Cell group sunday Oct 24

This Sunday Cell group is at the Collins house from 1:30 to 5 PM.

We will be having a pot luck, please bring a side to share. Dave and I will be providing grill type food for everyone; Hamburgers, hotdogs, brats etc. I will let the Holy Spirit do the rest of the planning and inspiring when it comes to food. My food inspirations are delayed due to my jetlag.

We are going to begin a new book this week, "the world is my cloister" so if you have had time to read a few chapters that would be ideal. We will have prayer, praise, intercesssions, a short teaching from the first few chapters of the book and a group discussion. Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend.

God bless!

Kurt Filla

Immaculate Conception Cell group - a message from David

Brothers and Sisters,

I truly hope you are all well. I feel very blessed by the experience our cell group received at the monastery earlier this month. It was wonderful that we could all be together. I know that my faith has been lifted by John Michaels' renewed spirit, equally felt at last springs regional, and his teaching. In addition, the spirits deepening work in our children's lives continues to be nothing short of miraculous.

As I believe all are aware, the Immaculate Conception cell has been especially graced. Michael and Emily decided on the weekend to apply for BSCD membership, and I have been told that Michael's has even been completed! In addition, on the feast of St. Francis, Peter and Jeanne also announced their decision to submit applications. Once received by our regional vicar, our cell group will have four new postulants. At next falls gathering this may result in four new temporary professions. In addition, Kris and I have discerned to make our permanent profession next year. So the next year already promises to show great growth for us all. I am excited by this. Not because of the increase in size and numbers because I truly do not think this is what matters I am excited by the deepening of faith I believe is occurring in the IC cell, individually, in our families and in our life as a group. This deepening of faith is occurring as a result of an increased commitment to the principles of BSC, a commitment to be fully recreated daily with a focus on the cross. And I believe growth is occurring as a result of our support of each other and our shared community prayer that has intensified over the last year.

We discussed in Arkansas changing leadership in our group. I have talked with Andrew and he has decided to appointment Kurt as the Immaculate Conception cell leader. Kris will be in the position of backup leader to assist Kurt when and how he feels necessary and to lead when Kurt is not present. Anna Lisa (did I spell this right?) will be secretary. Not sure what this position does but these positions are likely to rotate upward in a yet to be determined interval. As professed membership in our cell increases we may go to election of these positions in the future.

I hope we are all considering a trip to Westmont this Friday for the festival. We intend to go and the Lahs are currently planning to attend as well. Andrew is planning a commissioning of our new group leadership positions at the festival. If there are any new people you would like to invite we can work on a car pool. Kris and I could take a second car if helpful. We are returning Friday evening.

Please try to commit to a time of silent breath prayer each day. I suspect in could bring greater grace to our group.

Peace, David

Chicago FOPS

Hey everyone,

Who can make it from our Cell group to the next Chicago Fop? It would be great if many of us could go. Please comment here if you can make it to any of these.

Here is the upcoming schedule for Chicago Fops:

Friday Oct 22 - Holy family Parish in Westmont, 7 pm
Saturday Nov. 20th - Holy Family Parish in Westmont, 7 pm
Dec - No Fop
Friday Jan 21st - Holy Family Parish in Westmont, 7 pm

The Filla's are currently planning to attend each of these and we would be willing to help coordinate lodging for anyone wanting to go. There are several families in Westmont willing to host people on the FOP weekends so let us know if we can assist.

Let us worship and praise the Lord together!!!
The FOPs are an excellent way to introduce people to the community as well so invite your friends/family/neighbors!

Kurt

Schedule 10/10 - 12/10

Greetings Brothers and Sisters.

What a wonderful gathering! I am missing the silence and the fellowship but am grateful to God for the Call to Bring the Monastic Life to our daily lives. It is both a challenge and a grace. I am also thankful that he has surrounded me with such a cloud of witnesses who are on the same Journey. You are such a blessing to me.

As promised, here is the Cell group schedule for the fall that we discussed at the Monastery. I hope this blog works for us - please subscribe to the blog and if possible, post a comment that you made it here so I know you were able to get the schedule. Also if you have a word of encouragement or a reflection from the gathering, please post it as a comment to this posting.

Drum Roll please :)

Oct 24th - Cell group Benton Harbor - 1:30 Lunch, 2:30 - 5 cell group

Nov 7 - Cell group Benton Harbor - 1:30 Lunch, 2:30 - 5 cell group

Nov 28th - Cell group Benton Harbor - 1:30 Lunch, 2:30 - 5 cell group

Dec 12th - Cell group Benton Harbor - 1:30 Lunch, 2:30 - 5 cell group

Christmas Gathering - TBD