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This week at Mt. Carmel...
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Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church

1701 Fredericks Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 544-2133

Sunday Services:
8:45am Traditional 
11:00am Contemporary

Office Hours: 8:30am - 3:00pm weekdays
 
In this coming Sunday's Gospel reading, taken this week from the first chapter of John, (which we'll be celebrating as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s commemoration day, we find one of Jesus' disciples (Philip's)
invitation to his friend Nathaniel to come an check this guy from the Galilean hinterland out, this Jesus who seems to fulfill just what Moses and the prophets had forseen.  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth," Nathaniel sneers in one of scripture's all-time great put-downs.  As I'll say in Sunday's sermon, I find myself too often being cynical and sarcastic about other folk's enthusiasm, betraying my enslavement to the dogma of those "seven last words of the church" we all know so well, "We've never done it that way before."
         Epiphany is a time to dream dreams and see visions—all made possible by that absolutely new thing that came to birth in a Bethlehem stable and emerged spluttering from the Jordan, wet with the baptism of John, possessed by the Spirit of God who had declared delight in this Jesus of Nazareth—of all places.
          And so prepare to be surprised by the new thing God is preparing even for the likes of us.


Happy Epiphany!          John Rollefson
Pastors' Contact Info:
Pastor Valerie
805-776-3377
pastor.valerie.carlson@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays (11am-1pm) and Thursdays (12:30-3:00pm)

Pastor Dan
805-776-3707
pastor.dcarlson@gmail.com
Council Minutes
The Pastors Carlson are currently on family leave after the birth of their son. Please contact the office for any inquiries while they are away, including pastoral care. Thank you!
Hop aboard the Meal Train!!


Pastors Carlson have their hands with Cora and Baby Boy.  Let’s help them out by crossing one stress off of their list: dinner.  If you can help by making a meal one day (or several), please email Shannon Babcock at sbabcock1996@yahoo.com and she will send you the link to sign up to bring a meal.  All the information you will need will be on the Meal Train site.  If you know of someone who’d like to help but does not have internet access, please have them call Shannon at (805) 602-1759 and she will plug them in!  
Thank you!!
Upcoming Memorials:
All are welcome to join in remembering and celebrating those we have recently lost.
 
 
January 13 at 10am, a service will be held for Toney Ledford, mother of member Jeannie Ledford.

January 20 at 10am, a service will be held for Vern Brody.

 
Beginning the Year in Mutual Ministry
Mutual:  having the same relationship each to the other
Ministry:  the act of serving
With these definitions in mind, it is the goal of your Mutual Ministry Team to develop ways in which we can all be more supportive and encouraging as we serve each other and our community.  To that end, we are asking everyone to put the Mt. Carmel community at the top of your daily prayer list.  We are also asking all teams and groups that meet during the weeks ahead to include a time of prayer as part of your agenda when you gather.
 
Last week, Jean quoted 1 John, 4:7,12.  John writes, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God…if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”
This week, let us look to Ephesians 4:2-4, in which Paul begs us to lead a life “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” 
This week, please join us in praying that WE WILL BEAR ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE, AS WE LEAD OUR LIVES WITH HUMILITY, GENTLENESS AND PATIENCE..
Sue Cummings, MMTeam
The CAT Task Force has completed their work and has written a report of their findings and recommendations.  You can access the full report at here.  Please submit your comments, questions, and concerns in writing to Alex Bell, our Parish Administrator at   info@mtcarmelslo.org.  Alex will forward them to the Task Force who will use them to plan an information session during an Adult Forum at a yet to be determined date.
 
Mt. Carmel is hosting this important education series beginning
January 7– open to the public- featuring dynamic national speakers, local leaders and coalitions focused on understanding and working towards solutions for the issues of immigration and refugees. Come and be part of the solution! You are welcome to attend any and all presentations. Website:
https://welcomethedream.org/
 

January 14, 10:00-11:00am and 12:30-1:30pm:  Esperanza Salazar, Living Word Santa Maria (working to support immigrant families and against sex trafficking)

January 21, 10:00-11:00am and 12:30-1:30pm: Mayor Heidi Harmon and Chief of Police Deanna Cantrell

January 28, 10:00-11:00am and 12:30-1:30pm: Panel and local action/coalitions
People's Kitchen provides A Hot Meal Everyday To Whoever Wants it And Offers it With Justice and Love. Mt. Carmel provides that meal one day each month and individual volunteers provide a part of the meal three time a year.  We will kick off our new People's Kitchen 2018-19 schedule in March.  Please let Laura Krueger know, by January 19,  if you'd like to be added to the schedule and what you'd like to provide (main dish or salad (12 hearty servings), canned fruit (2 large cans) or milk (2 gallons)). Also let Laura know if you need to drop off the schedule or if you'd like to provide a different part of the meal.  Thank you for your faithful service to this ministry. ph or txt: 805-458-6012; email: laurasalazar67@gmail.com.
Volunteer Opportunities!
We are in need of some fresh faces to fill Sunday volunteer positions. If you would like to commit to once a month or as a back-up, please email or call the office at 805-544-2133 or info@mtcarmelslo.org. Here are the duties that we need help with:
First Service Greeters
Second Service Greeters
Second Service Communion Assistants


We are also looking for more coffee servers to join on Sundays. Both services are open for more volunteers. Please contact Carol Harvey for more information at a.g.mom@earthlink.net or 805-481-2418.
Butterflies are Free...and beautiful!
Join the Brown Bag Group for lunch on Friday, Jan. 19, at 11:30, at the Upper Crust Restaurant. After we eat, we will journey on down to Pismo Beach to hear and docent presentation on the Monarch butterflies that “winter” in the Eucalyptus trees. If you haven’t seen them before, or even if you have, it is well worth the trip. Just want to join us for lunch and not the butterflies? That is okay. Be sure and RSVP – Nancy Priddy, 459-9249,
npriddy@charter.net, so there will be space. Possibility – carpooling from Upper Crust to the butterflies.
A Big Thank You!

The spirit of the folks at Mt. Carmel, and many others, came through to support the homeless community of San Luis Obispo, when we hosted the Homeless Overflow for the month of December.  We hosted up to 30 people each evening.  Some nights, the numbers were lower, but we needed to staff just the same.  We offer a heartfelt thanks to the coordinators who took turns opening the center each evening, and to the overnight hosts, who stayed each evening.  Thanks to the Econ class at Cal Poly who spent the night hosting, and to Solina for providing them this opportunity.  Thanks to “Sisters Serving Sisters”, who came weekly to serve our guests.  Thanks to friends, neighbors, and members of the community who offered their assistance.  Thanks Tony for keeping the facility clean during the month. 
This is the last time we are expected to host the overflow at Mt. Carmel.  The new shelter will open later this year.  We will be asked to staff the overflow at the new facility.
 
Sincerely, 
Glen & John


Sunday, Jan. 14The Welcome the Dream series continues this Sunday, with guest Esperanza Salazar speaking on working to support immigrant families and against sex trafficking. Two sessions:
10-11am and 12:30-1:30pm
.

 
Copyright © 2016 MT. CARMEL, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
1701 FREDERICKS ST., SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93405

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Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church · 1701 Fredericks St. · San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 · USA

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