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February 2, 2010 |
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Christ Chapel News
A Campus Ministry for ALL Students, Supported by the Episcopal and Lutheran Churches
Sunday and Wednesday Worship: 7:00 p.m., free supper at 6:15 510 N. Guadalupe (across from the Tower Garage) |
Navajo Nation Spring Break Service/Learning Trip
We're heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a Spring Break Service and Learning Trip. What's the service part? We will either be helping build an adobe home for a village elder or an adobe oven for a Navajo Sr. Citizen Center. The learning part? Deep immersion into the Navajo tribe's history, culture, and present-day challenges. We'll also tour some art museums, Carlsbad Caverns, Petroglyph National Monument, and other sites along the way. We'll have expert guides and meet artisans, craftsmen, elders, and other participants in Episcopal and Lutheran campus ministry efforts at the University of New Mexico. We leave on Saturday, March 6th and return Friday evening, March 12th. Our first day will take us to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where we will spend the night and tour the caverns in the morning. Then we will travel to Albuquerque for dinner and an orientaion. We will spend Sunday through Thursday nights in the parish hall of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, work in the mornings, tour in the afternoons. Here's the bad news: there is only room for 10 students, for logistical reasons and so to not overwhelm the Navajo people or sites we will be visiting. The good news is that the entire trip will cost $110, which covers transportation, most meals, lodging, admission to Petroglyph National Monument, gifts to the Navajos with whom we will meet, and donations to St. Luke's and to the campus ministries of the University of New Mexico. Not included is admission to Carlsbad Caverns ($6), Bandelier National Monument ($6 - as our schedule permits), food eaten while on the road, and, of course, souveniers or other personal items. A $60 deposit is required, the balance due on March 1st. The first ten students to make the deposit will be registered to go. A mandatory orientation will be held on Monday, March 1 at 7:15 at Christ Chapel, and a follow-up on Friday, March 5 at 3:00 p.m. If you are wanting to go, send me an e-mail as soon as possible, and plan to make the deposit no later than Sunday evening, February 7th. If you have a strong urge to go, but need to talk about financial assistance, please let me know that also. While we can't accomodate everyone with such needs, our commitment is to deny no one this experience because of financial stress. |
Bread and Belonging: 
Our Wednesday night gatherings continues with a free home-cooked supper at 6:15, followed by an informal prayer service. We'll be using an Epiphany Evening Prayer as the basis of our worship for the next few weeks. If you've been thinking about giving us a try, this is a great time to start. |
Feb. 26-28 Retreat with Aggies and Longhorns!
UT and A&M campus ministry participants will join us for a weekend retreat at Lutherhill in LaGrange, Texas, on February 26-28. The camp includes a great high-ropes course and good food, fellowship, worship, and play, along with a little hands-on work to keep the cost of our retreat low. How low? Twenty bucks covers all meals, lodging, and transportation. Alas, as is often the case, space is very limited, so if you want to go, send an e-mail to christchapel@txstate.edu in a hurry.
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Jesus at the Pub - Feb. 11 at Tantra, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Theme: Near Death Experiences: Tricks of the Mind or a Glimpse of Heaven?
Formerly called "Theology on Tap," we've changed the name because it turns out that the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has a copyright on that name. We're simply gathering at a place where, well, a variety of beverages are available in order to talk God. Our opening question (but not the only one) will be on the subject of near-death experiences. What do you think about them? Why? Bring your thoughts, your questions, yourself. Tantra is located on Hopkins Street, directly across from the little HEB grocery store. |
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, Ash Wednesday, Drive-by Ashes
What's the deal with ashes and Ash Wednesday? Ashes are an ancient biblical sign of repentance and cleansing. We use ashes to mark the forty day period of repentance called Lent, which concludes with the joyful celebration of Easter. In many communities of faith, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is a day to prepare for the Lenten "fast" by giving up feasts, represented by fat foods such as butter and bacon. "Mardi Gras," or Fat Tuesday, is the most infamous of such feasts. We're going to skip the beads and um, other traditions one might observe in New Orleans, and just go for a pancake supper with sausage and bacon on Tuesday, February 16 at 6:15. Come hungry, eat plenty, as we will not feast at all on Ash Wednesday; indeed, there will be no meal, only a worship service at 7:00, where only a hint of the feast to come will be ours in the Eucharist. If you can't come to that service, but want ashes, look for Pr. Jaime on the Quad; weather permitting, ashes will be distributed there throughou the morning.
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On Dumpsters and What's Expendable
We have a dumpster outside Christ Chapel right now, there to receive debris left over from St. Mark's Episcopal's move to a new location. Churches are notorious for keeping things way past their usefulness, members usually thinking, "We can use this again," or "Someone gave this as a memorial gift, and we don't want to hurt her feelings." Some of the things we have been tossing aren't in bad shape, but they just don't have a useful purpose any more. Other things are well worn, broken, a little too shabby to repair, or sometimes just plain ugly. Yet I know that at one time, every one of those things was new and purposeful, and as often as not a gift from a member for the work of the church. Now they lie in an unceremonious green coffin, ready for burial, unwanted.
One of the saddest effects of living in a disposable society is that we think of truly priceless treasures such as each other as things like any other thing. If a relationship is useful, rewarding or meaningful, we keep the other around. If not, we move one, toss the relationship away, count it as junk. Sometimes we see ourselves that way; if not useful enough, if we're not measuring up or treasured enough by someone else, we don't think we matter, that we are so much junk.
It's a lie.
There is nothing disposable about you, nothing less than holy and precious in God's sight. God's gift of Christ is proof; God gave the greatest gift, the priceless treasure of Jesus, so that you would know you are not junk. You are the object of God's desire, God's passion, God's love. That makes you priceless, even if others don't see.
Come join us - we're not perfect, and we may not look like much in some people's eyes, but we do know what a treasure is when we see it, and we'll do our best to treat you that way. The dumpster out front is not for you, because you are not expendable. The table with only two legs, on the other hand...
Pastor Jaime | |
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Reviews...
Taylor Swift
You're gorgeous, talented, well-managed, creative and smart. Quit acting so surprised when you win an award; iIt will probably happen again. Do apologize to Lady GaGa for taking album of the year from her. .
Saints v. Colts
An intriguing matchup, but Peyton's won one already, and New Orleans deserves a break. Besides, how can I root against saints?.
Commons
Back in business after a multi-thousand dollar rat removal process, this popular dining hall is pretty much the same as before, minus the rodents. On the plus side, new and interesting sides and main courses keep appearing, such as the mushroom polenta and the pasta forenzi, a spaghetti, tomato and spinach combination that is quite nice. Still needing to be worked on; boiled-to-death vegetables, too many carbs, and the absence of Dr. Pepper. |
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RETREAT, RETREAT!
FRIDAY - SUNDAY, MARCH 5 - 7, 2010
MUSTANG ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTER WEEKEND RETREAT FOR 19 - 30 YEAR OLDS Vocare is designed to help you refresh your relationship with God alongside your peers in a relaxed, fun, and loving atmosphere. It is a time for spiritual formation and renewal focusing on how you can serve God in your daily life. Vocare provides a chance to listen for your calling as well as an opportunity to reconnect with your roots. The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas hosts one Vocare each year, so don't miss out! To learn more about the Vocare movement go to www.vocare.org or contact Lauren Rigsby at rigsby.lauren@gmail.com. If you would like to attend, please sign up at www.dwtx.org/index.php/diocese/Vocare. The Episcopal Church sponsors spiritual formation weekends for individuals in different stages of life: Happening for high school students, Cursillo for adults, and Vocare for college students and young adults. The weekend is different from the other two because of its unique focus on the experiences of college and young adult life. Come join us!
VOCARE: FROM LATIN: VOCĀRE (VOH·CAR·AY) TO CALL #26
God Goes to the Movies: February 24, 7:30 p.m. - A Serious Man
Joel and Ethan Coen return to their comedy roots with this original and darkly humorous story about one ordinary man's quest to become a serious man. Physics professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) can't believe his life: His wife is leaving him for his best friend, his unemployed brother won't move off the couch, someone is threatening his career, his kids are a mystery and his neighbor is tormenting him by sunbathing nude. Struggling to make sense of it all, Larry consults three different rabbis and their answers lead him on a twisted journey of faith, family, delinquent behavior and mortality | |
Our campus mission is to be a welcoming spiritual community, a place for people of any gender, race, national origin, and sexual orientation. Growing together in faith, we seek the unity that Christ envisions for His church through learning, liturgical worship, service, and fellowship. | |
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