Seattle Mennonite Church

3120 NE 125th,   Seattle, WA   98125 
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Announcements, February 24, 2008

 

Community Ministry: Engage, Participate, Support

Next SMC Community Meal –February 24 th , 2008 @ 5:30pm

Melanie and Jonathan will be in Manitoba for Vacation from Feb.15-23, and Jonathan will stay in Manitoba for AMBS work until Feb. 28 th .

Companionship Training Part II. Back by popular demand – Craig Rennebohm will be with us on Saturday, March 15 th from 10 am – 12 noon – we can hear the rest of the story. Please RSVP to Jonathan by March 12 th .

Community Ministry Volunteers! In conjunction with the Rennebohm training – SDR volunteers are going to meet from 9-10 am on March 15 th for checking-in, reflecting on the program, and prayer for our ministry together.

Contacts: Melanie & Jonathan, SMC Community Ministers @ seattlesdr@gmail.com

Congregational Meeting, 2 March 2008.   There will be a congregational meeting immediately following the study hour on Sunday, 2 March 2008.  The primary purpose will be to seek congregational action on a ministry internship application.  The agenda and supporting materials have been distributed electronically to members of the SMC listserv and in hardcopy to members' mail folders.  Additional hardcopies are available on the table at the back of the fellowship area in the sanctuary

Adult Study: The passion week of Jesus is full of very difficult experiences: betrayal, denial, desertion, loss, physical agony, death. While our initial reaction is to try to avoid these uncomfortable issues, Holy Week offers us an opportunity to engage them through recognizing how the experiences of the people involved intersect with our own. We have all been betrayed, and betrayed others, at some time; we also experience losses that leave us staggering. As we anticipate Passion Week, we invite you to reflect on issues of betrayal and loss through a time of meditative Scripture reading, facilitated by Pat Shaver. March 2 - "The Paradox of Betrayal ," will use the betrayal and denial texts from the Gospels. March 9 - "Holy Saturday - Sacred Space," will look at those places between death and life, through Matt. 27:57-66, the Holy Saturday text. This will be a very accessible method of using Scripture - no previous experience or special skill required!

The next "Girls Night Out" is Wed, Feb 27 th from  6-9:00 pm : So bring your knitting, crocheting, craft projects, or come and quilt an MCC quilt.  If you just need some fellowship, drop by and have a cup of tea or coffee.  There will be some snacks so come join us, we will be in the Adult Study Room.

Lost and Found: A lot of things have accumulated above the coat rack and in the basket in the adult study room. They have been placed on a table at the back. Please check and see if any of the belongings are yours. They will be disposed of after March 9 th, to make a fresh start. There is also a box of dishes from meals that were brought to the Marnet's. Please reclaim your dishes.

Guest- Host Dinners: During the month of February you will be invited to sign up to either host or attend a meal. A coordinator will match up willing diners with volunteer hosts and the guest-host dinners will commence in March. It is up to each individual group, but you are encouraged to continue the dinners in April and May. This is a chance to meet someone new, or connect with other SMC folks over food and conversation. Joyce Royce of Fellowship Committee is the contact for this.

From the Marnet Family: Thank you for all of the love, support, prayers, and all forms of help that everyone has provided for our family over the last few months. Also, as we begin to sort through things around the house, we ask that you let us know if you have any items (i.e. hats, dishes, books, etc) that were loaned to the family. 

As we anticipate the arrival of the Lim Unruh baby , please contact Nancy Chupp if you would be willing to provide a meal for Corey, Kent, and Jeanette after the baby arrives. Nancy can be reached at nancy_chupp@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Please join the Good Friday Walking Worship beginning at SMC at 7:00 pm on March 21st.

As we recall the execution of Jesus upon the cross, we will be walking, looking, singing, and praying throughout the community. The powers of addiction, domination and death which we recognize today are the same and yet not the same as they were in Jesus' time. As we walk and pray we will engage in a communal act of discernment which names the powers, connects with its community, and proclaims its faith. All are welcome to gather at SMC where we will begin and end our Good Friday Walking Worship. We look forward to bringing worship to the street and neighborhood.

*The walk is several blocks, wear sturdy shoes and a warm coat.

Writing Group will have its next meeting on Wednesday , March 5 , at 7:30 p.m. at Sandy Richardson's house, 12005 33rd Ave. NE (Co-housing complex). Please write something in advance about "Prophesy". You are welcome to join us. If you have questions, please contact Janet Berg at or Mary Cender Miller.

Lenten Reflections on Forgiveness:   If a city can read a book, can a church watch a video?  “The Power of Forgiveness” won Best Film award at the Sun Valley Film Festival and examines the role forgiveness can play in alleviating anger and grief.  It includes stories and interviews with people from many faith traditions: Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel on forgiveness in the Jewish faith; Azim Khamisa on forgiveness and Islam; Rev. James Forbes, pastor of Riverside Church in New York, on forgiveness from a Christian perspective.   There's a small segment on the Amish, and interview with Anabaptisst historian Donald Kraybill.  We would like to ask a few SMC households (in different parts of Seattle) to host a small gathering to view the film and have conversation afterwards.  If you would be willing to host a group, please talk to Thelma Kauffman  or Ann Marchand.

The Seattle Bach Choir will give two concerts in March: Saturday , Mar. 8 , 2008 at 7:30 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church, 12112 Park Ave. S. in Tacoma and Sunday, Mar. 9 at 3:00 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 7400 Woodlawn Ave. NE, Seattle (Greenlake). Works to be performed include: a Brahms motet, "Shaffe in mir Gott", three settings of Ave Maria (Liszt, Holst, and Lauridsen) and six Italian songs by Hawley. Suggested donations are $15.00, $12.00 for students and seniors. Verne Willis, Jim Lady, Al and Janet Berg sing in the group.

Paraguay 2009! "Come together in the way of Jesus Christ," Philippians 2:1-11, is the theme for Mennonite World Conference Assembly 15, to be held in Asuncion, Paraguay, July 14-19, 2009. MWC strongly encourages us to make reservations early, to ensure more options and lower costs for travel and lodging, and to obtain visas from Paraguay. Registration opens in April 2008. Marilyn Stahl