From the Rector: Comings and Goings | Church of the Incarnation

Dear friends,

This week we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus on Thursday. I hope you can join us for a simple potluck dinner and our special Eucharist with choir and incense on Thursday evening.

This coming Sunday I’ll be away for a family event. But don’t be fooled! I’m not on sabbatical yet. Ellen Wondra will be presiding and preaching at both services for the Seventh Sunday of Easter. It’s a special Sunday that falls in the period between the Ascension and Pentecost, a time when we remember the disciples waiting and praying for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Rebecca Kendall will also be leading a 9:00 Sunday Forum session on Sacred Encounters with Neighbors Experiencing Homelessness.

I’ll be back in the office next week and back at church for the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 28. On that day you’re invited to wear red if you’d like, and bring a side dish or dessert if you’re able, for our parish lunch cookout after the 10:15 service.

Trinity Sunday, June 4, will be Rod McAulay’s first Sunday leading services as our sabbatical pastor. Rod will be in the office a couple of half-days each week in addition to being with us on Sundays. And then Sunday, June 11, will be the Parish Choir’s last Sunday to lead our music at 10:15 before taking a summer break. It will be a special day to celebrate our music ministries, with our new Children’s Choir singing too!

It’s been an interesting practice over the past couple weeks to try to notice all the places in which I’m a necessary communications link, and figure out how to get me out of them. Some are little technical things I’ve been doing since the early pandemic times, like creating Facebook and YouTube events for our streaming services. Others are vestry practices like saving files into the online Box folder we use for creating our agendas. One of the good things about sabbatical is that it can help encourage us to reassess how we do things so that ministry is shared rather than depending on any one person.

I’m so grateful for all those who are making it possible for me to embark on this sabbatical time, including our staff, wardens, and vestry, Rod, Deacon Pamela and our priest associates, and so many ministry leaders.

See you next week!

In Christ’s peace,

Stephen

Tags: News & Notes

People decide to visit a church for lots of different reasons, often because they're at some sort of transition point in their lives. Maybe you're a longtime Episcopalian; maybe you have experience in another faith tradition; or maybe you've never been to a faith community at all.

Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you enrich us with your presence, and there's a place for you here.

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Incarnation is located at 550 Mendocino Avenue in downtown Santa Rosa, just south of the corner with Cherry Street.

Our church parking lot is located around the corner at 636 Cherry Street. The lot often fills up for our Sunday morning services. Additional free church parking is available in the small gravel lot at the corner of Mendocino and Cherry, or in the city garage at 521 7th Street (free on Sundays), which is a two-minute walk from the church. Finally, street parking is also free on Sundays.

We're also located close to several bus lines, and we have a bike rack in the central courtyard.

Children aren't just the church's future—they're an essential part of our faith community right now. At Incarnation we strive to serve our kids' growing faith, and we know they have much to teach adults, too. Children are always welcome in worship: any age, any time.

Learn more about our children's ministries.

Episcopal worship follows an ancient pattern that dates to the earliest days of the Christian church. The first half of the Eucharist is the Liturgy of the Word the second half is the Liturgy of the Table, also called Holy Communion. If you've spent time in Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, or Eastern Orthodox churches, much of our liturgy will seem familiar. If you're unfamiliar with liturgical Christian worship, don't worry. You're welcome to participate as fully as is right for you, or to just relax into the liturgy and let the rest of the congregation carry you in worship.

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At Incarnation we encourage all our members and friends to prayerfully choose a percentage of their income to give toward causes that serve God's mission. We ask that part of that intentional giving be a pledge of financial support to the parish, both so our leadership can plan ahead in making a budget, and as a tangible commitment to what God is doing here at Incarnation. For more on the practice of proportional giving, see this FAQ.

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