Originally Blessed! 

your September 11, 2015 eNewsletter from  
                    EVOLVE
     the Creation Spirituality Ministry of 
     the United Church of Christ of Annapolis            

What is Creation Spirituality?

If all of creation had been whispering the 
story of its own spirituality for 13.5 billion years . . .  
we would call that story creation spirituality.  
IN THIS ISSUE
Sacred Gathering September 20
Pope Francis in Washington, DC
UCCA Meeting
Open Arms September 29
From Erine
Chant Circle
On Nothingness and Love
Crop Walk
Creation Spirituality Communities
September Covenant Dates
Ways to Support our Ministry
Send in your Articles
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Join our Sacred Gatherings at 6 PM on Sundays at
8 Carvel Circle
Edgewater, MD 21037

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The above description of Creation Spirituality has a story: 
After Pastor Wayne died, and after his funeral, these words came to Di Wolverton as a gift from him for the Creation Spirituality movement.  Di refers to it as a kind of mime.
14TH SUNDAY ON
THE PATH OF AWE & WONDER! 
  From Project Happiness
Evolve's Sacred Gathering
September 20, 2015 at 6 pm
United Church of Christ of Annapolis
8 Carvel Circle, Edgewater, MD 21037
Email: Evolve@UCCAnnapolis.org
Phone:  443 485 5979
Gathering Leaders: 
Suzie Robertson  
Set-Up/Put-Away: Erine Sedicum
Greeter: Erine Sedicum         Reader: Sylvia Oliva
Community Hour Host:  [open]   
 
Continuing our progressive spiritual journey.  
Pope Francis visit to Washington, DC

On September 23-24, Pope Francis will be at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, at meet- ings with President Obama and Congress, and he will speak on the National Mall. He is urging us, as we give thanks for all of creation, to be mindful of our inter-connectedness and to recommit our- selves to protect our planet against the ravages of climate change.  May his message be welcomed and bear fruit in us!
UCC Annapolis Congregational Meeting
Sunday, Sept 27, 2015 at 11:35 am
Purpose:
(1) Vote on a proposal for the Watershed Restoration       Project at our church 
(2) Vote on an amended 2015 budget  
Open Arms September 29
All are most welcome to this small discussion group which meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at various members' homes.  This month it will be at Rick and Tom's house.  We have a meal and discussion, often following a DVD on a topic such as the Cosmos, "Living Our Questions" the Bible, Progressive Christianity, etc.  We share the cost of dinner together with any overage going to support Evolve's ministry.  It is always a time of fun and getting to know one another better.  We gather around 6:30 pm and are usually finished by 9:30. Please RSVP Rick and Tom at 443-867-4997 and they will be happy to give you directions if you need them.   

What does the Lord require of you but to 
 do justice and to love kindness 
 and to walk humbly with your God? 
                                                                                    Micah 6:8
From Erine
Erine Sedicum
What does Evolve mean to me?
After having the blessing of being a part for 6 years of the 17 years of Evolve (MCC of the Chesapeake, Evolve Chesapeake), I am so grateful they exist!  I walked the Earth feeling uncomfortable that I was different in many ways.  This community became family and even with the passing of several of us I feel we understand the heartache of life itself.  The hardest was Scott and following him was Wayne.  These men walked and challenged things in a world where people seek safety over risk, so I'm glad to be in a community of risk takers that showed us the way.  We are Evolve and I will continue to Evolve for the living and the dead...  I will continue to be... anything less is wrong!!!  Thank you, Evolve, and I love our community!!!
Chant Circle September 27
In Caton Hall, UCC Annapolis, from 4:00-5:30pm 
 
Circle dance is one of the oldest ways in which people celebrate community and togetherness.  It honors the circle of life,
love, work, and the seasons.  In gentle movement, body, mind and spirit embrace the music and rhythms . . . leading us inward towards our Source of inner peace, beauty and joy.  Come join us!
On Nothingness and Love   
In a vast universe that often seems sinister and unaware of us, we need the presence and shelter of love to transfigure our loneliness. This cosmic lone- liness is the root of all inner loneliness. All of our life, everything we do, think, and feel is surrounded by nothingness. Hence we become afraid so easily. The fourteenth-century mystic Meister Eckhart says that all of human life stands under the shadow of nothingness, the umbra nihili. Nevertheless, love is the sister of the soul. Love is the deepest language and presence of soul. In and through the warmth and creativity of love, the soul shelters us from the bleakness of that nothingness. We cannot fill up our emptiness with objects, possessions, or people. We have to go deeper into that emptiness; then we will find beneath nothingness the flame of love waiting to warm us.
 
from Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom
by John O'Donohue
CROP Walk on Sunday, October 11th
On the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, Severna Park, MD

CROP Hunger Walks are neighbors walking together to take a stand against hunger in our world.  Different ages, faiths and backgrounds--together we raise awareness and funds for international relief and development, as well as local hunger-fighting. Some 2,000 communities across the country take part each year.  For more information or to join UCC Annapolis's Crop Walk in Severna Park, contact Marlene Plumley at marleneplumley@yahoo.com.  
CSC Banner from ning
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:   http://originalblessing.ning.com.   
September Birthdays, Anniversaries, Covenant Dates

Sept.    4     Karl D. Walker Death (2008) 
Sept.   11    Marvin Roger Woods Death (2001) 
Sept.   13    Janice Creamer and Cherly Lanore Civil Union in CT (2007)
Sept.   14    Founding of our Community by the Rev. Dr. Wayne Schwandt (1998) 
Sept.   15    Laura Cooper Birthday 
Sept.   17    Rick Stewart Birthday 
Sept.   19    Dennis L. Myers Death (2011) 
Sept.   20    Justin Michael Abell Birthday (2001) 
Sept.   23    William E. Riley Birthday (d. 1999) 
Sept.   28    Glen O. Van Steenburg Death (1999)     
 
Ways to Support our Ministry    
 
Photo by Rick Dove
  Check out 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: 5x7 photocards @$3
  and matted photographs @$10.  Buying these will help
  support Evolve's ministry.  
 
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 Sacred Gathering with you.     
Please send your articles, poems, news, photos, announcements, petitions, pictures, cartoons, and whatever else you might like to see in our newsletter to
EvolveSylvia@gmail.com by Thursday night.  Thank you!
Photo by James Curry  
Evolve Committee Officers: 
Suzie Robertson, Chair;  Dave Miller, Secretary;  Sylvia Oliva, Financial Secretary