Vistas Update for March 19

This week at Mt. Carmel...

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Link to the Mt. Carmel Summit Newsletter for March 2021

We are here!!
We'd love to hear from you. Please call or email with your questions or comments.

Phone: 805-544-2133
Email: info@mtcarmelslo.org
or 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.

Give Online

Online giving is available from the comfort of you home or when you're on the road. Click the Give Online button above, or download the Give Plus Mobile App on you phone or tablet, to make a one-time offering or to set up a recurring donation. You decide how much to give and when.

Worship at Mt. Carmel

Please use the links listed here to join any of our worship services and Bible studies. We look forward to seeing you!

How to join a ZOOM meeting - Instructions

- Link to SUNDAY morning Zoom worship
Sundays at 9:30 AM
For telephone: +1 669 900 9128
Meeting ID: 849 4786 1947
Passcode: 591300

- Link to WEDNESDAY Evening Zoom Service
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
For telephone: +1 669 900 9128
Meeting ID: 867 5095 6162
Passcode: 695333

- Link to FRIDAY morning Bible study
Fridays at 10:30 AM
For telephone: +1 669 900 9128
Meeting ID: 829 5418 7961
Passcode: 229122

- Link to SATURDAY morning Bible study,
Saturdays at 8:30 AM
For telephone: +1 669 900 6833

Meeting ID: 831 5325 2589
Passcode: 690622

- Mt. Carmel YouTube channel, in case you missed a service.

Sunday Morning Schedule

9:00-9:25:Fellowship with (mics open)
9:25: Announcements & Prelude (mics muted)
9:30: Worship
10:30: Fellowship (mics open)
10:45: Adult Forum

Please click the picture for the full version of the Sunday bulletin

GATHER

Prelude
Welcome and Invocation
Litany of Confession
Gathering Song - Come and Gather Beneath the Tree of Life (vs. 1, 2 & 5)
Apostolic Greeting
Kyrie
Prayer of the Day
Children’s Time

WORD

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Though God provides food and water for the Israelites in the wilderness, they whine and grumble. They forget about the salvation they experienced in the exodus. God punishes them for their sin, but when they repent God also provides a means of healing: a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole.

Psalm 51

Second Reading: Hebrews 5:5-10
Using priestly imagery and references to the Old Testament, the author explains how Christ lived in trusting obedience to God, and so God has made Christ the source of our eternal salvation.

Gospel Verse
Holy Gospel: John 12:20-33
Sermon - Pr. Richard Rollefson
Hymn of the Day - Seed That In Earth Is Dying - ELW 330

Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God:
   Creator of all things,
   in heaven and on earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ
   Who lived among us and shared our burdens.
   Like a grain of wheat,
   he died that new life might grow in us.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
   The presence of God at work within us,
   Who comforts us in our struggles,
   strengthens us in faith,
   and bestows upon us the gift of hope eternal.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

The Prayers:
Prayer requests: Sid & Beryl Bennett; Jeannie Ledford and family; Elsa Brody
Prayers for our church family: JoAnn & Steve Bennett; Tony Bloodworth; Jennifer & Callie Bobell

The Peace / Announcements
Thanksgiving for the Word
The Lord’s Prayer

SENDING

Sending Song - Tree of Life (vs 1-3; Lent 5) - ELW 334
Benediction
Dismissal

Thanks to:
Lector: John Cook
Children’s Time: Ingrid Frokjer
Musicians, Singers: Paul Woodring / Dave Becker / Joan Pedersen / Sue Haas-Clark / Patti Frey / Richard Rollefson

Adult Forum
Sunday, following worship

March 21: We are continuing a series from the ELCA study resources: Conversations on Race Relation. This will be a five-week discussion suited for Black History Month in February and for self-reflections during Lent. As the name indicates, the series will be open to lots of discussion and introspection so come and bring your ideas.

Click HERE to view the full document on the ELCA website.

Palm Sunday, March 28: Join us in sharing traditions and practices you and your family enjoy during Holy Week. For example, think of stories about dyeing eggs, traditions you inherited from your grandparents, searching for Easter baskets, special worship services and chocolate bunnies, to share with the congregation. As a special feature, Pastor Richard will read “Wood, Nails, and Easter Baskets” from The Way of The Wolf by Martin Bell.

We'll continue our annual tradition on Wednesdays during Lent of sharing a simple meal followed by a service of quiet reflection. The diffence this year is that we will share our meal and fellowship online via Zoom. Bring you soup (or whatever you're having for dinner that night), and share some fellowship time beginning at 6:30pm. Pastor Richard will lead us in a quiet worship service beginning at 7:00pm.

Link to Wednesday Soup Supper and Service
For telephone: +1 669 900 9128
Meeting ID: 867 5095 6162
Passcode: 695333
Link to Order of Worship

Link to Palm Sunday Service - March 28 at 9:30am
Meeting ID: 849 4786 1947
Passcode: 591300

Link to Maundy Thursday Service - April 1 at 7:00pm
Meeting ID: 828 9199 4422
Passcode: 374737

Link to Good Friday Service - April 2 at 7:00pm
Meeting ID: 896 8563 4315
Passcode: 154338

Link to Easter Sunday Zoom Service - April 4 at 9:30am
Meeting ID: 849 4786 1947
Passcode: 591300

Join us at 11:00am Easter Sunday for an in-person worship on the Mt. Carmel patio. Please RSVP so that we can prepare seats ahead of your arrival.
Link to RSVP

Church News and Notes

Monday Evening Book Discussion Group
Mondays at 6:30pm on Zoom

The Compassionate Life: Walking the Path of Kindness
by Marc Ian Barasch

The award-winning bestseller that helped launch an international movement (and inspired the film "I Am"). Acclaimed author Marc Barasch brilliantly explores the nature and practice of compassion: What can we learn from exceptionally empathic people? Can we increase our compassion quotient? How do we open our hearts to those who do us harm? What if the great driving force of our evolution were actually survival of the kindest? Drawing on science and spirituality, history and popular culture, bottom-line business and a high-sense of fun, here is a startling, provocative argument that a simple shift in consciousness "can change pretty much everything."

Books are available for purchase at:
amazon.com -- $4.99

Link to Zoom Book Discussion Group
Meeting ID: 862 7971 6007
Passcode: 419787

Join by phone: 1 669 900 9128

This new appointment system provides a fair and easy way for eligible community members to get a first-dose appointment for the #COVID19 vaccine in SLO County. With the new system, there is no need to rush to book an appointment online each week. You will sign up once, then be alerted when an appointment is ready for you.

Eligible individuals can register online at Recoverslo.org/vaccines.

Appointments are assigned weekly based on current vaccine availability.
Registered community members will be notified directly when their name is drawn from the computer-generated random sample.
Anyone not selected for that week’s round of appointments will remain in the registry for the next available appointment opportunity.

Those without internet access or who have difficulty with the form can call the phone assistance center at (805) 543-2444 or (805) 781-4280 and an operator can help them.
Sign Up for the Vaccine Appointment Registry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Additional appointment resources:

My Turn - Link to MYTURN.CA.GOV - Answer a few short questions to find out if you are eligible to receive a vaccine. If you are, appointments may be available.

Vaccine Finder - Link to VACCINEFINDER.ORG/SEARCH - This site allows you to search up to a 50 mile radius of your zip code for a vaccine location. Eligibilty requirements apply.

Spring Conference Assembly

April 11, 2021 – Holy Humor Sunday

A joint worship celebration will be held for all the churches of the central coast on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at Gloria Dei Lutheran in Santa Maria. For centuries, in Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant countries, “Bright Sunday” (the Sunday after Easter) was observed by the faithful as a ‘day of joy and laughter’ with parties and picnics to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. The custom of the celebrations was rooted in the musings of early church theologians (like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom) that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. The early theologians called it “Risus Paschalis” ~ the Easter Laugh.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the service will be held outdoors on the back patio at 10:00 a.m. Those who want to attend in person are asked to mask up and wear warm clothing. Those who feel uncomfortable doing so can watch the service online. A short business meeting will be held following the service to elect Laura Krueger as our Conference Representative to the Synod Council.

At Gloria Dei we encourage people to dress crazy for the day, and by all means, bring your sense of humor. Friends are welcome!

Greg Kintzi

Community Outreach

Thank you to everyone who dropped off food for our March food drive. Our delivery to Santa Maria this week was especially timely because their cupboard was just about empty. Much of our focus has been on helping families while they struggle with effects of the pandemic, everything from quarentines to job loss and discrimination. I learned of another family struggling with hunger for a different reason this week. This young family of 5 has a new infant who requires frequent visits to the hospital, and they often don't have enough money for food. They reach out for help anywhere they can, often finding it at Iglesia Santa Cruz. Your donations help provide the food they need to prepare meals at home. The money we receive from your Thrivent Grants allows us to purchase fresh meat, fruits, and vegetables to help supplement the food you donate.

A special THANK YOU goes out to the Cooks and the Twomeys for helping with the food drive in March.

Volunteers from Mt. Carmel prepare and serve a hot lunch for The People's Kitchen program at 40 Prado on the first Friday of each month. Here is a list of our volunteers for Friday, April 2:

Entree - Steve & JoAnn Bennett; Dave Lonsway; Kathy Meyer; Cyndi Rollefson; Sandy Rowland; Mollie Smith; Jenice Twomey; Chuck Kilstrom
Salad - Carol Harvey; Wayne Lippold; Rebecca Keisler
Milk - Carol Grosse

Please contact Jan Uder, or the church office at info@mtcarmelslo.org if you are unable to serve this month, or if you would like information on volunteering in the future.

Matching Gifts Challenge Benefitting the SLO County Food Bank

The new donation site is up and running. Please click the link below for more information.

Link to Mt. Carmel matching funds page

If you prefer to donate to the 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.

Thank you to Mount Carmel for your always generous spirit!

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