11am-1pm - Living Water SDA Worships in person at Hope
Sunday
10:15am - Doors and Zoom Open for Community
10:30am - Sunday Worship
in person and on Zoom
Zoom info
online here: https://zoom.us/j/338100220
or call in: 301 715 8592
Meeting ID : 338 100 220
password 214341
after worship - Special Coffee Hour to support Pastor Julie, family and new baby
Dear People of Hope,
The church is changing - not just Hope, our church. But THE church, all of us seeking to follow Jesus together. Below, Bishop Bill Gohl, bishop in Delaware/Maryland writes a letter about his interpretation of what's happening. I find his reflections helpful and thought provoking. Perhaps you will too.
Peace of Christ, Pastor Julie
---- “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things…” –Luke 10:41
As we continue to make our journey through the pandemic, it’s not a secret that church attendance has taken a significant hit. Particularly in our larger congregations, there is a real struggle to see our communities regather in-person and online. The prognosticators can’t seem to agree on any one reason for this, but after having spent six months serving a part-time interim in a congregation, and from my vantage point as bishop of our synod, I am increasingly convinced that this is not the last throes of the end of Christendom so much as it is the rapid advancement of toxic busyness.
As a rule, Americans are not especially good at sabbath-keeping. Rest, good rest, is elusive as our screens and their dings interrupt our sleep, our “after hours” time with family and friends, and the seemingly anti-patriotic act of doing nothing. Sundays, once a communal day of rest, are as busy as ever before. Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, once sacrosanct as time off for (nearly) everyone, are now largely business as usual, if somewhat restrained.
We are always busy. We are almost prideful about our not having taken our vacation time, or our day off. When the pandemic changed the patterns of our Sundays and the gathering of community in-person; when the pandemic exhausted our commitment to gathering on-line for school, work, socializing and worship; we found other ways to be busy on Sunday mornings, apart from being the body of Christ gathered for worship, learning, fellowship and service.
Don’t misunderstand this as a finger wag about Mary having chosen the better part because she sits at the feet of Jesus. Martha is doing important work – as one of my colleagues at our clergy Bible study put it well, “Jesus, do you want dinner? Tell her to help me!” Not everyone can or has agency to drop everything in the moment to sit at the feet of Jesus.
To be honest I hear the words, “Martha, Martha,” more of a reminder for those of us in the church not to mistake church work for the work of the church. That sometimes, especially as we come into a new season of what it’s going to mean to be church, it’s okay to be open to change and transformation; to eschew toxic busyness – even in the church – to be recentered on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
My experience of being in communities throughout our synod has been a frustrated sense of waiting for things to “go back to ‘normal.’” Perhaps we need to hear the voice of Jesus who invites us to put our worries and distractions aside, if but for a moment, to be together; open to being, and becoming something new.
With Love and Prayers, Bishop Bill Gohl
ELCA National Advocacy Cafe Last Tuesdays of the Month, 1pm and/or 8pm
With election season fervor escalating, many of us embrace the potential we have as U.S. residents and as people of faith in ensuring our election systems promote dignity and respect for all.
Drop by an Advocacy Cafe over the coming months leading up to the November election to hear from ELCA Advocacy community leaders about timely topics. The 30-minute presentations will be offered twice on the same day. The day session will wrap-up with 15-minutes for a Q&A session with panelists. The evening session will wrap-up differently, with 25 minutes to meet in a small group with others to exchange experiences and ideas.
Day Session: 1:00 p.m. ET
Evening Session: 8:00 p.m. ET
Monthly Topics:
July 26 – August Recess
August 30 - Civic Engagement Actions
September 27 - Barriers to Voting
October 25 - Public Discourse
More details and registration here:
https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/advocacy-cafe/
Look for our own Silas K on these zoom sessions; he has just started working with this team.
Special Coffee Hour for Pastor Julie and family THIS Sunday July 31, after worship
This Sunday, July 31st, the church council invites people to stay after the service for a special coffee hour to extend our best wishes to Pastor Julie and her family as they anticipate the new addition to their family. This will be simple and outdoors. The zoom community is also invited to stay online after worship for the celebration.
Sunday Communion Moving Outside THIS Sunday July 31, and following weeks
As current strains of Covid seem to be highly infectious, Hope plans to move the final 10 minutes of worship outdoors for the remainder of summer, and likely the fall. Starting this Sunday, worship leaders will guide participants outside to bless and share communion. Leaders will also bring a few chair for people who prefer to sit; and we'll all be looking for the shade in the upper parking lot. Thank you for your flexibility as we seek to be hospitable to the most vulnerable in our community.
Leaders have a plan to bring the zoom community outside as well. If you worship online, stay on for this final portion of service as well.
Calendar and Links
Tuesday July 26, 1pm AND 8pm, ELCA Advocacy Cafe Zoom topic: What is "August Recess" in Congress
https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/advocacy-cafe/
Saturday July 30, 11am-1pm, Living Water SDA Worship Service in person at Hope
Sunday July 31, 10:30am, Worship in person and online Same zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/338100220?pwd=dkdBZFhsZmJuWXNEWXNBajk5d1Nudz09
Sunday July 31, after worship, Special Coffee Hour for Pastor Julie and family In person outdoors and by zoom (same worship link)
Tuesday August 16, noon-3pm, Hope serves lunch at PG Day Center contact Joan A to volunteer
Sunday August 21, 10:30am, Bishop Leila Ortiz guest preaching at Hope Sunday morning worship, as usual
Wednesday August 24, 7:30pm, Hope Council Meeting zoom link shared with council
Sunday August 28, 5-7pm, First Humble Walk student dinner and worship Hope provides food: awaiting details to volunteer
Tuesday August 30, 1pm AND 8pm, ELCA Advocacy Cafe Zoom topic: Civic Engagement Actions
https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/advocacy-cafe/
Tuesday September 20, noon-3pm, Hope serves lunch at PG Day Center contact Joan A to volunteer
Tuesday September 27, 1pm AND 8pm, ELCA Advocacy Cafe Zoom topic: Barriers to Voting
https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/advocacy-cafe/
Wednesday September 28, 7:30pm, Hope Council Meeting zoom link shared with council
Tuesday October 11, 7:30pm, Property Quarterly Check In https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83526910785?pwd=ek14dHQ3MDlvVldSRU9aSDR5WWlUZz09
Tuesday October 18, noon-3pm, Hope serves lunch at PG Day Center contact Joan A to volunteer
Tuesday October 25, 1pm AND 8pm, ELCA Advocacy Cafe Zoom topic: Public Discourse
https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/advocacy-cafe/
Wednesday October 26, 7:30pm, Hope Council Meeting zoom link shared with council
Sunday November 13, after worship time TBD, Hope Congregational Meeting zoom link/in person details forthcoming
Tuesday November 15, noon-3pm, Hope serves lunch at PG Day Center contact Joan A to volunteer
Wednesday November 30, 7:30pm, Hope Council Meeting zoom link shared with council
