Hutchmoot Soundoff

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Dear Readers,

Hutchmoot 2011 is adjourned. Tonight after everyone went home and we locked up the church, Jennifer, Pete, Shauna, Jamie and I sat around with full bellies and thankful hearts and read your comment cards aloud. Just like last year, it was one of my favorite parts of the event.

The tension eased from our shoulders and we spent a few hours enjoying the quiet, the afterglow of a joyful few days, and stories about our favorite moments. We made notes of some of the great suggestions for next year and were encouraged by your comments about this year. Once again, it seems everyone loved the food. You also loved the community, the storytelling, the conversations, the new friendships forged, the masseuse (yes, there was a masseuse), the coffee, the music, and the story about Thomas McKenzie blowing up the Taylor Mart. (I won’t mention Andrew Osenga’s story.)

If you weren’t here this weekend, never fear. Assuming the recordings turned out, we’re planning to post some of the sessions as podcasts in the near future, and I’m sure some of the presenters will post their talks as pieces sooner or later. In the meantime, we’d love to read about your experiences, your impressions, or your revelations. Also, if you’re a blogger or an artist or have a website and you want to share it with other attendees, here’s the place. We meant to compile a list at the ‘Moot but didn’t get to it in time.

On behalf of Pete and the rest of the Rabbit Room crew, thank you for coming. Your presence was an immense blessing.

The Proprietor

Andrew Peterson is a singer-songwriter and author. Andrew has released more than ten records over the past twenty years, earning him a reputation for songs that connect with his listeners in ways equally powerful, poetic, and intimate. As an author, Andrew’s books include the four volumes of the award-winning Wingfeather Saga, released in collectible hardcover editions through Random House in 2020, and his creative memoir, Adorning the Dark, released in 2019 through B&H Publishing.


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36 Comments

  1. Margret

    “Assuming the recordings turned out….” Another possibility, beloved of the Lord and so many others, is this: if the audio isn’t nearly as perfect as you’d like but you’d still like to pass the information along for others’ edification, you might consider e-mailing the .wav files to me, and I can transcribe them for you. Although I’m an editor, you’ve no reason to fear anything being changed or doctored, even if another word might make more sense or be grammatically correct. I also transcribe court hearings, and know the importance of retaining original phrasing and the integrity of a piece.
    All of Heaven’s best to you and yours,
    Margret

  3. Becky Kulp

    Well, since I’m not a blogger I will put my comments on here. My favorite part was the small group discussions though everything else was wonderful, too. In such an informal setting, I felt more comfortable asking questions and there wasn’t as much of a time constraint (at least in the sessions I attended).

  4. Tim Joyner

    Just last week, my wife and I had a long conversation about the difference between guilt and conviction. This weekend, Hutchmoot defined true conviction. I was encouraged greatly by the kind words and beautiful works of the community around me, while at the same time being prompted to work harder at my craft and to share the results of that labor with others.

    So in obedience to this new-found conviction:

    The Verdant Hymn is my new blog, where I will try my darndest to regularly post my artwork, poetry, and more.

    Thanks again to all the incredible people I met this weekend. I truly believe this is a turning point in my life.

    TheVerdantHymn.wordpress.com

  6. Loren

    Can’t wait to hear and read what you’re able to share! I’m so thankful for the Rabbit Room and the spiritual and artistic challenges and encouragement it has been for me this past year.

  7. JayDeeJaye

    I wanted to say this yesterday at the closing session, but it took me too long to work it out in my head and by the time my heartbeat slowed down enough to let me stand without falling over Russ was delivering his blessing over us. So, in true introverted fashion I say it here.

    I came to Hutchmoot thinking I was taking someone else’s place, someone who deserved it more but who wasn’t quick enough on the click to make it. From the first minutes after walking into the building, however, that fear quickly showed itself to be the lie that it was. Throughout the weekend God whispered encouragement to me: the intentional welcoming spirit of the leaders and staffers; the gracious sharing of struggles and passions in the sessions; the willingness of strangers to throw their arms open wide and draw me into their circle; the total lack of Resistance boundaries anywhere.

    I came as a stranger to so many. I believe I leave as a friend. I left home stuck and doubting that I have the permission to cast my bread upon the waters and sing a new song to the nations. I return home un-stuck, armed with encouragement and direction and the reminders of words spoken over me by the Father: Speak, speak, say it, because it’s good, and you’re piercing right through.

    Watch for ComingAwake.com in the near future.

  8. Lori

    I’ll be blogging about my experiences once I have allowed everything to process through my heart and my head but I am so thankful to have found a community of thoughtfulness that encourages each other; where humility and grace abound; and where the love of God is always at the center of each conversation.

    Thank you Rabbit Room for bringing us together and building an atmosphere that encourages growth and creativity. I left with an idea. A small germ of an idea that I hope to love, to cultivate and to mold into a story of my own.

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    popalamode.blogpost.com

  9. AustinP

    What a wonderful time we just had at Hutchmoot! I just released a cd actually. It is a resource from our church and all of the proceeds go to missions. So I guess in light of becoming friends this weekend I unashamedly ask you to buy it on itunes. It is under
    ( church at the grove ). We are all the body of Christ, each one with their own gift. And each one of us are indispensable. Let’s use these gifts for the mission.

  11. KRF

    I’m with Margret ~ a transcript would be fantastic, and I can’t thank you enough for offering.

    Margret, we need to connect for Hutchmoot ’12…

  13. Peter B

    Ah, wow. Thank you all for making this as publicly accessible as feasible. My yearning to have been there with you — is this how it should feel to long for the sight of our Lord along with the church triumphant? — is matched only by my joy at the blessing poured out on so many who were able to attend.

  15. Mike Humphrey

    I’m glad for the time so well spent at Hutchmoot 2011. Thanks to all for the great effort in convening the rest of us. The inspiration dripped upon me from this event is to endeavor to be a source for an exchange of stories through various expressions within my own faith community at Desperation Church beginning with a portal at http://stories-from-the-walk.posterous.com to which I’m extending invitations to folks I know hunger for that kind of exchange. Thanks, Rabbits!

  20. david toney

    hi friends. it’s david (dah-veed) from San Diego.

    hutchmoot is a special kind of good. in a culture where cheap words are free, and rich content is hiding in the dusty corners of the Internet, I have stumbled on special kind of wealth: people who love people. and people who love art. and the two do not always go together. thank you all for one of the greatest weekends ever.

    here is the link to information about the album I am working on:
    Broken Hallelujah (songs for sunday mornings (or other times also))
    http://kck.st/rkvBwj

  21. eugenia

    Wish I was there, ):

    By grace, may I end up on the other end of the globe this time next year and be able to join in the action. But in the meantime, pretty please post up the podcasts, I would really like to hear what was shared during the Moot (:

  24. Barbara

    I posted on last night…part of another project I’ve been working on, but ‘Moot-ish nonetheless. At least a couple more posts are brewing…

  25. Laura Boggs

    Oh, the Moot worked its magic again! Back to reality. How now shall we live? I’ve written a post called “How to Come Home from Hutchmoot (Heck if I Know)” on my on-line journal at lauraboggs.com. (Doesn’t the word blogging sound like a synonym for barfing? And, in reality, isn’t it often just that?)

    I’ve also written a post (next one down) on the first beautiful book printed by Lanier Ivester, ‘Kilmeny of the Orchard,’ which sold like hotcakes at Hutchmoot.

    I miss all you Hutchmoot-ers in your wonderful weirdness (mad genius?)!

  27. JaimeGj

    Thank you so much for all you guys did. I am mailing in my comment card; so when it comes will you all kindly re-convene to read it in like manner as the others?

    Here is my blog with one Hutchmoot post so far and more to come, I am sure:

    http://releasethegood.blogspot.com/

    I would love session audios/transcripts in any form possible. I was not able to successfully split myself into working pieces to go to everything I wanted to. 🙂

  28. Jen

    I’ve loved reading all the blog posts about this (and am happy to find the online homes of many of my new Hutchmoot friends!)

    Here’s my first contribution: http://divinest-sense.blogspot.com/2011/09/you-belong-reflection.html

    I suspect there will be more… there’s just too much to contain in one post and keep it a readable length!

    Oh, and just for kicks, here’s what I wrote 7 months ago on registration day. It’s just interesting to look back sometimes… http://divinest-sense.blogspot.com/2011/02/leap.html

    Thank you, everyone, for making this weekend the beautiful time it was. I needed this. I am so grateful, and I hope to see you again next year!

  30. Sally

    I have written several posts over the past week on the Hutchmoot experience. How some of you can condense (so beautifully, I may add) it all into one post is beyond me!

    In some ways I feel like a Grandma (which I’m not) showing off pictures of a new grandbaby to anyone and everyone who will stop long enough to look and listen. I just can’t stop talking about Hutchmoot.

    My blog is hotdogsandmarmalade.wordpress.com

  31. Ashley Barber

    A few thoughts about two years of Hutchmoot:

    Last year I cried because I didn’t know how to create the community at home that Hutchmoot helped me realize I wanted. This year I thought of my home community that would welcome us back when we returned.

    Last year I felt guilt and fear that I wasn’t a part of and gaining insight from a church community like many others. This year I considered how I would share what I was feeling and learning with my spiritually-nourishing non-church community at home.

    Last year I did my thinking and processing mostly alone. This year, once I raised my head out of the muck of unbelonging, my heart and mind soared with joy and peace in conversation with new friends.

    Both years I feared I didn’t deserve my seat at Hutchmoot. Both years all of you reminded me that I belonged.

    To those who are afraid of loosing or not doing justice to the high of Hutchmoot, just wait and see what a year can do.

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