If it worked for the Boston Celtics...

...it can work for the Episcopal Church. The theme of the 2009 General Convention is ubuntu, a Swahili word meaning (roughly) "I am because we are."

Turns out, as these videos attest, it was also the concept the Celtics coach Doc Rivers instilled in his team during its NBA championship-winning season.

Start with this link to an AOL Video in which Rivers explains ubuntu to a band of sports reporters.

Then listen to the word trip off the tongue of Celtics star Kevin Garnett (early) in this video.

Tony Allen has the spirit, too, late in this video.

And finally, Rivers sits down with Marquette University's Stephanie Russell, who first introduced him to ubuntu. She has a few other ideas for him.

Posted by Ann Fontaine on November 20, 2008 10:25 AM | |
Comments (1)

This concept, Ubuntu, I first heard discussed by Bishop Tutu. It's so very powerful, and I hope we hear more discussion along these lines amidst the Church.

It's a shame that the word is being used for an operating system (a linux distro). Not that there mission is not noble as well, but it seems to shrink the word and the concept to something less than it is.

I'm not sure it really belongs as a strong sports metaphor, either... but, you work with what you have.

--Gideon Addington

Posted by Gideon [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 20, 2008 3:19 PM

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