . . .
RUDE INTERRUPTION:
Shannon: Andrew, this is Grace, Robbie's fiance.
Grace: (Half-asleep but waking) Good morning (she crashed in Shannon's living room last night, next to another unidentified girl)
Me: Hi Grace. Did you come down from Cincinatti? Grace: Yes
Me: Cool!
(Robbie, who was at Emergent in Prague last year, lives in Cincinatti. Thats how I knew)
See, thats what I am talking about. Its not cheap for young people to fly around and we need to honor them. But the team also has to charge them some money. $35 to be exact. And where does that money go???????????????
Well, basically, the money goes to pay your 4 huge (TEXAS SIZED) meals:
Meal 1. Texas BBQ at the electronic worship event on Friday.
Meal 2. Breakfast and
Meal 3. lunch at the teaching conference on Saturday morning.
Meal 4. Gospel Brunch at Threadgills Club on Sunday.
The English Afternoon Tea on Saturday afternoon is free.
Do I hear any complaints?
