Harvard Divinity School Methodists

Meeting Tomorrow!

2010-10-05T11:07:00.001-04:00

I hope you are enjoying this wonderful New England fall weather! (Seriously, isn't it great?!)

Anyway, this is your friendly weekly reminder that our Covenant Group will meet tomorrow morning at 8:00am in Divinity Hall.

Adam Wert has offered to provide a light breakfast. Thank you Adam!

We hope to see you all there!

2010-09-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

Greetings HDS Methodists,

I hope the start to your academic year has gone well. This important email is to remind you of upcoming events and to ask for further suggestions.

1) The Student Activities Fair is this Tuesday, September 7, from 5:30-6 in the Braun Room (Community Tea starts at 4:30). Thank you to Allison and Jessica for agreeing to be there (and, Thomas, if you can be there too that would be great! The more representation the better!)

2) Also on Tuesday, we meet with the Wednesday Noon Service Steering Committee to discuss our plans for our upcoming Noon Service on September 22. All who can be in attendance for this meeting on September 7 please come! We must have an outline for our service by then. It sounds like we are in agreement to open with prayer and then intersperse scripture readings between several hymns. WE NEED MORE HYMN SUGGESTIONS! So far we have Lord of the Dance, Of for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, and God of the Sparrow...ALSO, would someone like to deliver a short homily? We have 45 minutes to an hour to fill so maybe even two short ones? Allison, would you like to speak on how your Methodist faith impacts your view of religious tolerance, especially as it pertains to the mosque issue in NYC? Will anyone else offer to give a homily?

3) Our FIRST Wednesday Morning Covenant Group will meet this Wednesday, September 8, at 8:00am on the first floor of Divinity Hall. We will be meeting in the small room with the computer that is to the left of Belva's. The Religious Group Leaders Meeting conflicts with this time so I am sure we will be missing a few members (myself included) but I look forwarded to starting off a new year of HDS Methodist's Covenant Group!

Thank you all and have a great three-day weekend!

As the year draws to a close...

2010-05-11T08:17:00.003-04:00

The 2009-2010 academic year was a great one for us HDS Methodists. We had enough interest from our enthusiastic first-year class and enough returning second and third year students to reinstate the weekly Covenant Group meetings. Through our early Wednesday morning meetings we made new friends with whom to share our joys and concerns, friends we now meet for coffee in between classes and friends we work closely with on other committees and service organizations. With your help we will continue and grow the HDS Methodist presence on campus next year and continue to "strengthen the bonds that unite us."

At this time of year, I want to wish you all Good Luck! Sometimes that seems to be all we can say to one another :-) Good luck on final exams, final papers, job applications, moving, summer language study, CPE, continuing the steps of ordination, travel, preaching, and welcoming new life. God be with you in all that you do.

Keep in touch over the summer...check the blog once in awhile. We HDS Methodists will surely be meeting for Covenant Group next year but there may be more going on...new activities, new opportunities. So check back in and offer up your opinions as we discuss where to take the HDS Methodists in the 2010-2011 academic year!

Last Covenant Meeting

2010-04-28T09:33:00.002-04:00

Greetings all! This morning was our last Covenant Group meeting of the 2009-2010 academic year! It has been wonderful sharing that time and space with you all, and I look forward to next year when we can welcome new students into the fold. Just a reminder, tomorrow night is our first HDS Methodist Retreat at the Queen's Head, 7-8pm. Hope to see you all there! Good luck with final exams and essays!

HDS Methodist "Retreat"!

2010-04-14T23:28:00.000-04:00

Come one, Come All! To the 2010 HDS Methodists Retreat!

Who: All HDS Methodists and their significant others!

What: The first HDS Methodist Retreat! (unofficial)

Where: Queen's Head Pub, on Harvard's campus. The Queen's Head has a full kitchen with lots of good eats, and both nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages. There is also a dart board (YES!), pool table, and a shuffle board table! Come to have fun, hang out, chat about summer plans and just spend time with your fellow HDS Methodist students!

When: Thursday, April 29 at 7:00-8:00pm (and stay for Team Trivia at 8!...We would make an awesome team!).

The Wednesday before (April 28) is the LAST day of Classes, so come CELEBRATE before diving into final papers and exams!

Contact Daniel (hit REPLY) if you have any questions at all!

See you there!

New Positions for 2010-2011

2010-04-05T07:24:00.002-04:00

HDS Methodists! It is now that time of year when we need to declare our intent to be an Officially Recognized Group at HDS for 2010-2011. And, of course, we intend to be! However, in order to accomplish this task, we need 2 new committee members: a Treasurer and an Events Contact person. These positions are currently being held by the dynamic duo of Emma Crossen and Mike Nilon, but alas they are graduating this year. The jobs are not strenuous, and are more a formality than an actual responsibility since our activities consist of mainly our Covenant Group. But...if you so chose there is, of course, much room for growth; if you would like to make a commitment to either of these positions and take it to the next level (Methodist service opportunities, more involvement with other groups on campus, etc.) let me know either by email or at Wednesday morning Covenant Group. We need your signature ASAP! Thanks, and Happy Easter!

First Meeting of 2010!

2010-01-23T11:09:00.002-05:00

Welcome Back HDS Methodists!

We will resume our weekly covenant meetings this Wednesday, January 27 at 8:00am. We will meet in our usual location: on the first floor of Divinity Hall. We hope to see all the "regulars" back as well as all you who had scheduling conflicts last semester...this is a great opportunity to join us and experience the community and fellowship of the HDS Methodist Covenant Meetings!

Pre-Thanksgiving Covenant Group!

2009-11-24T19:46:00.001-05:00

Greetings all!

We will be meeting tomorrow morning at 8:00am to covenant together. If you are still around (and awake) please come by and join your fellow HDS Methodists in prayer and discussion. If you have left or are busy packing up...enjoy your break and may you have a safe and peaceful Thanksgiving.

Our Covenant....Finally Posted!

2009-11-13T18:00:00.000-05:00

Our Covenant

Preamble

Christian discipleship is not a solitary enterprise, but it is most fully lived out in the context of community. We rejoiced in the gift of one another’s presence along our journeys of faith and commit ourselves to strengthening the bonds that unite us. We promise to watch over each other in love, to respect the full personhood of each member of our group, and to help one another, God being our helper, to grow in grace and in service to others. God blesses us beyond our ability to comprehend, placing us in a world of startling beauty and unlimited possibilities. We humbly acknowledge our tendency to take these blessings for granted and, by what we do actively or passively, to contribute to the world’s sorrow. Therefore, in gratitude for all of God’s gifts to us, we covenant together to use faithfully the power that is ours to preserve and enhance the created order, to work for justice in the human community, and to live our lives as committed and compassionate followers of Jesus Christ.

Acts of Compassion

· We will approach each person as a sacred mystery. We will not judge, but will listen. We will express our appreciation.

· We will seek to improve and maintain meaningful conversation with our friends and families.

· We will spend a minimum of four hours each month helping disadvantaged persons.

Acts of Justice

· We will not remain silent before injustice in the political arena, in the classroom, or in personal relationships.

· We will notice what is going on around us, seek to understand, and act.

· We will take risks on behalf of others,.

Acts of Devotion

· We will treat our bodies as a trust from God and manifestation of God’s handiwork.

· We will spend 15 to 30 minutes each day in devotional silence, prayer, and/or study of the scriptures.

· We will keep a discipleship journal, making entries at least once each week.

· We will keep a list of those for whom we are praying.

Acts of Worship

· We will attend worship at least once per week.

· We will give away one tenth of all we receive.

· We will seek to learn about and experience worship forms different from our own.

Spiritual Promptings and Warnings

· We will identify and refuse temptations.

· We will turn ourselves in new directions when we become aware of sin in our lives.

· We will keep a record of the ways in which we perceive God to be leading us.

· We will take responsibility for healing broken relationships in our lives.

Upcoming Event!

2009-11-09T15:51:00.000-05:00

The annual Edward L. Mark Lecture will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Elaine Wainwright, Richard Maclaurin Goodfellow Professor in Theology and Head of the School of Theology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, will deliver the lecture and has chosen as her topic, "Parable and Parabler, Habitat and Humanity: Telling Gospel Stories Anew in the Face of the Ecological Imperative."

The Lecture is free and open to the public. Harvard-Epworth is located three blocks north of the Harvard Square Red Line “T” stop; across from Cambridge Common and adjacent to Harvard Law School, and is handicapped accessible.

For more information about the lecture or to reserve seating, contact Harvard-Epworth by phone at 617-354-0837 or by email at harvardepworth@verizon.net.

Holiday Covenant Group at Au Bon Pain!!!

2009-11-09T14:54:00.002-05:00

Greetings HDS Methodists,

A few of your fellow Methodists have agreed to meet this Wednesday, even though it is a University/State holiday. If you will be around or want to get a good start to the morning for a day's worth of catching up and paper-writing, please join us! We will be meeting at 9:00am at the Au Bon Pain in Harvard Square (delicious pastries and coffee!!). If you are busy...have a wonderful relaxing holiday and see you next week!

Change in Tomorrow's Covenant Group!

2009-10-27T16:01:00.003-04:00

This is a reminder that tomorrow we will be diverging from the usual. The Covenant Group WILL still meet at 8:00am in Divinity Hall, but we will be leaving at 8:30 to attend the breakfast hosted by EcoDiv (and our own Emma Crossen!). This event, featuring the fascinating Dr. Sallie McFague, will be a discussion centering around climate change and spirituality. Also, if you are interested, Wednesday night Dr. McFague will be presenting her lecture entitled "Cities, Climate Change, and Christianity: Religion and Sustainable Urbanism". The lecture will take place in the Sperry Room from 5:15-7:00pm. Dr. McFague is quiet a distinguished scholar in this field and this is a great opportunity to hear her. Enjoy and see you all Wednesday!

A New Opportunity for Fellowship and Service!

2009-10-20T13:41:00.001-04:00

Something brand new gets underway at Harvard-Epworth on Wednesday evening, October 21st! We are working to form a new community of fellowship, service, study, and worship. Based on the biblical injunction to “Do Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk Humbly with God”, the community will meet weekly at 6:45 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church (right near the Law School!). We will begin the evening by sharing together a simple meal of hot soup, bread and salad. During our time together we will reflect upon acts of community service performed during the week and we will renew our commitment to act together for justice in our local community and in the world. There will also be a “study period” consisting of engaging discussion about what it means to be a “Progressive Christian” in contemporary America. Such discussion topics will include: “What does it mean to follow Jesus instead of worship Jesus?”, “The Problem of Religious Exclusivity, Inclusivity and Pluralism”, and “Taking the Bible seriously, not literally.” Each Wednesday evening will conclude with a celebration and exploration of our faith through worship and song. A team of leaders from Harvard-Epworth has been planning this launch for many months. We warmly invite anyone and everyone to attend this program. The evening will conclude by 8:15. Please come and just bring yourself!

Weekly Covenant Group Continues!

2009-10-13T15:06:00.002-04:00

We will be meeting tomorrow morning as usual at 8:00am in Divinity Hall. Donuts will be provided! Just bring yourselves. As a quick reminder, you are all welcome to come weekly, monthly, or yearly! Come when you are able.

Reminder: Covenant Group Wednesday!

2009-09-28T21:21:00.002-04:00

Just another reminder: all are welcome to join us this Wednesday for our weekly Covenant Group meeting at 8:00am on the first floor of Divinity Hall. The Covenant Group is meeting every week, but please feel free to attend whenever you can/want...we'd love to see you! A light breakfast will be provided, bring your own drinks. See you Wednesday!

A note of appreciation

2009-09-25T14:41:00.002-04:00

I want to express my appreciation to Scott for inviting me and the covenant members for including me in the meeting on Wednesday. Less than a month into my first year at EDS, and I am bracing myself daily for what Tillich refers to as 'ontological shock.' For me doing theology means swimming gracelessly through a sea of jellyfish. The covenant group offered an hour to catch my breath and reaffirm my commitment to Christian community as that supportive place to wrestle through our faith. It was an honor to listen as Alyssa (name?), Thomas and others share their concerns about feeling privileged and confused. One thing in particular impressed me; I heard students share their experiences but refrain from giving advice in the form of solutions. I wonder if premature solutions to problems rob us of deepening our relationship to God and each other. Some questions are meant to be life-long wrestling partners where our most faithful answer is "I don't know."

Reminder: Covenant GroupTomorrow!

2009-09-22T17:19:00.002-04:00

For all who are interested (or able), the Covenant Group will meet tomorrow morning at 8:00am on the first floor of Divinity Hall. To restate an earlier post, this is a completely optional meeting; you do NOT need to attend every week in order to be a part of the Covenant Group...come whenever you can, even if its just once this semester! If you can make it, great...see you there!

2009-09-17T23:18:00.001-04:00

By the way...the picture above is not a secret area of HDS that you have yet to discover. It is in fact Oxford University, where John Wesley studied, taught and began the small groups that eventually blossomed into the Methodist tradition.

Greetings HDS Methodists!

2009-09-17T22:25:00.003-04:00

Welcome to the newly launched blogspot for the HDS Methodists!

My hope is that this site may be used as a means to notify one another about upcoming events, share our reflections and observations, share our joys and/or concerns that we would like lifted up in prayer, or to ask any questions of your peers about HDS, ordination requirements, writing sermons, etc.

Harvard Divinity School is a wonderful institution with a plethora of opportunities to explore and worship with other traditions, and to critically examine our own. As a nondenominational divinity school, however, it is up to us as students to build and maintain a community in our tradition. The foundation of the HDS Methodist community is the Wednesday morning Covenant Group that meets at 8am in Divinity Hall. We hope that you are able to join us for these friendly and informal gatherings. Of course, 8am is an unthinkable meeting time for some among us. Perhaps this site will provide a new medium for all to gather in a 21st century version of the Wesleyan societies.

Please feel free to offer posts of any appropriate material and, by doing so, help get this site off and running! God Bless