We Open Up - St Peters Episcopal Church
Transcription
We Open Up - St Peters Episcopal Church
The Keys of St. Peter’s We Open Up Volume 152, Number 8 | April, 2016 No matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here! The Corner Office The Deacon’s Beacon A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.” Well, it’s spring, a time of new beginnings. The flowers are in bloom, the trees are in leaf, and we have just celebrated the resurrection of our Lord. As you read this I will be experiencing a new world for me, the Holy Land. I expect to be moved by walking in the places where Jesus and the patriarchs lived and walked, and I hope to learn more about the peoples of that ancient land. —Unknown She can’t give him what it is he asks for, of course, because he’s asking for something he must find on his own— something we all must find on own: that sweet deep peace in our souls. The peace that passes all understanding. A peace to fill the openings in our souls. I’ve been meeting with many of you over the last few weeks—which is a great joy—and one of the questions I ask when talking with people is why they come to church or what they hope to find when they come. They all respond with some variation on the same theme: they come because at church they find that deep, dazzling peace—even if just for an hour or so. They come because the world is as it should be just for a little while. They come to remember who they are, and whose they are, to regain the Spirit that sends them out for another week. Our beloved and sacred sanctuary, the place where we gather for our sustenance and spirit, is in need of renewal. A space reflective of our compassion for others, our ministries, and our abiding love for God and for one another is a dynamic component of worship, of our life together. Our parish is beginning a new adventure and I’m excited to get started. Because in the midst of the ministry and hard work we do, we also all know how to have fun together… lots of fun! —Susan+ It seems that we have been experiencing much negativity of late, much that could lead us to despair. Terrorist bombings are on the rise; there is more and more hatred in the world directed toward the West; and our government and political system seems to be getting more and more dysfunctional. But as we are reminded on Easter: He is risen. The Kingdom of God is here. Whether we realize it or not, we are experiencing a new beginning, not only in nature but in the world. A recent David Brooks editorial in the New York Times reminded me of Psalm 73, known as a meditation on the justice of God. It talks about a world filled with evil people who “suffer no pain...wear their pride like a necklace and wrap violence around them like a cloak...and so the people turn to them and find in them no fault.” When we see people like this in our world today it is easy to despair, but the psalm goes on to offer hope: Truly, those who forsake you will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful. But it is good for me to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge. It is easy to despair, like the disciples did after the crucifixion. We cannot see God’s plan but we know that He is risen, and we can be full of hope because the Lord is with us. It is indeed a time of new beginnings. —Deacon Skip Opening Day April starts a little wobbly and the halfway point is no treat either. We’re played for suckers on the first and we acknowledge life’s inevitabilities on the fifteenth. But in between comes Opening Day—the wonderful moment when every team is in first place and hope swells in every heart. There’s April for you. Uncertainty. Elation! Despondency. But April doesn’t have a monopoly on emotional lability: every calendar has its highs and lows, just like a baseball season. A few years ago Roger Angell described the faithful Red Sox fans, joyful in the promise of the spring—the smiling farmer, listening to the radio as he mows the June hay… the happy hikers climbing the Green Mountains, trading scores as they pass on the trail… the Maine lobstermen, calling last night’s results from boat to boat in the morning fog. And then… day by day the summer passes—and the glowering farmer gathers his last crops in silence… descending hikers exchange sad nods under yellow leaves… the lobstermen work sullen and quiet in the cold September mornings. Alas, the bitter season of despair! Younger Red Sox fans probably don’t understand the story. Boston’s cycle of perennial heartbreak ended several years ago and no one talks about The Curse anymore. But you can still ask a fan of the Cubs or the Indians how it feels to accumulate a lifetime of annually dashed hopes. You could ask a fan of the football Cardinals—the Cardinals have played in three different cities since the team won its last championship. For that matter, our own baseball Giants won their last New York World Series in 1954, and their first San Francisco World Series in 2010, and it was a long ride, wasn’t it? The earth traveled about 33 billion miles between those two Giants championships. Each team starts the year anticipating the best—hang the odds and stats! As the page turns from March to April, fans around the country stomp and whistle on Opening Day with the same bright smiles and high hopes that they had last year… and the year before… and the year before… as if to prove the triumph of hope over experience, as Samuel Johnson once said in a different context. 2 Heaven knows the phenomenon isn’t limited to baseball. Ecclesiastes tells us that everything has its season… and look how many seasons there are! The editor took a quick inventory of his own refrigerator door and found seven different calendars—the “regular” calendar from the insurance agency, an Episcopal church calendar, a school calendar, and schedules for four different sports teams. Each one has its own unique cycle of celebration, reflection, and emotional peaks and valleys. Consider the liturgical calendar—we cycle through a load of emotion on that one, needless to say. The celebration of Christmas is preceded by four weeks of reflection and anticipation in Advent, and the celebration of Easter is preceded by six weeks of pensive Lent. On other calendars time can be relative, but the highs and lows are always there. For example, the school year isn’t a year at all—it’s a lifetime to a grade school student, a twinkling to parents watching their kids grow up, and nine months to everyone else. It opens with apprehension, proceeds through days of fear and joy, and ends with the celebration of graduation. Many of the other seasons that fill our days have emotional ups and downs, too. There are seasons for hunting and fishing—times of hope for all, disappointment for many, and joy for some, though maybe not for the deer or the fish. There’s the holiday season, as in “Season’s Greetings,” which packs a year’s worth of buying frenzy and nervous anticipation into one mere month. And oh, if only we could get through the highs and lows of the election season more quickly! In the same way that basketball, hockey, and baseball all overlap in April, different seasons overlap at various points in our lives. We can be focussed and reflective in Advent and at the same time take cutthroat advantage of every holiday sale at the mall. We can go nuts for our favorite college basketball teams in March and still appreciate the solemnity of Lent. One part of being human is seasonal multitasking. Another part of being human is recognizing that every calendar measures a cycle from promise to reflection and back to promise. We live our days knowing that Lent comes after every Mardi Gras and that the joy of Christmas arrives just as fall passes into winter. And part of being human is also taking note of the moments of unalloyed pleasure when they come along, because heaven knows they don’t come often enough. When the umpire says, “Play ball!” who among us doesn’t yearn to The Keys of St. Peter’s play hooky? What a joy to have one day in every spring when you can call in sick, drive to the ballpark, and walk into the stands, from the dark to the light, see the green field glowing and the promise of summer stretching ahead, and know that for one brief, sparkling moment your team is undefeated… regardless of whatever comes next! From the Vestry The April Vestry meeting was combined with the annual Vestry retreat, scheduled for Saturday, April 16—after this issue went to press. Topics on the agenda at the retreat include long-term planning and exploring the Vestry’s vision for the coming year. The Keys will provide a full report in the May issue. In the meantime, questions and concerns can be addressed to any member of the Vestry. Countess Cathleen Women’s Retreat: 2016 The spring women’s retreat is an annual St. Peter’s tradition. Why not join in? This year’s retreat will be at Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg on the weekend of June 10 to 12 and (as always) it’s an inviting proposition. We asked Mother Susan to tell us more. “We take two days, from Friday evening to Sunday noon, to refresh and renew our souls, bodies, and relationships,” she said. “Bishop’s Ranch may be two hours away, but it offers a glorious array of opportunities. We can each do all that we wish to do… and we’ll all come home renewed.” Circle Sunday, April 24 on your calendar! At 6:00 pm a group of parishioners will gather for a dramatic reading of William Butler Yeats’s gripping play The Countess Cathleen. The play was inspired by Irish folklore, but it has serious overtones for our world today. At the height of a famine, two merchants arrive in town, offering to buy the souls of starving peasants. Are they peddlars… or demons? And the saintly countess—she’s sold all her worldly possessions to feed the poor peasants. What can she give the merchants? You won’t find out if you don’t come! Participants include Bryce Abramson, Su Boocock, Angelo Castellucci, Jim Frieman, Eli Goulden, Ted Hardie, Sue Mitchell, Mother Susan, Olivia Siri, Peggie Trei, and Charlene Wieser. Bay Area actor Richard Talavera will make a guest appearance. Neva Hutchinson is acting and directing. The play will be followed by a discussion led by Mother Susan. Coffee, wine, and snacks will be served. Donations are gratefully accepted but not required ($10 is suggested). Cost of the weekend, including five meals, is $225. Scholarships are available, and carpools will be organized as the date approaches. Mark your calendar now! And for more information, see Mother Susan. April, 2016 Groan A younger member of the congregation told us that you can’t run through a campground. The reason is that you’re always running past tents. 3 Capital Campaign: Making Dreams Real St. Peter’s 2016 capital campaign is off to a strong start— exciting news for parish and parishioners alike! “Banks of anchored pews restrict our ability to use the sanctuary for events like concerts and community meetings,” said Mother Susan. “And we’re not putting our best foot forward when visitors see empty seats on Sundays. That’s why flexible seating is high on the list of items to investigate.” The primary goal of the campaign is to provide funds for repair and refurbishing of the church sanctuary—a bigger project than our regular annual budget allows. And the campaign will support other vital Episcopal ministries in the Bay Area as well. Our parish’s ability to take on a large scale project like sanctuary renovation naturally depends on the generosity of our parishioners. The parish “wish list” for capital funds includes… Mother Susan announced the campaign’s official kick-off in a letter to all parish families on April 1. As of press time, members of the campaign committee have begun to visit parish families, and so far parishioner response has been generous and gratifying. If you haven’t been contacted yet, expect to hear from a committee member soon. -Replacing the sanctuary floors and carpets -Configuring flexible seating -Installing an improved sound system and better lighting -Renovating the sacristy: new carpet, cabinetry, and sink. -Expanding the altar area -Constructing a narthex at the sanctuary entrance -Painting the church exterior In the meantime, here’s a little more info on the campaign. The parish has set a fundraising target of $270,000, which would be enough for us to make significant progress on many of the items on our list. In the end, how far we’re able to go will be up to the congregation. Called Expanding Horizons, the campaign is being conducted in partnership with Bishop Marc Andrus and the Diocese of California, and a number of other parishes in the Diocese are participating along with St. Peter’s. In addition to providing funds for important parish projects, the campaign will support some important diocesan programs. Here at St. Peter’s, Mother Susan and the Vestry believe that our most pressing capital needs center around the sanctuary building. Campaign chairperson Rebecca Schenone has said that sacred space like the sanctuary “elevates our spirits to a different time and place.” But sacred spaces need physical care—and some of the challenges we’re facing today date back to 1952 when the sanctuary was built. In the “Dreaming” gatherings last fall—and in many conversations since—parishioners have encouraged church leadership to expand outreach and to make our facilities as broadly useful as possible. Rebecca told the Keys: “The sanctuary could be used by many more community groups if important areas like seating, acoustics, and lighting were improved and updated. And it’s painfully obvious that the cork flooring and carpet are in urgent need of replacement.” Needless to say, work on the floor will require removal of the pews, which makes this an especially good time to think about seating. 4 As a participating parish in the Expanding Horizons campaign, St. Peter’s will retain 70 cents of every dollar raised until we reach our target and 95 cents of every dollar over the target. The rest is shared with the Diocese. It’s worth adding that the Diocese’s share of the Expanding Horizons campaign will be used for some very worthy projects, including… -Diocese-wide congregational development -Improvements to Bishop’s Ranch and St. Dorothy’s Rest -Endowment of a diocesan environmental chaplain -Partnerships with the Dioceses of Haiti and Jerusalem -Climate change and sustainability initiatives -Plans for better use of diocesan properties -Search for new solutions to the root causes of poverty Expanding Horizons is a five-year campaign, and pledges will be fulfilled over five years. That makes it possible for parishioners to spread payments over a relatively long period, and donors can make monthly, quarterly, annual, or semi-annual payments. For convenience, payments can be made by check, credit card, or EFT. Pledges of stocks and other securities are also accepted. And many companies will make matching gifts— something well worth asking about at work. Every family’s financial situation is unique, and not every parish family can contribute at the same level. But all The Keys of St. Peter’s parishioners can participate at a level that reflects the important role that St. Peter’s plays in their lives. Embracing the comments of many parishioners, the Vestry agreed last year that the parish’s major goals should include broader use of the sanctuary and more outreach. What makes the Expanding Horizons campaign so appealing is that it carries us closer to both goals. Our spiritual home is a special place, and the work of the parish is deeply meaningful. The church brings God into the lives of young children… gives our teens and tweens a huge opportunity to contribute to the less fortunate… ministers to our neighbors here in Redwood City… and provides a beautiful, sacred space where all are welcome to worship together. Consider the parish’s big contribution to your life… and think big when you consider your contribution to the parish. Your fellow parishioners have been very generous. Mother Susan said, “Now is the right time to bring our dreams one step closer to reality.” Ascension Sunday at Stanford In keeping with tradition, the Lutheran and Episcopal congregations of the Peninsula will celebrate the Ascension together with the Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry at Stanford on May 5th at 7:30 pm in Stanford’s Memorial Church. The Halo Award We’re pretty stingy with our haloes around here and we usually dole them out sparingly—one per month, maybe two at the most. But we’re throwing caution to the wind in this issue, and handing them out in bulk. That’s because it takes a lot of people to manage a capital campaign, and there’s a bunch of talented and dedicated people on the committee running the Expanding Horizons campaign here at St. Peter’s. We could start by saying that People’s Warden Rebecca Schenone has done a fantastic job as chairperson of the committee: organizing, staying in touch, and keeping everyone on the right track. Then there’s Joan Brumleve, who’s managing all the paperwork—no small task. And may we introduce the other hardworking members of the committee, each in a dazzling new golden halo? -Eleanor Antonakis -Cari Pang Chen -Teri Chin -Jim Frieman -Peter Hutchinson -Pat McCarty -John Nieman It may be a labor of love… but it’s still labor. When one of these dedicated volunteers comes to see you, we hope you’ll offer a warm welcome. And swing the door wide—those are some big haloes! This year, former presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Pastor Mark Hanson will preach and the combined choirs of churches from around the Peninsula will sing. All are welcome! Questions? Contact the Rev. Andy Shamel at revandy@stanford.edu April, 2016 5 Thinking About Space People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering. —St. Augustine In our 151 years the Church of St. Peter’s has had several homes and thousands of parishioners. And you know, we probably don’t pause and think about our space and ourselves as often as we could. We associate joyful sounds with special spaces… And we associate people with special spaces, too— parishioners who came before us… No one alive today remembers going to the Little Red Church… but we imagine there was beautiful light inside that church and a wonderful wood scent. …and parishioners who will grow as our spiritual journeys continue. The murals in our old nursery room are just a memory… but a pleasant one for any parishioner who spent a happy childhood hour in its walls. Everyone has strong emotional associations with certain spaces. You might say that what makes space sacred is inside us. 6 The Keys of St. Peter’s Sacred space makes it possible for us to think about things that we might not think about anywhere else… like hope… We have special relationships with the people we worship with… and a special relationship to our worship space. …and how it spreads. In many ways the two go hand-in-hand. The fellowship we share is enhanced by the space in which we share it. Our space is a gift from the parishioners who came before us. What gifts will we leave for parishioners to come? April, 2016 7 Peeking Through the Keyhole Kid Stuff The younger set needs a few good storytellers—how about you? Godly Play is a great program that keeps our children engaged in reflection and other activities related to the Bible, spirituality in general, and basic Christian values like helping others. News and Shameless Gossip Did you have a blast at Rebecca Schenone’s party on April 2? You’re in good company if you did! Great food… a beautiful evening… and a very gracious hostess… New office hours! If business takes you to the parish office, don’t let it take you any time other than between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, Monday through Thursday… A reminder that yoga is a great way to relieve stress and stay fit. Lorraine Desser Schulze leads classes in the parish hall at 9:00 am every Tuesday and 10:00 am every Friday. Each session is an hour and 15 minutes… And wasn’t it great to see Father Greeley at the altar for three April Sundays? Siblings in Song Volunteers plan an activity, story, or another lesson to engage with the children. Sessions last about 30 minutes during the first half of the 10:30 service. The kids rejoin the rest of the congregation in time for the Peace and Communion. Cari Pang Chen, who coordinates Christian education for the younger children, tells us that she’s looking for adult storytellers to assist through mid-June. She adds, “This is a great opportunity to reintroduce classic bible stories to our children, particularly younger children or those newer to the church.” During the Summer months, Charlene Weiser has agreed to be more involved in helping to read bible stories with the children during Godly Play at the 10:30 am service. A ton of material, including a schedule, manual, and lessons, is available online at https://sites.google.com/site/stpetersrwcgodlyplay/ . Want to get involved, learn more, or offer some suggestions and advice? Contact Cari at 650 274-8643 or caripangchen@gmail.com . The Ragazzi Boys Chorus is holding a co-ed concert at St. Peter’s on Saturday, April 30, at 1:30 pm. You’d think that would be a tough act for a boys’ choir to pull off, but as it turns out, the Ragazzi Young Men’s Ensemble and Peninsula Girls Chorus Ensemble have a long history of collaboration, and the two groups will share the stage on the 30th. Folks at Ragazzi assure us that the combined forces will keep toes tapping. Selections include pieces by Schubert and Mendelssohn, along with Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria,” some American folk tunes, and modern musical selections featured in films such as Frozen, O Brother Where Art Thou? and Mulan. For more info see the Ragazzi website: Ragazzi.org 8 What’s New Online? Plenty… but you have to log on to see it! All kinds of good stuff will be going up in the next few weeks… including this issue of the Keys in living color. Check back often. www.StPetersRWC.org The Keys of St. Peter’s Easter! Our team of expert photographers was out in force on Easter, and boy, they sure had a lot of people to shoot! It seemed like everybody and his brother came to church. Theres’s something very enticing about a bunch of plastic eggs full of candy… and every year we prove that all over again. We can’t wait for next year! The A Team was on hand in every department, and at the end of the service there was a smile on every face. April, 2016 9 Mark the Date! Rites of Passage A few items for your April and May calendars… April Birthdays -Saturday, April 16 at 8:00 am: Day laborer ministry Kimberly Fonner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 1 -Saturday the 16th at 8:00 am: Vestry retreat Cindy Sholes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 1 Molly McDermott . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 7 Bob Bendz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 9 Andrew Hutchinson. . . . . . . . . . . . April 10 Shannon Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 17 Harper Goulden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 17 Bill McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 17 Diane Heinrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 19 Garciela Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 20 Justin Redman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 24 Phil Wolf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 28 Eileen Lindeman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 30 -Sunday the 24th at 6:00 pm: Play: The Countess Cathleen -Thursday the 21st at 10:30 am: Crafty Ladies -Thursday the 28th at 10:30 am: Crafty Ladies -Thursday, May 5 at 10:30 am: Crafty Ladies -Saturday the 7th at 8:00 am: Day laborer ministry -Sunday the 8th: Mother’s Day -Tuesday the 10th at 7:00 PM: Vestry -Thursday, the 12th at 10:30 am: Crafty Ladies -Thursday the 19th at 10:30 am: Crafty Ladies In Our Prayers CJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elaine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gertrude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mona. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing For healing Pat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For other needs For other needs Bill Finkmeier. . . . . . . . . . . Cole Houghton. . . . . . . . . . Jim McCarty. . . . . . . . . . . . Chuck Oliver. . . . . . . . . . . . Ted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For the departed For the departed For the departed For the departed For the departed 10 April Anniversaries J. D. and Donna Davidson . . . . . April 1 Angelo and Lori Castellucci . . . . . April 10 The Keys of St. Peter Get Involved! Parish governance. Priest’s Warden John Nieman. jbnieman@gmail.com The Keys of St. Peter’s LEMs, acolytes, and lectors. Contact the church office. Godly Play (Sunday School). Cari Pang Chen. caripangchen@gmail.com Altar Guild. Barbara Naas. gladbarb@comcast.net Flowers and Candles. Nancy Oliver. 650 592-5822 SPY (youth group). Mother Susan. susandparsons@aol.com Men’s Group. Deacon Skip Bushee. gsbushee@gmail.com Hopkins Manor ministry. Deacon Skip Bushee. gsbushee@gmail.com Maple Street Shelter ministry. Pat McCarty. Pat_mccarty@sbcglobal.net Ushers. Dianne Brien. briller@bicycletunes.org Crafty Ladies. Midge Bobel. 650 364-0195 Atherton Court ministry. Billy Park. addawg@mac.com Day Laborer ministry. Dave Goulden. dave.goulden@gmail.com April, 2016 St. Peter’s Episcopal Church 178 Clinton Street Redwood City, CA 94062 WWW.STPETERSRWC.ORG 650 367-0777 The Diocese of California The Right Reverend Marc Andrus Clergy and Lay Staff The Reverend Susan D. Parsons. . The Reverend Skip Bushee. . . . . . Ms. Siobhan Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Lorenzo Mendoza. . . . . . . . . Rector Deacon Parish Administrator Sexton Officers of St. Peter’s Mr. John Nieman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ms. Rebecca Schenone. . . . . . . . . . Mr. John Lessar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Peter Hutchinson. . . . . . . . . . . Priest’s Warden People’s Warden Treasurer Clerk Vestry Ms. Eleanor Antonakis Mr. Peter Hutchinson Mr. John Nieman Ms. Rebecca Schenone Ms. Teri Chin Ms. Pat McCarty Mr. Jim Redman Ms. Trish Reilly Taylor Read us online: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Redwood City is a progressive and inclusive church where we encourage all families—and young people especially—to engage enthusiastically in the community. We prefer acting to talking. We find nourishment in nourishing others. And we welcome all to join us. StPetersRWC.org/the-keys Published monthly for the friends of St. Peter’s Church. issuu.com/st_peters_episcopal_church May issue deadline: May 6 April, 2016 11 St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Non-Profit U.S. Postage 178 Clinton Street Redwood City, CA 94062 PAID Redwood City, CA Permit no. 29 www.StPetersRWC.org x Current resident or The Keys of St. Peter’s April, 2016 In this issue… • We Open Up! • Countess Cathleen! • Expanding Horizons! • Sacred Space…and more!