Best News of the Week:
Michelle Obama and Arnold Schwarzenegger Call Kevin Hart For Favor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXDIFrKmNI0
News from Peace:
We are moving outside for worship this Sunday
Looking forward to seeing everyone who can safely join us for at worship this coming Sunday, October 11, 2020 at 10 am. We will worship outside, in the Outdoor Chapel.
There will be safe distancing and masks to keep us safe. It will be important to follow the guidelines so we will be able to continue in-person worship on Sundays.
The temperature is supposed to start out in the low-50s by 10 am but move into the mid-50s by 11 am. Dress warm and in layers, maybe bring a hat, gloves, and a blanket to wrap yourself in warmth.
Consider the following before attending:
Online worship experiences will continue to be available.
Peace will continue to encourage people 60+ and/or with health vulnerabilities to participate from home and will continue offering worship and connection opportunities for them remotely.
If you have a fever or other symptoms of contagion stay home.
VOTE….THEN!
By Gary Walpole
The right to vote is a foundation of our democracy and a fundamental attribute of citizenship. It is under serious threat. In recent years, attacks on the integrity of the electoral system—the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, disinformation campaigns, foreign interference, and more—have weakened its overall infrastructure and cast doubt upon its results. Now we’re seeing repeated attempts, through propaganda and other means, to further undermine the system and discredit in advance the results of the 2020 election.
There are numerous ways internal or external forces could call the results of the election into question: declaring a state of emergency that disrupts voting, delaying Election Day, interference by hostile foreign powers, tampering with voting machines or databases, and more. All of these represent legitimate threats, but perhaps the most likely scenario is that rampant voter suppression tactics impede enough voters in key battleground states to alter the presidential election outcome and which party controls Congress.
Since the passing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, systematic efforts have been made to exclude Americans of color from the voting process. In 2013, in its Shelby County v. Holder ruling, the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, rolling back 20 years of provisions that were aimed at registering and protecting more voters, particularly African American voters. The court’s ruling, essentially declaring that racism was a thing of the past, was a severe blow to American democracy. It allowed more than half the states to pass a series of voter suppression measures that represent new forms of Jim Crow, including stricter voter-ID laws, limits on polling locations, the purge of voting rolls, and more.
As some escalate their efforts to cast doubt upon our electoral processes and repress voting, it’s important to remember that Election Day won’t be a “day” at all this year. Let’s be clear: This country is not immune from attacks against democracy. One of the most significant threats is voter suppression.
You can vote today, so VOTE! Then, tomorrow become informed by supporting the removal of barriers that keep others from voting.
Life of the Soul Worship Series
Resurrection is the power of Life in the midst of Death. In “Life of the Soul” we explore how to mindfully experience the power of Life through the presence of the risen Christ.
The faith community that gifted us with the Gospel of John has provided us with a number of powerful ways to experience the presence of the risen Christ in ordinary and extraordinary ways that can transform our lives and our world.
Peace Partners with Teacher Time
Dear Peace Community of Faith,
As we continue into the 2020-2021 school year many of us are stressed, uncertain, and facing so many unexpected challenges. However, it is true that when communities come together, we can do amazing things. That is why the Teacher Time Team have created a program to address the needs of community members during these times.
The Teacher Time program works with community members to bring teachers and students together in a healthy learning environment, and we have partnered with Peace UMC to address the needs of your community.
Our mission is to help students have a safe space to learn by creating learning pods of 6-9 students with a licensed teacher that is looking to enrich students in a safe and educational environment. We provide families with a safe place to send their students to work through their daily district-assigned work, and attend their daily meetings, under the supervision of licensed K-12 teachers that can be there to assist the students and provide them with enriching experiences.
There are two sessions, daily, that will be conducted at Peace United Methodist Church beginning October 5th, 2020:
– One morning session from 8:00am-11:30am for $35
– One afternoon session from 12:30pm-4:00pm for $35
– Multiple session discounts are available, more details to come.
We are following CDC guidelines regarding safety and sanitation procedures to ensure a safe learning environment for your students.
We are looking forward to bringing students and teachers in your community together to work through these challenging times. If you, or any of your friends and family have students ready for an enriching experience please contact us at: info@mnteachertime.com. You can also call Robert Matthews directly at (612) 987-9360 If you, or any of your friends and family are licensed teachers looking to work with us in the community, please contact Robert at robertmatthews@mnteachertime.com for more information.
We will send you a link to our website for registration and further information when it is published. However, we will be accepting students beginning October 5th, 2020 for sessions. Please reach out for further information and/or if you would like to register your students to begin their enriching adventure with us!
We appreciate the support provided to us by Peace UMC and the community and look forward to continued support as we move forward together.
Best Wishes,
The Teacher Time Team
United Methodist Happenings
Moving voting rights ‘from ideal to reality’
https://www.umnews.org/en/news/moving-voting-rights-from-ideal-to-reality
United Methodists among 19 dead in Congo massacre
https://www.umnews.org/en/news/united-methodists-among-19-dead-in-congo-massacre
Grace Connections of the Week:
Grace connections invites you to find the power of God’s love in the midst of the harm, confusion and news of the week. Below are a few stories from the news of the week.
Video of the Week: Rock and Grohl – The EPIC Battle – Original Song by Nandi Bushell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOhxf6mBp7A
Photos of the Week: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/2020/09/australian-drought-/
Vision 2020: Are the nation’s voting systems secure?
https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-state-elections-elections-russia-voting-2020-68085f5a7d43a55141bb52d7a54d66af