On The Table

Hi church,

It was a relationship of affection and commitment, and we thought it would last forever: Jammin' Java + Common Table. But then this guy rolled into town, and before we knew it, his kiddish melodies were making Java swoon and sigh and...well...we just couldn't compete. Not with Ralph.

Just kidding - the Jammin' Java folks asked us a while ago if we wouldn't mind making way for the popular Disney Channel troubadour this Sunday morning, so for a variety of reasons we decided to postpone our annual church anniversary celebration for a month, and it's our pleasure to invite you to:


We'll do a potluck picnic/barbeque: please bring picnic food and utensils for your family, plus a little to share, and there should be plenty for everyone. We'll have a grill going, so by all means bring some meat or veggies to char.

For the labyrinth walk, we won't have any prepared verbal prayers or liturgy. Instead, we'll pray in two ways: we'll pray contemplatively, listening, receptive to God's Spirit as we walk the labyrinth. And we're also encouraging everyone to bring acoustic musical instruments, if you want to: guitars, drums, shakers, other percussion (we'll have some extras) - and we'll offer the music and rhythm we make as praise to God as we walk, listen, and open our hearts.

We'll begin music and walking at the labyrinth behind the church as soon as we can assemble there, and folks can begin preparing food at the picnic tables on the front lawn (near the awesome playground - kids and parents, take note!) as soon as they want to as well. It'll be a great time of worship and fellowship - hope to see you there!

But wait - before all that, we have the opportunity for another awesome time of fellowship and mutual blessing: Thursday from 6:30 -8, we'll be gathering at The Lamb Center for pizza and karaoke. Don't miss that chance to see God's Spirit at work and play in friends old and new!

It's a week for celebration - come join us as we party round the Table!

Peace,
Mike Croghan

Labels: karaoke, labyrinth, lamb center

Hi church,

Sorry for the late notice, but...here's what we're gonna be up to this weekend. It's the last weekend of the month, so as usual, we will not be gathering for a worship service at Jammin' Java on Sunday. Normally we would be gathering instead for a service-worship project, but we had the opportunity last weekend to help Neishia, Xander, and Nicholas with their move (many thanks to the folks who could help!) But it also seems like it's time to get together and talk about this core part of our church: Giving to Needs Unmet - the times when we gather, led by our GNU Team, to serve, help, and bless friends old and new. As this is an 'open-source' group, we're keen to see how to continue to see everyone involved in this effort.

So please join us at Tina's and my house (13337 Feldman Pl., Herndon, VA, 20170) at 2pm on Sunday. In Jackie's words, we'll engage in a "conversation reviewing the history of where we've come, what we've tried, and opening up for honest conversation about people's ideas and thoughts about what has worked well and what could be improved - and then move toward a focused heart about what it is that we together want to do with the GNU part of the heart of our church."

Thanks, all - looking forward to this conversation about the giving heart of our community!

Peace,
Mike Croghan

P.S. - Looking ahead, next Sunday (October 5th), we'll be gathering for our annual church anniversary picnic and labyrinth service. It's almost certain that we'll be gathering at (actually, outside) the Church of the Holy Comforter in Vienna in the early afternoon - watch this space for details!

Labels: GNU Team, labyrinth

Faith and action come together in the next few days, as we at Common Table continue our ongoing experiment in incarnational life:

Tonight (Thursday) from 6:30 -8, we'll be gathering at The Lamb Center to eat pizza and sing into a microphone while lyrics and unrelated graphics scroll by on a video screen (aka, 'Karaoke'). Come out to see some old friends and make some new ones.

And on Sunday at 10, we'll get together at Jammin' Java for the conclusion of our Summer Psalm Series. Kriss and Ben will be exploring the theme of 'dependence on God' in the Psalms, and they'd love to have your input, too.

Mike Stavlund

Labels: baptism, Doan, Maisel

Hey, everyone--

Hope you're all adjusting to this tricky week when many of us-- young and old!-- are returning to the classroom and switching to a different schedule. Fortunately, our schedule at church continues on with some continuity, as we keep up with our engagement with The Lamb Center, and as the overflow from our wonderful Psalm series continues into September:

Thursday evening, 6:30 - 8pm: Karaoke at The Lamb Center. Bring your singing voice (if you've got one), your kid (if you've got one), and your appetite for pizza (we know you've got one) to this great space to make friends and develop relationships.

Sunday morning, 10am: Vengeance in the Psalms. We'll be gathering at Jammin' Java at 10am to look at several Psalms which are in fact prayers for destruction of enemies. So bring a list of your enemies to church with you (if you cannot identify an enemy, one will be assigned to you ;-).

And looking ahead:

Next Sunday, September 14, we will be having another of our baptism services. At least two infants will be baptized, and if you're considering baptism for yourself (as an adult) or for a child, please let us know.

On November 8, several of us will be headed up to the Philly area to catch a one-day conference with Pete Rollins. So if you're interested in joining us, speak up. Or, if you're one of our wider readers who will be attending, we hope you'll say 'hello' (we'll be the manically social pack of people who may well be sleeping in a camper in the parking lot...).

November 21-23: Retreat!! The unique thing about our annual retreats is that they are actually low-key and relaxing. No conference folders, no Big Agenda, nothing much to do but hang out and eat. Of course, there are some nice hikes at Algonkian Park, and we'll have a cabin with a jacuzzi this year. All to say: Retreat = Retreat. And if you're reading this, you're welcome to join us.

Mike Stavlund

Labels: karaoke, lamb center, Psalms, retreat