Netzer Co-op Blog

8th Day Arts::Belief as Relating

Here is our go at the second panel in the series, "belief as relating". We had a lot of conversation about how we can sometimes see relationships as an equation. If i put in x amount of effort i will get y result. When we don't get that y result we get frustrated, upset, or feel betrayed. We definitely model this in our relationship with God, or our relationships on God's behalf. Christ, however, breaks the equation modle with compassion. We tried to model that with one half of our panel being the equations, black and white. While the other half is colorful, welcoming, and compassionate. The divider of these two halves is a silhouette. Check it out...

Belief as Knowledge::8th Day Arts

Here is the video that one of our members put together of our first crack at community art. Belief as Knowledge. We created a tree of knowledge... in all it's different seasons it really came together quite nicely considering we had no plan.... enjoy!

News From the Garden # 2

Here we have some news from the Dellagiacomas! After 7 days our seeds have started to sprout! It's almost time to plant seeds for round two! Exciting! Here are some photos. 

Cucumber

Cucumber

Tomato

Tomato

News from the Garden

This is the news from the Morris-Brock garden. It is news i NEVER thought i would have to report. Snow. It's been snowing since 10am or so here this morning, and it's currently 1pm. This is a lot of snow/sleet to be getting, especially considering that sunday it got up into the high 70's. 

I had to rush downstairs when i got up and actually dig snow out of my herb pots and then cover them with a towel. AND my poor lone strawberry plant that survived the 120 days of 100+ degree weather, only then to get smashed by freezing temperatures in our winter. I just re-potted him so that we could raise the beds and such (he's got 4 little strawberry buds on him). He's been through so much, and then he got snowed on. Sad face for him. Lucky for us our seedlings aren't ready to plant yet. Otherwise this would have pretty much killed them all. But we don't get snow enough for anyone to complain about it ever. It's mostly just exciting! Snow! Makes me thing of the song that Bing, Clooney, Skinny girl, and Danny Kay sing in White Christmas. "Snow, snow, snow, SNOW... i wanna wash my hair, my hands, my face with snow." Thats mostly the sentiment around here. 

I'm guessing it will all be melted by tomorrow. and i'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't become ice.

Thats all from the garden today

peace out,

Bri Morris-Brock

Remember that you are Dirt, and to Dirt you shall return

Last night we "celebrated" ash wednesday. At the Co-op we are taking the impositions of ashes very seriously. "remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," so seriously in fact that we are starting a garden. Spending lent working in the dirt and dust, and seeing if we can create something new that's worth saying "Ha#$ll*&ia" about. Last night we had our lenten service garden side, and blessed our seeds (okra, eggplant, bell peppers, beans, tomatoes, and cucumber). We also started confession. I know it may seem crazy, that we don't practice confession as a community 2 years into our growth. BUT we don't. It seems to me that something as personal/communal/intense as confession needs a bit of introduction and some real sincerity as a practice. What better time then lent to do that? Lent is a time for us to really die unto ourselves and become little Christs. In order to do this we may take up practices, or give things up. It's a season of transformation, Christ has become the messiah and so we must follow the example and become little Christs ourselves. Confession is the time that we take to confess to one another. We are setting part of ourselves aside and honestly transforming before God. It is a humbling part of being in community. Something i have been missing, and something that i'm glad we are doing at the co-op.

I'm also glad that we are taking up a communal practice this lent. We are going to take sunday mornings to sabbath and work in the garden. It will be an interesting undertaking for a group of people who know hardly anything about gardening or agriculture. This blog will be dedicated to documenting our journey in gardening. 

We have a lot going on this season of lent, a garden, a spiritual practice of sabbath, sxsw showcase, pete rollins, and emergent village's 8th day art project. But it's great to be participating in the community of Austin, the greater community of the church, and to be strengthening in the community of the Co-op.

So This is the New Year

Now it is 2010. The beginning of a new decade, and I wonder what it will bring for the Co-op. Our funding has been cut, our numbers are climbing, and people are starting to wonder "are we too comfortable with ourselves?"

Personally I think this is a great place to be. I am hopeful for our community, and hopeful for the people who create it. Our covenant community is meeting this weekend for a visioning retreat (thing). A few of us are headed out to a farm in La Grange Texas to bear this cold cold weather, and come up with new ideas and directions.  

I know Advent is over, and it's Epiphany now. But I'm still hoping.

Musings from the Curator

I am currently sitting in a coffee shop in Portland. To be honest I don't even know which one it is... it was literally just the first available one in a downpour. So now i'm going to attempt to wrap some things up that have been going on at the Co-op this month thus far...

1. Theme: we are looking into having a contemplative life this month. Which is way cool, it's not always something that i'm the best at having. One of our folks TJ wrote something about it here. Then last week we had an evening of body prayer. Which was well timed for me personally because i had just come out of my first weekend in my Anusara Yoga immersion 2. *leave it to me to find even a yoga practice that's centered around Grace. I'm so Lutheran it hurts.* That was a wonderful service, because the use of our body's and the poses that we took allowed us some new insight into the Parable of the Sower.  This week the group will dive into Taize worship. Which should be awesome I wish that I could be there for it. 

I honestly have been getting quite a bit out of this month. I've even incorporated the Jesus Centering prayer (Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner) into my yoga practice... especially in the difficult poses. Or even in places of anxiety... like plane rides. ha. Regardless of where I'm using it, it's present, in my list of "go to" practices. Which is kind of awesome.

2. I am in Seattle! For ten days I am observing and drinking from a wide straw all the information that I can get out of these very very very talented and spirit driven people. My friend Nate from Buffalo, NY is here as well and we are seriously taking up anyone's time that will give it to us to ask questions and listen to stories. This setting is AMAZING one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, hands down. 

plus 10 things i hate about you was shot around here. and thats a pretty cool movie. I am hoping to learn so much while I'm here, and so far thats coming easy. Co-opians.... get ready for my return ;)

peace, 

Bri & the troll

Monthly Theme For August: Nurturing Common Life

This month we are going to be "nurturing common life together". What does that mean? Well for us we are going to be exploring how we share with one another. How do we share stories, how do we share resources, how do we make ourselves available. We are also going to have a number of events. Each member of our community will be hosting an event of their choosing for the rest of the group to participate in. So far ideas like lazer tag, home cooked meals, and going to the Broken Spoke have been on the radar. This is going to be one heck of a fun month :)

September Theme

Our worship team met this last sunday and has come up with this months theme...

"humble submission to Christ's body, the church"

This whole month we will be exploring how we are one body with all our brothers and sisters in Christ. How do we be one people of faith even with those that we disagree with, have different theology, or sometimes just make us really mad? So come join us sunday's at 8pm, there is free food at 7 :)

Monthly Theme For August: Following Christ

This months theme at the Co-op is "intentional formation in the way of Christ". We are taking that theme in a very simple breakdown. In worships and Jesus @ a Pub's we will be talking about 1) Who is Christ. 2) How do WE follow him. 3) How do I follow him.

Our August 16th worship we will be exploring Mark 8: 27-29, where Christ ask's his disciples "who do you say I am?" We will be looking through Luther's lens of Christ as a Gift, and an Example.

On August 23rd we will be learning how do we follow as a community. We will be going deep into Christ as a teacher, preacher, and healer. Looking at examples from His life, and the disciples, and then wondering where and how that fits into our story today.

And finally on August 30th we will be looking into the story of the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22. How is that our story, how do we follow him? Even when it is hardest. 

After August 30th September's theme will be set, and an update will be posted :)