Advent isn’t always the contemplative season we yearn for it to be. Bishop Mary is to be with us to lead a quiet day, a bit of retreat, a thoughtful time to help us rest in God’s grace before the busy-ness of the season gets a chance to set the tone. Get the jump on the season, and enter it through this doorway.
Please RSVP to church office, 831-708-2278 or sjseacliff@att.net. Download a flyer for the event here. Click here for a map.
The Monterey Deanery met on August 10, 2013, at 10:00 am at St. John’s Chapel, Monterey. The agenda for the meeting is available here and the slides for the meeting are available here.
The meeting opened with prayer led by the Rev. Bob Ott.
Board of Trustees – Win Fernald reported on the last meeting of the Board of Trustees on June 20. The main agenda item was the Bishop’s Appeal and the draft budget for 2014 (to be introduced to the Deanery at the September meeting).
Standing Committee – No report as the Rev. Richard Leslie is on vacation.
Website – Jeff Diehl reported on the Deanery website which has been well received. He reminded members how to submit event and information notices to the website (montereydeanery.org). Jeff is also on the Diocesan Communications Commission which is looking at ways to improve overall communications within the diocese.
Stewardship Commission – George Lockwood reported on the activities of the commission. He noted that over the last 15 years, there has been a steady decline in giving at the parish level. One commission proposal is to employ a stewardship officer in the diocese and this has become part of the Bishop’s Appeal. He announced that commission members are willing to meet with individual parishes to help them strategize their stewardship campaigns. He also recommended that parishes consider bringing in Bill Brooks, an attorney in the diocese, to review the physical safety of parish buildings with an eye toward correcting potential hazards.
Diocesan positions open for election or appointment – Bob Ott
Bob provided an overview of the various positions which will be filled this year, either by election at Diocesan Convention or by appointment by the Bishop:
Standing Committee – Made up of 4 clergy and 4 lay representatives, it is the Bishop’s Council of Advice. Every year the Convention elects one clergy and one lay representative at large, each for a 4-year term.
Board of Trustees – administers the real property and assets of the Diocese and acts on behalf of the Diocesan Convention in between meetings. Twelve representatives serve on the Board, one clergy and one lay member from each deanery plus six at large. Members serve 3-year terms. This year the Diocesan Convention will elect three at-large members.
Commission on Ministry – assists the Bishop in overseeing the development and affirmation of ministry and the ordination process. One clergy and one lay member are elected at large each year by Diocesan Convention for a 4-year term. The Bishop may appoint up to 8; this year she will appoint one.
Department of Mission – Each deanery must elect two members to serve in this department. The Monterey Deanery currently has two members serving. The Bishop appoints four members each year for a one-year term.
Deputies to General Convention – This year the Diocesan Convention will elect four clergy and four lay deputies (along with four clergy and four lay alternates) to attend the 2015 General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Bob encouraged deanery delegates to publicize these openings within parishes and to encourage self-nomination. The Diocesan Nominating Committee will be soliciting nominations in the near future.
Building Networks beginning with Prayer – Blaine Hammond
Blaine reminded us of our deanery prayer partners which were organized at the last meeting. Jeff is incorporating this information into the deanery website.
St. Paul’s and San Pablo, Salinas – The Rev. James Ezell
For 30 years, the San Pablo mission has been worshiping at St. Paul’s and was seen primarily as a renter. The dream was that they would become self-sufficient and move into their own space someday. That hasn’t panned out, and now the two churches see that the future belongs to them together as one in a bi-cultural and bi-lingual community. This is moving forward but not without a lot of anxiety. So far they have been able to integrate many administrative functions and to unify their budgets financially. It is harder to build personal relationships. They have established a parish-union commission to review mutual ministries and stewardship. It is a work-in-progress. San Pablo’s level of giving is improving and there is a growing number of children in the parish. Where St. Paul’s had become an aging congregation, San Pablo is a growing family congregation. This year they will have a joint confirmation class. They are also working with Eric Law from the Kaleidescope Institute (http://www.kscopeinstitute.org) to help them move through this transition.
Congregational Development – The Rev. Canon Jesús Reyes
Following up on the presentation by St. Paul’s/San Pablo, Jesús provided additional information on various congregation development activities in the diocese.
On August 23, Eric Law from the Kaleidescope Institute will conduct a program for merging parishes (such as St. Paul’s/San Pablo) and there are several. One of the Diocesan Strategic Objectives is to expand diversification in parishes. Jesús says there will be 15 consultants available in the diocese to help parishes discern how to improve age, ethnic, and income diversification.
The diocese is establishing a Partnership Committee, another outgrowth of the Diocesan Strategic Plan. This committee will look at missional opportunities and how to be more intentional. This effort is based on three principles:
One of the congregational development programs of the committee is focused on helping parishes “map” themselves:
Jesús is offering a workshop/retreat for parishes called The Sacred Art of Prayer, based on Benedictine spiritual practice and designed to help participants develop their own rule of life.
Episcopal Church Women (ECW) – Joyce Nehlsen gave a brief presentation on the ECW in the deanery. One purpose of her presentation is to solicit two ECW board members from each deanery.
Deanery Stewardship Committee – Bob Ott
Now that the deanery is more intentional about collecting the annual dues from each parish, Bob proposes that the deanery establish a stewardship committee to determine a purpose and procedure for use of the funds in the deanery. He is soliciting members for this committee.
The meeting continued with announcements of activities from various parishes.
The meeting concluded with a benediction by the Rev. Blaine Hammond.
All Saints’ 2013 Fine Arts and Craft Faire has already begun receiving registrations from local artisans. As in the past, the event features over thirty vendors who bring handmade crafts, jewelry, and original pieces of art to sell–just in time for Christmas.
The Craft Fair began back in 1999 and raises funds for All Saints’ ministries, missions, and operating budget.
Eucharistic Visitor training for the Monterey Deanery will take place at All Saints’ on October 1, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the church. Please contact your congregational clergy if you are interested in becoming a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, then register with Ann Wright at annwright6@comcast.net.
A Lay Eucharistic Visitor is an individual licensed by the diocese to distribute the communion host and wine that has already been blessed by the clergy. Lay Eucharistic Visitors are then assigned to take communion to persons who are unable to attend our regular worship services, such as shut-ins or people recovering from illness in hospitals. The bread and wine they carry act as a symbol of the unity of Christ’s Body, which transcends boundaries of time and space, providing a sense of connection to persons who might otherwise feel isolated.
Priest/Deacon: I send you forth bearing these gifts for (name of person), that s/he may share with us in this Sacrament of Holy Communion.
People: We who are many are one body, for we all share one bread, one cup.
For more information, click here.
You are invited to GinSing! 2013, Calvary Choir’s annual gala of gin tasting and wine sampling accompanied with delicious hors d’oeuvres. This elegant evening will include solo performances by the Choral Scholars along with songs by Calvary’s Choir.
GinSing! is the primary fundraiser for scholarships awarded by Calvary to four deserving young music students in the community. In addition to the monetary assistance the scholarships provide, Choral Scholars attain the experience of professional performance, as well as exposure to the historical wealth of sacred music. Involvement in liturgical practice provides opportunities for Scholars to engage in our community of faith.
Tickets are available for $25 from Calvary Choir members or at the door on the day of the event. Click here for more information.
St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea is proud to present Paddy Keenan in concert with guitarist Richard Mandel on October 6.
Come enjoy a lively afternoon of traditional Irish tunes with the legendary piper of Bothy Band fame!
Tickets are available on line at brownpapertickets.com, or at the door, adults $15.00, kids 12 and under, $8. For more information, call Jackie at 831-224-3819, or e-mail fiddlejamjp@gmail.com.
Food and libations will be available, with proceeds benefitting St. Mary’s community food pantry.
Celebrating his first album release in over a dozen years, Paddy Keenan makes a long awaited visit to the Monterey Peninsula. As Irish music critic John O’Regan observed, “In Irish music there are legends and then there’s Paddy Keenan.” Bursting on the Irish traditional music scene as the turbo engine propelling The Bothy Band, Keenan is widely regarded as the most accomplished & exciting uilleann piper today. His wild & unfettered ‘open’ style, has led his fellow Bothy Band member, Donal Lunny, to call Paddy ‘the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes.’ A recipient of the prestigious ‘Musician of the Year’ award from TG4, the Irish language TV station, Paddy is equally adept on the low whistle & can let it rip on a rollicking reel, while in the next breath, he is sublimely soulful in a haunting slow air. Performing with acclaimed Bay Area guitarist Richard Mandel, hearing this traditional master in a friendly, intimate setting will be a treat not to be missed.
Click here for more information.
Menu includes:
Cost: $11.00 per ticket
Pick up orders From: 11 am to 6 :30 pm.
Free delivery for 12 or more.
Tickets available at church office
For information call 424-7331
Make checks payable to St. Paul’s.
This meal is prepared with a joyful spirit by St. Paul’s volunteers
by the Rev. Rob Sommer, All Saints’/Cristo Rey, Watsonville
What started out as a traditional mission trip soon became a new opportunity to bring cultures together and experience a new type of mission trip. This spring, we planned for youth from St. Francis Episcopal Church in Macon, Georgia to come visit El Camino Real and the central coast. The Rev. Ben Wells of St. Francis and the Rev. Deacon Arthur Villarreal of St. James wanted the youth to experience a different kind of mission trip. The Revs. Wells and Villarreal had years of experience with youth ministry and more traditional youth mission programs, but this year called for something different.
The youth started by arriving in Berkeley and staying in the affluent Berkeley Hills next to St. Clements, a 1928 Prayer book church in Berkeley in the Diocese of California. After a couple days of worship and touring in the San Francisco Bay Area, the youth would be exposed to central coastal California. The Rev. Wells came first and served at the 9:30 service in Watsonville, then, all the youth from Macon arrived in Seaside at San Pablo, Apostol in the early afternoon. In Seaside, the youth were joined by the youth from both Watsonville and Seaside as all joined together to help make food for a youth fundraiser. In addition to making food, the youth enjoyed getting to know each other better, through playing games and having a joint youth group session.
After the joint youth group session, the youth sat together in small breakout groups and worshiped at the 7:00pm Spanish language service. After the service, the youth promoted the food sales for the youth group and then were off to All Saints, Carmel. On Monday, the youth had morning prayer in Carmel, followed by a tour of the aquarium. After the tour, the youth headed down to Trinity Gonzales, a prayer station and emerging type church set in the agricultural setting of Gonzales. The youth engaged in more tradition mission work with work in and around the actual church grounds. From there, the youth headed back to Seaside where they were joined by their friends from Seaside and Watsonville as they headed to a beach in Monterey for a Eucharist, bonfire and more fellowship. After that, they headed back to Carmel for another night at All Saints. Tuesday, the youth headed up to Watsonville to drive through the fields. The youth met at All Saints/ Cristo Rey and then were off for a tour of the fields and ranch, to see the lifestyle.
From there, the youth headed back up to Berkeley where on Wednesday, they would again have a more traditional mission experience by volunteering with a food pantry, in Oakland. St. James in Oakland is a parish that is moving forward with a blended English/Spanish service.
The planning of the trip was in line with the purpose, to let God’s mission be revealed. Rather than having a strictly traditional mission-styled experience, the focus was on letting the mission reveal itself in the planning. Having partners that were willing to allow for this space was critical to allowing it to come to life. Having traditional and non-traditional elements were important to allow the youth not only to see mission as works of charity, but to allow them an experience both living and worshiping with youth from a different context. Additionally, seeing similarities as well as differences and expressing those was also a goal.
By bringing the youth together and having them experience the different types of cultures, contexts, worship and environments, the breadth of mission could be explored. When looking at Mission as defined by the Episcopal Church, we find the following published on the website:
The Five Marks Of Mission – The Mission of the Church is the Mission of Christ
Through the experiences the youth had, they were able to experience the different marks of mission, all along the King’s Highway. The process of reflection is now taking place, where the youth are being lead through a process of discernment and discovery about what the experience has meant to them. Two initial observations that were made came one from each side. When the youth from Georgia were reflecting on their time in Seaside and worship experience, they noted the discomfort with the differences, the language and style being different then they were used to experiencing. Yet as they dug a little deeper, the positive connections came out…”they really get community,” was the consensus.
And from the ECR side, when asked what the experience meant, the very honest answer came, “I don’t know, yet.” The Georgia youth commented later that they were impressed with how open, honest and genuine the comments were and that asking about belief in a direct way was exciting. Later in the evening, one of the ECR youth had a great comment as it related to the mission when asked what it meant to them responded with,” We’re all here together, aren’t we?”
Registration is now open for the Second Annual St. Dunstan’s School Golf Tournament at The Ranch.
Games include:
Player registration is only $100 for this fun event. And you chances of winning are good with all the prizes and raffle items that will be given away.
Prizes and Raffles include:
Click Here to Download the Form and Register Your Foursome Today!
Non-players can join the fun and support our school by attending the awards banquet for only $25!
Tournament Sponsors and Volunteers are vital to the success of this tournament. For more information about how you can help, please contact the tournament committee at stdunstanschurch@gmail.com.