The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us. Thus I suggest that prophetic ministry has to do not primarily with addressing specific public crises but with addressing, in season and out of season, the dominant crisis that is enduring and resilient, of having our alternative vocation co-opted and domesticated... The alternative consciousness to be nurtured, on the one hand, serves to criticize in dismantling the dominant consciousness...On the other hand, that alternative consciousness to be nurtured serves to energize persons and communities by its promise of another time and situation towards which the community of faith may move.
--Walther Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination
In sacred space the old world is able to fall apart, and the new world is able to be revealed. If we don't find liminal space in our lives, we start idolizing normalcy. We end up believing it's the only reality, and our lives shrivel.
--Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs
The encounter with the HIDDEN is a kind of fault line running through the middle of our lives; no one can escape its presence. The HIDDEN forms a border country that turns out to be, paradoxically, our native land. We all live with it, on it, in terms of it. We all have our own unique experience of it. It is as near as breathing. The hidden is inescapable. We can ignore it, with varying degrees of success, but it does not go away. It is part of who we are as humans...The hidden reality has many names: GOD, TRUTH, LOVE...
--William Countryman, Living on the Border of the Holy
OK...there you go, a little taste of things to come.
I have been thinking about possible reading material with which to gather a Spring discussion group, hoping to recommend pieces that can lead us to reflect on and draw connections between scripture, prayer, spiritual growth, and the notion of alternative consciousness, community, and practice that I preach on quite often.
I have decided to go with Walter Brueggemann's classic work, The Prophetic Imagination, as a main text. In this very accessible and interesting work, Brueggemann describes the alternative consciousness, community, and practice to which God calls the Israelites and Christians within the Biblical drama. We'll supplement Brueggemann's work with a few chapters that I'll hand out from folks like Richard Rohr and William Countryman, folks who deal more directly with the contemplative or "spiritual" side of life and ministry. Throughout the study, we'll reflect on the spirituality of alternative consciousness, community, and practice, and we'll ask ourselves whether we could focus more intentionally on this spirituality in our church.
We'll start this series sometime during the beginning of Lent, maybe early February. For now, if you're interested, go ahead and purchase a copy of Bruggemann's book, The Prophetic Imagination, and start reading it. It's easy to find new and used copies on-line at that gigantic jungle-like book vendor.
I'm looking forward to this opportunity to reflect with you. Hope to see you there.
TOM
Trustees: Reuel Nash
Deacons: Betty Bodman
Christian Education: Nancy Edison & Doyal Pinkard
Christian Outreach: John Goff
PERSONALS
by Pat Oakes
A good time was had by all at the special Advent service and luncheon hosted by the Board of Deacons on Friday, December 15. It is a time when the Deacons reach out to some of our older members who are not able to come at the usual Sunday worship time. Tom led the service and Nodie Murphy on flute and Florence Castle on piano provided the music. While folks were finishing up the delicious sandwich and salad lunch, Lois Drachenberg entertained everyone with a delightful series of Christmas readings--ably assisted at crucial moments by her husband John (the voice of Santa Claus) and Tom VandeStadt. Also in attendance besides the ones already mentioned were Mary Charles Williams, Sara and Dave Ross, Louise Whitworth, Marie Scheel, Cathy Hubbs, Jaime Hadley, Barbara Rosson, Betty Bodman, Jack Harris-Bonham, Tommie and Doyal Pinkard, Vic Appel, Howard Rasé, Mel and Pat Oakes, Dan Nieto, and Matt Blackstock. Many thanks to the folks who set everything up and cleaned up--and to those who provided transportation.
Marie Scheel reported that she had heard from former member of the choir, Krystal Underwood Fitzgerald. She and her husband live in Amhert, MA, and are the proud parents of 18 month old twins Josiah and Samuel.
Church cellist, Robin Rosson, a junior history major with a music minor at Texas State University, is a member of the rock band Sun Machine. They have a new CD coming out this month entitled "Fight the Tide." Check out the band's Web site at myspace.com/sunmachinerocks1 to hear excerpts of the CD. The group consists of a lead singer, acoustic guitar, bass (Robin), and drums. The group has been playing in Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado. It is amazing the quality and variety of music that exists in our small church!
On a slightly different note, a number of our church members were at the recent Dixie Chicks concert in Austin at the Erwin Center. Nine-thousand folks heard Natalie Maines talking about a song to do with their children when she mentioned that the three singers have 7 children among them. Then she said that her two children and the two babies of Martie McGuire's had been delivered by our own Dr. Nancy Binford. Wow!! The Binfords were in the audience but did not all hear of what was being said because the audience was so enthusiastic.
There was a select group at the December meeting of the women's book club--Pat Oakes, Cathy Hubbs, and Tommie Pinkard. The group had a wonderful discussion however, since Don Miles, author of the new book Cinco de Mayo: What Is Everybody Celebrating?, was the guest of the group. Don has not only written the lively and informative book, but has joined the choir and hosted the men's book club in December, too. The women learned a lot of Mexican history and clarified many interesting points of history--also learning some American history on the way. The book is to be on sale in January. You can find out more about the book by checking DonMiles.com--or chatting with Don during coffee hour.
By the time you read this, Suzanne Bradford and Sarah Moore will be back after almost a month in Italy visiting Suzanne's niece who is studying at the University of Florence. Suzanne's sister and her whole family were also there. Travis and John were with the Moore family in Colorado over the holidays. John's dad continues to recover from triple by-pass surgery and a stroke which he suffered during the surgery.
Doyal and Tommie Pinkard have also had an exotic Christmas holiday. They were in Spain for Christmas and New Year's learning the holiday customs of Malaga, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands. They came back across the Atlantic to New York to visit with son David and his number one, Suzanne Connole in Brooklyn for a few days before arriving back home on the 15th.
Dr. Leslie Poer, wife of Dr. Andy Ross (who is the youngest son of Dave and Sara), is working three days per week as the head of the emergency room at the Corsicana hospital--about 3 hours up Highway 79 from here. She is gone about half the week and home about half the week. Andy is an ophthalmologist here in Austin. Because of their medical school schedules and specialities, they have had to spend a good deal of time apart, so this is a real improvement for them.
Nodie Murphy reports that the choir--and congregation--were so sad to see Laura McOsker go back home to Cincinnati from her internship here in Austin. Her lovely alto voice is missed. However, the choir has had a couple of visitors recently, who have helped the group out tremendously: Rick Johnson was back for a month-long visit from North Carolina, where he and his wife have recently purchased a home. And Michael Ross added his tenor tones to the Thanksgiving Sunday service, for which everyone was very thankful. He was to be heading back for Christmas (hooray!). Elves have been busy in the choir room as well: the choir now has a working clock (thanks to Rambie) and a cupful of pencil sharpeners (thanks to Matt), so they are running out of excuses! Nodie says, "Our choir pencils will be sharp but we'll be right on pitch and right on time. We're still looking for singers, so come see Nodie if you're interested in being in the choir."
Cathy Hubbs reports that November went fast. Clark does very well if he takes naps and saves up his energy for things fishy and watery. They enjoyed a trip to San Diego for the Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute Board Meeting and then almost immediately to Death Valley, California, for the Desert Fishes Council meeting. Weather was gorgeous in Death Valley--dark brown mountains reaching up to the sky--a lot like parts of Big Bend country. A wonderful Las Vegas science teacher gave them a two-hour ride in from the airport. Note to Lynne Lemley: several students from Mexico gave bilingual Power Point presentations which really helped bridge the language gap.
Rizer Everett is staying busy with doctor visits and social engagements. Rizer notes, "Now that I am ninety years old, I presume that it will be necessary for me to spend more time with doctors. However, I am still enjoying the dates and visits with my octogenarian widow friends." He is getting good reports from his doctors and is hopeful that his last steroid injection in his spine will make it easier for him to walk. He had an enjoyable Thanksgiving with the Householder family. After dinner, he and ten-year-old Henry played chess. Rizer notes that Henry is learning to play much more aggressively as Rizer removes one of his knights at the beginning of the game.
Chester Rosson was delighted to be getting his Internet hookup in Crockett in mid-December. That means that he is now able to start doing freelance work from Crockett (a couple of projects were awaiting his attention). About eighty percent of his move there had been accomplished by mid-December, but with much general repair to be done at the house in Austin, he was going to be spending about half of his time there, at least through the end of the year. Due to scheduling conflicts, he had to set the date for seeing "Hansel and Gretel" (the Humperdinck opera) in Houston the evening of the church carol service and the Oakeses' open house. He was taking one of his great-nieces to her first opera, along with her mother, and Chester's sister.
Michael and Kerry Adams' grandson Phillip is five months old now, and starting to play the way his daddy did. He has big smiles for his grandmother and his Aunt Julia, and now, for his granddaddy. Michael liked to hold him when he was a newborn. Who wouldn't? But, he did not ache to grab him, as Kerry and Julia did. It was really enough for him to see Jamie hold Phillip the same loving way that Michael held Jamie, twenty-one years earlier. Now, though, Michael and Phillip play! He tires out in about fifteen minutes and has to nurse and sleep. Julia loves City School. She is doing very well there, and now that they are starting to let her write papers on her computer with spell check, things really are going swimmingly. She's creative and has a phenomenal memory, and all her teachers have been very favorably impressed.
The Neuse family in Fayetteville, AK, was expecting Jonathan, D'Lana, and Nathanael from San Antonio for Christmas. Daughter-in-law Kara was being deployed to Iraq on the 19th. Micah, Jayce, and Bryce were to fly in for a visit from Dec. 24 to Jan 10th. Jeanine's ninety-one-year-old mom is a resident of Eden Home in New Braunfels and will be moved to the Alzheimer's unit soon.
Mel and Pat Oakes returned from Pat's dad's memorial service in North Carolina on Nov. 19th, Pat did laundry on the 20th, and on the 21st they got back on a plane and flew to D.C. to visit with daughter Sarah for a week. They enjoyed movies, Thanksgiving dinner with good friends, sightseeing, and connecting with a cousin Mel had never met. Mel's genealogical quest also led them to the Library of Congress where they did some research. Ask them to show you their Library of Congress library cards!
Congratulations to Kathleen Hawes-Domingue, daughter of Norma and Steve. She graduated from UT in December with a degree in German.
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
1 Bob Breihan
3 Suzanne VanderPoel
18 Brad Ferguson
Betsy Ferguson
Paul Deisler
Kaitlyn Newell
22 Mary Masters
23 Danny Masters
28 Yoshikuni Kaneda
30 Robin Chapman
31 Joe Nordstrom
MOVED!!!!!
Mary Sinclair & Dick Jackson
11 Venus Crescent
Heidelberg, Ontario N0B 1Y0
COFFEE HOUR
Please sign up in the Fellowship Room to be coffee hour hosts on an upcoming Sunday. The coffee hour time is such a good opportunity to visit old friends and meet visitors. We keep coffee and ginger ale and some punch fixings in the pantry in the kitchen. There are usually paper napkins, and we use coffee mugs and punch cups to avoid wasting natural resources. Your menu can be as simple or complicated as you want. Cookies and/or chips and salsa are just fine! If you have questions, talk to Pat Oakes, Tommie Pinkard, or Lynne Lemley.
FRIENDSHIP SUPPERS
The idea of Friendship Suppers has been presented to the Board of Deacons as a great way for us to get to know each other better. The suppers will give you a chance to talk to other members of the congregation while sharing good food and fellowship in a setting other than the church since they will be hosted in people's homes.
- The primary purpose is to build community and friendship
- All adults are welcome to participate -- members, non-members, young, old, single, married
- We ask you to commit to attending as many as four dinners over the course of the year, one of which you could host in your home if you wish
- If you don't think you can manage to host a dinner alone, we'll help you find a co-host
- Hosts would provide (besides their home) a main course and would assign others to bring appetizers, salads, etc.
- The groups of 6-10 people will change for each dinner
- You don't need a "house beautiful" to participate -- or even an "apartment beautiful"; informal works for many of us
- If you don't drive, we'll help you find a ride
The dates for the dinners will be:
January 20, March 10
There are sign-up sheets on a clip-board in the Fellowship Hall.
Deadline for February VISITOR -- January 19
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