Annual Pilgrimage to Soliton
By Jon Ried |
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Two years ago I was invited by a friend I'd never met to a gathering I didn't know I needed. The Soliton Sessions came at a time when I had been casting about for a sense of what God was up to in my life and in my world. I've been to a few conferences, but none like Soliton. It wasn't so much a conference as a reunion of a family I never knew I had.
 I was blessed by the hospitality of the Bridge Communities, our marvelous hosts. They provided an atmosphere of honesty and sincerity, in which everyone was welcome. The worship was deep and wonderful. The partying was silly and fun. The food itself was a form of worship -- not just tasty, but beautiful to look at, and creating an environment of conversation.
 Conversation is the hallmark of Soliton. Sure, there are great speakers whom you get to listen to and hang out with. But better still, Soliton is a chance to meet and swap stories with other passionate nobodies. It is also the starting point for conversations that continue back home, so the organizers strongly encourage you not to come to Soliton alone.
Words you are not likely to hear at Soliton: "Postmodern" -- "Emergent" -- "Cutting-edge". These words aren't even on the radar, because those who have gathered are practitioners who don't need to sell anyone  on what they're doing. Words you are more likely to hear: "Heart" -- "Mission" -- "Jesus".
I fell in love with Jesus all over again that first year. The second year I went was a time of renewal and refocusing, and a lot of just hanging out with friends old and new. Soliton has become an annual thing for me, not a "conference junkie" sort of thing, but a pilgrimage where I travel to find my soul, for the sake of the world. ...See you there? (September 8-10, in Ventura, California)
 Jon Reid leads worship at Cornerstone Vineyard in San Jose, California.
He is a dreamer who loves reimagining church, while his wife Kay is the practical one who actually figures out what to do. You can learn more about Jon than you ever wanted to know at blog one another |
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