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Game Recaps

Street Soccer’s game on June 29^th was a huge test for us, and although the result wasn't what we would have hoped for, we played well against a tough team. The opposing team, Chipotle Hybirds was a bit of a rival for StreetSoccer 945, with many of their players having played with us before, such as John, Jenny, Dave, and Sam.

The game began with a lot of work in the middle of the field, with few shots, and lots of exchanges of possession. Craig had a good header that kept them from charging down the field, and Jose, our fearless goalkeeper, made several key saves. Unfortunately in the 8th minute they slipped one by us, making it 1-0, and leaving us with some ground to make up. Bern and Mister tried to do this, with both of them making great attempts on net, but nothing seemed to get lucky. The half ended at 0-1, and we started the second half hopeful for a comeback. Unfortunately for us, they scored another goal at the start of the half, and although Jose had some great saves and Bern had some close attempts, we couldn't quite make up the goals. The final score was 0-3, and although we lost, we saw a lot of things to work on as well.

Tuesday, July 6^th’s game started with a bang with three early goals from Pete, Matt, and Bern. However, our opposing team was tough and quickly responded with an upper 90 goal on Casper, making it 3-1 with lot of time left to play. Brittany created a great opportunity with her free kick that allowed for an Osman goal! We continued to pressure the goal with an attempt from Luis, but they wouldn't give up easily, scoring again to make in 4-2.

Casper, playing goalkeeper, had some great saves, even stopping a 2-on-1 break away. The half ended with another Pete goal to end on a high note of 5-2. After halftime everyone was excited and ready to play. They scored right away off the halftime kick which started a nerve wrenching final half. Matt kept driving the ball down the field and scored after a close attempt that hit the post. It was 6-2 when they really started pressuring us hard. They got two lucky goals in the bottom corners and several more close calls on goal. But in the end the sticky defense of Craig, Dennis, and Casper saved the day and left us with a 6-5 win!

Now, 945 is in 2nd place in the league and faces the 1st place team tonight, Tuesday, July 27th at 6pm at Revolution Park. Come on out to support the squad. To get involved, please join the Royal Court Fan Club or contact Pete at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . By Allie Banwell

HHH Goes to Washington!

Homeless Helping Homeless Blog

For the fourth year, HHH returned to DC for the annual National Alliance to End Homelessness conference. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so below our some images to tell you about our trip (okay - a few captions, too).

Robert, Ramiro, Claire, Wendell, and Hannah are sporting their HHH gear after a meal in Union Station

Ramiro and Robert pose on the way to advocate on Capitol Hill

NC had one of the largest delegations at the entire conference. Much of the delegation gathered in the lobby of Russell Senate Building to meet with Senator Richard Burr.

Robert, Erin, Ramiro, Angie and Claire smile in the Capitol.

Robert and Liz had the honor of presenting a workshop at the conference about how to build the advocacy voice of "consumers" or those who have experienced homelessness.

The group poses with Sue Myrick, after a productive meeting with the Representative.

Wendell and Erin in the nation's capitol

Compass Readings

Compass Readings Blog

A friend once asked Mark Nepo to store his fish in Mark’s bathtub while he cleaned out their tank (apartments don’t always come with a tub!). Mark was agreeable, so his friend emptied his fish into the ample, fresh, water of the tub and left to clean the fish tank. When he returned to pick up the fish, he was surprised to find them swimming in the exact dimensions of their little tank. Though the “vast expanse” of the bathtub was theirs for the swimming, instead they clung to their original space! (The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have)

How easy it is to cramp our view of the world, ourselves, others, and God – keeping all of them excessively small. Most of the time we don’t even know we’re doing so. That’s the response many people have to the Bridges out of Poverty seminars – middle class values, assumptions, and norms are so much a part of our world – practically in the air we breathe – that we assume that everyone operates the same way. It’s a shock to learn that people in survival live by another set of values, assumptions, and norms that are valid in their “world” – so much so that if we were thrust into their situations, we’d have to learn their ways in order to survive!

And what of God? We can never wrap our minds completely around God and capture divinity in the net of our concepts. Theologians are constantly reminding us that our god is too small: recall Augustine's insight that if we have understood, then what we have understood is not God; Anselm's argument that God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived; Hildegard's vision of God's glory as Living Light that blinded her sight; Aquinas's working rule that we can know that God is and what God is not, but not what God is; Luther's stress on the hiddenness of God's glory in the suffering of the cross; Simone Weil's conviction that there is nothing that resembles what she can conceive of when she says the word God; Karl Rahner's image that we are a little island surrounded by a deep ocean; and Sallie McFague's insistence that, since all language about God is technically improper, we speak basically in models and parables. But we continue to swim within the old dimensions, barely if even aware that there’s a vast expanse right before us.

Further, we tend to think so habitually of God in set phrases that the words we use are leeched of all meaning. We take refuge in the most familiar forms of our religion. We fumble our way along without knowing what we are, or what we are doing, without knowing what is happening within us, because the world has put our eyes out. Money, sensual pleasure, ambition, success, kill in us all feeling of the mystery that surrounds us from birth to death.

Julian Green suggests that we should try to think of God as newness, as eternal freshness (Diary, 1928-1957). Which means cultivating openness, wonder, and attentiveness to the spontaneity and surprises all around us.

The Servant Leadership School spiritual formation program provides one way to move into the “vast expanse” beyond our habits of attention that limit our awareness of God, others, and the whole of creation. Through reading, reflecting, praying, communing with others on the same journey, and engagement with people who are poor, SFP participants are invited to recognize and set aside their perceptual limitations that they may see – and, perhaps, swim – further. I’ve been urging you to prayerfully consider if the time is ripe and right for you to do so. Some have responded positively, yet we still need more. I’m scheduling a meeting for all who are or might be interested on Tuesday, August 10, at 7 pm, at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (corner N. Tryon and 7^th – free parking in the underground garage off Seventh St.). We’ll spend time discerning where God is luring us…and how to respond with our hands, heart, and feet!

Call (704-926-0612) or email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) me if you plan to attend.

Street Soccer Improves to 3-1-1

Street Soccer Blog

Following a fun drive over to Remount Revolution Park, Street Soccer 945 laced up their boots and led the pre-game warmup together in preparation for their match against Watershed. Very quickly after the whistle blew Osman made it known to Watershed that he was the playmaker when he let loose a lightning quick volley off a cross from player-coach, Pete. He was relentless in his attack, finally finding the back of the net a few minutes later with a very pretty goal. Watershed would not go down easy though, they immediately counter-attacked which caught Street Soccer 945 off guard and the game was tied once again. With a superior subbing rotation led by assistant coach Danny, the team went into halftime less fatigued and ready to make a few minor adjustments to really put Watershed away.

They did just that in the second half. Watershed was at a loss for words with Street Soccer 945’s passing and communication skills, which really paid off for the team as they worked together to get Osman a hat trick. He scored twice more in the second half bringing his goal total for the game to three. The cheering from fellow Street Soccer 945 teammates along the sidelines certainly made it a special evening for everyone on the field working for those goals. Francisco put in one more for good measure bringing the final tally to 4-1. Both Luis and Mister had great shots on goal that flew just wide. After the game Pete was quite impressed and proud of the team for making the necessary adjustments, such as working on getting back on defense, talking with each other, and playing together as a team, at halftime to produce a great result. And with the USA cup quickly approaching, he noted that the team seems to be coming together and learning how to work with each other at just the right time. 945 is now 3-1-1 and heads to Washington DC next weekend for the Street Soccer USA Cup to compete with squads from 20 other cities around the country. Follow along on the 945 website!

To join the Royal Court Fan Club and support Street Soccer 945 click here.

Blogs

Game Recaps

HHH Goes to Washington!

Compass Readings

Street Soccer Improves to 3-1-1

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