A short meditation focused on Peace for the second week of Advent, using as a guide the wisdom of Philippians 4: 7-8.
Dear Soo,
For your prayer and reflection this week, please enjoy this Peace Meditation at our Agape Youtube channel. I'll be offering weekly meditations on this Youtube channel on the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy before I go on Sabbatical later this month.
Friends, I'm excited about our guest tomorrow, Denson Staples. Denson is originally from Houston, TX and is currently pursuing a PhD in Theology at Harvard where Denson studies the relationship between religion and literature. Denson is also a contemplative activist on the path to ordination in the UCC, and is interested in intentional spiritual communities and how spiritual practices form us for social and political life.
Denson is a great human being. I do hope you can join us tomorrow in Weston as we explore how Christian contemplative practices relate to our embodied identities, and how contemplation can be a resource for understanding ourselves in relation to those identities.
The Community Day Center of Waltham is starting up a Winter Night Program in early December (slated to run through mid-April, depending on the weather) to provide food, shelter, and clothing to individuals living on the streets. If you can help, see more information below, and please contact Carolyn or Nina at the Community Day Center, 781-392-6311.
Towards the end of this month, I will be going on Sabbatical for three months. You can read more about my Sabbatical here. I am grateful for the opportunity to take time for rest, restoration, and family. Our community is in good hands with our Outreach Minister Dawn and Agape leaders.
In gratitude for supportive community and spiritual practices that lift us up, even in the difficult times,
Matt
P.S. Tomorrow's service will be indoors at the Weston church. We ask that those present physically be fully vaccinated (you can also join us by Zoom if you prefer). Masks are required for the duration of our time together in person except briefly to eat or drink. Thanks!
Agape Retreat Style Service: Christian Contemplation and Social Identities with guest speaker Denson Staples Saturday December 4th at 4pm Congregational Church of Weston 130 Newton St, Weston, MA 02493 You can also join us virtually at this link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2043377541 How do Christian contemplative practices relate to our embodied identities, and how can contemplation be a resource for understanding ourselves in relation to those identities? We’ll consider how some modern theologians have addressed these questions and we’ll discuss our own ways of addressing them through the practice of centering prayer. Denson Staples is originally from Houston, TX and is currently pursuing a PhD in Theology at Harvard where Denson studies the relationship between religion and literature. Denson is also a contemplative activist on the path to ordination in the UCC, and is interested in intentional spiritual communities and how spiritual practices form us for social and political life.
Assisting with Meals at Winter Night Program in Waltham The Community Day Center of Waltham is launching a Winter Night Program in early December 2021 to provide food, shelter, and clothing to individuals living on the streets. The program is slated to run through mid-April, depending on the weather. As the Day Center is running this program on a shoestring, they are in need of support with this dinner meal program and have reached out to Faith Communities to request meals that can be delivered to the Center at 16 Felton Street by 7:15 p.m. each night. They are hoping that if each church, temple, and synagogue takes a few nights a month, all meals should be covered. Hot meals are preferred, but sandwiches and pizza are fine, too. Kindly contact Carolyn or Nina at the Community Day Center, 781-392-6311.
Agape Pickup Pageant: No Rehearsal Needed! Sunday, December 19 at 4pm First Parish, 50 Church St. Waltham Come one, come all! No audition needed! Pickup pageants are great fun for all ages because everyone gets to participate! This is a welcoming way to do pageants that are fun for veteran church-goers and newcomers alike. We will tell the Christmas Story, sing Christmas Songs, and be sent forth feeling merry and bright! You won't want to miss it!
Agape Retreat Style Service: Revolutionary Love Saturday, January 8th at 4 p.m. Congregational Church of Weston 130 Newton St, Weston
Agape Retreat Style Service with guest Emma Brewer-Wallin Sunday, January 23rd at 4 p.m. First Parish, 50 Church St., Waltham Emma Brewer-Wallin is the Minister for Environmental and Economic Justice in the Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ.
Messy Church Saturday, February 5th at 4 p.m. Congregational Church of Weston 130 Newton St, Weston
Agape Retreat Style Service: Faith Sharing by Tara Whitehurst Sunday, February 20th at 4 p.m. First Parish, 50 Church St., Waltham
Agape Ash Wednesday Service Wednesday March 2nd at 7pm First Parish, 50 Church St., Waltham
Agape Retreat Style Service with guest Rev. Marilyn Kendrix: “The Whole Truth” Saturday, March 19th at 4 p.m. Congregational Church of Weston 130 Newton St, Weston, MA 02493 Rev. Marilyn Kendrix is the Retired Bridge Conference Minister in the Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ.
To make a love donation to support the unfoldment of Agape's vision in the world of living and spreading unconditional love, you can donate at the link below, or checks can be made out to "MACUCC" with "Agape" in the memo line (and mailed to 106 Stearns Hill Rd., Waltham, MA 02451).
