* ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US @ 11AM THIS SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2024 FOR OUR 11:00am MOTHER'S DAY WORSHIP SERVICE ON ZOOM & IN-PERSON @ THE  WOMEN'S CLUB BUILDING: 404 S. Pleasant Street, Royal Oak, MI 48067

We hope that you will join us this Sunday for Worship. Our musician this Sunday is guitarist/vocalist Joel Palmer. Rev. Renee will offer the sermon: "The God Who Sees Me" All are welcome to join us for Coffee Hour Social downstairs after the service. Coffee Hour food donations are always welcome and appreciated. The Kitchener, Ontario, Church of the Good Shepherd will join our services online Zoom for the month of May while they await a new minister for their congregation. The Kitchener Church Choir will perform a Mother's Day offering Swedish hymn: "For All the Faithful Women."

SEE ZOOM INVITATION BELOW

Renee Machiniak is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Sunday Worship Service; Sermon: "The God Who Sees Me"

Time: May 12, 2024 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85133465722?pwd=K0xsb05PMWZ6ZWIyNHhOUlFiME01UT09

Meeting ID: 851 3346 5722

Passcode: worship

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Dial by your Phone Only:

Meeting ID: 851 3346 5722

Passcode: 0766206

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbPODWq09z

* 2024 SPRING MIDWEST GATHERING LEAVES CONFERENCE TODAY ONLINE SATURDAY, MAY 11TH, 2:00-4:00PM: Registration is Closed. Theme: "Searching for the Feminine in the Divine" Women of the Midwest, join us on Zoom as we gather to connect, enjoy, make new friends and learn from one another as sisters of faith among all of our Swedenborgian denominations! Guest Speaker: Tirah Keal - Tirah graduated from Bryn Athyn College in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in religion and is now a first-year seminarian  on the ordination track for Convention, the Swedenborgian Church of North America. The presentation she is delivering is based on her senior paper for her degree from Bryn Athyn College.

For more information: gatheringleavesmidwest@gmail.com

* CREATION CARE: 4-PART WEBINAR FOR THE MONTH OF MAY WITH PROFESSOR REV. DEVIN ZUBER: Tuesdays May 7, 14, 21 & 28 8-9:30pm In this four part FREE webinar offered by the Center for Swedenborgian Studies, we explore how Genesis and other sacred creation stories can inform contemporary environmental ethics. The Swedenborgian tradition has often singularly interpreted Genesis as an elaborate allegory for our own spiritual development, or regeneration. Yet, how might Genesis also contain profound wisdom for guiding our broader relationship with the planet, and with other species? Swedenborgian concepts will be situated into dialogue with recent work from different eco-theologians (such as Sallie McFague and Catherine Keller), as well aim to explore what it means to (re)read Genesis in our own era of mass extinctions, or un-creation. * The webinar is free, but pre-registration is required; please contact the CSS assistant Paola Pruett-Vergara to reserve a place: pruett.vergara@swedenborgianstudies.org Rev. Dr. Devin Zuber teaches at the Center for Swedenborgian Studies in Berkley, California, where he holds the George F. Dole Professorship in Swedenborgian Studies. He has lectured and published widely on how Swedenborg influenced the history of American environmental thought. An ordained minister in the Swedenborgian Church of North America, when he's not reading or gardening, Rev. Zuber enjoys spending time on the California coast with his family (partner Suzanne, their two girls, and a floofy Goldendoodle named Louie)

* VETERAN'S GRAVES CLEAN-UP: VOLUNTEERS are needed to help clean our veteran's graves at Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak on the 1st and 2nd Saturdays in May: Join us on May 4th 10am-12pm and/or May 11th 12pm-2pm and also May 25th 10am-12pm. WHAT TO BRING:  Gloves, leaf bags, electric trimmers, shovel spades or trimming, broom, water for yourself

* PENTECOST WORSHIP & MUSIC CELEBRATION "SPIRIT OF FAMILY" NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 19TH CHURCH FUNDRAISER FEATURING JOEL PALMER & LEE ANN WHITMAN! Suggested Donation: $10 We invite you and your family for a day of JOY at the Royal Oak Women's Club! Join us for 11am Worship, Potluck and then Music Concert from 1:00-2:30pm

* FLOWERFEST 2024 AT ALMONT RETREAT CENTER: JUNE 7th-8th Come Make Camp Beautiful! Come for a day or the weekend. Lunch on Saturday will be provided. If people are still around for dinner, pizza can be ordered or the group can go out. Tools provided, but feel free to bring your own. Join us as we plant flowers, spruce up the waterfront and other small projects. RSVP to lorip.almontretreatcenter@gmail.com if you plan on attending or reply on the Facebook post. People can stay overnight if desired but please make those arrangements directly with Lori.

* FUN FAITH ACRONYMS STUDY Created by Member Sue Fabian: Join our exercise! There are 7 faith-related words given below. Your exercise, if you choose participate, is to make an acronym out of each. For instance, FAITH can stand for Fostering Acquiescence In The Highest. While you might wish to read the article on this exercise in the most recently published Messenger (go to our denomination's website: www.Swedenborg.org), the gist of this is to help you generate tools to get through your moments of trial. Acronyms, for instance, are widely used in 12-step programs because of their power to help people in difficult moments, sometimes lasting days and weeks and months as they change their behavior, actions, reactions, thoughts and emotions to evolve beyond the difficulty. This is hard work! Acronyms also helped Sue survive the legal world's bar exam. Try remembering 24 areas of law. So, take each of the words below and create an expression that you find meaningful. We will all have an opportunity to share our creations at a pot-luck meal at Rev. Renee & Joe's home - NOTE: We are changing the date to Sunday, June 9th (not June 2nd as Joe will be out of town) on the second Sunday of June after the outdoor worship service. The Seven Words:

1) HOPE

2) SERVICE

3) PRAY

4) TRUST

5) LOVE

6) GOD

7) CARE

* RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS WEEK #19: WRITE A STORY ABOUT YOUR MOM, GRANDMOTHER OR A MOTHER FIGURE & READ IT TO HER (or share in spirit)

* ANNUAL CONVENTION JUNE 28-JULY 2, 2024, IN E. LANSING @ KELLOGG HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTER! Registration is open through May 15th! Go to www.Swedenborg.org for Convention news & registration under "Events & Activities" 

* Convention Babysitters needed! Michigan Association is looking for two babysitters paid at market rate, hopefully local in the E. Lansing area but also welcome from another region. Babysitters will have to pass a background check and take online abuse report training that would be provided. The babysitters would not be able to attend regular Convention sessions, except in the evening. If it is not possible to find local help, room and board would be compensated, along with meals regardless. Babysitting help is needed for Council of Ministers' meetings on Friday, June 28 from 8:30am-12pm, 1-5pm. So far, this would be for Kevin Baxter's sons, a four-year old and a teenager with special needs. Additional babysitting is needed following COM meetings. For more detailed information, contact Brittany Price, Operations Manager of the denomination 617-969-4240 or email: manager@swedenborg.org org

* VOLUNTEERS ARE ALL SET FOR 2024 CONVENTION SESSION: Our national church Convention will be held right here in Michigan this summer and Michigan Association voted to financially support members to attend our annual Convention @ The Kellog Center in E. Lansing! Michigan Association will cover the cost of the registration fee for volunteers! Also, we are working on Welcome Bags: Needed - any goodies made in Michigan. Please email BJ Neuenfeldt or Marjie Leas if you would like to contribute goodies for Welcome Bags:

Email BJ: neuenfeldt@chartermi.net

Email Marjie: mggleas@gmail.com

* LOOKING AHEAD ~ MAY 2024 SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE SCHEDULE - All Services are Online Zoom; OUTDOOR SERVICES @ REV. RENEE'S & JOE'S HOME BEGIN IN JUNE!

~ Sunday, May 12th: 11am Mother's Day Worship Service In-Person & Zoom

~ Sunday, May 19th: 11am Pentecost Worship Service & Music Fundraiser

~ Sunday, May 26th: NO ROYAL OAK WORSHIP SERVICE Rev. Renee away at Youth League Retreat

* 2024 SCYL MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND RETREAT FRIDAY 7pm, MAY 24 - MONDAY 10am MAY 27TH: The retreat is open to teens, as always, and we are also inviting young adults to join us as a separate but shared retreat. We will work together on opening the camp and doing projects. Tammara Mounce will be leading that program. This year's theme for the teens: "The Universal Human": Topics include: The Heavenly Body, Where Are You in the Amazing Heavenly Human?, The Five Senses, Stomaching Heaven and A Healthy Mind, Body and Spirit. COST: $75/ per teen (13-18), $50 per young adult (19-30) with a household maximum of $150.00. Payment can be made using cash, check or online (Zelle or PayPal). Payment is collected at the end of the registration form. Assistance is available with the cost. EMAIL YOUTH DIRECTOR KURT FEKETE: kfekete@hotmail.com

Bring a sleeping bag (if you are not flying), PJ's, towel, personal items, musical instruments and a friend!

*ALMONT SUMMER SCHOOL 2024 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! We have a new website! Register online by tapping the link below to get to the registration form. You may also download the bulletin. Please note the registration and payment deadline is JULY 6TH. Any payments received after July 6th will be assessed a $25 late fee. Also, we will not be able to accept any registrations after July 13th. Register and pay early to help with planning. This year is the 125th Anniversary of Almont, so come help us celebrate!

https://almontnewchurchassembly.org/.summer-school/#register

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE IN JULY!

*THE CHURCH'S DOMAIN NAME:: churchhc.org

Please continue to google our website and give us a review. This helps our standing improve and makes it easier for searchers to find us!

Rev. Renee's Gmail address: Revrenee@churchhc.org

Revrenee@aol.com is still up and operating as well.

* OFFERING/TITHES: If you would like to make a donation to the Church of the Holy City, please send by post to P.O. Box 1415, Royal Oak, MI 48067 - or - see PayPal option on our website: www.Churchhc.org

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~ Matthew 6:21

God Bless You, Rev. Renee