Last Sunday, Pastor Bobby launched us into our summer series, Our Being & Becoming, by diving into the first section of our vision statement: “We are a beloved community.” For me, it was a walk down memory lane as he pulled up pictures and collages of moments and memories. I was moved to see how far we’ve come from that first house church gathering with my black bean soup, through Zoom church, protests for Black Lives Matter led by our children, Missiongathering and migrating to our present building, and creative services imagined with the catalytic creativity of our Calvin grant team and familia! Our community is beloved indeed, and your bodies have been the site of God’s loving presence! I cannot wait to jump in again on July 7 as I preach on our vision statement moved by the Spirit!

As we prepare ourselves for this weekend with an extra 5th Sunday, we want to remind you that this Sunday, June 30 we will be part of a Joint Service hosted by Pasadena Mennonite Church at 10:30am during their regular worship time – that is one of the three churches that all share the building we’re in.

A few things to note before you arrive:

• 10:00-10:30am PMC will host some drinks and snacks before the beginning of the service which starts at 10:30am. So come join us to chat and visit beforehand!
• PMC will be offering pre-k aged ministry downstairs in our regular classroom with 2 volunteers. Please drop off your children a few minutes before the start of the service at 10:30am.
• PMC will not be offering elementary-aged ministry downstairs. This age group will be integrated with the adults in the fellowship hall. A creative team has planned some art activities for the kids in the fellowship hall stage area so children will remain visible to their parents.
• After the service, our PMC familia will be setting up the fellowship hall to begin their monthly congregational meeting at 11:45am.
• Last but not least, about that heat! We will have fans running for ventilation, but remember we do not have A/C. We invite you to dress in clothes to keep you cool and bring hand-held fans if you’d like! If you are heat sensitive, PMC has suggested you may want to consider joining Zoom at their link HERE.

Summer Snapshots

July 1

Lastly, starting July 1st, The Center for Restorative Justice is hosting a book club on Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. You can find more information and RSVP here: Parable of the Sower. But just go ahead and mark your calendars, it will be a 5-week study on Monday nights starting July 1. Last little note: A great friend of ours, Dr. Tamisha Tyler, is hosting this group. And she’s just incredible. We’d recommend going just to be around her.

Familia, I am reminded of Dr. Phil Allen’s recent sermon to lean into rest, rituals of grief and joy, and rhythms of community in this liminal season. Remember that Jason suggested it may be hard to trust those! I pray you are both carving and trusting those spaces of rest and rituals of joy! I know I am trying! May it reset, restore, and renew your heart and body! Joy is worth fighting for!

Con amor,

Inés