Gathering for the Good of the Earth

"... all things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man ... the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports." ~ Chief Seattle

Sunday's Gathering will continue Saturday's focus on the sacredness of creation as we observe Eco-Sunday. Some of the service highlights include spiritually and responsibly engaging environmental concerns, musical accompaniment by Valerie Tedford Queen, joining in the combined efforts of UCC-ers across the nation by participating in one million hours of engaged earth care, and designating our offering for San Angelo Friends of the Environment.  Because it's the fourth Sunday of the month, we will not share a potluck meal.

Sunday, January 27, 2013,
5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street

Being Aware

Opening to Our Lives: Jon Kabat-Zinn's Science of Mindfulness
Sunday, January 13, 5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street

This Sunday we will gather to hear, experience and discuss a recent On Being interview between host Krista Tippett and guest Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn has learned, through science and experience, about mindfulness as a way of life. This is wisdom with immediate relevance to the ordinary and extreme stresses of our time - from economic peril, to parenting, to life in a digital age. According to the show's description, "scientist and author Jon Kabat-Zinn has changed Western medicine through his work on meditation and stress. He's clinically demonstrated the benefits of ancient traditions of mindfulness and meditation. And he's adapted these for people who are healthy or living with chronic illness, for Olympic athletes and corporate cultures."

The blog post goes on to say, "In this week's podcast, Jon Kabat-Zinn offers wise perspective on inhabiting the ordinary and extreme stresses of our lives. Technology may function 24/7, he points out, but our minds and bodies do not. He has practical and spiritual tools accessible to everyone - for slowing down time and 'opening to our lives.'"

Our offering recipient has yet to be determined. Because this is the second Sunday of the month, we will not share a potluck meal.

Epiphany Past & Present

 

Twelve days after Christmas day, January 6, begins the celebration of Epiphany, a season of following stars, being inspired, and noticing the incarnate presence of the Divine. The Epiphany story probably sounds familiar - three wise men from a foreign land follow a star to a Bethlehem manger whereby they encounter the Holy Presence in a poor baby named Jesus. After gifting the child with gold, frankincense and myrrh, they return to their home country via a different road.

During Sunday night's worship, we will travel with the magi, exploring the unexpected, surprising paths our lives and faith take. Heifer Project invites us to incarnate Sacred Presence with neighbors near and far. In honor of the Light that accompanies us and lights our way on what can seem the darkest of journeys, our pot-luck theme is: Eating Light-ly.(And please remember, our potlucks are intended for fellowship and conversation, so the most important thing is to bring yourself!  We always have more than enough of everything else.)

Gathering for Inspiration

Sunday, 30 December, 5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street  

It'll be an inspiring "firecracker" of an evening as we Gather for film watching and discussion on the last Sunday in 2012.  The movie, We Are Together, is a wonderful and uplifting documentary about the children and music of Agape Orphanage in South Africa, to which we were introduced during our AIDS Awareness service.  The film is a testament to resilience, hope, courage amidst adversity, the healing aspect of music, and the power of compassionate community.  Sounds like a pretty good way to end the year, doesn't it?

Our offering will be designated for the San Angelo AIDS Foundation.  We will not share a potluck meal, but as always, you are invited to bring snacks.    

Merry Christmas

 

May the Angel of Annunciation
awaken in you God's profound heartfelt love.  

May Mary guide you in birthing the Holy One in your life

and in birthing Love in others. 

May Joseph engage you in deeper questioning and listening

  and give you courage to risk the next step.  
May your life become a Luminous Presence 

leading others to the place in their hearts and in the world 

where Christ is always being born anew.

May you have

The Spirit of Christmas which is Peace.

The Joy of Christmas which is Hope.

The Heart of Christmas which is Love.
May these Blessings be yours this Christmas!

from Ministry of the Arts

Gathering to Receive the Gifts of the Season

Have you ever thought about the fact that during the holidays, there's much emphasis on gift giving, but not much on gift receiving?

After all, so much of the "meaning" of Christmas, Hanakkuh, and Kwanzaa has devolved to being generous, showing others how much you care, getting gifts for others, etc.  At the same time, the theme of Advent is waiting and preparing for the coming of Emmanuel - God with us; part of the theme of Hanakkuh is about G-D's presence with the Jewish people during a very difficult time; and one of the significant aspects of Kwanzaa is for people to intentionally reflect on the deep questions of life and faith.

Sunday's worship experience will combine these various notions and ask: how do we receive the gifts of these holy holidays?  How do we graciously receive things that are unexpected or that we don't particularly want - like Divine Presence. 

We will receive the gifts of Nancy and Valerie this week, as they are co-facilitating this worship experience. Our offering will be designated for the gift-giving and receiving efforts of our local Christmas en el Barrio. And we will share and receive the gifts of each other as we gather after worship for a potluck meal.

Sunday, December 16, 5:30 pm, 618 Locust Street 

Gathering for Service

If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother or sister in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does God's love abide in him? Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. ~ 1 John 3:17-18 

With Ashura, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and various other holy holidays, December is a month for thinking of others and sharing Love. We will engage in this spiritual practice of sharing Love Sunday night when we gather to concretely address 3 mission needs:  1) we will put together gift bags for people cared for by Big Spring State Hospital; 2) we will collect books for the library at Big Spring State Hospital; and 3) we will complete our chili can drive for the St. Paul Christmas box effort.  All the gift bag elements will be present, so come ready to put them together.  But don't come empty-handed!  Bring books to donate to Big Spring State Hospital and bring cans of chili for the food box drive.  Our goal for books - whatever we collect.  Our goal for cans of chili - at least 260. We will not share potluck, but holiday goodies are always welcome!

Sunday, 9 December 2012
5:30 pm, 618 Locust