Newsletter for July 26, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Open for Relationship & Dinner
The Gathering has gone national. Last Saturday's San-Angelo Standard Times article The Gathering: Open Doors, Open Hearts was picked up b the national UCC office and has been included in the denomination's weekly email - KYeP. Pretty cool, huh? It's not been archived, yet, and I've not figured out how to link to it on ucc.org, but if you're interested in signing up for KYeP (Keeping You e-Posted), here's that link. The article was also referenced in this week's South Central Conference (conference of which we are a part) e-newsletter.
We've gotten a lot of
positive response from local folks as well as UCC people near and far.
Many thanks to Sylvia for telling her reporter daughter Becca
about The Gathering, and many thanks to Becca and Kimberly (the
photographer) for a great article and pictures.
This
coming Sunday, July 8, begins our July Gathering Dinners. We'll gather
at 5:30 at Nancy York's house to share dinner and
conversation. If you've not signed up but want to participate, come
on! There's always room at the table and in The Gathering. If you'd
like to contact Nancy about the menu, feel free to email her: nly1@verizon.net.
Karen
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sending Sympathy, Love and Support
Gatherers,
Someday soon I hope to get back
to sending interesting, colorful, festive, informative, and inspiring
weekly e-newsletters (I'm hoping the e-newsletters used to be all those
things). At the beginning of this transplant journey, Isobelle
graciously offered to help with the e-newsletters, but I thought
managing them was no big deal. Hah! In the past 2 months, I've
definitely run up against the hubris of thinking I can do everything.
Perhaps I also keep hoping for some routine and predictability in this
chaotic time, and managing the e-newsletters symbolizes that. What's
the quote - hope springs eternal? Well, I may be hoping, but routine
and predictability have not yet returned, so maybe one day soon I'll get
out an interesting, colorful, etc, e-newsletter but not
today.
Thank you for your prayers and
thoughts during the past couple of weeks. Neil's father, Thomas G.
Snipes, Sr, died early Saturday morning, June 2. The graveside service
was Sunday afternoon, in a beautiful country cemetery outside Mt.
Vernon, TX. For most of the gathered family and friends, this was their
first opportunity to see Neil post-transplant (after all, it's only
been 8 weeks), and the first opportunity in many months to see him at
all because of his travel restrictions while on the transplant list. So
as is often the case, but perhaps more obvious this Sunday, gathering
for a death was also an opportunity to celebrate life.
We
were in San Antonio by early Tuesday morning for post-transplant clinic
and finally returned to San Angelo Wednesday night. While it's been a
full and tiring several days, we're very glad Neil and I were able to be
present with
his siblings and other family members for his father's burial. We
appreciate your continued care as we begin transitioning to life without
Tom.
As to Sunday's Gathering, Dick
Marine is planning the service. He says it's going to be very unusual,
surprising, and different, so don't miss it. I've lost track of days,
but I believe this is the second Sunday of the month; if so, there's no
potluck this Sunday. At this time, I don't know the designated offering
recipient.
You are a wonderful community -
holding each other in love and care, providing a witness of compassion
and justice to the San Angelo area, seeking to be a vibrant inclusive
progressive faith community in a conservative traditional community.
None of these is particularly easy; all together they are quite
challenging. Kudos to you for keeping after all of it.
Grace
and peace,
Karen
The Gathering sends our heartfelt sympathy to Karen, Neil and all who loved Neil's father. We hold you close in our hearts and keep you in our prayers.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
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