Come check out Broad and Washington’s BRAND NEW open mic night. Share your fave meta-fiction, short stories, and poems. Debut your latest musings, haikus, or prose. First person works are welcome as well (i.e. diary entries, letters, Gchats, etc.) Love lit? Then this night is for you.
Free Speech
Friday 7/23/10 at 7:30pm
Broad and Washington: 1125 S. Broad St. 19147
A collection of good things happening all around us lately.
Manor BIC Young Adults group visits
A group of 13 young adults from Manor Church in Lancaster, PA spent five days last week living in Philadelphia and working with Circle of Hope and the communities they are a part of.
The group volunteered at both Circle Thrift locations. They also worked closely with Jeremiah Alexander, who is a member of the Frankford and Norris congregation, in his work with refugees in Philadelphia.
The group also worshiped at the Frankford and Norris public meeting on Sunday. The group had a great time getting aquatinted with the city and with Circle of Hope.
Hive 2010—7 minute huddle
A group of attenders, mostly from the Frankford and Norris congregation, met on Sunday to listen and learn more about the next Church plant. Circle of Hope is looking to plant another congregation in the fall.
Baby Goods Exchange
Friends and neighbors got a chance to swap baby goods and clothes on Sunday at Frankford and Norris. Stay tuned for the location of the next baby goods exchange!
A collection of good things happening all around us lately.
Circle Thrift Clothing Swap
Over 60 people turned out for Circle Thrift’s first-ever clothing swap on Saturday. The event was held from 2-5pm in the main worship space upstairs at the Broad and Washington congregation.
The room was decorated with funky posters; some were creative, some had inspiring messages of peace. There was a random, yet interesting collection of pictures showing on the projector and enough indie music to soothe any swapper’s soul.
Kylee, Dianca, Elizabeth, Lindsay and Katie helped make the clothing swap possible!
There was also a huge table of snacks in the lobby, complete with an array of snacks and vegan treats.
More importantly, we had the chance to meet some new neighbors and welcome them into our space. The chance to mingle over plaid shirts, skinny jeans and hummus doesn’t happen every day. It was a delightful and refreshing way to use our space!
Click here to see more photos from the event on our Facebook page.
Shalom House—soon to be home to four peacemakers
Yesterday, Shalom House reported that it will have a new member join them this summer. Kristen Ridgeway will become the fourth member in the house.
Emily Kephart, who lives in the house, spoke about Kristen’s decision to accept the invitation from Shalom House.
“Kristen just graduated from Haverford College with a degree in Psychology. She also has an interest in restorative justice and community organizing. Kristen brings many talents and much enthusiasm to our community, and we are glad to have her!”
Shalom House provides community for committed peacemakers to spend at least two years deepening and applying their calling in Philadelphia and learning about and connecting to God’s worldwide community of peacebuilders. The house lives in peace, works in the community for peace daily, creates a network of peacemakers and includes Circle of Hope in it.
Shalom House has two more available rooms. Visit shalomhouse.us for more information on who they are and also how to apply, if interested.
More information on Kristen and her move coming soon!
About a month ago, Elizabeth Wotring left her Center City apartment and moved into Shalom House in West Philly. Shalom House is an intentional community that proactively pursues Jesus’ call for Christians to be peacemakers, to love our neighbors and enemies, to work out our conflicts, to reconcile and to speak out in truth and love about violence and injustice that plagues our world.
Elizabeth, 24, joins Mimi Copp and Emily Kephart in the house, which is located at 51st and Pine. Circle of Hope summer intern Heather Eisenberger is also spending the season at Shalom House as she fulfills her compassionate duties.
The path to becoming a Shalom House member wasn’t that clear-cut for Elizabeth, she said. Although Elizabeth is not new to Philadelphia, she is relatively new to Circle of Hope and is still figuring it out.
Elizabeth moved to Philadelphia from western Maryland in 2005 to attend Philadelphia University to pursue interior design. About a year ago, she was talking with a friend about churches in the area and he suggested Circle of Hope.
The first Sunday Elizabeth came to Broad and Washington, she met Ben White who introduced her to Forest, who asked her to play on his worship team the next week. The next week she played on Forest’s team and was introduced to Rachel who asked Elizabeth to play on her team the following week. Months later, Elizabeth still regularly contributes on Rachel’s worship team. She is also a cell leader apprentice for Petagaye’s cell that meets in South Philly and Nathan’s kid’s cell that meets on the mezzanine on Sundays.
Elizabeth made a covenant at the January 2010 Love Feast (this was only the second one she attended). That is where Elizabeth met Mimi. Rachel encouraged Elizabeth to talk to Mimi about Shalom House.
Elizabeth credits Rachel with pushing her to explore the potential she could have at Shalom House.
“She was gung-ho about me doing this from the start and would not even listen to any of the doubts I had. She planted the seed and watered it and staked it,” Elizabeth said.”
Elizabeth said she was a bit hesitant about the decision, but thankful for the support of friends that helped her get to a more comfortable place.
“Shalom House was still kind of a mystery while I was moving in, but I saw it as a way to support Circle of Hope and overall a good direction for me to go as a person,” Elizabeth said. “I want to get involved in making peace in this world and so currently I feel like a student learning what I can and helping when possible.”
Elizabeth said she is finding it easy to embrace and interact as a member of Shalom House and is also experiencing some personal growth.
“Right now I’m kind of just enjoying living in a community where people want me around, that in itself is pretty great. But I would like to learn how to open up more. I’ve come a long way already, but I still have a ways to go.
Elizabeth is also adjusting to a schedule that is filled with meetings and potlucks and prayer time, which is something new. The house gathers for prayer at 7am on weekdays. On Monday nights, they host an open potluck and on Wednesday nights, they gather for a house meeting.
As she continues to develop her role as a proactive peacemaker in Shalom House and the community, Elizabeth says she is thankful for the intentional community environment and the presence they are in the city.
“Actions speak louder than words. Lead by example. This is why a peace-seeking community needs to live in intentional community. It’s easy to say you want peace for the world, but not so easy to live peace in your community,” Elizabeth said. “I think Shalom House is a great way to test out peace and educate others in our community.”
Elizabeth is excited about the opportunities at Shalom House to share peace with others.
“I want peace and more importantly, Jesus wants peace, but I am just an ordinary person trying to offer up what I can to help promote peace. We’ve been reading 1Corinthians in cell and I can really identify. I don’t feel ready to talk, to write, to be heard, but even in my insecurities, I know God can use me.”
Last night, over 100 people gathered for the second annual Shalom House Festival at Broad and Washington. This year, the theme of the night was Peacemaking as a Vocation.
Ben White and niece Lucia White just having a good time
The night began with a potluck meal of soup and bread. Folks sat in circles of six or eight and shared their thoughts on what their own vocation is and how peacemaking might fit into that role.
Angie Petersen and Sarah Siaahan, Forest Heinzenknecht, Kent Ellingson, Carl Stovner and DJ Robinson shared original lyrics and music they had created with peacemaking in mind.
Mary Bucher, Ruth Scobey and Jeremy Avellino each shared personal stories of peacemaking and how they apply it to their daily lives.
Mimi Copp, a member of Shalom House, also presented a peacemaking award. The award went to Ann Guise and the Bright Lights.
The Bright Lights Initiative, according to their Web site, www.thebrightlights.org, aims to foster high standards in literacy, cultural awareness and citizenship among school-aged children who attend Philadelphia area elementary schools. By creating an environment in which participating students become agents in their own learning, children become avid readers who are well-informed citizens and are eager to contribute to the larger concept of society.
Guise is the program director for the BLI. She accepted the award with three young students from T M Pierce Elementary School at 23rd and Cambria Sts. in North Philadelphia. Also accepting the award with Guise and the students was Mark Savage Jr., 25, who is also a product of the Bright Lights program.
Ann Guise and Mark Savage Jr. share a hug in celebration of the peacemaking award
Savage, an aspiring filmmaker, showcased his talent at the festival—a video he shot and assembled about Guise and the Bright Lights was shown last night. The video was well received and much of the audience stood up and applauded for Savage. You can see some of his work here, including the video he did on the Bright Lights students: http://vimeo.com/user491523/videos/sort:date.
The Croatan drummers and dancers also entertained the crowd with their African beats. A highlight of the evening, many festival goers got up out of their seats and started moving around the space, being led by the dancers.
The Croatan dancers lead the festival in song and dance
Throughout the evening, attendees also had the option of making a peace flag that could be added to the clothesline for all to see. Many participated and the space became full of unique flags that symbolize the individuals and their connection to peace. There are plans to sew the flags together to make one, cohesive peace quilt.
Stay tuned about next year’s Shalom House Festival and keep up with what they are doing by visiting their Web site, www.shalomhouse.us.
1125 South Broad Street 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19147
(map it!)
Pastor - Rod White
PMs are Sundays at 5:00pm and 7:00pm
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2009 Frankford Avenue 1st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19125
(map it!)
Pastor - Joshua Grace
PMs are Sundays 5:00pm and 7:00pm
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3800 Marlton Pike Pennsauken NJ, 08110
(map it!)
Pastor - Nate Hulfish
PMs are Sundays at 5:00pm and 7:00pm
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1901 Girard Ave Philadelphia PA 19130
(The Berean Institute) (map it!)
Pastor - Jonny Rashid
PMs are Sundays at 5:00pm and 7:00pm
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