Midwest Catholic Worker Gathering: SUGAR CREEK 2011

This year's Midwest Catholic Worker Gathering:  SUGAR CREEK 2011 will be September 16, 17, 18.

Dear All,

Soon it will be that wonderful time to gather together with friends old and new at Sugar Creek, the beautiful retreat center where the Midwest Catholic Worker Gathering is held annually.

Our small, humble, and sometimes disorganized team here at the Mustard Seed Community Farm CW will do our best to help this event happen, and we are grateful to know that our Catholic Worker friends will help it all come together beautifully.

Here’s the SCHEDULE  we have tentatively assembled:

FRIDAY:

Arrive Friday afternoon and evening.

Friday evening – dinner 6pm, or as you arrive, made by us, with some help from Dubuque

After dinner, an optional fun activity to help us get to know each other.

SATURDAY:

Saturday morning – introductions and Roundtable planning

Saturday day,     Roundtable discussions including,

Saturday afternoon – craft share

Saturday night – Skits and talent show

SUNDAY:

Sunday morning – Liturgy 10am?   Silent quaker meeting beforehand?

Cleanup and leave – after liturgy.

Yes, there will also be meals regularly during the weekend, prepared by us all.

Accomodations:

For those of you who haven’t been there, or have new questions, we have a pretty deluxe set-up with big rooms of bunk beds.  Also, folks are welcome to tent in the yard (though NOT in the cemetery, and I’d also recommend leaving ample space for a soccer field).  There are a few private rooms; if you have special sleeping needs – families with small children etc., please call us in advance and we will hold a room for you.

What to bring:

Please bring ideas for roundtables, enthusiasm, and CRAFTS!  Yes, we’re planning on having a craft share, gifting, swapping, or even selling time.

The gathering has gotten very large, and we’re hoping to do some preparation before we all come together.  If you have Roundtable topics you’d like to discuss, please call us with your ideas.  If you’d like to put some activities on the schedule, prayer time, game time, kids time, please call us.  If you want to help or have ideas about anything else, please call us (on the telephone).

Please bring: food to share, coffee and drinks, sleeping bags, towels, flashlights, musical instruments, toiletries, a jacket, song books, house propaganda, firewood, large garbage bags and money to help raise the $150 fee for the rental of the property.

Also, remember these two rules - no pets, and no sleeping in the cemetery.

Love,

Alice McGary and

The Mustard Seed Gang,

(The 2011 Hosts for the Gathering)

515-460-1467

(or nleete@gmail.com if you must email)

Direction Links to SS Mary and Joseph Church - home of the Sugar Creek Retreat Center 3218 110th St, Preston IA - site for Midwest CW Gatherings: 

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF-8&q=3218+110th+St,+Preston+IA&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=2672859541067606339 
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Pre- and Post- Sugar Creek OPEN HOUSE at New Hope CW Farm

Greetings!  New Hope Catholic  Worker Farm is inviting folks who are headed to the annual Midwest Catholic Worker - Sugar Creek gathering (see above) to stop by our place. We are open to visitors from Wednesday, September 14^th until Friday the 16th and from Sunday, the 19th to Wednesday the 21st.

For any that are interested, a few folks from New Hope have expressed a desire to bike down to Sugar Creek from the farm (about 50 miles).  We'll be leaving the morning of Friday the 16th. Others will be driving and leaving Friday afternoon. We'll be returning to the farm on Sunday afternoon. Tenting space is ample. There will be plenty of time for food, fun, labor and more.

Please phone us if you would like to come: 563.556.0987.

Peace,

New Hope Catholic Worker Farm & Agronomic University

6697 Mitchell Mill Rd.

La Motte, IOWA 52054

563.556.0987