Wednesdays, August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 3:00 to 4:30 P.M.
THEOLOGY CLUB OF PALM COAST
“Living the Questions 2.0 is an open-minded alternative to studies that attempt to give participants all the answers and instead strives to create an environment where participants can interact with one another in exploring what's next for Progressive Christianity. It features thirty acclaimed scholars, theologians and other experts.
Place: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 5400 Belle Terre
Pkwy, Palm Coast
Thursday, August 9,
2:00 P.M. CUP CAKE MINISTRY
Volunteer to make cupcakes and/or help
deliver them with us to our policemen, firemen and EMTs. We want to thank them for all that they do
for our community and offer our ministry to them or to those with whom they
meet who may need our ministry. We hope
to do this more than once a month.
Perhaps you know someone else who needs a thank you? Contact: Wanda or Miriam
Saturday, August
11 at 2:00 PM, Showing “Pink Smoke Over the Vatican”
This is a documentary about women in
priestly ministry in the Roman Catholic Church since the early founding days of
Christianity to our current time.
Speaking truth to power is a necessity if ministry is to change in all
of our churches.
Place: 2 Westmill Ln., Palm Coast, 32164
Saturday, August 18, 4:00
P.M. MONTHLY MASS in Palm Coast –(THIRD
SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH thereafter )
Come join our
community as we celebrate Eucharist. God's transformative power works through an invitation to
the table, not exclusion from it. It is our firm desire to offer a welcoming
place of worship to all those seeking to be fed, all those desiring communion
and community, all those desiring healing in mind, body and spirit, all who
have been alienated and or ostracized by the institutional church or other
denominations for whatever cause or reason.
All are welcome to the table in a community of equal discipleship. If you like, bring your favorite appetizer or
desert to share afterwards as we get to know each other. We will provide the drinks.
Place:
2 Westmill Ln., Palm Coast, 32164.
(This is
our home and we will work with our neighbors to offer their driveways for parking.)
ADDITIONAL MINISTRIES:
We
would like to show the documentary, “Pink
Smoke Over the Vatican” in your area.
If you would host us we will be glad to come to you. Invite friends into your home and show the
documentary? We will be glad to come and
answer questions about our movement.
This DVD helps people understand the history of discrimination of women
in the churches over the centuries and we can discuss what we can do about it.
Call to Action is a movement of
Roman Catholics who are working together to overcome injustices in the Church
and in the communities. If you are
interested in becoming a part of the solution, let us know and we can work on
getting a chapter formed in this area. www.cta-usa.org
Additional Faith Communities
may be formed in other
areas. If a few people in different
areas want a Mass, let us know and we will come to you. Just get a few folks together and let us know
when you would like to gather and we will work it out. Some interest has been expressed in Ormond
Beach and Jacksonville areas. New Smyrna
Beach area?
YOU CAN HELP:
Gather people together and invite us
to come…… Work on publicity for our movement…..Make phone calls….. Bring a friend with you…… Talk about what is happening in the Church
today and how others can help…… Help us
create a web site….. Make cup cakes…… PLEASE PRAY
In
the morning I
noticed our “thought for the day” was, “May God give you fresh dreams, new
victories, and endless joys… in surprising ways, unexpected blessings and
overflowing measure!” What a
confirmation as we spent the day preparing for Eucharist with hospitality
following.
There
were eighteen who shared an intimate home Mass. Some came from Ormond Beach, Port Orange and
Palm Coast. Some had been to our
ordinations. We were a mix of various
religious backgrounds including Roman Catholics, former Catholics,
Episcopalians, former Presbyterians, Independent Catholic Church of North
America, and our dear friend, Rabbi Howard Schwartz and his wife. Coming from so many backgrounds would suggest
that there might not be much unity among us but it was exciting to see how
like-minded we were.
The scriptures spoke volumes to
us as we shared our first public liturgy.
Miriam led a dialogue homily starting with sharing on Jeremiah
23:1-6. A theme flowing through was how
the shepherds of that era were not leading as they should. The same has happened in many generations and
is happening in our churches now. Not
just the Roman Catholic Church. Our
Catholic Church wants us to return to pre-Vatican II theology and liturgy and
all of us agreed that the backward thrust is not of the Holy Spirit. We all want to have a Church that preaches
and lives social justice; that
preaches and lives loving others and
accepting others where they are with their various religious beliefs; that
teaches freedom of conscience and allows those who disagree to follow their
conscience; that calls us to prayer and helps us learn to be still before God
and to listen for guidance; that recognizes that God is working within all churches, temples and mosques and
seeks unity, not uniformity among all of us; and that our shepherds need to
preach and live forgiveness, hope
and love for all people and let all know that our loving God just wants to love
us and wants each of us to love one another.
The gospel message is so simple, yet hard to live.
The
Gospel was from Mark 6:30-34 and called the disciples to go aside and spend
some quiet time with God. But as Jesus
was trying to go to a quiet place the people followed and found him. When Jesus saw them he was filled with
compassion for them and He ministered to their needs even though he had not yet
had time to rest. Some shared that this
sometimes happens to them and they are happy to minister; but we also agreed we
must make time to rest and allow God to feed and refresh us.
After
sharing Eucharist, we shared our appetizers and desserts. Everyone was eager to get to know more about
us and our ministries and to get to know each other. We shared that we really want to minister to
those who have been rejected and hurt by their church and asked for help
inviting those hurting and rejected people to come in the future. Some have friends in that situation but they were
not sure they would come to Mass. The
consensus was that we should show “Pink Smoke Over the Vatican” and they would
try to get their friends to come. The
documentary would help them understand better what is happening in the church
and provide understanding about what our focus is to be in our ministries. We also offered to have a home Mass or
showing of “Pink Smoke…” at anyone’s home if they want to host and invite
others.
It was
an honor and a joy to share God’s love and Eucharistic feast with those
wonderful people! Thank you God for such
wonderful people.
Photographs during first public Mass taken by Daniel Schafer.
LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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