| Open Circle Calendar
Sunday 1/31
8:50 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
10:00 a.m. Worship
Children's Story: Tom Standafer
Snacks: Andrea Gonzales
11:00 Education Hour
Sunday 2/7
8:50 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
10:00 a.m. Worship
Children's Story: Rhonda P. Gingrich
Snacks: Karen Lucas
11:00 a.m. CWS Kit Assembly
Friday Saturday
2/13-14
Couples Retreat
Sunday 2/14
8:50 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
10:00 a.m. Worship
Children's Story: Jan Johnson
Snacks: Kristin Standafer
11:00 a.m. Congregational Meal
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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.
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.
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Coffee and Conversation with Jay
It was 11 below zero this morning, a typically cold winter day in Minnesota with snow covering the ground and lakes still thick enough with ice to hold vehicles and ice houses. But change is coming; we have gained nearly an hour of daylight since the winter solstice; chickadees and cardinals are already singing their spring songs. And we are thinking gardening at Open Circle.
Two weeks ago we submitted a grant application to the county for monies that have been made available to neighborhoods and organizations to create or expand community gardens. Although we have had a small raised-bed garden for Open Circle folks who need a garden space, this grant would allow us to set aside a larger piece of land for up to 20 plots, fence it in, and install a water line out to it.
The garden would be a community garden: open to church members, neighbors who need a plot of land, and especially those living in nearby and mostly low-income apartments. It would be part of phase two of our effort take out beautiful 2.5 acres of turf lawn and turn it into a church and community asset with wildflower gardens, prairie grasses, the rain garden and a community garden.
The community garden will be a community-run garden. Those who garden there will organize themselves and make decisions about allocation of plots, rules of the garden, etc. But there is work to be done by us to get us to that point.
We are going to use our adult education time this Sunday to do some of that work. Sam Lucido is going to give us an update of where we are on the overall landscaping plan. Then Susie Ingerson is going to lead us into an exercise where we will break up into groups: operational (rules), physical (garden installation), community (invitations for gardeners, business partners) and do some brainstorming and hopefully come up with beginning action plans. Then we hope that some who have participated will agree to meet again to finish up the work.
The overall landscaping plan with the community garden lay out is available to view online. Check it out and come prepared this Sunday to think spring and gardening.
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Upcoming Highlights
CWS Kit Collection and Assembling
Sunday, February 7, after worship
It is Souper Bowl Sunday and we traditionally collect canned goods and cash for local pantries as part of this national Super Bowl Sunday Drive. This year, in response to an appeal from Church World Service we are also collecting hygiene kits for Haiti. The
kits which include:
* One hand
towel measuring approximately 16" x 28" (no fingertip or bath towels)
* One washcloth
* One wide-tooth comb
* One nail clipper (no metal files or emery boards)
* One bar of soap (bath size in wrapper)
* One toothbrush (in original packaging)
* Six Band-Aids®
Last Sunday in worship we took pledges for 35 hygiene kits and 3 baby kits (also needed).
We have most
of what is needed for another
6 hygiene kits too. Still needed are 6 hand
towels, 6 wide-tooth combs, 6
nail clippers and more bandaids. We will be taking more pledges this Sunday. Then we will assemble the kits after worship on the 7th. Rhonda Pittman Gingrich will deliver the boxed
kits to the Northern Plains District office where they are collecting kits from
a number of congregations.
Super Bowl Party
Sunday, February 7, 5 pm at the Steele's. 728 Chicago Drive, Burnsville. Bring an appetizer or dish to share. BYOB. Come to watch the game, the commercials, or just to visit.
Lessons
from "The Love Lab",
Based on the work of marriage researcher John
Gottman, Ph.D.
A Retreat for Married and Committed
Couples led by Kathy Heuser and Steve Carlson
Friday, Feb. 12, from 7:00pm to
10:00pm, Saturday, Feb. 13, from 10:00am to 4:00pm. This is not an overnight
retreat. The retreat will be held in a comfortable meeting/party room at Kathy's
office building in Burnsville. It has a warm and lovely fireplace, plenty of
comfy seating, and a full kitchen area. The cost for this retreat is $100 per couple. If interested talk to Kathy.
If the World were a Village of 100
People: A Look at the World as it is
Today
Sunday, February 14, during worship
Presentation by Charlie DeWitt
Here are some statistics from the presentation:20
would be living in a comfortable home while 80 would live in
substandard housing. 33 people would be
literate, while 67 would be unable to read or write. 49
would have enough food, 50 would be malnourished, 1 would be dying of
starvation. more..
Community Meal
Sunday, February 14, after worship. Potluck
A-G (dessert)
H-P
(salad, vegetable)
Q-Z (hot dish, entree)
If a few folks in the H-P
group would show up early to help, and a few folks in the Q-Z group
would stay afterwards to help with clean up that would be great. A-G get a break from kitchen duty this time.
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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. Faye Lefever, who is losing her sight due to macular degeneration. 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. For the victims in Haiti. Continued prayers for the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the Iraqi and Afghani people.
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Upcoming Events for your Calendar
New or Special Events Updated Goodsearch Toolbar
Every time you search the internet you can make a small contribution to Open Circle. Shop on Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and many other retailers and go in through the Goodsearch Toolbar and Open Circle gets a small percentage of the sale. Click here to go to Goodsearch. Download the toolbar and choose Open Circle Church.
Meditation Worship
Resumes March 3, 6:30 p.m.
Leadership Conversations
Beginning Wednesday March 3, 7-9 p.m.
This 8 week series examines the spiritual and emotional foundations of leadership. The Pastoral Leadership Team facilitates these conversations. We will meet weekly except for March 31.
Reception
of Members
March 28 in worship. If you are interested in becoming a member of Open Circle
talk to Jay.
Camp Green
June 14-18
Open Circle's summer program for kids. This year's theme revolves around gardening, and the kids will be doing hands on work in a garden plot among other activities.
Ongoing Events
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 Events
MN Break the Bonds Campaign
Saturday, 1/30, 10 am to 3 pm at Presbyterian Church of the Apostles
There is going to be an info/strategy forum at our church from 10 am to 3 pm sponsored by the MN Break the Bonds Campaign, a non-partisan citizen group working to change U.S. Foreign Policy towards Palestine. Speakers from the Twin Cities will explain Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions. Hear from a St. Paul woman who was in the Gaza Freedom March. Free admission. Mideastern food. Come for any part of the day.
http://www.mnbreakthebondscampaign.org
Let Jevne know if you plan to attend.
Hands for Humanity Fundraiser
Saturday, February 6, 6:00-7:30 p.m. at church
Maggie Marvin and Kevin Mayer are going to Portoviejo, Ecuador in March to help out at an orphanage. Hands For Humanity is a nonprofit charitable foundation reaching out to meet the needs of the underserved children of Ecuador. The focus is to enhance quality of life through medical and surgical exchange programs, local service projects and cultural enrichment opportunities.
The two of us are playing an acoustic concert to raise money for the trip. *Admission is FREE, we ask that you donate what you can afford and just enjoy the music.
Even if you are unable to make it, we will still greatly appreciate ANY donations to the cause from you, your friends, family, companies, etc... just send a check written to Hands for Humanity to: 1008 Southwind Drive Burnsville, MN 55306
Arts, Awareness, Action - Joining Together to END Poverty.
February 6, 2010 - 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Union Congregational United Church of Christ
3700 Alabama Avenue South
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
www.unionslp.com
You're invited to attend this upbeat, arts-driven, solutions focused event that tackles the goal of ending poverty by 2020.
7:00 Open House with agencies, desserts, and beverages.
7:30 Program featuring
Revered Minnesota Poet and Author, Julia K. Dinsmore and Minnesota Champion Youth Poet Tottiana Adams performing spoken word.
Come and learn more about these agencies
A Minnesota Without Poverty by 2020
Bread for the World
Common Bond Communities
Families Moving Forward
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition
St. Louis Park Emergency Program
Teens Alone
A free-will offering will be collected to benefit the agencies
Questions: Call Brenda @ 952-929-8566 Ext. 12
Ext. 18 for directions due to road construction.
Skywarn Spotter Training Classes
Saturday, March 5 and Saturday, May 22, 9 am to 1pm
Open Circle Church
Sponsored by the Twin Cities Repeater Club these classes train participants to be part of the group of volunteers that spots tornadoes and other weather events for the National Weather Service.
Questions email Jeff Goodnuff.
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| About Us
Open Circle Church
2400 Highland Drive, Burnsville MN 55337
612-578-3233 |
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