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Palm Sunday in India |
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Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church Newsletter
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| Weekly Happenings at SHPC | April 10, 2014 |
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Holy Week Begins with
Palm/Passion Sunday
The Holiest week of the Christian year begins this Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 9:30 a.m., when we commemorate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem with a procession of palms and songs of Hosanna. The cheers of the adoring crowds soon gave way to the jeers of those who would have him put to death, leaving us with profound questions about the meaning of the cross then and now. Come experience the palms and the passion of Holy Week, and explore the movement of God in your own life. Our texts will be Matthew 21:1-11 and Philippians 2:1-18. The SHPC Children's Choir and Singers will sing for us, and we will celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion.
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A Note From
Already this week, as we approach the start of Holy Week, I've had two spiritually beautiful meals.
Monday night I shared dinner with our unhoused guests at St. Rita's church. It was the final night of SHPC's service to the REST program for the season, and we were sad about saying goodbye, and about the living circumstances of our dinner partners. But we were joyful, too, because of the friendship, the conversation, and the presence of the Spirit. You could taste the love in Shannon Mong's chicken, and see the love on Luke Argilla's face as he served second helpings, and feel the love in the air when Lucas Russell played ball with our guests after supper behind the fellowship hall. We were saying goodbye, but we were connected in a way that wasn't ending. Thank you on behalf of our whole church to Kit and Luke Argilla and to all who served with REST this year. You are a blessing to God's kingdom.
The second blessed meal was lunch Tuesday at Temple Rodef Sholom, a Passover Seder remembrance sponsored by the Marin Interfaith Council. What a beautiful tradition and ritual! As we remembered the Exodus story, of God's people Israel brought up out of Egypt from slavery to freedom, we sang, prayed, and spoke of the road to freedom in our own lives. Let me share this portion, which we read in unison, with you:
Sharing food is the first act in which slaves become free human beings. One who fears tomorrow does not offer his bread to others. But one who is willing to divide his food with a stranger has already shown himself capable of fellowship and faith, the two things from which hope is born. . . Reaching out to others, giving help to the needy and companionship to those who are alone, we bring freedom into the world, and with freedom, God.
In hope,
- Bev
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April and May Calendar
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Thursday, April 10
7:30 p.m. Choir practice at the church
Friday, April 11
12:00 p.m. Bible Study with Pastor Bev
Sunday, April 13
9:30 a.m. Palm Sunday, with Pastor Bev
Collection for One Great Hour of Sharing
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
Thursday, April 17
7:30 p.m. Choir practice at the church
Friday, April 18
12:00 p.m. Good Friday - No Bible Study
7:00 p.m. Service of the Seven Last Words
with Stephen Iverson and Pastor Bev
Sunday, April 20
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday, Rejoice! with Pastor Bev
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - Egg Hunt for kids
Thursday, April 24
7:30 p.m. Choir practice at the church
Friday, April 25
12:00 p.m. Bible Study Recess
Sunday, April 27
9:30 a.m. Second Sunday of Easter, with
Guest Preacher Rachel Pence
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
4:00 p.m. Mexico Mission Mandatory Meeting:
Team Building
Sunday, May 4
9:30 a.m. All Church Work Day and Cinco de Mayo Feast
Children and Youth plant Wee Garden
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
Sunday, May 11
9:30 a.m. Celebrating the Gifts of Women, with Pastor Bev
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
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Holy Week Bible Study
Bible Study will meet Friday April 11th at noon. There will be no Bible Study on Good Friday April 18th. All are welcome, and you are invited to bring your lunch to meet in Pastor Bev's office. If you are new to studying the Bible, join us! This week our texts are Matthew 21:1-11 and Philippians 2:1-18. Bible Study will take a recess on April 25th and will resume May 2nd.
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Does God Really Know What It is Like to be Me?
As we approach Good Friday and several other Easter activities I began to think about the challenges and sufferings Jesus faced during the last week of His life.
Even more importantly, why?
He experienced taunting, resentment, jealousy, abandonment by some of his closest friends, excruciating pain, and eventually death itself.
In Philippians 2 there is a key to understanding why these very real experiences and emotions were endured by one who with the snap of His fingers could have avoided them.
Jesus was human in all ways. He had feelings, faced temptations, got hungry, road in boats, went to weddings, worked with His hands, worried, prayed, and at night got tired and went to sleep ... just like me!
Those who lived and worked with Jesus had a mirror into what God is like. By being "up close" to Jesus they knew full well that there existed a vulnerability to His love. Or better said, an understanding of what we are like, what we are going through and struggling with.
There is nothing I experience or face that Jesus has not experienced first hand. He knows what I feel, and why I am feeling it ... because He felt it too.
This Friday Pastor Bev is going to lead us in studying Philippians 2:1-18. She is going to teach and help us explore the significance of Jesus' "vulnerable love" and human side. She will also answer the tough questions about the significance of Christ's death on the cross.
It should be fascinating. Join us at 12 noon in Pastor Bev's study. Come curious and leave better prepared to understand and engage in these holiest of days ahead.
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One Great Hour of Sharing
Sunday April 13th, 9:30 a.m.
This Sunday April 13th, we end our Lenten practice of saving for the One Great Hour of Sharing collection. On Palm Sunday, please bring your fish banks to church for the One Great Hour of Sharing collection. This special Lenten collection is split between Presbyterian hunger relief programs, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and programs supporting the Self Development of People. To learn more about how these funds have provided help to people in need click here.
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Good Friday Service
Friday April 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Our Good Friday service commemorates the seven last words of Christ, with scripture, chants, hymns, prayer, and reflection. Come and bring your deepest sorrows, and the sorrows of the world, and lay them at the foot of the cross.
--Stephen Iverson and Pastor Bev.
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Youth and Family Survey
Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church is striving to build a robust program for children, youth and teens. To help them do so, all families of youth and children are invited to fill out our survey by clicking here. Thank you in advance for your help in giving us the feedback we need.
Dennis Latta
Elder for Family Ministries
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Easter Flower Remembrances
Do you have a special person you would like remembered this Easter season? If so, you may donate a lily or other plant in their honor for Easter Sunday service. To do so, please contact the church office with the notation by Tuesday, April 15th. Plants can be dropped off at church Friday morning before noon, or Saturday morning before 11 a.m.
Special thanks from the Flower Guild
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The Stranger
The debut production of The Stranger was a huge success. With an original score and lyrics by Hallie Foster, and an original script by Cathy Sarkisian, this musical charted new territory for the SHPC Singers. The story centers around the interactions of three members of a family, played by Scott, Sharon, and Nate Hamilton, with a stranger, played by Wil Swalberg. The musical alternated between spoken scenes by the lead actors, and songs, presented by the SHPC singers in the model of a Greek chorus. After the musical there was a discussion with the cast and crew that shed light on the story. Discussion touched on how we can reach out to strangers in our day to day lives.
Many many thanks to everyone who made this endeavor a success, including the singers and Stephen Iverson for all their efforts with rehearsal and the audience for being there to receive this gift of music and story. Very special thanks go to Hallie Foster and Cathy Sarkisian for their vision to try something new and their dedication in bringing this musical to fruition. Mark Sarkisian kindly videod the musical, so if you missed it, you will be able to catch it on Youtube soon. More photos of the event follow at the end of this newsletter.
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MOLOTH Update
The 11 and up Youth Group (aka MOLOTH) met last Sunday April 6th for a scavenger hunt for canned food for the hungry in our immediate neighborhood. The food barrel is now filled to the brim. We also had the chance to create art for Palm Sunday. We plan to meet again soon. Stay tuned.
Charles Wei and Pastor Bev
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Equal Exchange Chocolates
for Sale
Sunday April 13th, 10:30 a.m.
Celebrate Easter with a gift box of fairly traded and organic egg-shaped chocolates! The chocolates are available in dark chocolate with a hint of hazelnut. The cost is $6.00 for a box of 18 foil wrapped eggs, and the chocolate is soy and gluten free. There are also new flavors of chocolate bars, raspberry and coconut. Your purchase will help support fair trade chocolate through the organization, Equal Exchange.
Patty Sanders
Hunger Action Enabler
Presbytery of the Redwoods
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Mexico Mission Update
Last Sunday the Mexico Mission team gathered in the afternoon to watch the documentary Which Way Home, which explores the harrowing plight of kids traveling on their own through Mexico to find opportunity and family members in the United States. Kendall Galli's excellent talk before the movie described the history of the Tijuana area since the 80's. All this was excellent context for meditating on the importance of home and family. Our Mission in Mexico is to build the former that fosters the latter. Planning for the trip continues. So far we have 43 high school/college kids and nine adults going. The trip is nearly fully booked.
Thanks to folks who have donated through our online portal! If you have not had a chance to do, so, it is easy. Just click here to make a tax deductible donation online on the SHPC website. Every donation to Mexico Mission in any denomination is truly appreciated.
Matt Ehlen
Mission Elder
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REST Season Comes to an End This Year
Our team served a wonderful meal to 18 men, many of whom we have come to know over the course of the last several months. The men truly appreciated our effort and we enjoyed a gratifying level of comradeship with them. Dinner was prepared and served by Shannon and Lucas Mong, Carly de Frondeville (and Sasha and Owen who helping with baking), Scott Hamilton, Chrissy Kerr, and Mark Carrington and Merle Hunter (Cornish and Carey), and Bev. Carly and Lucas were especially outgoing and connected with our guests.
As the season of the REST program comes to an end we would like to thank all the participants who volunteered to serve the unhoused in Marin. We shared great food and conversation. We shared our thoughts and hopes. There were some uncomfortable moments, some long silences, but mostly we found the humanness in each of us. We will pray for the people we have served as they continue forward without the support of this valuable program.
Ours is an amazing, giving church. We welcome people of all walks of life and offer a helping hand to those in need.
Thank you all for your service to this program.
Kit and Luke Argilla
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Alec Kenilvort Fan Club
What a spirited group filled the bleachers at the College of Marin ball field to support our favorite starting pitcher, Number 27, our own Alec Kenilvort. Alec pitched a great game and a terrific time was had by all. Pictured, left to right: Michael Durphy, Jeri Rayford, Cathy Sarkisian, Millie Millar, Wil Swalberg, Pastor Bev, Paul Lambert. Not pictured but enthusiastically present, Mike and Gradon McCollum. And photo credit to Ron Loshin.
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Please Remember In Your Prayers
The Schmetz family, mourning the loss of Karl's father, Frank, who died on March 24th;
The family of Paul Kreider, who died on March 22nd;
Andrea Proster, sister of Nancy Elberg, for healing, and Nancy, for strength in companioning her;
Jerry Lambert, mother of Paul, for healing;
Gregg Elberg, recovering from surgery, and mourning the loss of his mother;
Clyde Ongaro, for healing;
The families of those struggling with mental illness;
The unhoused, in the long period without the REST program;
All those traveling for Spring Break;
The hungry all over the world.
Please take time this week to pray for those on our list.
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Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church
100 Tarry Road, San Anselmo, CA 94960
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E-mail us at shpchurch@comcast.net or call us at 415-453-8221
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