1 Year Blog-Anniversary Giveaway

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Posted Edited 1.29 (See below):
Today is the one year anniversary of gatheringinlight.com and my migration over to WordPress. 365 days ago I moved my blog from blogger to hosted wordpress account and bought this domain name. And I’ve decided to have a giveaway where anyone Can Enter, the more the merrier!
I did this all with a buddy of mine, who consequently is celebrating his one year anniversary as well!.

This marks the point when I began to write more seriously and with more focus and consciously using my blog to develop ideas about theology, technology, and church and culture. Even though I’ve been blogging since, oh, sometime around Monday February 10th 2003 (and was even talking about virtues back then!), it was much more sporadic and the content was all over the place.

I will spare you any history – especially since I just published a 2006 year in review.

A Few Interesting Stats (To Me At Least)

  • There are currently 416 posts and 1,264 comments, contained within 42 categories.
  • Akismet, a wordpress plugin, has protected my site from 19,263 spam comments.
  • There are 127 subscribers who read this blog regularly.
  • And from when I began keeping track of the statistics here (beginning of April 06) I’ve had 47,039 pageloads 14,000 unique visitors.

My Resources on Emerging Churches was the most visited post last year. And my post on The Left Behind Video game was the second.

For more featured articles check here.And so far for 2007 here are the most visited posts:

The Post on Becoming a Clean Slate Poser
And the Post on how to Hack your Moleskine.

The Giveaway: How You Do It

Basically, I’d like to give out a prize to show my appreciation for all of you!

This is open for all of you old-timers (those reading since February 2003) and all you new-timers (those of you here reading this as your first post).

There are only two things you need to do:
1) Tell us how you found this blog originally, what you do as your day job, and what you wish you did for your day job.
2) Find one post of mine from the 2006 to now that you think is “memorable,” for one reason or another, and tell us why. Visit the Archives for Help.

The Giveaway: What You Win

**There will be one winner who will be chosen by me and my wife. We’re looking for the comment that really stands out to us, if it is a close tie, we’ll randomize the process by drawing a name out of a hat. If you win you will have your choice of one of these three fine prizes.

A) Flickr Pro for one year
B) A $25 iTunes gift card
C) A $25 gift certificate to the Fuller Theological Seminary Bookstore and Cafe (books can be ordered online and shipped to you).

The giveaway will end at 9:00 pm on Wednesday January 31st, the winner will be announced next Friday evening.


Credit for header goes to ed.dame

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18 responses to “1 Year Blog-Anniversary Giveaway”

  1. I first heard about this blog through what was The Daily Scribe.

    I am currently a seminary student, pursuing ordination in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

    I wish I was a full-time graphic designer in a small, but very cool, design firm.

    Your Earth Day Footprint Quiz will be very memorable to me, because Sarah (my wife) and I both took the quiz, and I (surprisingly) had a better footprint than she did (and she’s much more ecologically-minded than I am). So, it’s still a point of contention in our marriage; she swears that I cheated or lied or did something bad. I think she’s just killing our environment. 😉

  2. I.i. I think I stumbled across the blog for the first time in October 2006, probably through Technorati.

    I.ii. Day job, well I’m a little nocturnal, but I’m researching my Ph.D. dissertation in systematic theology under John Webster at the University of Aberdeen.

    I.iii. I love my life and wouldn’t change much. I would like to start writing for publication on the topics which often show up on my blog, namely, theology, politics, ethics, art, film, travel and music. I’d also like to be poet laureate of Hawaii and get paid to write song lyrics.

    II.i. I think the October 11, 2006 post on MacIntyre made me think a return visit might be worthwhile.

    II.ii. I spent two years being spoon-fed MacIntyre by Hauerwas so I was curious about your thoughts.

    [Don’t ask why I found the need to put this in outline format.]

  3. Adam, I am sorry to hear that this post has come in between you and your wife. Maybe I can help even the score somehow, maybe post something about a Quiz for Bloggers that looks at “time spent blogging” or something…?

    Dan, I appreciate the outline, makes me feel like I am in class. We’re going to have to meet this summer while I am in Birmingham. I am planning on visiting Aberdeen I have a friend, who I used to work with here at Fuller, up there.

  4. Keep me posted on your summer plans (a little in advance would be helpful). I’m hoping to pass the summer at Institut Catholique de Paris, so I may not be in Aberdeen this summer, but all is not lost as I’m well known for hopping planes to meet friends.

    So, shoot me an email when you have more concrete info and what are you doing in Birmingham?

  5. I first found your site through the Daily Scribe, but I have since read some of your posts from before then.

    I am a student in a full-time post-High School Talmudic seminary. Personally, in the most ideal situation, I would want to continue my studies for the rest of my life–there is always so much more to learn. But I know that one day I have to get married and start a family and I’ll need money, so I would probably prefer to become a Rabbi.

    My favorite post of yours is this one http://gatheringinlight.com/2006/05/22/qaddish-and-the-lords-prayer-jesus-subversive-tactics/ where you compare a Jewish prayer concerning G-d to a Xtian prayer which praises jesus.

  6. I heard about this blog from my T.A. in a class at Fuller Theological Seminary, he was ranting and raving that the ideas presented on this blog were going to change people from all walks of life i.e. baptismalesqe casual music enthusiasts, Protestant up-and-coming athletes, emergent elitists, and heretical Quakers, to name a few.

    I am currently working as an assistant to an appriaser, but I would like to be working with my hands, i.e. carpentry, mechanic, or shoe-cobbler. I say this because I often think that if I had lived 100 years ago I would be useless in not having any skill. I am a hack academic now, and that wouldn’t cut it during the industrial revolution. My dreams are practical.

    My favorite post is not one but three posts, a series if you will, on how to be a responsible Church chooser, entitled How Do We Look For the Theology of A Church? Part I, II, and III. These posts were my favorite because they were thorough in their presentation. The food for thought was more of a buffet than a snack, allowing the reader to mosey down the line of delightful theological (systematic and practical) entrees. And since I am going to keep with the buffet theme, I think that the dessert was the discussion on automobiles, because it was brave.

    All in all, I hope that GatherinLight.com will have many more birthday’s. Let’s raise our glass…Congrats Wess.

  7. I think I first found your blog through a link on Martin Kelley’s blog, The Quaker Ranter. I am currently a writer, minister and homemaker. I have turned down at least two opportunities to do anything else recently – this is the work the Lord has called me to.

    Here’s my favorite post, I think: your Spiritual Inquiry with Sequoias. Beautiful ideas, beautiful pictures, beautiful wife.

    If I could give two, I’d like to hold up your post,

    The Boundaries of Convergent Quakerism because you did a good job of surveying the convergent landscape and giving some insight into not just the boundaries, but the foundations of convergent Friends. And you quote me. Second runner up would be the post after the convergent dinner at your house. (Great food, great company, great conversation.)

  8. I first heard about this blog through a class at Fuller where my TA spoke a lot about blogging, wordpress, and Quaker queries.

    I’m a seminary student and also working part time in charge of small groups at a church in Glendora, CA.

    I’m actually right where I want to be right now! Once school is done, I’d love to plant a church with a team of people.

    The first post I saved on bloglines was “Surviving a Study Program with Earplugs, a Hiding Place, and Lots of Coffee.” So that’s gotta be my favorite. Although I still haven’t found my favorite hiding place, I do have some earplugs that got me through a few tough papers last quarter. Now if I could just make myself like coffee…

    Thanks Wess! I’ve enjoyed following your blog…

  9. I am not really entering the contest but would like to add my thoughts on your site.I first found your site in my toolbar. (funny how that happened) You have done so many different stories that it would be difficult to pick one but after much thought I believe that your work on the XFBA would have to top all of them, for the simple reason that you touched thousands of lives with your articles about them. You uncovered a scam that had begun to effect many, had you not been so brave to bring this to light think of all the people that could have had their lives ruined more than what had already begun. Great job Wess. You are an amazing young man that God is using in many ways to touch many different people.

  10. I have been reading your blog for about 3 years found out about it from your mom. I have a hard time picking a favorite. Everything I have read has been interesting to me and awakened thoughts and prayer. You are and always will be an inspiration to me. I am so very proud of you and will continue to keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

  11. Hi Wess,

    I discovered your blog in Nov 2005 from reading your Daily Journal in the Conversation Cafe on the Barclay Press website. Also being a Quaker who likes Bob Dylan, I thought – I must check out your blog!

    I am currently a Town Planner, in the policy section of a Local Authority in the UK, specialising in retail policy (very boring!)

    I would like to work in community regeneration, to help individuals, groups and organisations realise their own hopes, dreams and aspirations in their own local neighbourhoods …

    Your most memorable post was the set you did on prayer, in particular the Lord’s Prayer

    It helped me discover a whole new perspective on this prayer that I had previously overlooked. Your posts helped me begin to understand what ‘prayer’ means to me, and realise that in my own quirky way I do pray, and pray quite often. This perspective has also helped me to look afresh at other things – for example, the Sermon on the Mount. So, thank you for those posts!

    I have to say, your post on quakers, sacraments and practices came a very close second!

    I read your blog through either Bloglines or Rojo (depending on my mood!) almost every day, so keep on going!

    Happy blog birthday Wess!

    Peace & Light,

    Si

  12. Hi Wess,

    1. I found your blog just now. I have been meaning to contact you for a while because Si of underthegreenhill suggested I get in touch with you re some blogging party we’re doing later in the year. So i came via http://underthegreenhill.blogspot.com

    For my day job: I am a journalist (sub-editor) for a newspaper. I am also an editor of Young Quaker magazine and I work for a charity called Rewrite. Stuff about all of this on my blog.

    I wish that I did the job(s) that I do now!

    Oh, I do!

    Fantastic!

    Now, it is a bit more difficult for me to suggest a memorable blog because I am new to your site today. However, what I have done is read just one blog (apart from the one inviting comment). It is
    http://gatheringinlight.com/2006/05/10/left-behind-eternal-forces-violence-for-christians/
    about the video game.

    What I like about it is the sharing of thought and knowledge, the tightly written posting appears spirit led.

    And the mixture of comments – some are familiar, like the goons comment, which suggests friendship and happy memories. You also have people passing by and the blend of vibes takes one a little further along the discussion by the time you get to the end.

    I think that’s all for now.

    in friendship

    jez

  13. Thanks everyone for commenting it was fun to read all the stuff you wrote, and it was great to see which posts stand out in your memory.

    I wrote all your names out on a piece of paper and randomly drew one from my hat.

    <a href="

    I wanted to congratulate our winner of the contest:

    Thanks Red for your comment and I hope you enjoy your prize.