Northminster News

October 12, 2020 | The Twenty-first Week After Pentecost

Our Political Faith

Northminster Family,

As we hurdle or crawl (depending on how you’re feeling today) toward the Nov. 3 election, it is essential that we keep perspective on the role of politics in the Christian life and in the church. We must continue to stand against the rising tide of Christian Nationalism even as we maintain the centrality of faith in our lives. Our faith is no more separate from our politics than it is from our choices in any other arena of life, from the way we spend our money to the kinds of relationships we choose to foster to the way we organize our calendars. God is all and in all, and the Spirit of Love animates all that we do. However, while our political choices are an inherently spiritual act, there is no place for partisanship in the church. As my friend and colleague, Rev. Aurelia Dávila Pratt, put it so pointedly this week:

"No political party has the sole claim on Christian ideals.

Perhaps this is a hard pill to swallow because it places more work on each of us, but we needn’t be put off by it. Mature Christians are already practiced in doing this kind of inner labor. We accept responsibility for our own connection with God. We understand no pastor, parent, friend or podcast can do our faith work for us.

The same is true as we navigate our political choices. It requires our time and effort. It includes a willingness to make space for nuance, hold multiple truths in tension at once, and entertain opinions that are potentially uncomfortable. Untangling ourselves from the chaos, division and barrage of information is essential. It’s more important than ever that we do not opt out of this work."

As we each seek to do that work in these last weeks before the election, may we find our grounding in the love of God, and support one another in the work as we go.

Peace,

Claire Helton

Click for Rev. Pratt's full article

The Prayers of the People

An opportunity to celebrate and pray alongside siblings in our community.

We pray alongside...

Tim and Marissa Jaquess as Tim's sister Carolyn is on hospice.

We celebrate alongside...

John Gray (23rd), David Culp 25th), and Brennan Brown (26th) as they celebrate their birthday.

We also celebrate alongside Nova Grassi (12th) whose third birthday was left out last week but for whose life we are nonetheless very grateful!

If you have concerns or celebrations you would like us to add to the newsletter, please call the church office or email office@northmin.org.

The Work of the People

How we are responding to the Spirit of Love

Wellbeing Class Continues

What does it take to be happy? We often approach this question as though it were a mystery, but it’s not. Well-being is innate in every human being, and there are practices and pathways hard-wired into each of us to help us access that well-being, even in times of great difficulty or isolation.

This course is taking an evolutionary and spiritually-informed approach to helping us discover those practices and pathways.

This week our topic is “Flow,” or the state of being so absorbed in what you love doing that you forget yourself. Research shows that people who experience this state of flow more often experience a higher sense of wellbeing. On Sunday, we’ll talk more about what “Flow” means, and how we might put it into practice.

Click here to join the study group over Zoom

Coordinating Council Elections

Each year, three people rotate off our 9-member Coordinating Council and three new people are elected by the membership at the November business meeting to serve for 3-year terms. This year, our election will be conducted by mail-in ballots. All voting members should receive a letter with one ballot per voting member and a self-addressed envelope by the end of this week. Ballots may be returned by mail or dropped in the church's locked mailbox. Please see the letter for further details & instructions - or contact the office if you don't receive yours!

We express our gratitude to those who are rotating off: Ellen Prather, Marilyn Decker, and DH Clark!

This year's candidates: Anita Breen, Claire Carrington, Susan Curry, Kyle Gregory, Craig Henry, Al Peterson

Holy Ideas

How might we respond to the Spirit of Love?

In this new season of social distancing, we need holy ideas to help stretch our imaginations for what is possible within this community more than ever.

Since we can't make use of the physical "Holy Ideas" board in the hallway, we'll maintain it virtually and keep it updated here in the newsletter. If you have an idea for a way the church can be church in this season, or if you see an idea you'd like to support to help it become reality, email the office.

Around Town

Virtual and Otherwise

Monroe Symphony Orchestra Presents First Virtual Performance

"The Monroe Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce the first free performance in a series of virtual musical events. The MSO Presents- Virtual Chamber Concert will be available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube beginning Tuesday, October 27th at 7:00 pm. Like so many other organizations, we are taking advantage of today’s technology in order to keep the music flowing and our local musicians playing."

There are several ways to access the event.

Find out more and view the program by clicking the button below.

Click Here for More Information

Giving to Northminster

Support Northminster's Work

We are sensitive to the reality that financial uncertainty is one of the side effects of the spread of the coronavirus. However, if you find yourself in a position to continue or increase your contributions to the church, know that your donation will be greatly appreciated. We have made the decision to honor our commitments to all those on our payroll (ministers, staff, choral scholars, childcare) who are relying on this income in an anxious time, and we cannot do that without your continued support.

To support Northminster financially, you can click here, or scan the QR code below with the camera on your phone.