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This week at Mt. Carmel...
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URGENT MESSAGE
PLEASE TAKE EXTRA CARE TO CLOSE AND LOCK DOORS AND WINDOWS

On Monday night, May 15, someone broke into Love to Learn Preschool through an open window. The man who entered the building was frightened away when he set off the motion sensors and alarms. The video cameras at Mt. Carmel show someone around the church a few minutes prior to the break-in at the preschool. The man who broke in is known to the police and has entered other buildings in the area. The construction manager noticed that items in an unsecured vehicle on their site were moved a few days ago, as well. Mt. Carmel has an account with Next Door and homeowners in our neighborhood have posted videos of a man looking into windows in the wee hours of the morning.

HOW YOU CAN HELP - 
  1. If you stop by the church after hours to drop something off or pick something up, to use the restroom, etc., please exit throught the same door you entered, i.e. narthex doors, Quist Hall lobby doors.
  2. Make sure the doors close completely when you leave.
  3. Check to make sure the doors are locked.
  4. If you open a window (such as a kitchen window) please make sure it's closed and locked.
  5. If you notice suspicious activity, DO NOT ENTER THE BUILDING! Contact Marshall Pihl or John Cook and call the police.
Thank you for helping keep us all safe.
Worship at Mt. Carmel
Please click the image to view the bulletin

REMINDER: If you cannot join us in person for any reason, please use the link below to join us on Zoom. 

Link to Sunday Zoom Worship
Meeting ID: 849 4786 1947
Passcode: 591300


COMMUNION: All are invited to join in communion. If you are on Zoom, please prepare your elements (crackers or bread, and juice or wine) before service begins.
Most of our worship services and activities are held in-person and on Zoom. If you would like to join from home, please use the links listed here. We look forward to seeing you!
 

Link to SUNDAY morning Zoom Service 
Sundays at 9:30 AM
For telephone: 669 900 9128
Meeting ID: 849 4786 1947

Passcode: 591300

Link to Wednesday Evening Services
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
For Telephone: 669 444 9171
Meeting ID: 867 5095 6162
Passcode: 695333

Friday Morning Bible Study

Fridays at 10:00 AM
In person at Mt. Carmel


Link to SATURDAY morning Bible study,
Saturdays at 8:30 AM
For telephone: 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 831 5325 2589
Passcode: 690622

Thursday, May 18 at 6:00pm
Link to Church Council Meeting
For telephone: 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 867 7861 7310
Passcode: 950386


Mt. Carmel YouTube channel, Watch replays of the Sunday sermon.
Church News and Notes
Vacation Bible School registration is LIVE. Use the QR code, or this LINK to register today.
Cooks wanted on Wednesdays for The WORLD RENOWNED Mt. Carmel Souper Bowl!!
We need soup, bread and dessert for 8. You’ll be reimbursed for your ingredients. Sign up here:

Questions? Patti Frey 805-235-1938
May 21 & 28 - "ELIJAH and ELISHA"
Beginning this Sunday will be a series on Elijah and Elisha, two of the most important Holy Men of God in the Old Testament yet neither one has left a written record of their statements. Join in a Bible study examining the lives of these two Prophets.  In Quist Hall at 11 am.


June 4 - TBA
CALL TO ACTION
A Pastoral Letter about Hate

The 4th Sunday of Easter features the passage from Acts where Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is stoned. He looks into heaven and says he sees the Son of Man seated next to God. The outraged crowd rushes him and kills him. We know this passage is meant to bear witness to Jesus having ascended into heaven, and supports Jesus’ words in John 14, that he goes to prepare a place for us in heaven.

 I preached on the Acts passage. Stephen describes a new version of heaven, where someone we wouldn’t expect is there; in this case, it is Jesus. I noted how angry we get when we discover heaven might be populated with different people than we would prefer.

 Two weeks ago, All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena received credible bomb threats and threats against their pastor. The reason: their historic LGBTQ welcome. My wife Janis and I were married there, by her Episcopal priest and my Lutheran pastor. All Saints has been at the forefront of inclusion for almost 40 years. Other welcoming congregations around the country reported similar threats. Sadly, when All Saints needed help with security measures, they called local rabbis, who worship under armed guard and metal detectors, to garner their expertise.

 We are so fortunate to live in California where anti-trans bills are not being passed. LGBTQ folks are generally safer here, but of course we must continue to call for this inclusion. Trans lives matter. Queer kids are beautiful. LGBTQ people are to be loved and respected and we can learn from their resilience and hope. Hate has NO PLACE anywhere, much less in places of worship or in our theology. Friends, this is serious. This is literally a life and death situation. Many of us tell ourselves we love everyone but think honestly about the people we distrust, the people we do not understand, and ask God to bring us courage and love to imagine them next to us in heaven.

 We hear so many stories of gun violence, usually spurred by hatred. Anti-immigrant hate, anti-Asian hate, Antisemitism, racism, misogyny. We have dozens of words to describe the various and horrible ways we hate each other. The news is filled with stories of the violence this hate engenders.

 As your bishop, you might expect me to call us to prayer. I do. Humans are not capable of creating a loving society on our own. We have proved it time and time again. We need God’s power and strength to live bravely with each other, to truly see Jesus in each person, whether or not they look like us, love like us, believe like us. So we need to seek God’s help. We need and receive the Holy Spirit’s vast compassion. But thoughts and prayers are not enough.
Contact your legislators to insist our legal system keeps moving toward safety for everyone. We are looking for safety and equity and goodwill for all. Participate in rallies and community groups. Google your local LGBTQ center or PFLAG chapter and get involved. Call your LGBTQ siblings and let them know you care. Call your friends of color and let them know you stand with them. Do you have friends of another faith who are targeted? Check in on them.

 Make your voice heard. Put your body in places where you will learn and be inspired by the courage of those in danger. Show up. This isn’t a political statement; this is a confession of Lutheran faith. We are called to love people deeply. You are not alone, and neither are they. This is TRULY the kingdom of God.
The People's Kitchen crew will serve lunch at 40 Prado on June 2nd. Food prep volunteers are:

Main dish - 12 hearty servings
Priddy
Parkinson
R. Rollefson
Sexton
Forrest
Tewell
Petersen
Uder

Salad for 12+
Bremer
Frokjer
Garnsey

Canned Fruit (2/#10 cans or 5/29oz cans)
Dresp

2 gallons of Whole Milk
Parkinson

Please deliver to the church by 11:00am, or to People's Kitchen by 11:30am.

 
To our generous, compassionate members,

Since the inception of our matching fund drive, Mt Carmel has donated over $32,000 to our local Food Bank (from mid-- 2020 though Dec. 31, 2023). Even this amazing number is incomplete, because people did sometimes forget to identity their contributions as part of the Mt Carmel fund. SLO Food Bank receives 87% of its funds from local donors like ourselves. Our matching fund drive is complete, but please remember to keep the Food Bank in your heart as a very deserving charity to support. The need is always present.
            Contact info:    SLO County Food Bank
                                     1180 Kendall Road
                                     San Luis Obispo, CA   93401
 
                                      
Slofoodbank.org/give

Please continue to identify yourself as a Mt Carmel donor, so they know we have not forgotten them!
Video Courtesy of Iglesia Luterana Santa Cruz
Thank you for your support. Please continue to help those struggling with food insecurity at our sister congregation. Items that are always needed are:
 
MASA ~~ RICE ~~ FLOUR ~~ OIL

We'll gladly do the shopping if you perfer to make a cash donation on Sunday.

If you're not sure what to bring, or want to add some variety, here is a suggested donation schedule:

1st Sundays - Rice & Beans
2nd Sundays - Masa & Oil
3rd Sundays - Sugar & Salt
4th Sundays - Laundry/Dish Soap & Pesonal hygeine items (men & women)
5th Sundays - Socks and Undies (All ages/genders)

Gift cards and Thrivent Grants are also welcome. 
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.






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

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