KARM Encounter

Thanks to everyone who could make it to the KARM Encounter last night.  It was very inspiring!  As soon as I receive more information from them, I'll pass it on to everyone and we can discuss it at our next Covenant Group meeting.  In case you missed it, here's a peek at what KARM is all about:

Justice Project: Second Harvest

I'm putting out the "Red Alert" on this one.  We have the opportunity to help out at Second Harvest Food Bank on Saturday, October 11.  We'll need around 6 volunteers.  If you can make it, please let me know as soon as possible at  goodyperry@gmail.com.  I need to tell my contact whether or not we can help out within the next week, so please respond with a "yes" or "no" as soon as you can.  Thanks!

Justice Project: KARM

Our initial Justice project will be with Knox Area Rescue Ministries.  There will be an orientation session on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm.  Although this session is not mandatory, please attend if you are able so that we can show a good turnout.  If you can attend, please email me goodyperry@gmail.com.  

Recruiting Ideas

As a summary, the recruiting ideas already discussed include the following:

1) Creating a brochure for the GAP Class that will inform current members (or anyone we hand them to) about the focus of the GAP class, the target audience and generally what we are about.

2) Making an announcement in The Messenger for a meet and greet after second service where we will invite new members to our fellowship via friendship and one of the following: pizza, sub sandwiches, pot luck luncheon, or another as yet suggested mode of foodness

3) Partner with the College Life class to create an e-mail newsletter campaign to target college students (including graduate students) who attend church and leave their e-mail contact, but do not attend Sunday School (the existence of which Ian and I have both witnessed)

4) Create fliers to be posted on message boards in graduate dominated buildings on UT Campus such as the law building and the MBA office in Stokely.

Anyone with additional ideas would be appreciated if they are able to submit them today especially, but also whenever they may have them in the future.

Conference Young Adult Mission Trip

I just got a very exciting email that our Conference is offering a young adult mission trip!

From the brochure:
"The Holston Conference mission initiative for 2008 and 2009 is an emphasis on southern Sudan. Holston’s relationship with Sudan began in 2006 and continues today. The first mission team sent from Holston was asked “Where are your young people?” This question fueled the desire to show that the “young people” of Holston Conference do care about the people of southern Sudan. We hope participants will be encouraged to continue making a significant impact in the church and world now. Upon returning we hope the young adults will inspire others to relate personal piety (faith) with social holiness (action). Peace, justice and service are part of our call as followers of Jesus Christ."

Cost should not be an issue, because we can easily raise the money... the biggest thing would be looking at if you could take the time away from work. This would be an awesome trip, and I think will change all the lives of those that are willing to take the risks and go! One of my dear friends, Laura, is leading the trip and has been to Sudan before.

I would love to go, and would LOVE it even more if one or more young adults from Church Street would join me. Please contact me SOON for more information. There is an application that is due by Sept. 15th. email smoody@churchstreetumc.org, or call 521-0263

The trip is March 1-15, 2009.

Love the blog but...

What do you think about creating a Google group? Check it out here.

I think it would be a great addition to (rather than replacement of) the 

blog. However, before we create a group, we should probably make a 

final decision on our name. At last count, there was no majority for 

anything.

WELCOME BACK LOU ANN & PERRY!!

Two of our beloved class members are back from extended stays across the country and across the world. Lou Ann J. has just come back from an internship at Dell in Austin, TX. And, Perry B. is home safe from Bahrain.

Welcome back!!!

This Week's Assignment

Sometimes as Christians, it seems as if God only speaks through extraordinary things or to extraordinary people.  When you read the Bible, you are told of pillars of fire and cloud, great floods, burning bushes, immaculate conceptions, and all sorts of other wonders.  Today, you will occasionally hear someone speak of God when they witness something truly extraordinary - a beautiful sunset or a child surviving cancer linked to "God's handiwork."  It is common to make a separation, even subconsciously, between those things that are infused with the divine, and those things that are just plain ordinary.  But does God only speak through miracles and the wonders of His creation?

Even the faithful sometimes wonder if their prayers are being heard or ignored, much less answered.  Why must we continue to put up with the injustices of our lives, we may ask ourselves - nothing against child cancer patients or sunset, of course.  One could even come to believe, and some certainly have, that God's greatest moments are in the past - something only for biblical times and Charlton Heston movies.  After all, pillars of fire are so passé, right?

Pause for a moment, look around you, and begin to listen.  God is speaking to you through the people and situations around you all the time.  Your assignment is to pick a day, any day you like, and frame it in faith by listening to what God is saying to you.  Don't expect the clouds to open up - God often comes to us in the most subtle, unlikely form.  As you interact with others and are confronted with daily situations, ask yourself how God is speaking to you through these things.  Do not be afraid to respond to Him, either.  Think of the day as one continuous conversation with your Creator.

That evening, take a few moments to reflect upon your day all as a whole and consider the big picture.  (I guarantee you will most likely ask yourself why you don't do this every day!)  If you have time, write down some of your reflections and we'll share them together on Sunday!

U.T. Opening Game Night

Carrie's offered to host a party at her condo for the opening U.T. game on Monday, 1 September at 6:30PM (20080901233000Z). Carrie will take care of the burgers and has asked others to bring side items, appetizers and desserts.

Please post a comment with what you're going to bring to the party and how many will be there.

Ocoee River Rafting

RSVP's needed for the Ocoee River Rafting trip on Sat, 13 September. Please send me an e-mail by this Thurs, 3 PM.

The way this works is: Get up early Saturday morning, drive down to Ocoee TN, and hit the water. It's a "full" day trip, which really means 9AM - 2PM, but it does the upper and middle sections of the Ocoee River. We pull over to the side for lunch that they provide. Then we head back up to the Knoxville and hang out that evening either at the farm or out at my uncle's place on the lake.


I've used the Ocoee Inn every time I've rafted the Ocoee. Cost is $76/person; if we get 12 or more that drops to $70. If any of you have a strong preference to use another outfitter (parent's own a rafting company, etc.), let me know.

Movie Night?

Anyone interested in doing a movie night some time next week?  Maybe a "faith in film" movie like Amazing Grace?  Let me know.

More: William Wilberforce and the Methodist movement.

Out of the Loop

Folks,

Back from the land of the not quite right here and wanted to say hello.

I hope everyone is well.

YIC,
Perry

Class Leader

All:

I would like to volunteer to take the position of class leader.

I am quite willing to take on the responsibility of greeting our guests, organizing the other "officers", and generally being the default fallback guy for anything that needs doing.

Of course I will keep our beloved Al as the default default fallback guy. (After all, this isn't Highlander you know, there doesn't have to be only one)

This is an important position, so I would like to be sure that I have your support, rather than simply claiming it.

-J.R.

Open Covenant

Below is the updated covenant:

Open Covenant

Preamble

Together, as Sisters and Brothers in Christ, we affirm our faith in God our Creator and Father, in Jesus Christ our Savior, and in the Holy Spirit, our Guide and Guard.  We are called upon by Christ to love the Lord our God with all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength, and to love each other and our neighbors as ourselves.  To this end, we commit ourselves t0 follow these commandments in our daily lives through this covenant which we have established together.

 

Acts of Worship

1.  I  will worship at church and participate in Sunday morning covenant group each week as I am able.

2.  I will warmly welcome and pray for those who are new to our church.

 

Acts of Devotion

1.  I will live each day framed in faith and mindful of the presence of the Lord in my life.

2.  I will engage in our common daily Bible reading.

 

Acts of Justice

1.  When I am aware of injustice, I will take action as I am led by the Holy Spirit.

2.  Together, we will participate in a service project within the Knoxville community.

 

Acts of Compassion

1.  When I am aware of someone in need, I will perform an act of compassion or service.

2.  Together, we will offer our services at a Community Worship Service.

 

Conclusion

Knowing that the grace of God works in each of us, I pray that my heart will be opened to God's presence, that my eyes will be opened to see the sorrows and joys of God's creatures, and that my ears will be opened to hear God's will so that I will have the strength to keep this covenant.  Amen.

This covenant shall expire two months from the date it is signed, as set forth below.

Fellowship Activity - Canoeing

Hi all,

A reminder - we're set to go canoeing with the City Park's Department on 23 August. Please RSVP NOW if you haven't already.

UPDATE: I called the Parks Dept. today and discovered that there are no slots left, at all, for the rest of the summer and fall that that they are running the program. I didn't realize it was that popular! So canoeing on the 23rd is out. I will try to arrange something else for that day, possibly a cookout that evening.

Please keep Saturday, 13 Sept. in mind for whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River.

Background

This blog was set up to continue our discussion about the future of the GAP Class at Church Street United Methodist Church.  At present, we're considering transforming the class into a covenant group.  More information about covenant groups can be found here (PDF file) and here (PDF file), and a few example covenants here.  On this blog, you will find the provisions of our first covenant together, which will last approximately two months as a trial.  We will also discuss some of the positions we have created to help carry out the various missions of our covenant.  Feel free to add your comments and suggestions - this is a group effort!

New Name

We've been seriously pondering changing our name from the GAP Class to something new.  A few sample ideas have been:

Church Street Young Adults

Young Methodists

Wesmates

Epworth Fellowship

What are your thoughts?  Any additional suggestions?  Leave comments and take the poll (at the bottom of the page).

Four points of covenant discipleship

Preamble

Together, as Sisters and Brothers in Christ, we affirm our faith in God our Creator and Father, in Jesus Christ our Savior, and in the Holy Spirit, our Guide and Guard.  We are called upon by Christ to love the Lord our God with all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength, and to love each other and our neighbors as ourselves.  To this end, we commit ourselves t0 follow these commandments in our daily lives through this covenant which we have established together.

Acts of Worship

1.  I  will worship at church and participate in Sunday morning covenant group each week as I am able.

2.  I will warmly welcome and pray for those who are new to our church.

Acts of Devotion

1.  I will live each day framed in faith and mindful of the presence of the Lord in my life.

2.  I will engage in our common daily Bible reading.

Acts of Justice

1.  When I am aware of injustice, I will take action as I am led by the Holy Spirit.

2.  Together, we will participate in a service project within the Knoxville community.

Acts of Compassion

1.  When I am aware of someone in need, I will perform an act of compassion or service.

2.  Together, we will offer our services at a Community Worship Service.

Conclusion

Knowing that the grace of God works in each of us, I pray that my heart will be opened to God's presence, that my eyes will be opened to see the sorrows and joys of God's creatures, and that my ears will be opened to hear God's will so that I will have the strength to keep this covenant.

Positions

President/Class Leader - this is the person who will be the face of the group for the church and work with the covenant group coordinators to carry out the organizational work of the group.  This will be a more permanent position

Coordinators will carry various tasks based on the terms of the covenant.  These positions will change with the adoption of each new covenant:

Worship Coordinator (Carrie Pedigo) - the Worship Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, and coordinating the worship activities of the covenant group.

Justice Coordinator (Ian Hennessey) - the Justice Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, and coordinating justice/service activities carried out by the group within the wider Knoxville community.

Compassion Coordinator (Michelle Bakewell) - the Compassion Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, and coordinating compassion/service activities carried out by the group within/for the congregation, its members, and its affiliated organizations.

Fellowship Coordinator (Kevin Murphy) - the Fellowship Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, and coordinating all fellowship activities of the covenant group.