Bring your pets to the church playground for a pet blessing on Sunday, October 12, at 3 p.m.! This event is a special request from one of our younger community members and will be a fun time to gather, appreciate our animal companions, and give thanks for God’s creation. All animals (that do not pose a danger to people or other animals) are invited to come with their people to receive a blessing.
GOING BEYOND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
· Pray for justice on Indigenous Peoples Day October 13. Watch and share the livestream of an upcoming vigil at Oak Flat. A delegation of multi-denominational Faith Leaders from across Turtle Island have been invited to join Apache Stronghold at Oak Flat, holding a vigil on Monday Oct. 13, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, at 1:00 pm AZ Time/4:00 pm ET.
| Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Oct. 13, is a time to lament ongoing harms and deepen our solidarity with Indigenous communities as their cultural and religious practices, land and water are under threat. Chichil Biłdagoteel (Oak Flat), a sacred site for the Apache people in Arizona, is in grave danger of being transferred from the U.S. Forest Service to Resolution Copper, a private mining company. Copper mining in Oak Flat will destroy the sacred land, deplete and pollute water, and contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Please join the Western Apache and multi-denominational faith leaders on October 13, at 1:00 p.m. PDT | 4:00 p.m. EDT, for a prayer vigil that will be livestreamed directly from Oak Flat. Livestream can be viewed on Facebook here. |
· See the poster about “Historical Injustice, Decolonization and Service: An Observance of Anabaptism @ 500” at Prairie View on October 24, 9:30 to 4 p.m., including a Keynote by Healing Haunted Histories writers Elaine Enns and Ched Myers and also the Loss of Turtle Island experience. Free and open to the public. REGISTER BY OCTOBER 13.
· Kansas Repair Communities, a coalition of local Mennonite churches has had several meetings and is committed to focus our first advocacy/legislative campaign on the subject of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People. At this point we are at work to educate ourselves on this issue, nationally and in the state of Kansas, by first reading local bestselling writer Laurie Dove’s novel, Mask of the Deer Woman, in preparation for meeting with her in November to discuss her interest in this issue. She will provide us with discussion questions. You can begin to do your own research on MMIW/P. A list of resources for study is coming. Read the novel as we all begin to learn together about the issue in preparation for taking further action together in Kansas.
Pastor Joanna’s 1887 Cafe office hours are from 8-10 a.m. on Wednesdays. Stop in and say “hi”! Joanna will be on vacation from October 20-26.
Women’s Fellowship for men and women will be Tues., Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Join us in welcoming Pablo Escanilla, a 24-year-old from Zaragoza, Spain and a Master’s colleague of Sarah Turner. Pablo comes from a family with over 50 years in the beef industry, raising and finishing more than 4,000 cattle each year. Come hear his inspiring story and learn about his family’s work and passion for agriculture.
Conscientious Objection – Christian Peacemaker Registration Form
During September we had three Sunday School sessions focused on conscientious objection. Most of the resources that were shared in that class are available on this web page. We encourage all young adults (aged 16-25) to fill out and file the “Christian Peacemaker Registration Form” that is available on that page. Pastors Nathan and Joanna are happy to answer any questions and the church office can provide stamps, envelopes, and copies as needed.