April 2007 Vol. 9 No. 4 Archive of Previous Issues The Grapevine is published monthly (except for a combined July/August issue) by St. Patrick's Episcopal Church E-mail St. Patricks The Rev. Hugh Stevenson, Rector Editor: Herc Roland, 538-3134

Table of Contents for April 2007 [Vol. 9 No. 4]

The Divorce Turning Points Bits and Pieces Holy Week Around St. Patrick's Vestry Workshop

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THE DIVORCE

WHERE DO WE (THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH) GO NEXT?
In February 2007, the primates (i.e. archbishops) of the Anglican Communion met in Tanzania. After discussing other issues, they came to the current crisis in the Anglican Communion.

In the communiqué of the meeting, they state it is our "belief that the Episcopal Church has departed from the standard of teaching on human sexuality accepted by the Communion in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution…. The Episcopal ministry of a person living in a same-sex relationship is not acceptable to the majority of the [Anglican] Communion."

Back in 1998, the African bishops and other Third World bishops highjacked the Lambeth conference, a gathering of all the Bishops of the Anglican Communion. For the first time they had the majority and they flexed their power.

Many of their churches were founded by evangelical missionaries who had emphasized a form of Anglicanism that was based solely on scripture. Thus the Archbishop of South America said, "We came very close to separation. But Biblical doctrine and behaviour have been affirmed as norms in the church."

This is not the form of Anglicanism that many of we Anglicans espouse. As I said in a recent sermon, we go back to Elizabeth I's theologian, Richard Hooker, who said that our church is founded not on a single leg of the stool (scripture), but on three legs (scripture plus tradition and reason).

The Lambeth Conference of 1998 also exceeded its authority in dictating its demands to the whole church. This is not how the Church was set up. Each province of the Anglican Communion is intended to be independent. The Archbishop of Canterbury is not a Pope but is first among equals. The Episcopal Church is governed by the General Convention.

The Primates went on to express concern about the "lack of clarity" in the Episcopal Church. Though our General Convention made no resolution about authorizing Rites of Blessing for those living in same sex relationships, these continue to happen at a local level. In addition, some Bishops in the USA have not abided by the recommendations of the Windsor Report.

The Communiqué also defends those who have chosen to break away from the Episcopal Church. They say, "A significant number of bishops, clergy and lay people … believe that they should have the liberty to live and practice by that expression of Anglican faith which they believe to be true." In reality, no one has taken that liberty away from them. Rather they have chosen to secede.

Katharine, our Presiding Bishop, pointed out that "there are [also] those who have lost trust in the Primates and bishops of certain of our provinces because they fear that they are all too ready to undermine or subvert the polity of the Episcopal Church." To which I say "Amen."

The report concludes that throughout the meeting, "the Primates have worked and prayed for the healing and unity of the Anglican Communion." By their fruits ye shall know them!

The same kind of thing emerges in the politics of this country. In his book, Faith and Politics, Senator John Danforth says, "the Republican party has identified itself with Christian conservatives." Initially Christian conservatives opposed abortion, but the opposition has now spread to stem cell research, gay marriage, having religious displays in public places and the attempt to keep Terri Schiavo alive. Danforth says, "The Christian Right's strategy of splitting apart the American people has worked" (p. 8). Archbishop Akinola is doing the same thing, polarizing opinion in the worldwide Anglican Church. The issue, I think, is much greater than a gay bishop. It concerns the direction in which we go.

The big crunch will come in 2008. Every 10 years the Archbishop of Canterbury convenes all the Bishops of the Anglican Church at Canterbury. The question will be whether Episcopal and other liberal bishops will be invited. The Episcopal Church usually picks up a lot of the tab. It comes ultimately out of the assessment we pay the diocese.

I believe that the Biblical conservatives who are now dominant in the Anglican Communion (though not in the Episcopal Church) have the strategy of splitting our church apart. I used to think that we should make concessions in order to preserve the unity of our church. It's not working. We need to stand up for what we believe. I fear that "the divorce" is now inevitable. But I also believe ultimately the dust will settle and we will be reconciled once again.
Hugh Stevenson

TURNING POINTS

All find a welcome:
Craig and Marsha Nygard Charbonneau

For this, much thanks:
Anne and Charlie Chapman for hosting the vestry dinner on March 2.
Margaret Merchat for chairing the St Patrick's Day dinner and all her helpers.
To Tommie Apostolides who garnered innumerable prizes for the raffle.

We ask God's protection of those serving in the military overseas:

Chris Whittaker	Dallas Casey
Dan Whitwright	George Sutherland
Mike Bennett	Bert Ninteman

May they know God's healing power:

Hertha Brown	Wyn Warfield
Janice Currie	Lolita Seguin
Jack Rockwell	Linda Belding
Norman Wood	George Arack Sr.
Ed, John, Teddy	Natalie Matrazzo

Blessings on:
Heather McKoy and Eric Shumacher married on March 24.

Deepest sympathy:
Rick and Linda Belding on the death of Rick's father, Richard.
Lauretta Brassachio on the death of her brother, Peter Grimes.
George MacLeod on the death of his sister.
Marion MacInnis, on the death of her son, John.

BITS AND PIECES

PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Fund-raiser for the Youth Group's Mexico mission, Sunday April 22.

ADULT LITERACY BOARD
The Adult Literacy League has been around for 37 years. They offer free lessons to adults to speak, read and write English. Illiteracy costs the country $225 billion each year. The League is looking for more tutors and new members for the Board. Board members need to have connections in the community and be willing to raise funds. Is this for you? Call the League office 539-3848.

CAMP NOEL PORTER
Although Canon Len Shaheen has retired as director of Camp Noel Porter, the children's Summer Camp will continue in 2007. These are the dates of the different camps:

Dates	Program	Children's Ages
June 17-23	Counselor Training
June 24-30	Junior High	7-9 Grade
July 1-5	Family Camp	5 or older
July 6-8	Alumni Camp	13 & older
July 8-14	Junior-Junior High	4-9 Grade
July 15-21	Junior	4-6 Grade
July 22-28	Junior High	7-9 Grade
July 29-Aug 4	Junior-Junior High	4-9 Grade
Aug 5-11	Senior High	10-12 Grade
Aug 31-Sep 3	Labor Day Family Camp	5-12

BISHOP'S CONFERENCE
April 18-20 at Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa. Keynote speaker is the Rev. Dr. John L. Kater, founder and former director of CALL at Church Divinity School of the Pacific. This year's conference theme is, "Strengthening the Bonds of Communion: We Are All One." Send checks payable to The Diocese of Northern California ($210/person includes registration and meals). Team Discount for 3+ people; deduct $15 each if postmarked prior to March 15, 2007. Other workshops, include Q&A on the Windsor Report, Millennium Goals, Congregational systems, Appreciative Inquiry, "Diversity by Design" (Racism training). Full schedule, registration form and separate hotel information are available at www.dncweb.org (click on Calendar, then Upcoming Events.)

BLOOD DRIVE
Blood Bank of the Redwoods is holding a blood drive at the Kenwood Fire Protection District parking lot, across from the church on Tuesday April 10, 3:00 p.m.-6:00 pm.

MARCH VESTRY MEETING
The main work at the Vestry Meeting was the setting up of commissions. Each commission will have its own charter or job description. Some work does not need a committee and will be done by individuals. If you would like to help with a commission call the contact person below:

Worship	Judy Buff
Emergency Preparedness	Judy Buff
Property	Michael Peterson
Landscape	Jean Meyer
	Vicki Ward
Outreach	Bill McDonald
Youth & children	Margaret Merchat
Newcomers	Jill Hunting
Fellowship	Cathy Landon
Health & Wellness	Becky Jenkins

HOLY WEEK

Palm Sunday: April 1, at the 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., the blessing of palms. At 10:30, the procession of palms beginning outside the main doors of the church by the St. Patrick's Cross (weather permitting). The reading of the Passion story, according to Luke.

Holy Tuesday: April 3 at 6:00 p.m., Seder potluck supper. Please sign up in the Parish Hall.

Holy Wednesday: April 4, at 9:00 a.m., Midweek Eucharist and Healing.

Maundy Thursday: April 5. Eucharist at both 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The latter service is followed by the stripping of the altar, followed by a vigil. Stay as long as you can.

Good Friday: April 6. Good Friday liturgy at noon. The church will be open for private prayer from 9:00 a.m. onwards. The offering goes to the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem & Middle-East.

Holy Saturday: April 7, the Altar Guild will decorate the church at 9:00 a.m.; would you like to help them?

Easter Day: April 8, the 8:00 a.m. lighting of the Paschal candle and the Easter vigil. Celebrant: Bishop George Hunt.

The Flowering Cross. Before the beginning of the 9:00 a.m. Family Eucharist, bring flowers for the children to decorate the flowering cross.

Easter baptism at the 11:00 a.m. service (Note Time). Festal Eucharist will include Holy Baptism with special music. Do you know of more children or adults to be baptized?

Easter Egg Hunt. Please bring jellybeans and small chocolate Easter candies for the Easter egg hunt, after the 9:00 a.m. service.

Easter Parking - overflow parking on the "front 40." Please do not block the entrance leading from the church driveway. There is also additional parking at the rear of the church.

Easter Flowers. Will you give Easter decorations in memory of or in thanksgiving for a loved one? Please sign the Flower Book in the Church entrance by Palm Sunday (April 1). Please write in CAPITALS. Checks payable to St. Patrick's, "For Easter Flowers."

JOHN BOGART LIBRARY
Three rather different books for our library.

The first is one many have been waiting for: A Wing and a Prayer: A Message of Faith and Hope by Katharine Jefferts Schori. This little book is our first introduction to our new presiding Bishop, to her spirit and thinking. Each chapter is a story, which leaves the reader with the positive feeling that through faith, understanding and service to others we can make this a better world.

For history we have Jesus in America: Personal Savior, Cultural Hero, National Obsession, by Richard W. Fox. This book is about how Americans have believed in and portrayed Jesus from the beginnings in the New World to the present day. Fox begins with the interaction between the Indians, the French and Spanish (whose approaches were very different from those of the English). From Virginia and Massachusetts Bay to today's evangelists and filmmakers he gives a very vivid picture of how we worship God.

Lastly, a controversial book by Garry Wills: What Paul Meant. Wills says Paul deserves to be recognized as our most reliable guide to Jesus' real teachings. Modern scholarship finds the Gospels were written from a "quarter to half a century after Paul's letters" which were written about twenty years after Jesus' death. Therefore, Paul's writings "stand closer" in time to Jesus than any other words in the New Testament. Wills contrasts Luke's version of Paul's conversion in Acts with Paul's own writings. These minor examples are indicative of the different ideas Wills espouses. A very interesting book.

AROUND ST. PATRICK'S

BULETIN MISTAKS
If you find errors in the bulletin on a Sunday-and nothing is perfect is perfect-please email me after the service. Do not point out errors when you see them. They distract us from our worship! And you let them distract you too! Please stay focused. Thanks, Hugh.

PENTECOST BANNER
Pentecost Sunday is a day to celebrate belief that God through His Holy Spirit is at work among His people. It is a celebration of newness, recreation, renewal of purpose, and mission. The banner will symbolize the Holy Spirit and its power as tongues of flame touch the people speaking many languages, but miraculously, understanding one another.

BAZAAR WORKSHOP
Jean Derum is chairing the Bazaar. Workshops will resume on 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays at 9:00 am in the Common Room. Everyone is welcome.

HOLIDAY BAZAAR - GARDEN SHOP
Spring is here and it is time to get out and work in our gardens. It is also time to begin preparing for our Holiday Bazaar next October. When you are dividing your plants please remember us and put some in pots for St. Patrick's. You might also take some cuttings from your favorite plants, or plant some seedlings just for us. Pumpkins, gourds and dried flowers are good suggestions. The committee is looking for clean pots to decorate, pretty pots or other suitable containers to plant things in, garden knick-knacks, and potting soil. Would someone like to make birdhouses? If you have any of these things to donate please contact Jane Hall (217-3970) or Gloria Salander (537-0302)

EVENSONG
We have invited Carol Menke's choir, Cantiamo to come and sing Evensong for us as a prelude to Passiontide. We hope to do Evensong at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday April 15. Potluck supper will follow. Please check the Sunday bulletin.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
The Emergency Preparedness Task Force held their first meeting on March 10 to begin to update the emergency plans for St. Patrick's.

• We will meet with the Red Cross and the Fire Department.
• We will inventory our supplies needed in case of a disaster and make sure that all personnel know what their duties are.
• We will hold a disaster drill sometime in the future for the entire congregation.
• Do you know how to turn off the gas, electricity and water at your home?

We are training the vestry and other key people how to do this at St. Patrick's and are purchasing the proper wrenches for that purpose. We have included in this Grapevine a suggested emergency kit for you to prepare for your own home. We want all members of St. Patrick's prepared and safe. One helpful hint that we have learned is to keep a pair of sturdy shoes and socks and a flashlight in a mesh bag tied to the leg of your bed so you can find them quickly and easily after an earthquake.

We will be meeting regularly over the next few months. If you are interested in helping with this project please call Judy Buff at 539-2667.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES
Bishop Barry Beisner will be here on Sunday June 10. Classes are in progress. We meet on Sunday mornings at 9:45 am in the Common Room (No meetings on Palm Sunday, April 1; and Easter, April 8). Would you like to join us? If you were confirmed in another communion, would you like to be received in the Episcopal Church? Would you like to reaffirm your baptismal promises?

The Bishop will meet with the congregation between the services. And will probably want to meet the vestry.

VESTRY WORKSHOP

We met on March 3. We reviewed the reports that came in from the neighborhood meetings. These did not accomplish some of the purposes for which they were held. These were:

• To explore your relationship with St Patrick's.
• To find ways to share your time and talent, in order to deepen your experience as a member of the community.
• To discuss small group ministries at St Patrick's. If you want a copy of the leaflet, call the parish office.
• To comment on the sizing of our congregation. I spoke about this at the Annual Meeting in January.
• To find out if the women are interested in a women's retreat

However we did get feedback on the direction the parish is going. People were generally not in favor of a companion relationship with a parish in Honduras.

Two issues came up at several meetings: (1) the lighting in the parking lot and (2) the sexton. John Heidel and the Rector have now replaced nearly all the burnt out light bulbs around the church and inside. We are working on the Exit signs. These are an important part of our emergency preparedness. We are also working with our sexton to make sure he knows what to do and that he has the supplies to do it.

The question was raised at one meeting, whether we plan to have an assistant. We are still exploring the possibility of having an extra priest quarter time if we can find one.

Another idea that we are examining is having Evensong once a month on Sunday evenings, read by a lay member of the parish, followed by a supper. Would you be interested in this?

An ongoing concern of the vestry is to stay in touch with the congregation. At each service a vestry member welcomes the congregation and offers her or himself for comments and questions after the service.

We discussed the different responsibilities of the Rector and the vestry. The Rector is responsible for worship, preaching, teaching and pastoral care. The Vestry's responsibilities are finance, property and recruiting individuals to fill positions of leadership (i.e. commissions).

We identified these Goals for the vestry meetings :

1. Improve facilities and landscaping
2. Improve functioning of committees
3. Improve coffee hour participation
4. Coordinate outreach, improve congregational knowledge of what we're doing
5. Review sexton position and assignments
6. Develop list of activities while Rector is on sabbatical
7. Plan pledge drive in the fall
8. Review policies regarding dollars for information and advertising
9. Add input to the budget for next year
10. Develop combined evensong/adult education concept
11. Review of our worship schedule

These are the main focuses for vestry meetings this year:

March	Commissions & sabbatical planning
April	Endowment
May	Coffee hour participation; Sexton; Evensong/adult education
June	Review of worship schedule
Aug	Every Member Canvass
Sept	Emergency preparedness
Oct	Preliminary budget
Nov	Review goals and commission reports
Jan	Budget; review of the vestry year

Would you be interested in serving on a commission? A list will be publicized after the March vestry meeting.
Hugh Stevenson