June 2005 Vol. 7 No. 6 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 June 2005 [Vol. 7 No. 6]

Camp Noel Porter June Events At St. Patrick's Turning Points Outreach Vestry Notes Parish Survey

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CAMP NOEL PORTER

For the past two summers, Betsey and I have spent a week as joint program directors at Camp Noel Porter, the Diocese of Northern California's summer camp just outside of Tahoe City. Every summer, scores of young people from all over the Diocese come for a week of swimming, camping, singing and hiking - all of those 'camp' sorts of things. Each day there is a short service, followed by an hour and a half of program led by the clergy. There are week-long camps for different age-groups from older grade-school through high school. This year, Betsey and I plan to be at the intermediate school age camp at the end of July.

St. Patrick's has a special connection to Noel Porter. Not only have many of the young people here gone to this camp at some point, but both Hugh and I have attended as 'clergy' (well, as I said, I have been for two years with Betsey as a joint program director, but this summer will be my first time as 'real' clergy). A lot of the music at the 9:00 service is Noel Porter camp music; and, of course, the collections that we take for birthdays and anniversaries go to help fund the camp.

I've never been to Noel Porter as a camper, so I can't speak personally to that experience (though I can see how much fun everyone is having).

What I do experience is how great the young people - our young people, the young people of this diocese - really are. Betsey and I do a program which covers the life of Jesus and related discussion, mostly generated by the camper's questions. I am always completely impressed and taken aback by the depth of insight and the boldness of the thinking of so many of the young people. Of course, they don't have all the answers - who of us does? - but they are often fully prepared to engage with the questions. And that, I think, is all we (meaning the adults) can really ask. All of us (and now I mean ALL of us) are called to walk this path of faith and seeking together. That's the most important thing, I think, that we all need to remember as a community of faith. In these times, when so many groups and people out there are claiming to know all the answers, or worse, demanding that we accept their answers without question, the best thing we can do is learn from the young people of Camp Noel Porter- that the important thing to do is to listen to each other, to wrestle with the questions - and of course, to have some fun.
Michael Monnot

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

JUNE EVENTS AT ST. PATRICK'S

June 5. The beginning of our summer schedule. Eucharist at 8:00 a.m. (Rite II) and 10:00 a.m. (Rite I). Michael will celebrate his first Eucharist at 10:00 a.m. There will be a reception after the service.

• At the 10:00 a.m. service we ask God's blessing on those graduating from Huigh School: Max Church, Clayton Alderson, Patrick Philbin and Sara Rosenberry.
• The Daughters of the King will have their annual lunch at Doce Lunas.

June 19. Fathers' Day: Eucharist at 8:00 a.m. (Rite I) and 10:00 a.m. (Rite II).

June 26. The Mission to Mexico team returns and reports back on their experiences.

At the 10:00 a.m. service we hope to have a reunion of six or seven musicians playing songs from the men's cursillo in April.

July 3. The Sunday of the Independence Day weekend, we will celebrate the birth of our nation and sing the traditional hymns.

BIZARRE BAZAAR

Announces charities and Requests your help in the fundraising effort

The 2005 charity recipients of St. Patrick¹s Bizarre Bazaar fundraiser have been selected:

Vineyard Workers Services, a Sonoma-based organization providing services to migrant workers in Sonoma County vineyards;
C.A.R.E, a Santa Rosa-based charity providing services to abused and at-risk children;
The Living Room, a Santa Rosa-based daytime drop-in center providing services to homeless and at-risk women and their children.

Of course, we¹ll also make a donation to the Youth Group for its Mexico Mission. Another recipient, yet to be determined, will be selected from the immediate Kenwood/Glen Ellen area.

Please help us raise lots of money for these organizations by contributing your time, materials, or money (or any combination!) to the Bazaar effort. Some of the items we need immediately include jam and jelly jars, beads (preferably glass, no pearls), quality fabrics, old fishing lures or hand-tied flies, baskets and other containers in good condition, and wired French ribbon. Items can be dropped off at the Bazaar table in the Parish Hall every Sunday.

We¹re also launching the search for Silent Auction and Raffle items, including antiques and other goods in top-notch condition, services such as spa days, bottles of special wines to build a "wine cellar", and anything else that might bring a good price at auction.

For you artsy-craftsy types, don¹t forget the Friday Workshop, every 2nd and 4th Friday in the Common Room, 9-12.

TURNING POINTS

For this, much thanks:
Ann Peters organized the annual Rummage Sale, which was very successful. Many people supported her.

George Hunt has been filling the role of sexton lately doing landscaping with help from Wayne Wright.

Fran Crane is taking over from Bette Leedom as directress of the Altar Guild.

Tom Nute and Vic Howard have taken over the co-ordination of the Men's group from Charlie Buff.

Marcia Ronchetti has filled the 12th place on the vestry until the next Annual Meeting when she is eligible for re-election.

George Thoresen has taken her place as clerk of the vestry.

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

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,
Harold Poehlmann
Kathy Littman's husband, Guy;
Michael Peterson's father, Bruce.
John Redmond's father, John (Sr.) For Natalie, daughter of Cathy Landon

Blessings on:
Daniel Hankins, Susan Johnson and Eddie Gibb. Elyse Jaynes, Audrey Jaynes and Petra Sten who were confirmed/received by the Bishop on Pentecost.

Nicholas Voegels and William Monnot were baptized on Pentecost and Sean William Kirkland on May 29.

Eric Wilson and Megan Allen were married on May 7.

Laurie Krausse and Carlos Herrera Zuniga were married on May 29.

Natalie Matrazzo and Nancy Percival were candidates at the Women's Cursillo May 19-22; and Cathy Landon and Kathy Scherer were on the team.

Congratulations to graduates
Patrick Philbin is going to Tufts University to study history and business (and to play football).
Clayton Aldersonis going to the Junior College.
Max Church is going to Sonoma State University to study biology (and play in band).
Sara Rosenberry is going to Sonoma State University.

Claire Rosenberry is moving on fro, J.C. to Sonoma State University to study sociology.
Andrew Belding is graduating from Annapolis.
Ben McLain is doing a double major in vocal performance and theater at UC Irvine; he's playing the lead at the summer theater, Carlsbad.

Thanks so much
Betsey and I would like to thank everyone at St. Patrick's for all of their support, kind words, cards, everything, that has been showered on us since the birth of our son, William. So many blessings are coming to us right now that it is hard to express just how grateful we feel. I just want you to know that we are and will always be grateful to each and every member of this community for your kindness to our family.
Michael.

Michael & Betsey's website with photos of William is at (monnots.blogspot.com)

OUTREACH

Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee's focus in 2005 has been on assisting the homeless in this area. First, we cooked and served dinner three times at the Armory to the 60-80 homeless persons spending the night there.
We also left a significant amount of food for latecomers and for use later. Committee members who assisted as supply procurers, cooks, deliverers, servers and cleanup crews were: Louise Clark, Jackie McDonald, Bill McDonald, Hal Poehlmann, Kathy Prisant, Laurie Raess, Elayne Roland, J.C. Speight and Nancy and John Young. We were joined by other volunteers - Barbara Hunt, Judy Kimsey, Cynthia Pennington and Marcia Ronchetti - and we greatly appreciated their help.
The Committee is developing a working relationship with Interfaith Shelter Network, an organization that operates transitional housing facilities for the homeless in this area. Pamela Wallace, the Executive Director, managed the Armory shelter for several years and concluded that providing a shelter and a meal for a night, while greatly needed, was not helping homeless persons to change their lives and to avoid being back on the street. Her organization was able to raise funds to buy or rent several houses in this area where carefully screened persons can stay for up to two years if they meet several goals. While there they learn basic skills needed to straighten out their lives and to get and hold a job.
The Outreach Committee and Ms. Wallace have developed lists of possible ways that we can help the residents of the facility in Glen Ellen to achieve their goals. The next step is to become acquainted with the residents and then define some initial steps.
We see several ways that others at St. Patrick's can also be of help. Chuck Chapman has agreed to provide accounting expertise and Will Haymaker is assisting in the real estate area; we hope to involve others later as other needs are defined.

Jackie McDonald has become a member of the Board of Interfaith Shelter Network. Laurie Raess has been assisting the Brown Baggers, a Sonoma-based group that prepared meals for agricultural workers and others in need. Nancy Young is manager of the Sonoma branch of Meals on Wheels.

As a result of our recommendations, a parish Energy Committee has been formed and is functioning. Its primary goals are to reduce ongoing energy consumption, both to lower costs and to minimize our contribution to the production of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. An audit of ways to reduce power usage is underway, and alternate sources of energy such as solar panels are being assessed.

Year to date, grants have been made to Social Advocates for Youth, Meals on Wheels, Doctors without Borders and Episcopal Relief and Development, both of the latter for assistance in Sudan.
Bill McDonald

JOHN BOGART LIBRARY
For newcomers in our congregation and those of you who are not regular users of the library, here is a brief explanation of how we operate.

The library is open whenever the church is open. Borrowing and returning a book is simple. On the table there is a sign-out sheet. Just write your name, the author and title of the book(s) you want and the date of borrowing. To return the book put it in the basket located on the shelf on the right side of the room. On this same shelf you will find the newest books in our collection.

The books are arranged by category, each marked with a colored dot on the spine. On the wall behind the new books is a detailed explanation of the categories. Books are shelved in the same manner as in any library: alphabetically by author except in the case of biography, which is by the subject. There are two sections of biography, single and group biography. Oversized books are flat on the shelf below the standard size books.

If you would like a tour of the room, please ask Karen Babula or Ronnie Leonard. We would be delighted to show you around. Do use our library. It is a very valuable resource for everyone in our church.

VESTRY NOTES

May Vestry Meeting

• Wendy Wood led us in a meditation by Maya Angelou.
• We elected George Thoresen to be the new clerk of the vestry.
• Chuck Chapman, our treasurer, has produced a brief summary of our accounts. Please let us know whether this is helpful.
• The Endowment committee will provide funds to buy a second-hand piano for church, when Robert takes back his piano. The upright in the library will then replace the upright in the parish hall, which we will sell.
• We are replacing the computer in the parish office, which dates from the last century.
• We were grateful for the Bishop's visit. He was complimentary about the 9:00 a.m. service.
• The vestry has put together a three-month evaluation of Michael Monnot. We are very glad he is here.
• Michael reported how much he had enjoyed the participants in the confirmation class.
• Energy Committee. Fred Fisher has been looking into making the lighting round church more economical. There is probably more savings in modifying the heating units. We are exploring installing "window film" to keep some of the heat out during summer.
• We still do not have a sexton although a number of people have given us names. In the meantime George Hunt and Wayne Wright have cut weeds.
• Many people helped Ann Peters with the Rummage Sale and it raised about $2900 for the Mission to Mexico. Around 20 people are signed up to go to Mexico, leaving on Saturday, June 18.
• On Memorial Day we are having the church kitchen "deep cleaned" on Sunday, May 29, we will need help moving everything into the parish hall and putting it back on Tuesday, May 31. Can you help us?
• We are exploring different "hearing" systems for church.

Bequest
We have received an undesignated bequest from the estate of Charlie and Laura Lott. Have you remembered the church in your will?

Parish Survey

Sunday School. One suggestion was to have Sunday school at the same time as the latter service, so that parents could come to that service. Carolee Fagent teaches Sunday school and will be continuing into the summer. From June 5, Sunday school will be at 10:00 a.m. Of course, all children are welcome.

Fellowship. We have a number of ideas for deepening our fellowship.

• We plan to make a new Pictorial Directory of our members. Can you help with this?
• Each month we would like to include the biography of one of our members in the Grapevine. Who shall we include? Would you like to write some of them?
• Rides. We used to have a list of volunteers who could offer rides for people to go to the Doctor's office or to come to services at church. Can you offer this ministry?
• Likewise, we need people to make telephone calls from home reminding people that they are helping with the following Sunday's worship.

WOMEN'S BREAKFAST
The second Saturday of each month is the meeting date for the St. Patrick's Women's Breakfast. This is a "potluck" event with everyone bringing a favorite breakfast dish. It is followed by a discussion on a pre-selected topic of interest to women. Starting time is 8:30 a.m. and the meeting finishes by 10:30 a.m. So the breakfast will not interfere with Saturday plans. Do come and join in a pleasant time. The next meeting will be on June 11.