November 2025 - Monthly Newsletter
- Helms Jarrell
- Nov 5
- 4 min read
AT A GLANCE
Upcoming Events
Gathering Dates
2025 BCC worship gathering dates: Oct 5 & 19, Nov 2, 16, 30, Dec 7, 14, & 21
2026 dates: Jan 11-Epiphany party, Jan 25- Covenant Sunday, Feb 8, Feb 18- Ash Wed, Feb 22, March 1, March 15, March 29-Palm Sunday, April 5- Easter, April 26- Nina Simone Day, May 10, May 24- Pentecost, June 7, June 21, July 5- Funeral for the Empire, July 19, Aug 2, Aug 16, Sept 13, Sept 27, Oct 4, Oct 18, Nov 1- All Saints/Children’s Blessing, Nov 15, Nov 29. Dec 6, Dec 13, Dec 20.
Save the date: November 11th-
Song and Salve: Music and Practices for the Soul and the City
Join the Carolina Music Social Club for an immersive community experience where music meets medicine-making — nurturing both the heart and the body. Song and Salve invites you into a shared circle of sound, story, and creation.
Together, we’ll breathe deeply, sing boldly, and explore the songs that have carried us — from lullabies and anthems to chants of protest and empowerment. Through improvised harmonies, collective songwriting, and the weaving of new verses into beloved tunes, we’ll discover how music connects us across generations and struggles.
Alongside the music, we’ll engage in the age-old art of crafting healing salves, learning from the plants that thrive around us. Guided by knowledge of native herbs, you’ll explore their protective and restorative properties — and create a balm to carry home as a reminder of the day’s shared care.
Bring the songs you remember from your family, your community, or your own life’s journey. Bring the remedies passed down through stories or experience. Together, we’ll create something that lingers — in voice, in body, and in spirit.
Come for the song, stay for the salve —
and leave with your hands, heart, and city a little more whole.
This event is co-sponsored by Beloved Community Charlotte and QC Family Tree.
Community Life
Save the date for the Epiphany Party on January 11th at 5:00pm. Get your tickets now.
Leadership at Gatherings:
Date | Childcare | Prayers for the People | Creative Contemplation |
Nov 30 (Advent Season) | Laura P. | Judy and Tom J | Greg J |
Dec 7 (Advent Season) | Karim H | Christine N | Mattie B |
Dec 14 (Advent Season) | Tim N | Gretchen H | Seth P. |
Dec 21 (Advent Season) | Mattie B | Shelly M | Chris M |
Who is open to hosting New Year’s Day gathering as our Beloved Community Circle? Or another time/date? | |||
Jan 11- Epiphany Party | party on , yall! | ||
Jan 25 (Epiphany Season) | Everyone together | ??? | ??? |
Feb 8 (Epiphany Season) | Greg J | ??? | ??? |
Governance
The next Governance meeting will be (date TBD) via zoom at 7:00pmHere’s the link: https://commonchange.zoom.us/j/7046546546
Here’s our Governance meeting agenda:
Check in
Debrief how the activation went, in terms of BCC leadership/hosting.
Looking ahead at 2026 calendar.
Working group updates
Comms
Justice praxis
Visitors
Budget/finance
Childcare
Misc
UCC grant status
Space updates
Close
Remember to RSVP
Please remember to RSVP to the Google Calendar Invite for BCC Gatherings so that we can make proper childcare arrangements.
Beloved Community School for the Common Good
forming a culture of justice, connection, and collective care.
Fall Season: September- Nov 23, 2025
Wayfinding: Wisdom for Action in the Public Square
What can we learn from our ancestors, the earth, and our traditions to help us build a better future?
How can we use stories, art, and our own experiences to tell the truth about what’s wrong and imagine what’s possible?
How can we use art, actions, and community events to stand up against injustice?
What does it look like to show care and fairness in our communities through public efforts?
Activation= Carolina Social Music Club facilitates a pop up concert/choir- talking about the background and influence of their songs, their cultural and spiritual lineage (human and More-than- human) They lead folks through singing and crafting a playlist/book of songs that can be used on the streets in protest, public actions, press conferences, etc.
Toolkit - Resources to use at home, with family, and in small groups. become a sponsor of the school to receive an all seasons pass to this toolkit or order a season at time. Here’s a link to a pdf of our Field Guide for this season of the School for the Common Good. In it, you’ll find all sorts of DIY resources.
There's also a webpage dedicated to the Field Guide here.
Beloved Community Circles: Chris and Shelly have volunteered to host the circle this season on Nov 12th at 7pm. Stay tuned for address coming soon.
Ritual Gatherings: Bi-weekly practices of ceremony, creative contemplation, story sharing, and connection rooted in the Christian tradition at Ophelia Garmon Brown Community Center, 2647 Freedom Dr, Charlotte, NC 28208, from 5pm - 7pm.
Communications
Ways to stay up to date
Slack is a communication tool that BCC folks use to update each other throughout the week. If you want to join the slack, let Helms know.
If you don’t want to find us on Slack, you can still find updates on our Linktree.
You can also add the Beloved Community Charlotte Google calendar to your calendar.
If someone you know wants to join our belovedcommunityclt email list, email iamhelmsie@gmail.com and she’ll add you to the list.
If you want to schedule some time to connect with Helms, feel free to find a time that works for you using this link: https://calendly.com/helmsjarrell
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