JUNE 2014 NOVEMBER 2016 What’s Cookin’ at Peace? Cookbook Recipe Submission Deadline Extended to December 15! We’re looking for your favorite recipes to add to the Peace Church Cookbook. Food is an important part of our ministry to others—by bringing our favorite dishes to share at our potluck meals or to the homes of members of our congregation who are grieving, hurting or healing. Our cookbook is also given to each new member as a welcome gift. To continue this unique ministry we need your participation! It's easy! Electronic submission: www.gandrpublishing User name: peace_ucc Password: cookbook Handwritten submission: Pick up a recipe form from the church office, and return the completed form to the office. A committee member will enter your recipe electronically. Categories: Appetizers, Beverages and Dips Soups and Salads Breads and Rolls Vegetables and Side Dishes Main Dishes and Meats Desserts, Candy, Cookies Miscellaneous Special Diets (e.g. gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.). Please note the diet specialty in the recipe title. Questions? Ask any Cookbook Committee member: Lynn Devlin, Cathy Ameel, Cathy Wood, Rene Montgomery, Elise Courtright, Heather Schmidt, Nadine Hubert. Stewardship Celebration Dinner Sunday November 13 after the 10:30 Service Watch your mailbox for the Stewardship mailing containing a pledge card for your 2017 giving. Please prayerfully consider what Peace Church means to you, and what you feel you can give to keep all our programs going! Either mail your pledge in the envelope provided, or bring it to church services on November 13 where our pledges will be dedicated. Then join us in the Fellowship Hall for a Celebration Dinner. There will be pulled pork sandwiches, salads, beans, and desserts, cooked and served by our talented Food and Fellowship Team. Please pick up a Narrative Budget in the Narthex, or read it online at www.peaceucc.org, to see where the money you give is spent. (For example, 17% is given to justice organizations and missions as we are “Living the Way of Jesus.”) Please see more Stewardship info on page 10. Blood Drive at Peace Church on December 4 Give the best gift ever this holiday season! Peace Church will again be hosting a blood drive on Sunday December 4 from 8 am to 12 noon. Memorial Blood Centers will have their mobile donation unit in our parking lot. Your gift of blood stays local and it can save a life. There will be sign up sheets in the narthex beginning on November 6 or you can call the church office to reserve a time to donate. Joint Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Tuesday, November 22 at 7 pm At the Unitarian Universalist Church (835 West College Street) Peace Church will join the members and choirs from St. Paul ’s Episcopal, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, First United Methodist, Glen Avon Presbyterian, Pilgrim Congregational, First Lutheran, Gloria Dei Lutheran, and Temple Israel, for our annual interfaith thanksgiving service. The choirs will be singing. The offering will benefit the Chum Food Shelf. Advent Workshop in the Fellowship Hall! Sunday November 27 at 9:30am Come and help us decorate the church. We will be making a wreath for the church, and advent candle wreaths with devotions for you to take home. Marian Jensen will be helping us make a large wreath for our building. We will also be creating ornaments and making cards to take to our homebound members. Kids and adults are welcome! No Sunday School or Adult Forum on November 27.
Transcript
JUNE 2014 NOVEMBER 2016
What’s Cookin’ at Peace?
Cookbook Recipe Submission Deadline Extended to December 15!
We’re looking for your favorite recipes to add to the Peace Church Cookbook. Food is an important part of our ministry to others—by bringing our favorite dishes to share at our potluck meals or to the homes of members of our congregation who are grieving, hurting or healing. Our cookbook is also given to each new member as a welcome gift. To continue this unique ministry we need your participation! It's easy!
Electronic submission:
www.gandrpublishing
User name: peace_ucc
Password: cookbook
Handwritten submission:
Pick up a recipe form from the church office, and return the completed form to the office. A committee member will enter your recipe electronically.
Categories:
Appetizers, Beverages and Dips
Soups and Salads
Breads and Rolls
Vegetables and Side Dishes
Main Dishes and Meats
Desserts, Candy, Cookies
Miscellaneous
Special Diets (e.g. gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, etc.). Please note the diet specialty in the recipe title.
Stewardship Celebration Dinner Sunday November 13 after the 10:30 Service
Watch your mailbox for the Stewardship mailing containing a pledge card for your 2017 giving. Please prayerfully consider what Peace Church means to you, and what you feel you can give to keep all our programs going! Either mail your pledge in the envelope provided, or bring it to church services on November 13 where our pledges will be dedicated. Then join
us in the Fellowship Hall for a Celebration Dinner. There will be pulled pork sandwiches, salads, beans, and desserts, cooked and served by our talented Food and Fellowship Team.
Please pick up a Narrative Budget in the Narthex, or read it online at www.peaceucc.org, to see where the money you give is spent. (For example, 17% is given to justice organizations and missions as we are “Living the Way of Jesus.”)
Please see more Stewardship info on page 10.
Blood Drive at Peace Church on December 4 Give the best gift ever this holiday season! Peace Church will again be hosting a blood drive on Sunday December 4 from 8 am to 12 noon. Memorial Blood Centers will have their mobile donation unit in our parking lot. Your gift of blood stays local and it can save a life. There will be sign up sheets in the narthex beginning on November 6
or you
can call the church office to reserve a time to donate.
Joint Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Tuesday, November 22 at 7 pm At the Unitarian Universalist Church
(835 West College Street) Peace Church will join the members and choirs from St. Paul’s Episcopal, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, First United Methodist, Glen Avon Presbyterian, Pilgrim Congregational, First Lutheran, Gloria Dei Lutheran, and Temple Israel, for our annual interfaith thanksgiving service. The choirs will be singing. The offering will benefit the Chum Food Shelf.
Advent Workshop in the Fellowship Hall! Sunday November 27 at 9:30am
Come and help us decorate the church. We will be making a wreath for the church, and advent candle wreaths with devotions for you to take home. Marian Jensen will be helping us make a large wreath for our building. We will also be creating ornaments and making cards to take to our homebound members. Kids and adults are welcome!
Go and Do Likewise . . . this is the theme given to us from the UCC for the 2017 stewardship campaign. As we talked about it on the stewardship team we realized this theme would need some work. Most folks would not know right away that these words “Go and Do Likewise”, come from the parable of the good Samaritan, which is a story Jesus told in response to a lot of questions.
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?", asks the lawyer. Jesus does not answer his question but rather asks, "What is written in the law?" The extremely knowledgeable lawyer quotes Deuteronomy about loving God and neighbor. Jesus acknowledges that he has answered well and then tells him "Do this and you will live."
But the lawyer is not happy with Jesus' answer and so pushes the matter further by asking, "Who is my neighbor?" Although what he is perhaps really asking with this question is: "Who is NOT my neighbor" or "what are the limits of my responsibility as a neighbor? To these spoken and unspoken questions, Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.”
The Jericho road was a dangerous road. Many of our roads also are dangerous for certain people traveling. We have seen this in the deaths of too many black men, roads made treacherous by structural racism. And there are Jericho roads of sexism too, stripping women of dignity and inciting fear. The comments made that have gone viral have heightened a sense of anxiety among many women and triggered memories for survivors. Yes the Jericho road was not only back then and there . . . Folks still cry out for help .
The man on the road cried out in his moment of forsakenness. And he was answered, unbelievably answered by a Samaritan. A Samaritan stops when the priest and the Levite do not. Yikes, the ones he thought would help walk on the other side. Perhaps they are too afraid—maybe this is a trap; after all, it is a very dangerous road, or they are too busy. They are on their way to work at the temple, ‘sorry we gotta go’. We too have been caught up in that ‘too busy or too afraid to help’ at times. Their story is also ours.
And then there is the Samaritan. As one commentary stated, "At the heart of the parable that Jesus tells is the unlikely figure of the Samaritan, and behind that figure lies several centuries of bitterness between Jews and Samaritans. “The hearers of this parable would have been shocked. A Samaritan showed compassion to a Jewish stranger when a priest and Levite did not. The lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?" The story that Jesus tells him shows that neighborliness has no bounds. Jesus' story shatters the lawyer's categories of who are and who are not the people of God. God's love has no boundaries. And we are called to “go and do likewise”.
We need one another to help those fallen on the road, and to repair the road. Peace Church is one place we try to follow the one who shows and tells us how to live. Peace is one way we answer the call of God in our lives . . . hopefully it is an important way for you. The Stewardship team, in thinking about this parable and it’s questions, came up with their own for us to ponder:
· Do I feel good about my current level of generosity?
· Do I return proportionately what I receive from Peace UCC and its ministries?
· What do I value most at Peace? What would it take to make this more widely available to others?
· What is Peace Church worth to me? What does it contribute to my life and my community?
· What things am I excited to give money to or spend money on? How is the work of Peace Church similar or different to those?
I am grateful for you, this people called Peace. We try hard to help with the immediate needs of those hurt on our roads. At times literally, like last month when we held the funeral for James ‘Mully’ Mulligan, the man struck and killed by a car on 6th and 6th. When the call came asking if we could help there was no question. Jim and Jane and Ron did an awesome job with the music—knowing Mully liked country music they played Roseanne Cash and other tunes. People supplied cookies and bars for the coffee after. And I met with his friends and family to tell some of the stories of his life—like how he loved to grocery shop late night at Cub and get the best deals so he could cook up feasts for his family and friends. He was always making dinner for his cousin and taking it down to her at Sneakers bar where she worked. The night before he died he brought her pork chops, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Love you could taste.
Mully’s death was a wake up call to me in some ways You see he and I had the exact same birthday. It was a reminder to love now while there is time. Stop and notice. Stop and help those wounded on the roads. We try through Gabriel and Chum and in so many other large and small ways. And we are doing some road work too. We are trying to make the world a safer place for all through our dismantling racism team, open and affirming team, our Food Energy and Environment team and in other ways.
Who is our neighbor? We have a story to guide us. Together let’s see who crosses our paths and watch the story unfold.
Peace friends ~ Pastor Kathy
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Sundays in November
Sunday, November 6 Remembering the Saints
This morning we will remember all those of our congregation and others who have died this past year.
Scripture: I Corinthians 13:7
Sermon: “Remembering Love”
Dr. Gary Solomonson and Pastor Kathy will share the sermon time. Gary has specialized in creating communities that are welcoming to people living with dementia. We will also celebrate communion at both services and there will be special music by the choir, Jane Aas, and others.
Stone Soup will be offered at Coffee Hour by our Peace gardeners (see below).
Sunday, November 13 Stewardship Sunday
Scripture: Isaiah 65: 17 – 25 and Luke 21: 5 – 19
Sermon: “Infinite Possibilities”
This morning we will celebrate the baptism of Severin Johnson. We will also dedicate our financial pledges for 2017 and celebrate with a free lunch for all following our 10:30 service.
Sunday, November 20 Thanksgiving Sunday
Scripture: Psalm 46, Colossians 1: 11 – 20 and Luke 23: 33 – 43
Sermon by Rev. Sara Lund of our congregation .
Music by Wendy Durrwachter and the choir.
Sunday, November 27 First Sunday of Advent
“All Earth is Waiting” – This service will be led by our Dismantling Racism Team, and we will be hearing the answers to the questions “What does justice look like? What are you waiting for?” from some of our Mission Partners:
We continue to have two services each Sunday morning, at 8:30am and 10:30am.
At our 8:30 service, we share communion every Sunday. At our 10:30 service, we share communion the first
Sunday of the month. The sermon and children’s time at both services is the same. On the fourth Sunday of
each month our 8:30 service is a Taizé Service (prayer, song, scripture, and meditation).
Sunday Adult Forums 9:30am in the Fireside Room
Feel free to bring a friend! November 6—Alzheimer's Association — Jenna Herbig will present information on the programs and services provided by the Alzheimer’s Association including care consultations, early stage programs, education events, and caregiver support groups. Jenna will also be available to answer the questions you have about Alzheimer's and other related dementias.
Jenna Herbig MSW, LGSW, is the Program Manager for the Alzheimer's Association of MN/ND in the Duluth office which serves nine counties in N Minnesota.
November 13—Dementia Friendly Communities Dementia friendly communities are designed to help a person with dementia do things such as go to the bank and make a deposit and go to the grocery store and find the frozen foods aisle. Mimi Stender, the Dementia Friendly Duluth Coordinator, will discuss the Dementia Friendly Community Toolkit developed by Act on Alzheimer’s.
November 20—Caring for a Person with Memory Loss Living at home is the desire for most of us, but this becomes more complicated for those with memory loss and their caregivers. Dr. Mary Lou Donovan will discuss caregiver methods for handling challenging behaviors and how to help a person with dementia stay active and independent. Dr. Donovan is a Registered Occupation Therapist with expertise in working with caregivers and people who have memory loss. She is the owner of Positive Dementia Paths.
Follow up to Dementia Friendly Adult Forums: see page 9.
November 27—Advent Workshop for all ages. See info on front page.
Stone Soup Lunch November 6 Please join us during coffee time following the second service on Sunday, November 6
when we celebrate this bountiful gardening season. Delicious and nourishing “stone soup”, filled with some of our own homegrown vegetables from the Peace Garden will be shared. Kids—we’ll hear the story of stone soup at Children’s Time—it's a little like the Bible story of loaves and fishes. Please bring a veggie to throw in the pot or bread to dip in your soup! Soup will be
vegetarian, vegan, MSG-gluten free, and locally-made.☺Freewill stone soup donations will go toward the AME Reverend Arthur Foy Scholarship for minority youth entering college.
Watch for the Brightly Colored Mugs during Coffee Hour...
Look for the bright red, green, blue and yellow mugs when having coffee after church in the Fellowship
Hall. Say a special hello to those holding them. The Shared Ministry Team knows that as we grow as a church, it may be difficult to know who among us is visiting. We are offering the mugs to our guests to use during the coffee hour so we can give them a warm welcome.
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Faith Formation / Small Groups
Lenox Women’s Spiritual Life Group Monday November 21 at 12 noon
The 3rd Monday of each month Lenox Place, 701 W. Superior St. Apt. 710
Lunch is provided by Loni Cran-Hovis (a fabulous cook) and then Cheryl Walsh leads us in a time of devotions. Great conversation and a time of deepening our relationships with one another and God. All women are welcome to join us!
Monday Women’s Book Group November 7 & 21, December 5
Fireside Room The book selected for discussion is If the Oceans Were Ink by Carla Power. This book was recommended by one of the members of the group, Sally Larson. This is Sally's description of the book and why it interested her: “The title of this book is what caught my eye when I was browsing the library shelf. It is a quote from the Quran. Carla Power was a correspondent for Newsweek reporting on the MidEast. While living in England, she formed a friendship with an Islamic scholar from India. Ms. Power asks him to tutor her for one year on the Quran. In this book she recounts her conversations and questions about this often misunderstood holy text. I learned so much about Islam and its prophet Muhammad. With an increasing number of Muslims living in the US, it is important that we learn about Islam and what it has and still is contributing to our world. Hope you all enjoy this book.”
“On Being” Podcast Lunch (formerly known as TED talks)
Tuesday November 15 at 12 noon
Join us for a great video and conversation – sandwiches provided! This month we will listen to Mary Karr - Astonished by the Human Comedy.
“A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.” Mary Karr is beloved for her salty memoirs in which she traces her harrowing childhood in southeast Texas with a mother who once tried to kill her with a butcher’s knife and her own adult struggles with alcoholism and breakdown. She has a captivating ability to give voice to what is funny and wild in life’s most heartbreaking moments. Mary Karr embodies this wryness and wildness in her lesser-known spiritual practice as a devout Catholic — an unexpected move she made in mid-life.
Join us for a great podcast and conversation. All are welcome. For more information talk with Pastor Kathy or Nancy Carlson.
Book Discussion Thursdays—November 10 and 17 6:30pm to 7:30pm Fireside Room Being Mortal: Medicine and What
Matters in the End by Atul Gawande Medicine has triumphed in modern times,
transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit.
Discussion of the book is facilitated by Sister Judith Oland, a Benedictine Sister at the College of St. Scholastica, head of the Chaplaincy program for Essentia Health, and the advisor for the Spiritual Companions at Peace Church; and Marilyn Mayry, a teacher of 40 years, instructor of English at Lake Superior College, and a Peace Church member, Marilyn is a certified Spiritual Companion and is active in creating many adult educational experiences.
Adult Forums in December and January: A Writer’s Journey
The Authors of Peace Church December 4 through January 29, we
will be honoring and celebrating the authors among us who have written and published books. You may be surprised by the number of authors we have in our community including those who have written novels, plays, non-fiction, poetry and autobiography.
At each forum, we will talk with authors about their books and hear the story of their writing journey. Watch for their books on display in the Fireside Room during the months of December and January.
There is so much talent in our community and we do not want to miss anyone. If you are a writer and have not been contacted, please do not be shy, let the office or Cindy McLean know. Even if you would prefer not to speak, we would still like to include your book in our display.
Advent Bible Study Thursdays December 1, 8 &15
6:30-8pm in the Conference Room Join Nathan Holst and Dr. Gary Boelhower for
three weeks of advent Bible Study! We’ll be using the book “An Adult Christ at Christmas” to dive deeper into the Christmas narratives and take a closer look at what stories were included in Luke and Matthew and why.
Women’s Brown Bag Study Group Wednesday November 23 at noon
Pastor Kathy will facilitate this time to share lunch, conversation, and devotions. This month we will talk about Gratitude . . . all the ways thankfulness can fill our hearts and souls. Bring a lunch—dessert and coffee provided. All women welcome!
Men’s Breakfast November 3 & 17, 7am, New London Cafe Join us to eat and converse at the New London
Café, 4721 E Superior Street. We meet every other Thursday. All men are invited to attend.
Meals at CHUM Drop-in Center (1st Ave W and 2nd St.)
Wednesday Breakfast
November 9 & 23 every other Wednesday, 9am-11am
Join this fun group to make breakfast at CHUM!
Thursday Dinner—November 17
Third Thursday of each month 4-6pm Help and donations are always welcome! Thanks
to Cathy Carlson who cooks and coordinates this meal! Contact Cathy ([email protected]) or the church office for more info. Let us know if you’d like to be on the email list to help provide food for this dinner.
Here’s how it works—a few days before the dinner, Cathy lets us know what she will need to cook the meal she has planned. We send an email to our list of awesome people, with everything she will need, from hamburger to canned goods to bread to people needed to make sandwiches or help at Chum. People respond with whatever they can do that month, and it all comes together! Please join the list if you’re able.
PALS (Peace Adults Learning and Socializing) CHUM Service Project
Thursday November 10 at 6pm
We will gather in the church kitchen to repackage flour, sugar and coffee for the CHUM Food Shelf. Remember to bring a one cup measure, your beverage and some money to contribute toward the pizza we will share after the packing is completed.
Last year we raised nearly $800 for this project, used $500 to buy 500 pounds of sugar, 250 pounds of flour and 70 pounds of coffee. The remaining funds were donated directly to the Food Shelf.
We hope to do even better this year. Please make your donation as soon as possible so we know how much money will be available. Make your check out to Peace Church and put it in the offering plate or mail to the church office. Put PALS in the memo line.
AND...Mark your calendars for the PALS Annual Progressive Dinner! Thursday, December 15, at 6pm. Stay tuned for more information.
Advance Care Directive Workshop Sunday, November 6 at 11:45am
The Health and Wellness Team is committed to making it possible for people to have conversations on what matters to you. Sessions are held on the FIRST Sunday of the month at 11:45am —after November, we will take a break until spring session in February, March, April. Facilitators are John Wakefield, Terese Tomanek, Ellen Shelhon, and Kate Nicoletti.
This is an opportunity to consider one’s personal values with the support of people from Peace who are skilled at providing information and support. After having learned more, you can complete your directive at the workshop or take it home. Several versions of directives will be available for review including the new short form.
Dinners for Several! Dinners for several wants YOU! We have the
hosts, now we need the guests!!! On the table by the office window are about as many clipboards as can fit with the names of the hosts. Many do not yet have dates, some are geared more for adults, all are pot-luck and a wonderful way to get to know people you might not usually talk with when you are in church ~ if you’ve gone to one of these before you know how true this is.
PLEASE check out the offerings and pick one to attend. The hosts will then contact you with the date & time and what you can bring. It’s fun! You’ll be glad you did!
Couple’s Retreat, Saturday January 14 Mark your calendars for some intentional time with your sweetie! Veronica Gaidelis-Langer and Nathan Holst will be hosting a couple's retreat on Saturday, January 14 from 2-4:30pm. During the gathering we will spend time nourishing our relationships while building fellowship with others. Childcare will be pro-vided. We hope you can join us!
Kitchen Cleaning Saturday November 5, 10am-1pm
YOU'RE INVITED to join Food and Fellowship members to clean the church kitchen on Saturday, November 5. Please bring a bucket and cleaning rags. Snacks will be provided.
We all use the kitchen....let's all help to keep it clean! Email Lynn Devlin if you're interested:
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Wednesdays at Peace Church
First Year Confirmation Ninth Graders!
The first year confirmation class meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 7 – 8:30pm in the Fireside Room.
Pastor Kathy and Nathan Holst are the teachers of this class.
November 2 – Our Shared Story – Abraham and Sarah and Hagar
November 16 – Liberations Stories – The Exodus
Second Year Confirmation Tenth Graders!
The second year confirmation class meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 7 – 8:30pm in the Fireside Room.
November 9 – God Papers/Paintings are Due. Lesson on Jesus Christ, Human and Divine
November 23 – No Class Due to Thanksgiving Break
Wednesday Activity Schedule 5pm: Centering Prayer in Chapel
5:30-6pm: Dinner in the Fellowship Hall
6-7pm: Bible Study in the Fireside Room
6-7pm: “Bringing the Bible to Life” in the Mindanao Room (3rd-5th graders)
6-7:30pm: Youth Group in the Youth Room
6:15pm: Adult Choir in the Music Room
7-8:30pm: Confirmation in the Fireside Room
Childcare is provided in the Nursery from 6 to 7:30pm for all children 2nd grade and younger.
Centering Prayer in Chapel The Christian practice
of mindfulness and meditation
Wednesdays at 5pm Centering Prayer is a modern Christian
contemplative prayer practice, or a method of meditation. Like all methods of meditation the goal of Centering Prayer is to free us from what the Buddhists call “monkey mind” or the compulsive internal chatter of our minds. All the major faith traditions have recognized and placed a high value on the transforming power of meditation. Join in Wednesdays from 5 – 5:30pm.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study 6 pm in the Fireside Room
Join Pastor Kathy and Rev. Bob Stevens on Wednesday evenings, reading the Gospel lesson for the coming Sunday using the Lectio Divina method. Lectio Divina is listening for the still, small voice of God that speaks to us. No prior biblical knowledge needed! We close with prayer, each praying for the person on his or her right. Join us as we practice this ancient and yet very relevant method of Bible study.
Would you like to sing in the choir? We are always welcoming new members. We
rehearse at 6:15pm every Wednesday in the music room. We sing at the 10:30am service every Sunday. The choir director is Jim Pospisil, and the accompanist is Wendy Durrwachter. Please contact Jim at [email protected], or just show up at a rehearsal to give it a try!
Kids 3rd-5th grade! 6:00pm to 7:00pm Wednesdays
Mindanao Room—new location!
“Bringing the Bible to Life” Join Children’s Ministry Coordinator
Kelli to make movies! Have you ever
wanted to be a writer, producer,
costume designer, or director? Now is your
chance! We are bringing a story from the Bible to life
through modern technology! As a group, kids will
select a Bible story and tell it in their own words.
Kids 2nd grade and under are welcome in the
nursery with Childcare staff, Meghan, where they may
choose to play board games or play freely.
Prayers Around the Cradle Our Advent vespers services will begin on Wednesday, December 7th at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. It is a quiet time of prayer, singing and candle lighting, as we mark our time of waiting for the birth of the Christ child into our lives.
Peace Grief Support Group
Thursday November 10, Noon to 1pm in the Peace Church Chapel Facilitated by Chaplains Deborah Cooper and Gudrun Witrak
A support group for individuals dealing with the death of a loved one or other life changing losses meets at
noon on the second Thursday of each month, downstairs in the Chapel. All are welcome. Questions? Call
We’ll continue the great fun and conversations this month in November!
As always, we meet from 6:00-7:30pm in the Youth Room at Peace, so come play gaga ball, have some snacks, hang out with friends, and engage some important topics together.
See you there!
As the leaves were turning color this last month, I traveled down to Dubuque, Iowa
for a weeklong training on children, youth, and family ministry. I gathered with about eight others who work in ministry to discuss the changing nature of the church, the huge shifts in culture that we’re experiencing currently in our society, and what that means for our ministry. I had expected the week primarily to be about new skills I could use in my work at Peace, and while it did include some of that, it opened me up to a
much broader conversation about what church should be now and where it is going. I read articles on who Millennials are and how they are different from Gen X folks and Baby Boomers. We talked about leadership and the need to engage church members at home, online, in the community, in addition to ministry at church. And I gained a new network of support to continue the conversation about what we are doing in our churches, how to celebrate what we are doing well and keep challenging ourselves for what we can change.
Now back at Peace, I have been slowly getting organized and trying to figure out where all of this new information and ideas might fit. But one thing became clear to me while I was at the training—I can’t do this work alone. We need ideas and leadership from the whole church, which is why I’ve been gathering articles to give to some of the teams here at Peace to offer some of the wisdom that I’ve been given and to continue reflection on who we are as a community and how our mission drives our work. And I’ve been meeting with individual Peace members for further conversation, building on past work in developing a holistic vision for how faith formation happens in our church, how we nurture and grow together in community from child to older adult. So here’s my invitation this month: if this sounds like something that’s exciting for you, let’s get together for coffee and a conversation. Let’s share stories and do a bit of dreaming together. It’s exciting work and it may take some time, but I hope in the years to come we can continue to create a vibrant church—grounded in our mission of praising God, following the way of Jesus, and building the beloved community.
Light in the Cracks by Nathan Holst
Together at Toasty’s Sunday November 20 at 11:30am
Come join our high school youth gathering at Toasty’s, just down the hill from Peace. We typically meet on the 3rd Sunday of the month, and this month we’re meeting on Sunday Nov. 20th right after the 2nd service.
We’ll meet in the narthex of the church and walk down together for some yummy grilled cheese sandwiches and time to hang out together. Please bring $15 for food (but still come if you don’t have the money with you and we’ll make sure everyone gets food!). If you’re planning to come, please let Nathan know at [email protected] or 724-3637.
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in”
~Lenard Cohen
DOOR Atlanta . . . Summer Senior High Youth Work Camp July 22 – 29, 2017
Located in the heart of the South, and the home of a Civil Rights Museum, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and the Carter Center, Atlanta is often seen as the headquarters for civil rights and social justice. Atlanta is a city fueled by many cultures and is a significant immigration center. Participants are greeted with southern hospitality while serving people who may be mentally disabled and/or struggling with homelessness, or helping recent immigrants transition into a home. These experiences help DOOR Atlanta participants break down some of the stereotypes that people often have of those in the city and see the face of God in those with whom they interact.
Sign Up Now to Join Kathy, Nathan and others in this weeklong experience with DOOR – Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection in Atlanta, Georgia. The cost is $400 with scholarships available. We will also be doing some major fundraising to help with the costs of a bus to take us there and back. Sign up in the office with at $100 deposit to hold your spot.
Work Camp 2015
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Peace Church Kids Kelli’s Column
As the leaves turn golden and the days shorten,
I want to pause and use this forum to thank all of
the people who have shared their gifts with respect
to our Peace children. Our nurseries both have
fresh, clean carpeting to cushion little knees and
warm little feet thanks to Tim Peters. The
bookshelves have a brand new coat of paint thanks
to the hands of Britt Rohrbaugh. Additionally, a
special thank you to those who have donated the
many new puzzles and toys for the kids. If you
haven’t been in the nursery lately, you also might
want to check out the new round tables, the cozy
reading rug, and the child-safe heaters.
During Wednesday activities, we’ve added some
games to the nursery for those kindergarten
through second graders who might like to try
something new. Thanks to Carla Larson for
providing a variety of board and card games. While
the younger kids challenge each other to Scrabble
Junior or Thin Ice, the third through fifth graders are
busy working on “Bringing the Bible to Life.” We’ve
moved our meetings to the Mindanao room and
we’re there from 6-7 p.m. on Wednesday nights.
The kids voted on Bible stories, and chose a
parable that Jesus told. They are learning the ins
and outs of writing a script, and practicing nurturing
one another’s creativity. Just a heads-up: you may
soon be recruited to star in their movie! Once they
have finished, they are hoping to share it with the
congregation.
As you are reading this, we have probably just
wrapped up the UNICEF carnival. This year the
money raised by the carnival will go to help the
children in Haiti affected by Hurricane Matthew. So
many people are integral to pulling this off; I want to
thank everyone who helped to make this event
possible, including Rick and Karola Dalen for the
carrots and pumpkins, Warren Post for the fresh
cider and apples, and the many, many people who
donated hot dogs, buns, caramel, ketchup,
mustard, cakes, prizes and their time! This carnival
wouldn’t happen without all of you. It’s wonderful to
have everyone pull together for such an exciting
event!
Looking forward, we will soon begin practice on
our Christmas pageant, starting with those fourth
and fifth graders with speaking parts. Christmas is
my favorite time of the year (I start listening to
carols over the summer!), and I simply can’t wait to
surround myself with festivities of the season. I feel
so blessed to be a part of this congregation and a
part of the staff here at Peace.
Kelli Farell, Children’s Ministry Coordinator
Peace Winter Camp at Wolf Ridge Learning Center
February 10-12, 2017 Mark your calendar! Call the church office now to
sign up for Winter Camp at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center — Friday, February 10, through
Sunday, February 12, 2017. Cost is $135.00 per person for the whole weekend. Children 4 years of age and younger are free. Scholarships available on a sliding fee scale. Call or e-mail the Peace office now to reserve your family’s place. We have space to accommodate 100 people. Payments will be due in the Peace office
on Monday, February 6, 2017.
Playing together is an awesome way to grow in faith and Winter Camp is a great place to do it. Wolf Ridge will do the outdoor programming and Nathan will coordinate the faith programming and music. It’s a great opportunity for developing life-long connections with other families in Peace Church.
Our hope is that when Peace’s children are wrapped in Blessing Blankets on high school graduation Sunday, they will have deep roots in a church family where they learned to Praise God, Live in the Way of Jesus, and work toward Beloved Community—roots from which their faith will grow and continue to sustain them.
Join us for time together of life-changing memory making at Peace Winter Camp
Christmas Pageant Parts It's hard to believe it, but we're preparing for the
Christmas Pageant already! (It will be on December 18 during the 10:30 service.) We'll be handing out speaking parts for 4th and 5th graders during Sunday School time at 9:30 on Sunday, November 6. So 4th and 5th graders, come ready to talk about parts that morning. See you there!
Children lighting candles during prayers at 10:30 service
This month on the third Sunday (November 20) we’re going to try something new by inviting kids (and their parents to help!) to come to light candles in the front of the Sanctuary during prayers of the people. We’ll give an explanation in the service, but the idea is that the kids will line up in front of the sand box and after each prayer is shared, one child will light a candle. This is one more way to make the service welcoming and engaging to all ages, so look for this exciting new way of praying on November 20.
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The Journey Toward Becoming A Dementia Friendly Church
What Do I Say, What Do I Do? Interacting with those living with
Dementia
Saturday, December 3, 9:00 am to 12:00pm Peace Church (Fireside Room)
As Peace makes the journey towards becoming a Dementia Friendly Church, there will be four Adult Forums in November (see page 3). This series will culminate with a half-day conference, “What Do I Say, What Do I Do? Interacting with those living with Dementia”
Learning how to talk and interact with people with dementia is a big step in our effort to become dementia friendly. However, most of us do not know how to do this and we fear we will make things worse. This event is designed to provide tips on communicating and innovative activities for engaging those we meet, love and care for who are living with dementia.
We will hear from people in the areas of:
Talking with people with dementia
Pet therapy
Activities to do with people with dementia
Reminiscing
Music and memory
The event will end with a discussion on how Peace Church can continue the process of becoming dementia friendly. There is no charge for this conference.
Dementia Friendly Info for Caregivers, Carepartners, and Friends
The Magic of a Few Photos Have you ever looked at a photo of yourself doing
something and felt the rush of old memories flood your mind? Or, had someone see it and tell you the story? We’re not quite sure how it works for a person living with dementia, but anecdotally we know that it sometimes creates a moment of joy when they recognize themselves and hear the story. We know that as most dementias increase, the individuals may not recognize a current photo of themselves, but they might recognize themselves when they were younger.
A photo project searching our photos for pictures of the individual at earlier ages, in places they knew in their teens, twenties and thirties might be the key to recognition and some good stories. If your loved one moves into a senior living community supporting individuals living with dementia, here is a great tip from Jolene Brackey in her book, “Creating Moments of Joy.” She writes, “After getting copies of some photos of your loved one, an important step is writing down the story underneath the picture and identifying the people in the
picture. Now anyone who enters their room can give them their history back and get to know them beyond the disease.”
If you are a primary caregiver or a care partner, take some time to gather some photos that your loved one might recognize, make a note about the story related to it and create some unexpected moments of joy.
By Gary Solomonson
Even when you are old, I will take care of you, even when you have gray hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you. (Isaiah 46:4 - New English Translation)
Peace Church is just beginning the process of becoming a dementia friendly church, of including into our beloved community those who live with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and the people who love and care for them. We want to be a place where people who have dementia can feel their faith is being kept alive and that they are part of a caring community.
Each of us wants to be sensitive to the challenges of those with dementia and their families and friends. As we try to follow in the path of Jesus, we do not want to exclude or marginalize anyone especially those who are so vulnerable. Yet, many of us to do not know where to begin and the word ‘dementia’ can be frightening.
As we travel down the road to becoming dementia friendly we will explore many options for creating a scared space for those experiencing Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory loss. There are small steps such as how to say “Good Morning” and larger steps such as support groups and special services.
As with all things in life, action begins with understanding. You are invited to some special opportunities right here at Peace Church. Four Sunday Adult Forums (November 4, 6, 13 and 20) center on topics around Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory loss. On Thursday evenings (November 10 and 17) there is discussion around the book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande. On Saturday, December 3 there is a 3-hour conference on ways to interact with those experiencing dementia. More information is available about all of these events in this Peace Bell (pages 3 & 4), the Pathways to Peace catalog and on the Peace Church bulletin board.
10
Stewardship
Mission Moment by Hope Connell Like many people, we used to be poor college students. Unlike many college students, though, when my husband went back to school a few years ago, we had two children under two, one low-paying income, and a desire to pay cash for tuition and stay out of debt.
To say that money was tight is an understatement. Tax returns covered about half of Ian’s tuition, and the rest we made up for with cash from babysitting and plasma donation. We relied on food stamps to supplement our grocery budget. Our dryer broke, and it took us six months to save up the money to have it repaired.
To some people, these details might not be surprising at all. This is how so many people live with no end in sight. And I did not think much about it until we started receiving charity from our friends and our church, like a $200 check at Christmas time to help with gifts and travel. It confused me a little, if I’m honest. I mean, yes we were living below the poverty level, but we were not living in poverty. We never missed a meal. We had family members with means who could help us keep the lights on if it came to it. We had every reason to believe that the difficult season would come to an end.
Perhaps another reason I didn’t feel as poor as we were perceived is that we were, out of our meager budget, able to continue giving money to our church and to causes and people we cared about, even though the amounts were trifling. Even when we had so little, we were rich enough to give.
It reminds me of a line from the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. In the story, Francie, a daughter in a deeply impoverished family, is chastised by a relative for pouring the remains of her morning coffee down the drain—essentially wasting it when there was so little to begin with. Francie’s mother defends her saying:
"Francie is entitled to one cup each meal like the rest. If it makes her feel better to throw it away rather than to drink it, all right. I think it's good that people like us can waste something once in awhile and get the feeling of how it would be have lots of money and not have to worry about scrounging."
Certainly, offering our money and resources to others is not a wasteful act, but I feel that the principal holds. Are we REALLY so poor if we are able to let go of our money, even if the dollar amounts are small? I mean I can give something once in awhile and “get the feeling of how it would be to have lots of money” and be able to squander it in generosity. I’ll never be Warren Buffet with billions of dollars to give away, but is the feeling it gives me really so different from the feeling it gives him?
I hope the open-handedness continues to grow with our family’s income. In a world that pushes us to believe that no dollar amount is ever enough, I hope that we insist in the belief that there is always enough to give. Because the other secret of generosity for me has been, it makes you feel rich to give, but it also makes you richer in the context of the community you are giving to.
It’s an investment, a stake in ground that says “this is my place; these are my people.” As I consider what Peace Church has, in particular, come to be worth to our family, I know the investment is sound. How blessed I am to belong to a congregation that has the MEANS as well the will to welcome the outcast and the stranger (aren’t we all), to combat injustice and stand alongside the oppressed, to feed and shelter and clothe those who need it, to show the city of Duluth why Jesus Christ came and what he taught with his words and his life.
There are days when you receive the $200 Christmas check, and there are days when you give it. My experiences have taught me that either way, the richness of community and a generous spirit is available to all of us. Even Warren Buffet.
You will hear Hope’s stewardship meditation in worship on November 6, as a part of our Annual Stewardship Campaign. Many thanks to Deb McLeod (“I’m not just a member—I belong here”) for her mission moment on October 16, and Matt Hunter who presented on October 30.
And a quote from Susan Larson Kidd: “When I give to Peace UCC, it is for so much more than just the music, words and connections that feed my soul. When I give to our church, I know exactly where my money goes. It goes to support Chum and Lifehouse and the women’s jail in our community. It goes to support the families Pastor visits in pain and loss. It goes to help support progress of social change in our city and county. It helps us to stay connected to the people of St. Mark AME. And it goes to the people in need in the Philippines, Haiti and East Timor. There is no better charity that we could give to.”
Pledge materials will be in your mailbox soon—please return your pledge card at worship on November 13, and stay for a wonderful free Celebration Dinner in the Fellowship Hall!
11
Voices for Justice
Voices for Justice Peace Church has a vital commitment to working for justice. We are energized and
heartened by hearing each other’s stories. Each month, we will share a brief story from members of our community, learning from each other while we also expand our visions and hopes. If you would like to share your story, or want to suggest someone to include in this column, please leave a message at the office.
Doug Bowen-Bailey—Showing Up for Justice As a sign language interpreter Doug Bowen-Bailey builds bridges of communication
between hearing and deaf people. This vocational commitment to building bridges grows from a lifelong passion for social justice.
Doug’s parents’ openness to people from around the world was critical in shaping his sense of justice. His father was a Lutheran pastor and seminary professor in Ohio. The family planned to go to Nigeria to teach, so Doug learned some Hausa and spent a lot of time around people from West Africa. Although their visa did not go through, and they ended up in Moorhead, Minnesota, his interest in Africa took root.
At the end of high school, Doug attended a workshop led by C.T. Vivian, a leader with Dr. King in the Southern Christian Leadership Council, where he first began questioning what it meant to be a white person living his life. While at Macalester College, he became involved in anti-apartheid work, and went to Zimbabwe. He returned committed to thinking about his place in the world, and the work that would make the most sense for him to do.
Another key event in Doug’s life was working at the Minnesota Conservation Corps, where he met deaf people, learned sign language, lived with youth from many backgrounds, and met Holly.
Doug notes that “as an interpreter, you need to deal with power dynamics. Community work is similar in scope and the two inform each other.” In his role as an interpreter, Doug has worked in many venues and made many connections. This has enriched his involvement in racial justice issues. He often works with white people to help unpack their own racial identity. In this work, Doug has learned many lessons:
Changing systems requires a generational commitment, not just seeing it as an issue to address in the short-term;
It is important to continue to show up for racial justice;
As a white person, it is sometimes important for me to take a step back and be a follower.
As an example, Doug spent five years on the task force that lead to the creation of the Duluth Citizen Review Board. Tony Ladeaux, a leader in the Native community (and a member of Peace Church) who had the idea and initial energy to start the CRB asked Doug to be a part of this effort. At the time, Doug didn’t feel called to work on issues related to policing, but he respected the request and got involved. Because of this, he has been fortunate to participate in many important conversations about how the community and police interact, which has been a tremendous opportunity for him to learn and grow.
Doug has also been involved with many other local organizations and initiatives. He joined the Arrowhead Interfaith Council right before 9/11, a significant time to help promote interfaith dialogue and understanding. He has been involved with the NAACP and the organizing of MLK events for over fifteen years. He currently serves on the board of the Cross-Cultural Alliance of Duluth. He has been working with Xavier Bell at Community Action Duluth delivering Race Awareness Workshops (RAW) throughout the community.
Doug has learned a lot from others in this journey. “Being involved in the work of social justice brings you to more humility and understanding of people.”
Social justice at this point in Doug’s life has become part of the fabric of his existence. The following is a not untypical day: Holly, Sylvie and he ran the Ode’min (Heart Berry) 5 K walk/run at Fond du Lac reservation. Then he went to St. Mark AME church for a ceremony honoring the winners of the Arthur Foy educational scholarship. And finally Doug worked with a deaf couple coming from diverse backgrounds.
When asked what keeps him going, Doug replied: “Ice cream. (And connections with the cool people I get to work with.)” He added that “being part of the long-term Christian tradition working toward justice—knowing that I am one among many doing this work—helps me to keep going on.”
As Doug sees it, the rich variety in his work is a gift of this community that he and his family are part of. He feels blessed by the opportunities. He recognizes that doing social justice work is a lifetime endeavor. “In this work, there are not always real clear victories: you win some, you lose some. And sometimes the most important thing is to just continue to show up.” Interviewed by Lisa Fitzpatrick
12
Moderator’s Report Peace Church News
Team and Committee Meetings
Children’s Ministry will meet on Tuesday November 1 at 5:30pm in Conference Room.
Worship and Arts Committee will meet Tuesday November 8 at 5:30pm in the sanctuary.
The History Team will meet in the History Room on Wednesday November 9 from 10am-12pm.
Shared Ministry Team will meet on November 9 at 4pm in the Conference Room.
Property Team, and Food and Fellowship Team will meet Wednesday November 9 at 6pm.
Finance Team will meet on Wednesday November 9 at 6pm in the Conference Room.
Acting for Justice Hub will meet on Sunday November 13 at 11:30am in the Music Room.
Adult Ed Team will meet at 3:30pm Tuesday November 15 in the Conference Room.
Stewardship Team will meet on Thursday November 17 at 5pm in the Conference Room.
Health and Wellness Team will meet on Sunday November 20 at 11:30am in the Conference Room.
Coordinating Council will meet on Tuesday, November 15 at 7pm in the Office Conference Room
We have an unspoken rule on the Ski Patrol at Spirit Mountain NOT to say “it’s been a quiet shift.” As soon as someone utters that, we’re bound to get flooded with calls for injured patrons. In the same way, I feel I SHOULDN’T mention that our church is continuing to plug along with our finances, our programs, our outreach. But serving as moderator it is simply lovely to witness how we are living out our mission in vibrant ways (without too many hiccups!).
As we have entered our Stewardship Drive, I encourage you to spend some time intentionally considering what role this church plays in your life and in the life of this larger community. Thumb through the Peace Bell, read the weekly emails, just listen to the life of this place EVERY day of the week. Know that what you are able to pledge to Peace, helps not only keep the lights on, but also compensates our staff in a fair and just manner, and serves our members and the multiple communities and organizations we support—here and abroad. Please attend the Stewardship Dinner and celebration on November 13
th.
Respectfully, Julie Flotten, Peace Church Moderator
New Members Welcome to the following new members, who joined Peace Church on October 9.
Hope and Ian Connell
Family members: Saul (age 5) & Thea (almost 4)
What is your vocation? Ian is a hospice music therapist. Hope is a freelance WordPress developer working from home.
What are your hobbies/passions? Family hikes, reading, listening to podcasts, watching The West Wing.
What brought you to Peace? Like many others, we were looking for a church community after the faith tradition we belonged to had ceased to be a good fit. A friend recommended Peace to us, and the open and welcoming culture here hooked us from our first visit.
What is an obscure fact about yourself that others may not know but would enjoy? We moved to Duluth sight unseen last August, making it the seventh city we had lived in (fourth state) in 8 years. Now that we’ve gotten to know and love the area, we have no intention of leaving anytime soon.
Comments: We homeschool our children.
Judy Johnson
Family members: Lisa Welhaven, daughter; Tom Johnson, son; seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
What is your vocation? Hotel Manager
What are your hobbies/passions? Enjoying my kids, grandkids and great grandchild and cooking and baking.
What brought you to Peace? Pastor Kathy
Allison Sipila, Mark Larson & Oskar; Eric & Celeste Brandt & Olan
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Peace People
Thank You! Thank you to all of our musicians who provided special music for the month of October: the Worship Team, Leon Rohrbaugh and friends, Emily Ramsey, Diane and Mike Swanoski with their Polka band, Kim Anderson, Brad Bombardier, Nathan Holst, Deb Rausch, Wendy Durrwachter, and the choir.
Our heartfelt thanks to the Peace Church community for so graciously hosting our fundraising event 'In Plain Sight' on October 2, to support the MN Coalition for the Homeless. We are so grateful for each and every one who contributed to the success of this event, for every pair of hands and every open heart. Deb Cooper & the 'In Plain Sight' Committee.
To Doug-Bowen Bailey for creating our awesome stewardship video. You can view it on our web site, www.peaceucc.org.
To Isernhagens for donating a chair to the church office.
To all who helped with James Mulligan’s memorial service: Charlotte Frantz, Nettie Bothwell, Marg Paulson, and Cindy Macaulay.
To our Peace Gardeners – our garden provided almost 500 pounds of fresh veggies to Chum! Thank you Denise Perry, Lisa Fitzpatrick, Elise Courtright, Kay and Bob Stevens, Beth Bartlett and others.
Spiritual Companions At times we all need a safe and sacred space where someone cares to listen and travel with us through a trying
time or a time when we need to or want to share our story in a confidential space. Spiritual companioning offers such a place. A spiritual companion will listen and offer companionship for just one conversation or several conversations in an atmosphere of trust and holiness. A spiritual companion will listen with you and support you on your spiritual path towards wholeness as you seek to find and respond to the Divine Mystery in the midst of your joys and concerns. All spiritual companions are trained in some aspect of ministry and are available to all. If you would like to meet with a Spiritual Companion, you may contact Pastor Kathy, or call the church to make arrangements (724-3637).
Keep in Your Prayers Nathalia Hawley recovering from surgery and receiving chemotherapy for bone cancer.
Terrie Shannon receiving chemotherapy
Marlys Phillips in hospice at Chris Jensen
Grace Springsteele in hospice at Viewcrest Nursing Home
Julie Clement recently hospitalized
Sympathy To Tammy Fox on the death of her mother.
To the family of James Mulligan whose memorial service was held at Peace Church on October 14
th. James was struck and killed by a
car on 6th Ave. and 6
th St. His mother Alician
Grogan is a long time member of Peace Church. Thanks to Jane Aas, Ron Deters and Jim Pospisil for working with Pastor Kathy on this service and to all who helped with the bars and coffee.
Congratulations To Olan Brandt, son of Eric and Celeste, who was baptized on October 30
. To Jonathan Ballmer who won the young professional of the year award from the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce.
Welcome to the World!
Sandra Marigold, born to Chris and Joy Dunham on October 15.
Growing For a Cause Peace Garden Update: Total delivered to the Food Shelf — 428 lbs. over the season, with green tomatoes still ripening so that figure might increase. Some vegies went to Safe Haven and there is a good quantity of
vegies left in the garden for the soup day. So the total harvest this summer is somewhere above 450 lbs. Pretty sweet for a rather small plot of land.
Please join us on Nov. 6th during coffee hour to “taste a little of the summer”. Once again we will be cooking up some delicious and healthy Stone Soup to share the bounties from our garden.
Memorials Thank you for the following memorials given to Peace Church: In memory of Vi Brown from Joan Severson, Elaine Augustad, Janell and Gary Kohls, Ken and Mary Wergeland, and Cindy Macaulay. In memory of Linda Goese’s mother from Joan Severson.
Sewing for Standing Rock As a follow up from the adult forum on
Standing Rock recently, Anthony Hernandez of the All Nations Indigenous Center invited folks from Peace Church to come sew canvas that will be donated for tepees for those at Standing Rock. Beyond helping sew, this is also a time to build relationship with the folks at All Nations.
If you're one of the folks who expressed interest (or want to add your name to the list when we set a date), please email Nathan at [email protected].
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East Timor / Community / Chum
Prayers for East Timor This is a prayer in the time of transitions.
God, be with us as we walk through this world, doing the best we can, wherever we are. Help us to see ourselves for who we are. Help us to take off the blinders we wear that keep us from seeing our arrogance, our insensitivity, our self-righteousness. Help us to see ourselves in the way that YOU see us: with compassionate eyes. Remind us not to be ashamed of who we are, ever.
For our partners in the Protestant Church of East Timor, in a time of transition, we pray for the synod, for guidance in leading the Church forward. For Fusona, the Church’s mission branch, we pray for good leadership. And for us, help us to always be compassionate and humble as we accompany our partners in the daily walk of life. God, hear our prayers.
Mission Stewardship Moment from East Timor:
Our family has now spent 3 months in East Timor after years back in Minnesota. Arriving here, living amidst our colleagues in the Protestant Church of East Timor, who live with no consistently running water, no AC in the hot tropics, no cars, no bank
accounts, we are humbled. Every day in Lospalos, we try to eat simply, knowing that “simple” for us is extravagant for most people here.
What are we, Tom and Monica Liddle, doing here? We have made a
choice to walk along with our partners here for some more years. We bring our skills in pastoral care and medical care, indeed. We reach out every day to people in need in the Church, and to people who come to the clinic looking for compassionate care for their health concerns, be they simple or complex. But maybe what’s just as important is just being here, as a family, with our children Hannah and Simon. It brings recognition to the realities of our partners, many realities most of us cannot imagine. Just being here, sharing in the struggle of life as it is in East Timor, means that we care. And not just “we” as in Monica and Tom Liddle, but WE, as in all those who have sent us.
So far, the transition has been far from easy. But, with faith, together we will keep walking forward.
(Prayer and Mission Moment by Monica Liddle)
CHUM Church—Sunday November 13 at 4:30pm—CHUM Church gathers the second Sunday of
every month at Peace Church. CHUM Church is an inclusive community, welcoming all to worship God. We celebrate and acknowledge the goodness of God and all of creation and intentionally include people of all abilities. Join us for worship at 4:30pm with a light supper following. For more information contact Sue Anderson, CHUM Church Coordinator, 740-2498 or [email protected].
An Artist’s Journey Thursday, December 1 at 6:30pm
in the Fireside Room A Pathways to Peace Event
Hear the story about a former social worker who became an artist stating that “Observing nature is good for the soul. It’s the solace in nature that I seek in my work and want to convey”. Alberta Marana’s work graces the front and back cover of the recent volume of Pathways to Peace. She will share more of her art at this session.
Alberta Marana says, “I am a shy artist; I am an outgoing person. I love being alone, working on my art; I love being around people, trying in my own way to make this world a better place. I have a degree in art; I have a degree in sociology. This is the dichotomy of my life.”
CHUM Fall Delegate Assembly Thursday November 17
CHUM’s Fall Assembly will be November 17 at First Lutheran and features a well-regarded speaker, Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati, professor emeritus from Macalester College in the Twin Cities.He will speak on “Where Are We Now? America and White Supremacy”. Dr. El-Kati is best known for his work on “The Myth of Race and the Reality of Racism.” His work with CHUM is part of a three day visit to the Twin Ports area. The request for his time and presence came from the African heritage caucus which was part of Living into the Difficult, an event held last spring. Social hour is at 6:30pm and the meeting is at 7:00pm.
Peace Church needs to supply 5 dozen bars or cookies. Please call the office or sign up in the Narthex if you can furnish goodies.
Silver Memorial Interfaith Lecture series Dr. Joel Hoffman
November 6 at 7pm at Temple Israel Dr. Hoffman, acclaimed translator and Biblical scholar, will present a lecture based upon his newest book, The Bible Doesn't Say That: 40 Biblical Mistranslations, Misconceptions and Other Misunderstandings. Free and open to the public.
