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Knowledge & News
Thought provoking topics and series, necessary news and information.
Mastering Hibachi at Midnight Craving that late night Hibachi order we were so spoiled with in the past? I had no idea that this would be something that I actually took for-granted, but it is. Every Sunday night following our weekly service, ten minute pick-up time for that salty shrimp or chicken hibachi order with extra white sauce.... $10. A few weeks into quarantine, when the flexible dinner schedule had officially reached random midnight meals and sleeping in until 11AM... I had to have some hibachi and I literally experimented until I had something.
PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE Ingredients | 1/2 can Diced Pineapple, 2 Cups Jasmine Rice, 1/2 Sweet Onion Diced, 1/2 Cup Veggie Medley (chopped carrots, peas, peppers), 1 Cup Soy Sauce, 4 Cloves Garlic Minced, 1/3 Cup Sesame Oil, 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Honey, One Egg, Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, Olive Oil to Fry Bundt Cakes & Basic Baking. Day 7001 and I have officially baked 6 cakes to gift to friends and family in under a week. This week's inspiration was an excessive number of red apples and oranges that I couldn't possibly see go to waste. I'm a serious sucker for Pinterest recipes and I usually use them as the base for the recipe and then take on my own spin. Here are this week's masterpieces! ORANGE BUNDT CAKE Cake Ingredients (7.5 inch bundt) | 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 tsps baking powder, 1.5 cups granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 3 tbsps milk, 3/4 cup Vo-Lasalle Orange Juice, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla, orange zest from 3 oranges, pinch of salt ORANGE GLAZE Glaze Ingredients | 1.25 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsps orange juice, 1/2 tsp vanilla INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease Bundt Pan. In medium bowl mix all cake ingredients. Pour the batter in the bundt and bake for 35 minutes. 2. Let cool on stove top for fifteen minutes. Then gently take out the bundt cake and drizzle with orange glaze and powdered sugar. Hot Off The Grill.Easter Week called for outdoor dinners and tequila cocktails. Grilling in Florida always calls for a beachy drink filled with citrus notes and a little kick. The grill has been calling my name this week. The past few weeks have felt like comfort food and cozy sweatpants, but today feels like full-on summer (my favorite time of year). It's time for a tan, a summer dress and the smoky flavors on my rickety gas grill.
What's the key to flavorful dishes on the grill? A killer spicy rub and sweet marinade- paired with a little patience, hence the beverage. This week, I've been leaning into a Sweet Carolina BBQ Sauce and a new Sweet Heat Rub from Gaffs that will clear out your sinuses from its punch to your nose. Choose your poison- a sweet marinade and a strong rub from home. Yes- sometime's we'll provide entire recipes with all of the little details, but what I love most about cooking- is that no dish is ever the same. So this week- be inspired to master your favorite grilled dish, and choose items from your currently stocked pantry! Shopping Safety During Covid-19.Germs. People. Crowds. Exposure. We all have a heightened sense of anxiety when visiting our local grocery stores in this season. How can we remain safe while still keeping our pantries stocked? 1. DEVISE A PLAN. Make a grocery list- not on your phone, on actual paper. Make a plan and stick to it. Paper lists allow for you to skip the germs spread from your phone screen and onto new spaces at home. 2. CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORM. Personally, Publix is overwhelming to me right now. I've opted to shop locally with Gaff's Meat & Specialty Foods via their new curbside option. Their products are available on Facebook and a simple phone call is all you need to make your order. Super quick turnaround time and the perk of shopping local! If you try Gaff's this week- order a slice of Devil's Food Cheesecake... Indulge. You deserve it. For vegetables, I've been visiting Kelly Crump at Vo-Lasalle on Thursdays to pick items for the week. They have honey, fresh squeezed orange juice, snap peas, tomatoes, onions, and sooooo much more. If you're not comfortable with these options, you can venture out to your local Publix or Winn-Dixie store in town for supplies with a few extra precautions in place. If you're up for trying delivery, check out Shipt online for grocery items delivered to your door. Still not comfortable? Maybe you know a local restaurant owner who is selling a small list of grocery items for curbside pickup? The Table Restaurant and 4-Rivers are two that I know of. 3. SAFETY FIRST. If you're ordering items curbside, have the grocery or restaurant attendant drop the items in your trunk. Create a cleared space in your kitchen to drop the bags and wash your hands. Grab disinfectant and a paper towel, or maybe a couple Clorox wipes. Take each item out of the bag and wipe down the exterior package, then place it in a different section of your countertop or directly into the fridge/pantry. Move all bags to an outside trash can. When you've completed the process, sanitize the countertop space and wash your hands again.
If you're visiting a grocery store location, wear a set of plastic gloves, and a fabric mask to prevent yourself from touching items in the store and then making contact with your face. Maintain your distance from those around you. Don't use cash transactions, if possible. When you get to the car, dispose of your mask and gloves in the trunk of your car to responsibly move to your trash at home. If you're visiting a local farm for fresh veggies, bring your own basket! Also, bring scissors, your own bags and knives to pick items fresh from the ground. Make sure to rinse everything thoroughly at home and clean any reusable bags immediately. 4. EXTRA PRECAUTIONS. Wash the clothes that you wore out to the grocery store when you get home. Leave your shoes at the front door. Wash your hands! 5. REST. Grocery shopping can be a big deal these days. Don't let the anxiety get the best of you. Get inspired to make that first meal with all of your fantastic finds. Check back later this week for some inspiration. Stay home & healthy. -Jess Serwanski, Director of Operations Creativity in Isolation. It's Day #24 at home for the Collective Staff and like most of you, we've taken some time to slow down, regroup, clean, cook, exercise and explore. But if you're like me, this rainy Sunday forced you into a slump. I'm a Florida girl so I usually love the rain, summer storms, the smell, the calm, not today. I felt myself sinking into the couch slowly, trapped in my home- no motivation to move. It's somehow 5PM and all I've accomplished is 10 reviews online... Lord help me. So here I am-- digging through the fridge for something... anything to inspire me. Lemon, Garlic, Mushrooms, Pasta.... always cheese. I made a comfort meal, something you'd find at Carrabba's for a quarter of the price in my own kitchen. Mixing spices, chopping fresh veggies, singing Norah Jones songs while the rain drips on the windows... that' my jam. I was able to reset my mood through a perfect meal for one. I'm here to challenge you to find your reset button. I sure as hell don't expect you to be up at 7AM running a marathon and making a killer breakfast for your family of five, but let's start small. I challenge you to find your sense of creativity today. Think about your options, make a choice and embrace it. Whatever that means for you- take it in and set a plan or an outline. You might get something out of it. Time is on your side today. "I challenge you to find your sense of creativity today. Think about your options, make a choice and embrace it." Community Statement
So, we agree not to make assumptions about the person across from us, next to us, or in conversation with us. We challenge ourselves to be sensitive, knowing this community includes a diverse group of people from life-long followers of Jesus, to people who are just now open to the idea that God might exist. We strive to avoid offense, ask good questions, articulate and explain our responses. We don’t assume fluency in bible, spirituality, or Church language, because we believe the message of Jesus is not for Christianity, but for humanity. So, we do everything in the spirit of love and grace.
A Prayer For Memorial Day
By Dan Vaughen Every day I think of you, is Memorial Day. Your photo catches my eye; a stranger carries your energy. Your Spirit lingers in the spaces we shared. Your name inhabits conversations with friends.  What a magical day and amazing event! thanks to everyone who joined us for our largest and most successful Easter Sunday yet. After two sell-out brunches, we held an intimate Baptism Service back at our temporary meeting place, The Table. We had many people ask if there would be a video or transcript of the Easter Sermon. We have included both below in this blog post. Please feel free to share and use however it can be helpful to others.
 This is the sign on the door to the balcony in the Air BnB where we’re staying in St. Louis for GC 2019. “Welcome! - NO GUESTS ALLOWED.” At first this was funny. It’s not funny anymore.
 After more than twenty years as members of a local Methodist Church, we changed our membership and offering to Collective. The decision was not done lightly, since this was Rachel’s families’ church since she was two-years old. We married and renewed our vows in this church. We baptized all four of our children in this church. Yet, after more than twenty-years of marriage in this one church, we realized our faith was more inclusive than many of our fellow Methodists. We found solace in the mission of Collective, from the “metaphor of journey” to doing “everything in the spirit of love and grace”. Our daughter Katie first introduced us to Collective, shortly after a less than positive experience we had going to a Christian youth event at DeLand High School. The guest speaker lectured that Islam was the “Devil’s religion”, and that its followers would be denied entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. As educators, Christians, and parents, we were both bothered by the narrow message of Christianity that was being delivered to local high school students. This began a dialogue in our family about the role of Christianity in our national politics, and the weaponization of religion—faith that fears others and cultural change, faith that seeks conformity to old morays and customs. We began to question our own church, its members, and its congregational culture.  We realized that our ‘moderate’ Methodist Church did not view salvation as inclusive, as we did. We viewed the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ as much a metaphor for living as a destination. For us, the challenging journey to live like Christ was more important than a singular view of salvation through Christ.
When Katie brought us to Collective, we immediately felt at home but were torn leaving our other church family. It took us nearly a year to make the transition, as we were consistently reminded of what we valued in Collective. We saw Collective reaching out to the unchurched, to even those “who are just now open to the idea that God might exist." We saw Collective offering an inclusive Gospel that was welcoming to alternate lifestyles and gender identities. We enjoyed the use of secular music as a pathway to spirituality. For these and many other reasons we now call Collective home and financially support the Collective mission. Join us and the family of Christ, in pledging your financial support to the Collective journey in 2019. In Love and Grace, Don & Rachel Sarro |
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May 2020
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We value highly the metaphor of journey. We’re different people from different places and backgrounds, representing an intergenerational community, and we’ve traveled different paths. So, we agree not to make assumptions about the person across from us, next to us, or in conversation with us. We challenge ourselves to be sensitive, knowing this community includes a diverse group of people from life-long followers of Jesus, to people who are just now open to the idea that God might exist. We strive to avoid offense, ask good questions, articulate and explain our responses. We don’t assume fluency in bible, spirituality, or Church language, because we believe the message of Jesus is not for Christianity, but for humanity. So, we do everything in the spirit of love and grace.
Paid Professional Childcare Available during Sunday Services 1 - 5 years of age | Childcare 6 - 11 years of age | Collective Kids |
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