|
|
|
Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church Newsletter
|
|
|
Weekly Happenings at SHPC
|
October 19th, 2017
|
|
Season of Peace continues with
Waters of Grace
We celebrate Baptism and New Members
Blessed are the peacemakers -
(Mt. 5:9)
T
his Sunday, October 22, 2017 at 9:30 a.m., we celebrate baptism and welcome new members in a beautiful service dedicated to
building up the peacemaking community for the good of the world.
Middle school and high school youth, you are welcome to sit with Charles Wei, our Youth Director, and then go down to Pastor Bev's Office after the sermon. Charles will bring you back upstairs after snacks for Let's Talk.
All are invited for Let's Talk - Elevate the Discussion, this Sunday after the service. We'll hear from the founders of this movement about taking a pledge to commit to respectful discourse, and how this heals community, with time for Q and A. Childcare provided!
|
|
|
|
A Note from Pastor Bev
It's raining! Thank God for these waters of grace, this life-giving moisture! Thank God for rain on our dry forests, our dry vegetation, and hopefully for an end to this wildfire season.
If you travel someplace where folks treat water as plentiful and not a scarce resource, do you ever feel anxious when someone's running the tap unnecessarily and all that water, precious water, is being wasted? Have you gone the extra step and reached over and turned off the water?
That's what living through drought can do to us.
We live through spiritual drought times too. Most of us have times when for a variety of reasons, we aren't drinking deep of the gifts of sacred presence; we feel spiritually parched. How do we break that pattern and return to the deep well, the living water which restores our soul and renews our spirit?
A good start is to come to church this Sunday and celebrate baptism. The Thanksgiving over the Waters invites us all to partake in the holy mystery and to be restored from parched to cup overflowing.
It is a great joy to welcome new members to the church for the next two Sundays. Thank you to each one of you for your commitment to the peacemaking community. Together we are bringing more peace to the world on a daily basis, peace in our lives, peace for our children and grandchildren, peace now.
With blessings of peace,
Bev
|
|
|
Friday, October 20
NOON
|
Bible Study |
|
Sunday, October 22
9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
10:40 a.m.
|
We Celebrate Baptism and Welcome New Members
New Members Meet with Session
Rev Yolanda Norton, SFTS Professor of Old Testament, Preaches
Coffee and Fellowship - All Welcome
Let's Talk: Elevate the Discusion
Childcare provided
|
|
Wednesday, October 25
7:30 p.m.
|
SHPC Singers- All Welcome
|
|
Friday, October 27
NOON
|
Bible Study
|
|
Sunday, October 29
9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
|
Season of Peace Continues
New Members Meet with Session
Breath of Heaven, Breath of Peace
Coffee and Fellowship - All Welcome
|
|
Tuesday, October 31
5-8 pm
|
Halloween Open House |
|
Bible Study this Friday, October 20th at NOON
Peace and Shalom in the Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 2:4, 9:6-7, 26:3, 32:17-18, 54:10
Everybody is welcome!
|
|
Please Remember in Your Prayers
All those impacted by the wildfires, those who have lost loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods, their pets, their health, their neighborhoods, f
or strength, support, comfort, healing, and resilience; may people far and wide be God's hands, feet, and heart bringing relief from suffering, and comfort in mourning;
The firefighters, for safety and strength, may they be blessed;
Victims of the Las Vegas shooting,
for God's
comfort, strength, and healing for all those who have lost their loved ones, are injured and/or traumatized, and suffering as a result of this tragedy;
The people of Puerto Rico and all those suffering from the hurricanes and their aftermath, and from the Mexico earthquakes, for strength, support, comfort, and healing; may people far and wide be God's hands, feet, and heart bringing relief from suffering, and comfort in mourning;
Nance Rosencranz,
recovering from a stroke, for full and complete recovery, for God's loving presence to be felt;
Carolyn Goodman's sister Wendy, who lost her home to a house fire, for God's loving and constant presence, and for the loving support of all around her to be with her as she rebuilds;
Dennis Latta's father Leroy,
recently diagnosed with dementia, for God's loving presence to be with Leroy and his family;
Kalli Bane,
for relief from abdominal pain, and for restful sleep surrounded by God's love for her and her family;
Peg Maclise's sister Kim, for God's healing presence, and for Peg, God's strength, love, and peace;
Kelsey Lopin,
for total healing, renewed strength, continued flourishing, creativity, and energy to share her God-given gifts;
Jeri Rayford and her family, grieving the loss of Prentis,
for God's loving presence, strength, and support in their bereavement;and for her daughter Regina, recovery and healing;
Andrea Proster, sister of Nancy Elberg, for complete healing, and for Nancy to continue to feel God's abiding presence in companioning her;
All those suffering from racial discrimination, racial violence, and hatred, for God's justice and healing;
Those living in the shadows and fearing deportation, for safety, security for their families and children, a path to citizenship, and sanctuary;
The incarcerated, and their loved ones, for a justice system and prison system that uphold our highest values;
Our country, for a way forward where we live our values of justice and equality for all people;
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;
Our planet, the world's poor, all who suffer from disruptive climate change, may we continue our work to keep the planet livable;
The PC(USA), for courage and energy to continue our world-wide mission of love and justice for all people;
Dr. Doug Tilton, our PC(USA) mission co-worker in Southern Africa;
Our church, for the Spirit to continue to guide us and fill us with energy for mission and love for all our neighbors!
Please take time this week to pray for those on our list.
|
Presbytery Fire Relief
Your Session voted at its meeting last night to donate $2,500 from the church's reserve to the Presbytery Fire Relief Fund on behalf of Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church. Read on to see how the funds will be distributed, and to find out how you can donate too, if you feel so called. We will maintain a basket in the upstairs office for checks to the Presbytery and can send them in for you.
A Message from our Presbytery Council:
Contributions
The Presbytery of the Redwoods will receive contributions toward fire relief and recovery, and distribute them to the places/individuals where the need is the greatest and the resources are at the least. This will be done at the congregational level where church leaders are the most closely connected to those in need. The congregations which have experienced the greatest impact from the fires are: First Santa Rosa, The Cove, and Church of the Roses. All three congregations are in Santa Rosa. While the fires have been tragic for all who have suffered loss, we are aware that some have greater resources for recovery than others. We are seeking to do the best we can in providing relief to those who are in greatest need and who have the fewest resources available. Checks may be sent to: The Presbytery of the Redwoods, 1226A Salvador Ave., Napa, CA 94558. Please mark your memo line: Fire Relief.
Housing
Housing for all those who have lost their homes is going to be a monumental challenge. If you have a room or house that is available either short-term or long-term, please contact the presbytery office and we will compile this information and make it available to pastors and/or other church leaders who have been designated by their congregation. The list will not be publicly posted. If you have space, please send your message to the presbytery office by e-mail with the subject line indicating you have housing available. The presbytery e-mail address is: [email protected].
|
First Sunday Peace Practice:
Mindful Breathing
Second Sunday Peace Practice:
Relationship Repair
Third Sunday Peace Practice:
Lighten Your
Wallet
|
|
Worship is Our Sacred Gathering
Sunday worship is sacred time, a co-created safe and supportive space for the beloved community to gather and worship and pray together, so that all can be spiritually nurtured and renewed. It is not a time for discussion of church finances.
Questions and feedback about church business may be brought to the Session as a whole by emailing the Clerk, or to any of the elders, your elected representatives, individually:
|
|
We celebrate Baptism and Welcome New Members Sunday, Oct. 22 and 29 during the service
We'll be celebrating baptism and welcoming new members on the last two Sundays of October! The New Member packets are on Bev's desk; just let Bev know if you have any questions, and which day you would like to meet with Session and join the church by clicking on
|
|
Calling All Middle School and High School Students:
Middle and high school students are invited to sit with Charles during the service and then go down to Bev's Office after the sermon this Sunday, Oct. 22. Y
outh will return upstairs at 10:40 with Charles for the Let's Talk: Elevate the Discussion.
On Sunday, Oct. 29, youth will go downstairs with Charles after Stephen's solo.
Youth are all invited to the church Tuesday Oct. 31st for the Halloween open house and game night, 5-8 p.m.
|
Do you have gently used Halloween costumes that need a new home?
Kira Swaim from Children 4 Change is collecting gently used Halloween costumes for children in need. If you have some you would like to donate, please put them in the box that is located in Bev's office.
|
SEASON OF PEACE HONORED GUEST: This Sunday October 22, we are delighted to welcome SFTS professor of Old Testament,
Rev. Yolanda M. Norton to the pulpit.
Rev Norton is a Ph.D. candidate in Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel and Theology and Practice Fellow at Vanderbilt University. Her current research interests include womanist interpretation, narrative and literary criticism, and the Persian period. In particular, her work focuses on the books of Genesis and Ruth, and how each text treats foreign women, and considers the ways in which insider-outsider paradigms in Scripture influence constructions of identity and facilitate the villification and/or oppression of women of color who encounter the biblical canon in the modern world.
|
Peacemaking Opportunity!
Repair Our Social Fabric
Rebuild Community
Elevate the Discussion
Sunday, October 22 -
Let's Talk at 10:40 a.m.
How do we reclaim our standards of decency and respect, and build up rather than tear down?
"I pledge to discuss challenging community issues with thoughtfulness, to treat people whose opinions differ from mine with respect, and to focus on ideas, policies and solutions. I will encourage others to do the same. I will speak up and publicly object when I hear name-calling, stereotypes, disparaging comments and slurs. I will do this because our community's health and social well-being is important to me and I know that we cannot effectively deal with challenging problems without these commitments."
|
A lovely time was had by all at Nance/Kit's Deacon Dinner at the Argillas
|
|
Halloween Open House!
October 31st 5-8pm
Stop in with your friends and neighbors to say hi and grab some treats!
|
|
The Eldridge String Quartet will be joining us again in worship on Stewardship Sunday, November 5th, 9:30 am
|
|
Our Annual Stewardship Campaign Kicked Off this Sunday, October 15!
Stewardship Sunday and Harvest Feast will be
Sunday, November 5
|
Food 4 Good,
SHPC's Youth R.E.S.T. Cooking Program will start Sunday, November 5th. W
e will also plant our winter garden from 3-4pm. We will then be cooking from 4-6pm.
Can't make it to the first one? Come join us next month. We meet the first Sunday of every month from 4-6pm.
Hope your kids can join us! Please sign up online here.
|
Save the dates!
The REST season kicks off in November.
Men's REST Monday, Nov 6th
Women's REST Tuesday, Nov 14th
Sign ups will soon be available.
|
|
JOIN US FOR COMMUNITY YOGA
Tuesday 5:30-6:30pm
Community Yoga @ Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian
Upstairs at 100 Tarry Rd
$10 donation, we have mats if you don't.
This is a gentle evening class where we are macing through the basics of yoga whilst building strength and flexibility in a supportive community.
Karen
|
|
|
 |
Financial Resiliency -
Criteria for a Sustainable Resilient Church
and the Way Forward from the Session
Dear Members and Friends of Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church,
Session is planning a mid-November
Let's Talk
where Session will again outline the Sustainability Criteria (below) and the Session's best option for church finances going forward, as presented in the congregational letter and Let's Talk in August, and the Financial Resiliency Alternate Group (FRAG) will present their option(s). After the
Let's Talk
, a survey of preferences will be conducted to help to guide Session on the path forward. That will conclude the financial resiliency discussions for this year. In January, at budget time, and before the 110 Tarry lease runs out, the current Session will discern whether a strong consensus exists in favor of selling the church property at 110 Tarry, and if so, will call a congregational meeting for a vote on the sale of 110 Tarry.
Here are The Sustainability Criteria:
(1)
pastor housing option which is affordable to the church and a future pastor (note that the cost of removing the large fallen tree at 110 Tarry in August exceeded the maintenance budget for 2017 and the rental increase, so that
110 Tarry will finish the year "in the red," taking from the church operating budget rather than contributing);
(2)
reduce our debt (as a tax-exempt organization we get no tax benefits from debt; debt is our third largest expense; dollars which go into paying the 110 Tarry mortgages add to illiquid equity instead of living ministry;
SHPC is the 4th most indebted church of the 48 churches in our regional body);
(3)
establish a capital improvement/maintenance fund to meet the significant needs of the church facility, so that we invest in our church;
(4) i
ncrease the operating budget without putting additional stress on our pledgers, so that unmet staffing, facilities, and program needs can be met (unmet needs, aka "the structural deficit") and the church can continue to grow and flourish;
(5)
direct precious volunteer energy and hours into God's work.
In peace,
THE SESSION OF SHPC
Dennis Latta, Clerk, Doug Eisinger, Finance Elder, Jody Brockett, Worship Elder, Patti Vance, Mission Elder, Janel Stewart, Family Ministries Elder, Ahmed Abu-Aly, Building and Grounds Elder, Merle Ongaro, Membership Elder, Kit Argilla, Board of Deacons, Moderator, Rev. Bev Brewster, Pastor
|
Call Today to Protect SNAP!
Urge a "No" Vote on the Senate Budget Resolution! Protect SNAP!
The full Senate is expected to vote on its fiscal year
(FY) 2018 Budget Resolution later this week.The Senate Budget Resolution would set up a process for consideration of massive tax cuts for the wealthy, paid for by assuming trillions of dollars in cuts to government programs over the next 10 years. The Senate's resolution would harm American families by threatening critical programs that serve low- and moderate- income households, including SNAP, low-income tax credits, Medicaid, and programs that assist persons with disabilities.
The 207th General Assembly (1995) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) called on Congress "to defeat any proposals that base budget or deficit reductions primarily on the services provided to children, families, the needy, and the homeless" and urged strengthening of federal commitments to these groups. The Assembly also called on Congress "to insist on a government that follows ethical values of justice for the poor, welfare for children, hospitality to the stranger, and assistance to the disadvantaged." (Minutes, p. 718). In accordance with these mandates, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has joined 35 leading faith organizations and signed on to the Faithful Budget, a statement of principles for the budget as a moral document. Read more
here.
Actions Needed: Call (202-225-3121, Capitol Switchboard) to urge your Senators to vote 'no' on the FY 2018 Senate Budget Resolution.
- Tell them that you oppose tax cuts for the wealthiest that would ultimately be paid for by cuts to safety net programs like SNAP and other critical programs that serve low- and moderate-income families.
- Remind them of the strengths of SNAP (pdf) - which lifts millions of people out of poverty each year - and other safety net programs.
- #SNAPMatters @YourSenatorHandle: Protect millions of Americans against hunger & poverty. Vote NO to proposed #SenateBudget
- #SNAPMatters @YourSenatorHandle: Vote NO on tax cuts for the wealthy at expense of low & moderate income people. #SenateBudget
- #SNAPMatters @YourSenatorHandle: The #SenateBudget will help the wealthy and harm low & moderate income families. Vote NO.
Share these resources with your senators:
|
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Team meets with pastors to discuss long-term care following mass shooting in Las Vegas
LOUISVILLE - It's been nearly two weeks since hundreds of rounds were fired into a large crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, killing 59 people and injuring 489, resulting in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Within hours of the shootings, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance reached out to the
Presbytery of Nevada and, at the request of the Presbytery, deployed a National Response Team to meet with presbytery leaders and local pastors.
"We were fortunate that there happened to be a planned gathering of the Presbyterian pastors from the area the day after we arrived and we had a chance to meet and talk with them and help them to process how they've been affected and how they might minister to people in this situation," said the Rev. Ed Spence, NRT lead. "We were able to share with them and give them some thoughts about how to deal with this kind of situation. They were a very thoughtful and interested group of people and it was good to connect with them."
...
"The pastors integrated parts of their journey into worship services. In the church I visited, a member of the choir was at the event where the shootings took place," said Spence. "Others had been touched in a distant way but had been affected by it. There were a lot of tears, an honest sharing of emotion and a desire to help the community move forward."
During their interactions with pastors and residents, the NRT said residents in the area are carrying a sense of guilt and anxiety following the shootings.
...
The NRT visit concluded with a list of recommendations to help the community and pastors cope with the tragedy and move forward. Among the recommendations was utilizing social media to reach the number of workers along the strip who may not have personal interaction to share feelings.
"How do you connect with people who may not be face-to-face, but often communicate through the social network system? We want to help them," said Spence. "There are only a few hospitals that have full-time staff chaplains and there was discussion on ways to resource and help them."
The ministers also want to provide support to casinos and hotels.
"We wanted to reach out to hotels and casinos because crises happen there from time to time due to the nature of the work," he said. "The ministers talked about trying to reach out or adopt a hotel or venue to say 'we are here for you who need support and spiritual care.'"
Spence says the pastors also talked about the wounded who live elsewhere.
"People come and go from Las Vegas and some who were there and affected will be carrying those wounds home with them," he said. "It will be important for other pastors throughout the country to be sensitive to how they might have been impacted."
"As with all of our responses, PDA will continue to offer support to the presbytery," said Jim Kirk, PDA's national associate for disaster response. "If needed, there are additional financial, liturgical and emotional and spiritual care resources that can be shared."
|
Interfaith Food Week of Action
With the many challenges we face locally, nationally, and globally, we at Interfaith Food find courage knowing that we are connected by our love and our efforts to protect what we love, including the land and people that support us.
Food Week of Action (October 15-22) is an opportunity for faith communities around the world to act together for food justice and food sovereignty. It is a special time to raise awareness about approaches that help individuals and communities develop resiliency and combat poverty. We call for societal and policy changes that bring us closer to realizing the right to food for everyone and transformation of the food system moving towards sustainability.
Food Week priority actions address how we treat people who are essential to our lives: the farm workers; protection of land; and the Farm Bill - pushing policies to make food and agriculture systems just and sustainable.
You'll find a variety of resources on specific Food Week projects and activities on our website. Some will take a team of volunteers and others are simple to implement with a couple of hours of time from one motivated volunteer. Contact the Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative team if you want help organizing an activity or event.
|
WE ALL LOVE FELLOWSHIP--
PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP OUT
NEW FOLKS - We will match you with a veteran so that you can be trained on our highly complex coffeemaker and have FUN!
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!
|
|
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
|
|
| |
|
|
The 12th Annual Visionary Marin
A fundraiser for the Marin Interfaith Council
Sunday, November 12, 3:30 -6:00 pm
Congregation Rodef Sholom
170 N. San Pedro Rd.
San Rafael, CA 94903
Reservation Information
One: $55 Two: $100
Our Honorees
This year we honor three visionaries who have addressed Marin's housing crisis:
Jeff Bialik
- the retiring E.D. of Catholic Charities
Katie Crecelius
- an affordable housing advocate
Steven Saxe
- board member on fair/affordable housing orgs
Program
Hear the wisdom and vision of our honorees (Interviewer: Peter Collins)
Connect with Marin faith communities and interfaith partners
Enjoy delectable appetizers and desserts
Enter the drawing to win one of the bountiful gift baskets
Experience Song Weaving with Pollyanna Bush.
**Remember to bring cash or a check book to purchase drawing tickets for our bountiful gift baskets!
|
|
Improv Marin brings people together through spontaneity. We produce improv workshops, performances and events to educate, entertain and inspire the people of Marin (and beyond) to work and play better together.
Throughout the month of October, Improv Marin will be putting on shows in the
West End Studio Theatre in San Rafael on Saturdays at 8pm.
|
Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church
100 Tarry Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
Katie Brendler,
Editor
|
|
|
|
