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Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church Newsletter
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| Weekly Happenings at SHPC | September 11, 2014 |
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Evolving Church continues with...
The Lordship of Jesus
Jesus' contemporaries expected a Messiah who would deliver oppressed Jews from the cruelty of the Roman Empire. Their expectation was worldly power, dominating power. But God sent Jesus with a different kind of power: the power of vulnerable love, the power of forgiveness and reconciliation, the power of healing the world, one person at a time.
This Sunday, September 14, 2014, at 9:30 a.m., with our confirmation class of alert middle schoolers, we'll explore what it means to say that Jesus is Lord and Savior. We'll give ourselves an opportunity to experience the vulnerability that expands our hearts with compassion. Our texts will be Matthew 3:13-17, 8:1-4, 18:21-35. The SHPC Singers and guest musician Rob Ellis will lead us in song.
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A Note from
Pastor Bev
This is an amazing time in the life of the church! Our Evolving Church series got off to a great start last Sunday with our confirmation class in the front row exploring the vastness, greatness, and holiness of God. They turn out to be a very musical group, as our Children and Youth Music Minister Hallie Foster discovered last week; we will be hearing them sing in church soon!
The joy from our Justice Garden continues, and you'll get a good sense of it from the items below on Saturday's Farm Stand aka Farm Stand Party and also on our produce delivery to Bennett House. Thank you to all who participated!
We are so blessed to have Betsy Fox leading our Let's Talk this Sunday at 10:45 on the timely topic of "What We Can Do About Bullying." Betsy is a fantastic resource and will help us all to gain skills and grow in our peacemaking.
There is so much life in this church!
With joy,
Bev
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Thursday, September 11
7:30 p.m. SHPC Singers Rehearse at church
Friday, September 12
12:00 p.m. Bible Study
Sunday, September 14
9:30 a.m. Evolving Church Continues: The Lordship of Jesus
Confirmation Class #2
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
10:45 a.m. Let's Talk about What We Can Do About Bullying -
with Betsy Fox
Thursday, September 18
7:30 p.m. SHPC Singers Rehearse at church
Friday, September 19
12:00 p.m. Bible Study
Sunday, September 21
9:30 a.m. Theological Education Sunday -
Lora East preaching
Confirmation Class #3
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
10:45 a.m. Let's Talk about Saving the Planet,
with Doug Eisinger
Thursday, September 25
7:30 p.m. SHPC Singers Rehearse at church
Friday, September 26
12:00 p.m. Bible Study
7:30 p.m. Ordination to Ministry of Hannah Dreitcer
Sunday, September 28
9:30 a.m. Evolving Church Continues:
Big Tent -- Who are God's People?
Confirmation Class #4
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
10:45 a.m. Let's Talk about God - with Cathy Sarkisian
Thursday, October 2
7:30 p.m. SHPC Singers Rehearse at church
Friday, October 3
11:45 a.m. Bible Study to SFTS for Bentley's Senior Sermon
Sunday, October 5
9:30 a.m. WORLD COMMUNION/PEACEMAKING SUNDAY
Confirmation Class Celebration
10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!
10:45 a.m. Let's Talk about Kimochis - with Ellen Dodge
Thursday, October 9
7:30 p.m. SHPC Singers Rehearse at church
Friday, October 10
12:00 p.m. Bible Study
Sunday, October 12
9:30 a.m. Evolving Church:
Sacred Texts: Alive, Stone Tablets, Both? 10:30 a.m. Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome! 10:45 a.m. Let's Talk about Interpretation - with Matt Ehlen
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 Bible Study - Friday Sept. 12-
Noon- Matthew 3:13-17, 8:1-4, 18:21-35
Bible Study meets at noon on Fridays in the Pastor's office. Whatever your experience with the Bible might be, you are welcome to come and learn and make meaningful friendships.
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God Given Desires Can Dictate What You Do and Who You Become
Desires are wonderful. Some may think they come from nowhere, but I believe they are part of our spiritual DNA. A Godly desire doesn't drive you, it draws you. It's like a big magnet that pulls you toward itself.
Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life."
I believe all of us have aspirations and dreams. Why? Because God put them there. God also gives us the desire and skills to pursue them. The problem with dreams is that too often we think they're all ours. You see, there are good ideas and then there are God ideas. A good idea may come to pass, but a God idea will definitely come to pass.
Certain desires that God puts in our hearts are much bigger than us.
The Bible promises that all things are possible with God. A God given desire can actually be a bothersome thing, it won't leave you alone. No matter where you are in your personal journey, realize God believes in you. Allow God to celebrate you, transform you, and supernaturally enable you.
This fall let's focus on our God given desires and aspirations. We all have them. Prove, with God's help, they didn't come from the mystic "nowhere" but are a part of our walk with God and relationship with God. It is not difficult to identify people who walk with God, for through them we see God's ways reflected in their thoughts, actions, motivations, and life choices.
The Psalmist says, "Take delight in the Lord, and the Lord will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps 37:4). I believe that.
From Sunny Isles Florida ... Paul
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Please Remember in Your Prayers
Carolyn O'Hara, for healing, and for strength and support during her recovery;
Evan Peltzman, for healing and complete recovery from a broken heel, and for strength and support during his recovery;
Andrea Proster, for healing, and her sister Nancy Elberg, for strength in companioning her;
Clyde Ongaro, for healing;
Jerry Lambert, for healing, and for blessed assurance of God's constant presence;
Pastor Bev's mom Anne Brown, for healing and the comfort of God's presence;
For the unhoused community as we approach winter without a permanent shelter in Marin County, and for our local government, for the wherewithal to create and fund a permanent shelter;
For all those struggling with mental illness, and their loved ones;
For all those struggling with addiction and dependency, and their loved ones;
For all those struggling to make ends meet, with housing and food insecurity, and with financial stress;
For all those living in places of darkness and violence, for peace, shared humanity, and hope.
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SHPC Confirmation Class
with Charles Wei, M. Div., Pastor Bev, and Lora East
Confirmation class continues this Sunday, September 14th during worship and continues for the remainder of Sundays in September. Confirmation class is open to those 11 and up who are interested in learning more about church and religion, asking questions/talking about life and whatever is going on, and having fun!
Here are our topics for open-ended discussion:
September 7 - God, Holy Spirit, and Holy Communion
September 14 - Jesus, Baptism, and Reconciliation
September 21 - Taking Care of the Planet and Each Other
September 28 - The Bible, Church, and Other Faith Traditions
We'll start upstairs at 9:30 and continue after the service with music, art, discussion, Q&A, and fun. We'll try to finish at 11:30 this week, but appreciate a little flexibility on our finish time. And save the date: we'll celebrate our confirmands with special worship on Sunday, October 5 at 9:30 a.m.
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Let's Talk! Fall Discussion Series
Continues September 14th
10:45 am with Betsy Fox
In our increasingly polarized culture,
is it possible to dive into charged topics and emerge friends? Can we learn from people who don't see eye to eye with us on key issues? We're going to show the world it can be done!
Sept. 14 - What We Can Do About Bullying with Betsy Fox
Betsy holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education and a M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Supervision. Betsy works with parents, teachers, and administrators to help create the best possible educational opportunities for children.
Coming up:
- Sept. 21 - Saving the Planet with Doug Eisinger
- Sept. 28 - Let's Talk About God with Cathy Sarkisian
- Oct. 5 - Kimochis, Feeling Our Way to Peace, with Ellen Dodge
- Oct. 19 - Israel/Palestine with Rev. Kate Tabor, PCUSA missionary
- November - End of life, heaven, and afterlife
- December - Religion and Science - can they talk?
Watch the calendar for dates and topics.
Richard Peltzman
Matt Ehlen
Cathy Sarkisian
Fred Morfit
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Welcome to Pastoral Intern Lora!
A warm welcome to Lora East, who led our Children's Program last year, and is rejoining us this year as our Pastoral Intern. Lora will be serving SHPC for 15 hours/week, and serving as Intern at Marin Interfaith Council for the other half of her week.
Lora East is a third year M.Div./M.A. student at San Francisco Theological Seminary. She is also pursuing a M.A. in Interreligious Studies from the Graduate Theological Union. She moved to San Anselmo a year ago from Chicago, where she lived for 10 years, and is a graduate from Lake Forest College. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She has many years of child care experience and also grew up in the Presbyterian Church. Lora is excited and honored to be taking on this new role and is looking forward to becoming a member of the SHPC community.
SHPC has a beautiful history of hospitality to SFTS students and their families, and the church has been blessed with the many gifts the seminary students bring to worship and the life of the church. This is our chance to give back, by nurturing Lora as she develops her gifts for parish ministry.
It's a wonderful win-win!
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Volunteer at This Saturday's Farm Stand
Volunteers are needed at the SHPC Farm Stand this Saturday, September 13th at the corner of Butterfield and Green Valley Court. Sign up for either 8:15am - 10:15am or 10:15am - 12:15pm.
Make new friends and provide fantastic tomatoes to benefit local hunger programs!
Please contact Patti Vance, pv3@comcast.net to sign up.
Thank you to the Grubb Family for the colorful Farm Stand sign!
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The Justice Garden Farm Stand a Success!
The Justice Garden Farm Stand was a huge success! Thank you to Koren, Liz, Megan, and Patti, who picked over 115 pounds of lovingly grown heirloom tomatoes Friday afternoon.
Then Saturday morning Liz, Patti, and Sharon set up our farm stand on Butterfield at Green Valley. Frankie, Ethan, Jen, Michael, and Bev arrived and it was a party! We had fun, traded over 100 lbs. of tomatoes for $231 in donations, which will go back into the garden to feed the hungry, and made a lot of new friends!
 
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Justice Garden Produce Delivery to Bennett House
Our friends at the Bennett House enjoyed Patti and Ethan's delivery of organic produce, and they seem to be enjoying Ethan's photographic attention, too!
 
 
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 Pedaling for Protein
September 20th - 25th
We are just a week away from the Pedal for Protein bike tour benefiting grassroots food pantries in our Redwoods Presbytery. There are 13 riders for the 6 day tour. Last day riders can join anywhere along the way from the start at Tomales PC (47 miles) to Sausalito. Or, join at the following churches: Pt. Reyes Station (31) miles), San Geronimo (19 miles), First Presbyterian San Anselmo (12 miles), or Redwoods Larkspur (8 miles).
Sign up here: www.imathlete.com/events/PedalforProtein
The goal is to raise $20,000 for two local food banks, which supply food to smaller, grassroots food pantries. Click on these links for more information:
Presbyterian Hunger Program AND Presbytery of the Redwoods
While most of the riders will be from the Presbytery of the Redwoods, one staffer from the Presbyterian Hunger Program will also participate. Bryce Wiebe, associate for Enough for Everyone, will attempt to raise $10,000 for the hunger program's national and international grant projects.
The group will stay with various churches along the way and at these churches Wiebe will speak about the hunger program and the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, which helps fund the program.
With thanks,
Patty Sanders
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 THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO TAKE MEALS TO WIL AND BETTY!
Right now we need cooks for a couple of Wednesdays in October, and the months of November and December are wide open for sign ups. Thank you and bless you for taking a hot meal and your love to Wil and Betty on Wednesday nights.
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 OUR MINISTRY OF HOSPITALITY NEEDS YOU!Greeters Needed for Sunday Mornings: September 21, 28 and all of October
Help with our ministry of hospitality by signing up to be a greeter! All you have to do is get to church by 9:15, light the candles, and hand out bulletins with a smile. Thank you to all who have signed up so far!
Jody Brockett Schmetz,
Worship Elder
sign up here |
 Support EPA Regulation of Carbon Pollution
On June 2nd, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule under the federal Clean Air Act to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from existing power plants, a step towards modernizing our nation's power plants while limiting our contribution to global climate change.
We need your help to ensure these rules are implemented and Presbyterian voices are heard throughout the process! Visit our Action Center today!
Power plants are the single largest source of carbon dioxide pollution in the United States, emitting more than two billion tons of carbon dioxide and other toxic pollutants into our air each year. Scientists tell us that carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels is linked to changes in earth's climate.
- Climate change is already causing extreme weather events, long term droughts and rising sea levels, all of which impacts communities and people around the world - particularly those who lack the money and technology needed to adapt.
- Changes in climate pose a threat to global agriculture, including food supplies and prices.
- Pollution from carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases impacts human health by increasing unhealthy air days and resulting in more respiratory ailments, heart attacks, heat-related deaths, asthma attacks, and other harm. These health problems disproportionately impact on our most vulnerable friends and neighbors, including low-income communities, children and the elderly.
There are currently no limits on the amount of greenhouse gases power plants can emit. This is why reducing carbon emissions from power plants must be a top priority for the U.S. if we hope to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and ensure a just and sustainable world for our generation and those to come.
Presbyterian leaders have been engaging this process throughout the year, but the comment period is scheduled to end on Oct. 16, 2014. Send in your comments before it's too late!
Read the Rev. Ashley Goff's testimony before the EPA from July 30, 2014. Ashley is the Minister of Spiritual Formation at Church of the Pilgrims, which has an urban garden and bee hives.
At the beginning of this process last fall, OPW Director the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson also offered testimony in support of carbon regulation.
Now is your opportunity to weigh in on critical new protections for public health and the health of God's creation!
Visit our Action Center to tell the EPA to enact these important standards that will help to save lives and help our country transition to a cleaner energy economy.
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 San Francisco Theological Seminary:Horizons Bible Study
Saturday, September 13th
1:00-4:30 pm
San Francisco Theological Seminary will once again be hosting the annual Horizons Bible Study, and all Presbyterian women are invited to attend.
Horizons Bible Study
Saturday, September 13, 2014
12:30 - 1:00 pm check in
1:00 - 4:30 pm Bible Study Day Program
San Francisco Theological Seminary
105 Seminary Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
Registration Cost: $20.00
The 2014-2015 Horizons Bible Study Topic is Reconciling Paul: A Contemporary Study of 2 Corinthians, by Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty. The bible study will be led by Rev. Irene Pak, author of Suggestions for Leaders, the companion piece to Hinson-Hasty's book.
Please go to tinyurl.com/RegisterHorizons to register.
Thank you and we hope to see you there!
Charles Wei
Communications Associate
San Francisco Theological Seminary
(415) 451-2805 charlesw@SFTS.edu
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 Housing SabbathMIC & MOC Partnership: Response to the Marin Housing Crisis
The Marin Interfaith Council (MIC) and the Marin Organizing Committee (MOC) are partnering to create a Housing Sabbath, the weekend of October 10th - 12th, 2014, during the Jewish Feast of Sukkot.
The Housing Sabbath culminates with an action on Sunday, October 12th, in the Sukkah at Congregation Kol Shofar, 3-5pm. Save the Date!
Click on the link below to register or RSVP.
We are grateful for your commitment to advocating for justice and building community in Marin. We hope to see you October 12th.
Blessings,
The Reverend Carol Hovis (Executive Director)
Marin Interfaith Council
chovis@marinifc.org
415-456-6957
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Training Class for Marin Suicide Prevention
September 16th - November 18th
Hotline volunteers needed! Learn the art of communication. Learn to listen and make a difference.
Fall Classes:
September 16th through November 18th
Tuesdays, 7:00-10:00 pm
one Saturday: October 11th 10:00 am-5:00 pm
For information call: 415-499-1193 ext.3003
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Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church,
100 Tarry Road, San Anselmo, CA 94960
Allie Duro, Editor/Office Administrator
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E-mail us at shpchurch@comcast.net or call us at 415-453-8221
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