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Dear Friends,
The lessons for this Sunday include from 2 Samuel, wherein David is to be told by the prophet Nathan that it is not he but his heir (Solomon) who is to build a house for the Lord "to live in". It is rather fun to hear God, speaking thru Nathan, sounding like our conception of a (loving, yet nagging) Jewish parent. The epistle again concentrates on the sameness in Christ of both Jews and Gentiles. It is especially lovely that Paul (probably the writer of Ephesians) uses the structure of a temple when insisting that the people of the church are "no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God" with "the whole structure is joined together and (growing) into a holy temple in the Lord". The gospel lesson from Mark seems quite different with talk of many healings done by Jesus, with crowds gathering around him. You can see why at the beginning Jesus tells his disciples they have need to "rest a while". It seems clear that the OT and Epistle are related by making an analogy in the latter to the physical temple building in the former - and the analogy is lovely. But at this point in the height of the "heat of summer" we commend the need to go to a quiet place and retreat - rest a while. May we all find such a quiet place, even in our own meditations, to find such rest! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Church in San Ardo! Events St Matthew Church will be meeting Sunday morning at 10am for Morning Prayer. Other Events Our friends at Good Shepherd Church in Salinas (Corral de Tierra) tell us that any and all are welcome at a free concert at the Carmel Bach Festival on July 25 beginning at 7pm. The concert will take place at Cypress Community Church with a reception to follow. They also tell us they are having a series of Summer Barbecues on Wednesdays in July and August at 6pm. Bring meat or veggies to grill and a dish to share. St Benedict Church in Los Osos tell us of a change to their Tuesday morning Spiritual Discussions as follows: "The Tuesday Morning Prayers & Spiritual Discussion group - Over the summer we will be focusing on shorter meditations and videos rather than a book. Come join us! Tuesdays at 10:30 on Zoom." Contact the parish or go to St Ben's websites for detail / links. We have a reminder that the screening of the film "The Philadelphia Eleven" about the ordination of the first women priests in The Episcopal Church will take place at St Barnabas Church on Thursday, July 25 at 7pm preceded by a light supper. To sign up go to https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=3067b4ece7&e=acee3ced34 St Paul Cathedral reiterates that San Diego Pride will have big events this weekend, including the Pride Parade and Picnic tomorrow (Sat, July 20). To join the contingent in the Parade, meet at the Cathedral's Dean's Court at 8:45am. The parade ends in Balboa Park (across from the Cathedral where a BBQ awaits. We hope many will join this festive and affirming event! For full details on this and the Cathedral's many other events go to www.stpaulcathedral.org Also note that on Sun Jul 28 St Paul Cathedral Parish will celebrate Comic-Con Sunday and parishioners are encouraged to attend dressed in the costumes of favourite characters. Finally, an investment community website sent the following links to stories about Buddhist nuns running a charity in rural Taiwan - we hope you might enjoy them as we did. It seems a good thing that even investors want to hear about God's good work on earth. https://seekingalpha.com/pr/19784868-taiwan-based-buddhist-charity-attempts-to-take-founding-nuns-message-of-compassion-global
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Folks,
Two of the lessons for this Sunday put us in a personal way in the midst of the Jewish culture, from the days of King David thru the time of Jesus ministry, with stories of people who we can understand/identify with. The OT lesson continues David's gradual gathering of the nation of Israel with moving of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, where he was consolidating power, and when the move was complete he had a festival, with barbecued ox, special and symbolic clothing and his own "leaping and dancing" - it must have quite a sight. The gospel lesson tells of the demise of John the Baptist, who was resented by Herodias as she had married her former brother in law King Herod, which was against Jewish law (recall that these were Roman characters with Herod appointed King by the Roman governor). The familiar story had her demand John's head on a platter, which was done to quiet those concerns (the idea came from her mother Berenice). This must have made the royal family feel more secure since Herodias' daughter Salome later danced at the event. Paul's letter to the Ephesians takes a completely different tone and reminds the Christian community there of its part in the family of God in Jesus Christ, with the gifts of the spirit and an inheritance of "spiritual wealth" - a lovely lesson helping that community to better sense their identity is part of "a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." While as so often the epistle might be considered more "edifying" by the Christian community of today, I'd like to go back to the lesson from 2 Samuel because of the passage omitted, perhaps because it doesn't underscore "the Kingdom of the Jews". The lesson mentions that the Ark had been housed by someone named Obededom, but it omits a passage that described the blessings that came to Obededom and his family for their effort in preserving the ark. In looked up this person, we find that he was a "gentile" and so a reminder that if people respect the religious/spiritual traditions of others, they too will receive God's blessings even if they are not of the "community". Sometimes it is as important to pay attention to what is not said as to that which is said. While we have respect for David's role in bringing together the nation of Israel we also rejoice in the many other who helped to build our great spiritual tradition., May we all recognise that spiritual wealth that God gives to all who love God and respect spirituality as expressed in humankind. Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Church! Events This Sunday we at St Matthew Church in San Ardo will be meeting at 10am, our customary hour, for Morning Prayer, while over at our fellow mission St Luke Church in Jolon our friend Rachael Denny will be leading that same service at the same hour. Other Events St James Church in Paso Robles will be celebrating St James Day on July 28th immediately following the 10am service, with hot dogs and hamburgers. The parish suggests bringing side dish, salad or dessert. St James will also be hosting this Sunday's Deanery Meeting (see below). St Paul Cathedral in San Diego will have a Forum discussion on the important topic of Separation of Church and State this Sunday at 9am (between services) in person and online. On June 17 they will begin celebrations of the San Diego Pride event, including on Wed Jul 17 at 7pm, when they will "Light Up the Cathedral for Pride", followed on Sat Jul 20 at 10am the Pride Parade & Picnic, and the main Pride Parade on Sun Jul 21. And on Sun Jul 28 at 10:30 the cathedral parish will celebrate Comic-Con Sunday, with folks "encouraged to show up at this service wearing a costume from their favorite sci-fi, fantasy, superhero or any other franchise you enjoy." For all of the many events at St Paul, including details for attending online, go to www.stpaulcathedral.org St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande will be having a Garden Party on Wed Jul 17 from 9:30-11am - but rather than tea, this event will be for planting succulents in the parish's garden - bring knee pads and tools! And as previously mentioned on Jul 25 the parish will be hosting folks to a light supper at 6:30pm followed by a screening of the Philadelphia Eleven documentary about the first women priests in The Episcopal Church in 1974. Sign up at https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=f2c660222a&e=acee3ced34 We were happy to see the Gladdening Light Symposium mentioned again in a parish newsletter - this time from St Barnabas. The event will occur in November in Santa Barbara. See details at https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=d9136723f1&e=acee3ced34 St Barnabas also reiterates the wonderful Stephen ministry in our Deanery as follows: Life transitions are hard. Some are much harder than others. It is those very difficult transitions in life that most call out for support: illness, job losses, grieving the passing of loved ones, are a few. No one should have to be alone at these times. Stephen Ministers serve to walk with others through their most difficult life journeys. We each commit to taking that walk with our care receivers. We are not counselors; we are Christian caregivers who are prepared to listen to your story, support you, and pray with you. Our leaders provide us with 50 hours of training in the skills we most need to help our care receivers navigate their crises. We are committed to strict confidentiality protecting others' thoughts and feelings. Should you be experiencing one of life's very difficult transitions, talk with Deacon Susan Arnold to see if a Stephen Minister might provide the support you need. Deanery The Deanery meeting, as mentioned above, will be this Sunday at St James Church at 2pm, preceded by a pot luck lunch at 1:15pm. Bp Lucinda will be joining us to discuss the recent General Convention of The Episcopal Church. Should you wish to visit the Deanery meeting electronically, Convenor David Ottesen sent the following Zoom details: David Ottesen is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: SLO Deanery Meeting at St James Time: Jul y14, 2024 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83851408255?pwd=p5M41abGbYj2iizE8a5mQdJNbSvb6p.1 Meeting ID: 838 5140 8255 Passcode: 007741 One tap mobile +16699009128,,83851408255#,,,,*007741# US (San Jose) +16694449171,,83851408255#,,,,*007741# US Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kel6DPgMHo Folks,
As always, the lesson in our lectionary at https://lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Pentecost/BProp9_RCL.html have many interesting substories in addition to the more familiar parts of scripture and this Sunday's lessons are no exception. For example, the OT lesson for this week includes much reference to the "City of David" as he was about to be crowned king - but exactly which city is this? (I always thought it would be Bethlehem where his father Jesse lived and to which Samuel traveled to "interview" Jesse's sons and finally select David, and even Hebron, where King Saul was already ensconced and where David made a covenant with the elders of Israel, might be a reasonable guess. But a Google search reveals the most likely was Jerusalem where recent excavations by archaeologists have located at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem ruins of the easter section of the city wall his is thought to have had built along with David's original small fortress, called the "millo". Also of interest is that David's process of building "his" kingdom was gradual, eventually uniting "all Israel and Judah" The gospel lesson from Mark appointed for this Sunday has Jesus proceeding to his "hometown" - Nazareth (another candidate for "the City of David"?) where He says in surprisingly convoluted language that “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” Was this said to help his disciples "feel better" about the possibility of rejection of their "telling the Good News"? However, to me the most interesting side story was from Paul's letter to the Corinthians, which commenters say contains his reference to his own experience of "the third heaven - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat." Apart from speaking of himself in the third person, this passage suggests he was well aware that many, including probably Paul himself, were aware of potential "out of body" experiences. This leads me to share the personal story of a friend who was having significant problems with his real estate enterprise at the same time his partner was dying. The deep depression of all that caused him to consider suicide and indeed he took steps to prepare for it, going out to a country place to do it. Fortunately for those of us who know and love him, at the remote house he was at he got a phone call from a friend which caused him to decide to waiting to do the deed until morning. But in the middle of the night he heard a voice telling him he must "leave now!" For some reason he complied and went down the mountain and into his condo in town, where once again he heard a voice telling him he must "leave this place now!" which caused him to return to his main home. I appreciate his telling me this story of course because he is a good friend and still in his own body, but also because it points out that "paranormal" or "miraculous" things can happen even to people who don't have much use for organised religion and are generally considered "doubters" (as even I consider myself). It is also perhaps a bit of a reproach to those "true believers" in a negative sense, who insist no such miracles can occur and that Bible stories are simply false or made up to support the powers of leaders religious and secular (they can of course be used in that way). One other thing I appreciate about this friend's "take" on his experience is that the important thing to him wasn't the paranormal experience but rather that it set him on a better path and today he very much a loved community leader. May we all find that "mustard seed" of faith which can help us become the better persons we need to be, and not spend too much time worrying about the details of the paranormal! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Church in San Ardo! Events St Matthew Church in San Ardo will be meeting for Morning Prayer at the customary hour of 10am this Sunday. Our friend Rachael Denny tells us that fellow missions St Luke Church in Jolon and St Mark Church in King City will be meeting together for a communion service at St Mark Church also at 10am, with coffee and conversation in the parish hall afterwards. Rachael also offers some good advice for us all in these days where the climate is changing: "Pursue happiness, but stay safe in the heat!" Other Events We were happy to read in the Newsletter from St James Church in Paso Robles of an interesting spiritual event scheduled for the "Gladdening Light Symposium" set for Nov 10-13 online and in person on the beach in Santa Barbara. In this event two spiritual leaders will draw upon Christian and non-Christian mystical sources to offer practical guidelines in the gentle art of contemplative living. Learn more and / or register at www.GladdeningLight.org We note that among other presenters at the Symposium will be Richard Rohr, famed Roman Catholic monk and author. Perhaps the most "fun" item in Deanery area events was the recent hosting by the Cal Poly Swing Dance Club of the Fellowship Hour at St Stephen Church in downtown SLO one recent Sunday - good going folks! The Newsletter from St Luke Church in Atascadero tells us of a Bible Study that will continue into the future with members of both St Luke and and St James Church in Paso Robles. The group will be reading a book called "The Amen Effect" by Rabbi Brous in Septermber. Contact our friend Holley Cooper via either parish. From the Deanery We get a reminder of the upcoming meeting of deanery reps online and in person at St James Church in Paso Robles.at 2pm Sunday, July 14. Note that the in person meeting will be preceded by a potluck lunch at 1:15pm. From the Diocese We have received the email below from our Bp Lucinda Ashby summarising her thoughts on the recently concluded Episcopal General Convention in Louisville, KY. Dear Beloved of El Camino Real, Our El Camino Real Deputation, volunteers, and friends, and I have just returned from our time at the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church held in Louisville, Kentucky. We were there for eight days, representing you and participating in this great event, which is held every three years. Your deputies and alternates, lay and clergy, are elected by you at our Diocesan Convention, and they prepare diligently for this event, reading and studying the reports and resolutions that come before General Convention. Our ECR friends and volunteers supported the event in amazing ways; they were tireless in their endeavors on behalf of the organizations they represented and the hours they spent on their feet greeting people and guiding them through the maze of General Convention. I have said to our deputation that I couldn't be prouder of our diocese and how we participated in the 81st General Convention. Out of a crowd of 110 (ish) dioceses, ours was notable for its involvement in worship (choir and liturgical duties), presentations on the floor of the House of Deputies (Tim Gee and Nancy Cohen), and volunteers and support at General Convention and the Episcopal Church Women event. We served on Legislative Committees in various capacities; I chaired the Legislative Committee on World Mission and brought resolutions to the floor of the House of Bishops. If you calculate the per capita participation in the various areas by a diocese, we must have been near the top. Even more notable, though, beyond legislation, was the promise of a bright future. At General Convention, we elected the Officers of both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. Our new Presiding Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, is the youngest PB ever elected, and also a smart, adaptable leader. Bishop Sean was our guest presenter at the 2022 Spring Renewal in El Camino Real (we were virtual that year), and his message is highly consistent with ours—although ours is pithier: Travel Light, Stay in Balance, Have the Courage to be Lost. The 81st General Convention embodied both the hopes and struggles of our church. Subtlety and nuance often shape the realities of discrimination due to race, gender, age, education, language, geography, etc. Persons of color continue to strive to have the church hear the voices of their experience. The Official Youth Presence challenges the church to look beyond its present fears. Women leaders bring their voices to a historically male-dominated leadership and still are at times not heard or understood. LGBTQ+ members still battle with acceptance despite being a part of an inclusive church. But we keep going, striving, moving toward the Kingdom of God, seeking God's dream for our world. We are and will always be grateful for Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's leadership and the "If it isn't about Love, it isn't about God" message. He has grounded us well in the gospel and articulated our desire to follow Jesus as "The Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement." His words and loving presence enable us to step forth courageously with our Presiding Bishop-elect, Sean Rowe. For his part, Bishop Sean has already begun to challenge us to be our better selves, stepping away from squabbles and pettiness and into a time of maturing. I believe that he and President of the House of Deputies, Julia Ayala Harris, will be a good team for our church, guiding us and shaping the church into the future that is our calling. I have come away from the 81st General Convention hopeful, encouraged and energized. It was my eighth General Convention, and the best I have been part of. From what I experienced there, I believe that The Episcopal Church will only grow in courage, moving from strength to strength. Thank you for electing our deputies, for supporting them and me, and for keeping us in prayer. We all look forward to sharing our experiences with you. Faithfully, +Lucinda Folks,
The lessons for this coming Sunday include from 7 Samuel, the story of the choosing of David to be Israel's king by Samuel, an epistle from Corinthians with a significant "optional" passage in which Paul writes "I hope that we are also well known to your consciences." (More about that below.) Also a lesson from the Mark gospel which contains a striking admission that Jesus "did not speak to them (the crowds) except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. In this case the gospel lesson seems somewhat in line with the epistle, in that both seem concerned with appearances - rather directly in the epistle and at least somewhat so in that gospel. To me both of these points suggest the importance of (as with Ms Bucket, pronounced "bouquet") "Keeping Up Appearances". Both of these lessons contain much else of useful teachings, but sometimes it is good to look on the humanity of saints, including Jesus as well as Paul, and it seems the passages mentioned rather highlight it to my mind. As a hard-working evangelist, Paul seems to know himself, and his mention of his appearance to the "crowds" as such seems completely forgivable, while Jesus's brief statement of his method suggests he had thought deeply about how to speak to those crowds and realised his indirect manner of speaking was more effective. All of this brings to mind the famed inscription on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, "know thyself". May we all take some time to consider who we are, and are places in the world realistically. Our love to all, and for all of us at st Matthew Church, Bart Events St Matthew Church will meet Sunday at 10am for Morning Prayer, with Tony(!) leading the service. Our fellow mission St Luke Church in Jolon will do likewise, with our friend SuRay (Susan Raycraft) leading the service. Other Events We hear that St Peter Church in Morro Bay will be having a special Father's Day celebration with Lenny Erickson's special refreshments recipe out on their patio after worship services at 10am. St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande will have a screening of the "The Philadelphia Eleven" which they describe as follows: " The Diocese of El Camino Real is pleased to be offering a screening of the documentary "The Philadelphia Eleven," about the first women ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church, 50 years ago. On Thursday, July 25thSt. Barnabas will be hosting a light supper will be served at 6:30 pm following by the documentary at 7:00 pm. Please sign up here: bit.ly/philadelphia11stbarnabas From the website: In an act of civil disobedience, a group of women and their supporters organized their ordination to become Episcopal priests in 1974, but change is no small task. The women are harassed, threatened, and banned from stepping on church property. In this feature-length documentary film, we meet the women who succeed in building a movement that transforms an age-old institution and challenges the very essence of patriarchy within Christendom." St Benedict Church in Los Osos and Martha Korienek of the Diocese tell us more about the Lay Leadership Training event they are hosting, as follows: "Worship leader training being offered at ST. Bens on June 22nd from 1-4 You are warmly invited to attend a workshop to become licensed in our diocese to lead worship in our parish. We will focus on learning about Morning Prayer since that is the service most often used, however, this license applies to every non-sacramental worship service (Vespers, Liturgy of the Word, Compline, Evening Prayer, etc.). All are invited to attend. This is a great opportunity to learn about leading a prayer service and would be an excellent opportunity for all who are curious about the rich tradition of daily prayer. No previous experience is necessary; all are welcome. We will gather from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday, June 22nd here at St. Ben's" Please go here to register: https://forms.gle/prPoMEySTBHYUkRD8 If you have questions please contact Sarah Chesebro or Rev. Jen. St Ben folks also tells us "The Tuesday Spiritual Discussion group - The Tuesday morning Spiritual conversation will conclude our discussion on the book How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community by Judith Valente on May 7th. We will not meet on May 14th. Beginning May 21st we will be taking a look at Marilynne Robinson's Reading Genesis, which is "a powerful consideration of the profound meanings and promise of God's enduring covenant with humanity. This magisterial book radiates gratitude for the constancy and benevolence of God's abiding faith in Creation." You do not have to read the book to participate. Tuesdays at 10:30 on Zoom." St Stephen Church in San Luis Obispo tells us of their Summer Book Study, as follows: " Sundays in July with your brown bag lunch. We'll meet at 12.30pm – in person or on Zoom. The book study will be led by the group who gathers, not by a facilitator, so please read the assigned chapters in advance. Meeting Dates are Sundays at 12.30pm June 30, July 7, 21 & 28 (No session on July 14) The book is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. If you need a copy, that can be arranged. Email [email protected] to register interest. In person: Ramsden Hall at St Stephen's in SLO On Zoom: tinyurl.com/StSt-Zoom " Our friends at St Paul Cathedral in San Diego tell us of several events, including a 5pm Hymn Sing on Sunday, June 30, a Newcomers Brunch on June 23 and the following: " Pride in Partnership Thursday, June 27, 6 pm, Dean's Courtyard YOU ARE INVITED to a Happy Hour with Voices of Our City. Join us for a joy-filled evening of gratitude for the St. Paul's Cathedral community. Mix and mingle with the Voices' team and Choir over delicious hors d'oeuvres from Bekkers Catering. Voices of Our City offers a safe, creative community for our unsheltered neighbors on St. Paul's special campus— together we are changing lives. This is a free event. To RSVP, click here. Folks,
As mentioned we took advantage of our own advice and had a bit of a sabbath ourselves, at a fine resort in the Sierra Nevada. Feeling refreshed, but short on time, we are keen to put out this News episode whilst being brief. The lessons for tomorrow include from 1 Samuel of the Hebrews demanding a king of their prophet-leader Samuel (who curiously seems to have had a problem with his children similar to that of his predecessor Eli), a fine lesson from 2 Corinthians about sharing faith to extend grace to many more, and a gospel lesson from Mark loaded with interesting points, including a new definition of family, and a clever defense against accusations of having Beelzebul (with an emphasis on that last syllable!), but also emphasis on sharing the faith. While that OT warning rings true of too many leaders in our own times (and we will inevitably always have some leaders) we have to rejoice in the emphasis on sharing our faith to extend the grace of the Spirit wherever we find ourselves (and even at a resort in the mountains where we found, as everywhere, people keen to hear). May we all freely share of the grace that surrounds us in all time and places! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) And for all of us at St Matthew Church in San Ardo! Events St Matthew Church will meet for Morning Prayer tomorrow at 10am. Our fellow missions St Luke in Jolon and St Mark in King City will also be meeting at 10am for services. Other Events Dcn Jim Arnold of St James Church in Paso Robles tells us that the Brotherhood of St Andrew, refreshed by a recent Retreat, will henceforth be meeting at the church on Saturdays at 11am. Note that St James also tells us the Dick Yost, formerly of San Ardo, passed away recently. St Luke Church in Atascadero tells us their Community Dinner, held last weekend, was a great success with about 110 people. We note that many parishes have been having such Community Dinners open to all in an effort to "build community", including later this month St Paul Cathedral in San Diego. From the Diocese Having served as a Deputy at a General Convention of the Episcopal Church, we can tell you that much news will emanate from the triennial (every third year) meeting, set for June 23-28 in Louisville, KY and sessions will be live-streamed. This year's meeting will include considerations of revisions to the Book of Common Prayer, Social Justice deliberations, new leadership electing including a new Presiding Bishop, diocesan boundary changes, and much else. Folks,
The lessons this week include from 2 Corinthians a lesson which describes the Disciples work in spreading the Good News, bookended by two lessons about the Sabbath, one from an Old Testament perspective and the other from Jesus' own view, making clear that “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath". I believe this gentle reminder followed by a self-description as "Lord of the Sabbath" is included because we sometimes get too rigid in our understanding of the scriptures which might lead to slavish and even self-damaging or at least impractical behaviour. Note that the metaphor of "clay jars" in the second lesson is rather more intriguing, and while my mind immediately thought of the Dead Sea Scrolls which were indeed discovered in such earthenware, the context shows the figure of speech refers to the body of believers - ie the people who are the church who "are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies" This means of "storage" demonstrates the power of faith remaining even while being stored in an apparently vulnerable way. I suggest what we see in the disciples' use of such storage technology, even while using another metaphor of slavery in self-description, was practicality itself, for there is no stronger testimonial to the power of faith than the joy in the lives of the people. So we pray that we may all work together in practical and yet joy-filled ways, and at the same time, though not in a slavish way, remember to take time for Sabbath - a truly right-minded notion! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) And for all of us at St Matthew Parish in San Ardo PS Tony(!) points out the wonderful Psalm 139 appointed for this day. If it is reasonably practical, take time to read this Psalm (the Lectionary includes vs 1-5 and 12-17) and savour the thoughts of our identities and God's works! Events Beginning this Monday we will be taking the advice of scriptures, which nicely book-end a lesson of practicality with the need for good rest (especially after a rather grueling effort in Fire Season Prep with two very wet rain years at the ranch!) and so begin a short holiday of our own after Morning Prayer which for St Matthew parish will be at 10am. Our fellow missions in Jolon and King City, St Luke and St Mark, will be meeting together for a Communion Service with Fr Carl Hansen presiding and laywoman, Donna Lewis, preaching - it is wonderful to have a larger roster of preachers at St Marks. Donna's preaching reminds us that Canon Rev Martha Korienek is organising a "Worship Leader Workshop" set for June 22 at St Benedict Church in Los Osos. More details will be forthcoming, but this will be helpful to the many smaller churches in our Deanery and Diocese. Other Events This weekend two rather linked events occur the AIDS Lifecycle Ride which pass thru our Deanery area on Tuesday June 4 (we have been mentioning that Rev Dcn Susan Arnold will be greeting riders at the north end of San Miguel from 8:30am thru about 2:30pm. Join Susan as the riders round the curve from Camp Roberts into San Miguel. And Gay Pride will be celebrated at TWO events this year, the first at Mission Plaza in San Luis Obispo on Saturday and the second on Sunday at Meadow Park, also in SLO. Look for the Episcopal presence at both events, and enjoy them. In light of our need for R&R we need to send out this email, but look for other interesting events at the several parish websites as at sloepiscopalians.org and more. Folks,
This Sunday the lessons appointed seem somewhat disjointed, with the first a lesson from Isaiah (the famous one beginning "in the year that King Uzziah died" a depiction of the writer being called, in a literally unbelievable setting loaded with "sturm und drang", to speak for the Lord, the second from Romans a lesson depicting the familial relationship we have with the "Godhead" (the Holy Trinity) and a gospel lesson from John (a repeat from recent days) including that key line in all 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." as the sentence in the Lectionary is thought so key as to be separated out from the rest of the chapter in the text. While great lessons, I hope we can focus today on the New Testament lesson, since today, the first after Pentecost, has mention of our being "joint heirs with Christ" and my guess is while the "church fathers" (it was a male-dominated group that set the "canon" of scripture) called it TRINITY Sunday. I emphasise the word because to me when younger the notion of the Holy Trinity seemed of lessor import compared to the omniscient and omnipresent God. Yet in the context of this lesson that notion rings true, and is a useful reminder of the "three persons" (or "verticals" as the business world might call them) we use when trying to depict God: the Father, the notion of that all-powerful but seemingly unreachable Being, the Son Jesus Christ our Brother, and the Holy Spirit - as mentioned last week the Comforter. Taken together the lessons present a truly "Holy Family" of which are forever a part. May we all bask in the comfort of the Spirit and "worship" (another odd word) the Almighty as we recognise that Trinity is actually a multitude, including each of us! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Events Tomorrow St Matthew will meet at 10am for Morning Prayer and at the same time our fellow missions St Luke Church in Jolon and St Mark Church in King City will be meeting. All are welcome to all three! Other Events As we are hoping this week will have been the last big work week in preparation for Fire Season, we have time for only this reiteration of a special event, and it is one in the spirit of family: the Brotherhood of St Andrew's Retreat - and NOTE that while the focus is on Men's Ministry, women are INVITED: Province VIII of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew is having a retreat at Barnabas's on Saturday 1 June, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The retreat will combine prayer and study. We will explore: What is men's ministry in a non-binary world? There will be ample time for prayer, reflection, and the exchange of ideas. There will also be time for socializing. Both men and women are cordially invited to attend. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is one of the oldest auxiliary bodies associated with the Episcopal Church. At the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, it was chartered by Congress! Here is some recommended reading: The Intimate Connection: Male Sexuality, Masculine Spirituality, James B. Nelson A Thorn in the Flesh: How Gay Sexuality is Changing the Episcopal Church, Caroline J. Addington Hall Please contact Eric Fisher at 805-704-0238 or [email protected] for more details. Folks,
The lessons for this coming Sunday, if you haven't heard it enough from me are all about the Spirit and to that extent it seems if might well be called the Feast of the Holy Spirit or even the Holy Comforter. I'm not sure about you all but when I was a kid I remember I saw a couple churches called the "Church of the Holy Comforter" and it struck me as an odd title - and to some extent even this day (and even skipping past the jokes about being "down-filled"). So how does that title square with Holy Spirit Sunday? The answers can be seen in the scriptures appointed for this Sunday. As we have been saying, Pentecost, the Day of the Holy Spirit, is really the most important church holyday. For it is the Spirit that moves us in life - if we move at all! And the lessons warn of false spirits as well which can be discerned by our listening to and for God. If we listen, in meditation, quiet or active, we realise that the fruits of the Spirit are those things that bring humankind together in love. (Human "kind" is a favourite word of mine because it include kindness a key trait of the Spirit's leading.) So today's lessons include the recounting of that Pentecost Day which Jesus had promised (from Acts) while the epistle from Romans reminds us that "hope that is seen is not hope". Rather there is that deeper reality which is felt as "spirit". (Our Collect(ive prayer) for this Sunday uses the phrase "same Spirit" to warn against false spirits, and indeed at Pentecost the crowd who watched might have assumed that such spirits were in action as the miraculous occurred.) This lesson also uses the term "holy comfort" (back to the first point of this message. But finally it is Jesus, who depth of Spirit know no bounds, who in John's gospel says "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth...". So you can see that this Holy Spirit is God's gift, spoken by Jesus, to humankind. It is a Comforter not just because it will tell us things will get better, (though that is a key part of its function) but also that it will guide us into all truth - and this is infinitely more than the realms of science, where we ever only see a small part of that Truth (as useful as the work of science is for us all). So on Pentecost Day, and every day, we pray that we may all be seeking, and listening to and for, God's biggest gift to us - the Holy Spirit! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Church in San Ardo! Events While we are halfway thru "FireTide" (as we mentioned last week, prepping the ranch for fire season), we have a bit more time to mention event. Thus St Matthew Church will be having morning prayer led by Tony(!) with an interactive homily led by Bart, but including everybody, at 10am at the chapel in San Ardo. Our fellow Southern Monterey County missions, St Mark Church in King City and St Luke Church in Jolon, will be having a Communion service and Morning Prayer respectively, also at 10, with our friends SuRay leading the service in Jolon and Fr Carl Hansen leading the service in King City. Other Events St Benedict Church in Los Osos and St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande, and most of the other parishes in the Deanery tell us they are preparing for Central Coast Pride in the Plaza to be held on June 1, 11am-5pm and in the Park on Sun Jun 2, 1-6pm. St Ben's Spiritual Discussion group will be considering a book by Marilynne Robinson on "Reading Genesis" beginning May 21 at 10:30 via Zoom at https://stbenslososos.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=56003b92c20a0cad0f96f87b4&id=cba6cf3c51&e=c7a1548f0f St Ben's newsletter also tells us (see "From the Diocese") that there will be "A Conversation with Bishops". For details and to RSVP go to https://stbenslososos.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=56003b92c20a0cad0f96f87b4&id=d5316beda3&e=c7a1548f0f Padre Sid Symington of St Peter Church in Morro Bay tells us that the parish took part in the "Mermaid, Sea Creature & Pirate Parade" which occurred earlier today in Morro Bay and ended at Tognazzini's Dockside Too - they might still be there, but note that St Pete folks have a lot of fun in general, witness their hosting of the By the Sea Players in "Lunenburg" which has two more productions - tonight at 7pm and tomorrow at 3pm. Province VII of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew is having a retreat at Barnabas's on Saturday 1 June, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The retreat will combine prayer and study. We will explore: What is men's ministry in a non-binary world? There will be ample time for prayer, reflection, and the exchange of ideas. There will also be time for socializing. Both men and women are cordially invited to attend. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is one of the oldest auxiliary bodies associated with the Episcopal Church. At the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, it was chartered by Congress! Here is some recommended reading:
Please contact Eric Fisher at 805-704-0238 or [email protected] for more details. Note that our longtime friend George Hauser was a member of both the Brotherhood and St Barnabas Parish. Deacon Rev Susan Arnold has been telling us that she (and many others, including St Luke Churches in Jolon and Atascadero) will be greeting riders and offering bottled water on the AIDS Lifecycle event at the north end of Mission St, San Miguel on Tues Jun 4, 8:30am-2:30pm. At Good Shepherd Parish in Salinas (Corral de Tierra) we hear that the parish will be celebrating our friend Deacon Rev Cynthia Montague's Ordination Anniversary. The parish encourages members to wear RED for tomorrow's Pentecost services. St Paul Cathedral in San Diego at their weekly Forum will present "St Paul's & the History of San Diego" - for full details on this and their many other events go to www.stpaulcathedral.org From the Diocese While the Spring Renewal event is yet to wrap up, we hear Folks,
The lessons appointed for tomorrow include from Acts, wherein Peter speak to the group (about 120 at the time) and first (to my recollection) uses a word that translates into "ministry" - an early and clear indication that the group are seeing themselves as an ongoing "project" and in speaking of Jesus's ministry (beginning with the Baptism by John) on earth and after praying, Peter led the group to replace Judas in the ministry. The epistle lesson from John seems to be a reminder of the basic premise which was the mission of the group - that God's "testimony" IS in their hearts and because of this "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." In the gospel lesson, the writer beautifully recounts the story of Jesus praying for the work of his disciples and asking God to "protect" them even as they do not "do not belong to the world". Taken altogether these lessons clearly depict the formation of the group which evolved into the institutional church - even though the writer really couldn't imagine the growth of the group of faith over the centuries. While the group has needed "reformation" - not just once but many times - it is important to recall this growth began with faith - the gift of the Spirit. In this run-up to Pentecost in our calendar - technically when the gift of this Spirit was made manifest - you can see thru the days of this run-up which we all Easter Season. May we all take time to appreciate the evolution of our realisation of the gift of the Spirit and as it sinks in may we seek understanding for the future our shared ministry - the ministry of all who have "God's testimony" in their hearts! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matthew Church Events St Matthew Church in San Ardo will meet this Sunday for Morning Prayer at the usual hour, 10am. Our fellow mission St Luke Church in Jolon will meet at that same hour for Morning Prayer with Roy Morris leading the service. Other Events This will be brief as the work continues. unabated at the ranch preparing for the summer months and in particular the fire season (FireTide?) Our nearby "big brother" Church of St James in Paso Robles tells us that our friends Peggy and Dick Yost, formerly of St Mathew Church, will be celebrating their 60the anniversary - the sort of commitment we hope all who realise "God's testimony" will exhibit. St James folks will be wearing red as a reminder of the gift of the Spirit the following Sunday for Pentecost! Diocese We remind all of the "Spring Renewal" events to come NEXT weekend, May 17-18. From Our National Calendar We also remember that TOMORROW is Mother's Day - a time to realise and encourage the Mother in each of us! Folks,
Our friend Rev Roger Wharton, of San Jose's Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, told us by email, upon reading the previous News, that our mention of the many times the word "love" (and its forms) in the last Sunday's Epistle lesson from I John caused he to look again at that passage. He came up with the fact that that the word "love" or a derivative thereof accounts for 11.275% of the 327 words in that passage - that's a lot of love! As I see it, the lessons for this coming Sunday are meant to help us spread that love. In the first lesson from Acts 10 after Peter baptised the Roman centurion Cornelius we hear of a sort of "mini-Pentecost" in which the assembled disciples witness the Holy Spirit coming upon the assembly of mostly Gentiles of different nations - note that Peter was at first not so sure Gentiles should be part of the church. In the second lesson, also from John's epistle, we see that loving God is the first step and that God's command to love God and so to love neighbour are not burdensome. In John's gospel we see that Jesus was joyously sharing his own love of God with all, and giving substance to that love by noting "And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last .." I have noted before that some in the loving communities are shy about "testifying". But the Epistle notes: "the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth." The world really does want to hear God's message of love - not in some accounting manner where we "chalk up another Christian" but rather in the irresistibly joyful message of love, however that Spirit is called. May we all find that joyous spirit in ourselves and share forth the message of God's love, with the guidance of God's spirit! Our love to all, Bart and Tony! and for all of us at St Matthew Church Events We at St Matthew parish in San Ardo will be meeting for Morning Prayer at the usual time of 10am this Sunday. Our fellow missions St Luke Church in Jolon and St Mark Church in King City will be meeting together at St Mark's beautiful chapel on 3rd and Bassett in King City where Fr Carl Hansen will lead in a Communion (Eucharist) service. From the Diocese (We though to switch this around with more local new further below) we hear about the Spring Renewal event and in particular that the Dynamic Deacons of the Diocese will be Flamboyantly Stepping Out with Souland we hope and we hope that many of us will register by Monday for the May 178-18 where we hear you can be "Walking the Way" in your El Camino Real diocesan sandals, tents, jackets, etc - for full info see https://www.realepiscopal.org/blog/spring-renewal-2024/?occurrence=568 It seems a fun idea do combine our Diocese's name with that other Camino (de Santiago). Also from the Diocese we hear of the following event on Tues evenings beginning May 7: The Life and Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A four week on-line Conversation hosted by the Social Justice CommitteeFor and registration see https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=b8211e62e1&e=f136cc0442 From the Deanery: We received the following info for the upcoming San Luis Obispo Deanery meeting this Sunday. Hello Everyone, This is a final reminder of our combo Deanery/Potluck meeting this Sunday. It will be held at St. Stephen's, SLO, with the potluck beginning at 1:15 pm and the business meeting at 2 pm. The business meeting will be hybrid with the Zoom link below (and also in the agenda). I am happy to announce that our invited speaker will be Ms. Jessica Ripper who is a real estate professional working with the Diocese of San Diego on how to use church real estate for God's mission. This will be a very relevant presentation on creative ways we might be able to use our churches' property and I hope you will be able to hear Jessica speak. I'm attaching the Zoom link, agenda and draft minutes from our last meeting below. I hope to see you on Sunday! Peace, David Ottesen Lay Convener for the Deanery For the details and agenda, etc, please email David who is copied on this email (and note that we may have mixed up his email with Tricia's - both great folks, who work well together. Other News We hear from the St Paul Cathedral in San Diego that they will be creating a Music Center which will provide a base for their fine choir and other music programs. For details ee their websites at www.stPaulcathedral.org et al and note their many other offerings, such a weekly organ concerts. Good Shepherd parish in Salinas (Corral de Tierra) tells us that they be participating in the Pacific Grove Walk of Remembrance on May 11 to commemorate the Chinese fishing village that existed at one time where Pacific Grove is today. See https://goodshepherdcorral.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7cbc9cee2ea785c71ef0cbb3c&id=efbe857c48&e=cc1155f723 Our friend Eric Fisher of San Luis Obispo tells us that Prov VIII of the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew will having a Retreat for men AND women 5/31-6/2. For details contact Eric at [email protected] and for more info on the Brotherhood go to https://brothersandrew.net/ From our parishes (for full info go to parish websites as at www.sloepiscopalians.org St Stephen Church in San Luis Obispo tells us they will have a meeting on May 20 at 6pm on the topic "What Is Baptism" - no registration needed and children welcome. St Benedict Church in Los Osos will be hosting a Potluck Dinner tomorrow at 5:30pm. St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande as usual has a full set of events - see https://brothersandrew.net/ St Luke Church in Atascaadero will be having a Plant Sale May 17-18 12-4pm Fri and 11-2pm Sat, St James Church in Paso Robles is also organising a Music Fund, and for info and links to their events see https://brothersandrew.net/ Probably some of you are wondering why we didn't have the most local news down here - maybe next time we will, but better to get this mailed off before these events are OVER! |
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