Folks,
There are quite a few optional lessons for this Sunday, especially since many parishes will have a "Liturgy of the Palms" as they process into church, along with the full Sunday worship. I encourage all to read and savour the drama of the Passion. But for today it is the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah that really catches my attention. In this lesson the writer says God has given him "the tongue of a teacher that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word." Wow - can a word actually sustain the weary? The writer also notes that his own listening was a part of how he came by this ability, for "God has opened my ear that I was not rebellious" and didn't turn back. He goes on to say he allows himself to be insulted and spat upon, and generally mistreated, but immediately adds that God helps him and he is not disgraced, will not be put to shame. He bids his critics stand with him together and his adversaries to confront him, for it is the Lord who helps him and none can declare him guilty. While this prophet can be taken as prefiguring Jesus, the message that I got was that this prophet was feeling "righteous" - you know, with that feeling that you know what you're talking about. Yet his includes verses that remind him where how the gift of the right words came, as well as a reminder to us to listen to "those who are taught". My sense is that we might do well to follow in his teaching by also listening, especially when we get that righteous feeling. Our love to all this Passionate Sunday, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events St Matthews Church in San Ardo will have morning worship at 9:30am this Sunday - bring your masks - and your passion! We are delighted to hear of more joint efforts between parishes including the news from Epiphany Church (Episcopal / Lutheran) in Marina of a shared Holy Week including St. Timothy’s Lutheran Monterey, St. James Episcopal, Monterey, and St. Phillips Lutheran, Carmel Valley including Maundy Thursday (online) Good Friday noon service beginning with the dedication of an outdoor set of the Stations of the Cross, online Holy Saturday service and informal outdoor vigil at St Timothys, and Easter is the beginning of indoor events (limited seating, distancing, masks, no singing and communion of bread only. For full details go to www.epiphanymarina.org - a member of the Monterey Deanery. For events in the San Luis Obispo Deanery, we encourage all to visit the Deanery Calendar and parish homepages at www.slowepiscopalians.org St James Church in Paso Robles tells us their Holy Week includes x. Then Station of the Cross on Tues Mar 30 online, Wed Mar 29 Evening Prayer at 7pm, Maundy THurs online at 7pm followed by a Watch night Vigil at home or in church, Good Friday Deanery Service at 7pm online, Great Vigil of Easter with the Diocese at 6pm (see below), Easter Dunday 9am online and 10:30 Outdoor Worship. The parish is also working with Atascadero Bible Church on a special Drive Thru Lunch (11:30am-2pm on April 29 with an empty bowl to keep as reminder of those who bowls are in fact empty. For details on the above, go to www.stjamespasorobles.org. St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande tells s all their Holy Week and Easter events will be live-stream at www.facebook.com/StBarnabasAG/ and members are signing up for time-slots for their Maundy Thursday All-Night Vigil. St Barnabas is also joining with St Patricks Roman Catholic Church and others for a Good Friday service but reservations are required. See the parish website via the Deanery websites for full details of their events. St Benedicts Church in Los Osos tells us of the following regular events: EARTHCARE – ZOOM – 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 3m. Discussion/action group seeking local solutions to environmental concerns. HEALING SERVICE – FACEBOOK - A time for prayers for healing at the 10:30 service on 5th Sundays. HOLLISTER INSTITUTE – ZOOM – Opportunities for stimulating discussion and thoughtful exploration. Currently: "The Nonviolent Life" book discussion Tuesdays at 10:15. LAUNDRY LOVE - Helping low-income families with funds, soap, and friendly assistance at Osos Clean Laundry. 4-6pm on last Wednesdays PEOPLE’S KITCHEN – Providing and serving lunch at 40 Prado, 1st Saturday of even- numbered months SATURDAY EUCHARIST – Facebook – Evening Eucharist on 2nd Saturdays at 5:30pm For full details for the above please go to St Ben's websites at https://www.stbenslososos.org/ St Ben's Holy Week events also detailed at the above website were beautifully described in their newsletter as follows: Palm Sunday , March 28- Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday when we remember Jesus’ triumphant ride into Jerusalem, incongruously on a donkey. Our 8:00 Contemplative service will be on Zoom as usual. At the 9:30 outdoor service we will process with palms and then go suddenly into the Passion Gospel, relating Jesus’ betrayal, trial and death: it’s a sudden change which brings us up short and connects us to the pathos of human love and human loss. Sunday March 28, services at 8 (Zoom) 9:30 in-person and 10:30 on Facebook will all reflect this joy and grief. Stations of the Cross: walk the Via Dolorosa – the way of tears - which is also the Way of Peace and of Hope as we follow the story of Jesus’ journey to the cross and beyond. This year we will not be displaying the wonderful Stations gifted by the Hirahara family, and made for us by Chloe White. However you can make a private pilgrimage with them at any time by participating in the service on our website: https://www.stbenslososos.org/stations-of-the-cross/ We w ill also walk the stations together during Holy Week on Wednesday March 31 at 5pm (Zoom) Maundy Thursday April 1, 6:30pm On Maundy Thursday we remember Jesus’ last supper with his friends and the subsequent betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane. This year we will enjoy an agape meal together on-line. An agape meal is literally a love-feast, a communal meal shared among Christians with love. You are invited to prepare a simple meal in your home which we will bless and then enjoy eating as we remember the last supper together. Afterwards, the church is stripped of all its color and artwork, ending with the stripping of the altar, reminding us of how Jesus was stripped naked. We depart in silence, just as his disciples left him, silently melting into the night. (Zoom) Good Friday, April 2 Good Friday is the day when Jesus was crucified. The Scriptures tell us that he hung on the cross for three hours, which we remember from noon until three. Some people choose to fast until 3 pm as a way of personally connecting with Jesus’ sacrifice. We will mark the day with a traditional Good Friday liturgy at 12 noon, in-person on our Veranda. Then in the evening at there will be a simple on-line service of Tenebrae or darkness starting at 7:30. This service draws on the ancient monastic services of Matins and Lauds and includes psalms, readings from Lamentations and early church writers, The most conspicuous feature of the service is the gradual extinguishing of candles and other lights in the church until only a single candle, considered a symbol of our Lord, remains. Toward the end of the service this candle is hidden, typifying the apparent victory of the forces of evil. At the very end, a loud noise is made, symbolizing the earthquake at the time of the resurrection (Matthew 28:2), the hidden candle is restored to its place, and by its light all depart in silence. Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil April 3, 7:30 pm Holy Saturday – the time when Jesus was in the tomb. Then… finally we get to Easter, but we can’t quite wait until Easter morning, so we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection starting on Saturday night with the Great Vigil of Easter. During this ancient service we light the new fire and recount our salvation history. Then, after we have renewed our Baptismal Vows, we celebrate the resurrection in a joyful singing of the Gloria before celebrating the first Eucharist of Easter. There will be two possibilities this year – the Diocese is preparing a joyful celebration of Easter at a 6:00pm: Great Vigil evening service of fire and light, story and music, remembrance and hope. Bishop Lucinda will preach and we will renew our baptismal coven ant. (Pre-recorded service available at the diocesan YouTube page: Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real) Then starting at 7:30pm, St. Ben’s will hold a simple Vigil for a Pilgrim People service in the parking lot around the fire pit. This will be shorter and simpler than the average vigil service yet will include Eucharist. Easter Day - Sunday, April 4: 8 am and 10:30 am Our celebration continues on Easter Morning, with a contemplative communion service at 8am (Zoom) and an in-person Eucharist at 10:30am (parking lot). If we are not able to share the 10:30 Eucharist on Facebook there will be an additional Facebook only service at 12noon. After Holy Week, St Ben's will have THE RULE OF ST BENEDICT - Starting after Easter, Lorienne Schwenk will be leading a seven week reflection on the Rule of St. Benedict. We will be using Joan Chittister's book, “The Rule of Benedict”, which contains the rule and her reflections. Please contact Lorienne if you are interested so we can determine the best time and date for this class. 805.200.7908; purrsbythesea@gmail.com. And St Bens will have a new Hollister Institute beginning Tues Apr 13 at 10:15am, reading and discussing NEW HOLLISTER INSTITUTE DISCUSSION Beginning Tuesday, April 13 we will be reading and reflecting on John O’Donohue’s book, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace rediscovering the true source of compassion, serenity and hope. Led by the Rev. Caro Hall. In addition to all the above events at St Bens, their EarthCare group tells us of the follow upcoming Earth Day event: "Sacred Ground -- what we can do for healthy soils and a healthy planet" 7-8:30 p.m. PDT, Thursday, April 22 Open to all.Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcud-urrT8qGtxasQ4JCR1yTPP9HpJ 11Thg St Lukes Church in Atascadero tells us that they will have in person Palm Sunday worship at 9am. For details on this and their other Holy Week events go to https://www.stlukesatascadero.com/ and don't forget Taize on Sunday evenings at St Lukes. St Peters Church in Morro Bay will come have Outdoor Worship at 10am Palm Sunday - see their website at the Deanery pages for details. St Marks Church, King City, together with St Lukes Church, Jolon, will be gathering on Palm Sunday in St Marks garden for Outdoor Worship at 10am. Good Shepherd Church in Salinas is also having a "crowded schedule" of events - for the details for this lively parish please go to www.goodshepherdcorral.org and note that they like St Lukes Church in Atascadero are having a singing Taize: a Good Friday Taize service Apr 2 at 6pm in person outdoors, as well as Easter Sunrise Service (6:30am) at outdoors at Eves Peak For events at St Pauls Cathedral San Diego too numerous to mention go to www.StPaulCathedral.org and note that the same applies to Grace Cathedral, SF at www.gracecathedral.org From the Diocese The Diocese will have Lenten Noonday Prayers led by Bp Lucinda next Tues, the final Tuesday in Lent (Mar 30) including a reflection by the Bishop. The Diocese will be offering a joint Great Vigil of Easter service online: Diocesan Great Vigil of Easter – Join with others throughout the Diocese of El Camino Real in a joyful celebration of Easter! An online Easter Vigil will be presented the evening of April 3 – a multi-lingual service of fire and light, story and music, remembrance and hope. Bishop Lucinda will preach, and we will renew our baptismal covenant in community. Note that St. Barnabas Choral Scholars are featured three times, and they recorded one of the Vigil stories in our St. Barnabas Courtyard. The service will be available beginning at 6 pm on Saturday, April 3, at the diocesan YouTube page - (as suggested by St Barnabas Church, go to https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=e0c4c94077&e=acee3ced34 and for full info go to www.realepiscopal.org
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Folks, This Sunday's lessons seem focused in part on sin, with Jeremiah telling the story of God's "new covenant", and Psalm 51 with these verses: 10 Hide your face from my sins * and blot out all my iniquities. 11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me. 12 Cast me not away from your presence * and take not your holy Spirit from me. 13 Give me the joy of your saving help again * and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit. while the alternative Psalm 119 includes these: 15 I will meditate on your commandments * and give attention to your ways. 16 My delight is in your statutes; * I will not forget your word. The gospel lesson from John 12 on the other hand has a suggestion of the need for evangelism in the parable of the grain of wheat which needs to "die" in order to engender a great deal of life, and again refers to the death he knows he will need to go through to save many to eternal life, which Paul in a letter to the Hebrew church reiterates, with a curious reference to "the order of Melchizedek" (see below). I like the fact that in his "Missive" for tomorrow's service at St Peters Church in Morro Bay "Padre Sid" suggests it is more important to know what you would live for rather than what you would die for. (As far as I can tell, this "order", a reference the Hebrew Christians would understand more rapidly than the gentile churches, is meant to make clear that Jesus was indeed to be viewed as THE "high priest", regardless of his lineage, since the name Melchizedek appears in the lineage of Abraham thru Levi -the Levites being the priestly tribe of Israel - while others say the name Melchizedek simply was an agglutination of words meaning "rightful king", despite not being of Aaronic dsecent, to which in his letter Paul also makes reference: "And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.") Putting them all together these lessons suggest to me that if we meditate on God's commandments and give attention to His ways, especially as depicted in the stories of the life of the person Jesus, in preaching salvation by doing the good works the Law demands, that salvation will be ours - and for many who hear and especially see us doing so. May we then be that grain of wheat that lands on fertile soil, engendering life all around us even as we take this quiet Sunday in Lent to meditate! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events In the run-up to Easter, as well as the beginnings of our society "opening up" from some of the Covid restrictions (though caution is still urged) we are seeing greater numbers of events. The good news is that even if, as at several parishes we have mentioned, in person events are being scheduled, we are not losing our online capabilities, but rather using them as ways adjunct to those events, reaching more people. As an example, we'd point to the SLO Deanery's Conjoint service of Remembrance this past week. It's a real joy to see the several parishes of the Deanery joining together! It is in this spirit of intra-deanery cooperation that we regularly commend the calendar at the Deanery website, www.sloepiscopalians.0rg! TOMOROW St Matthews Church in San Ardo will meet at the chapel in San Ardo (corner of Railroad St & Jolon Rd) for Morning Prayer - bring your masks! St Lukes Church, along with their full schedule of services (see their calendar via the Our Churches tab at the deanery calendar) and includes the wonderful music of Taize sung by all along with quiet meditation - for a Zoom invitation to this event please email <castlewood16@gmail.com> and also note that their Thurs Lenten Soup Suppers series continues at 5pm - Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85795900630 [www.google.com] Meeting ID: 857 9590 0630 One tap mobile +16699006833,,85795900630# US (San Jose) +12532158782,,85795900630# US (Tacoma) Fr Ian of St Stephens Church in San Luis Obispo tells us that he will lead a service of the Stations of the Cross on Fri Apr 2 at noon - to to http://www.facebook.com/StStephensSLO/live and can be viewed later at http://www.facebook.com/StStephensSLO/videos See St Stephens full schedule at their webpages via the Deanery website. Rev Caro Hall tells us that St Benedicts Church in Los Osos will have an 8am service on Zoom tomorrow along with a 9:30am outdoor in person service and 10:30 service via Facebook - see their websites for full details and note note that after all those services they will have a Zoom coffee hour at 11:30am and a 12:30 Parish Council meeting, also on Zoom. See more of their events at the Deanery website and at the parish's own websites. Also, from the Earthcare group at St Bens we are told of the following: "Sacred Ground -- what we can do for healthy soils and a healthy planet" 7-8:30 p.m. PDT, Thurs., April 22 How we tend our gardens and grow our crops can make a huge difference not only in the quality of the food we eat but also in the ability of our soils to sequester carbon. Join us to learn what you can do to help heal the planet from the ground up. Open to all. Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcud-urrT8qGtxasQ4JCR1yTPP9HpJ11Thg Topics and presenters: 1. How we manage our lands and grow our foods can heal the planet. Role of regenerative agriculture, Tim LaSalle, co-founder, Center for Regenerative Agriculture & Resilient Systems, Adjunct Professor of Agriculture, CSU Chico 2. What we can do in our own backyards. Examples from local growers: Teresa Tree Lees, local gardener and educator 3. What we can do to expand healthy soils for carbon sequestration to heal the planet. Legislative advocacy, Greg Haas, District Representative, Congressman Salud Carbajal Your questions and answers. This graceshop (called that because climate solutions from healthy soils come via the grace of creation) is offered by the volunteers on the Earthcare team at St. Benedict's Episcopal Church and open to the whole community, near and far. The sacred ground theme comes from Interfaith Power and Light, which includes all major religions (www.interfaithpowerandlight.com ), for Faith Climate Action Week, April 16-25. Note that the Earthcare Group has regular meetings on first and third Wed at 3pm using St Bens Zoom service and the Hollister Institute continues studying the book "The Nonviolent Life" Tues, 10:15am. also via Zoom. Besides their online service tomorrow at 11am, Padre Sid of St Peters Church in Morro Bay tells us that the following Sunday (Palm Sunday) they will resume having in person services at noon, weather permitting. Also from St Peters we hear that tomorrow afternoon at 3pm there will be a lecture by Anna Deavere Smith exploring the issues of community, character and diversity in the US - please go to St Peters websites for more info. St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande is again having in person outdoor services this Sunday at 9am in their courtyard - bring your masks. At 10:30 they will have their live online eucharist service - go to https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=81d525f62c&e=acee3ced34 A recording of it will be posted on the St. Barnabas YouTube Channel https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=ba67aa588a&e=acee3ced34 following the service. They also tell us of the following events: Tuesday Morning Prayer at 9:30 am and Biblical Roundtable at 10:00 am – If you have a Book of Common Prayer at home that will be useful to have on hand. We will use the Zoom video conferencing service for this gathering. Click this link to attend via your computer or device: https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=16fe606d8a&e=acee3ced34 To dial in call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting id of 878 6513 4138# and when prompted for a password put in 365072#, and then hit # a second time. Wednesday Evening Prayer with St. James at 6:00 pm – If you have a Book of Common Prayer at home that will be useful to have on hand. We will use the Zoom video conferencing service for this gathering. Click this link to attend via your computer or device: https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=1c16ccd402&e=acee3ced34 To dial in call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting id of 976 1898 6631# and when prompted for a password put in 820301#, and then hit # a second time. Friday afternoon Centering Prayer at 4pm – Each Friday afternoon at 4pm we will hold a Centering Prayer Service. After first gathering for a few minutes we practice our 20 minutes of silent Centering Prayer. Following the practice we will be reading and discussing a passage from Henri Nouwen, a modern spiritual writer. We’ll be using Draw Ever Closer, an edited collection of his prayers and reflections. We will use the Zoom video conferencing service for this gathering. Click this link to attend via your computer or device https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=32787bda0f&e=acee3ced34 To dial in call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting id of 867 7756 1670# and when prompted for a password put in 034979#, and then hit # a second time. For events at St Pauls Church in Cambria, including 10am Morning Prayer with Coffee Hour with Breakout Rooms via Zoom, and Monday Morning Coffee Time at 11am see Deanery calendar and St Pauls websites at Deanery pages where you will see that St Pauls also has Tues Bppl C;ib at 10:15am, as well as another Coffee Time Wed but note that it is at 10am. As we have been mentioning, Good Shepherd Church in Salinas is also having their first outdoor in person service on Palm Sunday, Mar 28 and also on Easter Sunday, Apr 4, a Sunrise Service at Eves Peak. Register for these services at https://goodshepherdcorral.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7cbc9cee2ea785c71ef0cbb3c&id=6d56a27d44&e=cc1155f723 and note that other Lenten in person events include the Hikes - see https://goodshepherdcorral.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7cbc9cee2ea785c71ef0cbb3c&id=e219a78236&e=cc1155f723 For all their events, go to www.goodshepherdcorral.org St Marks Church in King City will have services via Zoom at 10am at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4777200535 and for San Marco's Spanish service at noon go to https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013342339203 The Episcopal Bishops Ranch in Sonoma County near Healdsburg invites you to have an individual retreat during their spring season - see detials at https://www.bishopsranch.org/individual-and-household-retreats/ For events at St Pauls Cathedral in San Diego (too numerous to mention here) please go to https://stpaulcathedral.org/ and in the same vein for events at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco to to https://gracecathedral.org/ From the Diocese "Lenten Noonday Prayers - Join Bishop Lucinda and the diocesan staff for a weekly series of brief noonday prayers for Lent every Tuesday. Each prayer, which will include a reflection from Bishop Lucinda and staff members, will be streamed live at the diocesan YouTube page at 12 noon. Click here https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=2d5f13cd58&e=acee3ced34 or https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=ceffdf5ad9&e=f136cc0442 to join and note that our friend Elrond Lawrence, the diocesan webmaster and communications chief, will offer the reflection. Also looking ahead to Easter: Join with others throughout the Diocese of El Camino Real in a joyful celebration of Easter! An online Easter Vigil will be presented the evening of April 3 – a multi-lingual service of fire and light, story and music, remembrance and hope. Bishop Lucinda will preach and we will renew our baptismal covenant in community. The service will be available beginning at 6 pm on Saturday, April 3, at the diocesan YouTube page https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=4710d3ea39&e=f136cc0442 Subscribe to the page to get an alert when it is posted. Folks,
The lessons this Sunday include two of the most gracious in all the Bible along with a very curious Old Testament lesson from Numbers wherein the Israelites are led on a path thru poisonous snake country where several are bitten and die. The lesson includes complaints by the people about the lack of food and yet its taste: "we detest this miserable food" (this is echoed in today's Psalm 107. Then God tells Moses to make a bronze serpent and et it on a pole and if people are bitten and gaze at the figure on the pole they will live. (There is a curious coda to this story in 2 Kings, wherein Hezekiah the prophet cuts down the pole and breaks the bronze serpent into pieces in order to prevent idolatry.) Note that it does not say God sent the snakes as punishment but God does offer the way of healing. This could be interpreted as pre-figuring the healing (again from the sin God did not cause) to be had by looking upon Christ on the cross. If so, the destruction of the bronze piece could also be a warning, that it is not Christ on the cross that we need but the living God in our hearts, and this is how I see it. The gospel lesson from John 3:14=21 further suggests this pre-figuring: Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. and goes on to add some of the most gracious words of the scriptures: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Thus the bronze serpent reiterates that God did not seek to condemn the world, by serpents or sin, but rather to save it (us) from them. Paul in this Sunday's lesson from Ephesians 2 then offers a brief recount of those sins quickly followed by what I see as the most gracious words of all scripture and his central message that we are saved by God's grace, the gift of faith. May we all embrace the gift of faith so freely given! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events St Matts Church in San Ardo will be meeting for Morning Prayer at our customary 9:30am - don't forget to bring your masks and to reset your clocks TONIGHT - Daylight Savings Time Begins near midnight tonight! Our friend Cindy Castle reminds us that St Lukes Church Atascadero, along with their other many services, will be meeting tomorrow night at 7 pm via Zoom for hauntingly beautiful Taize signing, to be sung by all. Contact Cindy at <castlewood16@gmail.com> and she will send you an invitation. St James Church in Paso Robles tells us they are resuming their in person worship service TOMORROW at 10:30am in their courtyard. This will move the online service up to 9am on their Facebook page, followed by the Zoom Coffee Hour at 10am. St James also feeds the hungry (mostly homeless) monthly on third Thursdays including the 18th (this week). Contact the church if you can help. St James joint Evening Prayer event with St Barnabas Church (see below) will be this Wed at 7pm and homilist will be our good friend Tricia Ottesen of St Barnabas Church. St Lukes Church in Atascadero, in addition to the Taize event mentioned above will have Morning Prayer tomorrow at 9am, and Evening Prayer Tues at 5pm, along with Bible Study Wed at 10am and Evening Prayer Thurs at 5pm. See their website for full details for these Zoom events but contact Fr Merritt at merrittgreenwood@gmail.com for the Zoom invitation. St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande will be having the next in their Lenten Adult Ed Series this coming Thurs, Mar 18, at 7pm via Zoom - Click this link to attend via your computer or device: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89277557301?pwd=MGExNHZSNUtrNTJ4R045U2VvOVJIdz09 [saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com] To dial in call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting id of 892 7755 7301# and when prompted for a password put in 132381#, and then hit # a second time. St Barnabas also reminds us of Bishop Lucinda's noonday prayers every Tuesday in Lent (see the diocesan websites at www.realepiscopal.org And they will have a Memorial Service – March 19th at 5 pm will be one year to the hour when we began our shelter at home emergency order in SLO County. The eight Episcopal congregations of the County are joining together to remember and memorialize the occasion. This will be a service to grieve, to remember, to weep, to give thanks, to seek solace and to look to the future Christ calls us to. Click this link to attend via your computer or device https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81292759479 [saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com] To dial in call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting id of 812 9275 9479#, and then hit # a second time. See St Barnabas' websites for their many other weekly events, including this Sun in person worship at 9am in their courtyard. St Benedicts Church in Los Osos tells us of their upcoming schedule: EARTHCARE – ZOOM – 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 3m. Discussion/action group seeking local solutions to environmental concerns. HEALING SERVICE – FACEBOOK - A time for prayers for healing at the 10:30 service on 5th Sundays. HOLLISTER INSTITUTE – ZOOM – Opportunities for stimulating discussion and thoughtful exploration. Currently: "The Nonviolent Life" book discussion Tuesdays at 10:15. LAUNDRY LOVE - Helping low-income families with funds, soap, and friendly assistance at Osos Clean Laundry. 4-6pm on last Wednesdasys PEOPLE’S KITCHEN – Providing and serving lunch at 40 Prado, 1st Saturday of even- numbered months SATURDAY EUCHARIST – Facebook – Evening Eucharist on 2nd Saturdays at 5:30pm VESPERS AND CONVERSATION – ZOOM – 5:30 pm Tuesdays And tomorrow (Sun Mar 14) they will have 8:00 am – Worship service (Zoom) 9:30 am – Outdoor Service in church parking lot – weather permitting 10:30 am – Live-streamed worship service (FaceBook) 11:30 am – Virtual Coffee Hour (Zoom) along with 5:30pm Evening Eucharist TONIGHT and this Tues, Mar 16 9:45 am – Prayers for the Morning 10:15 am – Hollister Institute: “The Nonviolent Life” by John Dear 5:30 pm – Vespers See their websites for full details and remember that all SLO Deanery parish websites can be found at the Deanery Website, sloepiscopalians.org Note as well that they are making plans for Holy Week events, perhaps the most exciting to us being a post-Easter study of The Rule of St Benedict using the book of that title by Chittister - still in the planning stage. Fr Filemon Diaz of St Marks in King City tells us they are meeting for worship at a Virtual Service on Sunday 14 Mar 2021 at 10:00 am by Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4777200535 [us02web.zoom.us] Good Shepherd Church in Salinas will be having their first in person service on Palm Sunday Mar 28, and again at an Easter Sunrise service on Easter, Ap4 4 - see their websites at www.goodshepherdcorral.org Also note that Pastor Linda is leading a series of Lenten Hikes - again see the websites for details. From the Diocese The diocesan websites at realepiscopal.org remind us that Bp Lucinda Ashby will lead noonday prayer on Tues, Mar 16 and that our good friend Canon Brian Nordwick of the diocesan staff will deliver the meditation. Go to realespiecopal.org for details on this an other events. Folks,
The lectionary lessons for this Sunday include from Exodus one of the two tellings of the Ten Commandments (the other being in Deuteronomy), from John's gospel Jesus evicting the money changers from the temple and a beautifully poetic Psalm 19. But I'd like to focus on Paul writing to the Corinthians in Greece, where he notes that the wisdom of God may seem as foolishness to people without faith. In the lesson, Paul notes that the Jews at the time typically sought "signs" from their spiritual leaders, while the Greeks were seeking wisdom of a different sort from philosophy - a highly verbal exercise (as we know, the Greeks were accustomed to debates by their "sophists" - basically wordsmiths whom Paul had addressed in the regular forum called the Areopagus, held on a prominent rock formation northwest of the Acropolis in Athens, an amazing area with many such rock tors). The poetry of the Psalm makes clear that some "signs from heaven" come in the beauty of nature, where "the heavens declare the glory of God" with days and nights telling tales and imparting knowledge before it turns our attention to words, including the just statutes of the Lord and concluding "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." When I consider what I might be looking for in a spiritual leader, I would agree that such verbal "wisdom" would be nice, as would a clear and incontrovertible "sign from heaven" called out by the leader. But finally my sense is that my "soul" responds most to the love of one testifying to humility to faith despite the lack of such clarity, after first seeing how obvious God is in all creation. May we all seek out and find such loving faith in others - and in ourselves! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events St Matts in San Ardo will be meeting for our regular Morning Prayer service at 9:30am - please join us (and bring your masks, etc). Details for all the below events including the Deanery Calendar should be viewable at parish websites at www.sloepiscopalians.org/our-churches.html Our friends at the Earthcare group at St Benedicts Church tell us that April will have several events related to Earth Day (April 22), so watch for details as they emerge. Also at St Bens: EARTHCARE – ZOOM – 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 2:30pm. Discussion/action group seeking local solutions to environmental concerns. HEALING SERVICE – FACEBOOK - A time for prayers for healing at the 10:30 service on 5th Sundays. HOLLISTER INSTITUTE – ZOOM – Opportunities for stimulating discussion and thoughtful exploration. Currently: "The Nonviolent Life" book discussion Tuesdays at 10:15. LAUNDRY LOVE - Helping low-income families with funds, soap, and friendly assistance at Osos Clean Laundry. 4-6pm on last Wednesdays PEOPLE’S KITCHEN – Providing and serving lunch at 40 Prado, 1st Saturday of even-numbered months SATURDAY EUCHARIST – Facebook – Evening Eucharist on 2nd Saturdays at 5:30pm VESPERS AND CONVERSATION – ZOOM – 5:30 pm Tuesdays Note that unless otherwise stated, their meetings happen on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7977776046?pwd=VUFZSXY3UVpNVitJaDl2VmhPS3E2UT09 [us02web.zoom.us] Passcode is: 93402 Also note that the 10:30 am Sunday service is live-streamed on Facebook: www.facebook.com/stbenslososos/ [www.facebook.com] but you do not have to sign up for Facebook to watch it. You can also watch it on their website: http://www.stbenslososos.org/facebook-including-live-stream/ At St Lukes in Atascadero, besides their regular slate of services on Zoom (see their website for full details) they will be having Taize song events on Sunday evenings at 7pm. To attend, email castlewood16@gmail.com. Also at St Lukes there will be a series of Lenten Soup Suppers with great soup recipes included - for full details go to their website at http://stlukesatascadero.com St Barnabas Lenten Adult Ed Series continues this week on Mar 11 at 7pm discussing Joy with Love the topic for Feb 11. Click this link to attend via your computer or device https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89277557301?pwd=MGExNHZSNUtrNTJ4R045U2VvOVJIdz09 [saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com] To dial in call 1-669-900-6833. When prompted put in the meeting id of 892 7755 7301# and when prompted for a password put in 132381#, and then hit # a second time. Good Shepherd Church in Salinas will be having their first two outdoor services on Palm Sunday, March 28 at 10 AM and Easter Sunrise, April 4th, 6:30 AM. Each outdoor service can accommodate 38 attendees. Of course, masks and social distancing continue to be required. Please register here [goodshepherdcorral.us15.list-manage.com] to attend. Online Worship at 10 AM continues as well. Indeed this coming Sunday our good friend Deacon Rev Cynthia Montague will be preaching (see parish websites for details). Fr Filemon tells us that St Marks Church in King City will be meeting online via Zoom for Virtual Service on Sunday 7, Mar 2021 at 10:00 am by Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4777200535 [us02web.zoom.us] St Pauls Cathedral in San Diego will have Evensong tomorrow at 5 pm For the 3rd Sunday in Lent, the Gentlemen of the Cathedral Choirs sing Evensong in a rebroadcast from 2018. Fauxbourdons on a Gregorian Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis make up the evening canticles, with Introit by Thomas Tomkins and Preces & Responses for ATB voices by Stephen Sturk. The extended anthem is a superb performance of the First Lamentation of Jeremiah by Thomas Tallis and a preview of the Lamentations sung at Tenebrae, to be broadcast on Wed of Holy Week - see their calendar at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Gc4nlWD7KePJ4tK597GRMtAP2l43Up5_yZQ5djY8MYO4le1jjT-SJFND2YtjMqPU7IpdK4fSmOc0r24wB77dcejiz3muxXaamFsCSmEdV8lbT8Z9MEo1mU2Uim6R0JB37Ti5cbXzH9sZ82ZNJ7emlm6PaEPUYs6mcORWQutodhU=&c=E1VZSPn68f9b-fNYWrZu49GtejNTyACy-AT5_eJkh4ql2PJWHq6AYA==&ch=nRlWjYszj68ZdJkzfx-8b_pKOOT-Gb0tJapIj9UY5Bg0b1IsEo5IuQ== St Pauls Cathedral also tells us that besides their Sunday events: * 8 am - Morning Prayer * 9 am - Adult Forum: Ashes to Easter (part 3) * 10:30 am - Morning Prayer * 11:30 am - Virtual Coffee Hour * 12 pm - Kids Crew "Jesus Prayed when he needed help” * 1 pm - Liturgia de la Palabra * 5 pm - Evensong (see stpaulcathedral.org) they will have * Monday (3/7) * Showers of Blessing: Clothing Collection, 10am: appointment only Claudia * Centering Prayer, 6:30 - 7:30 pm: Email Lucinda Parsons * Tuesday (3/8) * General Meeting, 11:30 am: Join Meeting via Zoom [r20.rs6.net] * Youth Crew: Holding Lent, 6:30 pm: Email Maya * Wednesday (3/9) * What is an Episcopalian?, 7 pm: View details [r20.rs6.net] * Lenten Book Study: Climate Church, Climate World, 7 pm: View details [r20.rs6.net] * Lenten Book Study: Emergence Christianity, 7 pm: View details [r20.rs6.net] St. Paul's Rings Bells to Raise Awareness About Climate Emergency Thursday March 11, Sacred People, Sacred Earth is a global Day of Action on Thursday, March 11, sponsored by Greenfaith, a multi-faith climate and environmental movement. St Paul's Cathedral will ring the bells at noon following the centuries-old tradition that raises the alarm about emergencies in the community. Watch for the live stream on our Facebook. Our world community will be recognizing this day in a variety of ways, and we hope you’ll consider taking one of the actions suggested and sharing this message among family and friends. For more information email Diane, (dianelopezhughes@gmail.com). For full details see http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Gc4nlWD7KePJ4tK597GRMtAP2l43Up5_yZQ5djY8MYO4le1jjT-SJIXmCLIE51EBidHGAEPqCovWklMA3fwXwsNqpmYu4h-8TaB8IheNnVJFIcC8Z_Lm3xc1D58puqvMmYcXxKEatBeaQXEbd8BWDFQ6dAhqD9VWaXiPdXjXC0eUfwnuMDvFsQ==&c=E1VZSPn68f9b-fNYWrZu49GtejNTyACy-AT5_eJkh4ql2PJWHq6AYA==&ch=nRlWjYszj68ZdJkzfx-8b_pKOOT-Gb0tJapIj9UY5Bg0b1IsEo5IuQ== From the Deanery Our friend David Ottesen, convenor of the SLO Deanery tells us that the recent (last Sunday) SLO Deanery Zoom Meeting was recorded by Leonard Kohout and is available for all to view at From the Diocese JOIN BISHOP LUCINDA AND THE DIOCESAN STAFF FOR A WEEKLY SERIES OF BRIEF NOONDAY PRAYERS [realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com] FOR LENT EVERY TUESDAY. EACH PRAYER, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A REFLECTION FROM BISHOP LUCINDA AND STAFF MEMBERS, WILL BE STREAMED LIVE AT THE DIOCESAN YOUTUBE PAGE [realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com] AT 12 PM NOON. THE MOST RECENT PRAYER IS AVAILABLE HERE. [realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com] SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE PAGE TO GET ALERTS. DIOCESAN SERVICE FOR GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER [98afc1f2-870b-4e7b-8f8d-9c9f92864fe1.jpg] [realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com] JOIN WITH OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE DIOCESE OF EL CAMINO REAL IN A JOYFUL CELEBRATION OF EASTER! AN ONLINE VIGIL WILL BE PRESENTED THE EVENING OF APRIL 3 – A WONDERFUL, MULTI-LINGUAL SERVICE OF FIRE AND LIGHT, STORY AND MUSIC, REMEMBRANCE AND HOPE. BISHOP LUCINDA WILL PREACH AND WE WILL RENEW OUR BAPTISMAL COVENANT IN COMMUNITY. THE SERVICE WILL BE AVAILABLE BEGINNING AT 6 PM ON SATURDAY, APRIL 3, AT THE DIOCESAN YOUTUBE PAGE - https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=000817a158&e=f136cc0442 VESTRY & TREASURER TRAINING WORKSHOPS Vestry members, treasurers, and church leaders across the Diocese of El Camino Real are invited to attend a free online workshop explaining the ins and outs of the diocese, who to call for support, and an overview of resources. Diocesan leaders will present on their areas of expertise, pose questions for break out room discussions, and allow time for participants to ask their own burning questions! Register at: https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=709ec7d514&e=f136cc0442 The workshops will all be held via Zoom from 9:00 am to 12 noon on the following dates: Saturday, March 6: San Luis Obispo Deanery Saturday, March 13: Santa Clara Valley Deanery Saturday, March 27: Monterey Deanery DIOCAL EVENSONG HONORS FIRST FEMALE EPISCOPAL BISHOP The Diocese of California is offering a virtual Evensong on Saturday, March 13, at 2:00 pm PT, the one-year anniversary of the death of The Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris, first woman bishop ordained in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. The Officiant will be the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marc Andrus. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will share his fond reminiscences of Bishop Barbara - see https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=e3795a14cc&e=f136cc0442 |
WILLIAM BARTOSH
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