MISSIONARY INDEPENDENT SPIRITUAL CHURCH
Newsletter Vol. 3 No. 1
06-06-08
UPPER ALTARS AT MISSIONARY INDEPENDENT SPIRITUAL CHURCH
FOUNDER'S DAY -- A MESSAGE FROM SISTER CAT
Today, June 6th, 2008, marks the 2nd Anniversary of the founding of Missionary Independent Spiritual Church. During this short time, we have grown from a tiny group of congregants to a 200-member-strong internet interfaith organization, holding daily services for the help of hundreds of people through our candle ministry, spiritual readings, and personal counselling services.
As your Minister, and a member of the Board of Bishops of the church, i want to extend my deepest thanks to all of those who have joined us via the internet, come by to visit the "World's Smallest Church," donated to our Building Fund, communicated with us through our Yahoo group, and availed yourselves of our candle light services dueing the past two years.
At this time, i wish to apologize for the long time-span between newsletters. My only excuse is that i have been seriously overworked and in need of assistance. The good news is that help has come.
So, without further ado, i am going to announce some exciting developments here at Missionary Independent.
BAPTISMS
On June 6, 2008, the Church held a ceremony of Baptism in the Russian River, near Forestville, California. Those baptized upon the confession of their faith were
Sienna Baratti
Robin Petersen
Mary Ann Powell
Catherine Yronwode
Nagasiva Yronwode
In keeping with our church's unusually all-inclusive approach to religious rules, it is worth noting that at least two of these baptisms were re-resurrections in water, and we enjoyed ourselves so much that we have decided to allow people to be baptized as often as they want.
Why do we allow re-baptisms?
Well, first, because since good food, a good movie, a good song, or a good you-know-what are, hopefully, repeatable ad libitum, i cannot come up with any reason on Earth to limit the experience of baptism to a one-time-per-lifetime event.
Second, the baptism of Christianity is an adaptation of the mikva of Judaism, and the latter is certainly repeatable. Allowing for re-resurrections in water may show a little of our Jewish side, as some have noted, but that is all to the good, for, being truly an interfaith ministry, we accept the blessed traditions of many religions and perform them in our own church as we are Spirit-led.
ORDINATIONS
I am happy to announce that the ministry of our church has been greatly increased and strengthened by the addition of two new candle servers in the persons of Sienna Baratti and Robin Petersen, who have taken upon themselves the daily work of setting lights and praying on behalf of our congregants.
In recognition of their faithful work and their serious commitment to the community, Sienna and Robin have been ordained and given titles that reflect the support they bring to the congregation.
Henceforward they are known as Reverend Mother Sienna Baratti and Deacon Robin Petersen.
Congratulations, Sienna and Robin, and may your work in the church bring joy, healing, and blessings to you, as well as to those whom you serve.
NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER - NEW CANDLE SERVICE SYSTEM
As those who visit us in person know, Lucky Mojo no longer offers candle services in the shop, and all of the candle altars formerly located in the shop have been physically transferred to the church.
For the near-term future, requests for candle services will be taken by Lucky Mojo staff members, as a courtesy to the church, but by the beginning of next year, all church services will be arranged through the church itself, without the assistance of Lucky Mojo.
As of Monday, when the AT&T technician will be here to install the church's new telephone, Missionary Independent Spiritual Church will be truly INDEPENDENT. In the past, those wishing to request candle services had to telephone the store next door (Lucky Mojo Curio Co.) in order to speak to a church minister or deacon.
Starting next week, the church will have its own private line. We have been told that the number is to be the magnificently symmetrical 7078877808.
AND NOW ...
Without further ado, i am turning this newsletter over to its new editor, Rev. Mother Sienna Baratti. Don't worry, i will still be contributing news and notes, as well as sermonettes on occasion, but for the foreseeable future, the newsletter is now in Rev. Mother Sienna's capable hands.
Thank you for reading this,
Sister Cat
Pastor, Missionary Independent Spiritual Church
REV. MOTHER SIENNA BARATTI'S MESSAGE TO ALL
Hello, my name is Reverend Mother Sienna Baratti. It is my deep honor and pure joy to serve Missionary Independent Spiritual Church and all of its many diverse and wonderful adherents both in my day-to-day church duties as well as here in this forum, the wonderful world of the internet where we can all be together in one place while so far from each other physically. We are truly blessed to have this tool at our fingertips.
In addition to my above-mentioned daily church duties, which include setting lights, praying for church clients, and providing counsel to those who call, I will also be taking on some new tasks. I will have the great pleasure of writing newsletter information on the web site, planning special events. and moderating the Yahoo group!
I am very excited abut this, and if anyone has any special ideas that they would like to share with me on any of these subjects (special holidays etc.), please feel free to let me know. Also, if anyone needs special prayers or positive energy sent to them, please feel free to post it on the Yahoo group so that we can all try to help. I am filled with joy and excitement that I have been called to serve the Church and all of its supporters, and if there is anything I can help you with, I will do my very best.
I want to thank everyone who has made it possible for me to be here. Of course I must first thank the Divine Spirit for leading me to this wonderful place, for guiding me on my amazing journeys in this life, for so profoundly blessing my beautiful amazing family and for guiding me here to Missionary Independent Spiritual Church, which is just exactly where I need to be.
I would also like to thank our hugely generous and giving mentor, teacher, and spiritual leader cat, and her loving devoted husband siva for all that they have taught me and given to me. Thank you for this awesome opportunity to serve in such a way.
To everyone -- Vida, Loben, Robin, Susie, Eileen, Heidi, Reggie, Ernie, Celeste, Clarissa, Copper, and Sophie -- of the Lucky Mojo, for all of their hard work, dedication and patience in Church matters: thank you; you are all so special, talented, and gifted in so many innumerable ways.
Finally, thank you to all of the church associates, to all of you who have lights set and who call upon the Church for service (and there are many, for our altars are full almost all of the time!), and those who are so lovingly devoted to the web site.
Thank you so much for your time and commitment to Missionary Independent Spiritual Church. I look forward to working with and meeting you all.
Reverend Mother Sienna Baratti
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