Hello Jubilants,

It may be a slight conflict of interest for a fortune cookie to advise “Trust your gut,” but it’s also a heckuva wise suggestion.

Decisions I regret result from ignoring the gut’s red alert or happy yes, and over-analysis set in. My best decisions emerge from that knowingness in the bones, not the reactive brain. Often, my response is “What the heck?”

Intuition begs leaps of faith, knocks on doors you’d never think would open, asking for the impossible. While it seems impossible that here, in the depth of winter, that Spring is already happening. Earth is wiser than our skittering attention span and is already preparing for bursting forth! Seeds are waking up beneath the frost, and mother’s milk begins to churn in the creatures of the fields. We humans are still creatures of the fields and are subject to the pull and push of forces yet unknown to science.

Ancients knew the gut had a wisdom all its own -- today, science has only just cracked that fortune cookie. We may have much to learn -- but much more to trust. 

See you Sunday,
Jay Joslin

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HONOR JACKIE
There are lots of ways you can honor Jackie before she leaves Jubilee! and moves forward in this exciting next step in her journey:

• Attend the online event honoring Jackie immediately following our February 7th Sunday celebration.  We are still working on the details, but it will include a slide show and lots of music, laughter and love.
• Help us build a page on our website (jubileecommunity.org) full of well wishes, blessings and memories of the last 15 years. Please send your messages, photos, video links, etc. to michele4sf@gmail.com.
• Make a video message to Jackie at https://www.tribute.co/jackie-dobrinska/.  It is really easy...just put your best smile on, click the record button and tell Jackie your favorite memory of her.

LABYRINTH OF LOVE
Yay! Another chance to safely get together in person. Make sure you save the date for the Labyrinth of Love walk that will be held in Carrier Park on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. The event will focus on receiving the loving gifts of the labyrinth, then sending them into the world (our fellow walkers and friends and neighbors, our communities, and everyone we do not yet know around the globe). It is a processional labyrinth with separate entrance and exit to ensure safe distancing (masks required) while still creating the camaraderie of a community walk. Bring a heart (paper, stone, something you created) or a gift of the heart for those in need (canned goods, a book, a donation) that Jubilee can distribute; these will be left at the altar in the center. The labyrinth walk is limited to the first 50 people who RSVP. Sign up will soon be available here.

HELP JUBILEE! SINGERS CATALOG THEIR MUSIC
The Jubilee! Singers are looking for help documenting all of their music. Teri Sandoval is looking for several people who would be willing to come and hang out for a while (safely) in the Celebration Center and enter information for each piece in our Library in a spreadsheet. So if you can't carry a tune, this is a great way to participate in the Jubilee! Singers! (And if you can carry a tune, then perhaps we can "whistle while we work...")  Please contact Teri Sandoval at jubileesingersavl@gmail.com to get involved.

REVVING UP JUBILEE! COMMUNICATIONS
As we move forward with finding new ways to communicate with Jubilants, we have added Michele Bernhardt to Jubilee!'s staff as our communications manager.  You may have noticed her name popping up here and there since last May when, as a volunteer, she started chairing the Jubilee! communications team and played a key role in building our new website and starting our Google ad campaign.  The communications team...which also includes Bill Scobie, John David Short, Patrick Fitzsimmons and Laura Billings...is looking for new members, especially anyone who has experience with blogging, media relations, social media, graphic design, photography or videography.  If you are interested in joining the team, just let Michele know at michele4sf@gmail.com.

SAYING FAREWELL TO SANDY L. JONES
Many of you already know that long-time Jubilant Sandy Jones died in an accident in her home on Wednesday of last week. As Laura Collins said about Sandy in her opening remarks at last Sunday's celebration, "If our theme is Presence, then one way we measure Presence is by noticing absence." You can click here to play the beautiful video tribute that Peggy Ratusz put together of Sandy and her friends and family.

IT'S THAT PESKY TAX TIME AGAIN
It's coming up on tax season again. Do you need a record of your donations to Jubilee! for 2020?  We will gladly provide you a statement detailing your donations if you need such a report. If you would like us to send you a donations report please send a request to Patrick at patrick@jubileecommunity.org or call him at 828-777-2495.
 

PEGGE SAYLOR AND PATRICE JOHNSON PASSING
Earlier this year on September 3rd, long time Jubilant Pegge Saylor passed away. You can read her obituary here. The family had another sad occurrence on December 6th, when Pegge's daughter Patrice Johnson also passed away. The family hopes to have two memorials when COVID abates, but in the meantime any stories and memories any Jubilants want to share with the family can be sent to Pegge's sister, Louise Thiessen Love, at lois@thiessenlove.com.

SACRED LANDS, SACRED BODIES
Jubilee! is part of Creation Care Alliance, an organization that is offering a chance to connect and renew hope with a symposium called Sacred Lands, Sacred Bodies; Faithfully Caring for People and Place on January 28th & 29th. Designed with creation care volunteers and clergy in mind, this retreat allows you to spend the time with colleagues, friends and clergy who care about people and our planet. The event includes science, spirituality, practical tips, prayer, ritual, stories of creation care and resilience from congregations practicing right relationship with practical steps for caring for our neighbors and the earth. Time will be included for regionally based brainstorming and discussion.  Sign up here. 

ECO-GRIEF CIRCLE
Creation Care Alliance is also offering a seven-week Eco-Grief Circle on Thursdays.  Although the circles started a few weeks ago, it runs until February 25th, so you can still join as long as space is available. This is an opportunity to explore grief, sorrow, anxiety, fear, guilt, shame, anger and despair related to the social and ecological challenges of our time. Eco-Grief Circles offer mutual support, healing, insight and love, but are not a grief therapy experience.  The leadership team includes counselors, pastors and environmental advocates. Learn more and register here.
 

END OF LIFE LITERACY WORKSHOP
Honor your life and your loved ones by preparing for your death! Preparing both internally and externally for our own death can help our loved ones know what to expect, guide our own process, reduce worry, and allow us to devote our attention, when it’s time, to the mystery and magic of the dying process. This two-day workshop takes place on January 29th and February 5th.  It will focus on death literacy and provide an overview of the entire spectrum of end of life paperwork with a core focus on the Five Wishes. Learn more and register here.

SO MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT JUBILEE!
We know it's not the same as filling the basket in person, but there are lots of different ways you can donate to Jubilee! and the Hunger Basket.  Please give as generously as you can!
~  Online: Click here.
~  GivePlus app: Download the app, enter zip code 28801, then click Jubilee!
~  Text: Text 844-962-2639
~  Snail Mail: Mail your check to Jubilee!, 46 Wall Street, Asheville, NC 28801

Please donate to the hunger baskets or Jubilee!'s operating costs or both.  Jubilee! continues to have expenses to keep running.  And know all hunger basket donations are going to Bounty & Soul and other organizations providing COVID relief.