May 2005 Vol. 7 No. 5 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 May 2005 [Vol. 7 No. 5]

Right To Eternal Life May Events At St. Patrick's Turning Points Bishop's Visit Around St. Patrick's John Bogart Library

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RIGHT TO ETERNAL LIFE

Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage in 1990 and for 15 years lived in what doctors called "a persistent vegetative state." Her parents wanted her kept alive and her husband, Michael, wanted to honor her wishes by removing her feeding tubes. There were numerous court cases and everyone from the President downwards weighed in on the side of the "Right to life" or the side of the "Right to eternal life." One can only imagine how hard all of this was for her grieving immediate family and for Terri herself. Terri Schiavo died on March 31.

Of course this issue is not unique to Terri and her family. Thousands of people everyday have to make the decision as to whether to keep a loved one alive or to turn off the ventilator of the feeding tubes.

Every three years, the General Convention meets and the deputies (from every diocese in the USA) discuss difficult ethical issues and pass resolutions stating the mind of the church. These resolutions tend to get little publicity but they are important. Likewise, the Lambeth Conference, made up of all the bishops in the Anglican Communion, meets every 10 years.

In 1991, General Convention discussed and adopted a resolution regarding prolongation of life (Resolution number 1991-A093. You can read the resolution on line at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_60370_ENG_HTM.htm.)

In 1998, the Anglican bishops at Lambeth declared that artificial nutrition and hydration amount to a form of medical treatment. Pumping a synthetic protein compound into the intestine is vastly different from feeding a person with a cup and spoon. Such treatment becomes "extraordinary" and not morally required when it offers no reasonable hope of overcoming a terrible condition such as irreversible coma. An Anglican ethicist argued, we are not "vitalists" who believe that life must be maintained by medical technology for as long as possible.

Our faith is an Easter faith; we believe that death is not the end but the beginning. Paul wrote, "to live is Christ, to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). Because he hoped to go to be with Christ when he died, he was hard pressed to choose between living and dying. And in another place, he says that "if it is for this life only that we hope, then we of all people are most to be pitied. But the truth is Christ was raised to life" (1 Corinthians 15:20). Jesus has gone before us to prepare a place for us.

The important thing to do as soon as possible is to fill out an "Advance Health Care Directive", appointing a person to make decisions regarding your health care should you become incapacitated. You need to make your wishes known to them and to your doctor. Do you want "heroic measures" or not? These are hard questions; may the Risen Lord guide you.
Hugh Stevenson

SUMMER SERVICE SCHEDULE
Beginning June 5, there will be two services on Sunday mornings, 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

HELP FOR THE HOMELESS
Bill McDonald is liaising with Pamela Wallace about setting up a shelter for the homeless in Glen Ellen. He recently circulated an article to the Outreach Committee. I thought the content was striking; here are some of the details.

We have tended to assume that people were homeless because they wanted to be, or because they suffered from substance abuse or mental illness. Not so! Many of the homeless today are seniors or disabled people who cannot afford housing because they have been priced out of the market.

8000 people in Sonoma County live on SSI, which pays about $770 per month. This is obviously insufficient to find a place to live here. The fastest growing group of homeless at the Armory Shelter are senior citizens. Funding cuts in Medi-Cal coverage are in the works. This will mean that seniors and disabled people will have to choose between spending more on medical treatment and paying even a subsidized rent.

Some of the homeless have jobs and earn an income. But their wages are inadequate to cover the costs of housing and so they become homeless.

When we started the coalition on housing a few years ago, it was pointed out that those in entry level jobs, health care workers, waiters, grocery clerks and others are not paid enough to live in our community. There is therefore a dire need for the development of affordable housing.
Hugh Stevenson

PRAYER FOR PENTECOST
Come O Holy Spirit, Come,
Come as Holy Fire and burn in us.
Come as Holy Wind and cleanse us.
Come as Holy Light and lead us.
Come as Holy Truth and teach us,
Come as Holy Forgiveness and free us.
Come as Holy Love and enfold us.
Come as Holy Power and enable us.
Come as Holy Life and dwell in us.
Convict us, convert us and consecrate us,
until we are thine, for thy using.
In Jesus' name. Amen
(anonymous 4th century)

MAY EVENTS AT ST. PATRICK'S

RUMMAGE SALE, MAY 7. Sponsored by the Youth Group. 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. in the parish hall. A fundraiser for the Mission to Mexico. Please bring items for this worthy cause; you can drop them off in the Youth Group Room behind the parish kitchen. Please, no mattresses, clothes or shoes.

HUMAN RACE, MAY 7. The race starts at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, at Slater Junior High School, on Sonoma Avenue. This is a popular event, though it usually seems to rain. There are sponsored walks, runs or bike rides.

QUIET DAY, MAY 7. The Daughters of the King are sponsoring a Quiet Day, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

MOTHERS' DAY, MAY 8. Bring your mother (or children) to church. Or adopt a mother for the day!

THE FUTURE IS HERE, but we can't see it from there! Hugh Stevenson will be at St Dorothy's Rest, May 9-10 for a short course with Tex Sample. Generations since World War II have been profoundly influenced by electronic media. Our worship and our church structures hark back to a pre-electronic age. This conference is about how we can be the church in the New Age. No doubt there will be a sermon here!

PLANNING FOR TOMORROW. Hugh Stevenson will be in Sacramento May 13-14 for this course, run by the Church Pension Fund.

ROPES COURSE. The youth group will be doing the Ropes Course on Sunday, May 22, team building in preparation for the 2005 Mission to Mexico.

GUEST MUSICIANS. Peter Rosser has played at the 9:00 a.m. service before. He will be joined on May 22 by Marshall Ward. They were recently the music leaders at the men's cursillo.

MOZART CORONATION MASS. The SR Symphonic Chorus, directed by Dan Earl, will perform Mozart's Coronation Mass and Poulenc's Gloria on Saturday, May 21 at 8:00 p.m. and again on Sunday May 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the SR High School Auditorium. Tickets are $15, $10 for seniors and students. Hugh Stevenson, Jackie Senter, Adele Daw and John Redmond have tickets to sell you.

WOMEN'S CURSILLO. Cathy Scherer and Cathy Landon are on the team for the women's cursillo at the Angela Center, May 19-22.

STUDENT RECITAL, MAY 22. at 3:00 p.m., the piano students of Jo Caton will perform a recital at St. Patrick's.

CHOIR SUNDAY, MAY 29. This will be the last Sunday with the choir before the summer. For their climax, the choir will sing, "How lovely are thy dwellings," from Brahms German Requiem. The choir will be augmented by some guests. On this same day, Sean William Kirkland, son of Dana and Mark, and grandson of Sandra Hammond, will be baptized.

MICHAEL'S ORDINATION, JUNE 4. The Rev Michael Monnot will be ordained priest at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, at 11:00 a.m. Some people will be going from St. Patrick's to support him. Let's car pool. If you are planning to attend, please call the parish office.

FIRST COMMUNION. The following Day, Sunday, June 5, Michael will celebrate his first communion at the 10:00 a.m. service at St Patrick's. Members of his family will be with us. Please keep Michael in your prayer over this momentous weekend.

TURNING POINTS

We ask God's protection of:
those serving in the military overseas
Tom Slago.......And for civilian staff

We will exalt you, O God, our King:
William Hawley Monnot was born on Saturday April 16. He weighed, 9 lbs 2 oz and 21 1/2 inches long. All are doing well. Hearty congratulations to Betsey, Michael and William.

May they know God's healing power:
Linda Belding, Pierre el Reef,
Hertha Brown, Nedda Touma,
Joan Ingold, Rose Rasicot,
Lolita Seguin, Sam Howell,
Ruben Beseda, Willis Rives,
Kathy Littman's husband, Guy;
Michael Peterson's father, Bruce.
For Natalie, daughter of Cathy Landon
The Abercrombie's daughter, Janet and son, Steve.

Blessings on:
Candidates for confirmation: Daniel Hankins, Susan Johnson and Eddie Gibb have been attending the confirmation class with Michael Monnot, along with Michele Boblitt and Doug.
Elyse Jaynes has been attending the class with Hugh Stevenson, along with her mother, Audrey.
Candidates for baptism at Pentecost (May 15), when the Bishop is here: Nicholas Voegels and William Monnot. On May 29, Sean William Kirkland will be baptized.

May they rest in peace:
John Pond
John Metzger, father of the Jenkins son-in-law, who died in Hawaii.
Jack McNamara (involved in the Charter school).

BISHOP'S VISIT

VISITATION. Bishop Jerry Lamb visits us every other year for his official visitation. He will want to know about the good things that are happening at St. Patrick's. The Bishop will lead the Education time, 9:45-10:30 in the Parish Hall. He can speak about the wider church beyond our diocese and answer questions. He will probably meet with vestry members after the 10:30 service.

CONFIRMATION/ RECEPTION. At the 10:30 service he will invite candidates to come forward with their families or with particular mentors, friends or sponsors. We will join the Bishop in laying hands on the candidates while he prays over them with these words: "Strengthen your servants with your Holy spirit; empower them for your service; sustain them all the days of their lives." To which we reply, "Amen!"

BISHOP'S DISCRETIONARY FUND. There will be envelopes in the bulletins for those who wish to make a donation to the Bishop's Discretionary Fund. Please make checks payable to St Patrick's and note on them, "For the Bishop's Fund." The Bishop makes grants from this fund for seminarians or clergy in distress and for other charitable purposes.

FORWARD DAY BY DAY. The May-July edition of these Bible study notes is available in the rack in the church entrance.

AROUND ST. PATRICK'S

THE MYSTERY OF ICONS
ECW Luncheon
The final ECW meeting of the year will be held on Tuesday, May 10. Our guest will be Susan Prier, a self-taught iconographer who has been studying with Russian Master, Alexandr Kharon at the "Resurrection" Orthodox Bookstore in Berkeley since 1999. Susan has a BS in Religious Education from Multnomah Bible College in Portland, and an MS in Theological Study from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Graduate Theological Union, in Berkeley. In June 2004, she co-taught a class with Alexandr at GTU. She has personally "written" 16 icons, a few of which she will bring with her to share.

Her personal story of how she became interested in writing icons, and the many people of faith who encouraged her-- from an artist/priest at the mission at San Luis Obispo, to a nun at the bookstore in Berkeley is fascinating. Susan calls it her "self-lead, Holy Spirit guided process."

We have invited the women from the Church of the Incarnation, where Susan is a member, to join us, so bring an added helping of your gourmet salads and desserts to share. You may also invite any friends who would be interested in learning about this ancient Byzantine style of religious art. If you have a small, potable icon in your home, you may bring it to share with Susan and the other women guests.

Please sign up in the Parish Hall, so we can set places for you. You will find a "party" sandwiches column for appealing diversity.

STRAW POLL. On two Sundays in April we canvassed the congregation to see what time you wanted the later service to be. Seventy percent of those responding chose 10:00 a.m. We begin the summer schedule on June 5. Remember: this year we have air-conditioning.

WANTED

• We need a clerk to take minutes at vestry meetings. The vestry meets once a month on the third Tuesday at 7:15. We are normally finished inside two hours. This is an interesting ministry for someone who wants to know what is going on at St. Patrick's!
• We need someone who would be willing to make about 15 local phone calls a week, reminding people that they are participating in the worship the following week.
• We need people to read lessons and/or bear the chalice about once a month at services on Sundays, especially at the 8:00 a.m. services. There will be training for this and chalice bearers will be licensed by the Bishop.

APRIL VESTRY
Vic Howard began the meeting with a meditation about what a good shepherd.

• The financial report showed that our income and expenses are in line with the budget.
• Scrip: many people need to sign up again because they changed their VISA card or are not registered at Safeway or Oliver's. For more information about Scrip call the parish office.
• Michael has been our assistant for three months and we are doing an evaluation for him.
• We chose Marcia Ronchetti to fill the vacancy on the vestry. She will continue until the next Annual Meeting (January, 2006)
• We have a number of things to do which were identified at January's vestry workshop.
• After the meeting, Fred Fisher took us to the parish hall to see the effect of fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling. These will use ¼ the electricity and last 10 times as long as the existing bulbs.
• We have a number of leads for a new sexton, but we have not chosen anyone yet.
• We worked on the parish survey. We want input from all members of St Patrick's.

John Bogart Library

Next we have Marvin Meyer's new book, The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus, a fresh English translation is offered of some of the earliest manuscripts about Jesus of Nazareth. The collection includes the gospels of Thomas and Mary and is praised as a treasury of lost and esoteric wisdom.

On a lighter note, Francine Rivers' novel, As Sure As the Dawn, tells the story of Atretes, a German barbarian who has won his freedom in the Roman arena but finds his life changed forever by an encounter with a young Christian woman. Atretes vows to move heaven and earth to find his son--the baby he thought was dead-- and take him back to Germany. Only one thing stands in his way, Rizpah, the Christian widow who has cared for the child since his birth. If you like to learn about history through fiction, this might be the book for you.

A PRAYER
For those who travel through life
I know, O God,
That wherever I travel,
You will be with me.
There is nowhere I can go
No situations I can face,
Which are outside your love and strength;
And so I commit myself
Into your care and keeping
On this journey.
Knowing that at all times
I am in your hands.