What We Do At ECM
Sunday Night Dinner and Discussion
Almost every Sunday evening when school is in session during the spring and fall semesters, students gather at the ECM campus center for physical and spiritual nourishment. No one knows for sure, but it’s likely that this tradition was in place long before the campus center was built, nearly fifty years ago. A home cooked meal is provided for the evening, which could range from make your own personal size pizza to breakfast for supper to spaghetti. After the meal, students gather to discuss a topic or participate in a planned fun activity.
Prayerful Yoga
Blending the need for motion and stillness and solitude in students’ lives, this small group provides physical and spiritual healing to participants each Monday evenings, during the school year. Combining movements borrowed from Kundalini yoga, readings from the Psalms, an extended period of silence, and the Lord’s Prayer in a candlelit setting provides an invigorating and refreshing experience.
Real Food Lunch
If you’re free this semester on Wednesdays between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., come to the ECM Campus Center and enjoy a “Real Food Lunch” with friends, old and new. The idea for a “Real Food Lunch” grew out of conversations last spring among several ECM student leaders, who wanted to combine their love of spending time with friends with their growing commitment to eating healthier and more diverse foods. So they came up with this idea to offer a no-fee-donation-only meal each week in the auditorium at ECM where everyone is welcome, featuring as much locally grown, fresh produce as possible. Participants will take turns sharing the chores of setting up beforehand, preparing the meals with food purchased via donations and cleaning up afterwards. To check out what will be served visit http://twitter.com/RealFoodLunch/. “Real Food Lunch”—be the change you wish to see!—each Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. this semester at ECM. There is also a blog to let everyone know about all the good eats http://realfoodlunch.tumblr.com/. To learn more about the Real Food Challenge, visit http://realfoodchallenge.org/.
Brewing on Belief
Wednesdays at 8:30pm at Pat's Blue Ribbon BBQ in Aggieville. Presentations by local pastors and professors on topics of theological interest, followed by engaging conversation while enjoying your favorite libation with friends in a casual atmosphere.
Movies on the Grass
These are FREE outdoor film series now in its sixth year. MOG offers campus and community new films that portray current issues in a relaxed setting, with discussion opportunities afterward. Showtime begins at dusk, Sunday evenings shortly after 8 pm. For more information visit http://www.k-state.edu/moviesonthegrass/.
International Friendship Dinners
For the past several years ECM has sponsored at least one such dinner each semester at our campus center as a way of welcoming some of the nearly 1,000 international students who attend K-State. Food is prepared and donated by members of the four local congregations that support by the international students themselves. Last August, KSU senior, Sarah Mitts, presented the after-dinner program on the fair trade movement, which generated much interest among both international and American students and friends in attendance. This event attracted about ninety participants.
Fair Trade Marketplace
The Fair Trade Market Place is a two day event that hosts vendors from all parts of the world, from India to Ghana to Ecuador, to sell their handcrafted merchandise to students and citizens of Manhattan. This year the Market Place will be held November 10th and 11th. And of course we'd love to see you there!
Fair Trade helps farming families across Asia, Africa, and Latin America to improve the quality of life in their communitie s. Fair Trade empowers these families by lifting to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles also include fair labor conditions, direct trade, community development and environmental sustainability.
Alternative Spring Break
Community Service
LANDSCAPING LABORERS NEEDED IN OGDEN -- Diana Chapel, director of the Ogden Friendship House of Hope, is looking for volunteers to assist with a major landscaping project on their grounds. Odgen is located about 8-10 miles from campus, at the gate to Ft. Riley. This is a great opportunity to get outside and work in the fresh air, and help beautify the community. Variable hours and days during spring break-you choose! Call Diana at 539-1791 for more info.
WEEKEND TRIP TO ELLIS, KS TO HELP WITH WALKING TRAIL CONSTRUCTION -- Saturday, April 21st, ECM will be taking a group of volunteers to Ellis to help with the construction of a walking trail in Memory of Denny Schoenthaler. We will most likely be leaving early Saturday morning and returning on Saturday evening. Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dennis-Schoenthaler-Memorial-Walking-Trail/188690551214097 to learn more about the project, the community, and Denny. If you would like more information about this trip or would like to volunteer, please contact me at sjohnson_04@hotmail.com.
SECOND HELPING -- Second Helping is FCUCC's outreach meal to those in the community, homeless or otherwise, who need a hot meal. There is a need for assistance in preparing, serving and/or cleaning up after the Second Helping meal to be served Sunday, April 8th. Prep begins at 3:15, meal is served at 5:30 or so, clean up is done by 6:15 or so. If you are interested in volunteering for this Sunday contact Mary Ellen Barkley at advice5cents@gmail.com. If you have plans this weekend, but you would be willing to help out another weekend please contact me at sjohnson_04@hotmail.com.
