Sunday, September 8th
Short service followed by a congregational planning gathering. Please come out to help imagine new ministerial opportunities.
We are the church. We are the community. 
We work together to offer a place of sanctuary.

If you want to review our vision of where we are and where we may be headed, have a look at our Embracing the Spirit Presentation, or look over the reports from last year.
We will be looking at the various aspects of the work we do, how to continue to serve the community at large, and find leadership to do so. If you do not currently attend either of our churches, but are looking for a church home, then this would be the day to step forward with your vision of what kind of church you
​would like to attend. 

Sunday September 15th
Visiting Minister, Colleen Lowrie, will usher in the creation season with her reflection on the church's calling to be part of the 

Visiting Minister, Colleen Lowrie, 
Exploring Creation and our Part in its Care
Colleen graduated from The United Theological College with her MDiv in May of 2019. She is currently working with Community Innovation Hub (www.communityinnovationhub.org) where she coordinates connections, gatherings and support for churches that are re-visioning their ministries to respond to their local communities in new and traditional ways. Colleen is pursuing Ordination and will be entering her Supervised Ministry Education in the Fall (formerly the internship). In addition to new ministry Colleen is passionate about children and youth ministry, care of creation and feminist theology. Colleen has worked closely with Embracing the Spirit and the innovators at the United Church of Canada. She has been invited to speak as part of our discernment process as we find a way to be church in our community in this time. 

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For Calling the Spirit Back from Wandering
the Earth in Its Human Feet by Joy Hardjo, Native American Poet Laureate of the United States for 2019​
Turn off that cellphone, computer, and remote control.
​
Open the door, then close it behind you.
Take a breath offered by friendly winds. They travel the earth gathering essences of plants to clean.
Give it back with gratitude.
If you sing it will give your spirit lift to fly to the stars’ ears and back.
Acknowledge this earth who has cared for you since you were a dream planting itself precisely within your parents’ desire.
Let your moccasin feet take you to the encampment of the guardians who have known you before time, who will be there after time. They sit before the fire that has been there without time.
Let the earth stabilize your postcolonial insecure jitters.
Be respectful of the small insects, birds and animal people who accompany you.
Ask their forgiveness for the harm we humans have brought down upon them.
Don’t worry.
The heart knows the way though there may be high-rises, interstates, checkpoints, armed soldiers, massacres, wars, and those who will despise you because they despise themselves.
The journey might take you a few hours, a day, a year, a few years, a hundred, a thousand or even more.
Watch your mind. Without training it might run away and leave your heart for the immense human feast set by the thieves of time.
Do not hold regrets.
When you find your way to the circle, to the fire kept burning by the keepers of your soul, you will be welcomed.
You must clean yourself with cedar, sage, or other healing plant.
Cut the ties you have to failure and shame.
Let go the pain you are holding in your mind, your shoulders, your heart, all the way to your feet. Let go the pain of your ancestors to make way for those who are heading in our direction.
Ask for forgiveness.
Call upon the help of those who love you. These helpers take many forms: animal, element, bird, angel, saint, stone, or ancestor.
Call your spirit back. It may be caught in corners and creases of shame, judgment, and human abuse.
You must call in a way that your spirit will want to return.
Speak to it as you would to a beloved child.
Welcome your spirit back from its wandering. It may return in pieces, in tatters. Gather them together. They will be happy to be found after being lost for so long.
Your spirit will need to sleep awhile after it is bathed and given clean clothes.
Now you can have a party. Invite everyone you know who loves and supports you. Keep room for those who have no place else to go.
Make a giveaway, and remember, keep the speeches short.
Then, you must do this: help the next person find their way through the dark.