A Humble Christmas at Acme Scenic Arts (bring your people)
Christmas Eve worship at 4:30PM with candles, costumes and carols led by Nate Houge.
If you want a simple, beautiful, unhassled Christmas Eve worship…if you want to light a candle and sing Silent Night…if you want to help act out the Christmas story or watch as others do…if you have always wanted to play Mary or Shepherd #2…this is the service for you.

Christmas Day Merry Christmas (no worship at HW)

Thank you
A great big thank you to Matt Holm and Arielle Taylor and Jean Hyde for feeding the crowd last Sunday. It has been a lovely season of sharing a table/floor/bench with you all. Thank you, Nate Houge, for leading our communal singing (ringing) during Advent.

With gratitude
Rachel Kurtz led some serious caroling at Claddagh Coffee last Sunday. We are grateful for you, Rachel Kurtz…and that you would connect with your coffee shop roots for us.

Holding the Space
Worship, Sunday, January 1 and January 8
For two Sundays, worship will look a bit different for us. You are invited to come and depart at your own pace. Quiet, small light, ample candles. We will hold the space for you. Begin the New Year in prayer with us. 4:30PM-5:30PM

Theology on Tap
Monday, January 9 at Shamrock’s. Topic: God the what? Guest theologian, Rev. Marc Ostlie-Olson. Yeah, boyee.

Study Week
Pastor Houge is starting the year off with study by taking a week of continuing education January 4-10. You will likely notice how much more learn-ed she is when you see her on January 11.

 Thank you
A great big thank you to Matt Holm and Nate Houge for feeding the crowd last Sunday.

Worship, Sunday, December 18
The fourth Sunday in Advent. We light four feisty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

Prelude
Want to put a few more Christmas songs in your Advent? Who wouldn’t!? Get yourself to Claddagh Coffee on Sunday, Dec. 18 from 3-4PM. Rachel Kurtz sings all the favorites (and might just draw you into the chorus).

Barnyard
After collecting our change offering for two Advent seasons, we have some serious bank. And we intend to spend it on goats, chickens, bees or whatever animal you vote for. Voting takes place this Sunday. Those 18 and under get two votes each. The rest of us get one.

A Humble Christmas at Acme Scenic Arts (bring your people)
Christmas Eve worship at 4:30PM with candles, costumes and carols led by Nate Houge.
If you want a simple, beautiful, unhassled Christmas Eve worship…if you want to light a candle and sing Silent Night…if you want to help act out the Christmas story or watch as others do…if you have always wanted to play Mary or Shepherd #2…this is the service for you.

Christmas Day Merry Christmas (no worship at HW)

Worship, Sunday, January 1
Begin the New Year with us. 4:30PM.

Theology on Tap
Monday, January 9 at Shamrock’s. Topic: God the what? Guest theologian, Rev. Marc Ostlie-Olson. Yeah, boyee.

Study Week
Pastor Houge is starting the year off with some learnin’ by taking a week of continuing education January 4-10. You will likely notice how much more learn-ed she is when you see her on January 11.

 Thank you
A great big thank you to Matt Holm and Nate Houge for feeding the crowd last Sunday.

Ice Skating (for all ages)
Are your kids clamoring for something to do? Drop them off at the Winterskate rink outside of the Landmark Center on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 3-5PM. Michelle and Jodi will supervise, help lace skates and provide Kleenex. Adults can stay or go. $3 for skate rental and piping hot chocolate.

Worship, Sunday, December 11
The third Sunday in Advent. We light three feisty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

Prelude
Want to put a few more Christmas songs in your Advent? Who wouldn’t!? Get yourself to Claddagh Coffee on Sunday, Dec. 18 from 3-4PM. Rachel Kurtz sings all the favorites (and might just draw you into the chorus).

Worship, Sunday, December 18
The fourth Sunday in Advent. We light four feisty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

A Humble Christmas at Acme Scenic Arts (bring your people)
Christmas Eve worship at 4:30PM with candles, costumes and carols led by Nate Houge.
If you want a simple, beautiful, unhassled Christmas Eve worship…if you want to light a candle and sing Silent Night…if you want to help act out the Christmas story or watch as others do…if you have always wanted to play Mary or Shepherd #2…this is the service for you.

Christmas Day Merry Christmas (no worship at HW)

We are halfway through Advent. This Sunday, we light the third candle. John the Witness visits…pointing us to Jesus. We are on our way.

We may have to delay Christmas, however. Seriously. I know we have been waiting, with an appropriate level of expectancy. We are prayfully observing this season. We are tending to our relationships and bodies with homemade soup and bread (hello, incarnation). But how can Jesus really come if we don’t have a baby for the dramatic reading on Christmas Eve?

Once again, the good folks at Christ on the Capitol are loaning us their amazing fleet of costumes. We have a lovely, low-key worship service in the works. There will be candles to hold, Silent Night to sing, a manger to hold the Christ-child…and you can play the role of Mary or Cow or Sheep or Angel or Shepherd.

Well, truth be told, the baby in our reading might be Big Baby (on loan from Elsa). Even so, Jesus will slip into the world and once again, transform the whole thing.

We are still getting used to our new worship location and we have learned a few things. We know our new landlords show us wonderful hospitality: our place is nicely warmed, the floors are buffed, the bathroom has ample TP and the bins we store are always, always where we leave them.

We know that when the Vikings are playing, lots of people will gather at Joe and Stan’s  (next door) to watch the game. And they will likely take all of the closest parking spots. Sports!

We know that there is ample foot traffic in front of our building. People pause at our window–noses press to the glass–as they pass by. (“What the heck are they doing in there?”) We know that if communion bread is missing, the kind manager at nearby Subway will sell us a couple of uncut loaves for a buck.

For this season of Advent, we put our bike-parts thurible outside our door, on the sidewalk. About fifteen minutes before worship begins, we light the coal and pile on some frankincense and myrrh incense. The smoke pours out–and both our eyes and noses experience a call to worship.

I especially love that when I go outside to light it, there is a group of smokers huddled together outside Joe and Stan’s. I laugh and light it up.

Man, church is weird.

Worship, Sunday, December 4
The second Sunday in Advent. We light two feisty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). John the Baptist shows up with locusts and wild honey for everyone. Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

Thank you
A great big thank you to Jean Hyde, Matt Holm and Nate Houge for feeding the crowd last Sunday.

Theology on Tap
Theology on Tap at Shamrock’s Pub, Monday, December 5. Topic: The Promise of Despair. Guest theologian: Dr. Andrew Root. Food+drink+conversation. We have room for you (both physically and theologically).

Ice Skating
Are your kids clamoring for something to do? Drop them off at the Winterskate rink outside of the Landmark Center on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 3-5PM. Michelle and Jodi will supervise, help lace skates and provide Kleenex. Adults can stay or go. $3 for skate rental and piping hot chocolate.

Worship, Sunday, December 11
The third Sunday in Advent. We light three feisty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

Prelude
Want to put a few more Christmas songs in your Advent? Who wouldn’t!? Get yourself to Claddagh Coffee on Sunday, Dec. 18 from 3-4PM. Rachel Kurtz sings all the favorites (and might just draw you into the chorus).

A Humble Christmas at Acme Scenic Arts (bring your people)
Christmas Eve worship at 4:30PM with candles, costumes and carols led by Nate Houge.
Christmas Day worship at 4:30PM with carols led by Rachel Kurtz.

Worship, Sunday, November 27
The first Sunday in Advent. We light feisty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). We hear from the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel of Mark. Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

Bowling
I know. You wish this event was for you. But chances are…if you are reading this…it’s not. It’s for our teens. Could you remind them? Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:30PM at RanHam. Questions? Ask Michelle.

Worship, Sunday, December 4
The second Sunday in Advent. We light fiesty candles of hope in the Advent wreath. Our artist-in-residence is Nate Houge (armed with bells and stringed things). We hear from the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel of Mark. Hungry? Stick around for a simple meal of soup and bread (provided).

Theology on Tap
Theology on Tap at Shamrock’s Pub, Monday, December 5. Topic: The Promise of Despair. Guest theologian: Dr. Andrew Root. Food+drink+conversation. We have room for you (both physically and theologically).

A Humble Christmas at Acme Scenic Arts (bring your people)
Christmas Eve worship at 4:30PM with candles, costumes and carols led by Nate Houge.

Christmas Day worship at 4:30PM with carols led by Rachel Kurtz.

You know why I love Thanksgiving? Because it means that the church season of Advent is only a few days away. It’s awfully nerdy, this love I have of the church seasons. But admit it–you have your own little nerd corner that you rule. Maybe it’s fantasy football or mowing the lawn a particular way or maybe it’s something you won’t even cop to in certain social circles. Not me–I’m putting it out there for all seven of you readers. I love the drama of the church calendar…and Advent reigns supreme.

Advent marks the four weeks leading up to Christmas. For four Sundays, we surround ourselves with blue altar cloths. We light candles in the Advent wreath. We huddle together in the growing darkness. We sing songs about expectant, hope-filled longing. And we wait.

All of that is set against another story we might be living. And that story might include: addiction, incredibly messy family systems, weariness, unemployment, life-sucking employment, loneliness, depression, grief, eating disorders. Did you read that list and think, “Oh, those poor folks. I am so glad I don’t have to deal with any of those things.” Okay, then how about the onslaught of consumerism? If you breathe, you can’t help but be swept up into the Black Friday, early Black Friday, post Black Friday buy! buy! buy! It seeps into all the cracks and tells us how to have a Holly Jolly Christmas (read: spend your money on this product or experience).

A few weeks ago, a pilot group of Humble folks gathered for a simple meal and talked about what Advent offers. We listened to one another talk about the pressure we feel…to provide a “good” Christmas for our people…all the while being aware of the reality of our broken lives. What I heard was a strong voice to keep our community and worship life simple. Humble, if you will. We don’t want to do more or add more. Mostly, we want to be intentional with the relationships we have with one another.

Then, a few folks offered to make and provide soup and bread for the community. And a new 2011 Advent discipline was born. You are invited to sit with us. To sing songs of hope. To wait. To light candles. To hear the words of the prophets and that reckless Messiah. Then, if you are hungry, stick around for a bowl of soup and some bread.

Final Operation Caffeination for the season is Friday, November 16. Mojo Donuts, hot coffee. Led by Ryan and Nate (stop by between 7 and 8AM and say “hi.”)

Worship, Sunday, November 20
We gather with the prophet Isaiah. Swords might be beaten into plowshares. Erin DeBoer-Moran leads our communal song. Word. Water. Wine. Bread…provided.

Worship, Sunday, November 27
The first Sunday in Advent. Newspaper Prelude. Advent wreath. Nate Houge leads us in a new liturgy.

Bowling
I know. You wish this event was for you. But chances are…if you are reading this…it’s not. It’s for our teens. Could you remind them? Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:30PM at RanHam. Questions? Ask Michelle.

Theology on Tap
Theology on Tap at Shamrock’s Pub, Monday, December 5. Topic: The Promise of Despair. Guest theologian: Dr. Andrew Root. Food+drink+conversation. We have room for you (both physically and theologically).

A Humble Christmas at Acme Scenic Arts
Christmas Eve worship at 4:30PM with candles, costumes and carols led by Nate Houge.  Christmas Day worship at 4:30PM with carols led by Rachel Kurtz

I love guest preaching in other congregations. It reminds me that the church is broad and strange and deeply contextual. I get to see the faithfully gathered–and they often look a bit different than Humble Walk. For instance, half of their population isn’t eight and under. Also, there are people with loads of grey hair. This is a joy for me. I grew up around a lot of elderly folks–so it feels like coming home.

Sitting down at post-worship coffee, I look for the table of rowdy elders. The group who has seen it all–and whose tact is a bit worn around the edges. Recently, a ninety-year-old with generous amounts of shocking red lipstick said, “We are getting used to the new pastor. Some people left because of the old one. New members have come because of this one. Oh, and of course some left because of that vote about calling gay pastors. Seems like a silly reason to leave a church if you ask me.” Don’t you love her?

Another asked me, with shoulders raised and a bit of a mischievous grin, “Are you still holding church in a saloon?” “Oh, you mean Theology on Tap? Yes, we are–you should come.” She laughed and said, “Oh, I don’t drive at night.” Anyone want to pick her up for the next round of Theology on Tap? I want her at the saloon with us.