Before rock guitarists and ska tromboners started shredding on the big stage, their journey to stardom started from humble roots. Before the legendary Bruce Dickinson jettisoned the career of Gene Frenkle into superstardom by asking for more cowbell, his musical expedition began with a much simpler instrument. Yes, I am referring to the lowly recorder. Once seen as a grade school tinker toy, its fingerprints left on society reach further than the germ infested hands of an 8 year old. Before the dawn of time, when Larry King was merely 12 years old, the recorder found itself titillating the eardrums of all the angels and living creatures of the earth. But as we scan the musical horizon, the recorder finds no home in the rock and roll hall of fame. Never will you see an autographed recorder hanging from the walls of a Hard Rock Cafe, nor are they ever the featured instrument at recitals. Perhaps musicians intentionally distance themselves from their instrumental roots with a ‘too cool for school’ attitude, but as lovers of redemption, we will not allow the arrogance of the few taint the memories for the masses. So to the recorder players, allow these words help usher your musical golden calf out of the closet: May this month be filled with delightful tooting, heavenly melodies and sonorous crescendos that will change the lives of all who hear the warm beckoning call of the recorder.
[Boing… Boing… Boing… SPRING THEE FORWARD!!!]
In celebration of Daylights Savings Time, remember to set your clocks forward 1 hour this Saturday and enjoy less sleep but more sunshine. YIPPIE!!
[Sunday Liturgy]
We live in a culture that prefers convenience over sacrifice. What does it mean to sacrifice? Over the 40 days of Lent the church historically set aside these days to remember the sacrifice of Christ through his death and resurrection on the cross. Join us these next few weeks for conversation, meditation and reflection on Christ, his sacrifice, and what sacrifice looks like in our lives. (Each of our Neighborhood groups will be giving a group sermon each Sunday during Lent.) Our Sunday Liturgy is at 11:00 AM at Space 12 (3121 East 12th Street).
[SXSE 2010]
From March 18-20, SXSE will be descending upon Space12. This annual event celebrates good music, all the while bringing greater awareness of our community space. We got a really good lineup featuring local and traveling bands such as Danielson, Orion Experience, Hey Marseilles and local bands such as Monahans, Sad Accordions, and Mother Falcon. We’re looking for some volunteers to help out on Thursday and Friday, so if you are able to lend a hand, please contact Sam. Check out the details here.
[Free Film Screening – Coal Country]
This Friday, March 12 at 7pm, Space12 will be hosting a free screening of the documentary “Coal Country”. Here is a brief synopsis of the film:
“The film tells of the dramatic struggle around the use of coal, which provides over half the electricity in America. In Appalachia, miners and residents are locked in conflict: is mining and processing coal essential to providing good jobs, or is it destroying the land,water and air? What does this mean for the rest of America and the world?”
Immediately following the screening, enjoy a time of dialogue with the movie director! Click here to see the trailer!
[And The Slashies Goes To …]
You might be familiar with the recipient of the first ever Slashie Award as a deliciously chiseled man with pectorals shaped like sofa cushions and abs as rigid as your grandma’s dentures. Yes, I’m referring to that molten mass of muscle and ‘Mmm…Mmm…Tasty’ called Fabio who won the Slashie for the best Actor *slash* Model and not the other way around. Although his assets are firm and hair super silky, that’s not the only criteria one uses to judge whether or not you are deserving of this highly coveted Slashie Award. Rather, the main criteria for getting a Slashie is to have a random assortment of skills and traits, which when combined, form a thing of absolute beauty. So for your enjoyment, take your pick from one of these glorious Slashies like Gardens *Slash* Books *Slash* Eating *Slash* B.S. *Slash* Bikes. So if you’re interested in padding your resume, check out one of these Slashies we have in abundance, and get ready to be swarmed by screaming teeny boppers and people with smoother skin and soft hands.
Vox Community Garden Initiative
Within the Vox community, we have some insanely green thumbs who will be taking care of the garden beds behind Space12. The hopes for this community garden is to not only build community between people at Vox, but to also create a food share market on Sunday, and to eventually branch out and get local youth and neighborhood groups involved with urban garden initiatives. If you have any questions, feel free to email Jessica.
Vox Book Club
Have you recently conquered Hooked On Phonics and are looking for an outlet to utilize your new found skills? Do you have a fever, and the only remedy is more cowbell and some books? If this is you, then come check out the Vox Book Club. The plan is to meet regularly to discuss some great literary works as well as share community amidst the mental workouts. We are still working on the specific, so stay tuned for more details. In the mean time, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact John Bagwell or Nick Deere.
Anti-Zombie Initiative
Are you caught in a repetitive zombie-like cycle of work, fast food, TV, sleep, work, fast food, TV, sleep? If so, then then this Slashie’s for you!! Come join us as we discuss healthy living habits that will helpfully pull you out of that rut chock full of malaise and indifference and be jettisoned into a cloud of health and happiness. Amidst the discussion, there will be outdoor activities, field trips, and potlucks. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Anslee.
Sunday Morning B.S.
Do you have a hankering for more B.S.? (And by B.S., we mean Bible Study) If so, join us Sunday mornings for all the B.S. you can handle. We’ll be reading and unpacking the text together in ways that will be both meaningful and relevant to life outside of organized religion. The tentative location for the Sunday Morning B.S. will be at 4609 Ledesma. Any questions, please contact Libby.
Bike! Bike! Bike!
Do you have massive thighs but don’t know what to do with them? If so, toss those fancy hams onto a bike and put ’em to good use by joining the Vox Bike! Slashie. Open to all skill ranges, we’ll be exploring different parts of Austin on 2 wheels while enjoying the delightful Austin air, as well as the company of others. More details will be coming soon, but in the mean time, slap on that spandex and grease up your chain and get ready for some Bikes! Bikes! Bikes! And if you have any questions, feel free to send an email.
Sew a Seed, Reap a Stitch
Do you have mad skills with a needle and thread? Would you consider your familiarity with fabric better than average? Whether you answered yes or no to either of those questions, this Slashie is for you!! Join us as we navigate the world of sewing with gusto and precision. If you’re interested or have any questions, feel free to send them to Delores.
[Global Updates]
With the global landscape ever changing, it would be foolish to think that our little pocket of life in Central Texas is all that matters. As a small molecule in the global Church, we desire to continue our global partnerships as well as highlight different things people from the Vox community are involved with around the globe. For more details on our different partnerships, check out these following links to catch a glimpse on what Vox is doing around the globe. Click here for more details on other global partnerships as well as finding out how you can be involved. You can also check out the latest updates from Haiti, India, and Ethiopia.
[Reading Recommendations]
Recently, we finished our conversation through Paul’s letter to the Romans and discussed Paul’s reference to the Roman community as, “complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (15:14). The word ‘complete‘ was often used in the ancient world as a sailing term, whenever the wind would fill (complete) the sail and propel the boat towards the open seas. In the same way, our hope is to become a community where our knowledge propels us to where God is moving in the world. As a tool to help us move in this direction, we compiled a list of suggested readings which can be found here.
[Greenhouse Needs You]
We’re looking for people to help teach the next generation at Vox. So if you love hanging out kids, reading stories, doing crafts, or love hearing the funniest things come out of kids’ mouths, then Greenhouse is the place for you.
Nursery: 0-3 years
Seedlings: Pre-K to 2nd Grade
Roots: 3rd Grade and up
There’s a wide range of commitment levels so contact Rachel for more info and to get involved. And be sure to check out the video promo.
[Generosity Report – January]
We’re grateful for the generous community that we have. Your generosity allows us to be generous to the city of Austin and the world around us. For the details of January’s giving, you can download the report here. If you have any questions please email Michelle.
[Online Giving]
We’ve always wanted to exercise generosity by giving out as much as we can to those around us who are in need. If you would like to partner financially with Vox in this mission, we have several options for you.
1. Bill Pay through own bank.
2. EFT signup is available online.
3. credit card through google checkout.
4. snail mail
For more information, please click here.
[Rides to Vox]
If you live on campus and are in need of a ride on Sunday morning to join us for Liturgy, please email us and we’ll hook you up. If you could send an email by 11pm on Friday, that would be greatly appreciated.
[Spring Neighborhoods]
Spring Neighborhoods is in full swing, friends!! We would love to invite everyone to plug into a neighborhood this year and live the church with those around you. Our neighborhoods will be organized by geography, so whatever part of town you live, we have a group for you!! Check out the map to see when and where each neighborhood group meets.
MidTown – Wednesdays, 7pm
Central – Sundays, 1pm
South – Tuesdays, 7pm
East (Wed) – Wednesdays, 7pm
East (Sat) – Saturdays, 10:30am
Any question? Check out the website, map or email us.
[Lost and Found]
No, we’re not referring to the band whose song ‘Lions’ features the slinky as a percussion instrument. We’re referring to the bin of unclaimed goodies and homeless artifacts located next to the water cooler by the bar at Space12. If you think you may have left something at Space12, chances are it’s been put into the lost and found bin. At the end of each month, we plan on donating the contents of the lost and found bin, so please check to make sure you haven’t misplaced anything you don’t mind passing along to those who can use it.
[Getting Involved with Vox]
Have you always wanted to get more involved with Vox but haven’t known how? Do you have a passion or vision for something that Vox isn’t currently involved in? If you answered YES to either of these questions, then this is for you!! We would love to help you get more involved with what’s happening in the Vox community, as well as come along side your passion and vision to help it leave the dream realm and give it life. If this at all interests you, please let us know by sending us an email.
[Won’t You Be My Friend?]
Hi, my name is Vox Veniae, and this is my cousin Space 12. I’m 4 years old, and Space just turned one a little while ago. We’re very friendly, housebroken and love our bellies rubbed. We would like to be friends with you!! We promise to not Zombie bite you, nor will we ask you to join our kingdom. We just want to be your friend because that will make us happy. Click here to add Vox as a friend and here to add Space12 as a friend.
[WYOMP]
You might be wondering what this acronym stands for. Well, allow me to spill the beans!! WYOMP stands for ‘Wash Your Own Mugs, Please ‘. One of the new perks of having our liturgy at Space12 is the plethora of mugs and drinking utensils at our disposal. Unfortunately, when the liturgy is over and the snacks are all consumed, the once clean cups are left dirty and all alone in the sink. If you could, after you have finished enjoying the delightful snacks and beverages, please lend a hand with washing the mugs and drinkware. That would be greatly appreciated.
[Photo by annapurna356 @ Flickr]