Columbia Union College Class of 2008 held their Baccalaureate Service in the Sligo Church sanctuary on Sabbath, May 3, 2008.

This Sabbath we honor the women who care for us, nurture us, and give us a sense of belonging. Pastor Mark Sigue’s sermon title is “Mom Said She’d Be Back” and music will be provided by a special women’s chorus.

Our Sligo children will be putting on a play called “Fat, Fat Jehosephat!” at New Community Fellowship at 6 p.m.

Pray that your pastors will come back refreshed after the Potomac Conference pastor’s meetings focusing on “Discipleship” at Camp Blue Ridge May 12 – 14.

Next Sabbath we will celebrate Sligo Adventist School’s 90th anniversary! A full day of events is planned and lunch will be provided at the school. See more details on the school’s website: http://www.sligoadventistschool.org . Elder William Loveless will preach for both morning services and Edna Mae Loveless will be the speaker at the Branson/Ortner Sabbath School class.

Sligo School teacher, Erica Aranda and her team are making exciting plans for Vacation Bible School June 22-27. The theme is: “Walking it Out With God.”

Nathan Stone, a student at Sligo School, recently wrote a free verse assignment titled “Where I Want to Be.” He describes the beauty of his favorite place and concludes:
   “I want to be in a peaceful place
   Where all those things are.
   Where I can imagine my future.
   This is where I want to be.
   This is where I belong.”

What are we doing as a church family to give those who enter our doors a sense of belonging? Last Sunday I saw a sign at a restaurant stating: “Free Crab Tomorrow!” You know that establishment is not going to lose a dime on their crab, because tomorrow is never present. Let’s use every opportunity to give our youth a sense of belonging and help them imagine their future now!

The Disability Action Team, led by Noelene Johnsson, is researching ways to make Sligo a place of belonging for everyone. They have already set up more handicap parking spaces. More hearing devices are available and more readily accessible in the atrium as well as upstairs at the soundboard. A Braille hymnal and audio Bibles were donated to us. Jennifer Tyndaal, a member of this action team who is blind, has typed phone numbers in Braille so that she can assist us in delivering reminders to those who have no access to email.

Sligo Elders are also providing a sense of belonging by making our church more user friendly. An elder might even ask you to help a visitor find what they’re looking for.

My greatest desire for Sligo is that because of your presence here, others will sense that God is in this place and say, “This is where I want to be. This is where I belong!”

Pastor Debbie