Last Sunday we all listened as the Spirit spoke to our stories about the gift of uncertainty in Acts 16. How the Spirit invites us to listen in the small spaces of life so that our hearts and ears are attentive when it’s time to slow down, stay put or speed up. If you were there you heard how watching caterpillars grow and turn into cocoons has been a slowing down practice for me, where I am attentive to what God reveals to me through creation. Update: all the caterpillars are on my porch tucked away in different corners just hanging and being a chrysalis. It may look like nothing is happening, but transformation is happening in slow and quiet ways. I know it is the same with us!
Juneteenth
Phil Allen will be preaching at our church this Sunday, June 18th! We’re excited to see what God has to share with us through Phil’s preaching on The Story of the Spirit!
Also, with Juneteenth coming up, there are many opportunities to connect this weekend if you live near Pasadena or Monrovia.
- Saturday June 17th 10:30-4:30pm ‘Dena Juneteenth
- Saturday June 17th 12-7pm Monrovia’s 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Monrovia Station Square Park.
- Saturday June 24th 10am-12:30pm – Walking Tour of Pasadena African American History
A New Grant for Worship & Arts
Last Sunday we introduced you to our Collaboration Team as we received a $17,000 grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship for this next year! Our goal is to co-create spaces in our community to center the margins, our collective spiritualities, and cultural expressions of all kinds and encourage them to flourish within the framework of the common lectionary. We need your help forming teams that create expressions of worship that capture art, poetry, images, rituals, themes from within our church familia. Please contact Nicola Patton as she will be the Program Director working with our awesome Collaboration Team formed by: Eleanor Baylon, Salena Scott, Joel Yoshonis, Mondo Scott and our pastors.
Support Glendar’s Trip
Our beloved sister, Glendar Haskin, will be helping lead a worship and arts camp in Uganda this July! This will be Glendar’s first-ever trip to Africa! And she’s so eager and excited for this opportunity! We’d love to come alongside her as a church and help fund her journey. You can read more about the experience and also financially support her at the link here.
Save the Date!
You’re invited to come and join us for our second Friends and Familia Summer Picnic on Saturday, July 15, 2023, from 11am-1pm. We will be meeting at a local Pasadena park (TBD). We had so much fun last year hanging out, playing games, and connecting with one another across generations. If you would like to help by making our picnic playlist, leading a game or activity (i.e. face painting) contact Serena (hospitality@thechurchwehopefor.com). Otherwise, bring a blanket or chair, bring a lunch, a game to share, and bring a friend looking for familia time.
Familia, I love reading all these spaces to cultivate joy, celebration, creativity, courage, challenges and hopes as I read this newsletter!
Gracia y paz,
Inés