In the spirit: Asheville First Congregati­onal United Church of Christ celebrates 100 years

  What: On June 7, 1914, the First Congregational Church in Asheville was chartered. This weekend Asheville’s First Congregational UCC will be celebrating its centennial with a special One Hundred Year Dinner for congregation members and a celebration worship service on Sunday, June 8 at 10:30 a.m. The service will feature a brass quintet and guest […]

Common capital: Mapping Asheville’s shared economy

Shared economies are based on collaboration — the belief that collective ownership of resources leads to their most effective use. In such systems, advocates say, individuals don’t have to struggle as much to find what they need or make available what they have to offer. The overall goal is not individual profit but providing the maximum benefit to all with the least amount of waste.

So you want to be an activist? Tips from the front lines for fostering an engaged citizenry

From the Get It! Guide: Lifestyle activism — everyday actions such as personal conservation efforts or conscientious purchasing choices — may be meaningful ways to shape our world, but in addition to making those day-to- day choices, many still yearn to find their voice and place in a world that feels increasingly loud and anonymous. So what can you do?

Taking it personally

For those who haven’t served time in food service, health regulations require that foods sold to the public must be prepared and stored in a commercially certified kitchen. The exception is when foods are prepared in a customer’s own home and stored for consumption on the premises. That’s how personal chefs roll: They show up […]

Mountain-Creole fusion

For well over a year, quirky and artistic downtown Marshall was without a full-service restaurant. The old stone building at 18 N. Main St. — which used to house Bacchus Bistro and Stone House Pizza — remained vacant from early 2012 until this summer, when Marshall’s culinary drought officially ended as Jaime and Deena Hernandez […]

Collective liberation

Guitar innovator John McLaughlin comes to The Orange Peel on Thursday, June 13, with his band, The 4th Dimension. The current incarnation of the 4th Dimension features Gary Husband on keys, Etienne Mbappe on bass, McLaughlin on guitar and Ranjit Barot on percussion. Read on for an extensive interview with McLaughlin on the six-string, Miles Davis and a life in music.

Taking it to the streets: Urban Dharma brings Buddhist teachings to the heart of Asheville

Take one look at the “spirituality” section of our calendar, and it’s easy to see that the Asheville area aims for wellness of mind and heart in a variety of ways — meditation, mindfulness, earth medicine, prayer, peacefulness, the metaphysical and Zen listings abound. One of those gems is Urban Dharma, where Hun Lye welcomes those seeking to practice and learn more about Buddhism. (Pictured: Hun Lye; photo by Taylor Johnson)

The future’s agape: Swimming the Blue Ocean in a post-Christian culture

Blue Ocean Faith will hold its 2013 Southeastern Conference Thursday-Saturday, March 7-9, at the Blue Ridge Vineyard Church in north Asheville. Curious about the ideas and folks behind the conference, I asked Tom Camacho, pastor of the Blue Ridge Vineyard, whether we’re experiencing a contemporary reformation. (Pictured: Tom Camacho; photo by Jordan Foltz)