Take Care of Each Other!

THE SUNNYSLOPE CHURCH Church of the Brethren United Church of Christ 3330 School Street Wenatchee, WA 98801 Phone (509) 663-5745 sunnyslopechurch@nwi.net http://www.sunnyslopechurchwa.org/

WEEK ENDING March 21st News-Sheet EDITED BY Janeal Himes-Jacobson

LEADERSHIP TEAM --- Team Chair 2022 Carol Bowman Moderator/Vice Chair 2020 Mary Katherine Deen Secretary/Scribe 2020 Ed Deen Treasurer 2022 Cheryl Hall Financial Secretary 2022 Gary Harlow Property 2022 Janet Stutzman Social Action/Outreach 2022 Lois Tate Hospitality/Celebrations 2022 Sasha Sleiman Christian Ed 2022 Ben Green Worship Comm 2021 Bob Jackson Deacon Representative DEACONS Bob & Edie Jackson Bess Parsley Bob Wells & Karen Dunning-Wells Marian Gillin* June Hampton* Ordo Stutzman* *Deacons Emeritus

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SUNNYSLOPE CHURCH MARCH 2020 M T W T F S SUNDAY 16 17

Spring of Life 7-9PM

18 Quilters-Hall 10AM-4PM

19 Breakfast at Smitty’s 8-9AM AA Meeting-Hall 6:30-8:30PM

FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

20

21 Spring of Life Music 9AM-12PM

22 Worship Service 10:25AM Youth Group 12-1:30PM Spring of Life 1-3PM

23 24 Spring of Life 7-9PM

25 Weekly

News-Sheet

26 Breakfast at Smitty’s 8-9AM AA Meeting-Hall 6:30-8:30PM

27

28 Spring of Life Music 9AM-12PM

29 Worship Service 10:25AM Spring of Life 1-3PM

30 31 Spring of Life 7-9PM

REACHING OUT FOR MARCH

MARCH BIRTHDAYS Natalie Neher 23rd Nomi Stutzman 23rd Cynthia Ewert 23rd Merry Titus 26th Miriam Gnagy 28th Bob Wells 28th

UPCOMING MARCH ANNIVERSARIES John & Velda Braun 23rd Bud & Janet Preston 25th Kurt & Elvira Bowman 28th

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“BUSINESS” FROM THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

Our gatherings for worship, committee work, hand bell choir, quilting, etc. are suspended until it is safe to be physically together.

Our staff is continuing to work, either at home or in the office. Feel free to call or e-mail the church if you have needs.

We will be sending out a weekly news-sheet during this time with worship thoughts and spiritual encouragement from Pastor Mike as one way to help us be together in spirit and support. Our Ministries continue!

“Weekend backpack” food for children has been adjusted to add to the weekday meals provided by Wenatchee schools (see flyer on page 7).

Your on-going financial support is Encouraged and Welcome!

Pledges and other donations can be sent to Ed Deen, treasurer, at: 201 S. Elliott Ave., Unit #11, Wenatchee, WA. 98801.

What will love look like as we seek the Common Good?

What does love look like at this time of the corona-virus pandemic?

Love looks like…

"AN EMPTY CHURCH BUILDING." Love is putting aside our own needs,

and sacrificing for others. Love looks like an empty church building.

That is why we closed ours. The loving response to this crisis is to

proceed with caution out of respect for our vulnerable neighbors.

God is love. Love will lead us through. Love is patient. Love is kind.

What does love look like? On these Sunday mornings: An empty church building. May we never forget that

"THE CHURCH IS NOT THE BUILDING. THE CHURCH IS NOT THE STEEPLE.

The Church is not a Place at all.

“THE CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE!” Written by Bob Jackson

CHURCH OFFICE ASSISTANT HOURS

Tues. Wed. Thurs. 8-1 p.m.

Phone: (509) 663-5745 Email: sunnyslopechurch@nwi.net

Website www.sunnyslopechurchwa.org

THE SUNNYSLOPE CHURCH

Church of the Brethren & United Church of Christ

WORSHIP SERVICES

SUSPENDED

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF

EACH OTHER

February 28 – March 2, 2014 SPECIAL OLYMPICS IN WENATCHEE DON LOCKE IS LOOKING FOR HOUSING

SUMMER WORSHIP

JUNE 8TH UNTIL SEPTEMBER 7TH 9:25 AM

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Looking For A 23rd Psalm Moment

Welcome to this special edition of the Sunnyslope Newsletter. Our plan is to publish on a weekly basis until we can once again hold services here as a community. Our prayer is this will happen sooner rather than later. Although it was despairing to cancel services this past Sunday the health and safety of the congregation was foremost on the minds of the Leadership Team when they made that decision. I talked to Marian on Saturday and she couldn’t recall anything to compare these current events to except in 1955 when Polio was at its peak. I thought that was a powerful perspective. The other day while looking up the suggested readings for this coming weekend I was pleased as punch to see the 23rd Psalm listed. I remember thinking if ever there was an apt time for a comforting message it was now. That beautiful poem has the capacity to calm even to most frayed nerves. David in this psalm expresses his unshakable trust in God and in doing so has touched countless hearts over the millennia. I was very much looking forward to writing on the 23rd Psalm right up to the moment I knew I couldn’t. As I was pondering deep thoughts about green pastures and still waters it dawned on me we haven’t been led there yet. I suspect very few people are ready for this much beloved psalm at the moment. Life has taken a very frightening turn over the past few weeks and as I thought about what to write, Rabbi Appelbaum’s voice rang in my head reminding me we ought not rush to the comfort and trust of Psalm 23. Rabbi Appelbaum was my Instructor for the Clinical Pastoral Education course I took as I completed my internship and residency as a Chaplain. I’ve taken great pleasure in referring to him as my Rabbi for the two percent of me that is Jewish. One of the first lessons he taught those of us gathered in class was not to rush into comfort mode. He made it clear when people are in deep pain we would do well to recognize that pain and sit with them in their space. As he talked it became about as clear as clear could be it would be very poor form to rush patients to places they were not ready to go to yet. He was right and at the risk of putting words in his mouth I suspect he would say we as a community aren’t ready for 23 just yet. I believe Rabbi would suggest we turn to Psalm 22 which was also written by David. This is a psalm of deep pain that came about during a time when he was in dire straits. From the very beginning David lays bare his soul, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?” Speaking for myself this is where I see us today. I see these words come to life whenever Nancy and I go to the grocery store and walk down aisles that are stripped clean because of panic buying. I can’t help but groan when I read news reports that gun sales are going through the roof because people seem to think civilization is ending. The source of this anxiety and panic is a virus that is sealed in mystery and portends calamity. No, at the moment Psalm 22 seems more appropriate than 23. The question that has been vexing me is how do we go from Psalm 22 with all its pain to the trust and comfort found in 23? It occurs to me my friends at Alcoholics Anonymous have some sage advice worth considering. One phrase that echo’s around meeting halls on a daily basis is, “This too shall pass.” What a deep and profound truth this is! The fact is this accursed virus will pass and life will return to some sort of normal after it has runs its course. I think it’s terribly important to remember those profound words, “This too shall pass” and repeat them often.

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Another piece of wisdom that comes from those meetings is the Serenity Prayer. I don’t believe an A.A. meeting goes by without the Serenity Prayer being recited at some point. In these difficult times a worthwhile exercise for each of us would be to hold this prayer close to our hearts. It’s simple and yet can go a long way to help us to find our way to the 23rd Psalm. Here is the prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Right now those three things are critical—Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom. I don’t claim to be an authority on a whole lot of stuff but today I do believe it’s safe to say we have more troubling days ahead of us before this stupid virus wearies itself of making our lives miserable. I also think Psalm 23 moments can be found in the midst of these frightful times. For example Saturday I was fairly despondent when church service had to cancel. I would imagine that was a pretty common reaction for pastor types and members of congregations around the world. You can only imagine my surprise when I was going about the important business of grumbling about the stupid virus when Nancy suggested that we take our son, Chris, up on his invitation to go salmon fishing on Puget Sound with the rest of his family on Sunday. I thought about it for a couple of seconds and decided, “You know that’s not a bad idea, stupid virus.” So we did, we went fishing on Sunday. Although it was a cold morning we had a wonderful time nonetheless. I was lucky enough to catch a five pound black mouth salmon which will be served at Easter dinner. As nice as my fish was our daughter Stephanie had a much bigger one on the line that took her bait, flasher and lure as a symbolic gesture of protest for our poor treatment of it. What a day it was. For a short while my soul was restored as the seven of us had a wonderful day. The truth of it is I was so happy about catching that salmon I danced a little jig, twice, well alright, maybe three times. As I’ve thought about our fishing trip and the crisis that’s pulled all of us into its grip, I’ve come to believe-even during these dark, dark days that we can have 23rd Psalms moments. For example keeping in contact with family, friends, and other loved ones is terribly important and can lead to moments of serenity, peace and comfort. The thing about our time on the water wasn’t so much about the fishing as it was about spending time together and talking about something besides that stupid virus. Although, O’Cain’s are not by nature demonstrative –Sunday was all about love. Saint Paul writes extensively about love in his first letter to the Corinthians. He lists many of love attributes including, “love bears all things, and love endures all things.” Love is imbued in the Sunnyslope story and it has born many a burden and endured trials too numerous to count and yet the church still stands. It stands because of you dear folks and this stupid virus is no match for it. Paul ends his section on love with the following words, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Through our faith in God, hope for the future, and love for each other, we will indeed one day be able to lie down in green pastures and be led beside still waters. Those days are coming, of that we can rest assured. While we await that wonderful day let us do our best to support each other with the love and dignity these trying times require. I pray God grants each of you serenity, courage and wisdom for the difficult days ahead. God Bless Each & Everyone of You, Pastor Mike

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If you wish to worship on-line, here are some current options: X Living Stream CoB congregation (the Church of the Brethren’s only on-line church, begun in our district) meets Sundays at 5 p.m. PDT. Feel free to log in at www.livingstreamcob.org. Past services are archived if you wish to see one of those on your own schedule. Y CoB Peace Church in Portland, OR, has a Zoom-based service Sundays at 11. We are seeking current information that will allow you to dial in for corporate worship. In the meantime, consider these options adapted from Pastor Sarah Kinsel's posting last week:

� Choose a scripture on which to meditate

� Spend time journaling about how you are feeling today, or praying for people in your circles

� Sing a favorite hymn to wake up your body and spirit through music. For example, here is a link to: Montchris (“Chris”) Hubbard playing "Be Thou my vision”

� Step outside for a few minutes. Feel the air, look around you, notice the plants, & breathe deeply. Absorb sunlight.

Z A new Church of the Brethren webpage provides ministry resources for congregations and church leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic Resources for congregations in a time of pandemic

� A map of Church of the Brethren congregations offering online worship services is at the bottom of the

webpage. (See below.) It will be updated on-line as new information comes in. Click to: EXPLORE

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Our Ministries continue! “Weekend Backpack” food for children has been adjusted to add to the weekday meals provided by Wenatchee schools