Eikon Church - Little Rock, AR

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UPDATED: you’re invited: EIKON’s a day at the park Posted by 10.03.2009 5:29 am

UPDATE (10/3/09):

friends, allow me to share a screenshot that was taken just a few moments ago on a well-known crystal ball-esque website that we all know and love.

eikon's a day at the park

yes, indeed, this is a screenshot from weather.com that shows the weather for tomorrow—the day of our planned picnic.

to pull a verse from matthew 5 completely out of context (maybe i’ll blog or preach about this often abused verse), he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. so, given that the rain is going to fall all day tomorrow and the high will only be 59, it’s a good time to formally announce that our day at the park has been cancelled.

sadly, this is just the reality of the situation. on monday, we’ll look at the possibility of rescheduling, but we know the upcoming weekend’s are already looking tight and the parks tend to be booked for a way’s out. so, we’ll let everyone know.

we’re really sorry to anyone who might have purchased something for the picnic!! spread the word to anyone who might not happen to come across this post.

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eikon's a day at the park

i’m excited to invite you guys to EIKON’s a day at the park on sunday, october 4! we’ll gather at noon at murray park (map below) for lunch and an opportunity to hang out and meet some new people.

one of the things we want to do in these early days—without a regular weekly meeting space—is to balance our not-so-kid friendly gatherings with those that are conducive to children. whereas our last couple gatherings have been at places that didn’t allow for a lot of family interaction, our day at the park should be a great chance for people—whether you have kids or not—to be able to enjoy a much more relaxed atmosphere with no agenda other than to get to know some people, eat great food and maybe play a game or two of volleyball.

we’d love to make this a shared experience, so we’re asking for your help! while we could leave ryan in charge of bringing food, we’d probably end up eating a pile of totino’s pizzas and cheez-its… i think we’d all prefer maybe something a little more…

so, we’ve compiled a list of food and related items that we’ll need for lunch. we’re going to have sandwiches and a fairly light meal. we’ll take care of the main essentials, but we need your help with the rest of it. if you see one or two things on the list that you’d like to make/bring, then make sure to fill out the form below with your choices. as soon as we receive your form, we’ll update the list by marking out the taken items. if you want to bring something that isn’t listed here, there’s a space on the form for that as well. so, here’s the list:

Cheeses
Condiments: Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo
Trimmings: Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickles, etc.
1 Side dish
1 Side dish
1 Side dish
2 Bags of Chips
2 Bags of Chips
1 Desert
3 2-Liter Soft Drinks
1 Other Drinks (Tea, Juice, etc.)
1 Bottle Water
Plates & Napkins
Forks, Spoons, Knives
Cups & Ice (in cooler)

again, if you’d like to chip in, please fill out the following form.

in addition to food, if you have any kind of games or recreational equipment, feel free to bring it. of course, we’re always concerned with safety first, so make sure to bring out your jarts or maybe your old “name that lead paint chip” board game… we’ll be in pavilion 4, which is directly in front of the playground, but it’s never a bad idea to bring some extra games or sports equipment.

alright, we hope to see you on october 4th. spread the word. this is a great time to invite some friends.

where’s murray park? find out here.

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announcing EIKON | WHO: venue change Posted by 09.21.2009 5:37 pm

EIKON | WHO

several days ago, we announced our upcoming gathering, EIKON | WHO, which will be this coming sunday (the 27th).

in said post, we mentioned we were waiting to hear back from the meeting place to confirm which time slot would be available. well…we heard back from the venue…and we received not-so-happy news… to make a long story short, we found out they double-booked us and we were the low man on the totem pole. :(

so, the search began for a new meeting place and we’re glad to say that gusano’s is that new meeting place. gusano’s is a great restaurant and bar, so we think it will be an equally good place to hang out and engage in a great conversation.

they have a tucked-away little room downstairs that should provide for a relaxed environment. they’ll provide some wait staff and eating and drinking is highly encouraged so that we can help to support a river market area business. to access the downstairs, you’ll need to go to the far back left corner of the building and enter a short hallway/walkway. (it will look like you’re going somewhere you shouldn’t…so don’t be freaked out…) :) take a left and the stairs will lead you down to the room.

here’s the details:

where: gusano’s
when: 6 – 8 p.m.
what: EIKON | WHO, discussing the “who?” of eikon church. more details here.
who: everyone’s invited, so come out and bring some friends. the conversation will only be better with more people.

we’ve set up a facebook event, so check that out for a few more details and let us know if you’re coming out.

see you sunday!

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announcing EIKON | WHO Posted by 09.17.2009 9:03 pm

EIKON | WHO

ladies and gentlemen, we’re at it again. on sunday, september 27 we’ll be hanging out, engaging in a conversation that we’re calling EIKON | WHO: a conversation about the other.

last month, of course, we had a little soirée at the house where we talked a little about our pasts and how that shapes the way we see the church and christianity in general. so, EIKON | WHO is the next logical step in the conversation. we’ll pick up where we left off last month and discuss who we are as individuals, how that shapes our sensibilities concerning the church and what it would look like to build a community of people who represent a diverse set of beliefs, points-of-view and worldviews.

to imagine a church where everybody thinks like this guy is a frightening thing… my guess is the conversation would be hours of incessant loud-talking and mostly have to do with western shirts and how great 1997 was… :) so, the point is, we need you there!

in the event that you find yourself confused and/or intrigued, you should definitely plan on coming. if you’ve never come hung out with us before, this will be a great entry point. for those who have had the pleasure (we hope) of hanging out with us before, this is another great chance to continue the conversation.

[here's the disclaimer i wrote last time that is once again relevant]
NOTE TO THE INTROVERTS WHO ARE CRINGING AND DRY HEAVING RIGHT NOW (which actually includes myself, in terms of the introvert personality type): because I can certainly empathize, you don’t need to worry about being called on, called out or singled out. it’s your choice about how much or how little you contribute to the conversation. while we encourage active participation, we want to honor the fact that everyone engages in different ways. some do it by talking, while some do it by listening. so, please discontinue your dry heaving…no need to panic…you’re in good hands with eikon. :)

alright, that’s the story. we’re a friendly bunch, so we promise not to leave you with any permanent damage or scars… :)

see you all in a about a week and a half!

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an open invitation: announcing the START team Posted by 09.10.2009 7:49 pm

UPDATE: Due to a schedule conflict, the date of the START team meeting has been moved back one night to Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. It will still take place at The House. And remember, the last day to register is this coming Sunday (Sept. 13) at 8 p.m. See you next week.

eikon START teamover the last several months, we’ve begun the process of the actual physical formation of eikon. we’ve had an incredible response and a lot of people who have expressed their commitment to helping to grow our faith community. now—as announced a couple nights ago at our EIKON | WHY gathering—we want to invite people to marry their verbal intentions with a physical means of carrying them out.

on wednesday, september 16 at 6:30 p.m., we’ll have our first ever START team meeting at the house (in hillcrest).

WHAT’S THE START TEAM?

first, we should say that we hope it’s way less cheesy than the word team suggests. :) (if you have any better suggestions that team, we’re all ears.) anytime we see the word team, we feel like we should immediately do one of those hands-in-the-middle countdown chant things… “1, 2, 3 CHEESY!!”

second, it’s exactly what it says: a group of people whose objective is to help start eikon. this group isn’t the end-all of the eikon community. it isn’t the totality of the eikon experience. it’s simply the starting point. it should be a group of people who work together (as team suggests) to foster an environment that invites and engages “outsiders.” we’ll work together up until the point of launching our regular, weekly worship gathering, which will happen circa february 2010.

WHO CAN BE A PART OF THE START TEAM?

literally anyone. well, with a slight caveat. while it is a totally open invitation, it’s an invitation to those who are 100%, for-sure, no-doubt-about committed to eikon. even if you think you’re 90% on board, just wait. maybe by the next START team meeting, you’ll be 100% and then you can jump in. otherwise, this isn’t a closed invitation to people of my choosing. if you connect with eikon in a way that leads you to serve on this team, then we certainly want to partner with you.

WHAT WILL THE START TEAM DO?

first, the START team will spend the next several months learning about the specific nuts and bolts of what we’re doing at eikon. we’ll talk, in detail, about our calendar, our leadership dynamic, finances, ways to serve and connect and a lot more. these meetings will really get people invested in terms of sheer knowledge about the underpinnings of the church

also, the START team will be the people to actually physically carry out the tasks involved in the start of our weekly worship gatherings. in other words, there’s a lot that goes into the advent of regular, weekly gatherings and the START team will come together to execute the various necessary tasks.

finally, in addition to meeting the needs of our weekly worship gathering, the START team will be people committed to regularly engaging in and helping out with various modes of eikon connecting points: monthly gatherings, midrash events, art and/or music events, semi-regular worship gatherings and whatever other eikon connection opportunities may arise. we certainly don’t require anyone to be involved with anything, but with equal certainty, part of the point of the START team is an ongoing, sacrificial commitment.

so, we want you to come! if you’re 100% locked in with eikon, this is the best way to connect.

if you plan on attending, you MUST fill out the following form. while we prefer that each person fills out an individual form, if you desire to fill out the form for a spouse, significant other or friend, you can do so. please make sure to indicate the number of additional people attending (that doesn’t include yourself), name(s) of each additional attendee and their email address(es).

deadline to complete the form is sunday, september 13 at 8 p.m.

see you in a couple weeks!

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EIKON | WHY: tonight Posted by 08.30.2009 12:15 pm

EIKON | WHY

a couple weeks ago, we announced our upcoming gathering called EIKON | WHY. tonight, at 6 p.m., we’ll be hanging out at the house, engaging in a conversation about “yesterday.” what that ultimately means is that we’ll be hearing each others’ experiences with the church—for better or for worse. we think this will be another great entry point and a chance to connect with people through hearing shared experiences.

let me give a few, quick, final details.

as mentioned, we’ve been working with the chef to create a special menu for us that will give you a choice of 5 entrees and your choice of any of their beverages (beer, wine, coffees, soft drinks). (as a reminder, eikon isn’t picking up the tab, but we think you’ll find the menu reasonably priced). instead of the usual ordering downstairs, go ahead and come upstairs, grab a seat (anywhere upstairs) and they’ll do service at the tables. here’s your menu choices:

SALADS:

mixed green salad
seasonal salad (ask the wait staff for details)

SANDWICHES:

bacon, lettuce and tomato

BURGERS:

house burger
bbq burger

so, we think there should be a little something for everyone.

we’ll spend the first hour just eating/drinking and hanging out. AS PER REQUEST OF THE CHEF, PLEASE TRY TO BE THERE AS CLOSE TO 6 P.M. AS POSSIBLE. we’ve reserved a small room to the right upstairs, but during the first hour of dinner, feel free to sit anywhere upstairs. around 7 or so, we’ll transition into our conversation into the smaller room (where people might have to squeeze in, stand, lean, squat or engage in other means of fitting a large mass into a small space).

alright, that’s the story. come hang out with us. if you’ve hung out with us before, be sure to come again and if you haven’t been able to come or have been hesitant to come, this is a great entry point. see you tonight!

see you all in a couple weeks!

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announcing EIKON | WHY Posted by 08.14.2009 1:46 pm

EIKON | WHY

i’m excited to announce our upcoming spectacle/shindig/gathering (it’s your choice of the 3 words…we’re all about free will at eikon…) for august. on sunday, august 30, at 6 p.m., we’ll be hanging out at the house—the great new addition to hillcrest—engaging in a conversation that we’re calling EIKON | WHY: a conversation about yesterday.

why is it a conversation about yesterday?

  1. 1. we like to use really intriguing-yet-bordering-on-pretentious titles for our gatherings.
  2. 2. we want to encourage the spontaneous singing of the beatles’ yesterday, being that we currently lack a solid british element at eikon. (we also encourage the boyz 2 men cover version of yesterday, being that it includes exponentially more “oohs” and “uhhs” and probably includes a spoken word part by an otherwise under-utilized bass singer…)
  3. 3. (seriously), we’re all experts on yesterday. we just lived it and need to process it. knowing the what of our past speaks to the why of our present/future.
  4. 4. we think your yesterday story is probably much closer to others’ stories than you think and thus, closer to the story of why we’re starting this thing called eikon.

ok, well, we are now equally confused and intrigued. how about yourself?

in the event that you find yourself confused and/or intrigued, you should definitely come hang out with us on sunday, august 30 at the house. our conversation about why we’re starting eikon will be a great entry point if you couldn’t make it to our gathering at vino’s last month and likewise, a great conversational entry point for those who have already been hanging out with us.

here’s the quick minutiae of the gathering. try to be there fairly close to 6 p.m.. we’re working with the chef to create a special menu for us that will give you a choice of 5 entrees and your choice of any of their beverages (beer, wine, coffees, soft drinks). just to be clear, eikon isn’t picking up the tab, but we think you’ll find the menu reasonably priced (and well worth it). instead of the usual ordering downstairs, go ahead and come upstairs, grab a seat and they’ll do service at the tables. we’ll spend the first hour just eating/drinking and hanging out. we’ve reserved a small room to the right upstairs, but during the first hour of dinner, feel free to sit anywhere upstairs. around 7 or so, we’ll transition into our conversation into the smaller room (where people might have to squeeze in, stand, lean, squat or engage in other means of fitting a large mass into a small space).

my (ryan) goal is to talk a little and listen a lot (though I can often be more successful in the reverse scenario…). i’ll intro the conversation and serve as a guide, but my hope is that the conversation will revolve around the group rather than myself.

NOTE TO THE INTROVERTS WHO ARE CRINGING AND DRY HEAVING RIGHT NOW (which actually includes myself, in terms of the introvert personality type): because I can certainly empathize, you don’t need to worry about being called on, called out or singled out. it’s your choice about how much or how little you contribute to the conversation. while we encourage active participation, we want to honor the fact that everyone engages in different ways. some do it by talking, while some do it by listening. so, please discontinue your dry heaving…no need to panic…you’re in good hands with eikon. :)

alright, that’s the story. come hang out with us. if you’ve hung out with us before, be sure to come again and if you haven’t been able to come or have been hesitant to come, this is a great entry point. (we’re a friendly bunch, despite our generally hairy, frightening exteriors…)

see you all in a couple weeks!

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a couple more cookout details Posted by 06.04.2009 6:38 pm

a couple weeks ago, as most of you have probably seen, i announced here on the blog that we’re having our first ever gathering for eikon. this coming sunday night (june 7), we’ll be hosting a cookout at our house.

we’re really excited about it and we know we have a lot of people planning on coming out. let me again emphasize that this will not be a worship service or really any kind of “churchy” sort of thing. this will simply be a very laid back cookout. we won’t ask people to fill stuff out. we won’t be doing any kind of speaking or anything. there won’t be any kind of weird “getting to know you” kind of stuff. it will just be a chance to meet a few new people and get a sense of all the other people that have been hearing all the same things as you about eikon church.

we’ll kick things off at 5 p.m. for those of you with children under 5, we’ll be offering free child care in our home, provided by a great friend who’s the mother of three (so she sorta knows what she’s doing). :) to see a map to our house, click here (we’re the house directly next to the empress bed & breakfast). to be more exact, our address is 2118 s. louisiana st in little rock (governor’s mansion district).as one final note of clarification, we’ll be having the cookout directly behind our house in a garden type of space that is owned by the empress bed & breakfast (so, in other words, not actually in our house). you can park in our driveway or on the street and then enter the garden space by walking behind our house (down our driveway, through the gate and then to the left). we should have basic signs pointing the way.

if you have questions, feel free to call me (ryan) at 501.551.8118 or shoot me an email at eikon [at] beingryanbyrd [dot] com.

we’re really excited about the cookout, so we definitely hope you come out. see you sunday night!

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eikon cookout! Posted by 05.21.2009 8:52 pm

eikon cookout

after months of planning and organizing, i’m very excited to announce that, on sunday, june 7, eikon will have its first ever public gathering. christen and i will be having a cookout at our house. we have a kind of cool garden type space behind our house, so that should be a good place to hang out, meet some new people and have some burgers and some beers.

let me emphasize that this will not be a worship service or really any kind of “churchy” sort of thing. this will simply be a very laid back cookout. we won’t ask people to fill stuff out. we won’t be doing any kind of speaking or anything. there won’t be any kind of weird “getting to know you” kind of stuff. it will just be a chance to meet a few new people and get a sense of all the other people that have been hearing all the same things as you about eikon church.we’ll kick things off at 5 p.m. and we’ll wrap things up around 8 p.m. for those of you with children under 5, we’ll be offering free child care in our home. to see a map to our house, click here (we’re the house directly next to the empress bed & breakfast). to be more exact, our address is 2118 s. louisiana st in little rock.so, we’re very excited about the cookout, so we definitely hope you come out! this will be the soft launch for the church, so we’ll have much more information in the coming weeks.

on another big note, we’re very close to launch the real deal eikon website. in the next couple days, we’ll have some temporary stuff up on the site, but the fully site should be up and running in the next 2-3 weeks. so, be looking out for more info on that.

alright, mark your calendars for the cookout. if you have questions, feel free to call me (ryan) at 501.551.8118 or shoot me an email at eikon [at] beingryanbyrd [dot] com. see you in a couple weeks!

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when & where does eikon meet? Posted by 02.08.2009 11:09 am

no doubt, the #1 question i get asked regarding the beginning phases of eikon church is, “when & where do you meet?”

let me answer that question in two parts:
  1. never.
  2. nowhere.
does that help? :)
ok, so that may be a bit of an overstatement… let me answer those a little more accurately.
we actually will meet. to a degree, just like any other church meets. in fact, we hope that our gatherings will be incredible times of worship and community-building and a lot of fun. it’s just that they’re a little ways off and not immediately occurring.
right now, eikon church is in the very, very beginning phases of a much bigger process of starting a church. there are definitely churches that just begin by meeting monthly or weekly, but most of the time, there’s a process that begins with disseminating information which then leads to gathering a core group and then moving toward regular gathering times—usually in the form of small groups and eventually big group, sunday worship gatherings.
so obviously, we’re in the very initial phases which, through the temporary website here, we’re trying to get information out about the church, share core values, introduce you to the leadership and offer answers to questions much like this post is doing.
as for down the road, like i said, we hope that our regular sunday worship gatherings will be very important times for our faith community. they will be times of creative worship (music, art, film, poetry, preaching, etc.), connecting with people you know as well as others who are new and we hope to also make our gathering times just a fun and relaxed time.
as details emerge as far as meeting places and times, our website (hopefully the fully realized version very soon) will be the place for definitive announcements. in the meantime, you can help us out in this area.
we have two primary options for our regular gathering place.
1. we can borrow/rent space from an existing establishment. for example, we will look into a bar who is closed on sunday morning or night (we’re open to meeting either sunday morning or sunday night…in other words, we’re not locked into sunday mornings). maybe there’s a concert venue/bar here in town that would let us use their facilities for a few hours each sunday. maybe there’s a coffeehouse who has ample meeting space and would let us borrow/rent it.
2. we can lease a space that is solely ours to use. we are looking in the downtown-ish area. specifically, we’d love to meet in the river market district or maybe a little further southwest in the heart of downtown. midtown is a definite area of interest, as well as the quapaw/governor’s mansion area. keep in mind, we’re a church that is committed to the city, primarily, and don’t really have the desire to meet in west little rock or the outskirts of the city.
so, you can help us out. do you own a facility as described in option 1? do you know someone who owns something like that? do you know of some reasonably priced commercial space in the described area that would fit well for a gathering place of 50-200ish people? we’d love some feedback. any and all ideas are welcome. while our search has been and will continue to be ongoing, we’d love some input. it’s not easy to find an affordable and adequate space in downtown little rock, so all leads are good leads.
so, that gets you caught up to speed. as we near time to begin regular meeting times (first, with small groups and then with big groups), we’ll keep you informed. keep checking back for the latest!

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