Friday, February 17
- 7:00pm Ted & Company theater group at Reba Place Church (see announcement in NSMC Announcements below)
Saturday, February 18
- 3:00pm Ted & Company theater group at Reba Place Church (see announcement in NSMC Announcements below)
Sunday, February 19
- 9:30am NSMC Hybrid Worship at Civic Center and Zoom (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
- Speaker: Anne or Shane
- 10:45am Sermon Discussion
Tuesday, February 21
- 7:30pm MCC and MC USA Webinar #2 on Beyond Incarceration
- Intervene: How do we interrupt and intervene in systems of mass incarceration?
- Link to register
Wednesday, February 22 Ash Wednesday
- Anne will announce plans for a gathering.
Thursday, February 23
- 7:00pm Bible Study on Genesis with Shane (contact Anne for details on how to join Zoom)
Sunday, February 26
- 9:30am CCMC Worship with Zoom connections (contact Anne for details on how to join)
- Speaker: Suzanne
- 10:45am Sermon Discussion
Ted & Company at Reba Place Church
Reba Place Church will be hosting the theater group Ted & Company for two shows on Friday, March 17 at 7:00pm & Saturday, March 18 at 3:00pm. Led by veteran actor and playwright, Ted Swartz, Ted & Company TheaterWorks “uses humor and professional storytelling to talk about issues of faith and social justice through live shows.” Their team of dynamic actors and musicians are “passionate about creating art that provokes both laughter and reflection, as all good comedy does.” They will be presenting a 2-person show entitled We Own This Now that looks at love of land, loss of land, and what it means to “own” something. You can learn more about the company and the show on their website.
Congregational Meeting on March 5
Plan to attend the NSMC Congregational Meeting following worship on Sunday, March 5. The purpose of the meeting will be to receive a brief update on finances and ministries and to explore together our experience of collaboration with CCMC. Focus questions to guide our conversation will be emailed out prior to the meeting.
Coffee Houses at CCMC
Mark your calendars–CCMC is starting up their coffee houses again beginning March 4 with Andi and I and Kathryn Mueller’s Kettle Corn, and a second one May 6 with Hilda’s husband’s band Not Done Yet. Please join us! Doors will open at 7, music begins at 7:30 pm.
Everence is offering four informative webinars in the month of March.
- Wednesday, March 8, 1:00pm and 7:00pm CST
- Everence 101. We believe it’s possible to combine your faith and values with your decisions about money. Hear the Everence story and the various ways we hare helping members express their faith through their financial decisions.
- Wednesday, March 15, 1:00pm and 7:00pm CST
- Invest in a better world. Your faith and values can inform many of the decisions you make when it comes to investing. This presentation will help you learn how to make a better world through your investments.
- Wednesday, March 22, 1:00pm and 7:00pm CST
- What will your final statement be? Throughout our lives we strive to care for our loved ones. We’ll discuss how the transfer of your estate can be an intentional and meaningful expression of love for your family, no matter your income level.
- Wednesday, March 29, 1:00pm and 7:00pm CST
- Understanding Medicare. Medicare can be confusing. Our webinar will help clear things ups We’ll cover the fundamentals, including signing up for Medicare, what Medicare covers, and plans that supplement Medicare.
To register, or for more information, visit the Everence national page (scroll down for Upcoming Webinars). Please email nationalwebinars@everence.com with any questions.
Cynthia Lapp, pastor at Hyattsville Mennonite Church in Maryland, writes about the challenges she has faced serving as a chaplain to the local police – and the impact this work has had in her community and in her own life. Read more: mennoniteusa.org/police-reform-hyattsville
Interested in volunteering at MennoCon23, Kansas City, Mo., July 3-6? Mennonite Church USA is seeking coordinators for special events, children’s and junior youth programming, and more! Fill out a form here: mennoniteusa.org/mennocon-volunteer-form
–from Creation Justice Ministries 52 Ways to Care for Creation
Ash Wednesday
As we enter the season of Lent, how can your Lenten practices honor creation? You could challenge yourself to give up single-use plastics. You could aim to eat less meat, drive less, or find ways to waste less water. If your church hosts a fish fry, encourage sustainable seafood options.
–from Creation Justice Tips | United Methodist Church
Change Some Bathroom Habits
Make some simple changes to common bathroom habits. Use a safety or electric razor rather than a disposable one. Use shampoo and conditioner bars instead of those in plastic. Switch to a bamboo toothbrush and bamboo or recycled toilet tissue and save trees. Cut down plastic use (and save dollars) by cutting open the tube so you get easy access to all the toothpaste.
Shop at Thrift Stores
Love someone else’s clothes. Shop thrift stores to not only save money, but also to extend the life of serviceable clothing. Secondhand stores often support worthy causes, as well. When what you wear is no longer a candidate for another round of wearing, recycle the textiles through ReTold. They commit to multiple ways of keeping fabric out of landfills.
MCC Thrifty 50 Challenge
Do you want to help our planet but aren’t sure where to start? MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) Thrift is celebrating their 50th anniversary by issuing 50 challenges to help us be more equipped to care for our planet. We’ll include one challenge each week for the next 50 weeks.
Week 37 | A sustainable Christmas tree
Editor’s Note: Please excuse the timing of this challenge. It was several weeks into the series before I found out about it. Learn from these ideas and put them to use next Christmas.
It’s officially the month of Christmas! Have you decorated already? If not, I’ve got some eco-friendly tips for you.
Whether you go the traditional tree route or not, I’ve got some sustainable Christmas tree options:
- A potted Christmas tree a.k.a. a temporary houseplant | Source out a potted Christmas tree in your area. These trees can live in your house for up to 12 days with the proper care. When the holiday season is over, move your tree outside and, depending on your climate, plant this coniferous in your garden or wait until springtime. Don’t have a yard? Look into renting a potted tree!
- DIY a tree | Make a tree from items you already own or from items you can get from your local MCC Thrift shop — books, scrap paper, metal coat hangers, felt, the possibilities are endless!
- Get creative and decorate a houseplant instead | If you’ve got plants in your home, transform one of your sturdy plants into a tree. Bonus is that you don’t have to move anything around to make space for a tree.
- Bonus tip | Buy secondhand ornaments from your favourite MCC Thrift shop. You’ll be sure to come across some unique finds that are beautiful as is or you can do a paint DIY to match your holiday theme.
Kitchen Tip of the Week
–from The Washington Post
Make Broth
Save up your scraps in the freezer and when you have enough, place your scraps in a large pot and top with water. Simmer until the scraps have completely broken down, softened and the mixture has achieved a golden or light brown color. Once strained, the scraps can be composted. A classic veggie broth recipe can be found here and another here. Broths can be stored in the fridge or frozen, and can be used in a variety of ways. My favorite way to cook with veggie broth is in a saffron risotto.
Editor’s Note: The first two recipe links above are behind the Washington Post paywall. If you would like a copy, I will make a PDF to send to you.