"A year round center for retreats and renewal at Chautauqua Institution offering a positive radiant expression of United Methodist Christianity. Providing for spiritual refreshment, quiet renewal, friendship and fellowship!"

Friday, August 15, 2014

"THIS WAS THE WEEK OF CURRENT AFFAIRS; GAZA, SYRIA, UKRAINE AND THE RECENT 'RELOCATION' PROGRAM AT THE UNITED METHODIST HOUSE."


Fareed Zakaria on the Middle East


Removal to the 'ravine'


Of course our CURRENT chaplain, Pamela Gardner, was ever present on the porch with a 'chat' about the recent book (Time Magazine) by Barbara Brown Taylor, 'Learning to Walk in the Dark.'

and her mother Emily


Other guests in the House:
Floridian flowers
Blue grass couple


Instructors from afar
Floridian flowers

Knows Camp Redwing!
Mahjong anyone?
Young clergy participant
Other activities at the House:
Tracker problems
The ladies of the Lake
Youth Summer Music Camp

Sweet Anna
New friends at Chautauqua

We wish Yi-Chin Lee (videographer for the Daily)and Yuta Takano (youth symphony cellist) good luck in their careers.  They have been a key reason for the success of our porch dinners..... and besides that 'we love them.'





Saturday, August 9, 2014





BIG....BIG.....BIG.....Everything is BIG this week at Chautauqua and the United Methodist House.  BIG crowds, BIG names (Ken Burns), BIG parade (CLSC), BIG crowds at the Chaplain's  Chat on the UM House porch and our own BIG name Chaplain David Streets!


David & Toni


The residents of the UM House this past week:
Lone Stars

High school friends

Knows Mort

Warren wonders

Jay Hawks 
Chautauqua/UM House activities:
Alice in action

We will miss you Yuta

Youth singers & musicians - Ice Cream Social

Abrahamic youth presentation

Southern hospitality

Tea from Marienville

CLSC Day
Soft tunes for the ladies



Unlike any place in this world....



Friday, August 1, 2014

DEPRESSION IN BRAZIL DUE TO WORLD CUP LOSS BUT HAPPINESS ON THE PORCH OF THE UM HOUSE WHERE NO ONE EVER LOSES and PEACE IS A TOP PRIORITY:
We dedicate this week's blog to the NGO Knitting For Peace and it's founders Hal and Sue.  (check out their web-site for more details) They meet every Tuesday on the UM House porch.







Our Chaplain for the week was Dr. Robert Shelton and he also used PEACE as the theme of his sermon and Chaplain's Chat.  
PEACE FACTS: There is a Peace Pole at Chautauqua and a new Peace Institute in D.C.

Robert & Carolyn

Our guests this past week:
Special guest
Southern style

Family and friend
 Tar Heels 
                                                      
Blue Devils
 Activities at the House:

Ukrainian egg maker
Music maker
Friends in conversation
                     

Fairview Tea party people and a friend
                            
Our favorite NGO (Knitting for Peace)

A VERY SPECIAL PLACE:




Friday, July 25, 2014

THE AMERICAN WEST, WESTERN PA, WESTERN NY, WEST VIRGINIA. . . . . . the key word is WEST this week.  Our chaplain this past week is from West Virginia, Western PA and also is the chaplain at Allegheny College in Meadville.  It has truly, been a Western Experience at the UM House.
Chaplain Jane Ellen Nickell and her mother, Ellen


Our guests this past week:
Long standing (sitting) friends
Gracious guy
La Jolla lady
The upper porch patrons
Dear, dear southern friends
Week activities:
Ecumenical communion
Joy, Joy, Joy!
Saturday short order cooks

 
A history lesson by Jane


Karen's corn

Mother/daughter porch team

A QUIET PEACE SETTLES OVER THE PORCH EACH EVENING!