Nexus News- 09/29/09

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Wednesday, Sept 30: Learn more about Islam
Nexus folk are invited to join with Catholics and Muslims at St Johnthe Evangelist Church in West Chester for a dialogue series on Islam and Christianity.

It begins Wednesday, Sept 30, with an Introduction to Islam from 7:30to 9:00 p.m.  The series continues on Wednesdays in October when participants will meet in small groups, Christian and Muslims together, to share their experience and faith on a variety of topics. 

St John the Evangelist Church is on Cincinnati-Dayton Road just north of West Chester Road.  The meetings will take place in the Pavilion, a older one-story building located near the old sanctuary.  The entrance is directly from Cin-Day Road.

Sunday, Oct 4:  Gender, marriage, divorce, and children
Now that the By-Request sermon series is over, our Sunday worship will once again be focused on the standard Scripture readings (called the Lectionary) used by many Protestant and Catholic churches around the world.

This Sunday in Mark 10:2-16 Jesus takes on a host of thorny topics.  What starts off with a “simple” question about interpreting religious law becomes a challenging discussion about gender, marriage, divorce, and children.

The Nexus Singers and Band will inspire us with music. We'll share in prayer our joys and concerns.

Our worship will close with a brief observance of World Communion Sunday and then adjourn for our monthly first-Sunday potluck lunch.  Stay tuned for more news about that.

Neighbors in Need helps make another world possible.
Starting this Sunday, you are invited to make a special contribution to Neighbors in Need.

This is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States.

Two-thirds of the offering supports a variety of justice initiatives on issues such as the federal budget, voting rights, immigration, health care, hate crimes, civil liberties, and environmental justice.
One-third of the offering supports the UCC established churches with the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara, and Hocak in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, and northern Nebraska..

Giving to Neighbors in Need is an excellent opportunity for us to join with other UCC churches across the country and make another world possible.  To be sure it’s properly credited, please place your offering in the special envelopes available on the welcome table.

Report: Out in the community with Nexus

1. September was a busy month for Nexus folk to be active and visible in  communities throughout southwest Ohio.
2. In Oxford, Sept 10:  Judy and Warren Waldron invited Mike Underhilland Ed Shriver to join them for a special Ramadan dinner with Muslim students at the Campus Ministry at Miami University.  After the wonderful buffet meal, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish students talked about the ideas of fasting in each of their religions.
3. In West Chester, Sept 13: Nexus had its own table at the 6thAnnual Ramadan Iftar Dinner held at the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati near I75 and Tylersville Road.  Nexus folk included Sandi Lerman; Ty, Brian, Kayla, and Shayna Smith; Vince Benabese; and Mike Underhill.  We were joined in our table discussion by Jamil Shehzadj and other members of the Islamic Center.
4. In Lebanon, Sept 18 and 19:  It was a wonderfully hectic time as a team of Nexus volunteers fed, provided activities, and took care of three homeless mothers and their very active eight children.  Nexus folk included Helen Ulrich; Todd, Alice, Tyler, and Caitlin Henry; Leslie Baum; Janet Crawford; Vince Benabese and Mike Underhill.
5. In Cincinnati, Sept 26:The rains held off long enough for the Nexus team to complete the beautiful 5-mile walk to end AIDS.  Our virtual team (some weren’t able to walk because of illness and work) included Danna Johnson, Kay Martin, Corinne Cross, DJ and Marion Beauford Martin, Ty Smith, Vince Benabese, and Mike Underhill.
6. In Centerville, Sept 26:  Six Nexus members and friends joined the sold-out audience for the Jason and deMarco concert at Cross Creek Community Church.  While the music was great, Cross Creek Church really showed how a full-fledged justice ministry can attract support from young, middle-aged, and older folk.
7. In Butler County, Sept 28:  Lisa Schare, chair of Ohio Catholic Democrats of America, took questions from Barbara and Reg Olson and Mike Underhill about how to organize progressive people of faith.

Please let me know about other activities that I missed.  Nexus is not (yet) a numerically large presence in Southwest Ohio but we certainly already are a hopeful witness for equality, fair treatment, tolerance, and deep Christian faith in Southwest Ohio.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

Blessings for you today and every day,

Mike