Sacred Gathering
February 15, 2015 at 6 p.m.

9th Sunday on the Path of Creativity

art as meditation... discipline... birthing... possibility... aesthetic...

co-creativity... seed planting... cosmogenesis...
imagination...
play...

United Church of Christ of Annapolis

8 Carvel Circle

Edgewater, Maryland 21037

Reflection by the Rev.Dr. Wayne Schwandt

Gathering Leaders:

Set-up/Put away: Rick Stewart

Greeter/Usher: Sylvia Oliva
Reader/Communion Assistant: Suzie Robertson

Offering Invitation: Sylvia Oliva

Community Hour: John Petrosillo and Tim Mortimore

Weekly Food/Goods Collection

The need for food is urgent at this time. Please bring a donation with you this Sunday to put by our Community Table and it will be delivered to the Food Bank.

Book Groups reading The New Jim Crow

to start Feb. 23 / March 1

This Lenten Season Asbury United Methodist Church has invited UCC Annapolis to read and then discuss with them The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. It is an in-depth study of the sources and causes of racism in our society, with a particular focus on the mass incarceration of African Americans.

Two groups are forming to meet weekly during Lent: one on Sunday at 1:00 pm (begins March 1), the other on a Tuesday

at 6:30 pm (begins Feb. 23). If you are interested, contact UCCA at office@uccannapolis.org or by phone at 410-266-8596 and indicate which group you'd like to join.

Chant Circle meets Sunday, February 22 in Caton Hall from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Come and be refreshed and rejuvenated as you allow the meditative chant and simple movements of body prayer to gently weave your spirit, mind and body into one. May it be a lovely and holy experience of our God- with-us. Everyone is welcome, no experience necessary!

OPEN ARMS, our small discussion group, will meet Tuesday, February 24 at 6:30 for supper and possibly a viewing of the DVD of Neil deGrasse Tyson's Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. We will meet in a member's home. Contact Rev. Wayne for more information: schwandtw@aol.com

And There He Prayed

In the darkness, light:

enfolding him, embracing him,

as we are embraced and enfolded

in our prayer.

In the emptiness, presence:

meeting him, receiving him,

as we are met and received

in our prayer.

In the spaciousness, listening:
hearing him, affirming him,
as we are heard and affirmed
in our prayer.

In the stillness, peace:

nourishing him, refreshing him,

as we are refreshed and nourished

in our prayer.

In the sacredness, calling:

beckoning him, directing him,

as we are directed and beckoned
in our prayer.

- Andrew King, https://earth2earth.wordpress.com

Will you set aside each day a minute of stillness to open to the

deepest well within and be enfolded and embraced, met and

received, refreshed and nourished, heard and affirmed, directed and beckoned. In that sacredness may you find your vision for Evolve and the gifts you have to share with our community.

From Erine:

Thank you Evolve!!!

Erine's Amaryllis

If I could scream...I would

If I could cry...I would

If I could escape...I would

If I could be any place but here

But then I would never have you

And my world wouldn't be a better place...

Thank you, sealed with a hug!

Attorney Roberta Kaplan

This April the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a landmark marriage equality case. Human Rights Campaign has engaged renowned attorney Roberta Kaplan, who represented Edie Windsor in United States v. Windsor, to represent HRC in submitting an amicus brief outlining our reasons for supporting marriage equality. We want to show a critical mass of support in every state across the country. Read the brief, and if you agree with its contents, click on: sign here (HRC website) and
your name will be included in The People's Brief. Signatures must be in by March 1st.

FROM CCAN (Chesapeake Climate Action Network):

Lobby Night and Rally in Annapolis

February 23rd, 5-8 PM

Move Maryland Forward with Clean Energy

Join us in Annapolis on February 23rd to tell Maryland lawmakers: DOUBLE wind and solar now. Pass the Clean Energy Advancement Act! We'll make this message heard loud and clear: "Clean energy, not fracking!" "Clean energy, NOT toxic smokestacks!" "Clean energy, NOT Cove Point!"

Doubling the amount of energy we get from clean, renewable sources--to 40% by 2025--is the biggest single way we can make sure more solar panels and wind turbines come to our state, not toxic fracking wells, smokestacks, and pipelines. For more information and/or sign up for this event please click here.

PETITION TO STOP FRACKING IN MARYLAND

Sign a petition to the Maryland General Assembly to:

"Co-sponsor and support the eight-year
moratorium bill currently before the state legislature."

Before leaving office, former Governor O'Malley lifted Maryland's moratorium on

fracking. But the fight to protect Maryland from fracking isn't over. Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo and Senator Karen Montgomery recently introduced bills that would stop fracking in Maryland for eight years. The bill already has 41 House co-sponsors and 12 in the Senate - nearly half the votes needed to override a veto. Please urge the rest of the General Assembly to support this critical bill to protect Marylanders' health and safety. Tell the Maryland General Assembly: Pass a moratorium on fracking. Click here to sign the petition.

* * * GET YOUR FREE COUPON HERE * * *

Newcomers to our Sacred Gatherings, this coupon is for you! It entitles you to a fresh loaf of home-baked bread, usually with raisins and honey, made by our Minister, the Rev. Dr. Wayne Schwandt. Just clip this coupon, place it in the offering plate on Sunday, and at the close of our Sacred Gathering you will receive along our welcome, this delicious loaf of bread.

WIDER UCCA COMMUNITY EVENTS

Tue, February 17: Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper 6:30 p.m. in Caton Hall. Donations will support UCCA youth on defraying the cost
of their mission trips.

Wed, February 18: Ash Wednesday Service at 7:15 p.m. led by Rev. Ryan Sirmons and Rev. Wayne Schwandt

Thur, February 19: Third Thursday Community Dinner 6:30-8:00 p.m. in

Caton Hall. RSVP office@uccannapolis.org.

February Covenant Dates

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Covenant Dates

February 3 Karl D. Walker Birthday (d. 2008)
February 8    Shane Matthew Riley Birthday (2005)
February 15   Wayne E. Schwandt Tenth Ordinatiion Anniversary (1997)
February 17   Regina Rawlings Birthday

Fundraising for Evolve's Ministry

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 shipping into much-needed donations. iGive is totally free. 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 can be easy and free. Click here for more information about iGive.

As of February 12th, we have earned $1,741.60 through iGive.

Photo by Rick Dove

CHECK OUT THE BOOKS, PHOTO CARDS AND COASTERS

On our Welcome Table in Caton Hall 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. Rick's 5 x 7 photo cards are $3 and his matted photographs are $10. Rick is also selling his beautifully crafted tile coasters with nature photographs for $5 each.

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 Sacred Gathering with you.

Creation Spirituality Communities

is a network of communities ranging from intentional groups to alternative churches, which are grounded in the tenants of Creation Spirituality and revere the sacredness of all creation. Through study, ritual, celebration and action, these communities support justice, compassion, transformation and sustainability for the Universe and for all living beings. It is both tradition and movement, celebrated by mystics and agents of social change from every age and culture. Our online community, Chesapeake Creation Spirituality Community, is waiting for you to join. Click: http://originalblessing.ning.com.

Evolve is where.....

I see a warm welcome for every person who comes here--Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Bisexual, or Transgender--seeking to share in the spiritual journey of our Community.
I'm encouraged to "live into my questions" and challenged to live up to the good that God empowers in me.
I have Companions who celebrate, honor and support each other on our individual spiritual journeys.
I am learning to look for God's presence in all of my daily life, in each person I encounter and in all of Creation. ~ SylVia

Many thanks to all who are reading Originally Blessed!! and all who send contributions that liven it up! Send your poems, articles, news, photographs, announcements, petitions, drawings, etc. to: EvolveSylvia@gmail.com by Thursday night. Your ideas on how we can improve our newsletter are always very welcome.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Visit our website: www.EvolveChesapeake.com

Please Note

Evolve has closed the post office box, so please update your records
to show our address as:

8 Carvel Circle, Edgewater, MD 21037