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A message from Pastor Valerie...
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Hello Beloved Sisters and Brothers,
Have I mentioned that I am part of an awesome online community of young clergy women? Well I am, and it is really excellent! We share resources, support one another, commiserate about the hard parts of ministry (like working every.single.holiday forever), and just generally be in community together. It’s amazing. It’s one of the ways that I see technology serving God—connecting all these young clergy women across denominations and geographic barriers (the group is international!) to remind us that we are all one body together.
This week, as many of us have been preparing sermons for Pentecost, we have studied the reading from the book of Acts together and our sisters in Canada have asked us to wonder with them what it looks like to preach about the Holy Spirit as fire while their country is ablaze with wildfire. Their wondering reminds me of Pentecost 2014 when fire was raging in CA. As I was preparing to preach that Pentecost, I found I couldn’t make sense of the tragedies left in the wake of wildfires in any kind of theological sense that felt satisfying (or what preachers call, “preachableâ€).
It didn’t feel right then and it doesn’t feel right now to say this from the comfort of my intact home with my family safe around me, but the truth is, I think that wildfires are very like the Holy Spirit. We control neither. We are at the mercy of both. Both are terrifying, and both change the landscape completely when they sweep through.
As I consider what it means to preach about the Holy Spirit as fire in the midst of a wild fire, I can’t help but think of a moment in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia that has always stuck with me. Mr. Beaver and Susan are talking, discussing Aslan:
[Mr. Beaver says] “Aslan is a lion- The Lion, The Great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.â€
That may be the best thing that can be said about the Holy Spirit, and it may be why the Spirit is so often imaged as fire, because it is good but not safe. I am not convinced that the wildfires in Alberta are good, but because I cannot stop them, I pray that the Holy Spirit will sweep through with them and God will bring goodness to this unsafe situation. I hope you will join me in prayer.
Peace,
Pastor Valerie
Contact Info:
To reach Pastor Valerie - 805-776-3377 or pastor.valerie@mtcarmelslo.org
To reach Pastor Dan - 805-776-3707 or
pastor.dan@mtcarmelslo.org
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RILEY PIHL GRADUATES!!
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Congratulations to Riley Pihl who graduates from Boston University, Boston, MA this Saturday, May 14th! Dad Marshall, mom Pastor Marj and sister Sarah will be on hand for the momentous occasion.
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Calling all volunteers!
We are looking for new faces to help serve on Sunday mornings. The opportunites are endless, and you can custom order your job :) If you love your morning cup of joe, consider brewing the hot goodness for others before one of the services. If you are tech-savvy, we need help with power point projections for both services. If you love serving others in receiving the Lord's Supper, sign up as a Communion Assistant. And if you have a great smile and give warm hugs or handshakes, you would make a stellar Greeter! Please call the church office if you would like to contribute in any way.
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Youth! Join us for our end of the year Sunday School party on May 22nd at 10am! We'll have a bounce house, yummy snacks, and plenty of playtime!
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NEXT SUNDAY...
Your LCM program is full of wonderful, hard-working, generally awesome students. On May 22nd, those awesome students are going to repay your love and support of them by participating in the leadership of both worship services. The students will be greeting you as arrive, handing you your bulletin, reading the scripture to you, and serving you communion.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the students you haven’t already met, see them in a new role in worship, and appreciate our dynamic community of faith.
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WE'RE INVITED...MOSQUE OF NASREEN OPEN HOUSE
All Mt. Carmel members are invited to the Open House at the Mosque of Nasreen, 1136 Walnut St., SLO, on Saturday, May 21 from 10 am to 4 pm. All are welcomed to drop in during the day; refreshments will be served and special lectures will be held, starting at 11 o’clock. No reservations are necessary.
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Our Arroyo Grande neighbor needs our help! Retired Veteran, Doug, and his wife, Christine, have some simple yet urgent household needs. We had the opportunity to serve them at People's Kitchen at Prado Day Center and they remembered Mt. Carmel and have reached out to us for more assistance. They now have a home (yay!) and are in need of: Chester drawers, TV stand, crockpot, small dining table and chairs. Let’s meet these needs and more! We also hope to put together a house warming basket. Please consider donating any new kitchen items (hand towels, kitchen timer, spatula, basket, cleaning supplies, etc.). Please bring items (or $ and we will do the shopping) to the church ASAP and we will get everything to this needy couple. Thank you from your Social Action Team!
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It’s time! Registration for the Women’s Retreat continues after each Sunday service. The theme this year is, “Treasured Hearts.†Hear the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as we engage in what it means to treasure the amazing promises of God in our hearts.
Our speaker will be Pastor Sarah Sumner-Eisenbraun, Associate and Campus Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church, Glendale.
It will be held at La Casa de Maria, Oct. 14 – 16.
Total cost; $240, includes lodging, meals and program. $80 deposit due at registration, with second payment, $160, due 8-14-16. Cancellation – $100 penalty
Space is limited so sign up today!
Questions? Nancy Priddy, 459-9249
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Adult Forums Coming in May & June:
Adult Forums during the remainder of May will cover a variety of topics and speakers. The schedule is:
May 15 – Pastor John Rollefson concludes his three week series based on the Pulitzer winning play “W;T†currently being presented at the SLO Little Theater.
May 22 – Church Council members will be on hand to present budget plans for the 2016-17 fiscal year and actions planned for the congregational Annual Meeting on June 5.
May 29 – Pastor John Rollefson will lead “Colors of the Church Season, Altar Hangings and Stoles,†a brief review of the colors used during the church seasons, reasons for their use, and other topics related to worship practices.
June 5 – Single worship service at 10 am followed by the Congregational Annual Meeting.
COMING THIS SUMMER… "MY NEIGHBOR IS MUSLIM"
Pastor Valerie will present a seven-week program at Adult Forum beginning Sunday, June 12, based on the book “My Neighbor Is Muslim," The series takes a Lutheran look at Islam including basic tenets of the faith, Muslim teachings about Jesus, relations with Christians and Jews, and worship practices. The series will take place Sunday mornings at 10 am.
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The North County Shepherding Group will be hosting our Cal Poly college students on Sunday, May 22nd in Los Osos. It will be a time to hear what life is like on campus today and how we as a church community can better support them in their faith life.
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SAVE THE DATE! Sunday, June 5th will be a Combined Service! We will worship together at 10am, followed by our Annual Meeting. Come one, come all!
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Sun. May 15 CONFIRMATION SUNDAY
8:45 AM Traditional Worship
10:00 AM Adult Forum/Sunday School
11:00 AM Contemporary Worship
12:15 PM Children & Teens team meeting
Mon. May 16
Tue. May 17
Wed. May 18 5:30 PM Band Practice
6:00 PM LCM Dinner and Bible Study
Thu. May 19 12:30 PM Staff Meeting
6:00 PM Church Council Meeting
Fri. May 20 8:00 AM Friday Morning Garden Club
9:00 AM Lutheran Chicks
10:30 AM Bible Study (at Steynberg Gallery)
Sat. May 21 8:00 AM Men's Breakfast & Bible Study
Sun. May 22 8:45 AM Traditional Worship
10:00 AM Adult Forum
10:00 AM Sunday School Party
11:00 AM Contemporary Worship
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