Dear friends,
Happy almost-Pentecost! This is one of my favorite feasts of the Christian year. I love looking out over a sea of red clothing representing the flames on the first Pentecost (hint, hint: wear red!). I love hearing our "sons and daughters prophesy" as our children's voices lead us in scripture, prayer, and praise. And I love our open-mic time during the sermon, when we make space to listen and respond to the Spirit and hear how God has been speaking to others in our community.
On Sunday, we will spend a brief time of contemplation in our gospel text, and then we will open the microphone to anyone who would like to share something with our community. I encourage you to spend time in prayer and listening this week, asking God if he is prompting you to share anything with our community on Sunday. I suggested a few prompts in last week's letter for further reflection.
This Pentecost open-mic tradition feels especially meaningful this year because throughout Lent and Easter, we've been preaching scripture through the lens of "hearing God." We've used art, lectio divina, silence, and prayer to aid our listening. Now, we have an opportunity to share what we've heard. I can't wait.
Sunday is also our last Sunday at Randolph Elementary before our summer move to Drew Elementary on June 4. Last weekend's prayer walk yielded so many insights about that neighborhood, and I'm curious to see how our time worshiping there might shape our congregation. Let's go in with our characteristic Incarnation wonder, with eyes and ears open to God's presence in a new place.
Please note, there's no nursery care on Pentecost! We celebrate the major feasts all together as a church family.
Summer preaching series: we need YOU!
We spend the summer season at Incarnation gathering in and celebrating the many gifts of God's creation — including the gifts in one another — sort of like a big, joyful summer harvest. Our children participate in a summer program called Wild Wonder, led by different people in the congregation who share their many gifts (wilderness survival, dog obedience, tango, snake husbandry, gardening, and music to name a few).
Wild Wonder will meet at 9:30am in the shady outdoor courtyard adjacent our worship space at Drew Elementary, beginning Sunday, June 4. During the month of June, Gabi Weber will teach the children music, and during July-August, others from the congregation are invited to share their gifts. Stay tuned for more information from Josie!
We will also celebrate each other's gifts and stories through our summer preaching series, "The Psalms that Shape Us" (shout out to Russell for a great title!). We'll begin this series in July. Each week of July and August, we'll preach a psalm that holds meaning for someone in the congregation.
That's where you come in. Do you have a psalm that has been meaningful to you at some point in your life — perhaps a psalm that helped shaped your prayers, carried you through a difficult season, marked a big life transition, or was a favorite in your family home? Please fill out this brief form to tell us about your psalm and (optional) whether you'd be open to sharing a 3-5 minute story about the psalm as part of our summer series. I'm so looking forward to learning and preaching your favorite psalms and hearing the stories behind them. We'll gather psalm suggestions from now through the end of June.
In other news
Opportunities to help Incarnation youth! David Owen is completing his Eagle Scout project on June 3-4 at Claremont Elementary. Sign up here to help! And Meredith Radka is going to Nogales, Mexico, with a team from Restoration Anglican; you can support her trip by attending a June 1 fundraising event and fiesta. Learn more and RSVP here.
Art with Afghan women: Incarnation women are invited to join our outreach partner Vera Fernandes at her home on June 3 from 1-3pm for an afternoon of snacks and creativity with the Afghan women that she is building relationships with. Sign up here to lead or help with an activity; no artistic skills needed!
Fall trip to West Asia: We are sending a small team to West Asia this fall to encourage our friends C&R who minister there (we've been praying for C&R all month as our May outreach partner). Interested in going or learning more? Email Emily (emily@incarnationanglican.org)
See you Sunday! Wear red! Happy Pentecost!
Love,
Amy
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