Easter

Next Sunday we will celebrate Easter together at our house. True to the spirit of EmDes, there is nothing super-structured planned, and we would love for anyone and everyone (yes, you!) to contribute to our meeting, whether that be through a reading, song, prayer, thought, discussion point...

Adam and I are planning to lead a couple songs, and any other musicians are welcome to join us or to bring a song of your own to share.

Another point of interest: BRUNCH! Last year we had some awesome food so let's keep the tradition going! I will make a cheesy potato dish and we'll also provide the coffee. If you know what you'd like to bring, go ahead and leave a comment so we can get a feel for what else is needed. Ideas: fruit, juice, muffins, an egg dish, whatever...

(My stomach is already rumbling just typing that.)

As always, we will gladly welcome you if all you bring is yourself!

We'll also do an egg hunt for the littles, so if you (parents) are able to bring a dozen or so filled eggs per kid, that would be great.

Looking forward to next week!

*Emerging Desert Easter Brunch*

When: Sunday, April 4th

Time: 9am

Where: The Bamford House/Backyard

Convergence DVDs

Awhile ago, Donald Miller had posted a free "Convergence" dvd sampler set that I sent in my information for, and I received it today. I thought maybe we could keep the dvd in mind post-Rohr as we're trying to decide on what to do next. There are only three sessions on the sampler dvd:
1. Frustration and False Gods: Living in a Fallen World - Donald Miller, Dan Allender, and Tremper Longman
2. Spiritual Practices: How to Meet God in the Everyday - Donald Miller and Lauren Winner
3. Breaking the Ice: Learning to Share our Stories - Donald Miller and Phyllis Tickle

Here's the link to the website (obviously the sampler is a promotional tool to have groups actually buy the full dvd sets, but nonetheless): www.allthingsconverge.com

The dvds are made for "small groups," though considering that Donald Miller is at the forefront and considering the people he is conversing with, the term "small group" is probably just the literal/denotative meaning (minus the emotional/connotative meaning some of us may relate to the phrase). Anyway, I can preview them and let you know my personal opinion if you'd like, or I can just bring the dvd to EmDes next Sunday, or everyone can ignore that I even said anything - it's all good yo.

Bridging Gaps

Laundry Love - March 4, 2010

It was very busy. Matt (the gracious laundry owner) said he didn't think there were as many people, but I'm pretty sure we were as busy if not more busy than any night before. We went through about $170 in quarters helping with laundry for 10-12 families and bachelors who are having a hard time making ends meet.

Matt usually helps out with repairs and making sure we can get the machines working correctly, but this time he also jumped in helping to pour laundry soap and plugging quarters. My daughter Carolyn came along and mostly took pictures and played with kids, but was also getting into helping plug quarters in machines as well. You can find some of her pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=153703&id=199692411247&saved

We think about living paycheck to paycheck while these families bring in a months worth of laundry so their kids can have some clean clothes to go to school. I noticed while folding clothes with Marciella (mother of family that is there every month) that much of their clothes are permanantly stained, tattered, and just kind of things most of our kids wouldn't wear. And yet the kids and family are happy, and the oldest boy loves to talk and gets excited when telling about his favorite TV programs. Love those kids.

At one point in the evening, Oralia (who doesn't speak much Spanish either) was attempting to connect with Marciella (who doesn't speak English). I'm not sure I understand why, but Marciella pointed at me and told Oralia, he speaks Spanish. I was amazed...in my dozen words of Spanish vocabulary, just attempting to be kind, sharing the work of doing laundry, and smiling thru it all we somehow communicated enough that she thought I was speaking her language.

There were many of the usual families there, which we love reconnecting with every month, but some new faces as well like this young mother with cutest little guy named Ricardo. While Joy (who stopped in after work late in the evening) and I helped her fold her laundry, our daughter Carolyn pushed Ricardo around the laundromat in one of the carts. During the folding, she asks us "why are you doing this?" Searching for answers, the best that came to mind was "we want to help".

Thursday Night Movie

(Posting on behalf of Tessa:)

Are any of the ladies interested in a girls night?

This Thursday, in celebration of International Women's Day, a few theaters in the Phoenix area will be showing a film based on the bestseller Half the Sky.

This inspiring book (I am assuming the movie as well) chronicles women from around the world that are able to turn their tragedy and oppression into opportunity and empowerment. The film begins at 7:30 at the AMC Mesa Grand 24 on Stapley.

If anyone's interested, leave a comment and we'll get in touch! Hope to see you there!