The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour
10 Old Mill Street
Mill Valley, California 94941
http://oursaviourmv.org
phone: (415) 388-1907
A friend is called a guardian of love or, as some would have it, a guardian of the spirit itself. Since it is fitting that my friend be a guardian of our mutual love or the guardian of my own spirit so as to preserve all its secrets in faithful silence, let him, as far as he can, cure and endure such defects as he may observe in it; let him rejoice with his friend in his joys, and weep with him in his sorrows, and feel as his own all that his friend experiences.
Friendship, therefore, is that virtue by which spirits are bound by ties of love and sweetness, and out of many are made one. Even the philosophers of this world have ranked friendship not with things casual or transitory but with the virtues which are eternal. Solomon in the Book of Proverbs appears to agree with them when he says: “He that is a friend loves at all times,” manifestly declaring that friendship is eternal if it is true friendship; but, if it should ever cease to be, then it was not true friendship, even though it seemed to be so. . . .
For spiritual friendship, which we call true, should be desired, not for consideration of any worldly advantage or for any extrinsic cause, but from the dignity of its own nature and the feelings of the human heart, so that its fruition and reward is nothing other than itself. Whence the Lord in the Gospel says: “I have appointed you that you should go, and should bring forth fruit,” that is, that you should love one another. For true friendship advances by perfecting itself, and the fruit is derived from feeling the sweetness of that perfection. And so spiritual friendship among the just is born of a similarity in life, morals, and pursuits, that is, it is a mutual conformity in matters human and divine united with benevolence and charity. . . . Where such friendship exists, there, indeed, is a community of likes and dislikes, the more pleasant in proportion as it is the more sincere, the more agreeable as it is more sacred.
From Spiritual Friendship by Aelred of Rievaulx (Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Publications, 1977), as posted by Vicki Black on Episcopal Café.
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
8:00 am - Eucharist, Rite I
9:45 am - Church School
10:00 am - Choral Eucharist
Welcome to The Rev. Carol Luther
The Rev. Carol Luther will be our guest preacher and presider this Sunday, August 1.
Fr. Richard is on vacation until late in the day on August 1. The Rev. Betsy Rosen can be reached for pastoral emergencies at 453-1213.
Outreach Potluck Lunch Coming Soon!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 22, for the Outreach Potluck Lunch after the 10 am service. More details soon!
Sign Up and Register Now for the Annual Parish Retreat Mark your calendars for the annual parish retreat at the beautiful Bishop’s Ranch, Healdsburg: September 10th – 12th, 2010. Members of all ages are welcome: families, singles, couples. Childcare will be available for small children on Saturday. Drive up Friday evening. Following our program on Saturday morning, enjoy the fresh air and late summer tranquility of the Bishop's Ranch, join others to visit area wineries, head out for a hike, or plan your own activity! We regather for our famous retreat social hour and dinner, followed by a campfire and s'mores. The retreat concludes after Eucharist and lunch on Sunday.
We will be staying again this year in the Ranch House and Webb Lodge. This is always a popular gathering for Church of Our Saviour.
Register now. Plan to get your reservation in by August 8th. Space is limited!
Questions? Contact the parish office or Valerie Robin.
Wednesday Bible Study has room for you!
Join our weekly Bible Study on Wednesday mornings following the 10:30 am Eucharist. All are welcome! Come enjoy tea, cookies, fellowship and conversation about the Bible readings for the upcoming Sunday. Starts about 11:30 am, but come earlier if you like.
Help Needed in the Parish Office
Rose will be on vacation from August 19 through the 26th. Would anyone be able to help Fr. Richard out a couple hours per day checking email and snail mail and light office work? Sign up on the sheet in Fireside Room and see Fr. Richard if you have any questions.
Care of Creation Opportunities:
Creation Groans: Climate Change, The Spill & A Faithful Response with Interfaith Power & Light's Founder Rev. Sally Bingham
When: TONIGHT! Thursday, July 22nd, 7-9PM
Where: Community Congregational Church, 145 Rock Hill Drive, Tiburon
Co-sponsor: Marin Interfaith Council
Suggested Donation $5-$10
Please RSVP to Peter@InterfaithPower.org
Achieving Zero Emission Transportation: Climate Cool Options for Your Next Car (or Bike)
When: July 28, 2010 – 7:00 program
Where: The Marin Youth Center, 1115 Third Street, San Rafael
Sponsors: Sustainable San Rafael and San Francisco Electric Vehicle Association
Co-sponsors: The MYC, Interfaith Power & Light, Sustainable Marin
Please RSVP to Peter@InterfaithPower.org
Worship in the Wilderness: “God’s first temples…”
“No wonder the hills and groves were God's first temples…” exclaimed John Muir in his writing on Cathedral Peak. Have you ever longed for an active, yet reflective, Christian outdoor worship experience? If so, have you ever heard of ‘liturgical hiking’? Worship in the Wilderness is a ministry in Santa Fe founded by the Rev. Jon Anderson to worship God in the beauty of the outdoors. His liturgical hikes include the Holy Eucharist in the context of a wilderness hike. A sister branch of Worship in the Wilderness is now launching in the San Francisco Bay Area (both East and West Bay). If you are interested in participating in this emerging ministry, either as a celebrant, lector, intercessor, or fellow hiker, please email Justin Cannon at toseekjustice@gmail.com.
Help need
ed for Summer Sunday School
Teachers still needed for the middle 2 Sundays in August! This is a great way to see if you like teaching Sunday School in general. It's easy, low-commitment and fun! If you would like to teach on one of these Sundays, please contact Willie Van Doren, or look for the sign up sheet at coffee hour.
Help with Driving
You are invited once or twice a month to provide transportation to and from our regular worship services for parishioners who are no longer driving.
If you are interested in helping with this ministry, and would like more information, please contact Gayle Partmann at (415) 455-9303.
Adult Christian Education this Fall
Interested in being confirmed as an adult?
Or being received by the Episcopal Church from another denomination?
Or in just learning more about our faith?
The adult education committee is planning a series of classes beginning next fall for the adult seeker. Meetings will be monthly on a Sunday evening from October - May. If you are interested, please contact Fr. Richard or Kathleen Piraino.
Women’s Spirituality/Prayer Groups Begin in September
Two new spirituality / prayer groups for women will be starting up this September at Church of Our Saviour. Both will meet monthly on different Fridays from 11:30-1:30 in the COS Library. The difference between the groups will be that one will use the Renovare program as a guide and the other will use the Lifecycles curriculum. Renovare focuses on different aspects of Christianity and uses historical readings to support discussions of Christian themes. Lifecycles has a more bible-based focus for those who are interested in including scriptural readings in their discussions. 
The Renovare group will meet on the first Friday of each month from September to April, starting on Friday, September 3rd. The Lifecycles group will meet the 3rd Friday of each month from September to April, starting on Friday, September 17th. There will be a few hours of preparation for each session and leadership of each group will rotate amongst the members throughout the year. The groups will be “covenanted”, which means participants are asked to make a commitment to one another to prepare and to attend all the sessions.
All women in the COS community are invited to join! If you are interested, please email Sally Thomas at millvalleysally@gmail.com or call her at (415) 706-3890. Please let her know which group you are interested in by August 15th (those who participated in the 2009-2010 sessions should also confirm their attendance and group preference with Sally.)
Camp Create!Youth and Children at Church of Our Saviour are invited to be a part of Camp Create this August! Camp Create is a yearly camp, taking place at St. Stephen's Church in Belvedere, which brings together children from diverse communities to participate in a weeklong camp of artist-led workshops and events. Campers, ages 6-11, work with visionary professional artists and inspiring teen counselors to explore and interpret a story through the arts. We would love to have children from Mill Valley join us this summer!
We are also recruiting teen counselors, who will have a truly valuable experience helping to lead this remarkable camp! Camp Create draws children and youth from areas such as Tiburon, Marin City and the Canal to build a diverse community in southern Marin. This summer's camp will be from August 2nd - August 6th. If you are interested or would like to find out more, please contact Willie Van Doren.
COS Library News
Almost there! We are lmost finished the cataloguing portion of our project. Then comes the organizing!
With the guidance of Elaine Crepeau we are in the process of bringing the Church of Our Saviour library into the 21st century. You can get a taste of things to come by taking a look at the online catalog. You can search by subject, title or author. The COS library catalog is live from the web. Check it out!
Coming Up at Church of Our Saviour. . .
Mark Your Calendars!
Wednesday – August 4 – 2 pm – Staff Meeting
Tuesday – August 17 – 9 am-Noon – Mt. Carmel Homeless Lunch. Contact Jane Brophy (janebrophy@aol.com or 888-3282) for more information or to help.
Wednesday – August 18 – 7-9 pm – Vestry Meeting – Fireside Room
Saturday – August 21 – 8-10:30 am – Godly Play training
Sunday – August 22 – Outreach Potluck Lunch after 10 am service.
Tuesday – August 24 – 1 pm – Youth & Family Team Meeting – Fireside Room
Sunday – August 29 – Sunday School & EPIC Youth Kick-off
11:30 am – Mission Trip Presentation
11:30 am – St. Anne’s Circle – Choir Room
Prayers and Thanksgivings this WeekIn our Church of Our Saviour Cycle of Prayer, we pray today for Ada White, the Wetzler family and Liz Brown, and for the ministry of our Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors, and for Letty Erringer and Graham Maverick as they celebrate their birthdays. In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Scottish Episcopal Church. Please pray for those who are ill and in need of comfort, especially Janet, Graeme, Gail, Dick, Dan, Jack, Harriet, Nick, Alison, Simone, Jane, Katherine, Brett, Lisa, Mark, Lucille, Hunter, Sarah, Nell, Billie, Wesley, Ada and Silena; those serving in the military, especially Leif, Eric, Steven, Dash, Andrew, Arthur, Daniel, Jeffrey and Justin; and those who have died, especially Carolyn, Pat and Marie. Please pray this week also for all who have served this country in the cause of freedom.
Prayers of the People are updated weekly. Names of those desiring prayers may be added to the Sunday prayers or to this bulletin, with their permission, by contacting the church office.
Leave comments or your own reflections
in response to sermons delivered at Church of Our Saviour.
Go to our sermon pages to join the conversation!
Diane Amses - An Extra Pair of Hands
You have a busy life and sometimes you need a little help – an extra pair of hands. Let me be that extra pair of hands. I can
In previous incarnations, I was a nurse (LPN/LVN), music teacher, administrative assistant, gift shop manager, Gallup pollster, proofreader/editor. I earned a Professional Sequence in Technical Communications from the UC Berkeley Extension with a 4.0 GPA.
Whatever help you need, let’s discuss it. I’m available every day but Wednesday and Friday (and Sunday mornings, of course). Contact me via cell phone at 609-408-6048, or email at damses@jps.net. (Rates depend on your needs.)
I look forward to hearing from you, and to helping you.