About
Common Ground is a family-style, farm-to-table dinner church that meets the first and third Thursday of each month at First Churches of Northampton, MA. At Common Ground we cook and eat dinner together from food we’ve grown or sourced locally. Our worship centers around the growing, preparing, cooking, and sharing of a sacred meal. Over and around dinner we sing, play, share, pray, hear the Word, and take the time to respond.
But what really makes Common Ground unique is the sense that church is something we create together in the garden, in the kitchen and around the table.
From the smell of fresh bread when you walk through the door to the warm tones and rhythms of the music: everything is meant to delight the senses and encourage the full participation of all who are present, from the youngest child to a first-time visitor.
On the first Thursday (and Friday) of June, 2016, Join the Rev. Sarah Buteux, founding pastor of Common Ground, and the Rev. Todd Weir, senior pastor of First Churches in Northampton, MA- for a full-immersion experience in re-imagining church.
Spend Thursday, June 2 immersed in the Common Ground experience with some orientation to the setting at First Churches, then gardening, cooking, worshipping, then reflecting together on the day. On Friday, June 3 Todd and Sarah will create space for you to explore how God might be calling you to re-imagine church in ways that are authentic and organic to your specific ministerial context.
Fees: $50.00 Thursday and Friday (includes lunch and dinner Thursday and Lunch on Friday)
Schedule
Day One
Lunch
Gardening
Set-up for Common Ground
Cooking the meal
Worship and Dinner
Common Ground After Dark: coffee, drinks, conversation in a local pub
Day Two
Re-imagining Church authentically and organically in your own context
Lunch
Sharing goals and plans for your context going forward
Closing Worship
Venue
Conference Will Be Held At
First Churches of Northampton, MA
129 Main Street | Northampton, MA | 413-584-9392
Getting Here
From the North (Hartford Airport)
Get on CT-20 E/Hwy 20 E from Hollow Brook Rd and Pioneer Dr. Head west on Hollow Brook Rd toward Pioneer Dr. Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Pioneer Dr. Turn left onto Meakin Dr. Turn right onto CT-75 N. Turn left to merge onto CT-20 E/Hwy 20 E toward Route 91/Springfield/Hartford. Follow I-91 N to US-5 N/Mt Tom Rd in Northampton. Take exit 18 from I-91 N. Merge onto CT-20 E/Hwy 20 E. Use the left 2 lanes to merge onto I-91 N toward Springfield. Entering Massachusetts. Keep left to stay on I-91 N. Keep left at the fork to stay on I-91 N, follow signs for Interstate 91 N/Greenfield. Take exit 18 for US-5 toward Northampton Center. Follow US-5 N to Main St. Turn left onto US-5 N/Mt Tom Rd (signs for Northampton Center/Smith College). Continue to follow US-5 N. Turn left onto Main St. Destination will be on the right.
From the East (Boston Airport)
Get on I-90 W - Head southeast. Keep right to continue toward Transportation Way. Use the left lane to turn slightly left onto Transportation Way. Turn left at Porter St. Continue straight. Keep right and merge onto I-90 W. Continue on I-90 W to Northampton. Take exit 18 from I-91 N. Merge onto I-90 W. Keep left to stay on I-90 W. Take exit 4 to merge onto I-91 N toward Holyoke. Take exit 18 for US-5 toward Northampton Center. Follow US-5 N to Main St. Turn left onto US-5 N/Mt Tom Rd (signs for Northampton Center/Smith College). Continue to follow US-5 N. Turn left onto Main St. Destination will be on the right.
Contact
Get in touch
Please contact Rev. Susan Blain at blains@ucc.org or 216-736-3869 for more information. Partial Scholarships available to help defray costs of transportation or housing .
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