On The Table

Our monthly attempt to 1.) mix up our schedules, 2.) get out of our Sunday seats, and 3.) engage with our neighbors, is doubly successful this month. We'll be gathering at the Doans' place in Chantilly to work on two separate projects:

1. As our regular Service-Worship Project, we'll be doing some mass prepping and freezing of some meals for a family with whom we're connected. This family of four recently lost their husband/father to cancer, and will be moving to Florida sometime next month. As that date approaches, we'd like to help them in packing up their apartment and getting ready for their move in other ways. But in the meantime, we thought it'd be nice if we could help them out with some simple and nutritious meals as they try to navigate their new and challenging life together.

2. At the same time, we'll be doing our second installment of our summer experiment in 'Barn Raising'. But since none of us have barns, we're planning to convene some crews to do some labor-intensive projects at our various places of residence. (It's also a thinly veiled effort to hang out with one another ;-) Tomorrow, we'll be replacing the boards on the Doans' deck. Bring appropriate tools if you've got 'em, or just bring yourself and your willingness to work.

If you're a morning person and/or you want to beat some of the heat, we'll be starting demo on the deck at 8:30am, and continuing work most of the day. If you'd like to come later, you'll be more than welcome to do so. And if you'd rather come to cook, the kitchen crew will be convening at 10am.

Hope to see you tomorrow (Saturday the 28th)!
Mike Stavlund

PS. It's not to late to vote: JfP!

Labels: barn-raising, Doan, Jesus for President, service-worship

Hi church,

The mundane breezes have blown a bit cooler this week, and we're feeling like the Spirit is calling us to sit back, relax, and celebrate God's gifts a bit.

Our first opportunity to do that is Thursday evening (tonight!) as we open our hearts and sing from our diaphragms for Karaoke Night at The Lamb Center (6:30 to 8pm). Please join us kids of all ages as we share song, serendipity, and blessing with each other, regardless of age and life circumstance.

Then, Sunday morning, we're thinking of ("planning" is too strong a word) a service that's in marked contrast with the gorgeous, yet complex and carefully ordered, Anglican liturgy we celebrated last week. Ken suggested a good old-fashioned hymn sing (in which anybody suggests a hymn and we all sing along) so let's do it! (If we can find hymnals!) And let's not limit ourselves to hymns: In "Quakeresque" fashion, let's bring whatever the Spirit moves us to bring - a hymn, yes, or a poem, or a body prayer, drum solo, spoken prayer, artwork, mini-art-project, word of inspiration, short reading, dance, etc.

And just to keep us open to the Spirit's challenging (as well as joyful) presence, we'll intersperse our offerings with some periods of discussion about where we've been as a community, where we are, and where we're going - and try to open our musings up to broader themes that might have implications for the journeys of communities, and individuals, in general. Please join us at Jammin' Java at 10am.

Peace,
Mike Croghan

P.S., Jesus for President!!!

Labels: karaoke, lamb center, Quakeresque

Hi church,

Following a full week last week (joyful noise at the Lamb Center, HOT but satisfying barn-raising at the Tennyson's, and an edifying preaching clinic on Sunday morning), the plan for this week is pretty simple, as we continue to follow the Spirit's breeze in this season after Pentecost.

Sunday morning, 10am at Jammin' Java, we'll gather for another in our occasional series on "our faith traditions", in which we examine and celebrate our varied backgrounds within the gorgeous crazy-quilt that is the Body of Christ, and the gifts we bring to the Table from those diverse traditions. This time, we'll be looking at the Anglican heritage that's shared by our community (imbued as it is with Anglican DNA by our founding pastor, Doug Gray) and yours truly. We'll be celebrating a service of Holy Eucharist in (something pretty close to) the full, traditional Anglican liturgy, in all its beauty and weirdness. With music (both traditional and improvised) by Amy and P3T3 and homiletic content from Dee. All this, plus I'll teach y'all to make the sign of the cross (and what it means). Hope to see you there!

Stay cool, and keep alert for those breezes....

Peace,
Mike Croghan

Labels: Anglican

As we continue to move through the season of Pentecost, we're chasing the Spirit in a couple of different places:

On Thursday night, we'll be enjoining our bi-weekly karaoke night at The Lamb Center in Fairfax, from 6:30 to 8pm. Pizza, soda, cookies, singing, and enough wholesome laughter to last you for two weeks.

Saturday brings us a "barn raising" at the Tennysons'. No, we're not actually building them a barn - "barn raisings" are a new tradition we just made up, based on the example of the Amish and other close-knit communities who come together to share work projects and fellowship with one another. For this Saturday, weather looks good - hot but dry...

Here is a tentative schedule and work list:

• Meet at 10:00 am
• Work until 1:00pm
• 1:00 Barbecue - Ken and Maranda can provide meat and juice for kids; BYOB

Work List:

• Cut up a tree that Sam will have cut down. Haul and stack rounds.
• Haul limbs and branches to recycling center (there are already a couple of loads worth on the property)
• Clean gutters
• Weed backyard beds (this could easily keep 3-4 people busy the ENTIRE time)

For those less outdoor inclined, Maranda will have several indoor projects to work on, and we will also need help with kids.

Come Sunday, I'll be taking a crack at one of our 'Grab-Bag June' Sundays with my offering: "Hiding the Gospel: A Preaching Clinic". Of course, it's not like I'm going to teach you how to preach-- who would ever want to preach?-- but we'll teach each other a little bit about the fine art of indirection. Think of it as a Pentecost season experiment in a radical expression of 'the priesthood of all believers,' where everybody who wants gets a turn in the pulpit. So bring yourself to Jammin' Java at 10am on Sunday morning, and let's just see what happens.

Mike Stavlund

Labels: barn-raising, karaoke, lamb center, preaching