Happy New Year!!  2010 is off to a great start with an awesome sermon by Jim Lawrence today, which is posted on the Sermons page (“To Have Successful Failures (Among Other New Year’s Resolutions)”.  I left the recorder on for the offertory as well, so you can hear the musical interlude following the sermon (“How Can I Keep From Singing”, arranged by Lorie Line).  Members of the congregation will be preaching the next two Sundays.  Annamarie Torpey will talk on January 10, about “Thy Will Be Done.”  On January 17, Amy Bingham Kang will present her sermon titled “Heaven and Hell — Richmond Style.”  Please do join us!

Lessons and Carols – the Christmas story told in narration and song (5:00)

Potluck Dinner (6:00)

Following dinner – casual Christmas carol singing in front of the fireplace!

Ha!  Another “on” week for the recorder — Rodrigo’s sermon “Welcoming God’s Joy. . .In God’s Time” is posted on the Sermons page.  Rev. Lana Sandahl will be preaching next Sunday with the Fourth Sunday of Advent theme: Peace.  If all goes well, not only will the recorder work, but she will be able to use the new wireless microphone!

Reminder:  Christmas Eve, 5:00, Lessons and Carols (the Christmas story in narration and song), followed by a potluck feast.  I “hope” you can come because I would “love” to see you and it will be a “joy”full evening — as the culmination of Advent, we will light the Christ candle on the wreath.

Well, the recorder seems to be an every other week thing, and this was an “off” week.  However, Kim Hinrichs sent me the word document of her sermon (“Preparing A Way”) and that is posted on the Sermons page, along with the reading.  Rodrigo Marcus will be preaching on the 13th, about the third Sunday of Advent theme — Joy.

Christmas will be here soon!  Our Christmas Eve celebration will be Lessons and Carols at 5:00, followed by a potluck feast.  All are welcome to join us for either or both events.

Woo hoo!  The recorder worked, and Jim Lawrence’s sermon is posted on the “Sermons” page.  Hopefully we’ve gotten all the kinks worked out and the sermons will be available every week.  This Sunday was Hope.  Kim Hinrichs will be preaching on December 6, the second Sunday of Advent, about Love.

Boo hoo!  The recorder didn’t work again, so we do not have Sunday’s sermon available, which is a shame, because it was excellent.  Our Annual Meeting was a great success.  Reports from the President and the Sunday School both painted an optimistic picture for the year ahead.  We have three new Board members — Amy Kang, Jim Lawrence and Moose.  Thank you, thank you to outgoing members Sandy Westlie and Roland Warthan for your hard work over the past years!  Our Harvest Feast was the best part of the day.  Good food and wonderful fellowship.  Thank you, Terry Lee, for everything you did in the kitchen!

Hurrah!  The recorder worked, and Rodrigo’s sermon (“Watering Our Soil”) is posted for your listening pleasure. 

Well, due to “operator error” I do not have a recording of the wonderful sermon that Kathy Speas delivered on Sunday.  I will read the instruction book that came with the H2 Zoom and next week we’ll be good to go!  This picture shows the special altar we set up to honor and remember loved ones who have passed to the next world. 

Coming up:  Friday night movie at 6:30 – “Toy Story”!  Preaching next Sunday, Rodrigo Marcus.

Woo hoo!!  I can now post MP3 files of recorded sermons!  So far there are two — today’s, and the one from September 27, both by Rodrigo Marcus.  Go to the “Sermons” tab, scroll to the appropriate date, then click on the link to hear the sermon.  You can also subscribe to the sermons as a podcast — you’ll see the option at the top of the Sermons page.  Another new feature is the Events page.  It is now in “blog” format, similar to the Home page and the Sermon archive.  Check out the Accidental Dog Show — pictures and a video!

Next Sunday is All Saints Day.  Kathy Speas will be preaching, and as part of her sermon (titled “Called To Hope”) we will build an altar to honor and remember loved ones who have passed from this world.  You are invited to bring a photo or other memorabilia for the altar.  Also, Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend, so you can sleep late and still be to church on time!

What an incredible weekend!   Wonderful people, beautiful weather, fantastic food and fellowship — PCA 2009 was a great success.    There were Swedenborgians here from San Diego, Wayfarers Chapel, Puget Sound, New Mexico, San Jose and San Francisco.  A brief rundown of the events:  Friday night welcome dinner (steak and salmon grilled by Clell Hoffman and Sabina Feinberg) followed by s’mores and singing around the campfire (thank you Terry and Lesley for the guitars); Saturday morning business meeting, a “sandwich bar” luncheon, then the tactile labyrinth (pictured above) presentation by Maia Scott, a guided hiking tour of the Hillside Nature Area by Lesley Ferguson, an Indian food buffet (Clell and Sabina again), ending with  the documentary film “A Man Named Pearl.”  We had 42 people at the worship service this morning — including 9 Swedenborgian ministers!  The all-star worship team included the Reverends Sky Paradise, Carla Friedrich, Rachel Rivers, Lana Sandahl, Erni Martin and Paul Martin.  It  was inspiring to hear about the trip to the orphanages in Nepal from which Carla Friedrich and Dave Brown just returned.  Special thanks to Sandy Westlie for cooking a spaghetti lunch for us today, and thank you also to everyone who helped set up and clean up!