Originally Blessed!

    
an original blessing community



November 7, 2013   
eNewsletter from
EVOLVEChesapeake

 

Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community

 

We embrace all seekers of Creator.   

 
Join Our Mailing List
IN THIS ISSUE
Fall Community Meeting
November 10th Sacred Gathering
Book Group Reading "Zealot"
World AIDS Day
"Painting the Stars"
November Covenant Dates
Photo by Erine
Creation Spirituality Communities Online
7th Principle of Creation Spirtuality
Cove Point Gas Facility
Program on Criminal Justice Issues
Notes on Last Sunday's Reflection
Earth-size just-right planets
iGive New Member Bonus
"Trees" by Joyce Kilmer
Photo by Rick Dove
Find Us on Facebook
Our Business Sponsors


Chuck Riley

For your real estate needs in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, or across the country contact

 

 

 

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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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autumn-winding-road.jpg
Fall Community Meeting
Sunday, November 17 from 3-5 PM
   in Large Classroom of Annapolis Friends  

 
 November 10, 2013

Eighth Sunday 
on the Path of Emptying  
 
Sacred Gathering at 6 PM
meeting at
 Annapolis Friends Meeting
351 Dubois Road, Annapolis
 
   Reflection by the Rev. Dr. Wayne Schwandt                 
Gathering Leaders:  
Set-up/Put-away: Beth Lanier
Greeter/Usher: Adri Eathorne & Kim Hinken
Reader/Communion Assistant: open
Offering Invitation: Dave Miller
Community Hour Hostess: Beth Lanier

Co-creating a Progressive Christian Spirituality 

Zealot

The Evolve Chesapeake Book Group will  meet 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10 at Annapolis Friends Meetinghouse.  All are welcome!  We will begin discussing Zealot, The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan.  Contact Pastor Wayne Schwandt at SchwandtW@aol.com for more information.
Evolve Chesapeake Events for World AIDS Day

Ribbon with State House Saturday, November 23 from 10 AM-2 PM
we are invited to volunteer to help with children's activities at Bishop Craig N. Coates' Church in Glen Burnie.

Sunday, December 1 at our Sacred Gathering we will welcome churches and people from all around to commemorate World AIDS Day.
 

PAINTING THE STARS

                    Session 2 of Painting the Stars will be

at 4:30 PM at Annapolis Friends on Sunday, November 24. 

 

Session 3 will be viewed at Open Arms on Tuesday, November 26.  

 

The Reader for the series is available for download by clicking here or by accessing it in the sidebar on the left

under Quick Links, RELATED TOPICS. 

   


November Covenant Dates
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Covenant Dates 

November  3  Chuck Riley & Wayne Schwandt Anniversary 1985  November  9  Beth Lanier Birthday 
November 11 Yolanda Kresslein Birthday (d.1999)
November 23 William E. Riley Birthday (d.1999) 
November 26 Esther J. Hosley Birthday (d.2006)


Photo by Erine Sedicum

Creation Spirituality Communities

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 communi- ty, Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community, and take part in the discussion.  For more information and/or to sign up, click on: www.CreationSpirituality.info. This website is well worth checking out for its interesting videos of Matthew Fox and others who describe various facets of Creation Spirituality.  You'll also find updates of new conferences and much more.

From Creation Spirituality Communities:

7th Principle of Creation Spirituality:
Every one of us is an artist. 
Whatever the expression of our creativity, it is our prayer and praise.
(Via Creativa)
Dominion Virginia Power has plans to build a $3.8 billion facility at Cove Point where they will pipe in fracked natural gas, liquefy it and export it to Asia.  A statewide coalition of environmental, faith, health, and public interest groups has begun a nine-stop tour to rally public opposition to this.  Called "Maryland Crossroads 2013: Clean Energy, Not Cove Point!," the tour is holding town hall meetings to alert Marylanders of the dangers of the environmental pollution this would bring to our state.  For more information about this issue, what you can do to prevent it, and how you can support clean energy solutions, contact the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
 

GAIN

PROGRAM ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES  

IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

 

 Including Screening, Diversion, Sentencing Alternatives & Reentry


Speaker: Judge Philip Caroom 

 

Thursday, November 14  

                          7:30 PM to 9 PM                      

 

The Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network will present a program on Criminal Justice Issues in Anne Arundel County, on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 7:30 PM in the Community Room of St. John Neumann Church, 620 Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401.

 

Judge Caroom will make a presentation about criminal justice issues and the parole process. He will share his own observations and opinions about how the system works or doesn't work. We will learn together about our local systems. There will be a discussion after his presentation. Everyone is welcome to attend.

 

Contact Liz Vanden Heuvel at 410-212-0993 or by email at             liz2vh@comcast.net for more information or directions.

 


Notes on Pastor Wayne's Reflection from last Sunday: "Growing"
[note-taker, Sylvia Oliva]

    Zacchaeus's story is told in Luke 19:1-10.  He was a man "short in stature,"--also someone with a lot of potential to grow, as we shall see.  We know he was despised for being a tax collector because he cheated his own people.  And we know he wanted to see Jesus.
    As Jesus was coming down the road into Jericho with people crowding all around him, Zacchaeus--being short--climbs up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus.  Jesus looks up and calls him down saying he wants to stay at his house.
    We all know what it's like to be at home in the presence of the Divine. When we are not our highest self, when we sacrifice the Divine to our ego, etc., we have a yearning to re-encounter this Presence.
    Zacchaeus "only" opens himself to the Divine, and the Divine responds by inviting him to come closer, to eat with him, to be with him.  No fireworks!  The invitation can be a little thing like looking at one of Rick's nature photos on Facebook...or a song. 
    How do I feed my soul every day?  If I'm not feeding it I'm starving it!  How do we invite others into our circle?  How do we share our experience of the Divine?  
Zacchaeus's life was changed by this encounter with Jesus.
    Let's be eager to climb our "sycamore trees" to see who Jesus is, to respond to his request to stay at our house today and each day, and to reflect on this experience.  It might change us, grow us a bit.  Let us then share our experience with our circle of family and friends, perhaps even invite them to our Sacred Gatherings.
    Bottom line is:     anticipate   -    experience     -     reflect  


8.8 Billion Earth-size just-right Planets 
Taken from an article in The Capital, 11-6-2013 
The Milky Way Galaxy
"A study finds the Milky Way is teeming with billions of planets that are about the size of Earth, orbit stars just like our sun, and exist in the Goldilocks zone--not too hot and not too cold for life."  This was discovered by astronomers using NASA data and was just published in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.  The article continues: "In the Milky Way, about 1 in 5 stars that are like our sun in size, color and age have planets that are roughly Earth's size and are in the habitable zone where life-crucial water can be liquid, according to intricate calculations based on four years of observations from NASA's now-crippled Kepler telescope."

Free Coupon

If you are a newcomer to our Sacred Gatherings, this coupon is for you!  It entitles you to a fresh loaf of home-baked bread made by our Pastor.  This delicious bread is usually made with raisins and honey.  Just cut out the coupon and place it in the offering plate next Sunday, then at the close of our Sacred Gathering you will receive, along with our welcome, the loaf free of charge.
Offer Expires: Never!

IGIVE 
*  NEW MEMBER BONUS  *  NEW MEMBER BONUS  *

We've earned $1,598.65 through iGive.com so far!  Now, every person who joins iGive by November 12, 2013 and makes at least one purchase will earn Evolve Chesapeake an extra $5.00 in addition to the normal donation amount.   Here are three important details:
  1. Over 1,350 stores participating. Purchases at Amazon count for a donation, but not towards the new member bonus.
  2. New iGive members only (never joined before).
  3. You must use your special link provided below to join. And you must use iGive to visit the store (the Button, the iPhone / iPad apps, or links on our site).  Returns don't count.
Let's invite our friends and family to join and shop by 11/12/13.
That means they'll be all set to do their holiday shopping and help Evolve Chesapeake at the same time. Every purchase they make can help. They'll feel good, they'll do good, and at no extra cost. Get your iGive link and spread it everywhere (Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, blogs, bulletin boards, and handouts). 

Here's the special link to use:   

 

If you have any questions, click on:  http://support.iGive.com. 

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 large selection of beautiful nature photography: 
5" x 7" photocards @ $3 and matted photographs @ $10.
See his owl photograph near the end of this newsletter. 
 
And don't forget that 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.  


 Trees
  by Joyce Kilmer
                                            I  think that I shall never see
trees-square-sm.jpg
   A poem lovely as a tree.

   A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
  Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
  
  A tree that looks at God all day,
  And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

  A tree that may in summer wear
                             A nest of robins in her hair;
                                  
                             Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
                             Who intimately lives with rain.

                             Poems are made by fools like me,
                             But only God can make a tree.        
        

  Thank you to all who read this newsletter and to
those who send contributions to make it interesting.   
Please send your contributions to
Thanks to Rick Dove for this Photo

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

Find us on Facebook 

If you have a profile on Facebook, become a fan of CCSC by clicking here. 
Upload pictures, start a discussion, invite friends. 

And, visit us at Evolve Chesapeake's Sacred Gathering Sunday 6 PM.