Originally Blessed!

an original blessing community


  June 12, 2014    
  eNewsletter from
  EVOLVEChesapeake

 

Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community

 

on the Path of Transformation

and Celebrating
Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Gay Pride and Spirituality 

IN THIS ISSUE
June 15th Sacred Gathering
From Pastor's Keyboard
June Covenant Dates
Food Bank
CPF Sunset River Cruise
Registration for Creation Spirituality Gathering in Pittsburgh
Ways to Support our Ministry
Body prayer/chants
Creation Spirituality Communities
Find Us on Facebook
Our Business Sponsors
Chuck Riley
Chuck Riley
Chuck makes a
donation  to Evolve
Chesapeake from every commission received through our community!
For your real estate needs in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, or across the country contact:

   

 iGive Logo

iGive.com

Check out Evolve Chesapeake's online bookstore at:
CCCS Sphere  
Join our Sacred Gathering on Sundays normally at 6 PM at the Annapolis Friends Meeting House, 351 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD 21401. Click here for directions. 
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
Happy Father's Day!


June 15, 2014
  
Thirteenth Sunday on the Path of Transformation and Third Sunday of
Pridetide 
 
Sacred Gathering at 6 PM
at
 Annapolis Friends Meeting House 
351 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD 
 
Our Third "Voice of Pride,"
Same as the First!
Reflection by Rev. Dr. Wayne Schwandt
  
Gathering Leaders:
Set-up/Put-away: Rick Dove and Tom Good  
Greeter/Usher: Chuck Riley 
Reader/Communion Assistant: John Petrosillo  
Offering Invitation: Sylvia Oliva
Community Hour Hostess: Beth Lanier 
 
From Pastor's Keyboard
The Rev. Wayne Schwandt
 
I have had a very busy week caring for Chuck as he recovers from his back surgery last week, handling his real estate business while he has been unable to do so, working on a memorial gathering for a friend from Gay Fathers Coalition, a wedding for two women from Washington this Saturday and a wedding on 6/21 in Shady Side, and work for Evolve.  

We are nearing the end of our journey on the Path of Transformation and we are in the third week of what we call "Pridetide," the celebration of the full inclusion and celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people ("LGBT"). 

If we look at the LGBT community as symbol or metaphor, we have in it a powerful witness for diversity. The community smacks the presumed "norm" in the face.  Love between same gendered people flies in the face of the mores and follkways of separation on every scale.

LGBT people reflect an affiliation based on love alone. Everything which traditionally separates groups of people are irrelevant to attraction and love.

The LGBT community is a symbol of what the world needs most -- free and open relationships of love not based on national heritage, income, education, race, height, weight, gender or anything else we use to separate humans into subgroups.  

The LGBT community offers the world hope for the discovery of Oneness based on what draws us together as humans, not what separates.
 
We are a community which takes very seriously the full inclusion of all people.  Our commitment reflects the open and infinite table of the Divine, to which all are welcome.  There is no higher principle in our faith journey than the celebration of the Divine nature of all! 
 
Come join our journey this Sunday!
 
Peace, Wayne   
 
June Covenant Dates
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Covenant Dates  

June  2   Roy D. Woods Birthday (d. 2005)
June  3   Scott Bowling Birthday
June  3   Tim Mortimore Birthday
June  3   Debbie Dewald Birthday
June  3   Debbie Bohle & Cindy Brown Holy Union (2006)
June  6   Samantha Esther Riley Birthday
June  7   Adri Eathorne Birthday
June  9   Terry Shanahan Birthday
June 20  Oscar Kidd Birthday
June 21  Glen O. Van Steenburg Birthday (d. 1999)
June 28  Ben Dickerson & Eric Lekberg Holy Union (2003)
June 28  Yolanda Kresslein Death (1999)

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Please help the food bank if you can, by bringing along a food staple or personal care product such as deodorant, toothpaste, laundry detergent, etc. when you come to Sacred Gathering. It is always much appreciated.

Sunset River Cruise  

June 21st, 6:00-8:00 PM

All proceeds from ticket sales go to
Chesapeake Pride Festival 

          
Join us again this  year for another relaxing cruise on the Richard Lee. This lovely restored boat will cruise us along the West River out to the Chesapeake Bay. The sunset view is breathtaking.  Heavy hors d'oeuvres and soft drinks.  Cash bar.                              
Click here for more information and to buy tickets.

REGISTER NOW FOR A CREATION SPIRITUALITY 

GATHERING JUNE 20-22, 2014  IN PITTSBURGH  

Renew your friendships! Refresh your vision! re-Source! your CS Community! Gift your wisdom and skills to the Creation Spirituality movement!
On June 20-22, 2014, the Creation Spirituality community will gather at First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh for a time of spiritual renewal for ourselves and our communities.  We will deepen our spiritual practices, body prayers, meditative art forms, ritual leadership, and spiritual wisdom to connect more deeply to Source and to enliven our compassionate action in the world.  Visit the re-Source! website for information and to register.  
Some Ways You might Support our Ministry

Check out the books and photo cards on our Welcome Table in the lobby. There are books for sale by Bruce Chilton, Matthew Fox, John Shelby Spong, Marcus Borg and others.  You'll also find Rick Dove's large selection of nature photography.  See one of Rick's photos at the bottom of the newsletter. 
                                       5x7 photo cards         @ $ 3 
  matted photographs    @ $10   

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.
                                                                                 
Shop or Search Online with the iGive Button.          
Join iGive and be a part of the first and largest online network of shoppers, online stores, and worthy causes dedicated to turning online shopping into much-needed donations. iGive is totally free. Plus, you get access to free shipping deals and coupons, on top of the great deals you'll find every day through this network of more than 1,000 stores such as Amazon.com, Pottery Barn, REI, Staples, Petco, Expedia, Best Buy, OVC and more.  Best of all, up to 25% of your purchase at each store is donated to Evolve Chesapeake when you name it as your cause. 
You can also raise a penny per search at iGive every time you search the web.  Try iGive's search engine and you'll see that fundraising for Evolve Chesapeake can be easy and free.

As of June 12 we have earned $1,641.44 through iGive for Evolve Chesapeake. 




 From Erine
               Simple words, 
Art by Erine 
               People in need,
               yet they go on               
               and can't see.
               So you learn  
               who loves you best.
               You are my chosen
                                       You are with me
                                       I love you all
                                       that's all there-- 
                                       there needs to be.
Looking for an opportunity to share more body prayer and chants? 

Come join us on Sunday, June 29.  We will meet
4:30 PM at Annapolis Friends Meeting House to explore these.  

In the 16th century, Saint John of the Cross
celebrated the body's union with Spirit:


To Those Songs
Your body is a divine stream,

as is your spirit.

When your two great rivers merge, one voice is found
 and the earth applauds
  in excitement.
Shrines are erected to those songs
 the hand and heart have sung
 as they served
 the world.
 With a love, a love
 we cherish.
                                                                          (Ladinsky 2002,328)
Thank you to all who read this newsletter and to all who send contributions that liven it up!  Please send your poems, articles, news, photographs, announcements, etc. to:  EvolveSylvia@gmail.com.  And we would love to know how we can improve our newsletter. 
You can become an individual member of Creation Spirituality Communities or sign up  as a participant in the online CSC logo smallcommunity 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: http://originalblessing.ning.com.  NOTE: This website is well worth checking out, with its interesting videos of Matthew Fox and others on different facets of Creation Spirituality.  You'll also find news of upcoming conferences and much more.

Snowy Egret photographed by Rick Dove 
 

Find us on Facebook 

If you have a profile on Facebook, become a fan of CCSC (Evolve Chesapeake) 
by clicking here.  Upload pictures, start a discussion, invite friends.
 
Visit our website: www.EvolveChesapeake.com
  and other great websites under Quick Links in the top left column. 
And join us in Sacred Gathering this Sunday.