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This week at Mt. Carmel...
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We are here!!
The church is closed to walk-in traffic, but you can still reach us by phone and email. 

Phone: 805-544-2133
Email info@mtcarmelslo.org
on Facebook at facebook.com/mtcarmelslo


Prayer requests may be sent to the church office by email or phone

OUR MISSION
Celebrating God’s grace through worship, learning and service.
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“The Church of Christ in every age, beset by change but Spirit-led, must claim and test its heritage, and keep on rising from the dead”
(Fred Pratt Green, 1969).

Words matter. Words matter in our Scripture, in our hymns, in our governing documents, and beyond. Fifty years ago, on June 29, 1970, the Lutheran Church in America voted to change the word “man” to “person” in its bylaws and opened the door for the ordination of women. The American Lutheran Church achieved the same thing by resolution a few months later. The church was led by the Spirit to change. At the time it was scary for some. Fifty years later, it is now part of our heritage.

Fifty years later we celebrate the anniversary as a whole church. The influence of those decisions 50 years ago is not merely the impact on women. This is a celebration for the whole church, because the whole church has been strengthened by the gifts of ordained women in its leadership. We celebrate how these pastors have shared the Word, including with words of compassion, conviction, and curiosity. We also give thanks for the moments when there are no words, but they have offered their presence.

We also know that women who are pastors have struggled in ways men who are pastors have not. They deal with sexual harassment, disrespect, and often lower pay due to gender-based discrimination. The first women of color in our predecessor bodies weren’t ordained until 1979. And it wasn’t until 2009 that barriers to ordination were removed for LGBTQIA+ individuals in committed relationships. We know that racism and heterosexism complexify and intensify these problems. This discrimination is also part of our heritage, and something that we need to continue to work to eliminate.

In recognition of this 50th anniversary on June 29th, I invite you to express gratitude to a pastor who is a woman for how she has influenced your life. It could be by letter or email, or by other means. If you post on social media, please use the hashtag #thankyoupastor. If you would like more resources for celebrating this year, go to elca.org/50yearsofordainedwomen, which has an adult forum, Bible Study, video, and worship materials.

Fifty years after 1970, we also live in a world beset by change. I am grateful for the Spirit who continues to lead us and for the women God has called to minister to us.

I thank God for all of you who minister so faithfully.

In Christ,


Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus”
Galatians 3:28.
Click the picture for the order of worship
 
Pastor Richard Rollefson leads this quiet service each Wednesday evening at 7:00pm on Zoom. Click the link below to join the meeting, or join by phone and enter the meeting ID. 

Link to WEDNESDAY Evening Zoom Service 
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
For telephone: +1 669 900 9128 (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 867 5095 6162
On four Thursdays in July - the 2nd, 9th, 23rd, and 30th (skipping the middle Thursday because of the council meeting) at 6:30-7:30, we’ll be holding a discussion group on Pastor Lenny Duncan’s Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S. Even if you can’t join the discussion, you are highly encouraged to read the book!

The book is available digitally for Kindle or Nook through Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or can be purchased from the publisher at
www.broadleafbooks.com/store/productgroup/1106/Dear-Church. Make sure to order soon, as standard shipping may take up to 10 days. Please do not make copies of the book! We want to be sure the author is supported for his work.

To join the discussion, make sure to RSVP by June 30 to Monica at monicajholman@gmail.com. We need to know how many people are planning on joining so we can break into separate Zoom sessions if necessary.

Matching Gifts Challenge Benefitting the SLO County Food Bank

A couple in our congregation will match donations up to $3,000 made by members and friends to the SLO County Food Bank. The food bank is facing extra needs at this time and was thrilled to hear about the matching funds challenge.

Use this link to donate to the Mount Carmel matching funds challenge

If you prefer to donate to matching funds challenge by check, make your check out to the SLO County Food Bank. Write Mt. Carmel Matching Funds Drive on the memo line so that your donation will be properly credited.  Mail to:

Food Bank Coalition of SLO County
1180 Kendall Road
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Please do not route your food bank donations through Mount Carmel.  Doing so will delay your donation and make tracking the matching funds challenge donations difficult for the food bank to track.

Thank you to Mount Carmel for your always generous spirit!

Volunteers from Mt. Carmel provide a hot meal at the Prado Center on the first Friday of each month. Please contact Jan Uder, or the church office, if you would like more information on how you can help.

Volunteers for July 3:
Entree - Linda Lex, Dave Lonsway, Sandy Rowland, Judy Tewell, Sheilah Tietje, Jenice Twomey
Salad - Beryl & Sid Bennett, Rheinisch, R. Christensen
Canned Fruit - Karn Bockelman, Sue Cummings
Milk - unassigned
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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