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Weekly E-pistle, March 30, 2008

Sisters and Brothers,

"Then the Lord said, 'Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it..." Over the next few weeks we in this community are going to be exploring what our vision for this campus ministry community should be. We have had a mission statement for a while (you can read it online here), but every so often it is good to go through a process of re-envisioning where we feel called to go, what we are called to do, who we are called to be. There are more details about this process below, but I mention this so that you all can reflect, both individually and collectively, on where you feel God is calling you. Who are you called to be? And then write that vision, in letters so big they can see it on the interstate (that's what Habakkuk would have written had he been prophesying today). Having a vision of where you are called to be is the first step in getting there.

Here's what you should know this week...

* Visioning Process
* Monthly Movie with the Methodists: The Kit Runner
* Open Sunday next Sunday
* Screening: "For the Bible Tells Me So"
* Help Alissa Raise Money to Volunteer in Honduras
* Americorps "Heads Up" Program
* Volunteer with the Latino Youth Conference

ECCLESIASTICA:

SUNDAY'S WORSHIP SERVICES
Thanks to everyone who participated in worship services Sunday night. Thank to Kristen Walling for leading us in worship, to Ali Clark for reading our scripture lessons, and to Justin Peck, Lia Comerford, Kelley Bostwick, Daniel Potts, Chris Smith, Alissa Tombaugh, and Liz Zito for providing our music. Special thanks to Carrie Johnson for providing her "God Sightings". Sermon, "We Can and We Can't," Jonathan Tanner. Sunday's attendance: 31. Collection $22.00

NEXT SUNDAY SERVICES, APRIL 6, 2008, 7:00 p.m., KAY CHAPEL
Sermon: "Right in Front of Our Eyes," Rev. Mark Schaefer
Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35
(Would you like to read scripture during worship? E-mail worship{at}aumethodists.org. If you’d like to sing in the choir, e-mail fellowshipofsound{at}aumethodists.org)

NEXT HEALING & COMMUNION SERVICE, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008, 11:00 p.m., KAY CHAPEL
For more information, visit http://www.aumethodists.org/worship/healing.html
(Interested in preaching at the healing service? E-mail Mark at schaef{at}american.edu)

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY, SUNDAY, APRIL 6, at 3:30pm, NORTH BETHESDA UMC--"FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO"
See full details, below.
For more information contact Luke Pepper at discipleship{at}aumethodist.org

NEW STUFF:

VISIONING PROCESS
Three years ago (when the current seniors were freshmen), the UMSA wrote a mission statement, meant to guide the organization. Well, within those three years, a lot of growth and change has occurred. Thus, it seems to be time to revisit our mission statement. This statement can serve for us as a guide in our ministry, informing our life as a community of faith. But it cannot do that if it does not fit our current vision.
For our mission statement to reflect our vision as a community of faith, it must be informed by the ideas and input of the community (that's us!). Because of time constraints (as in, we cannot all devote an enti re weekend to a visioning retreat or something), here's the plan. The UMSA meeting next Wednesday has been set aside for visioning and discussing a mission statement. If you are interested in helping the community to craft a vision for the years ahead, come to our meeting, Wednesday, April 2, at 7pm in the Kay Lounge. Everyone is welcome to participate and help to shape the vision. For more information, email Alissa Tombaugh at vp{at}aumethodists.org

MONTHLY MOVIE WITH THE METHODISTS: THE KITE RUNNER, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 9:00 p.m., GIANNI LOUNGE (MGC 200)
Join us this Tuesday, April 1, at 9pm in Gianni Lounge (MGC 200) for our Monthly Movie with the Methodists. We will be watching the 2007 Film "The Kite Runner." As always free pizza and other refreshments will be provided, and no, you don't have to be a United Methodist, or even a Christian, to attend. Everyone is welcome to attend. Optional discussion to follow. For more information, visit http://www.aumethodists.org/mmm.html

OPEN SUNDAY--NEXT SUNDAY!
Now, of course, our worship services are open to everyone (that's the "Open Doors" part of the motto "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.") But next Sunday will be specially geared toward visitors and newcomers. So, if you know someone who has been interested in coming to church but perhaps afraid they won't know what's going on, this is the Sunday for them. We'll have a bulletin full of information about the service and the service itself will be designed to be oriented toward newcomers. Help us to reach out to campus by inviting your friends!

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY: SCREENING OF "FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO", SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 4 :00-6:00pm
Next Sunday, April 6, we will be putting together a trip to North Bethesda United Methodist Church to attend a screening of the movie "For the Bible Tells Me So". This documentary has won numerous awards at various film festivals. Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. The film includes commentary by respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech. The organizers hope that the film screening can be a place where all of us can come together, with our vast viewpoints, and be in d ialogue about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members of God's church. We will be leaving campus at 3:30pm and returning at 6:30pm, in time for church. If you would like to attend, e-mail discipleship{at}aumethodists.org

HELP ALISSA RAISE MONEY TO VOLUNTEER IN HONDURAS!
UMSA Vice-President Alissa Tombaugh is setting off on a new adventure. This summer, she will be spending two months in El Progreso, Honduras, volunteering with OYE - the Organization for Youth Empowerment. It will be an opportunity for her to live life in Spanish while doing things she loves - serving and working with children and youth. To facilitate this trip, she must meet a fundraising requirement (raising money that will actually go straight to the organization and the youth who need it). Alissa will be selling OYE t-shirts on the quad on Monday 3/31 and Thursday 4/3 from 2:00-5:00 to raise money. The suggested donation is $10-$15, which will go toward the goal of raising $530 – the amount of money it costs to send one student to university for a year! Come on out and see her on the quad to support her trip and more importantly the youth of Honduras!

PARTICIPATE IN AMERICORPS' "HEADS UP" PROGRAM
Heads Up AmeriCorps members get things done while promoting the principles of service, leadership, and learning. As an integral part of our youth program for K through 8th graders, our members serve as full-time classroom instructors over the summer and part-time tutor team leaders during the academic year. They serve on 16 - 22 member teams in one of Heads Up’s six neighborhood sites in Washington, D.C. All members are undergraduates at one of Heads Up’s partner universities.
Many children lack strong, influential, and supportive relationships, and these factors contribute to their poor academic performance. Washington DC college students have the opportunity to become influential role models for children in DC public schools through Heads Up, a non-profit education enrichment program. As a Heads Up AmeriCorps member, you will develop critical leadership skills, provide service to underserved communities, all while providing children with the support they need to succeed academically and socially. As an AmeriCorps member, you will: Co-lead your own elementary school class; Mentor underserved youth & bond with children grades K through 8; Form friendships with peers from other local universities; Enjoy a summer and year unlike any other.
Benefits include: FREE SUMMER HOUSING; Earn a $4,500 living stipend (may apply Federal Work Study); Earn a $2,362 Education Award to use towards tuition or loans; Gain valuable leadership skills and teaching experience.
Qualifcations: Be in good academic standing at one o f Heads Up’s partner universities in D.C (all universities in DC); Be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
Commitment: A full year of service starting May 30, 2008 and concluding on April 30, 2009. Ten (10) weeks full-time in the summer; three to five afternoons/week during the school year. Commitment is not limited to the traditional workweek and includes occasional week end and evening responsibilities.
For more information, visit: http://www.headsup-dc.org/ or http://www.headsup-dc.org/program/college/americorps.php

VOLUNTEER WITH THE LATINO YOUTH CONFERENCE
The Latino Youth Conference is a conference to promote higher education after high-school and ways in which they can accomplish that goal. We need people who are ready to be flexible and do everything with smile. These students will come in with questions about college life and we need to be able to be a resource for them rather than their caretakers for the day. We realize that not all of you will be able to help with the conference for the full day. To accommodate this, there will be a morning shift from 7:45 am to 11:00 am and the other shift will start from 8:30am to 5 pm.
Volunteers will be needed at the registration table, on the shuttle bu sses as well as the entrances onto campus to usher the students in. We will need volunteer who would like to be assigned to groups to take them from place to place and be their point of contact for the day. We will also need volunteers to be paired up with the presenters to help them with anything that they need. If you are fluent in Spanish, we will need you to help out in various capacities. As you can see there are many ways in which you can help make this conference the best one yet!
There is a mandatory meeting on April 4th from 5-6:30pm. The meeting will be a brief overview of what will happen the following day but then also t-shirts will be given out. We would ask that you help with the assembly line to fill bags tha t will be given to the participants.
There is a dress code for this event, please NO GREEK LETTERS (the only way Greek letters will be showcased will be if they give a donation for a gift card that will be raffled off to the students). NO FLIP-FLOPS and if possible no jeans, nice slacks would be ideal.
Pleas e send us your name, email address, how you found out about the conference, the organization you are a part of (Greek- lettered or some other to distinguish you), what your availability would be (morning or all day shift) and your preference of job (if you have one). Please email the following answers to volunteerlyc{at}gmail.com. Additionally if you have any questions about the conference, please email lyc{at}american.edu.
Thanks in advance for all your help and we can't wait to hear from you! Kat Duque and Ohemaa Nyanin; LYC Co- Volunteer Coordinators

OLD STUFF:

IN THE SPIRIT OF EASTER: THE RESURRECTION OF THE KNITTING GROUP--FRIDAYS at 7:00 p.m., McDOWELL 618
Interested in getting together for some food, fellowship, and...knitting? Knitting group has been resurrected and is meeting at 7 on Fridays in McDowell 618c for dinner and knitting. No knitting skills are required, and other handicrafts such as crochet are also welcome. (We won't kick you out if you want to join just for the fellowship either!) Also, don't worry if you don't have knitting supplies -- they can be provided. Hope to see you there! Call Alissa at 785 447-0783 or emailvp{at}aumethodists.org for more information.

SCRIPTURE WITH FRIES AND A SODA, THURSDAYS at 7pm, TAVERN--THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
Well, we finished the Book of Revelation. Long story short: God wins. Anyway, we will be making a change of pace and exploring the Epistle to the Romans, perhaps the Apostle Paul's masterpiece on salvation by grace through faith. If you have any questions, e-mail me at schaef{at}american.edu. Everyone is welcome, and no, you don't HAVE to order the fries.

WOMEN'S GROUP: BIBLE STUDY ON WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
Hey Ladies, if you've ever wanted to learn more about the women of the Bible, now is your chance. Come join the women's group Saturday mornings at 11am for brunch and bible study. Meet at the McDowell front desk to be claimed. We will not be meeting the next 3 weeks, but will resume on March 29 at 11am, and will study the Wise Woman of Abel Beth Maacah (2 Samu el 20:14-22) and Rizpah (2 Samuel 21:8-14).
On April 5, we will study Tamar, Daughter of King David, (2 Samuel 13:1-22), who was raped by her brother. In conjunction with reading that story, on April 8 we will meet as a group in McDowell at 7:45 pm to participate in AU's annual Take Back the Night march and vigil. Please email Sarah Hord atwomen{at}aumethodists.org if you are interested or have any questions. Hope to see you there!

WHAT DOES KAY MEAN TO YOU?
The University is embarking on a strategic planning process and one of the questions being asked is whether the the University should increase its spiritual profile. As part of this process, the chaplains of the Kay Spiritual Life Center are looking to make a significant contribution to the Office of Campus Life's own contribution to that process. Toward that end the Kay Chaplains have decided t o ask you all for input. We are looking for students to contribute a sentence or two about what their participation in community life at Kay means to them. So, e-mail me at schaef{at}american.edu with your statement s and we'll forward them along with what we anticipate will be hundreds of other comments from students just like you. By doing this, we hope that the University will realize how important spiritual life is to the mission and identity of the University.

METROPOLITAN MEMORIAL SEEKS VOLUNTEERS FOR NICARAGUAN MISSION TRIP
A mission team from Metropolitan Memorial UMC will be traveling to Nicaragua June 14 - 22 and is seeking volunteers. The group will be staying in Managua and Masaya, working under the direction of United Methodist Missionaries Nan McCurdy and Miguel Mairena. The estimated cost of the trip is $1350 per person, but s ome scholarships and sponsorships funds are available. Contact Ann Michel (885-8582/amichel{at}wesleyseminary.edu or Anne Brown (annebrown{at}bna .com) for more information.

FIRE IN MT. PLEASANT
As many of you know, there was a devastating fire in an apartment building in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood this past week. (See the Washington Post story online) We will be forwarding the proceeds of our collection tonight to benefit. If you would like to contribute to that collection, you can come by any time this week to the chaplaincy offices in Kay to contribute. You may also make donations of money, food, and clothing (including shoes, children's clothing, winter wear, etc.) which are needed for the over 800 people who have been either permanently or temporarily displaced, many of them children and elderly. Donations can be delivered to Neighbor's Consejo, 3118 16th Street, NW. Contact Evar Sandoval at (202) 234-6855.

SUMMER COURSE IN NEW TESTAMENT
Always wanted more courses in the Religion department? Would you like to increase your knowledge of the New Testament and get college credit for it? Your prayers have been answered. Starting this summer, during the first summer session (May-June) I will be teaching a six week summer course in New Testament. Feel free to ask me any questions about the course.

POSITION OPENING: CHILDCARE ATTENDANT
St. Luke's United Methodist Church is seeking a Childcare Attendant to provide a safe, stimulating environment for a continually changing population of young children in a church nursery/childcare setting. The Childcare Attendant is a part-time employee who works Sundays 10:30am - 12:30pm. Qualified candidates mu st be 18 years of age and have previous experience directly related to the care and instruction of children, must submit to post offer, pre-employment criminal background check, and be CPR/First Aid certified (training provided if candidate isn't certified). Salary is $17.50 an hour. All interested applicants should contact Shalom Mulkey, Director of Administration and Programs for an application by e-mailing shalom{at}saintlukesmethodist.org or calling (202) 333-4949.

REGULAR WEEKLY CALENDAR
* Chaplain’s Sabbath, Monday
* Justice Discussion Group, Monday, 2:00 pm, Kay Lounge
* Episcopal Fellowship, Tuesday 5:30 pm, Kay
* Worship Committee, Tues day, 6:00 p.m., Kay
* Fellowship of Sound Practice, Tuesday, 7:00 p.m., Meet in Kay
* Baptist Fellowship, Tuesday, 8:15 pm, Kay
* UMSA Meeting, Wednesday, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m., Kay
* Community Dinner, Wednesday, 8:00 - 9: 30 p.m., Tavern
* Scripture with Fries and a Soda, Thursday, 7:00 pm, Tavern
* Thursday Night Communion & Healing Service, Kay Chapel, 11:00 pm
* Knitting Group, Friday, 7:00 pm, McDowell 618c
* Women's Group, Saturday, 11 am, McDowell (meet at front desk to be claimed)--resumes 3/29
* College Students Class, Sunday, 10:10 a.m., Parlor, Metropolitan Memorial UMC
* Practical Christianity, Sunday, 5:30pm, Kay Lounge
* Fellowship of Sound Practice, Sunday, 6:00 p.m. (contact fellowshipofsound{at}aumethodists.org for info)

KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS...
Patrick, in need of prayer
Joe, recovering from cancer surgery
Amy, mourning the death of her grandmother
Ed, mourning the death of his father
The family of Joshua, mourning his death in Iraq
Carolyn, recovering from a concussion
Christine, mourning the death of her friend Annette
Kelley Karges, recovering from knee surgery
Sam, recovering from a bike accident
The people of Burma peacefully protesting a brutal military regime
Mike, recovering from a stroke
Aaron, serving in Iraq
The grandmother of Caitlyn, diagnosed with skin cancer
Scott, coping with high blood pressure and related health issues
Lindsey, serving as a missionary in the Philippines
Lisa, ser ving with the Peace Corps in Namibia
Members of the community studying abroad:
Elizabeth, studying in Belgium
Michelle, studying in Germany
The family of Elizabeth, going through difficult times
Step-father and friend of Sarah, stationed on the Syrian Border in Iraq
D.C. Schools and the students of the District
Students from Gulf Coast schools who are studying at American as a result of Hurricane Katrina
The people of New Orleans, Biloxi and all those in the hurricane's path
The people of the Cherokee Nation
The peoples of Darfur Sudan, Congo, and Rwanda facing the threat of genocide
The people of Iraq, and all those serving their country in harm’s way

BIRTHDAYS
Brian Sullivan, Friday, April 4
Jennifer Isaacson, Saturday, April 5

(If yours should be here, update your directory info at http://www.aumethodists.org/members/directoryupdate.html

Anyone with any items they would like to announce via this E-pistle may send submissions to announcements{at}aumethodists.org. And as always, you can IM me at MarkTheMethodist as well.

Your brother and chaplain,
--Mark

Rev. Mark Schaefer
United Methodist Chaplain
AU United Methodist Chaplaincy
Kay Spiritual Life Center
4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20016-8010
Tel. (202) 885-3304 / Fax. (202) 885-3317
aumethodists{at}aumethodists.org
http://www.aumethodists.org

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The American University United Methodist Community is an open and ecumenical fellowship, open to all students, staff, and faculty regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, religion, or denominational background.

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