| Open Circle Calendar
2 Weeks Out
Friday 11/13
7:00 p.m. mnpACT Meeting
Tomm Bakk & Matt Entenza speaking
Sunday 11/15
10:00 a.m. Worship
Children's Story: Veda Kanitz
Snacks: Cindy Reardon
Nursery: Cindy & Danny Reardon
11:00 Education Hour
Thursday 11/19
6:30 p.m. Leadership Formation
Sunday 11/22
10:00 a.m. Worship
Children's Story: Janet Westenberg
Snacks: Sam & Katy
Nursery: Sam & Katy
11:00 a.m. Congregational Meeting
|
Support The Mission And Ministries Of Open Circle
Please help our community of faith continue to be a progressive Christian presence in the Twin Cities metro area. You can make a contribution online by clicking here. You can see our most recent financial statement here. Thank you for your financial suppprt of our ministries!
GoodSearch
Every internet search you make raises money for Open Circle if you use GoodSearch as your search engine. It's easy. Go to GoodSearch, choose your charity, and then use it to search. You can also have a portion of your online purchases go to Open Circle by clicking on the GoodShopping logo and shopping at BestBuy, Target, Barnes & Noble, and hundreds of other retailers.
Next Newsletter
November 25, 2009
Deadline for Submission is
November 24, 2009 |
|
Coffee and Conversation with Jay
In the past days death has been much on my mind. As many of you know Mary Ann's dad died two weeks ago followed a few days later by her uncle. Then on Tuesday we learned of the passing of Todd Line's dad. Almost every minute of every day someone is being touched by death somewhere around the world. And every once in a while it touches us close to home.
We don't look forward to it or wish death on anyone. When it comes knocking, though, there is no experience like it in life. There is something incredibly powerful about being with friends and family in the midst of death. More than once last week in Pennsylvania I heard someone say "why does it take a death to bring us all together like this?" I understand the sentiment; when family is scattered all around the country we don't get together as much as we would like. But I think it is also true that it is only death that brings us together in this powerful way, where tears and grief and sorrow are mixed with food and stories and laughter. It is a potent mix of experiences and emotions that we rarely experience at any other time of our life.
I am agnostic about life after death but about this life I know how important it is and how grateful I am to be surrounded by family, friends, and community And with whatever time I have left on this earth I want to use the time to do whatever I can to bring happiness and wellness to those who are close to me and healing and hope to the hurting and grieving who I have never even met.
And when death comes, well:
When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse
to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measles-pox;
when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,
I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?
And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,
and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,
and each name a comfortable music in the mouth
tending as all music does, toward silence,
and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.
When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it is over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.
Poem by Mary Oliver
From New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver (Beacon Press, 25 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108-2892, ISBN 0 870 6819 5).
|
November Highlights
Blue Sky Guides For Sale
Once again this year we are selling Blue Sky Guides as a fall fund-raiser. We make $10 on every book sold. The books are available at church. For information about the click here.
Stewardship Drive
Our
annual fall stewardship wraps up this week. Folders will be returned to the church on Sunday,
November 15. A congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, November
22.
Children Rehearsing for Christmas Program
During the education hour children are rehearsing for the Christmas Program on December 13. All children are welcome to participate.
Coat Drive and Food Drive
Sponsored by the Youth
Youth are stapling flyers onto grocery bags to distribute to neighbors of Open Circle next Sunday (Nov. 15) after church. Families are encouraged to bring food for the food drive too. Remember diapers and wipes and other non-food items are also very much in need. We will collect from the neighborhood on Nov. 22. Please bring gently used, clean winter coats to donate. Coats should be clean and in good shape. (through Nov. 29)
Card Club
Please join us at the church Friday November 20 for Card Club! We will meet the 3rd Friday of each month from 7pm-10pm to play 500 and other card games, depending on interest. Please bring a small snack to share and your own beverage. Childcare will NOT be provided for this social event. Interested but don't know how to play or need to brush up on your bidding skills? No problem - There will be plenty of opportunity to learn! Call Kristin Standafer 952.210.5137 or Nicole Giesen 952.873.6715 with questions.
|
For Your Thoughts and Prayers
If you have prayer concerns or joys to share with our community please e-mail me. Todd and Mary Hall; Todd and Mary are recovering from their transplant surgeries. Dan Kanitz, who has a heart murmur caused by a tear in a valve that will require surgery this winter. Faye Lefever, who is losing her sight due to macular degeneration. Mary Ann Steele's family on the death of her father. Todd Lines' family on the death of his dad. Jeannine Mayer who continues to receive chemotherapy. For families both in Open Circle and in our communities and world who are struggling with life's problems. Continued prayers for the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the Iraqi and Afghani people.
| |
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events for your Calendar
New or Special Events Hat & Mitten Tree for Christmas
This year you are invited to bring in new hats and mittens to decorate our holiday tree. We will donate them to those in need.
Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m.
Mark your calendars for our Christmas Eve candle-lighting service.
Open Circle Music Schedule- Fall 2009
We welcome all to join us in creating beautiful music at Open Circle! Please mark your calendars now and join us for any and all groups that you may be interested in:
OC Choir: Practicing at 9am the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month- 11/15, 12/6. Singing in church on 12/13 for a Christmas Program, and possibly one of the Sundays in November.
OC Folk Group: Practicing at 6:30pm the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month- 11/17, 12/1, 12/15. Playing and Singing regularly in church, including accompanying/leading congregational singing. (You DO NOT have to be there every Sunday to participate!) Bring your instrument or just your voice and join us for this new group at OC!
OC Children's Choir: Practicing every Sunday after church, before Sunday School (When there is not a community meal). The children's choir will sing in church once a month (Including 12/13 for the Christmas Program). All Kids ages Kindergarten through 5th grade are welcome.
Men's/Women's/Mixed Ensembles: If you are interested in singing in a small ensemble group, please let Todd or Kristin know and we will inform you of practices. We are hoping to have the Men's Ensemble sing in October and the Women's Ensemble sing in November and several mixed groups singing throughout the Fall.
Ongoing Events
November Birthdays
8 Martha DeWitt
13 Roxanne Mindeman
14 Jan Johnson
20 Marcus Giesen
22 Linda Hoskins
25 Vicky Goplin
26 Cecelia Giesen
28 Jim Hoskins
28 Evan Johnson
30 Natalie King
Women's Group
Our Women's Group will be meeting every other Thursday evening at 7 pm. Folks are welcome to contact Danette (952-835-0353) or Jodi (952-881-3051) for more information.
Community EventsmnpACT EventFriday November 13, 7 pm. An evening with Tom Bakk and Matt Entenza. MCC Festival and Sale for World ReliefSaturday November 14, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Crafts, baked goods, live bluegrass music. Proceeds support Mennonite Central Committee. More details here. South Metro Sustainability RoundtableWednesday November 18, 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Community workshop begins at 6 p.m. Details here. Updated Directory AvailableThe
2009 Open Circle Church Directory (18 pages with Pictures) is now
available. Also available is the short form Directory (4 pages without
pictures). These copies are printed in black and white and are
available in the vestibule of the Church. Both directories are also
offered as a PDF file for saving or printing from your own computer.
This PDF versions of the 2009 OCC Directory is in color. Anyone wanting
a PDF version should Email mdhenly@msn.com and it will be returned with the PDF attachments.
|
| About Us
Open Circle Church
2400 Highland Drive, Burnsville MN 55337
612-578-3233 |
|
