March 2002
Vol. 4 No. 3

Archive of Previous Issues

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Table of Contents for March 2002 [Vol. 4 No. 3]

 

HOMEWORK

Students know homework to be a necessary evil. It cuts into their recreation. But if they neglect their homework they will do badly on a test and get a low grade.

We did not give up homework when we left school or college. Vestry members do home work before each meeting so that they come prepared and we use our time together more efficiently. Every human activity requires some homework.

This is true of our worship. If we come to church prepared we can use our time together more effectively. There are a number of things we need to do in advance. This includes what we do alone and what we do with small groups.

Alone we can read the lessons coming up in the service in advance, so that when we hear them in church they don’t go straight over our heads! We publish the readings for the following week in the bulletin each Sunday. We can read Forward Day-by-day (pick up a copy in the church entrance). Day-by-day lists the readings for Sundays and weekdays with a brief comment.

Before Sunday, we will remember the names of those for whom we pray, whom we want to bring to the altar. We will bring to consciousness the issues of our daily lives that we want to leave at the altar, entrusting them to God.

If we have a daily devotional practice, then we will not need to depend exclusively upon the Sunday worship to feed our souls. Corporate worship then becomes something that we can give back to God as part of our offering.

work before each meeting so that they come prepared and we use our time together more efficiently. Every human activity requires some homework.

Likewise, if we have done our small group homework before we come to church on Sundays, then we will not depend upon the short time that we spend together to do our socializing and our other business.

This work will include meeting with others at foyer suppers or at needlework meetings or at the men’s breakfast or lunch, or the vestry or any of the other meetings, which happen around St. Patrick’s.

--Hugh Stevenson

 

LENT

The third Sunday of Lent is March 3rd. The Women’s Retreat will take place at Bishop’s Ranch, led by Julie Wizorek.

The fourth Sunday of Lent is March 10th. This is Laetare or Refreshment Sunday (or Mothering Sunday in U.K.)-the middle of Lent. At 10:00 a.m. there will be a contemporary service with special music from the Andes, offered by “Kausay.” They came and accompanied our service last year. They play guitars and pipes.

At 11:30 a.m. Clean up Day. Will you come to church in working clothes and bring cleaning equipment? We want to clean the three church buildings, get rid of dust and cobwebs and clean the windows. We will be serving hot dogs. We should be done by 2:30 p.m.

At 5:00 p.m. (“High church”) Evensong for the Octave of St. Patrick’s Day sung by the choir of the Church of the Advent, San Francisco. They will sing the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Thomas Tallis and the responses by Thomas Tompkins. Layten Heckman will be the organist.

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th. We will sing hymns with Irish tunes: the Londonderry Air and Slane. The children stay in Sunday school for the entire service. On this day we will offer the ministry of healing (the laying on of hands and anointing with oil) to any who wish to come forward to the altar rail after the Prayers of the People.

After the 10:00 a.m. service there will be a workshop to make palm crosses for Palm Sunday, March 24th.

The youth group will go to Vertex, the climbing center, to test their skills.

 

HOLY WEEK

Palm Sunday is March 24th. At the 8:00 a.m. service, the palms will be blessed and distributed after communion. At the 10:00 a.m. service we will gather outside the doors of the church by the St. Patrick’s cross (weather permitting) and process in, even as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. Those who wish may sit in church and wait for the congregation to arrive.

Maundy Thursday is March 28th. On this day we remember that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and called us all to do the same for one another. Then he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist. He took bread which he called his body, and told us to do the same in memory of him. We will celebrate the Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At the latter service, there will be an anthem and it will conclude with the stripping of the altar, reminding us that Jesus was stripped before his crucifixion.

After the service, there will be a vigil in Church sponsored by the Daughters of the King. Jesus said to his disciples in Gethsemane, and to us, “Could you not watch one hour?”

Good Friday is March 29th. This year, the Three-hour Good Friday service is at St. Patrick’s, with the participation of Pastor Carolyn Woodson of Kenwood Community Church, as well as Julie Wizorek, George Hunt and Cliff Kent. It begins at 12:00 noon.

Since Good Friday is a normal working day for many people and so that no one will be excluded, we will also hold a Family Service with music at 7:00 p.m. The church will be barren with no adornments and there is no communion on this day.

 

EASTER

Easter is March 31st. There will be three services on Easter: 8:00, 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. The 8:00 a.m. Easter service will begin with the lighting of the Paschal candle and will conclude with the singing of “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today.” At both the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services Michael Rado, harpist for the Santa Rosa Symphony orchestra, will accompany the choir and Sally Wagner (soprano).

Easter Baptism. Easter is one of the great baptismal days. We will be doing baptisms during the 11:00 a.m. service. Are there any adults or children who would like to be baptized at this time? Please let me know.

Church Decorating. The Altar Guild will be decorating the church on Saturday, March 30th. If you would like to help, please call the directress, Bette Leedom (537-7587).

The Flowering Cross. Before the beginning of the 9:00 a.m. service on Easter Day, the children will decorate the flowering cross and carry it into the sanctuary. Please bring flowers for them to use in decorating the cross.

Easter Egg-tivities. The Easter Bunny needs jelly beans and small chocolate Easter candies for the Easter egg hunt. This will take place at 10:15 a.m. on Easter Day. If you have any plastic Easter eggs left over from last year, could you please bring them back.

Easter Coffee Hours. Refreshments will be served after the 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. services, but not after the 11:00 a.m. service. Would you like to volunteer with others to do the coffee, juice and refreshments? At the same time, could you please check the schedule and see if you can lend a hand on another Sunday?

Easter Parking. If the “front 40” is dry enough, we will use it for overflow parking. Please do not block the entrance leading from the church driveway. Do remember that there is additional parking at the rear of the church.

Easter Flowers. If you want to give Easter decorations in memory of, or in thanksgiving for, a loved one, please sign the Flower Book in the church entrance. Please write in CAPITALS. Make checks out to St. Patrick's, marked “For Easter Flowers.”

 

April

Satellite Coverage of Trinity Institute Conference

The following is the schedule for Trinity Institute’s 33rd Conference “How Then Must We Live?: Spiritual Formation in a Broken World.” The 2-day program is being broadcast from Trinity Church Wall Street, “within sight of Ground Zero,” and is being downlinked by satellite in the Education Building at St. Patrick’s Church, Kenwood, on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6. You are invited to attend all or a portion of the program. You will notice tape delays of the first speaker (on the East Coast broadcast) to accommodate our West Coast sleeping habits. Because of this, the Closing Panel appears before the final speaker. Questions from people attending may be put through directly to the speakers in New York at the close of each talk.

The five speakers for the conference, Phyllis Tickle, Parker Palmer, Sharon Daloz Parks, Roberta Bondi, and Andre Delbecq are all actively engaged in spiritual formation in diverse communities in America. Fliers with further details are available in the narthex of the church or online at www.trininst.org.

Trinity Institute's 33rd National Conference

    Friday, April 5, 2002
    Pacific Standard Time
    8:15 - 9:30 a.m. Parker Palmer
    9:30 - 9:40 a.m. Break
    9:40 - 10:55 a.m.  Phyllis Tickle (Tape Delay
    10:55 - 11:00 a.m. Break
    11:00 - 12:15 p.m. Parker Palmer (not a tape delay, Mr. Palmer has two presentations)
    12:15 - 12:45 p.m. Break
    12:45 - 2:00 p.m. Sharon Daloz Parks

    Saturday, April 6, 2002
    Pacific Standard Time
    8:15 - 9:45 a.m. .        Roberta Bondi
    9:45 - 10:30 a.m.       Closing Panel
    1030 - 10:45 a.m.       Break
    10:45 - 12:15 p.m.     Andre Delbecq(Tape Delay)

April 7th is Mendelssohn Sunday at St. Patrick’s. Prelude, postlude, some of the hymns and the anthem will be by this composer (1809-1847). During communion, Jackie Senter will sing “O rest in the Lord,” from Elijah.

Summer time begins. The clocks spring forward one hour.

 

Worship Survey

Very many thanks to all who sent in a response to our survey on worship. Twenty-two 8:00 o’clockers and sixty-two 10:00 o’clockers responded. We asked your preferences about Rite I and Rite II. Half of the 8;00 o’clockers and a third of the 10:00 o’clockers were easy either way. Of the balance, there was a preference for Rite I at 8:00 a.m. and a strong preference for Rite II at 10:00 a.m.

Beginning after Easter, we are starting a new schedule. At 8:00 a.m. we will use Rite II on the first Sunday of the month and Rite I on other Sundays; and at 10:00 a.m., we will use Rite I on the first Sunday and Rite II on other Sundays.

There were several requests for Morning Prayer. We will reinstate a shortened form of Morning Prayer followed by the Eucharist quarterly, beginning in May. We will also use the contemporary form of the Lord’s Prayer occasionally as this also was requested.

There were a number of requests for a third service on Sunday mornings. The vestry discussed this thoroughly at our vestry retreat in January. We are optimistic about introducing it towards the end of the year.

A number of people asked for quiet in church both before and during the service. The noise is distracting. Lets make the sanctuary a “Quiet Zone.” As one of the worst offenders, I will try to have my conversations and greetings outside the church. Will you do likewise?

There were a number of requests for contemporary music: camp and cursillo songs, jazz services and the like. A third service would give us the opportunity to use songs from Gather, and other songbooks.

Several people asked for guidance whether to stand, sit or kneel, and requested that everyone in the altar area do the same thing.

Some said that they value the participation of young people in our worship: as acolytes, readers, chalice bearers and ushers. They expressed gratitude for the teachers, parents and role models for youth.

Many expressed satisfaction with our worship. They appreciate the sermons, the music (including the singing of psalms) and the ordering of our worship.

We have a survey about every four years. Your comments are welcome at any time. Please share them with the Rector.

--Hugh Stevenson

 

VESTRY WORKSHOP

All the members of the vestry except one met on January 26 under the guidance of Bishop George Hunt. We looked at the issues facing St. Patrick’s this year. Among our priorities are: finding a youth leader and new Sunday school superintendent, preparing for the Rector’s sabbatical, taking good care of our property, our financial solvency and preparing to initiate a third service on Sunday morning.

We talked about what had first brought us to St. Patrick’s and why we had stayed.

A feasible schedule for Sunday morning might look like this:

    7:30 a.m.  Holy Eucharist (with music once a month), followed by refreshments.
    9:00 a.m.  Holy Eucharist (with songs; to last no longer than 40 minutes)
    9:45 a.m.  Sunday school, choir rehearsal, adult education courses.
    10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with choir (with hymns).

We assigned different responsibilities to vestry members as follows:

VESTRY ASSIGNMENTS

Adult Education

John Leech

538-3916

Children’s Ministries

Lori Hunt

833-4460

Communications

Bill Perry

537-7523

Endowment

Hutch Gibb

538-7154

Facilities

Armand Russell

833-2450

Finance (CMS)

Chuck Chapman

539-3111

Hospitality

Kate Aldrich

539-9603

Insurance (finance)

Don Allison

539-2040

Kitchen

Jean Derum

523-4553

Music (adult and children)

Jackie Senter

528-0592

Office

George Thoresen

538-1315

Outreach

Barbara Fry

538-2164

Pastoral Care

Kate Aldrich

539-9603

Personnel

George Thoresen

538-1315

Stewardship

Jean Derum

523-4553

Women’s Ministries

Nancy Dill

537-9534

Worship

Armand Russell

833-2450

Youth Ministries

Lori Hunt

833-4460

We concluded with the Eucharist.

We had enjoyed an excellent supper for vestry members and friends at Jean Derum’s house the night before.

 

MARCH IS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

This month the Episcopal Women’s History Project will be celebrated across the country. We celebrated acknowledgment of this at St. Patrick’s on Sunday, February 24th.

 

TURNING POINTS

Thanks to: Margaret Merchat who organized the youth group snow weekend, and Lori Hunt who did the shopping.

The ECW and all who helped with Julie’s ordination, and to those who helped with the Deanery workshops.

Bob Carpenter and Bob Fry who brought people to St. Patrick’s in the Friends House van.

Welcome to: Judy Kimsey who lives on Oakleaf Drive in Oakmont.

Petra Sten of Spring Lake Village.

Jean Elliott who has been living in Oakmont for the past two months. Jean is selling her home in New Hampshire and moving here permanently

Billy and Rose Burton have moved into Oakmont Gardens from Vacaville.

Congratulations to: Mary Alyce and Mark Stephens on the birth of their twins.

Karen Borgfeldt who made her cursillo.

Linda Lewis who graduated from Empire Business College with a degree in accounting. She was named outstanding graduate out of a class of 185.

Relocation: Anne Campbell is now in Friends House

 

ST. PATRICKS BRIDGE PLAYERS

Four years ago St. Patrick's Bridge Players group was formed. We celebrated this momentous occasion by having a luncheon and a bridge game in December. It was a huge success in spite of the excess garlic in the Caesar Salad. We meet the 3rd Tuesday each month in the Education Building with a lovely view of the vineyards. In January Sarah Phillips was the high scorer with 3500 points. Please consider joining this congenial group. Call me at 538-5258. Watch this column to know who will be the winner in February.

--Josie Ross

 

ECW

Pam Moore will speak Tuesday, April 9th at 11:00 a.m.. Her topic will be a broad overview of the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service, how an Embassy is organized, its various sections and how they relate to the U.S. Foreign Policy.

Pam spent twenty-five years overseas working at U.S. Embassies in Bonn, Germany; Montevideo, Uruguay; Peking (Beijing), China at the U.S. Liaison Office; Nairobi, Kenya; Washington, D.C. at the State Department; Jakarta, Indonesia; Vienna, Austria; Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia; Belgrade, Yugoslavia; Islamabad, Pakistan; and back to Bonn – and now Oakmont!

By explaining some of her experiences throughout her career she will give us a better understanding of life in the Foreign Service.

Sign ups in Parish Hall.

--Nancy Dill

 

DAUGHTERS OF THE KING – LENTEN VIGIL

Jesus asked his disciples on the night before He was crucified, “Could you not watch one hour?” (Mark 14:37).

You are invited to participate in a Lenten Vigil, sponsored by the Daughters of the King. The Vigil will take place at St. Patrick’s as a continuation of the Maundy Thursday Service between the hours of 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. The theme will be Psalm 69; periods of silence and prayer will revolve around this psalm.

You may participate by being physically present in the service or hold a Vigil between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. at home, praying and meditating on Psalm 69. Prayerfully consider watching one hour with Jesus this Maundy Thursday.

--Sharon Traeger
(537-8661)

 

EPISCOPAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT

Lenten calendars and boxes (HOPE chests) are available in the church entrance. At the end of Lent please leave your box, or check made out to St. Patrick’s and designated for Episcopal Relief and Development, in the office. This is a fine way to give thanks during Lent. For further information please call Barbara Fry (538.2164).

 

JOHN BOGART LIBRARY

This month we added four new books to our library.

The first is A Theology of Worship by Louis Weil. This is volume 12 in the New Church’s Teaching Series. Thanks to Rev. Julie it has been signed by the author “For the People of St. Patrick’s.” Weil discusses the role of the laity in our church, lamenting that their contribution has steadily diminished over the centuries and why it is necessary to reclaim their true baptismal role today.

The second is Pope John XXIII by Thomas Cahill. The book opens with a concise history of the Catholic Church and the papacy, followed by a brief but unforgettable reign of Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli, Pope John XXIII. This is in the readable style that we expect from Cahill and is very interesting.

Third, there is Excavating Jesus. Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed. The Bible expert, Crossan, and Reed, a Galilean field archaeologist, look at Jesus and his world from their different perspectives. Comparing textual Biblical studies with digs in ancient Palestine provides a fuller portrait of Jesus, his surroundings, teachings and followers.

Lastly, Dorace McKibben, our former parish-ioner, recommended The Girls with the Grandmother Faces. A Celebration of Life’s Potential for Those Over 55 by Frances Weaver. Here is a lot of positive advice, especially for widows, about gathering the courage to follow our dreams at any age.

All of these books are to be found on the shelf with the new books.

--Ronnie Leonard

 

UNIQUE BOUTIQUE

The Boutique workshops are off and running. Everyone is encouraged to come and participate in creating items for St. Patrick’s 25th Annual Unique Boutique. The workshops are held from 9 until noon on the second and fourth Fridays (in March on the 8th and 22nd) in the Common Room. Work has already begun on the number of projects planned for this year’s event. Sewers, stuffers, cutters, painters are in big demand and new ideas are always welcome.

For those who would like to work at home, there are fabrics and patterns available for making aprons and potholders as well as yarns and instructions for knitted items. Pick up materials at a Friday workshop or call Rosie Speight at 538-3885 or Phyllis Cressy at 538-8950 to arrange to get them at another time.

 

TEA TOWELS TEA TOWELS TEA TOWELS TEA TOWELS

The most popular and first-to-be-sold Boutique items are tea towels. Over two hundred towels are waiting for embroidered or appliquéd decorations.  Patterns are available.  They may be picked up at a Friday workshop or delivered to you by calling Joan Ingold at 539-7631.

 

MINISTRY IN MOTION

On Sunday, February 10 the Ministry in Motion van pulled up to the curb at St. Patrick’s with three delighted passengers: Sarah Phillips (mother of parishioner Sarah Phillips McLean) and Charles and Anne Campbell, all residents of Friends House. Bob Carpenter and Bob Fry, our specially trained volunteer drivers, assisted the riders out of the van where they were met by the clergy, Hugh and Julie, and escorted into the church by family and friends.

We will continue to offer rides to church for any homebound members who have no other means of transportation. The next scheduled rides will be February 24 and March 10.

We would like to have two more volunteers who would be willing to be trained to drive the van, so the “Bobs” can alternate Sundays or if one or the other of them plans to be out of town. Please call Julie Wizorek or Nina Pohl if you would be willing to participate in this ministry.

Or speak with either of the current drivers if you have questions. Or, if you would like to join this happy group on coming Sundays, let us know.

Submitted by Nina Pohl

 

OBLATION BEARERS

At a recent meeting of the Worship Committee it was decided that we should ask two members of the congregation to present our offerings of bread and wine each Sunday at the 10:00 a.m. service. The bread and wine will be set up at the back of the church and will be brought forward and presented to the priest before our money offering. This bread and wine represents the offering of our life and work to God which will be consecrated to become the Body and Blood of Christ given back to us in Holy Eucharist.

We would like as many members of the congregation as are able to participate in this offering. We would like young and older, married and single and families to participate. Judy Buff is making up a schedule for doing this and will be calling you. If you are interested in doing this please contact Judy or Fr. Stevenson and let them know.

--Judy Buff
(539-2667)

 

ENDOWMENT FUND COMMITTEE

Small Grants Program

The Small Grants Pilot Program is changing lives. One of the first recipients of funds is now gainfully employed. He is able to stay working because he is no longer hungry or anxious about his next meal. Having a microwave and refrigerator, made possible by the Small Grants Pilot Program, really changed his life. Another grant recipient needed clothes to interviewing. His job search is becoming more focused and is moving forward. He expects to be employed soon. Two women, the most recent recipients, are now able to purchase clothes appropriate for interviews and employment. They are on the way to new jobs and better lives.

The idea for the Small Grants Program evolved from Gene Friedrich’s interest in an outreach program for St. Patrick’s Church. As a member of the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries, he could see the need for a program to help people who are experiencing temporary difficulties to move back into the mainstream through employment. Obstacles appear in many forms including the need for a month’s rent, gas or clothes for the interview, or food and other necessities. Success comes when someone is gainfully employed.

The Friedrichs worked with the Endowment Fund Committee in setting up a pilot program. If the idea was viable, the results successful, the Church would make a strong impact on the lives of those less fortunate. The initial success of the pilot program prompted a gift from the Friedrichs to support this ministry. It is the hope of the Friedrich family and the Endowment Committee that others will follow their example with contributions or designated gifts to the Endowment Fund.

St. Patrick’s Endowment Fund enables the Parish to more completely fulfill its mission by developing its ministries beyond what is possible with the annual operating funds. Distributions may be used for outreach ministries and grants; seed money for new ministries, or special one-time projects; capital needs of the Parish; and other purposes specified by donors whose designated gifts are included in the fund. Anniversaries, birthdays, thanksgiving’s, memorials and “just because” are occasions that might be recognized with a gift to the Fund. Of course, planned gifts are always welcome.

Checks should be made payable to St. Patrick’s and designated for the Endowment Fund. Green envelopes are available in the narthex for your convenience. The Endowment Committee welcomes your questions and comments.

--Karen Steelman for the Endowment Fund Committee

 

E-SCRIP

March is E-Scrip month at St. Patrick’s. We invite you to sign up for this program. You do not need to give your Visa (or other credit card) number or your Social Security number but you will be asked for the number on your Safeway card. Every time you use your card at Safeway they will make a donation of about 1.5% of your bill to St. Patrick’s. It is easy, it is safe, and it is a good way to raise money for the church.

Please sign up after church on a Sunday in March.

--Hutch Gibb

 

THANK YOU!

I wish to thank the community of St. Patrick’s for all your prayers, help and assistance in making my ordination to the priesthood a moving and spirit fed experience. To quote a classmate of mine, St. Patrick’s is "fabulous" for your welcome and hospitality. Thank you especially to Hugh in overseeing the liturgy (and the brownie recipe), to Layten for his original music for Psalm 43, to the choir for their heart felt singing, and the altar guild. The reception was truly lovely, gracious and welcoming for the many people who came to share in the celebration of my ministry. Thank you to Elayne Roland, the ECW and helpers for the delicious food and all that goes into a big reception. My family, friends, classmates, and archaeology colleagues truly left knowing what it means to gather and celebrate at St. Patrick’s in God’s name here.

    Much love and affection,
    Julie

 

VALUE

The Sunday school teacher had ended her Bible story and was asking questions of her primary tots. “Why, do you think, does God love us all so very mch?” she asked. There was a momentary silence as the children wrinkled their little brows and ‘thought hard’ for the proper answer. “Why does God love us – so very much?”

Suddenly little Kristin’s hand shot up. And without the slightest doubt about the correctness of her answer she blurted: “Because he has only one of each of us.”

Only one of each of us!

Anon

 

 


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