Originally Blessed!

    
an original blessing community



September 12, 2013   
eNewsletter from
EVOLVEChesapeake

 

   

Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community

 

Christianity Beyond Convention  

 
Join Our Mailing List
IN THIS ISSUE
September 15th Sacred Gathering
"In Praise of Fire" by John O'Donohue
SCAN pantry
Open Arms September 24
Women's Spirituality Group
Blessing of Pets
Affordable Care Act
September Covenant Dates
Support our Ministry
Creation Spirituality Communities Online
"remember, not just them" by Christina Borgoyn
Flower Power Fundraiser
Voting Rights
Thank you from the Editor
Find Us on Facebook
Our Business Sponsors

Chuck Riley

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Join our sacred gathering on Sundays normally at 6 PM at the Annapolis Friends Meeting at 351 Dubois Road, Annapolis, Maryland 21401.

 Click here for directions.   

 
 
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 September 15, 2013

Thirteenth Sunday
on the Path of Awe & Wonder
and Fifteenth Anniversary of our Founding 
 
Sacred Gathering at 6 PM

meeting at
 Annapolis Friends Meeting
351 Dubois Road, Annapolis
 
Celebration of New Members
   Reflection by the Rev. Dr. Wayne Schwandt                 
Gathering Leaders:  
   Set-up/Put-away: Beth Lanier          
Greeter/Usher: Sylvia Oliva      
Reader/Communion Assistant: Suzie Robertson     
Offering Invitation: Scott Bowling    
Community Hour Host: Beth Lanier  
 
Co-creating a Progressive Christian Spirituality


CCCS Sphere
On our Fifteenth Anniversary, our deep gratitude and love to our Pastor Wayne Schwandt and all our Companions along the way, living and deceased, on whose vision and labor our Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community is building. 


In Praise of Fire 
                       by John O'Donohue
 
Let us praise the grace and risk of Fire.

In the beginning,
The Word was red,
And the sound was thunder,
And the wound in the unseen
Spilled forth the red weather of being.

In the name of the Fire,
The Flame
And the Light:
Praise the pure presence of fire
That burns from within
Without thought of time.

The hunger of Fire has no need
For the reliquary of the future;
It adores the eros of now,
Where the memory of the earth
In flames that lick and drink the air
Is made to release

Its long-enduring forms
In a power of ashes
Left for the wind to decipher.

As air intensifies the hunger of fire,
May the thought of death
Breathe new urgency
Into our love of life.

As fire cleanses dross,
May the flame of passion
Burn away what is false.

As short as the time
From spark to flame,
So brief may the distance be
Between heart and being.

May we discover
Beneath our fear
Embers of anger
To kindle justice.

May courage
Cause our lives to flame,
In the name of the Fire,
And the Flame
And the Light. 
 
At our Gathering this Sunday:
South County Assistance Network (SCAN)

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SCAN's Pantry
This Sunday we will welcome two guests from the South County Assistance Network (SCAN) to present them with a check from our benevolence program. 

SCAN is an organization of individuals from the faith community, business community, social services and other non- profit organizations working together to provide assistance to those in need in southern Anne Arundel Couny, from Davidsonville to the Calvert County line.

Evolve Chesapeake has for some time been among the faith groups that regularly donate food and personal care products to this program, which is valuable to many.

OPEN ARMS WILL WELCOME YOU ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
 
Open Arms is a lively discussion group that meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM, usually at the homes of various Companions. We typically share a meal, often provided by the host (or carry-out), and then watch a video that leads into a discussion of the topic presented on the video.  Over the years these groups have included reading and discussing a book of the Bible, watching the Living the Questions series, etc. and sharing about our lives.  Discussion, fun, and getting to know each other better are always part of the evening. Contact Pastor Wayne for more information at SchwandtW@aol.com.
 

WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY GROUP MEETS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

We are meeting at 7 pm at Kathy Baker's home in Edgewater.  Our focus is on ways of connecting to the Divine.  Each meeting, several topics about spirituality and women are discussed, and a different form of meditation is shared in order to learn about it and try it out.For more information, email Kathy Baker at k3b@comcast.net.


The Toolbox
                Erine Sedicum

There once was a wrench
That asked a screwdriver,
"Who do you think is better?"
The wrench said, "I am."
"No, I have more uses," said the screwdriver--
The ratchet butts in,
"I can do more than the both of You,"
"Ha! Not without your socket friends,"
said the screwdriver and wrench.
The sockets took offense--
to support the ratchet,
"But with teamwork we do more than You."
The Toolbox got tired of hearing this,
"I can be more useful than all of You."
They all said, "Ha! Ha! That's a laugh!"
"Where are you all going to be
when it's bedtime?" said the Toolbox.
All the tools SHUT-UP and marched
two by two to their bedding place.
Now the Toolbox wished it had SHUT-UP!!

We are like a Toolbox...We are the tools in this universe...We each have a use!!
FROM GAIN (Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network):

Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, 612 2nd St. in Eastport
is Hosting its
First Annual Pet Blessing Ceremony
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 at 10 A.M.

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"The Peaceable Kingdom" by Edward Hicks

Everyone is welcome to bring their pets to receive a blessing. We ask that all pets be on a leash, in a crate or in a carrier. Also, owners are welcomed to bring photos of pets that are unable to attend. Rain or Shine.  Free will offering. Call 410-268-5638 for further information.

So God made the wild animals, the tame animals, and all the small crawling animals to produce more of their own kind.  God saw that this was good.             Genesis 1:25

FROM GAIN (Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network):

 

Eastport United Methodist Church

926 Bay Ridge Avenue in Annapolis 

to Sponsor a 

Program on New Health Care Law

   

Saturday, September 14 at 2 PM 

 

Major provisions of the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") will be implemented beginning January 1, 2014.  Marian Callaway, Director of Communications of Health Care Access Maryland, will make a presentation on the topic, "The Affordable Care Act:  What You Need to Know Now", on Saturday, September 14 at 2 p.m. at Eastport United Methodist Church, 926 Bay Ridge Avenue, in Annapolis. The program, which is being organized by Eastport United Methodist Men, will address these issues:

  • How will my insurance work if I am 65 or older?
  • How will my insurance work if I am under 65 and my employer currently offers insurance?
  • What happens if my employer does not currently offer insurance?
  • How does the "individual mandate" work?
  • How will my health care premiums and coverage change?
  • What will be the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the deficit?

A large part of the program will be reserved to answering questions of those who attend.  The program is free and open to the public.  Light refreshments will be served.   

 

For more information, call 410-263-5490. 

 


September Covenant Dates
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Covenant Dates

September   4   Karl D. Walker death (2008)
September 11   Marvin Roger Woods death (2001)
September 13   Janice Creamer & Cherly Lanore Civil Union
September 15   Laura Cooper Birthday
September 17   Rick Stewart Birthday
September 19   Dennis L. Myers death (2011)
September 20   Justin Michael Abell Birthday (2001)
September 23   William E. Riley Birthday (d. 1999)
September 28   Glen O. Van Steenburg death (1999)
  

We've earned $1,588.04 so far!
We invite you to help us: 
   
  Do you use iGive.com to shop online?   
Is iSearch.com your search engine?
 
If you answered "no" to one or both of those questions, you are missing out on donations to help fund our ministry.  Talk with Pastor Wayne if you need technical assistance under- standing how to do these passive donation options for YOUR community.

Other Ways to Support our Ministry:
Books for sale at our welcome table
Titles by Matthew Fox, John Shelby Spong, 
Marcus Borg, and others, and  
Rick Dove's cards with beautiful nature photos  
 
And remember, your used cell phones and empty ink jet and toner cartridges can also help fund our ministry.  These items fit nicely in the offering basket along with remembrance of time and talent you have offered to our ministries and your financial gifts.  Bring them to Gathering with you.  

CSC logo small
You can become an individual member of Creation Spirituality Communities or sign up as a participant in the online community for free.  Join our online community, Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community and take part in the discussion.  You can get more information and/or sign up by clicking on the following link:www.CreationSpirituality.info. 
      
NOTE: This website is well worth checking out, with its interesting videos of Matthew Fox and others describing various facets of Creation Spirituality.  There is also news of upcoming conferences and much more.  

remember, not just them.
                    by Christina Borgoyn
                
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stone dead, ice cold, yeah.

one moment, all those years ago. we were tearing ourselves apart. it made us bleed. it made us believe we could not be free. 

are we free?



I've spoken to the little kids born after skeletons broke down to dust.

I've spoken to the folks hugging their bibles to sleep every night.
I've even spoken to myself in the mirror, dusty fourteen-year-old girl.

choice. though it aches waiting for rapture.
heart, though it bleeds watching.
soul, though it crumbles, knowing.
                                                                
lifeless. we should remember. we do.
we don't really want to. but we do.

their ghosts drift somewhere, breathing.
not asleep


Flower Power Fundraising
Flower Power

Evolve Chesapeake has partnered with Flower Power Fundraising for this season's fundraiser.

Flower Power offers top-quality flower bulbs for our friends and family members to purchase. All orders ship directly to our customers' homes and come with a 100% money-back guarantee. And the best part, we get to keep 50% of every dollar sold!

Here's how the program works:

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We've created a special web page, dedicated to our organization. The page features specific information about our group and explains how supporters can help us achieve our fundraising goals by purchasing flower bulbs and plants directly from Flower Power.

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For every purchase made Evolve Chesapeake receives 50% of the sale price which counts toward our fundraising goal.

Now here's where you come in!

Envelope

Automatically invite friends and family members to buy from our fundraiser. Click here to personalize your invitations and add email addresses to our fundraising drive.

Facebook

Post your fundraising message on Facebook in just minutes. Click here to set up your personalized landing page and, once complete, you'll be able to "Share Now" with your friends and family.

Our success is up to you!
Please click on one of the options above today.


My View on Voting Rights
I believe that supporting fairness and equal opportunity at the ballot is something we can all get behind.  One of the goals of our country should be expanded access to the ballot, making it easier and more convenient for people to vote.
                                                                                  -Sylvia Oliva
Thanks from the Editor
Thank you to all who are making this newsletter a vehicle for sharing--a letter to the editor, an article you wrote, some news you feel is important for us to know, a poem you wrote or discovered, a song or piece of music that speaks to you, a book review, a photo, a link to a video, etc.  Please keep them coming to EvolveSylvia@gmail.com. 

Visit our website:
www.EvolveChesapeake.com
and other interesting websites under Quick Links
in the sidebar at the top left.

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water lily at Cove Point photographed by Wayne Schwandt 


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