Before Lent, it's Time for Our "Fat Sunday" Musical Extravaganza
  
Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church Newsletter
Weekly Happenings at SHPC    
February 12, 2015

Fat Sunday!

Extravaganza of Music!

 

     Lent and Easter are coming - Ash Wednesday is next week! - but before we get there, at Sleepy Hollow Church we have our own "Mardi Gras":  FAT SUNDAY!  This year we welcome Gregg Elberg and the Church Boys for a New Orleans sound, and WOW, they sound terrific! Our own SHPC Singers, Children and Youth Choir, and the Young Boomwhackers will bring us even MORE music!  You don't want to miss this!  We will be making a joyful noise and our spirits will lift the roof!

       

In This Issue
Bev piano
A Note from 
Pastor Bev

The Bible tells us to make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth, and this Sunday, we will be doing our part here at Sleepy Hollow church!  Come ready to soak up joy bubbles!  

There are times in life to rejoice, and this is one of them.  So bring your friends, your teenagers in pajamas, your grouchiest family members, your neighbors who never go to church, and let's all rejoice together in God's great gift of music.

                With joy,
                            Bev 
February Calendar


Thursday, February 12
7:00 p.m.


Choir Practice - New Singers Welcome!

Friday, February 13
12:00 p.m.


Bible Study

Sunday, February 15
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.


"Fat Sunday" Musical Extravaganza
Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!

Wednesday, February 18
7:00 p.m.

Ash Wednesday
Service of Contemplation and Music

Friday, February 20
12:00 p.m.


Bible Study

Sunday, February 22
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.


FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT - Compassion
ANNUAL MEETING of the Congregation
Coffee and Refreshments - All Welcome!

Thursday, February 26
7:00 p.m.


Choir Practice - New Singers Welcome!

Friday, February 27
12:00 p.m.


Bible Study

Saturday, February 28
5:00 p.m.


MOLOTH Game Night - All Welcome!

 

 

Bible Study - Friday, Feb. 13 @ Noon - Psalms 98, 100, 150, and John 2:1-11


Whatever your experience with the Bible might be, you are welcome to come and learn and make meaningful friendships.  

 
 
When God's Plans Are Different Than We Expect

 

I have crossed quite a bridge this year, and it is one that has to do with trusting God.

 

I've concluded there are 2 kinds of people; those who say to God "Thy will be done,"

and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way." When one can accept

that "Thy will be done" is best, there arrives a calmness around our situations and environment.

 

The fight between our will and God's preferences is a huge one. As most of you know I am strong willed, opinionated, and like to take initiative. Yet God has put me (and maybe you)

in a situation that is far beyond my pedigree or experience.

 

I am not scared by the task, and not lacking in desire, but I am definitely aware that it is God's leading, quiet counsel and empowerment that is making what I am doing happen. It's happening because it's God's preference.

 

I would like to encourage all of us to accept God's preferences for us. And don't be surprised if God's plans are different than what we expect. Whatever God prefers, God empowers. And God thinks big! So don't be surprised if God's desire for you is something astonishing.

 

We can be assured that God is willing and "able to do far more than all we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20) and "will instruct us and teach us in the way we should go and will counsel us." (Psalm 32:8).

 

I've learned to trust this year more than ever. I'm so glad I did. I'm at peace, I'm much calmer, I'm healthier, and yes, many of God's plans have been different than I expected.


 

Your friend from Chicago ... Paul


 


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Please Remember in Your Prayers
Praying Hands


Chris Lopin's mother and father, for successful surgeries and complete recovery;

Cat Caldwell and her family as they mourn the loss of Cat's mother;

The family of Clyde Ongaro, who died December 30; may Clyde's spirit be blessed and may Merle and the family be surrounded by God's comfort;

Ahmed Abu-Aly, for healing;

Patty Sanders, for healing for her hip;

Jean Brockett, mother of Jody, for full recovery, and for Jody and her father;
Carolyn O'Hara, mother of Laurie, for healing, and for strength and support during her recovery;

Andrea Proster, sister of Nancy Elberg, for complete healing, and for Nancy for strength in companioning her;

Jerry Lambert, mother of Paul, for healing, and for blessed assurance of God's constant presence;

For victims of violence everywhere, may they know healing and peace;

For the unhoused community;

For our elected leaders;

For the people of Ukraine, Syria, Nigeria;

For our church community, for creativity, compassion, unity in the Spirit, and energy for mission.


Please take time this week to pray for those on our list.

   

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Ash Wednesday Begins the Season of Lent and Easter

 

Next week starts the Season of Lent and Easter, where we are invited to the Sacred Circle, and to a deeper encounter with Jesus.


 

- Ash Wednesday, February 18 

at 7 p.m.  Service of Contemplation and Music with Anointing and Prayer

 

- Sunday, February 22 - Jesus, Compassion in Action

Mark 1:40-41 and 3:1-6

 

- Sunday, March 1 - We Get Real with God: Nourishing Prayer

Luke 10:21-24, 18:9-14

 

- Sunday, March 8 - International Women's Day - Jesus, Defender of Women

Mark 14:3-9, John 8:1-11

 

- Sunday, March 15 - Sung and Spoken Word with Guest Poets

 

- Sunday, March 22 - From Grief to New Life

John 11

 

- Sunday, March 29 - Palm Sunday - Jesus the Radical?

Mark 11

   

- Friday, April 3 - Good Friday
 

- Sunday, April 5 - EASTER!

 

 

 

 

MOLOTH (Middle School Youth Group) - FEBRUARY SCHEDULE

 

Sundays with Charles Wei:

 

- Sunday, Feb. 15 @ 9:30 a.m. 

Musical Extravaganza!  We are excited about the Return of the Boomwhackers!  

 

MOLOTH Game Night!

Saturday, February 28th

5 p.m. 

All Welcome!  All ages!

 

Join MOLOTH for Game Night. There will be games, pizza, and fun!

Bring your favorite game or play one of the many games from the church closet -- and Pastor Bev will be teaching Hearts, Bridge, or whatever card game you'd like to learn that is in her repertoire!

 

 

REST Serves Warm Meals!

 

  

 

On Monday, February 2nd, 9 wonderful volunteers prepared and hosted a delicious warm meal for 20 unhoused guests through the REST (Rotating Emergency Shelter Team) Program.

 

The men that night were touched by the warm welcome and a home-cooked meal served up by loving hands and eaten at tables alight with candles and caring conversation.   

 

In the first photo above are a few classmates in Lucas Russell's 6th grade class, who took part of their school day to prepare an organic green salad for the men.  Pictured in the next photo are some of Monday evening's REST volunteers -- back row is Max Devlin, Andrew Eldredge, Scott Hamilton; front row is Susie Boldt, Dominic, and Lucas Russell. Not pictured are Shannon Mong (behind the camera), Judy Ford (who made incredible homemade toffee & pumpkin bread) and Birgit de Frondeville (who cooked pots of a hearty beef chili that our guests raved about).

 

These REST dinners let our unhoused guests know they aren't alone and unseen.  If you would like to volunteer to help host men or women in the REST program, one slot has opened up -- please sign up online at:  http://bit.ly/RESTprogram


 

If you'd like to learn more about our church's volunteer efforts with REST, please contact Shannon Mong:  

[email protected]

 

With thanks,
REST

 
Let's Talk! 
We're on a Two Week Break 
We Resume with a Great Lent Schedule on March 1

Cathy Sarkisian
Ethan Russell
Fred Morfit
Richard Peltzman
 
7th Annual "Drake..On The Same Page" Event
Tuesday, March 3rd @ 6:30 pm
Drake High School
Student Center

 

Jack Adler, Polish Holocaust and Auschwitz survivor, Drake grandparent of Matt Adler ('07), and Eli Adler, Drake parent, will honor us with their attendance at our 7th Annual DOTSP Event.
 

Jack will discuss his memoir, and provide a personal connection to his story in a way that only this charismatic, thoughtful and reflective man can. Jack's warm heart and passionate delivery brings balance to his tragic and desperate experiences with the darkest sides of humanity.

 

Y: A Holocaust Narrative is crafted well and will allow students of all reading abilities to access its powerful message, and will allow for teachers to connect historically, socially and emotionally to the War, family, politics, fate, destiny, and the themes of perseverance and resilience. Jack's story seeks to bring a civility and level of respect to the reality that human beings will not always like one another; and that "The necessity is respect and it is only through the mutual nature of this attribute that we can survive as the race of man. Mutual respect is the glue that bonds us in civility."

 

Many Jews survived the horrors of the Holocaust and came to America to put the past behind them. For decades they kept their awful memories secret, even from their children.  But their silence ended when a band of neo-Nazi thugs threatened to march in their quiet village of Skokie, Illinois "because that is where the Jews are."

 

We ALSO will screen segments of Emmy Award winning filmmaker Eli Adler's intensely personal documentary Surviving Skokiethe story of a community's battle against the voices and gestures of hate, of a quiet village and its once-turbulent history.  It is a universal story about the importance of speaking up and out.  And it is the personal story of a quest through which a man and his father rediscover their pasts.

 

Additional resources to support Jack's book and Eli's film:

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Y-A-Holocaust-Narrative/239370786161975

 

http://www.amazon.com/Y-Holocaust-Narrative-Jack-Adler/dp/0984984240

 

http://www.survivingskokiemovie.org

 

Thank you to The Drake Fund for supporting this powerful learning opportunity.


 

Many thanks,

Kendall Galli


 

 
Report From Your Clerk of Session
 

At its regular monthly meeting Wed. Feb. 11, the church Session met to hear committee reports from each elder, review the monthly financial reports, get an update on the rainwater catchment project, and plan for the Annual Meeting of the Congregation.  All are invited to the Annual Meeting on Sunday, Feb. 22, directly after the service, where we will review the Annual Report and the budget, elect officers (Elders, Deacons, and Nominating Committee) and approve the Pastor's Terms of Call (compensation package).  

 

Sharon Adams, Clerk of Session

Jody Schmetz, Worship Elder

Dennis Latta, Family Ministries Elder

Linda Peltzman, Membership Elder

Peg Maclise, Finance Elder

Carolyn Goodman, Moderator of the Deacons

Pastor Bev, Moderator of the Session

 

 
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO TAKE MEALS TO WIL AND BETTY!
 
Now's your chance to share your cooking and your love! Thank you and bless you for taking a hot meal and your love to Wil and Betty on Wednesday nights.
 
 
It Takes a Village --
Thank you so much to all the volunteers who are making our church so warm and welcoming with coffee hour hospitality!

 

Fellowship time is organized by your Deacons, but we rely on everyone pitching in to help. While each Parish is assigned a month for Fellowship, that time may not be convenient for your schedule. So now you can sign up online! Just click here and pick a Sunday that's most convenient for you.

 

February 2015 - Parishes: Laura Taylor and Patti Eisinger

March 2015 - Parishes: Nancy Elberg/Frankie Eakes and Patti Eisinger

 

Sign up now before the good slots are all taken!

 

Greeters Needed for Sunday Mornings: Feb. 22, March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 (The Season of Lent)

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
Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church, 
100 Tarry Road, San Anselmo, CA  94960
Allie Duro, Editor/Office Administrator
E-mail us at [email protected] or call us at 415-453-8221