Hybrid Worship Begins at 10 a.m.
Tony Giraud - Spiritual Leader

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Meeting ID: ​984 9830 0809  
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The Church of the Joyful Healer will have new leadership starting July 1, 2023. 

On March 12, 2023,an announcement was made during regular worship that Pastor April Sousa accepted a new appointment to the Elk Grove United Methodist Church in Elk Grove, CA. This appointment will begin on July 1, 2023. Pastor April has been a member of the church since 2005, worked as the Office Manager for 6 years, and has been the pastor and spiritual leader for the Church of the Joyful Healer for the past 7 years. She began her leadership journey first as a Certified Lay Minister and later, became a Licensed Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church. Pastor April graduated in May of 2023 from Claremont School of Theology with her Master of Divinity and will be Commissioned towards Elders Orders at the Cal-Nevada United Methodist Church Annual Conference on June 17, 2023. 
 
On May 7, 2023, it was announced at the regular worship that Lay Leader Tony Giraud will be assigned as the Spiritual Leader for the Church of the Joyful Healer starting July 1, 2023. Tony has been a member of the church since and 2011 has served in a variety of leadership roles, including as a member of the Trustees, the finance team, Staff-Parish Relations, Mexico Mission Trip Coordinator, Outreach Coordinator, and Lay Leader. He will continue the legacy of the Church of the Joyful Healer, whose mission is to serve, welcome, and pray for all in order to cultivate a vibrant spiritual life. This mission is accomplished through encouraging each other on a spiritual journey, to know God better, to live kindly and healthily, and by doing something beautiful for God in our lives, our community, and our world.

Sunday worship

Sabbath

What is Sabbath as Rest? On 7 intentional Sundays per year, we take time away from our routine of worship on Sunday and focus on what makes Sabbath truly holy and set apart from other days of the week. Sabbath is a gift from God. We are asked to keep this gift scared and Holy. It is not a day of doing nothing, it is not a day of doing whatever we want, but rather a day free from work, unnecessary chores, and more. A few ways to prepare for Sabbath may be:
  • Pre-plan and pre-cook Sunday's meals
  • Plan your major chores - dishes, laundry, yardwork - for Saturday or Monday
  • Plan for time to commune with the divine - this might be in reading, gardening (different from yard work by the way), walking/hiking, or spending time on the beach
  • Plan your shopping for a different day
During our 7 intentional Sunday Sabbath as Rest days, there will be NO formal Worship Service. Sabbath Reflections will be available via email, the website (see below) and at the door for those who might forget or wish to have some guidance for reflection on this day.
Sabbath Reflections - May 28,  2023 - Rest as Discipleship
Rest is a vital part of Discipleship - as we find ways to actively engage in what it means to follow Jesus, we need to put rest in the mis. Knowing who God is, walking the path of Jesus, and moving as the spirit leads us requires that we find times of rest.

Rest is not just something that we are told to do, but Jesus also shows us how to rest. When we think of what rest means to us, it's often something that is purely of mind and body. We think of taking a break from work, having a massage, and taking a nap. But we forget that rest is also spiritual. 

Have you noticed that throughout the bible, we have stories of Jesus working, teaching, and leading people. He gives so much of himself - and then we see him rest. We see him leaving to find time to spend with God.  This is the spiritual rest that we are called to through discipleship.

Today, think about all the ways of rest that you cultivate that are God-filled. These moments may hit many marks - mind, body, as well as the soul. What do you do that revives your spirit? How do you set this time apart so that you can come back again, fully engaged?

As we focus on what it means to be a disciple - our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our witness, and our service, let's not forget to also rest with our creator - because when we do this, we can more fully attend to the things that Jesus called us to do.

Blessings,
Pastor April