Yep…and it’s all happening at 170 Scott Street, starting at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday

I guess it would be fair to say that weather and happiness are around in some form or other all the time, but flying pies are rare. If all goes according to plan, you can see the entire leadership team of The Table get pied by some of the Littles this Sunday. One show only! Don’t miss it! (Imagine a monster truck rally announcer voice saying that, please).  We will also livestream this entire debacle here, and podcast the mellower, more cerebral part of it later in the week here.

And a reminder to make sure that you have the morning of December 18th on your calendar for our celebration of “Not Quite Christmas”. At this point, our plans include our first shared meal in who-knows-how-long as well. Soups, salads, goodies; start dreaming now of what your potluck contribution might be. I’ll do the same. 

And also a reminder that there will not be a gathering on December 25th.

I’ll see you on Sunday!

And also, some Christmas details! As follows:

This Sunday is Online Only. If you show up at the venue there might be people in the room but they won’t be from The Table. We will gather online here at 10:45 a.m. for music and Community Time, followed by the Talky Bit. We’ll post the podcast later in the week here. In the Talky Bit, we’ll be exploring some aspects of how the “self” is comprised of the stories we tell ourselves, and what some of the implications of that might be for how we think about (and change) what we believe.

About the Christmas details – in conversation with several folks from the community, we’ve chosen to have our “Not Quite Christmas” gathering take place in the usual Sunday morning time slot. Several factors, including the fact that Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, have led us to choosing December 18th as the date for this gathering. More details to follow, but hold the date! Thanks to the kindness of the folks at the Rainbow Resource Centre, we’ll be able to meet at 170 Scott even though it’s the third Sunday of the month. There will be no gathering on December 25th.

Just so no one misses it – Sunday morning, December 18th = “Not Quite Christmas at The Table”, at 170 Scott Street. Whoop!  (And yes, I did mean to use bold face type for the “Whoop”.)

The details – I’ll keep this short so we all have more time to shovel snow.

Gathering Time – 10:45 a.m. to noon, 170 Scott Street (Rainbow Resource Centre), livestreamed to our Facebook page here, podcast available later in the week here.

Talky Bit will be about geese wearing bells. Seriously Tim? Why would I get out of bed for that? Well, aside from the fact that you could stay in bed and watch online (not the same experience, but…snow), I think it’ll be worthwhile for reasons that have nothing to do with the content. I’ll work hard to connect the geese, bells, and our explorations of what we believe, but I think showing up in person offers rich possibilities for conversation, connection and encouragement that we can’t come by any other way. And also music and Community Time. Last week there were also Timbits. It’s a lot of goodness packed into a short time.

If you are able, I hope to see you on Sunday

Tim Plett

This Sunday is an in-person gathering at 170 Scott, also known as the Rainbow Resource Centre. Time – 10:45 a.m. Parking – easy, handy and free. Company – always interesting, sometimes cranky if they haven’t had their coffee. Talky Bit Topic – what to do when your metaphorical car won’t start. It’s kind of a warm-up for winter. Sorry…it’s going to happen sooner or later, so I wanted to get a leg up.

In the continued interest of putting the bottom line in the top sentence, this Sunday is an in-person gathering at 170 Scott, our current address. Time – 10:45 a.m. Parking – easy, handy and free. Company – intriguing fellow explorers. Talky Bit Topic – the pursuit of happiness in general, and the difficulty of this pursuit when the world is on fire. So there you have it, in headline form.

And now, the weather…

Seriously, if you haven’t had occasion to come check out our new home yet I would encourage you to do so. 170 Scott is the Rainbow Resource Centre, which means that we meet each week (except for the third Sunday of each month, just to keep us on our toes) in a space where we’re surrounded by messages that encourage people to both be fully themselves, and to care well for one another and our Earth home. I find myself constantly reminded by this space that it takes real effort to attend to these things, and that not everyone will be along for the ride. I also find myself renewed in my awareness that no matter what else matters, love matters more – not as a vague, fuzzy idea, but as a practical and costly matter having to do with the support and nurturance of not only those “like me”, but of so many and so much that is “other”.

All right…that’s a bonus paragraph. Do come out, if you are able. For all the real challenges and perhaps fears that accompany leaving the house, there is also no substitute for being together. That said, we’ll continue to livestream here, and podcast here.

And finally, a reminder that The Table exists as a material entity because of the generous care provided by the community itself. As we head toward the end of the calendar year, please keep the financial realities of keeping this community alive as you decide what you will support.

I’ll see you on Sunday

It’s an “in-person” Sunday at 170 Scott. 

It’s Kids Table Sunday! 

We’re still in pursuit of happiness. It’s elusive, it’s important, it’s controversial…but is it good, and where is it hiding anyway, and how come when we see it we often turn aside? And what can we do to change that? So many questions, so little time.

The details: We’ll meet at 170 Scott (The Rainbow Resource Centre) and get underway at 10:45 a.m. If you haven’t been yet (and lots of us haven’t, mostly due to colds), use the side door by the interior parking lot. As it gets colder, I expect our appreciation for the ease of access and good parking will continue to grow. It’s an excellent space, and we’re grateful to the RRC for making it available. We’ll livestream as always. You can find that stream on our Facebook page here. We’ll also put up the podcast early the following week, which you can find here.

Finances: If you’ve been meaning to respond to last week’s information that we need more donations to keep paying the bills (and a huge shout out to those who’ve already donated), you can find a link to ways to do that online here. If you have any questions, please be in touch. You can reach me at this email address.

And yes…in due course, pie will fly. 

I’ll see on Sunday.

Peace,

Tim Plett

Way back when we did a fundraiser, the payoff for which involved leadership team members getting pies in the face (delivered by our Littles). How many people got pied was dependent on how much we raised. If memory serves, the whole leadership team is still on the hook for getting pie in the face. So that needs to happen. It won’t happen this week because we’re meeting online. But soon…very soon. Live in trepidation, my leadership friends! (If you’re new to The Table, I have no adequate explanation for this initiative. Sometimes we just get an idea and run with it.)

That fundraising campaign, plus some funds from the province, have carried us through a very difficult season. However, our bank account is running quite low at the moment, and our expenses are going back up because we’re paying rent (the cost of meeting in person is, among other things, literal). If you’ve been thinking about supporting The Table, now would be a very good time to do so. If you already give and can increase your giving either ongoing or as we approach year end, that would also be most welcome. Gifts over $10.00 are tax deductible and will be issued a receipt at year end. If you have any questions about where your donation money goes, just email me and we’ll give you that info. Our policy has been and continues to be one of transparency. You can give by cheque,  (rare, but it still works) or online here, where you will find a more thorough explanation of those options.

Some other important details:

Peace,

And Lunch After zoom url: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 81978070666?pwd= aWc2SjFWWE1sZUVMNG5IUi9VQ0duZz 09

But first, the details:

In the Talky Bit, we’ll be taking a look at the complicated intersection between the origins of thanksgiving and our own context for expressing thanks, including some of the knotty problems that are part of that history. I promise to try to offend both traditionalists and progressives, as a kind of thanksgiving treat. Now doesn’t that make you at least a teensy bit curious? Oh yes…and to connect it all to happiness. I don’t think that’s setting the bar too high. You?

Next Sunday (the 16th – the third Sunday of the month) will be online only. We’ll continue to live stream all of our gatherings here and to podcast the Talky Bits. Also, the week following that (October 23rd)  there will be something planned for the Littles. Mark the date and pack the snacks!

I’ll see you on Sunday.

Yep, we’re still alive and live at 170 Scott Street! 10:45 a.m., use the side entrance where we’ll put out the sign, park on either side of the building or the street, bring your own coffee, no planned programming for the littles but a great space to hang out and see what the parent co-op has up its collective sleeve. There’s the “above the fold” details. Next week, same bat time, same bat channel. Whoop! 

Come out in person if you can. Personally, I miss you. Collectively, we need to see and be with other humans. I understand that we’ve had experiences that have taught us to fear some aspects of that. I don’t want to denigrate that. I also don’t think it’s a place that healthy people can live in for very long. So, if you are well and able, I would encourage you to kick off your covers and make the trip. If you can’t or choose otherwise, we’ll keep on live streaming. You can find us here at 10:45 a.m. (ish) on Sunday morning.

I was (kinda) whining to someone this past week about how most folks don’t read emails, possibly including this blurb. Poor Timmy! In any case, they reminded me of the importance of putting the most critical info at the top of the page. So…WE ARE MEETING IN PERSON THIS WEEK AT THE RAINBOW RESOURCE CENTRE, LOCATED AT 170 SCOTT STREET. To elaborate, we’re meeting there most weeks now. I’ll let you know in advance which weeks will be the exceptions. So good!

In the Talky Bit, we’ll be continuing our exploration regarding the pursuit of happiness…by talking about the importance of befriending grief. Hmmm….

I’ll see you on Sunday.