on Monday night, we held the first meeting of the "Cultivate Three Rivers Initiative," as we've come to tentatively call it. honestly, a lot of people left angry. I think there was some misunderstanding about the purpose of the meeting, in part due to a letter by JoAnn Roberts that appeared in Saturday?s Commercial News. We did shape the agenda of the meeting somewhat in response to the letter, because we knew at that point that many people would attend the meeting who passionately support Wal-Mart and we wanted to avoid an unproductive shouting match. I did a brief introduction, emphasizing that no matter what personal opinion people held, we hoped to involve all those who wanted to seriously analyze the issue from every angle and discover what would be best for the Three Rivers area as a whole.

I did take a couple of factual questions, although I was reluctant for the afore-mentioned reason. In response to one of those questions, Becky Shank summarized the current actions of Fabius Township, which was very helpful. Most of what she said can be found in her Guest Viewpoint piece from Tuesday?s paper.

though I regrettably had to close the meeting to avoid an unplanned public debate, I feel like we did manage to network with some new people, spark much-needed discussion, and get some good responses on our posters (?I love Three Rivers because?? and ?My future vision for Three Rivers includes??). themes of the responses include a sense of home, love of a small community, a desire for wise growth, and encouragement for downtown development.

I?m realizing more and more how the problem of Wal-Mart goes so much deeper than just free market competition and municipal decisions--who can win at the powerplay game. Wal-Mart?s overwhelming success speaks to our society?s values. we generally value the low price over the high price, convenience over forethought, the ?immediate? over the ?long-term.? so it?s questionable whether the effort to cultivate values of local economy, long-term vision, and principled purchasing can take place on a community-wide scale instead of just among a small group of people (a family, a church, etc.)

perhaps *cino is exactly the response that's needed, encouraging Christians to act out shared values in constant critique of the dominant culture. but even then, we can agree on the generalities, but still have opposite views on the particulars.

and so we press on...

i?ve been struggling a lot in the past couple of days with whether it?s appropriate to take such a strong stand on the issue of Wal-Mart coming to our small town. and i?ve been spending a lot of time wishing i could just be oblivious, wondering what the heck i?ve gotten myself into. working for something that goes against the tide of the dominant culture is difficult, anxious work and having a distinct issue makes everything more immediate and consequential.

i fear that, as others perceive me, this is a stereotypical, hot-button issue and i?m fitting into some pre-determined mold for the radical social activist. i don?t desire that my work add up to a collection of issues, but that it emerge from a deep and active understanding of who God is and who i am in relation to God. my work should be my spiritual act of worship, not just an effort to win a fight.

these things are for certain: that God?s victory is already decidedly won in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that God does not need my work, but welcomes my participation in cultivating the Kingdom to come. my efforts to resist Wal-Mart, while representative of the vision for a just and perfect Kingdom, will not deter the reign of Christ.

well-timed or poorly timed is yours to decide, but a front-page article in our local paper today confirms vague rumors that Wal-Mart is pursuing a superstore in Three Rivers. in fact, the initial township meeting was taking place just about the time i was posting my "ad" for cultural movers and shakers to make Three Rivers their home.

which leads to various emotions including defeat, anger, sorrow, confusion.

i'm not just upset because Wal-Mart is an easy target for all that's wrong in the world today. i'm upset because people can operate outside a collective consciousness and do so willingly to not only their own peril, but to the peril of all to whom they are linked. David Koyzis writes in an excellent article about Christianity and liberalism that:

The lure of voluntarism--of not having to submit to anything or anyone outside of our own wills--is a powerful one throughout the western world and beyond. We dislike the thought that we may be under obligations to which we have not freely assented.

and so the idea that we may have some collective obligation to cultivate a local community with a vision is repulsive to many people. in seeking to secure "always the low price, always," we receive exactly what the slogan claims: the lowest possible value added to our communities. always.

when a community in LA voting down a Wal-Mart makes national headlines, i don't have much hope (beyond a miracle) that this little rural Midwest town can fight back successfully. but i do have hope for the places in our community that will fill the empty spaces Wal-Mart leaves in the lives of its producers, shoppers and employees.

and so my invitation becomes even more urgent--Three Rivers needs YOU!

i started a fantastic book yesterday. it was originally recommended to us in February by Larry Bourgeois of Old St. George in Cincinatti and it's called The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community . as i was reading the preface, the second preface, the introduction, and, finally, the first chapter, i was thinking, "everyone in North America needs to read this book!" (apparently, from their comment on the back, World of Beer magazine agrees with me.)

community development, inspired by the Spirit through prophetic imagination, is something that Rob and I are increasingly excited about lately and this book is going to serve as a great resource. i'm sure we'll be writing more on this topic as we do more reading and as Rob works on his Senior Paper for Goshen College on the topic. this line of thinking is inspired not just by our involvement in the wonderful city of Three Rivers, Michigan, but also by blog comments posted by Gideon Strauss.

what's fascinating about Three Rivers (though the web site certainly doesn't convey its true character) is that it's a moldable community, not too far gone to be able to become one of North America's best communities for the development of the whole person. it has incredible potential--but we need help! we're already meeting folks within the community who have a vision for the city and we're working with them on a coffeehouse collective, but we need more people who are interested in:

intentional community living

community gardens

racial reconciliation

small independent theatres (film and live)

microbreweries/pubs

recycling programs

a "Conscious Consumer" grocery co-op

ethnic restaurants

...because we need these things and more! real estate is cheap and abundant and the community is open to change. so if you are passionate about shaping a Kingdom community and perhaps are wondering where life will lead you next, consider Three Rivers. amazing happenings are afoot! to be a part of it all, contact me by e-mail at kirstinvgr*at*cultureisnotoptional*dot*com or by mail at *culture is not optional, P.O. Box 1, Three Rivers, Michigan 49093. and if you're not ready to make the big move, please be encouraged to come for a visit any time!

My Grandma Reitsma died on Monday morning. She was an absolutely amazing woman who touched the lives of everyone who knew her; she simply radiated Christ's love in all she did.