Welcome

The current installment of the COEC began meeting in 2007.

We are currently on a "break," for no particular reason, and many little reasons - mostly pertaining to life circumstances. If anyone is interested in calling a meeting, feel free to post on the blog, join the google group (see link below) and send an email, or contact either Nancy (nancykj10@yahoo.com) or Jesse (schroeder.jesse@gmail.com) for more information.

To receive cohort emails, join our Google group.

7.28.2010

Community Time Cancelled

Edited Sunday afternoon at 2!

Ok, I don't like to do this, but...



Lots of people are out of town, and the few who were planning to come have cancelled. That alone isn't enough to make me think of cancelling, especially this late... but I also woke up at 4am with a horrid headache that isn't really gone.

So all of that being said, I'm gonna say it's cancelled. Or at least we won't be coming to be the welcoming committee. :) I really *hope* our guess is right, that nobody is planning to be there.

Love yas. See you next week? (If somebody schedules something.)
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This Sunday's community night will be kind of a community afternoon, at 7121 Muirfield Dr., Dublin. (That's St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, who offered to host us this week.) We'll spend some time sharing and supporting one another, and getting to know each other.

We'll bring light snacks (after I check and make sure it's ok to have food.)

Would love to know who's planning to come, but of course, don't stay away just for lack of an Rsvp. Also, as always, everyone is welcome to join us.

[Note: We don't have stuff scheduled for upcoming weeks. Dunno if there will be a planning meeting, but until then, please jump in and choose a Sunday to make something happen. If you don't know how to add stuff to the calendar, I or other folks would be happy to help.--A.]

7.25.2010

Is it ok if I Try to Clarify a Little?

Yesterday I met with Angela and Tracy for coffee. The recent comments on the blog post had frustrated and confused me. Angela had not felt genuinely heard and I wanted to understand why.

After some rough starts in connecting, Tracy helped me with perspective. My statement, “I like things the way they are right now with the Cohort. I don’t really want things to change” really frustrated Angela and Tracy.

Tracy said, you probably feel like you don’t want change because you are in the midst of so much stress right now; you can’t even consider any more change. And I sighed and said, Exactly. He said that is totally understandable, but what Angela and I really want to hear from you instead of “I like thing the way things are” is what are your values and priorities in the context of the Cohort. How is the Cohort meeting your deepest needs Nancy? Is there anything you don’t like? I believe this is what Angela and Tracy are longing to hear from each of us.

My specific answer to that question of how the Cohort meets my needs is that I value deep connections with people and so I have with intention begun to seek out more one on one times with many of you. I’ve had coffee with Eve, Julia, Chad, and Jane. I’ve met Nick for lunch. Mike and I took a meal over to Adam and Kara. I helped cut out fish with Jesse and Kellye for the Guatemala trip. I met with Angela and Tracy for coffee yesterday. Each of these times, I was essentially saying what can I do to show you that I love you? How can I give to you and of course out of this I have received so much back in return. For me, this is a very deep need met.

Further, I still have a need to talk about where I am spiritually and about some of my old beliefs. While I was cutting out fish, Jesse and Kellye let me spend two hours dissecting statements like, “God won’t give you any more than you can handle” and what does grace really mean for me now and what does “God is in control” mean?

It was awesome let me tell you. I probably completely wore them out and I said, wow I was really selfish there. They just laughed and we got a lot of fish cut out.

If I understand Tracy and Angela this is what they want us to share in a discussion together. Angela wants us to say and she wants to be able to say “this is what is really meeting my needs and this is what is not. This is what I like and this is what I don’t like. These are my values and these are my priorities. What do you think of this idea? What are your ideas? What is really working for you and why?”

Angela, please feel free to add or correct me.

The other thing I want to say that I completely misunderstood this… I thought Angela and Tracy wanted to duplicate The Refuge and wow I was really wrong about that. Actually I was about as wrong on that as I could have been.

I’m very sorry about that and while I still may not be getting it exactly right, please know I want to.

So in an effort to collaborate, please come today with those thoughts in mind. What do I really value? How has the Cohort deeply met my needs so far and what are my stories? What bugs me about the cohort?

Lastly, if anyone has a couple folding chairs they could bring, that would be awesome.

7.24.2010

Collaboration

Doesn't sound like a real collaboration to me, if folks come in already knowing the outcome they want.

7.19.2010

Discussion and Planning Next Sunday

This Sunday we will meet to discuss future direction and ideas for the Cohort. We will meet at Nancy Jarosi's house in German Village (750 South Lazelle Street) at 2:30 p.m. until 5:00. In the first half hour we will share communion and a time of prayer and then move on to the planning discussion.

As you go about your week, Jesse offered some great questions for us to consider:

1. What do we value?

2. What are my spiritual goals?

3. How could the Cohort help in my growth?

I'm very happy to host this Sunday. If it is nice outside, we can think about walking down to Schiller after the prayer and communion portion. We'll see how that goes.

7.14.2010

Sunday

This Sunday, July 18th Zack and I are going to be discussing our mini trip to Cambodia. It'll be at Global Gallery in Clintonville on N.High St. We'll start at 3pm and it will go to about 5ish.
~Eve

7.12.2010

Wednesday Night

We'll be doing our little church-but-not-church experiment again this Wednesday. Plenty of food, friendship, and nobody to tell you what to think. It's really just a place to share with other folks who are on this path of loving God & loving people.

Whether you're needing support or you have plenty of hugs to spare, you're welcome.

6:30 pm
1884 Woodette Road
Rsvp if you can, but don't let it keep you away

7.09.2010

community night

Sunday is community night at Angela & Tracy's. We'll provide simple food. You don't need to bring anything unless you feel like it.

RSVP, but if you can't for whatever reason, don't let that stop you from coming. :)

This is a short post cuz it's late. If I missed anything, let me know.

Angela

7.03.2010

In case you missed it...


Zack and Eve are doing some awesome stuff in Cambodia - you can check out their blog here:

http://zandeschro.blogspot.com

Right now they are just touring the country for about 2 weeks, meeting people and getting a feel for possible ministry opportunities. They will be returning in September for about about 2 years. You can support them here





7.01.2010

4th of July gathering

UPDATE: Upper Arlington had their fireworks display last night. Clintonville is having a firework display tonight, but that would not be within walking distance of our house.

We will be gathering at Adam and Kara's house on Sunday, July 4th at 6:00 PM for a cookout. We will have some hot dogs and hamburgers, but please bring a side dish, fruit, or dessert as well as more meat of your liking. Also, if you prefer something besides water or tea to drink, please bring that as well.

Those who are interested can walk from our house to see the Upper Arlington firework display at dark. Please let us know if you plan on coming. If you need our address, please email me at adam.f.newby@gmail.com

Adam