Newsletter

1/20/08

Good Morning People!
This month I didn’t get out the paper newsletter and calendar, so I want to give a comprehensive email with lots to thing about and stuff that would usually be in the newsletter! Be sure to read through this ‘cause there is LOTS of information you will want to have!

Thinking about the coming year…

The coming year brings promise of growth, introspection, fellowship, discernment, fun and social justice action! That’s a lot- but each one is important! Spiritual life is NOT one-dimensional. With the help of council we will plan the year to include all those things. Here’s what I’m thinking so far:

1. Inner life/spiritual growth and exploration
   • Sabbath meals
   • Reading/discussing Sabbath, by Wayne Muller
   • Prayer group
2. Discernment process (in small groups or all together) for individuals and for us as a community
3. Retreats (2)
4. Study of the word- a regularly scheduled meeting to read, watch and discuss the bible and or understandings and faith. We will first be using the Living the Questions series! Stay tuned for dates and times. The second book study will be Marcus Borg’s The Heart of Christianity and Living our Faith (the companion guide)
5. Potlucks
6. Social justice actions (to be discerned!)
   • One thing is that we will figure how we can be as green as possible as a community!

Email or call Linda, Karen, Marie, June (your current council members) or me with any thoughts, concerns, ideas or leadings about the above!

Becky has let us know she is interested and willing to work on the council! Be in prayer about this as we will bring it to the community in a two weeks and ask for consensus.

WE received an anonymous donation of $2000.00 !!!!! The council will be in prayer about how to use this gift. During our State of Grace Sunday we discussed our commitment to accessibility and I am going to ask the council to use some of this money to purchase a portable ramp so those in wheelchairs will have access to our home when worship is here. I will also propose we use 10% for ministry- whether a donation to Clifton or to other ministries that we would like to support.
Thank you to our generous donor!

Okay! There’s lots of news I want to get out!

Sabbath Meal
This Friday, January 25th is our Sabbath meal! So far we have 4 people signed up. We cap at 10, so let me know ASAP if you want to come!! Sabbath meal begins at 7 p.m. sharp- so come 10 minutes early.

I encourage EVERYONE (whether you are planning to come this week or any week) to buy and read Sabbath, by Wayne Muller. This is a text we’ll be discussing over the months to come- especially during Sabbath meals. You can order it through Charis (404-525-0304) or see if Cokesbury has it in stock.

Several people have asked me for a copy of last week’s sermon, so I am attaching it with this newsletter. It is entitled The Silence of Good People and is a reflection for Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday.

Look for our new website coming soon! We’ll send out an email when it’s up and running! Many thanks to Kristinne!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lent begins February 6th, Ash Wednesday
30 minute Ash Wednesday service 7-7:30 p.m., 3697 South Marlborough

Altar sign up
February 3
February 10 – Becky Rafter
February 17
February 24

Worship this week is at our home, 5 p.m. potluck to follow- bring something WARM to eat (okay I’m writing this while I am more than a little chilly and it is sleeting out!)

Be in prayer for one another and for our broken world.
Blessings and peace,
Connie