News & Notes - July 18, 2021
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
The Holy Eucharist: 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.
From the Rector: St. Andrew’s Mission
Dear friends,

This Sunday I’ll be over in Monte Rio, preaching and presiding at Eucharist at St. Andrew’s Mission. (Jamie Knutsen will be leading our services at Incarnation.)

Some of you may be scratching your heads and saying, “What’s St. Andrew’s Mission?” And indeed not everyone knows that Incarnation has a mission in the western Russian River region. St. Andrew’s-in-the-Redwoods was founded in the 1980s and has served Monte Rio, Guerneville, Cazadero, Duncans Mills, Jenner, and the nearby area ever since. During the week St. Andrew’s is home to several twelve-step groups as well as our St. Andrew’s Food Program, managed by our own Daphne Vernon and run by dedicated volunteers.

St. Andrew’s Sunday morning congregation has waxed and waned over the years. In the 1990s and early 2000s it often had as many as 30 people; since 2010 it has been much smaller, with a core group of around 5-10 people. Sunday services ceased in March 2020 with the onset of the pandemic, but resumed at Easter of this year. Since then a Eucharist has been celebrated each Sunday, generally led by the Rev. Canon Mary Goshert, a priest of our diocese who has a home in Cazadero and has graciously volunteered her services to St. Andrew’s.

You’ll be seeing more about St. Andrew’s in News and Notes in the next few weeks. For now, please pray for St. Andrew’s, its members, and all who are touched by its ministry. I’m looking forward to being in communion with each other this Sunday at our parish’s two altars, 20 miles apart.

In Christ’s love,
From the Senior Warden: Coffee Hour is Back!
Thank you, fellow Incarnationians, for your enthusiastic welcome back to coffee hour after the 10 o’clock outdoor service. After many months of pandemic isolation, it feels great to gather together again over coffee and nibbles, to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and welcome newcomers to our church.

I recently read an item about coffee hour returning to church practices (by Bob Smietana, Episcopal News Service, May 4, 2021). Here are some fun factoids from the article:

First developed in the Muslim world in the mid-800s to keep Sufi mystics awake for late-night prayers, coffee was initially greeted by the Catholic Church, according to traditional stories, as a “hellish” brew meant to tempt Christians. “For Christians to drink it, was to risk falling into a trap set by Satan for their soul,” wrote William Harrison Ukers in his 1922 book, “All About Coffee.” However, after trying a cup for himself and finding it delicious, Pope Clement VII, who ruled in the 16th century, decided to baptize coffee in order to fool Satan and “make it a Christian beverage.”

Five centuries later, coffee hour is now a staple of congregational life for many houses of worship, reports the Rev. Tim Schenck, Episcopal priest, coffee enthusiast and author of “Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connection Between Coffee and Faith.” Says Schenck, “People don’t come to the coffee hour just for a cup of joe; they want human connection, something many people have missed during the pandemic. I really look at the coffee hour as kind of building community up one cup at a time.”

Amen!
Inese Heinzel, Sr. Warden
The Incarnation Coffee Hour ministry needs YOU! Hosting a coffee hour is easy and fun and a great way to get to know folks. This can be a couple, a family, two families, or individuals working together.

Coffee hour teams arrive before each service to start the coffee and put together their food items, leave the service before the final hymn to prepare to serve, and then clean up afterward. Coffee, tea, a cold beverage, and light refreshments (crackers and cheese, fresh fruit, pastries) are provided by the church. Home-baked goodies are always a welcomed addition.

Volunteer to host one Sunday a month (or less), shop for supplies, set up and/or clean up afterwards. Contact Catherine Priestley crpriestley@comcast.net, or Inese Heinzel inese@sonic.net to sign up or for more information.
Worshiping Online
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, 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.
Communion at Home
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.
Coming Right Up...
Friday, July 23, 2:00 pm, Don Green's Memorial Service
Members of our congregation are invited to join family and friends of our parishioner Don Green for a memorial service on Friday, July 23, at 2:00 p.m.
 
The service will take place in the church, with face coverings required for all participants. Music will be provided by members of the St. Cecilia and Sonoma Bach Choirs, both of which Don and his wife Maureen sang with for many years.
 
Seating in the church will be limited to 120 people. Additional seating will be available in Farlander Hall where a live video stream will be available. Those seated in Farlander Hall will also be able to receive Holy Communion.
 
A reception will follow in the quadrangle courtyard.
Please Take Note...
Thank-you's to Incarnation from Camp EDMO!
Camp Edmo is currently renting rooms from us, and enjoying the play yard, for their summer camp which runs through August 6. Each week has a new group of campers and last week's bunch all wrote us thank-you's. Here's a sample!
Updates from Sunday Open Table
Sunday Open Table continues providing hot breakfasts for unsheltered persons who live in our city. Our numbers have been a bit smaller lately, usually less than 80. There are a lot of changes going on and we know that the County and other services are working to reduce Covid infections in this population. We have been very fortunate to have new enthusiastic volunteers recently who have helped us out a lot when other volunteers are vacationing. There is always room for more, so please consider signing up. Even once a month would be helpful.

We are continuing to wear masks during our service for the time being and are asking guests who are not vaccinated to do the same. Some of the tasks are food prep on Saturday, coffee service or food service on Sunday and help with light clean up. We have openings for first timers so you can come in, connect and see what we’re doing.

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.

If you are looking for other ways to help, Sunday Open Table will also appreciate cash donations. We have successfully provided food every Sunday even during the pandemic. Unfortunately, we were not able to have our usual fundraisers during the past year and a few events will not be scheduled for 2021. We have a reserve fund, but any contributions will help us continue to provide food and coffee into the future. Your support is a blessing to this ministry.
Have you noticed anything going on in the church library?
I expressed interest in organizing the library to Stephen and was given the thumbs up to start going through all the books in order to update and make it a library that is usable for the whole congregation. The first step is done… removing badly outdated or duplicate books.

The next step will be to sort what is left by type, history, commentary, etc.and then decide how many different books we want in each category and how much is overkill.

After that in August, I hope to have a book sale of some of the books I’m removing from the collection. It might be a good time to update your library!

Then the final step is:
What do you want in your library? Who is your favorite author? Are we missing a category?

Also, if you have any library books, please let me know, you may be able to keep them, but I need to know what they are.

If you think of something you want to see, you can contact me, Sharon Cronan at scdizzy@sonic.net or 707-508-9662, but If it’s not written down, I’m less likely to remember it.

Thanks!
Sharon
Ministry Groups: Request to Meet On Campus
Since the beginning of the pandemic, all our various ministry groups, classes, etc., have been meeting online. Now, as pandemic restrictions ease, we are starting to have the possibility for small groups to meet on campus. If you are the leader of a group that would like to request permission to meet in person on Incarnation’s campus, click here to fill out a brief request form. The rector and wardens will review requests at their weekly meetings and will be in touch to let you know how you can move forward.
Prayers
Prayer requests will stay on our list for 3 weeks. After that, if you would like long-term which is for 3 months, please notify the office. Prayers for those who have died will remain on for 6 months.

Your prayers are requested...
...Ashley, Linton, Krissy, Mary, Katrina, Dicksie Tamanaha, Gretchen, Manuel, Harriet, Monica, Courtney, Noah, Arnold, Joe T., Elizabeth, JoAn Blackstone, Nate, Peggy Zimmerman, Caroline, Alyce Sugiyama, Marsha F., Kate, Shelby, Demi, Ethan, Drew, Susan, Grizel, Pamela H., Alice, Sonja, Cindy Leonard, John C., James & Priscilla Carvalho, Lila Kane, Mary Knutsen., Amy C., Don Baier, Matt, Gene & Elizabeth Wright, Francoise LePage, Hugh & Angela Stevenson, Robyn Chew-Gibbs, Amanda Cortese, and Nancy Hanke.

...for those who have died: Don Green, Mary Wolfskill, Gabrielle Jefferess, Mickey Halberg, Shawna, Doug Cannedy, Sally, Shirley, Brenda, Rob McIntyre, Janet, Geoff Wright.
 
...for the victims of COVID-19:  especially we pray for those affected by the COVID-19 virus, and for all who are in danger.
 
...for our city, county, and community; the city council, the board of supervisors, for those who serve the common good in law enforcement and the courts.
 
click here for the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer.
click here for the Anglican Cycle of Prayer.
This Coming Week...
Sunday, July 18

Monday, July 19
  • 3 pm - 3:15 pm: Prayer for America. For Zoom details, contact Brad, bradsmith51@yahoo.com.
  • 6:00 pm: Sacred Ground Circle

Tuesday, July 20
  • 8:30 am: Morning Prayer in the church.
  • 7:00 pm - Through the Ear to the Heart: contemplative singing. Contact Devi Mathieu to request the Zoom invitation: info@singhildegard.com, 707-829-0815.

Wednesday, July 21
  • 4:30 pm: Youth Group - Zoom. For more information contact Daphne, dvernon@incarnationsantarosa.org
  • 6:00 pm: Alleluia Choir
  • 7:30 pm: Anam Cara - Psalms and Silence

Thursday, July 22
  • 6:00 pm: St. Cecilia Choir

Friday, July 23
  • 9:00 am - 12:00 pm: Open Table Prep
  • 2:00 pm: Don Green's Memorial Service and reception

Saturday, July 24
  • 9:00 am - 11:00 am: Open Table Prep
  • 9::00 am: Vestry Retreat

Sunday, July 25
Talk with Stephen
Could you use a prayer or a listening ear? Do you have ideas you'd like to share? Pastor Stephen is available to talk in person, 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.
Need Support?
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
 
If you have a pastoral emergency after hours or on weekends, please call the church office (number above) and follow the prompts for the Priest-on-Call.


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