Newsletter — June 28, 2022

Join us Sunday mornings for worship at 10:00 am, with the option of in-person or on-line worship. Masks optional for all activities in the church building, including worship. All are welcome!

You may also join us online:

Find worship live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/spiritoflifeav
Join us live on Zoom by clicking https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83600960782
You can stream the service later either on Facebook or on YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC-G31isag0NKhIT0cat91qA

Emergency Pastoral Care Coverage while Pastor Rob is on sabbatical:

June 20-July 17: Marge Braden

July 18-Aug 19: Loretta Hunt

Pastor Rob has challenged us as a congregation to work through the same book he will be using over the summer while on his Sabbatical: “Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives”, by Wayne Muller. There is an opportunity for you to join in with a group study of this book, if you are interested. Denise Lewis will lead it, and will be hybrid so our online congregants can join in. Here is the proposed schedule for study (tentatively planned for following worship, with the adult Sunday School zoom link): by clicking the link at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84136883066
July 10: Section 3, TIME
July 24: Section 4, HAPPINESS
August 7: Section 5, WISDOM
August 21: Section 6, CONSECRATION (Pastor Rob’s first Sunday back)

COFFEE and CONVERSATION will take a break and NOT meet this coming Monday, July 4. When we return July 11, we will meet at the Panera, Apple Valley (in person only – no zoom).

The session of elders of Spirit of Life is hosting our regular community PICNICS this summer while Rob has sabbatical. We ask those able to bring a side or dessert to share and the session will provide a main course. Dates will be July 31st, and August 28th and the time will be approximately 11:15am (immediately after worship) with games in the backyard for kids and food and fellowship for all.

Spirit of Life was offered the opportunity to purchase a classroom set of used guitars, at a steep discount. With Session approval, these guitars were purchased and are now in our possession. There are plans in the works to incorporate options for group guitar lessons into Meet in the Middle programming, and 12 guitars will be available for participating students to borrow during lessons. But, that still leaves an extra 12 guitars that are available for purchase for personal use; 4 church members have already requested the opportunity to purchase a guitar, so there are still 8 guitars available for sale. The cost is $70 per guitar. They are beginner Yamaha CGS104A full sized, nylon string classical guitars. (Classical are smaller than full sized steel string–good for smaller hands). New, the cost of the equivalent of this guitar is approximately $150. Used, between $90-$100; so this is a good deal. The guitars come with a case; there is wear and tear on the cases, and all of the guitars should have the strings replaced, so you would be purchasing them “as is”. If you are interested in purchasing a guitar, please contact Denise Lewis.

Check out the FREE table at the back of the sanctuary. We’ve been doing a little cleaning and purging so if you see something on the table that you can use, please feel free to take it home and enjoy!

If you are looking for ways to help the people of Ukraine, here are a couple of effective organizations that are working to bring relief:
– Church World Service, which sponsors CROP Walks, also works in the areas of disaster relief and refugee resettlement and is actively responding in the Ukraine crisis. You can read about their efforts and donate here https://cwsglobal.org/appeals/ukraine-crisis-response-fund/

– Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is also actively involved, and you can read about their response here https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/ukraine/

It’s Back! Who remembers the “Change for change” bucket offering? Some are familiar with this, others may have questions. With the help of our children, we will continue collecting change in our metal buckets but going forward we’ll give on a monthly basis. Throughout the month, collect your change and bring it on the third Sunday! This is a great teaching tool to help us show each other and the younger generation how fun it is to give when we hear the change drop in the buckets!

From Community Service: Our LITTLE FREE PANTRY has been of great use to our neighbors and is in need of frequent replenishment! We can now resume contributing canned items as well as other non perishables. Donations may be left in the little pantry or in the cabinet inside the church entry. Many thanks for your wonderful support of our pantry and neighbors!

If you have a prayer request you wish to share with our Spirit Care Prayer Team, please email our deacon, Chris Sachs. Word it as you wish it to be submitted, and we will post it for our prayer team.

2022 Per Capita is $36.50