Newsletter
Archived on our links page
Dear Friends,
Advent so often is a time when we become addicted to hurry. This advent let us try to notice what the Greeks called kairos- those moments when we let go of time and become totally absorbed in what we are doing. We usually describe such a peak experience as one when time stood still. Fr. Thomas Keating said "It only takes a minute for God to enrich you." This advent let us all be open to this wonderful possibility. We don't want to be moving so fast that we miss the moment.
This fall we have been enriched by faith-filled men and women of many different denominations- Methodist pastors, the ministers of Springhill District B, the Episcopal Canterbury Fellowship, friends from First Methodist Church in Columbus and Episcopal women from Good Shepherd in Columbus and St. John's, Aberdeen. We rejoice that this is truly an ecumenical place!
Fran Lavell and helper from St. Joe's.
Thank you
- to Randy Follett and Gary McFadyen who cut down two diseased pines on the driveway;
- to the Pines for two workdays this autumn;
- to the Brooksville Mennonite Youth Group and to St. Joseph's High School Youth Group and Diana Bridges who raked pine straw;
- to everyone who cooked meals, brought casseroles and desserts for the freezer;
- to all of you who have sacrificed time, talent, and treasure so that the ministry here can continue.
Annual Appeal
Thank you for your generous support. As we send this to the printer, you have given us $6560. Because we have gone back to the drawing board with the plans for the dining room/administration building, it is absolutely necessary that we re-wire the Main Trailer and the annex that serves as our kitchen dining room. Please, can you prayerfully consider a contribution towards this urgent need?_________________________________
Francis Day Friends
The Dwelling Place Community and friends met and celebrated Francis Day in October. The inflatable animals were prizes from our party.
At our Community weekend, we spent a great deal of energy in prayer and discernment over the results of the Feasibility Study. Your support for the ministry here was overwhelming and touched us profoundly. As we pondered the results of the study, the Lord's leading became clear. The focus of The Dwelling Place is to remain small- to concentrate on the personalized ministry. This means that we do not need a much larger kitchen/dining room- we do need a new one, however, as the Main Trailer is showing its age. We are back to the drawing board with plans but with a much clearer vision of what we are called to do in terms of the future.
We hate to say this but ...
due to our rising costs, it is necessary for us to raise our fees. Beginning Jan. 1, 2004, the fee for a day of retreat, meals, and an overnight will be $65 or $130 per weekend. If only Friday night, the rate will be $70.Needs list
- stamps
- paper products
- volunteers to send in meals on occasion
- a couple of hours of volunteer assistance
Three out-of-print books
missing from the library
Opening to God by Thomas Green
Sabbath Bread by Georgene Wilson
Listing to the Music of the Spirit by David Lonsdale