GENEVA NEWS

Spring Concert

Sunday, June 4, 10:30am

Geneva's Chancel Choir will present Come Away to the Skies: a High, Lonesome Mass, a work that features the traditional movements of the Mass accompanied by a bluegrass band

Food Drive a TON of Success!

Genevans, together with our community, collected over a ton (that’s over 2,000 pounds!) of non-perishable food items for the South County Outreach

Food Pantry in our week-long food drive last month. Thank you to all who stood outside Stater Bros. Market asking for donations and to those who contributed food items for our neighbors facing food insecurity. A shout out also goes to the Missional Life Ministry Team for organizing the event.

Unlock the Holy Spirit Within You A message fom the Rev. Dr.

Steven M. Marsh

The Holy Spirit appeared that first Pentecost. The disciples were all together in one place. As the sound of a rushing wind filled the room, they all began to speak in tongues. Each was filled with the Holy Spirit. They could hear one another speak in their own native language. When a person from another language group spoke, the hearer could understand. They were given spiritual gifts by the Spirit. The disciples that day experienced God. And all disciples to come have that same opportunity...to receive spiritual gifts and to experience God.

Early in May, I was having a session with my therapist. We were talking about aspects of my work as a pastor. Music came up. And then my therapist said, “Did you know that music is the medium by which the feelings portion of the brain is accessed which enables us to feel “experience?” When one experiences God’s presence in a

New Sermon Series

June 4 - August 27

Pastor Steve begins the sermon series Words & Deeds Part I: “They Matter”. Join us for worship at 10:30am in the Sanctuary or view the live stream at genevapres.org. Referenced scriptures for each sermon in the series may be found at genevapres.org/ currentsermonseries.

Thanks, Tech Team!

The live stream of our 10:30am service enables people worshipping online to enjoy the same experience as those worshipping in person. It takes additional human resources to make this happen. Thank you to Geneva youth volunteers Ethan Morehouse and Liz Njoroge for stepping up in May to assist in the process. Anyone can be trained to volunteer for this ministry. Contact Worship Celebration elder Kwangho Seo at kseo1948@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming a part of the team.

genevapres.org worship service, the rational components are received experientially. That, my friends, is what happened at Pentecost. And experiencing God through the presence of the Holy Spirit is a gift God has given for you, me, and any person who is in Christ to experience living Christianly on a daily basis.

In this Season of Pentecost, now through November 19th, Geneva is offering many opportunities for us to experience the Holy Spirit through music. Our Sunday worship service, the Chancel Choir’s June 4th Concert, two organ recitals, and an Organ Concert with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Chorale – all can help us access the Holy Spirit within us.

The official beginning of the Church, as we know it, happened at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all humanity. Acts 2 tells that story. The Church then, and continues now, to afford the opportunity for individuals and a particular community of faith to experience God’s presence and live as a follower and followers of Jesus experientially.

The Church through its worship, service, and giving is to be a place that equips, empowers, nurtures and encourages. The church makes disciples of women, men, girls, boys, and all gender identities through the teaching and preaching of the Gospel to be God’s loving witnesses, through word and deed, in the world.

Remember, allow music to unlock the feelings portion of your brain. You’ll begin to experience the presence of God and other experiences that feelings can unleash. The Holy Spirit is God living with us. Pentecost brings the power and love of God to us in the Spirit. The Spirit of truth guides each generation to uncover grace and beauty in life; leads us to find God in the everydayness of life; teaches us to see life the way Jesus taught us to see; and breathes into our beings the very presence of Jesus. We can experience God. Death lost. Love won.

On the journey with you, I remain faithfully yours,

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh, D.Min. Pastor/Head of Staff