Dear beloved community at CCSM,
I am so delighted to welcome those of you who are local to the Bay Area and who are comfortable and able to attend worship in the sanctuary this Sunday. It will be wonderful to reconnect in that way! For others, rest assured, our online services will continue each and every week as well and we are glad to welcome you in that way as well.
This coming Sunday, I am so excited to introduce to you our guest preacher, Dr. Mahjabeen Dhala. She is a wonderful colleague and friend of mine from the Graduate Theological Union (GTU). Dr. Dhala is currently Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at GTU and Director of the Madrasa-Midrasha Program, a collaborative effort of the Center for Islamic Studies and Center for Jewish Studies. As we continue our series on faith beyond boundaries and borders, we are so blessed by the wisdom of leaders in different faith traditions.
Dr. Dhala will share with us about the intersections of self and society as we work together and within ourselves to create just lives and a just world. In addition to her academic life, she is a powerful preacher, sought-after speaker, and moving retreat and pilgrimage leader. She will bring us insight particularly rooted in women's stories and leadership within the Qur'an and the Islamic tradition, but widely applicable to all people of goodwill.
This Sunday, as some of us return to the sanctuary, I'd like to extend a reminder to please take care of yourself and others by taking appropriate COVID safety precautions. For the time being, we will be sitting only in alternating pews to leave an empty pew between each row of people. Please take a look on the pews to see which are marked for seating.
Also, we offer our love and blessings to Rev. Penny as she begins a time of sabbatical. In that time, please do reach out to Rev. Jorge and I, and the rest of the staff, for anything you may need.
In peace and love,
Sheryl
Rev. Dr. Sheryl Johnson
Associate Minister
Pronouns: she/her/hers
