A-F: Soup or other main dish
G-M: Bread or dessert
N-Z: Salad or other side dish

Norwood includes 3.1 square miles and a whole lot of history. Norwood is also home to this year’s Paint the Town. Join us May 8th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm as we immerse ourselves in this unique community. Give Back Cincinnati is proud to share with you a unique sustainable part of the Norwood community.

The event kicks off at St. Elizabeth’s Church with a pizza dinner (provided by GBC). Following dinner we will discuss Norwood’s past, present and future. We will also have guided tours of current projects in the neighborhood.

Topics will include:

· History of the Intentional Community
· Current Projects & Future Growth
· Benefits of an Intentional Community to Sustainable Living
· Norwood’s Sustainable Initiatives & Opportunities

GBC volunteers will also be on-hand to collect old electronics for recycling.

After the Norwood Community Immersion, GBC will cover your first game and shoe rental at the GBC after party at Stone Lanes!

During the month of April, we entered the season of Easter and the children were invited to join Jesus in making things alive and new through hearing and wondering about Jesus’ teachings within the Sermon on the Mount. Specifically, the children learned about the beatitudes, being salt and light in the world, loving your enemies, and not praying, fasting, or giving before others. The younger children (0-3) learned about being salt and light in the world by watching a finger puppet show about a family who kept bumping into each other at night because they didn’t have any light and acting out being animals and going to a salt lick. They also made popsicle sticks with hearts on them to remind them to love their enemies and talked about prayer as talking to and listening to God.

The older children (4-7) learned about the importance of salt as they tasted Frito’s and remembered times they had been in the dark and saw how loving our enemies can lead to transformation as in the story of Paul on the road to Damascus and Ananias praying for him. They also made cards to express care and prayers for others and then sought to give these to friends and family members without being seen. All of the children also worked to memorize Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” During the coming weeks, the children will continue to be learning about the Sermon on the Mount up until Pentecost. Following Pentecost, during the season of Ordinary Time, the children will begin by examining the various portions of the church service and the related Bible stories that explain why we do what we do when we gather together to worship.

During the month of April, the 8-12 year olds have been focusing on praying, not only prayers of thanksgiving, but also praying for others, in addition to reading passages from the lectionary.

One of the leaders for the 8-12 year old class remarked how the kids are so happy to be with their friends. I know this can be extended to all age groups. This contrasts my own experiences within Sunday School and also the experiences of many other churches today. In the Godly Play training several months ago, they remarked how it often takes years to have children ‘warm up’ to one another. Though we may have more rambunctiousness and disruptive talking to friends during our times together, I choose this any day over silence rooted from a lack of relationship and opportunities to love.

Should you wish to join the volunteer team or visit one of the classes, please feel free to contact Liz or I. We would love to have you join.

Laura Menze, Older Children 260-417-3076
Liz Bruner, Younger Children 513-317-3685

There is going to be a prep day to get the houses ready:
When: Saturday, May 18, 2013
Time: 8:30am-2:00pm
Location: Norwood, Ohio (exact location TBD)
Description: Join us to prepare approximately 40 houses for Paint the Town! We’ll gather in Norwood to sand, scrape and power wash homes that will be painted during this year’s Paint the Town effort. We’ll provide the breakfast, lunch and after party… you just show up with a willingness to help!

Then there will be the actual painting day:
When: Saturday, June 08, 2013
Time: 8:00am-4:00pm
Location: Norwood, Ohio (exact location TBD)
Description: Join us for the 12th annual Paint the Town event on Saturday, June 8! This year, we’ll paint approximately 40 homes in Norwood.
More than 1,200 volunteers are needed to paint the exterior of owner-occupied homes in a single day. We’ll provide everything you need – paint brushes, rollers, etc. – plus breakfast, lunch and an awesome after party. All you need to do is show up and have fun!

More details to come; email communication@vineyardcentral.com if you’re interested in taking part!

1.) Work day to organize and assemble materials for VC Kids: Saturday morning from 10-12 in the 4-7′s studio.

2.) Elder commissioning for Nathan Myers and Steve Ring during our 10:00am Sunday gathering.

3.) Potluck for everyone following the Sunday gathering. Please bring tableware and a dish to share according to your last name:

A-F: Dessert
G-M: Salad or other side dish
N-Z: Soup

If the social interaction of the food pantry isn’t appealing to you, Dorothy looking for some strong muscles to help unload the food delivery which happens one Tuesday a month from 10:30am to 12:30.  She’s very organized, so it will be very clear where everything goes.  If you are interested in occasionally or consistently helping Dorothy unload the delivery for two hours a month, please contact Dorothy directly at 513-476-6838 or contact Mandy McLaughlin at hellomandolin@gmail.com.

Also, here’s an inspiring message from Jackie Grant, who many of you know from our Sunday morning gatherings: “First of all, I can’t tell you how excited and grateful Dorothy and I are in having you come aboard.  I do believe that it will be a real plus for Vineyard too.  Many of our families live in your neighborhood.  Your service will bring the Vineyard community closer to your neighbors.  You will learn names, recognize faces, and, above all, come to know your neighbors’ stories. I just see all of us totally blessed.”

“The Art of Neighboring is at the forefront of a national movement to renew local communities. This book reminds us all of the value of pursuing relationships with the people who live around us.”
-John McKnight, co-director of the Asset Based Community Development Institute, Northwestern University

We will begin an interactive six week series around this bookstarting April 7. If you would like a copy of the book, please let Josh Stoxen know.

March Summary

 During the month of March (the season of Lent), the children were invited to notice the people Jesus noticed. Specifically, the children saw that Jesus notices the poor, the lonely, the fearful, and the person who breaks the law. The younger children (0-3) made crowns to remind themselves of the story in which Jesus tells the criminal on the cross that he will be with Jesus in his kingdom. They also made door hangers as reminders that Jesus is waiting to be let into your heart.  The older children (4-7), thought about how God knows what we feel as they discussed Jesus raising the widow’s son and about how God offers us all forgiveness and sees the beauty within us that can be hidden by the many things we do wrong when they heard the story of Jesus forgiving the criminal on the cross. They also discussed the Passover feasts and feasts they have been to in preparation to serve the Easter Eucharist feast. All of the children also worked to memorize Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

 During the season of Easter, the children we be invited to wonder and join Jesus in making things alive in new as they hear and wonder about different parts of the Sermon on the Mount, including the beatitudes, being salt and light, and the call to love your enemies. The memory verse for the season of Easter will be 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”

 During this month, a child remarked with surprise that they never knew Jesus was crucified next to people who broke the law. As I have grown up hearing the plotline often, I often neglect to notice key parts of the story of Christ that reveal God’s character and the radical love He has for us. The children among us are wise guides to consider anew things long overlooked.

In this past week, individuals who regularly help to shepherd the children met for several hours to discuss joys and challenge, problem solve, and share visions for the coming months. Be looking for information for a kid’s room workday soon. We always welcome others to come alongside to join in and participate in worship with the children. Please feel free to contact Liz or I should you be interested.

Laura Menze                         Older Children                     260-417-3076

Liz Bruner                              Younger Children                 513-317-3685

The food pantry is open three days each month from 10am to noon, the next one available for VC participation being April 25-26.

There are three practical ways to be involved:

1) donate diapers to a designated drop-off point at VC
2) on one or more of the three pantry days (10am to noon) – help pantry clients choose from the food pantry stock (a social option)
3) on one or more of the three pantry days (10am to noon) – help pantry staff fill out day-of client paper-work (a behind the scenes option)

Please contact Mandy McLaughlin at hellomandolin@gmail.com if you are interested in participating. We’ll plan a time to meet before the April food pantry and then do hands-on training Friday, April 26 and/or Saturday, April 27.

March 25-27 (Mon-Wed): Evening Vespers at 7pm in the Upper Room studio (enter through orange doors at Lincoln Ave. entrance)
March 28: Maundy Thursday Service at 7pm in the Upper Room studio
March 29: Community Good Friday Service at 7pm at Norwood Presbyterian, 4400 Floral Ave.
March 30: 24/7 Prayer Vigil at Grace United Methodist, 2221 Slane Ave. (sign up at VC)
March 31: Easter Celebration at 10am in the main sanctuary of St. Elizabeth

A-F: Dessert

G-M: Soup

N-Z: Salad or other side dish

You’re invited to a Release Party for The Tale of Ashton Black and His Cat a new book written by David William Barr and illustrated by Brennan Bradford. Please join us Saturday, March 16th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm to the Speckled Bird Café (1758 Mills Avenue, Norwood OH 45212). See Brennan’s original illustrations! Hear Dave read a few chapters aloud! Eat some snacks and enter to win a free book! Books will be on sale for $15.00. We’ll even sign your book, oh yeah. If you’d like to preview or order the book right now, here’s the link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/david-william-barr/the-tale-of-ashton-black-and-his-cat/paperback/product-20658589.html

Hope to see you on the 16th –Dave and Brennan

The 4-7 year old children were invited to wonder about Magi, ordinary men, and also tax collectors and sinners who followed Jesus. On Epiphany, they were given a gold coin and scented fabric to remind them of the gifts that the Magi brought to Jesus. The 8 to 10 year olds focused on loving people this month, namely serving their parents, choosing to offer forgiveness, and encouraging one another. Each week they encourage one person and each say something that they enjoy or like about them.

During the remainder of the season of Epiphany, the children will continue be invited to hear Jesus’ call to love and people’s responses to follow him. More specifically, they will wonder about the story of how Jesus receives and sees beauty in a woman’s extravagant worship and the story of his transfiguration. During Lent (beginning February 13), the children will be invited to notice the people Jesus noticed (‘Jesus loves people’), beginning with the sick and the poor.

In a month when I have not been with the children, I am struck by their very significant presence in my experience of worship and church. Their lack of inhibition and at times social etiquette offers a realness that invites us in to freedom and honesty. I think of children who bow before the cross during worship, dance wildly flaying head and body, cry out for another song, or lean over and whisper, ‘is that Jesus’ blood?’. They are truly great teachers for whom I am grateful.

We always welcome others to come alongside to join in and participate in worship with the children. Please feel free to contact Liz or I should you be interested.

Laura Menze (Older Children)
Liz Bruner (Younger Children)

Info on class content, dates, and cost of training here: http://eepurl.com/uvm05

Please contact Natasha (natasha@sustainablefaith.com) if you have questions.

What: Food, fellowship, worship and adventure!

When: Friday night through Sunday morning (Feb 1-3)!

Where: Red River Gorge in KY!

Why: Why not?!

How much: $50!

A-F: Salad

G-M: Side

N-Z: Dessert

Russell and Leslie Nixon are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this week! We’ll be hosting a cake and coffee reception in their honor on Thursday evening, December 6th, at the Convent from 6:30 – 8:30pm. Feel free to stop by and give your love and congratulations to the two of them.

Dec 2, 9, and 16 we will meet in the studio space at 10am.

On Dec 23, we will meet in St. Eizabeth for a special “lessons and carols” service at 10am, followed by a turkey potluck.

On Dec 24, we will meet in St. Elizabeth for a candlelight Christmas Eve service at 6:30pm.

We are exactly two weeks away from Election Day, and here in the swing state of Ohio, the political posturing is getting more and more intense. Last night was the third and final debate between the presidential candidates, and it continued to feature a combative, accusatory tone. Each candidate and party is trying to convince us that they are the good guys (and gals), and that the other side is inconsistent, ignorant, inept and worse.

Within Christian circles, the vitriol of the general populous is just as evident, and often even more so. Because this isn’t just about an election; this is about identity. Who we vote for says something about what we value and what our priorities are. When those values and priorities don’t align, it is all too easy to begin questioning someone else’s salvation. We quickly become the judge and jury of our brothers and sisters based on their political positions.

So what does Christian unity look like in this situation? How can we rise above the caustic rhetoric being flung around on ads and on Facebook walls? I have a few suggestions:

1. Assume the best about those who take different positions than you. Regardless of what the email forward says, people who support a different party or candidate are not the spawn of Satan. In fact, they probably share a lot in common with you.
2. Don’t make sweeping comments about parties or politicians through social media. I know it’s tempting, but this is often the cause of severe misunderstandings and unnecessary conflict. Just because our culture operates in sounds bites and one-liners, doesn’t mean we have to.
3. Invite someone you know you disagree with politically out to coffee or lunch. The positive corollary to the previous prohibition. Set some ground rules and frame the conversation in such a way that understanding is the goal, not someone trying to win an argument.
4. Pray for the protection and well-being of candidates with whom you disagree. The strain and pressure of political life is something most of us have no clue about. Praying for people that we tend to demonize helps us remember that they are made in God’s image and are also loved, regardless of their stances.
5. Attend one of the Election Day Communion services on Nov. 6 (and invite that person you took out to lunch!). Both Cincinnati Mennonite Church in Oakley and Church of the Redeemer in Hyde Park will be hosting services at 7:30pm as a symbol of our unity in Christ. This is a way for us to tangibly demonstrate that what binds us together is more powerful that what divides us. I hope to see you there!

The following day (Saturday, Oct. 27), we will be gathering at 9am to tear down the wall between two of the studios to create a larger space to gather in during the winter. The more hands, the merrier! Warm drinks and breakfasty food will be provided.

Fall 2012 Introduction Letter to Norwood Parents

1. What has been positive about your membership experience this year? Would you say there is a difference in your experience between being a member vs. not being a member? What has been disappointing?
2. How important were the member practices to you? What practices have been helpful to your spiritual journey? Which ones have been challenging? What would you add, subtract or change?
3. In what areas of your life would you like further discipleship and pastoral care? How could the Elders better care for and challenge you as a member?
4. How have you been able to use your gifts in the church and in the community over the past year? Is there some way you would like to serve that you haven’t had the chance to?
5. What are your hopes and dreams for our church and community for the coming year? How do you see yourself participating in those dreams? Do you feel called to continue in your covenant membership?

Please be prayerfully considering whether or not you plan to recommit to membership for 2013. We will have a renewal of our covenant vows on Epiphany, the first Sunday in January, for all those who would like to continue their membership commitment.

If you would like to help, please contact Don McNeel or Kenny Havens, or email communication@vineyardcentral.com.

Please join us for our quarterly congregational meeting this Wednesday, September 12, at 6:30pm. We will be discussing the future of house churches/small groups, as well as Elder and Trustee selection for the upcoming year. Child care will be provided.

Picnic on the Piazza

Please join us on the piazza this Saturday, September 15, at 6:30pm. Bring food to share and tableware to cut down on waste. There will be a grill available to cook on. Hope to see you there!

The history of the book of Samuel before it became part of the Bible as we know it is actually quite complicated (and therefore not something I’ll talk about today). But in a nutshell, Samuel wasn’t divided into two books in the Hebrew Bible until 1517. When the Jews in Alexandria translated their Scriptures into Greek (the process began in the late 200s B.C.), they regarded the books of Samuel and Kings as one literary work, but divided it into 1 – 4 Kingdoms. This is how you would have experienced the book of Samuel in the early church (if you spoke Greek or Latin). Jerome (d. 420) retained this arrangement in the Vulgate. During the Reformation, Protestant translations of the Old Testament followed the Hebrew texts, and so returned to the designation of 1 – 2 Samuel.

Part of the book of Samuel (1 Samuel 16 – 2 Samuel 5) tells the story of David’s rise from his anointing by Samuel to the establishment of his rule over all Israel at Jerusalem. This section resembles a Hittite text from the 1200s B.C. called the Apology of Hattusili. The Apology recounts Hattusili’s devotion to the goddess Ishtar and his ascension to the Hittite throne because of Ishtar’s favor. Hattusili was the youngest son of his father, a successful military commander, the object of intense jealousy from other officials, and he eventually usurped the throne by revolting against the king. Presumably, Hattusili composed his Apology to defend his actions and legitimize his own kingship as sanctioned by Ishtar.

While the events of Hattusili’s Apology do not match up exactly with David’s circumstances, David did have some explaining to do in order to win over the northern Israelite tribes (Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin). He became king at the expense of Saul and his family. Saul had declared David an outlaw. David spent time as a Philistine mercenary, and the Philistines killed Saul and several of his sons. Some of David’s soldiers were Philistine mercenaries. David was implicated in the deaths of both Abner and Ishbosheth. Since the Apology of Hattusili predates David by more than 200 years (David lived ca. 1000 B.C.), the author of Samuel could easily have borrowed Hattusili’s example in order to show how YWHW had chosen David as king over Israel. The presence of Ahimelech in 1 Samuel 26 and Uriah in 2 Samuel 11 – 12 (both are Hittites) raises the possibility even further. So why did they write the book of Samuel? It appears that at least one section of it originally served as a kind of campaign speech.

You can read the Apology here. The Hittite languages were written in cuneiform characters, and this site vocalizes “Ishtar” as “Sausga.”
http://www.hittites.info/translations.aspx?text=translations/historical%2FApology+of+Hattusili+III+Translation.html

Info on Hattusili and the Hittites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Hittites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattusili_III

So two weeks ago, maybe, just maybe there were some readers who might have said to themselves, “Selves, when I read the books of Judges and Samuel I hear a whole lot about the Philistines. And I don’t recall the Amarna Letters saying all that much about them. They lived in southern Canaan. You’d think they’d have the decency to write pharaoh a letter. Maybe pay him a visit.” And so, to reward such astute thinking, this week we will examine the Philistines.

The Amarna Letters were written towards the end of a period known as the Late Bronze Age. Shortly afterwards, several groups discovered the secret of making iron (and hence the Iron Age), which gave them a military advantage over their neighbors. The Philistines were part of a larger movement of people groups known as the Sea Peoples who had knowledge of iron working and superior naval technology. At the end of the Late Bronze Age, the empires of the ANE went into major recessions and the trade networks between them broke down. The Sea Peoples took advantage of the power vacuum to raid and conquer numerous civilizations.

During the 1200’s and early 1100’s B.C. the Sea Peoples destroyed the Mycenaean civilization in Greece, the Minoan civilization on Crete, the Hittite Empire in Asia Minor, and several small kingdoms in Syria and Lebanon. They’re ultimate goal appears to have been to conquer Egypt, but the Egyptians defeated them on several occasions during the reigns of Merneptah (1213-1203) and Rameses III (1186-1155). Rameses allowed the survivors from the group known as the “p-r-s-t” to settle in southern Canaan and they became the Philistines of Judges and Samuel.

The Egyptians carefully depicted the different clothing and weapon styles of their invaders. This site covers many of the Egyptian monuments which record their victories over the Sea Peoples. Find the section on the Peleset to see what the Philistines looked like according to the Egyptians. Also relevant to southern Canaan are the Canaanites and the Shasu.

http://www.salimbeti.com/micenei/sea.htm

The Egyptians were severely weakened by their fight against the Sea Peoples. Shortly after settling in southern Canaan, the Philistines revolted and formed a league of five cities – Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Gath. They dominated southern and central Canaan for the next 150 years (ca. 1150 – 1000). Israelite victories over the Philistines under Samuel and Saul were rare and only temporary. When David united the Israelites under his rule at Jerusalem, the Philistines attacked again to protect their hegemony, but they were defeated and their alliance was broken.

After David, each of the Philistine cities acted in their own self-interest. In ANE politics over the next 500 years, they were hostile to Judah and often served either as a buffer protecting Egyptian interests, or as a launching pad for Assyrian, Babylonian, or Persian invasions of Egypt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philistines

The following are a few websites that cover archaeological digs at Philistine sites. Gath is a hot topic because no one knew its exact location until just recently.

Gath

http://faculty.biu.ac.il/~maeira/

http://gath.wordpress.com/

Ekron

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early%20History%20-%20Archaeology/Ekron%20-%20A%20Philistine%20City

Ashkelon

https://picasaweb.google.com/106033569390531364464

http://www.bibleplaces.com/ashkelon.htm

Tel Qasile

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early%20History%20-%20Archaeology/Tel%20Qasile%20-%20A%20Philistine%20Settlement%20with%20a%20Temple

If you’ve ever taken a class on literary interpretation, one of the first things you learn is that your environment shapes how you understand what you read and even what you say. So, for instance, today the word “church” calls to mind a group of people who meet in a cathedral, or a building with a steeple, or a megachurch. Nineteen hundred years ago the same word would have meant something like “city council” or “the small group of people in my apartment building I meet secretly with to worship Jesus as God.”

This effect becomes especially relevant in the area of biblical interpretation. Most of us read the Bible in light of the Reformation, the Enlightenment, the Great Awakenings, world wars, space travel, the internet, social media, etc. The New Testament authors and the church fathers had a completely different take. They struggled to present Christianity in light of Greco-Roman philosophy and culture as an ancient religion – the legitimate fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.

The Old Testament became a source of archetypes and prophecies about Jesus and the church. And while this proved to be a very meaningful way to avoid feeding the lions (for the most part), it also had the effect of obscuring the Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) cultural influences which the Old Testament authors had written to address hundreds of years earlier.

So what exactly were those Old Testament guys trying to counteract? Well, you know … Baal, idolatry, coveting … stuff. If this sounds like your answer to the question, then you know why I aim to provide a little background to the Old Testament. I would venture a guess that most Christians are somewhat out of touch with the Old Testament because 1) they think it’s really old and outdated, and 2) they’re afraid of having to pronounce the names (can you say Mahershalalhashbaz backwards?). Further, because of the tendency to see the Old Testament as one large prophecy about Jesus, most of us never try to learn about the ANE.

And yet, reading the Old Testament without a knowledge of ANE history and culture is similar to us studying American literature without knowing anything about England. While the Old Testament does point to Jesus, God was also speaking to specific situations in the lives of the Old Testament authors, and he did this in terms of the ANE culture in which they lived. Over the next few weeks, I plan to use this space to make fun of people’s pronunciation … that is, I mean, encourage everyone to explore the ANE so we can get a better grasp of God’s presence in the Old Testament.

The Amarna Letters: A Good Place to Start

http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/amarnaletters.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarna_letters

What are they?
- part of the royal archive from ancient Egypt.
- official correspondence between the pharaohs and other ANE empires and vassal states.
- they cover a thirty year period (ca. 1360-1330) during the reigns of Amenhotep III, Amenhotep IV (also known as Akhenaten and husband of Nefertiti), and Tutankhamun (yes, that Tutankhamun).

Why are they important?
- provide a picture of the ANE (and especially Canaan, Lebanon, and Syria) just before the Exodus and the period of the judges.
- demonstrate how widespread and pervasive different religious beliefs were in the ANE.
- a window into ANE diplomatic practices.

What the websites won’t tell you
- in addition to the letters, there were also tablets on the art of cuneiform, lists of the gods for each empire or city-state, dictionaries, pronunciation guides, and several of the well-known Mesopotamian religious myths.
- the tablets were written in Akkadian (Babylonian) which was the common language for official correspondence, but foreign to everyone outside of Assyria and Babylon.
- only highly-trained scribes could read and write Akkadian. This means that there was a network of scribes across the entire ANE (including the land of Canaan) familiar with Mesopotamian culture and literature. The land of Canaan received a heavy dose of Mesopotamian and Egyptian ideas.

ANE Politics and Religion
- in the ANE (and for most of human history) politics and religion were tightly knit together. Patriotism and loyalty were demonstrated through which gods a person chose to worship. Kings ruled by the decree of the gods and in most cases were understood to have a divine nature.
- from Letter 328: Lachisch to Pharaoh

To the King, my lord, my sun, my god, the breath of my life… your slave and dust under your feet. At the feet of the King my lord, my sun, my god, the breath of my life, I bowed down seven times seven times. I heard the words of the tablets of the King my lord, my sun, my god, the breath of my life, and the heat of your slave and the dust under the feet of the King, my lord, my sun, my god, the breath of my life, is exceeding glad that the breath of the King my lord, my sun, my god has gone out to his slave and to the dust under his feet. Who is your servant but a dog? And they prostrate themselves before the Pharaoh seven times and seven times on both back and belly …

- if you can’t tell, Lachisch is a town in southern Canaan, relatively close to Egypt.

That’s all I have time for this week. Please ask questions because this helps me know what people are wondering about and interested in. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll look it up.

~Steve

Sunday, we will enjoy a potluck together after the morning gathering. Please bring a main dish or side to share, as well as your own tableware to minimize waste. Thank you!