We have a booth at the 8th annual Glennwood Arts Fest. Arists Clove, Kate Setzer Kamphausen and Larry Kamphausen will be showing their work. Members of the congregation are staffing the booth with the artists. Come out and see us and enjoy the festival, Saturday August 22 and Sunday August 23rd noon to 8pm.
This is our second time at the festival. In 2007 it was a fun time, and there are always great artists.
Showing posts with label Street Festivals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Street Festivals. Show all posts
Friday, August 14
Wednesday, July 29
Revisting Sharing our Faith
A month ago I reflected outreach as sharing our faith. At our last council meeting I asked us to reflect on events that we could have that would allow us to share with others our faith. Thinking more on this I have been wondering how best to keep anything we plan to do as natural and organic to our life together as a congregation. This line of thought is trying to think through why our one Beer Bread and the Bible was something we as a congregation found enriching to our faith and community life and a place where our friends Christian and non-christian felt welcome to come and participate. There are couple things that I think were important for the Beer Bread and the Bible: we were interested in reading James and the in the themes of James, it was a moment of outreach but it was not for the purpose of getting members for Reconciler.
As I push us to think more about outreach, I feel we can begin feel pressure of something in addition to our Bible studies and fellowship as a congregation. Thus another thing we need to add to our busy schedules. Yet, I am hopping that our approach can be more integrated and integral when it comes to outreach. So,I keep coming back to the one Beer Bread and the Bible is not because I think we have to replicate exactly what Jeremy and Charity did in hosting and having it, but it emerged organically from both Jeremy and Charity's desires but also the character of the congregation at the time. It was something people who did not attend Reconciler came to and felt comfortable attending without any push to be part of the congregation. Also the reading of James and then discussing was a Bible study that it allowed people with differing levels of experience with and understanding of the Bible to enter in and come away with something. Lastly it was a time of fellowship for our congregation but also with friends who were either Christian or not Christian. These three things tell me that it wasn't something we added on but something that came from who we were, and we wanted to share it with others, without expectation or strings.
What I feel we can learn from this is that anything we do for outreach first should be something that we want to do and are interested in. Second it should be an opportunity for us as a congregation to connect with each other. Third it needs to be open to others participation even if they never attend Reconciler. If we keep these three things in mind perhaps some of the pressure is off of "creating" an outreach event.
I am thinking that as we plan to gather in September to talk about Christian faith and Baptism as Chrissy and Will prepare to be baptized, and as we (0r I) solidify what we want to study for the fall and as we have potlucks, that we see at least some of these as places to invite our friends and acquaintances as well as times for us to gather as a congregation. This is also how our presence at the Glennwood Arts Festival came about we have had visual artists as members of Reconciler, I am a painter, so it made sense to be there, as our congregations changes and grows perhaps there are other ways we can integrate members talents and involvement with Reconciler's visible presence in the community.
As I push us to think more about outreach, I feel we can begin feel pressure of something in addition to our Bible studies and fellowship as a congregation. Thus another thing we need to add to our busy schedules. Yet, I am hopping that our approach can be more integrated and integral when it comes to outreach. So,I keep coming back to the one Beer Bread and the Bible is not because I think we have to replicate exactly what Jeremy and Charity did in hosting and having it, but it emerged organically from both Jeremy and Charity's desires but also the character of the congregation at the time. It was something people who did not attend Reconciler came to and felt comfortable attending without any push to be part of the congregation. Also the reading of James and then discussing was a Bible study that it allowed people with differing levels of experience with and understanding of the Bible to enter in and come away with something. Lastly it was a time of fellowship for our congregation but also with friends who were either Christian or not Christian. These three things tell me that it wasn't something we added on but something that came from who we were, and we wanted to share it with others, without expectation or strings.
What I feel we can learn from this is that anything we do for outreach first should be something that we want to do and are interested in. Second it should be an opportunity for us as a congregation to connect with each other. Third it needs to be open to others participation even if they never attend Reconciler. If we keep these three things in mind perhaps some of the pressure is off of "creating" an outreach event.
I am thinking that as we plan to gather in September to talk about Christian faith and Baptism as Chrissy and Will prepare to be baptized, and as we (0r I) solidify what we want to study for the fall and as we have potlucks, that we see at least some of these as places to invite our friends and acquaintances as well as times for us to gather as a congregation. This is also how our presence at the Glennwood Arts Festival came about we have had visual artists as members of Reconciler, I am a painter, so it made sense to be there, as our congregations changes and grows perhaps there are other ways we can integrate members talents and involvement with Reconciler's visible presence in the community.
Friday, June 27
Reconciler Update
Summer is fully upon us. The Clark Street Festival will soon be here, the first of two Chicago neighborhood festivals in which we plan to have a booth. And we are planning another panel discussion for September. We are seeing ourselves grow in being a congregation. As Laura has pointed out we are beginning to live into the ministry of Reconciler as the work of all of us, as was shown in the panel discussion on Fair Trade. However, along with consciousness raising and outreach we need to attend to relationships, both those that already exist within our congregation and those we may form with whom God sends us as we reach out to those around us. This is perhaps the more difficult task than planning events and programs or becoming politically active as individuals and as a congregation. We can inadvertently hurt and break relationships in the process of doing things even the right things, unless we believe that particular human relationships and exhibiting love in those relationships is as important, possibly more important, than what we do. First it should form us and propels us to grow in love for each other and for people in particular. The love we have from God is the basis of what we do, both as a church and as individuals. God sent The Son, Jesus Christ, out of love not just for humanity in some abstraction or generality but in all our particularity. Being able to love each other and others in the world in their particularity is always the most difficult task for the church, because it stretches us beyond our human capacities. This goal leads us to a reliance upon God, as the source of our love and as that which binds our relationships together. So, yes let us do and plan, but may we be attentive that what is done is done out of love of God with love attention to the particular people we already know and will meet as we follow God's leading as a congregation.
Announcements:
Laura our priest and her family are moving as construction begins in earnest on their home. There is a packing party this Saturday.
The Pulse:Africa is this Saturday June 28th at the 1 Pm at the Brixon Ivy Community Center Theater 2 blocks east of Wrigley feild on Addison. Featuring Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda and the Labco Dance Company of Pitsburg. 1 PM, $10.00.
Melissa Browning is preaching again this Sunday, June 29th.
Thursday July 10th we are having a potluck supper at Will and Chrissy's house 3106 W Carmen Ave at 7 PM.
It will be a time to hang out together and briefly hear about our opportunity to partner with North Shore Baptist Church as they have been connected with a church in the lower 9th Ward of New Orleans through the organization Churches Supporting Churches.
Sunday July 13th we are at the Clark Street Festival, see the sign up sheet that has been sent around or talk with Daniel or Kate about signing up to staff the booth. We will have our regular service at 5 PM and be leaving the Festival in time for church that evening.
August 23rd and 24th we will have a booth at the Glenwood Arts Festival in Rogers Park. We are looking for artists of all media to contribute. Talk with Larry about showing your art. Talk with Daniel and Kate about staffing the booth when we get closer to the festival.
Pastors vacations: Larry will be taking a week vacation between July 21 and 27. Laura will on a weekend tripp the weekend of July 20 th and then be away on vacation from August 24th through August 30th.
We are planning a panel discussion on homelessness on September 11th. Talk with Jeremy or attend the next meeting of the Social Action Committee if you are interested in helping plan this event.
In Christ,
Larry
The Pastoral Team
The Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler
Announcements:
Laura our priest and her family are moving as construction begins in earnest on their home. There is a packing party this Saturday.
The Pulse:Africa is this Saturday June 28th at the 1 Pm at the Brixon Ivy Community Center Theater 2 blocks east of Wrigley feild on Addison. Featuring Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda and the Labco Dance Company of Pitsburg. 1 PM, $10.00.
Melissa Browning is preaching again this Sunday, June 29th.
Thursday July 10th we are having a potluck supper at Will and Chrissy's house 3106 W Carmen Ave at 7 PM.
It will be a time to hang out together and briefly hear about our opportunity to partner with North Shore Baptist Church as they have been connected with a church in the lower 9th Ward of New Orleans through the organization Churches Supporting Churches.
Sunday July 13th we are at the Clark Street Festival, see the sign up sheet that has been sent around or talk with Daniel or Kate about signing up to staff the booth. We will have our regular service at 5 PM and be leaving the Festival in time for church that evening.
August 23rd and 24th we will have a booth at the Glenwood Arts Festival in Rogers Park. We are looking for artists of all media to contribute. Talk with Larry about showing your art. Talk with Daniel and Kate about staffing the booth when we get closer to the festival.
Pastors vacations: Larry will be taking a week vacation between July 21 and 27. Laura will on a weekend tripp the weekend of July 20 th and then be away on vacation from August 24th through August 30th.
We are planning a panel discussion on homelessness on September 11th. Talk with Jeremy or attend the next meeting of the Social Action Committee if you are interested in helping plan this event.
In Christ,
Larry
The Pastoral Team
The Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler
Tuesday, September 4
Announcements in lieu of Weekly update
August seems to be a time where none of us pastors had time for writing a weekly Update. The Glenwood Arts Festival August 25 adn26th was a fun time, and our booth of Daniel's, Bear's and my (Larry) art seemed to bring greater interest than our booth at the Clark Street Festival. Daniel's pieces and the icons seemed to be of the most interest. Tripp and I were able to meet a couple of pastors from other congregations in Rogers Park. Thanks to everyone who helped staff the booth, and especially to Chrissy who signed us up for the booth and organized the staffing of the booth.
Now for the announcements:
A reminder our worship time is moving to 5PM this Sunday, September 9.
We are planning an all church leadership retreat for the fall at the Cenacle retreat center here in Chicago, November 30th and December 1st, Friday evening and all day Saturday.
Our next Council meeting is Thursday September 20th.
Now for the announcements:
A reminder our worship time is moving to 5PM this Sunday, September 9.
We are planning an all church leadership retreat for the fall at the Cenacle retreat center here in Chicago, November 30th and December 1st, Friday evening and all day Saturday.
Our next Council meeting is Thursday September 20th.
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