The Loop / May 14, 2024
Catch Up with the Last series:
This Week’s Announcements:
BELONG // FAMILY RETREAT WEEKEND!
This Friday-Sunday, folks from Revolution will be gathering at Camp Harmison in Berkeley Springs, WV for our annual Family Retreat Weekend! The event involves light camping, but if that’s not your speed, don’t worry: you are also welcome to stay in a hotel in Berkeley Springs for as much (or as little) of the weekend as you like and hang out at the camp during the days. For those who are planning to stay on-site at Harmison, here’s the rundown:
We will be staying at the upper pavilion at the camp. To get there, set your GPS for 943 Harmison Ln, Berkely Springs, WV. The path will take you up the hill east from town on Route 9/Martinsburg Rd, and then just past Mount Zion United Methodist Church (watch for the big cemetery), take a right on Harmison Ln. Follow that road onto the camp property and then stay left to get to the camping area. Folks are welcome to arrive anytime after 4pm on Friday, and remember, there is a kitchen with stoves, ovens, and fridges on site: so no need to bring a cooler or camp stove!
As for activities, this is meant to be a really relaxing weekend, so the main “things to do” are hanging out, talking, eating, reading, napping, and possibly playing catch or going for a walk. On Saturday, a group will probably head somewhere for a moderate hike and/or head into town to get ice cream… but, otherwise, just plan to enjoy some time outdoors!
If you’re skipping the retreat this year, PLEASE REMEMER: THERE IS NO CHURCH SERVICE AT MILLS-PAROLE THIS SUNDAY. Enjoy the morning off, and try to find something relaxing to do, too!
If you haven’t sign up yet, you can still register by clicking HERE!
BECOME // TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week, and guess what? The donuts, bagels, and gift cards you all donated towards last Sunday were delivered last week to the teachers and staff here at Mills Parole, and they were greatly appreciated! We want to be a real support to our hosts at MPES, and your generosity makes it possible for us to continue to strengthen this relationship!
If you missed out on this opportunity, we also have some more good news: there is another chance to support MPES coming up on June 6! That will be the school’s annual Field Day, and they are looking for volunteers who can work a shift between 8am and 2pm. Volunteers will be helping teachers run the events for the kids, and this is an easy and meaningful way to help out. There is no experience (or specific clearance) required for this event… all you have to do is get in touch with Cathy Miller to let her know you want to help! You can reach Cathy at cathygrowinghealthy@gmail.com, or by talking with her on Sunday.
BELONG // CATCHING UP WITH THE “ENGAGE” SMALL GROUP
The ENGAGE group is currently tackling the topic of Christian involvement with politics and what that looks like as Christians. They are using a virtual curriculum called The After Party, and everyone is invited to join them for this study over the next 5 weeks. The group meets on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. The Zoom “room” is 921-2143-7886 and the password is RevLocal3. They would love to see you!
If you can’t commit to the group but you still want to get involved, there’s also an opportunity coming up on June 14. Our very own “polarization expert,” Andy Hanauer, will be speaking with the ENGAGE group at 7pm at the Pfeifers’ home to share about his non-profit organization, One America. You won’t want to miss it! There’s no cost, and everyone is welcome.
BELONG // BUILDING COMMUNITY FOR WOMEN AT REVOLUTION!
The women of Revolution have updates! In addition to a new, monthly fellowship gathering, we have also started a new GroupMe channel for staying in touch! Both Apple and Android phones can use the app, so give it a quick download and then reach out to either Maggie Young or Emily Heller to join the conversation!
Also, the next in-person event will be a Spring clothing (and accessories) “swap” on May 25th after the service at noon at Emily Heller’s home (again at the Severn Condos, ehhel3986@gmail.com or youngmaggie14@gmail.com for exact address and parking details). Please give your items to Emily to organize ahead of time, or bring them at the time of the event. Clean out your closet, see what treasures you may find, and any left over items will be donated to charity!
What’s that? There’s MORE?! You can also go ahead and mark your calendars for June 23: women are invited to meet up for lunch and then head out for a hike that day, and you are more than welcome to join!
BELONG // ONLINE BIBLE STUDY GROUP
The Online Bible Study is a great place to get involved in community and expand your understanding of Scripture… all from the comfort of home! The group is currently in a 10-session study on Christian Community covering what it means to be a part of a local church. This will be followed in June by a study called Faith: Depending on God: this 9-session study will hopefully lead to discussion on how faith works, what happens when we face uncertainty in our dealings with God, and all sorts of other questions. After that (sometime in August), the group will break for a few weeks and then dive into Letters to the Church. You are always invited to jump in with these studies any time! The group meets on Monday nights over Zoom, and for more information about how to get involved, just get in touch with our Discipleship Lay Leader, Dante Griffin, at dangriff67@gmail.com!
BELIEVE // COFFEE, ANYONE?
Do you have questions? Doubts? Would you just like to talk through things with someone? Kenny is also always up for that, too! Just send him an email (kenny@revolutionannapolis.com) or text (803.727.8500).
BECOME // SUPPORTING REVOLUTION CHURCH
At Revolution, we believe that our church needs to be a witness to God’s bottomless love and an example of what it means to wrestle and grow with our faith together. Following Jesus isn’t easy! But even in our doubts, if we take the things we are struggling to believe and put them into practice together, we learn to ask better questions and live in ways that are more beneficial for others.
If you want to join us in this mission, you can be a part in a few different ways:
First, you can commit to presence: it is our sincere hope as a church that you find real purpose and meaning in being a part of our services and groups at Revolution. They exist for you! But have you ever thought about what you have to offer those gatherings in return? Your unique perspective, hopes, experiences, and struggles are part of the bigger story of our church. You have an important part to play here, and that part begins by making faithful presence a priority!
Second, you can commit to generosity: we want to imitate God’s generosity by looking for ways we can share what we have been given with others to bring hope, justice, and safety to our neighbors. One way you can practice that generosity is by supporting our ministry here at Revolution financially: we are a non-profit organization committed to maintaining a Christian ministry in Annapolis, forgiving the debts of our neighbors, and financially supporting both church plants and existing churches in our area. Your gifts help keep this commitment going! But we also want to make sure you know that giving is important no matter where you do it: find a non-profit, charity, or aid organization whose cause you support and make a plan to be faithful and generous towards them! God can do more with our resources than we can… and giving is one of the practical ways we put our trust in what He can do.
Third, you can commit to service: here at Revolution, we are in need of all sorts of volunteers to keep our ministry going. If you are available to help out on any of our Sunday morning teams, or with any of our groups or other outreach ministries during the week, we need you! This is a great way to contribute to the church… and to make new friends.
The city of Annapolis needs help, too! If you are able, make time in your week to participate in a routine act of service for our community. There are multiple food pantries we support, all of whom need help, as well as opportunities to work with kids in need of tutoring, care for unhoused residents in our city who need assistance, and serve as an advocate for a variety of justice-seeking non-profits working to make Annapolis a more equitable place to live. For help a place to serve, just talk with Kenny (kenny@revolutionannapolis.com) or our Community Engagement Lay Leader, Cathy Miller (cathygrowinghealthy@gmail.com).
BELONG // STAY IN THE LOOP ALL WEEK LONG!
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