Pastor's Notes:
“Summertime and the living is easy ...” begins the opening line from the most memorable song from the great American opera “Porky and Bess”. In fact summer is a little ‘easier’ with warm weather, long evenings of sunshine and summer vacations.
Summertime at Hope has been a bit easier and yet there is still has been plenty of activity.
• Outdoor Worship on Father’s Day
• Hot Summer Nights & Cool Conversations (5-nights)
• The first of a few “Visioning Meetings”
• A great week Summer Day Camp with 17 children some great helpers including Crystal Hughes, Monique Schmitz, and Charlotte Hess
• We also had a youth pool party with 18.
• Thursday night Youth Group continues to bring many youth from the neighborhood.
• The conclusion of Jim Clark-Moore’s internship though he continues at Hope as Pastoral Assistant.
• The Annual Pie Social raising $380 for our Food Pantry.
• A dozen of us went to the “Impressionists” exhibit at de Young Museum in San Francisco.
• Favorite Hymn Month August 1 through Sept. 5
We have a substantial fall plan in place. Sunday, Sept. 5, will be our annual “Labor in the Pulpit” Sunday. Sunday School Rally Day will be Sunday, Sept. 12, and Sunday School Classes (including the adult class) begin on Sunday, Sept. 19. Adult Bible Study resumes on Thursday, Sept. 23rd, with an interesting study, “The Bad Girls of the Bible” (yes, really).
We are looking forward to celebrating our 53rd Anniversary throughout the month of October, though it kicks off with Oktoberfest, Sunday, Sept. 26. Sunday, October 17, we are planning a semi-catered luncheon following a brief congregational meeting. As we conclude the Building Hope’s Future Program, we hope to firm up our ‘Vision Plan’ for the next few years, leading up to our 55th Anniversary. Several other nice events are planned for October including a Sunday visit from Executive Director/CEO of Lutheran Social Services, and a presentation by Jane Stroll, PhD., of Pacific Lutheran Seminary, on Martin Luther and our Lutheran Theological heritage. There are some discussions about a using a beautiful new musical liturgy for the month written by a local composer.
Of course there is my upcoming trip to Rwanda with a brief stop-over in Ethiopia. These countries located in what is sometimes called the ‘Horn of Africa’ or according to former U.S. Amb. David Shinn, ‘the most continuously troubled region of the world since the end of World War II.’ These countries, including Rwanda, rank in the lowest 25% of per capita income in the world. Yes, poverty is a factor. Yet so is grace and faith. In spite of the genocide in Rwanda, they have an extraordinary “reconciliation process” where perpetrators are received back into the community to live in peace with the relatives of those they murdered.
Our Sister Parish has a ministry to orphans. I am happily looking forward to representing us, ‘The People of HOPE’, to our brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ll be bringing greeting cards from our youth to their youth. I’ll be taking lots of photos and short videos while I’m there. I will be hosted by friends in Christ both in Rwanda and Ethiopia. John Sullivan, Pastor
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FROM OUR CONGREGATION PRESIDENT - Patchwork Ponderings
With the lazy, hazy days of summer slowly edging their way toward fall, Council will be meeting Thursday, August 12th at 6:30 pm after its summer break. There will be a church visioning meeting Sunday, August 1st, during refreshments. Bring your ideas and join us to plan our goals for the next couple years.
Busy Bees meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 10 AM. Please bring your knitting or crocheting project and join us for conversation. We have yarn available to start projects with. If you’d like to learn to knit or crochet, we’ll show you how!
The Faith, Fellowship, and Food (F, F, & F) group meets the first and third Thursday of every month with a potluck at 6 PM. We share conversation, prayer concerns, along with good fellowship. Come join us August 5th or 19th. Call Randi or Colette for details. It’s not too early to think about our special Reformation Day event at Hope Lutheran. We have a special speaker planned who will be talking about Martin Luther and Lutheran theology on Saturday, October 30th. Please share your planning ideas with any council member for this church year event.
Please remember Pastor John in prayer as he travels to Rwanda to see Pastor Privet and our sister congregation. Our pastoral associate, Jim Clark-Moore, will be sharing God’s word with us on Sunday during Pastor John’s trip. Please also remember in prayer our students returning to school, those who are ill, those in need of work, the poor, and those returning from summer vacations for safe travel.
St. Clare (Aug. 11) founded the Poor Clares after hearing the preaching of St. Francis on poverty. Aug 15th is Mary, Jesus’ mother where Luther wrote “The ‘great things’ are nothing less than that she became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding.” Aug 27th we remember Monica, mother of St. Augustine, who prayed for his conversion. And August 28th is St. Augustine, theologian and defender of the Christian Faith, who wrote “The City of God” and “St. Augustine’s Confessions”.
God’s blessings and peace,
Colette
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COMMUNION ASSISTANTS: Betty Zacharisen, Sherri Heim, Sue Speed (1 & 8), Jackie Quick (15), Shirley Shumaker (22, 29)
FLOWERS August 15 - Mike & Sue Speed in memory of Ryan Speed August 22 - open - sign up in narthex August 29 - Ford & Bente Ellis in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary
ASSISTING MINISTERS August 8 - Paul Lusk August 15 - Sharon Wangsness August 22 - Kathy Meagher August 29 - Debbie Elrick
LECTORS August 8 - Marilyn Perry August 15 - Lorraine Tracey August 22 - Marilyn Sall August 29 - Andrew Heim GREETER Laurie Greiner - Sue Speed
USHERS Mike Speed (8, 15), Mark Greiner (15, 22, 29), Rob Leeper (1, 8, 22, 29)
COUNTERS Colette Krinock, Rob Leeper
SUNDAY REFRESHMENTS August 8 - Birthday Sunday (Kathy M.) August 15 - Jean McGill August 22 - open - sign up August 29 - Andrew & Sherri Heim
NURSERY VOLUNTEERS August 8 - Mark & Laura Greiner August 15 - Sue Speed - Michele Hawk August 22 - Thorsteinn & Randi August 29 - Colette Krinock - Jackie Q.