Hiatus

It seems that this is a fairly hectic time for everyone. People are moving, finishing the school year, recovering from being sick, etc. So consider this somewhat of a "break," and we will reconvene with a planning meeting soon. Check back for more posts about upcoming gatherings in the near future.

"Video By Matt"

Put on your traveling shoes and book your ticket for the car pool because this week the Cohort is communing in Marysville  (actually Broadway, which mapquest calls Raymond, despite the confusion, we call it home).  We have decided to watch Rob Bell's "Everything is Spiritual" for the video presentation, a look at how science and faith are intrinsically linked together, with the "proof" coming from the ancient poem that our Holy Scripture's open with. 

We will prepare some soup to share, before we start the movie, as well as some popcorn to go along with the movie.  The soup will be ready at 5 pm with the intent on starting the movie around 5:30.  The video is just under an hour long, which should leave a little time for discussion afterward.   Since I have seen this video numerous times, I'll probably take the kids with me on a walk or to the park across the street with the hopes of eliminating some distraction--so please bring the children. 

Please post in the comments if you're planning on attending and if you are bringing anything.  I will also send this through the email with my address so you know where you're going :)  Lastly,  I would much rather have as many involved in watching, so if it would be easier for the majority to meet in cbus somewhere, that's always an option, we just need a venue--the soup can be made transportable.

Thanks, hope to see you
Matt

Planning Meeting

Hi everyone,

A friendly reminder that we have a planning meeting Thursday night at 7:00 at the Newbys. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that. If you haven't been to a planning meeting before, we get the calenders out for the next couple months and plan out worship services, fun things to do, discussion topics, etc. Do you have an idea for a service project, discussion topic, or a special event you thing would be good for us to attend as a group? Come and voice what you want to do! (an example event: make lots of brownies for Nick...) If you can't make it, but have an idea of something you want to do, please post it on the blog in the comments and we will make sure it gets added. Planning meetings usually last around an hour or so.

Cheers,

Nick

Blue Like Jazz The Movie

Here is the trailer for Blue Like Jazz The Movie (based on the book by Donald Miller). We are planning to go see this as a group on Saturday April 28th. at the 4:45pm showing. We'll also get coffee or drinks after and have some open discussion.

You can buy tickets here (movietickets.com), and because it's an early showing, tickets are $7.



(By the way, not sure if any old-school cohortians remember traveling to Ohio Wesleyan University in mid 2008 to hear Don Miller talk about supporting Barack Obama. We had a nice in person chat)

This Sunday - Community Night

This Sunday - April 15 - we'll meet at Scot and Mary's house for "Community Night" which is just a time for everyone to share recent experiences, challenges or joys and for the group to respond in affirmation. We'll meet at 5pm, and the Millers will have the grill going. If you can, bring a side dish or dessert to share. We don't post addresses here for obvious Internet-related reasons, but if you need directions or more info, feel free to email Jesse at schroeder.jesse@gmail.com Post in the comments if you are coming and what side you are bringing. Hope to see everyone there!

I AM

You don’t know who you love
Stop pretending that you do
This is a God who takes sides
This is a God who murders firstborns
to teach a pharaoh and the world
I AM

Stop pretending that you know who you love
When you say yes to this God
Be ready to leave everything
be ready to suffer

But you don’t want to hear these words
You want to keep pretending
it’s about Heaven or Eden or a promised land

And that it’s not about
a God who led his people out of Egypt through bloody doorposts
a God who let a girl place a baptist’s head on a platter
a God who abandoned his own Son

When you enter into this Mystery
enter at your own risk
enter at your own peril
know that you will be devoured by The One and Only God

who will teach youhow to bleed and die with Him
how to live and breathe in Him
how to love

When you stop pretending
I can tell you in all honesty this is the God you will find

This God I love
This God I choose
This God I AM

Seder Dinner

This Friday, April 6th, we will gather to celebrate a traditional "Passover Seder." We will meet at Ian and Nikki's house at 5:45pm and start the dinner at 6pm (sharp!) After completing the traditional seder, we will share a meal together.

The Seder is the traditional meal that starts the celebration of Passover in Judaism. We will most likely have a more Christian oriented Passover, recognizing the connection of the symbols to Christianity and the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a very rich, meaningful, interesting, and enjoyable experience. Hopefully everyone can join us!

The meal will be a potluck, so please post in the comments if you will be coming and what dish you will be bringing to share with everyone.

This Sunday (4/1/12): "Feedback"/"Self-Sabotage"

Hi everyone -  We'll be getting together this Sunday, April 1, at 3pm to watch and discuss a short film based upon Derek Webb's music, "Feedback" - the film is called "Self-Sabotage" and you can see some info about it here: http://derekwebb.com/store/feedback Kellye and I will host at our house (2406 Altenburg Ct Grove City, 43123). We will have coffee and other drinks and maybe a few small snacks but no meal to share. We'll try to finish around 5 pm.  Hope to see everyone!  Jesse

More about the film:

Self-Sabotage: the deliberate subversion of oneself. Destructive or obstructive action that hinders the person who acts. 

See also: the Lord's Prayer. 

The Lord's Prayer is inherently violent towards the one who prays it. 

Self-Sabotage is an exploration of the Lord's Prayer based on and inspired by Derek Webb's electronic all instrumental album 'Feedback'. It follows six characters in a narrative with no words - only the music to parallel the stories.This film has come to pick a fight, and any viewing that fails to recognize that may put the viewer at risk in one way or another.  Self-Sabotage rests firmly amidst the tension between the prayed and the praying; the single-minded character and vision of the Lord's prayer serves as the sub-text through which we enter into the lives of its characters. Their lives, like moving icons, open windows into the great mystery of communion through self-dethroning sabotage.

Celebration of the Faithful

Hi everyone! We will be gathering this Sunday at 5pm at the Cohoons for Celebration of the Faithful and a potluck.

Please post in the comments and let us know if you can come and what you will be bringing. We will prepare some sort of vegeterian dish. Hope to see you all there!

Saturday- Game Night, SUPER FUN!

Just a reminder that we will be having a game night on Sat night at 6pm at the Newbys.  I will be making pizza, and ask that you bring your favorite pizza toppings and perhaps a snack or side to share.  Dessert will be provided.  You can also bring your favorite game.  We will have a few here, but if there is one that you love to play, bring it along.  Looking forward to a great night of FUN! Please post and let me know if you are coming and what you are planning on bringing.  Hope to see you there (here). Let us know if you need directions.

Musing instead of Muesli for breakfast

Right now I don’t care whether Jesus was the Son of God. I don’t care whether he rose from the dead or performed miracles. I don’t know, and I don’t care. I choose to believe, however, based on the historical record and my own beliefs, that there was a man named Jesus who tried to get people to live a new way and was killed for it. Many men and women have also done this with their lives, some emulating Jesus, some who never heard of him, and some for entirely different reasons. I lack the character and conviction to ever be that kind of a man, but I will try this Lent to honor them and remember them. I am not sure if I can even go one day a week without food (my current goal), but by struggling through this comparatively meaningless task I will remember the actions of far better people who have gone before me, some of whom pointed to God, some of whom fought for freedom, and some of whom did both.

As a confession – my actions are equally, if not more so, motivated by a desire for health. As I told the group last night I am a stress and depression eater, and my current life has quite a bit of stress and depression, and consequently quite a bit of junk food. I hope to somewhat break this habit and come out a healthier person. Right now my breakfast ice water tastes quite nice. Perhaps I’ll give an update in the comments.

Celebration of the Faithful: Lent Edition

This Sunday, February 26th, we will have a "Celebration of the Faithful." We will meet at Jesse & Kellye's house at 5pm, and will participate in reflections and readings regarding Lent (as led by Brother Curt and Matt). We will also take communion together.

We will continue the "celebration" by enjoying dinner together, potluck style! Everyone is invited to bring  something fresh to share. Please post in the comments if you are coming, and what food item you will be bringing so we can plan accordingly.

This can be a great time for us all to connect, share, pray, and engage not only with each other but with God's Spirit.

To be honest, this gathering may have a bit of a "mourning" sense to it, as some of us have experienced death very close to us recently. I guess this is appropriate, in a way, for the period of the Christian calendar that we are entering.

Sun Feb 12 - No Gathering

Due to scheduling conflicts, we will not be gathering on Sunday February 12th. The Marcus Borg discussion will be rescheduled for another date.

Sunday Feb 5

The Faith, Film, and Philosophy night was cancelled. For those who want to, we invite you to our house Sunday night at 6:00PM. Yes, there is a sporting event on TV. We'll have it turned on if you'd like to watch. But more importantly we'll have food, conversation, and maybe a board game or two. Email me at adam.f.newby@gmail.com or call 388-8947 if you need the address. Please let us know if you are coming if you haven't already.

Celebration of the Faithful

Update: Location changed to Nick's house. 1270 Courtland Ave.

This Sunday at 5:00pm we will be having a Celebration of the Faithful at the Nick's house Newby's house.  Potluck dinner will follow a time of worship and communion.  We will probably make a pot of soup or chili so bring sides, desserts or drinks please.  Please post and let us know if you are coming, and if so what you are planning on bringing.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone and spending some time with you.  Everyone is free to join in.