The Joy of Creative Connection!
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Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church Newsletter
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Weekly Happenings at SHPC
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February 2, 2017
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Creative Connection
Do you think of yourself as a creative person? Are you giving your innate and unique creativity its fullest expression, and regularly experiencing the joy bursts of creative connection? This Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., we'll explore how we can re-connect our inner deeper selves to the Wellspring of Creativity. What joy!
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A Note From
Pastor Bev
The Bible has a lot to say about creating. In the beginning, God creates the heavens, the earth, and all the creatures, including us. The world is God's canvas, and what a beautiful creation God has made! In the New Testament, the Gospel of John reminds us that Jesus was in the beginning with God, and that all things were made through him.
Jesus, too, is Creator, and the boundless creativity he employed in teaching, preaching, storytelling, healing, community building, challenging elites, making wrong things right, and restoring relationship inspire us to explore how we are called to fire up our own creative gifts to make something for the world.
One of the most delightful parts of church is seeing people wake up to their own creative connection. In caring community we are freed up to discover where our unique creativity can make something from nothing. Sometimes growing up and the stresses of life can block creativity, but when you put a bunch of church folks in a caring, creative, connected community, there is no limit to what we can make!
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Friday, Feb. 3rd
Noon
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Bible Study with Pastor Bev
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Sunday, Feb. 5th
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
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Celebrating Community
Creative Connection
Coffee and Fellowship -- All are Welcome!
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Wednesday, Feb. 8th
6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
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Hand Chimes rehearse
SHPC Singers rehearse
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Friday, Feb. 10th
Noon
5:00 p.m.
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Bible Study with Pastor Bev
Yoga with Karen
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Sunday, Feb. 12
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
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Celebrating Community - Compassion
Annual Meeting of the Congregation following the service to elect officers, review the budget, and approve the Pastor's Terms of Call.
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Wednesday, Feb. 15th
6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
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Hand Chimes rehearse
SHPC Singers rehearse
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Friday, Feb. 17th
Noon
5:00 p.m.
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Bible Study with Pastor Bev
Yoga with Karen
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Bible Study - Friday, Feb. 3rd - Noon
John 1
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Our presbytery consists of 48 congregations, 5,922 congregational members, and 151 minister members. Our geographical boundaries stretch along the northern California coast from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, including the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Lake, Mendocino, and Humboldt. We are a partnership of Christ's disciples with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. In the midst of our diversity and differences, we respect and support one another as we carry out our individual ministries and our common mission as a presbytery.
To find out more about what's going on in the presbyte
ry,
click here.
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Please Remember in Your Prayers
The family and loved ones of Betty Swalberg,
who passed away Dec. 30, may God comfort our dear Wil and all Betty's family in their bereavement;
Our country, for a way forward where we live our values of justice and equality for all people; for a well-informed citizenry; for government of, by, and for the people, with leaders of integrity;
The refugees and displaced
, almost 1 out of 100 people in the world today, for safety, homes, the basics of life, and freedom from being scapegoated;
Our Muslim neighbors, subject to Islamophobia and hate crimes;
Those living in the shadows and fearing deportation, and their families, may they find sanctuary;
Our planet, the world's poor, all who suffer from disruptive climate change, may we continue our work to keep the planet livable;
Laurie O'Hara and her family, for God's loving presence and comfort in mourning the loss of her mother, Carolyn;
Kelsey Lopin, for healing and full recovery from complications of Lyme disease, and for God's abiding presence, comfort, and love;
Andrea Proster, sister of Nancy Elberg, for complete healing, and for Nancy for continued strength in companioning her;
Paul Lambert's Mom, blessed assurance of God's constant presence;
The PC(USA), as it strives to speak up effectively for justice for all people, especially the vulnerable and marginalized;
Dr. Doug Tilton, our PC(USA) mission co-worker in Southern Africa;
Our church community, renew us and grant us fortitude to continue to bring light to a dark world.
Please take time this week to pray for those on our list.
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In Memoriam
Betty Swalberg
6/10/1928 - 12/30/2016
Please Join the Family at a
Celebration of her Life
and Service of Witness to the Resurrection
SHPC - Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
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YOGA
FRIDAYS FEBRUARY 10 and 17 :
5 - 6PM -
but not this Friday 2/3
Join us for yoga this February; ours is a community class, a place of welcome for all skill levels and experience. Bring an open heart and come as you are, everyone is welcome.
We are practicing upstairs in the sanctuary during these chillier months; walk up the stairs to your left after you enter the building.
Come early if it is your first time or you are new to yoga or would like to discuss an injury you need to work around.
This is a donation based class. Suggested donation $5-$10.We have extra mats if you don't have one.
See you on Fridays, Karen x
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Thank You to all Who Pledged!
Thank you to 55 pledgers for pledging $138,213 to the life of church in 2017!
With gratitude,
Doug, Finance Elder and Stewardship Chair
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Annual Congregational Meeting
The Annual Congregational Meeting will be held immediately following the service on Feb 12th, 2017. The Annual Budget will be reviewed, outgoing officers will be thanked, the Nominating Committee's slate of officers will be voted upon, and the congregation will vote on the Pastor's Terms of Call (compensation).
LOOK FOR YOUR ANNUAL REPORT TO BE E-BLASTED TO YOU NEXT WEDNESDAY 2/8.
--Dennis Latta, Clerk of Session
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REST Youth Cooking This Saturday 2/4 - 4-6pm
Food 4 Good - Sleepy Hollow Church Youth Cooking Program
Happy 2017! We are excited to get back into the Sleepy Hollow Church garden and kitchen again to harvest and cook for the homeless women and men served by the R.E.S.T. Program. Please let us know if your youth will be there so we can plan accordingly. While we completely understand unexpected emergencies can waylay plans, we appreciate you emphasizing to your kids that when they sign up, it is an important commitment. To avoid a conflict with Super Bowl, we have moved our February session to Saturday. Our March and April sessions will be the first Sunday of the month as usual. April concludes the R.E.S.T. Program, but we will be meeting in May to hike up and over the Fawn Trail to Three Twins Ice Cream. This (now) annual tradition is a chance to celebrate what we've done in the year, socialize and start thinking about our goals for next year. In March, we will also be announcing our summer plans for youth gardening. We are working towards a year round program with gardening in the summer months and harvesting/cooking in the winter R.E.S.T. months. More to come! Let us know if you have questions by clicking either of our names --
Judy Ford and
Jen Gauna
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PC(USA) Stated Clerk Rev. J. Herbert Nelson
Opposes Order Banning
Refugees'
Last week President Donald Trump signed an executive order to allegedly protect the nation from terrorists entering the United States. In practice, however, this order serves to further harm those who are the very victims of terrorism, genocide, religious and gender-based persecution, and civil war.
Right now, across the globe, there are families grabbing their bags and clinging to each other as they tearfully flee the home they love, the home they never wanted to leave, because home is no longer safe. And many, after being fully vetted by a legal refugee entry process, are not being allowed to enter the U.S. and are being wrongfully detained at airports across the country.
This is a miscarriage of justice and goes against everything we stand for as a country shaped and formed by people who emanated from other lands.
As the top ecclesial officer of the nation's largest Reformed body, I urge the president and his administration to reverse this very harmful decision regarding refugees. Presbyterians are not afraid of this so-called terror threat. We are not afraid because we profess a faith in Jesus, who entered the world a refugee.
We are not afraid because, just as we welcome Jesus every advent, we have chosen to welcome our brothers and sisters into this nation from across the globe. Presbyterians chose welcome after World War II when we, as a denomination, demanded that the U.S. allow more refugees to enter then. We chose welcome when our very congregations served as the host sites to refugees in the years before resettlement agencies. And, Presbyterians choose welcome now as we co-sponsor families resettling to the U.S. from Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq, Burma, Bhutan, and other countries.
With every choice of welcome we enter into relationship with people who become neighbors, friends, and family. No administration can convince us to fear.
We oppose this administration's decision to prolong each and every refugee's wait for a place to call home under the false pretense of security. We stand ready to welcome our new neighbors, friends, and family of all faiths and nations.
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New OPW Director Insists: "#RefugeesWelcome"
Remarks by Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins
January 25, 2017
We stand here today on the historic steps of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, a church where both President Lincoln and President Eisenhower attended services- and a church with deep roots in working for justice and peace in our country and abroad. In fact, this church has just voted to become a Sanctuary congregation.
People of faith have provided safe space and "sanctuary" in their places of worship throughout history. In ancient times, the Hebrew people had cities of refuge for persons wrongfully accused of crimes. In the years before the American Civil War, congregations provided safety for slaves fleeing the South in the Underground Railroad. In the 1980s, more than 500 U.S. congregations provided safe houses to Central Americans fleeing civil war but whom our government refused to acknowledge as refugees.
Knowing that Jesus himself entered this world as a refugee, faithful Presbyterians have been urging the welcome of refugees and demanding higher annual admissions into the United States since the refugee crisis of World War II.
The Presbyterian Church is present in many of the countries from which refugees and asylum seekers are fleeing. This includes Syria and Lebanon, where we have been present since 1823. Because we have a presence with people of faith and communities in these countries, we understand why these refugees are fleeing and are further committed to welcoming them.
Thousands of Presbyterians across the U.S. have personally reached out to welcome refugees and asylum seekers. They have seen first hand the struggles and the determination of our new neighbors to rebuild their lives in dignity. We have also seen how difficult it is to focus on survival while worrying about family members who are still overseas waiting for the chance to be reunited. We know that family separation impacts family members on both sides of the ocean as those who are here must divide their attention and their resources between establishing themselves here and helping their loved ones stay safe.
Right now nearly 60 million people are displaced by war and persecution; 30 million of those displaced are children. Eleven million displaced Syrians cannot go to school, tend to their land, or raise their children in the place they know as home. Families are risking their lives and fleeing their homes to seek safety. They are spending months journeying, sleeping outside, paying smugglers for safe passage, and praying for a future for their families in a place that is safe from conflict. Our nation has historically stood for hope and welcome for those fleeing war and persecution. We cannot turn our back on them now.
Now is the time for the faith community and our nation to assist the refugees and asylum seekers who are the most vulnerable population on our planet. We cannot let the noise of a fearful few drown out compassion and our firmly held collective values.
We stand with the American people in strong opposition to the announcement by the president, which turns our backs on Syrian refugees and refugees from around the world at the very time when they are most in need of safety.
The refugee resettlement program was started by faith communities in the United States and this announcement flies in the face of our values as a church and as a nation. We are called to welcome the stranger and treat the sojourner as we would our own citizens. Our nation will be judged by how we treat the most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, and the refugee, during these trying times.
Rather than follow our most base instincts of fear and hatred, we must send a message of hope and healing, of peace and justice to those fleeing desperate situations.
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Volunteer Now - to Help the Kids at Short School
The adorable kids at the Short School in San Rafael are a community at risk - both because they are mostly living in poverty, and because they come from a community where fear of deportation runs high. NOW IS THE TIME TO HELP!
Our own Jody Brockett is now coordinating the After School Enrichment on Wednesdays, and she needs:
Cooking help - Wed. 2:15-3:15
Gardening help - Wed. 4:00 - 5:00
(please a few gardeners)
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REST Program Needs You
We will continue to host meals through April. To
read more information about REST and to sign-up online, please click on this link:
SHPC
will continue to organize Middle and High School students to contribute to REST -- this year youth will prepare soup and bread for our REST guests. For more info, contact Jennifer Gauna at [email protected] or sign up here.
If you have questions, please contact Shannon Mong at
[email protected]
(phone is 415-279-2402).
In advance - thanks for your support of this year's REST evenings!
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Interested in being our REST Coordinator?
Our wonderful REST Coordinator Shannon is looking to pass the baton onto the next person. If you are interested in taking up coordination of this important ministry,
please contact Shannon Mong at
[email protected]
(phone is 415-279-2402).
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Do you have any blank and/or occasion cards you would like to donate to the card ministry?
Linda has blessed so many throughout our church family with her card ministry. A big thank you to Linda for all the time spent and love shared. If you have any cards you would like to donate to her ministry, please leave them in the church office for her.
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Wil LOVES an invite for lunch or dinner!
Thank you and bless you to all who have reached out to invite him over for a meal. You are lighting up his life!
And we thank him for his faithful and continuing FOOD BARREL MINISTRY.
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WE ALL LOVE FELLOWSHIP--
PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP OUT
Fellowship time is organized by your Deacons. We need everyone to sign-up about 3-4 times a year.
Click below to sign up:
Sign up now and keep the hospitality
going!
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Don't be shy, Greeting is a Treat!
We've updated the signups for the new year!
Help with our ministry of hospitality by signing up to be a greeter! All you have to do is get to church by 9:15, light the candles, and hand out bulletins with a smile. Thank you to all who have signed up so far!
Thank you all for your continued support,
Jody Brockett,
Worship Elder
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What are the Keys to Unlocking "God's Blessing" in Our Activities
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Many of us desire to think big, dream big and achieve big results wherever we are. I believe there is a resource that can catapult these desires into divinely maneuvered results. A resource that changes lives, affects circumstances, and makes a huge difference in our affairs.
This transcending resource is "God's blessing".
"God's blessing" is a term used throughout scripture that denotes a gained advantage, a connection that miraculously opens doors and empowers extraordinary results. Romans 8:28 conveys that those who are "blessed by God" know that nothing meaningful happens apart from God's purpose.
"God's blessing" is a valuable asset. So what are the keys to unlocking it, connecting to it, and obtaining it?
The first step is to develop an intelligent and unwavering
trust in God. The Lord knows us. What goes on in our mind is invisible and undetectable to others, but not to God.
Whatever occupies our mind usually becomes our focus. When you learn to trust God, and walk on a path of trust, the Lord gives you the ability to live above your circumstances. The low road twists and turns in agonizing knots. However, we have access to a higher road that is surrounded and protected by "God's blessing".
Secondly, one needs to be
tenacious in pursuit of the tasks affiliated with our purpose. Inside of us must stir a determination that doesn't waiver. Proverbs 11:27 says, "
He who diligently seeks good seeks favor". Henry Ford said, "Vision without execution is just hallucination". I can assure you that execution of ones dreams and ideas undoubtedly takes tenacity. But remember, its important to realize as we scrape and hustle forward, sometimes good things fall apart so better things can come together.
Thirdly, learning
tolerance is an important key to unlocking "God's blessing". James 1:19 says "Know this, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." We have to develop a habit of forgiving those who speak before they think, to be tolerant of those with different points of view than our own, and remain civil in our discourse. The Dalai Lama has said that "in the practice of tolerance ones enemy is the best teacher". I need a lot of work on this one, how about you?
As we approach the pursuit of our dreams and steer our activities let's stay on the high road.
Trust God, be
tenacious, and remember to practice
tolerance as we face opposition. I believe "God's blessing" follows those people and activities that put into practice these principles.
Thank you God, for knowing I am imperfect and promising to stay with me every day in every way ... anyway!
Your friend ... Paul
(Off to NY next week)
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Paul Lambert is a member of SHPC who travels extensively for his career as a producer of Broadway-bound musicals. He is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute who studies the Bible daily and attends our Bible Study whenever he's in town. He posts this blog each week no matter where he is, to the delight and comfort of many. SHPC thanks you, Paul.
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Pastor Bev's office is looking a bit empty.
Do you have any arm chairs, a loveseat, or a couch that you would like to donate?
Firm seating would especially be appreciated.
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PMA releases
The Global Crisis for People Who Are LGBT and Their Families: A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Response
LOUISVILLE - In fulfillment of a commissioner resolution adopted by the 221st General Assembly (2014), the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) has just published a new resource entitled
The Global Crisis for People Who Are LGBT and Their Families: A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Response.
The resource was emailed to all presbyteries and synods earlier this month in accordance with the resolution's directive that it be delivered to mid councils for study and action. It is now available as
a
free download on the PMA website
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The commissioner resolution which directed the PMA to produce the resource, reads, in part, "In eighty-one countries where homosexuality is illegal, God's global family includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people who face persecution for simply being who they are, for whom they love, and with whom they create a family."
"This important resource calls the Presbyterian church to both awareness of the global crisis and to co
mpassionate action," said Mark Hinds, Ed.D., publisher for the PMA's
Congregational Ministries Publishing
. "God's consistent call to side with the oppressed compels us to fight against the systematic injustices perpetrated against persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. I pray that our mid council leaders will share this resource throughout their synods and presbyteries and that the Holy Spirit will move hearts to compassion and action."
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Marin Baroque Presents...
Agave Baroque
featuring...
Reginald L. Mobley, countertenor
"a young countertenor destined to make his mark..." -Chicago Tribune
Peace In Our Time CD Pre-Release Show!
Saturday, February 4 at 8pm
St. John's Episcopal Church <-----NEW VENUE!
14 Lagunitas Rd, Ross, CA 94957
Tickets for each concert $30/$25 seniors and SFEMS members/$20 students
Agave Baroque will present two programs on the inaugural season, Saturday, February 4 and Friday, May 19, including
Peace in Our Time with superstar countertenor Reginald L. Mobley, and in May with a new program,
The Fantastical Mister Biber.
More information and tickets at
Marin Baroque Presents and
www.a
gavebaroque.org.
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Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church
100 Tarry Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
Katie Brendler,
Editor
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