Dear friends,

On Pentecost, God poured out the Holy Spirit on the church. Tongues were loosened, prophetic fire filled Jesus’ friends, and they preached the good news in every language.

The book of Genesis contains the famous story of the Tower of Babel, in which people try to build a tower up to heaven, only to find their languages mixed up. No longer able to understand themselves as one people, they scatter. The Babel story is about difference becoming separation.

Pentecost means the healing of Babel. Now, instead of everyone needing to speak the same language, God’s good news comes to everyone in their own language. Differences no longer have to mean separation. In Christ our differences become part of a greater unity that glorifies our variety rather than flattening it into sameness.

St. Paul uses the image of the church as the Body of Christ. Each body part has a different form and function; none is the same as the others. And each part needs all the others, or else there is no Body. The image of the Body isn’t just a clever metaphor. St. Paul means it very tangibly. When we gather together, we actually are the physical presence of Jesus in a unique and powerful way. Jesus is present in the Church.

This Pentecost finds us regathering in one another’s physical presence for the first time since Easter. On this Pentecost Day, the Holy Spirit is gathering Christ’s Body at Incarnation back together in the flesh, back together around Christ’s table.

This year we have learned that physical distance can never separate us from God or one another. We can experience Christ’s presence with us even when we are apart. Being able to see and hear each other online helps enormously. And yet none of that changes the special thing that happens when the Church gathers together in the same physical space at the same time.

Please join us this Sunday: in person if you’re able, online if that’s best for you. If you will be worshiping online and would like Communion brought to you, please call the church office or send me an email to let us know. More information about some of the details of our regathering--masks, singing, livestreaming, and so on--is below.

God's Spirit has filled the whole world: alleluia! See you Sunday.

In Christ’s love,

8:00 a.m. services will be held in the church without music. 10:00 a.m. services will be held in the central courtyard with additional seating in Farlander Hall. The 10:00 service will also be livestreamed on Zoom and Facebook (see below for more information on livestreaming).

Face coverings and physical distancing are required at all in-person services, both indoors and outdoors, until further notice. In the next few weeks we will be taking a close look at all of our protocols, especially in light of the impeding changes in California guidelines to be unveiled on June 15. We do expect to lighten our protocols in the weeks and months to come. We look forward to seeing one another's faces as we worship. But we will continue to move forward as one Body in Christ, caring for the most vulnerable among us.

As we resume regular in-person services, our 10:00 liturgy will continue to be livestreamed on both Zoom and Facebook. Those participating on Zoom will be able to be seen and heard by in-person participants, reflecting our unity in Christ even as we are together at a distance.

·    To use Zoom for online services: Visit https://zoom.us/j/997787434.

·    To dial in: Call (669) 900-9128. Enter meeting ID code: 997 787 434 #

We are also livestreaming each Zoom service on our Facebook page, so you can also watch the service on Facebook, and it will be archived there for viewing later in case you're not able to join in live. You don't need to be a Facebook member to see the live stream on the Facebook page.

Our service bulletin will continue to be screenshared on Zoom. To allow for a better viewing experience on Facebook, starting May 23, we will no longer screenshare bulletin slides on Facebook; instead, a link will allow you to download the bulletin. If you prefer to see the bulletin onscreen, you can still do so by joining the Zoom meeting.

If you aren't able to attend in-person services and would like to receive Communion at home, please email Pastor Stephen at sshaver@incarnationsantarosa.org or call the church office at (707) 579-2604 to make arrangements to pick up a Communion kit or have one brought to you. We will not have kits available for pickup in the parking lot or create a separate Zoom gathering for home Communion as we’ve done for earlier occasions—just call or email and we will make a plan to get Communion to you. If you would like to receive Communion during the 10:00 a.m. livestream on a given Sunday, you may get a Communion kit in advance containing the reserved Sacrament from the previous Sunday's service.

The Vestry’s May meeting will be on Zoom this coming Tuesday, May 25, 6:30-8:45 p.m. Meetings are open to parishioners. To attend, please email Inese Heinzel at inese@sonic.net for the Zoom link.

All are invited to attend an outdoor memorial service in our courtyard followed by a reception.

As of this Tuesday we have raised $165,537 for our solar and roof project. With $35,000 more, we will have totally funded the project. We are so impressed and appreciative of our Incarnation community. All of us working together is making this a reality.

This Sunday, at our regathering at the ten o’clock in-person service, there will be a basket for cash donations. The children in our congregation are invited to put their coins in the basket to be a part of moving into the green future. Parents, you can also donate in your child’s name online.

Although the official end of the roof and solar campaign is this Sunday, you can still make donations after by going to the website or sending a check to Alison in the church office. Make sure you indicate what the donation is for.

The Development Team is so very grateful for your commitment to Incarnation and our Going Green campaign. You are the best!

Sunday Open Table is happy to announce that we re-opened for hot food and in house dining last Sunday, May 16^th. We have reviewed and updated our safety procedures and equipment. The coffee urns are new and we have added some extra outlets for charging phones.

We have streamlined our activities to give us a chance to ease back in to this mission and to see how we can grow and adjust our services in the future. Please keep our volunteers and guests in your prayers.

If you want to know more about volunteering, you can talk directly to Mark Neumann at markscomputer@gmail.com or 707-292-6710 or Allan Bolchazy at allanbengr@gmail.com 707-312-3778. You can volunteer at incarnation.ivolunteer.com.

...Marsha F., Kate, Shelby, Demi, Ethan, Drew, Ian & Duncan, Susan, Grizel, Pamela H., Alice, Sonja, Cindy, John C., James & Priscilla, Lila, Mary K., Amy C., Don, Matt, Gene & Elizabeth, Francoise, Hugh & Angela, Robyn, Amanda, and Nancy.

click here for the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer.

click here for the Anglican Cycle of Prayer.

Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 104:25-35, 37; Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Monday, May 24

Tuesday, May 25 

Wednesday, May 26

Thursday, May 27

Friday, May 28

Sunday, May 30: Trinity Sunday

To sign up for the Diocesan Newsletter click HERE.

Could you use a prayer or a listening ear? Do you have ideas you'd like to share? Although our offices are closed, Pastor Stephen is available to talk by phone or via Zoom. If you'd like to find a time to talk with Stephen, you can call Alison at 707-579-2604 or email Stephen directly at sshaver@incarnationsantarosa.org.

If you know of anyone, including yourself, who could use a communion visit or a prayer, please call the church office (707-579-2604) or email alison@incarnationsantarosa.org