Fresh from New Orleans

The Gathering meets this Sunday, June 13, 5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street, and I look forward to being together again as The Gathering.

After hearing Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite at the Annual Meeting of the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ in New Orleans, I am full of energy, enthusiasm, and hope for The Gathering because she talked about The Gathering! Well, she didn't really talk about The Gathering, but she did talk about the necessity for innovation in creating a faith community - and it appears we have much of that innovative impulse. Some of the topics she covered include "the age of anxiety," "wired wisdom," and "public theology". Sunday night I will share her insights, words of wisdom, and challenges, and you'll definitely want to be part of the conversation!

Our offering will be designated for the San Angelo Kids Eat program - the summer effort to feed a healthy lunch to 10,000 local children. And speaking of eating, because it is now officially hot (100+ degrees definitely counts as "official"), let's bring things that are cool, or will cool us down . Ice cream, watermelon, chocolates anyone?

Our Loving Community

Gathering to Worship

Sunday, June 6 5:30 pm
618 Locust Street

Many thanks go to Nancy York for taking the leadership task of planning and leading worship for this coming Sunday night, June 6. As of this writing, the planning is on-going; the theme of our shared meal has been determined, and it's general potluck. To help Nancy and the community with worship, please contact her at: nly1@verizon.net.

South Central Conference Annual Meeting

Okay, I understand that every once in a while, as Pastor of The Gathering, I need to "take one for the team," and this weekend is my weekend of suffering. It's going to be hard, but someone's gotta do it, and since I do so love The Gathering, I'm willing. So what's the agony with which I'll be dealing? What's the sacrifice I'm ready to make? For what martyrdom will I become known far and wide? Of course - it's spending the weekend in New Orleans for the Annual Meeting of South Central Conference UCC.

When I leave early Thursday morning, I will take with me 18 personal hygiene kits, extra parts for more, and $140 we collected Sunday, May 16 for the homeless ministry at Back Bay Mission, Biloxi, Mississippi. I will also take delightfully creative Gathering brochures crafted by Jeremy Hahn, Neil Snipes, and myself. I return Monday. In between I will worship, break bread, attend workshops, participate in a skit about new church starts, visit with colleagues, talk about The Gathering, and be one of many doing the work of the South Central Conference. I suspect (and hope!) I'll also hear some mighty fine music and eat tasty Cajun food. Because no one in The Gathering is able to join me, my two sisters have volunteered (they, too, are into 'suffering') to come along. I look forward to the weekend, sharing about The Gathering while there, and sharing with you about the Annual Meeting when I return.

To Gather or Not To Gather...

That is One Question we Have Answered

Gatherers tend to be seekers, questioners, journeyers. We understand that there are many questions without answers and often, it is in the questioning itself, the journey itself that we experience the Holy. Mark this day (drum roll, please) - there is one question that does have a definitive answer - even for The Gathering: Due to the Memorial Day holiday weekend, we are NOT Gathering this Sunday, 30 May, 5:30 pm. at Promenade Square, 618 Locust Street. Because we moved our fifth Sunday of the month "Community Conversation Re: Our Priorities" aka "Gathering for Sacred Business Meeting" meeting to the fourth Sunday of the month (and what a very satisfying conversation/sacred business meeting it was), we are encouraging ourselves to live on the edge this holiday weekend - not by asking deep theological questions or by seeking deep spiritual truths - but by resting, playing, enjoying our families, visiting our neighbors, and most of all, by remembering the men and women who have died while serving in the US military.

The Spirit, of course, is still alive and well even though The Gathering is not officially gathering. Watch for her presence as you walk along the river. Listen for her voice as you enjoy the breeze at sunset. Feel her energy as you celebrate graduations. Know her comfort as you attend a Memorial Service.

We will gather for worship and community again the first Sunday of June. 6 June, 5:30 pm, Promenade Square, 618 Locust Street.

West Texas Organizing Strategy Meeting
Thursday, 27 May 2010, 7:00 pm
St. Mary's Catholic Church
This summer's Kids Eat Program was discussed.

Shalom, Peace, Salaam,

Karen Schmeltekopf

thegatheringsanangelo.org

Gathering the Spirit's Energy

Sunday, May 23, is Pentecost - an observance historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus. In Christian churches, Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Spirit upon the followers of Jesus as described in the New Testament book of Acts during these Jewish "fiftieth day" celebrations in Jerusalem. For this reason, Pentecost is sometimes described as the "Birthday of the Church".

On this day commemorating the Spirit's Presence experienced in a new way, we will celebrate and explore the Spirit's stirrings and wild activities among The Gathering - and in a curiously very appropriate way, we'll do that by having a "Community Conversation Regarding Our Priorities" - aka a Gathering-wide business meeting. This spring, the Community Connecting Workgroup and the Worship Planning Workgroup have put much prayer, energy and planning in to The Gathering, and they have much to share with the group as a whole - like the proposed summer schedule, the proposed fall schedule, a marketing effort, and the need to spend money to purchase things like a projector so we can watch movies again!

So the evening will be full of engaging with the Spirit and deciding things that shape who we are. You are encouraged to participate. The Gathering is a collaborative community where, just as our bell banner symbolizes, each voice is unique and important in making up the whole chorus (see purpose below). We say we welcome all into the "full life and ministry of The Gathering" and that doesn't just mean others - it means us, too!

Recognizing the time issue, we will not have a regular pot-luck; feel free, however, to bring a sack supper if you'd like.

Sunday, May 23, 5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street.

Serving Others

Sunday, 16 May 2010 5:30 pm
618 Locust Street

We will participate in the South Central Conference 2010 Annual Meeting mission project by making personal hygiene kits for the Back Bay Mission Homeless Ministry. Back Bay Mission, located in Biloxi, Mississippi, is a ministry of the United Church of Christ, and its mission in part states it: "serves...by faithful witness for social justice and compassionate service to the poor and marginalized." They advocate for justice and also provide direct services for those who experience injustice daily. I will take the kits to the Annual Meeting in June. Kit items still needed: 10 hand towels (approximately 16x28 inches), 8 washcloths, 24 wide tooth combs, 9 toothbrushes, 10 toothpastes, 26 plastic soap containers (to hold a bath size bar of soap), and 23 deodorants (solid or roll-on). Nancy York is coordinating the evening. nly1@verizon.net.

We will also hear about Isobelle Fox's experiences of the Transgender Caucus trip.

Because we will be putting the kits together, our "pot-luck" is snack food.

Celebration of the Feminine (on Mother's Day)

I look forward to the sharing we will do Sunday, May 9th in Celebration of the Feminine. I look forward to the readings, poetry, art, music, scriptures and stories. If you would like to give me a heads up prior to Sunday on what you plan to share, please feel free to email me.

Our offering May 9th will go to the Children's Miracle Network. This is a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children's hospitals, of which Shannon Hospital is a member. CMN hospitals help sick and injured kids in the local communities. CMN funds are kept in the community in which they are generated to provide life saving pediatric care, education, research and equipment.

Bring for our pot luck anything that reminds you of your mom, grandmother, or another special woman that has provided spiritual nourishment for you.

Pat

Love: The New Commandment

Gathering for worship this Sunday, May 2 at 5:30 pm, 618 Locust.

Jesus: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."

Rumi: "If you want to know Love, become 'we'."

Cynthia Bourgeault: "The goal is...the luminous capacity to 'love our neighbor as ourself.' Not as much as ourself - there is no comparative here - but as our very self."

Richard Evans: "Jesus' commandment is not about what you believe but about how you live."

How does one actually live Love? What are the possibilities if we actually became "we" and lived this Love? We'll explore these radical notions during worship Sunday night. As a concrete effort to become "we", our offering will be designated for the "Strengthen the Churches" offering of the UCC. The Gathering has been the recipient of this offering through the gifts of other churches because it

supports the creation of UCC new church starts. It also helps renew and revitalize existing UCC churches and supports the work of the God is Still Speaking Ministry, which shares the extravagant welcome to all.

Our potluck will be anything you'd like to bring that conveys the notion of living love.

The text in the "How Can I Help" mandala (pictured above) reads:

How can I help? Forgive yourself and others; Embrace peace; Practice compassion; Respect life; Listen with your heart; Love.