November 2003
Vol. 5 No. 10

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Table of Contents for November 2003 [Vol. 5 No. 10]

     

Saying Good-Bye

Beloved, we stand at the door, poised to say an echoing good-bye, a parting invested with mystical powers never to die on the wind.
God, who has no end or beginning, is sandwiched in the word Good-bye.
So, may the good in my good-bye roll endlessly in space and time.
As I say "good-bye, good-bye, good-bye," I tie an echo tail of love to you, my beloved, until full-circle it comes round to "hello, hello, hello" and "welcome home."
Edward Hayes,
Psalms for Zero Gravity

Saying good-bye is somehow not as hard when the mysterious "hello" is attached to the farewell. Leaving for me is always filled with expectations and sadness. I am very much looking forward to the newness that waits me in Virginia and being with Martin ?. And, I am also filled with a heavy heart in taking leave of this community and our ministry together. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your many kindnesses, for your affirmation of me as your priest, and for the many joys that we have shared! You are a fun group to be with. I have been privileged to be your teacher and your student as well.

I take with me a greater sense of God and his grace. I have learned the depths of her wisdom and compassion being amongst you all. When life has been unfair, I have felt the Spirit move through our love for one another affirming that we are not to be alone in our journey through life. I will always treasure the fact that I was priested amongst you. With much gratitude to Hugh, the Vestry and the members of St. Patrick's for calling me to be your assistant.

Many blessings to you all and much love.

Julie C. Wizorek +
3000 Rosemoor Lane
Fairfax, VA 22031
703 208-0569

 

November Events

All Saints
We celebrate All Saints on Sunday, November 2
  • At the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. service, we will read the names of loved ones who have died, who are one with us in the Communion of Saints.
  • During Sunday school at 9:40 a.m., there will be an intergenerational event, introducing the Celtic Saints who are commemorated in our church windows.
  • At the conclusion of the 10:30 a.m. service, we will process across to the Memorial Garden, to pray for our family and friends who are interred there
  • All Saints Baptisms. There are five "big" days for baptisms during the church year: Easter, Pentecost, The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus (in January), All Saints and the Bishop's Visit. Do you know of children or adults to be baptized on this day?
  • We will bless the pledges at the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. If you did not receive a stewardship packet, or if you would like another pledge card, you will find extras on the table in the church entrance.

Diocesan Convention

  • Diocesan Convention will be held in Redding on November 15-16. Cliff Kent will take the Sunday services: at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Morning Prayer & Eucharist. At 9:00 a.m. there will be the usual contemporary service. Our delegates will be Sharon Traeger, Charlotte Horne, Karen Steelman, Angela Stevenson, John Leech and Hugh Stevenson.

Thanksgiving

  • On November 23, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, we will have an ingathering of dried and canned food which will be distributed through F.I.S.H. Please bring non-perishable items and place them in the wagons or boxes in the church entrance. They will be pulled up the aisle to be offered at the altar in thanksgiving for all the food that God gives us.
  • On Wednesday evening, November 26, 2002, at 7:00 p.m., there will be a joint Thanksgiving service with Kenwood Community Church at St. Patrick's. "Come ye thankful people come!"

Advent comes

  • The season of Advent begins on November 30, 2003. For four Sundays we look forward to the coming of the Son of Man. This is a season both of expectation and penitence, when we are exhorted to prepare our hearts to receive our Lord. The liturgical color is purple. We use Prayer B for the Eucharist Rite II.
  • On Sunday, November 30, we will bless the Advent wreath at the 9:00 a.m. service and light the first candle.
  • During Sunday school, at 9:40 a.m. there will be an intergenerational event on the subject, "Advent" which will include the construction of Advent wreaths.
  • The 10:30 a.m. service will be the celebration of lessons, carols and Eucharist for Advent.

Boutique Sale

  • December 7, items leftover from the Unique Boutique will be on sale in the Parish Hall.
  • In the afternoon of December 7, there will be a piano recital offered by Sylvia O'Neill who has attended the 8:00 a.m. services with her husband, Mike.

Forward Day by Day
The new Bible study notes are in the rack in the church entrance. They are the church's gift to members of our congregation. Please take one per household.

 

Turning Points

All find a Welcome:
The following were welcomed into membership on October 5
Bill & Karen Babula
Dick & Rosalie Beynon
Bob & Marge Ruehrdanz
Colin & Pam Pegley
Harold Poehlman

And others who have worshipped with us recently:
Sheila Leach John and Wendy Gallagher
Bonnie Lyon Ben and Charlotte Franklin
Chris Baird Norma Cooper

Farewell:
Julie and Martin Wizorek will be living at 3000 Rosemoor Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-2129.
(703-208-0569)

Thanks:
To Bob & Marge Ruehrdanz who designed and assembled the stewardship packets.
To all those who worked on the Unique Boutique.
For those who gave reports at the Town Hall meeting.

Prayers:
Laurie Anne, neice of Connie van Loben Sels
Hertha Brown Linda Lewis
Marcia Ronchetti Joan Ingold
Marilyn Schlangen Wendy Goff
Lolita Seguin Fred Shidler
Linda Groberg Shirley Rush
Charlie Buff Henry Williams
John Morelli

For the men and women of the armed forces serving in Iraq, especially Frank Papworth, James Hoey and Jake Kimsey.

De Colores:
Bette Leedom, Marcia Ronchetti and Cathy Landon are candidates for the October Cursillo.
Carolyn Watson, Alice Fielder, Catherine Priestly and Hugh Stevenson are on the team.
Charlie Buff, Bob Morell, Bob Priestly and Wes Cazel served on the Men's Team.

 

Theological Aphorisms

1. Give God what's right - not what's left.
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end. God's way leads to an endless hope.
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone...
5. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
6. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.
7. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
8. We don't change God's message - His message changes us.
9. The church is prayer-conditioned.
10. When God ordains, He sustains.
11. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
12. Plan ahead - It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
13. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
14. Suffering from truth decay? Brush upon your Bible.
15. Exercise daily - walk with the Lord.
16. Never give the devil a ride - he will always want to drive.
17. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
18. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
19. He who angers you controls you.
20. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
21. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
22. Be ye fishers of men - you catch them and He'll clean them.
23. Read the Bible - It will scare the hell out of you.

Somebody has well said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning. "

 

Womens' Column

ECW DECEMBER MEETING
Women of St. Patrick' s, please mark your calendars for Saturday December 13th, the day of our festive Christmas luncheon at 11:00 o'clock. We'll have a short business meeting and then a delightful music program provided by Rachel Walter, a member of the Sonoma State Chamber Singers, and her piano accompanist. They were recommended by Bob Worth who is head of the Sonoma State Music Department and directs the Santa Rosa Symphony Chorus.
Please sign up to bring either a salad or a dessert and come for some cheer!
- Jini Bauer, Program Chairman

WOMEN'S RETREAT.
The retreat will be at Bishop's Ranch, near Healdsburg, February 20-22, 2004. The sign up sheet is in the Parish Hall. There are only 18 places places. Judy Buff is the leader and the theme is "Dancing with God." Alice Fielder is accepting registrations; first come first served. The cost is about $135. For more information, call Judy Buff.

WOMEN'S BREAKFAST
There will not be a breakfast on November 8, because there will be a cursillo reunion that morning in the parish hall, nor on December 13, because that will be the date for the ECW Christmas luncheon. The next Women's Breakfast will be in January 2004.

THANKS FOR BOUTIQUE
So many people contributed to the success of the 2003 Boutique. Thanks to those who set up and cleaned up afterwards, to the stitchers and cooks, to the artists and plant growers, to the donors of items for the silent auction and the raffle, for the traffic directors and the cashiers, to the cookie bakers and the tea servers and to all others who made the Boutique a great occasion. Thanks especially to the Boutique chairs: Eva Atkin and Fran Crane

 

Around and About

LAST THINGS
In the season after All Soul's Day, we contemplate our mortality and make provision for our deaths. " Remember you are dust; and to dust you shall return." I will be leading a workshop on Last Things on November 19 after the 9:00 a.m. service, and again on Thursday evening November 20, at 7:00 p.m. I will be able to tell you about the costs of a direct cremation at the local Funeral Homes and what you can expect. What hymns and readings would you like at your memorial service? I will encourage you to write your obituary, so that you can be sure they get it right! If you are interested in these things or have other questions, please sign up in the Parish Hall and come to this workshop.
Hugh Stevenson

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS CONCERT
On Saturday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m. and again on Sunday, November 23 at 3:00 p.m., the Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus will sing Dona Nobis Pacem at the Santa Rosa High School auditorium. A number of members of St Patrick's will be singing: Jackie Senter, Adele Daw, Charles Richard, John Redmond and Hugh Stevenson. You can buy tickets from any of them. Adults: $15 Students & Seniors: $10. This is an ominous stirring work with words by Walt Whitman.

MATTHEW LAWRENCE
Matthew is the new Rector of the Church of the Incarnation on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa. He begins his ministry on November 1. The Bishop will install him as Rector on Sunday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. I am planning to attend to represent St Patrick's. Is any one else interested in coming with me?
-HS

WOMEN'S HISTORY PROJECT
We are looking for a new manager. If you like to write, you will love this endeavor. Guidelines and training will be offered. Please call Claire Morelli (539-2692 or clairebmorelli@earthlink.net).

 

Outreach Items

Outreach Committee
The next meeting of the Outreach Committee will be on Thursday, November 6 at 10:00 a.m. The committee will be recommending disbursements for our outreach giving for the 4th quarter. If you have ideas of whom we should support, will you submit a grant request to Bill McDonald.

Heifer Project
A reminder that we will again be offering the opportunity to give friends and family a great gift from the Heifer Project. We will have a table in the parish hall on December 14 and 21.

Food basket
Please remember to bring one item of food (can or dried food) each week for the food basket in the church entrance. After Sunday services, a team of volunteers will take the food to FISH in Santa Rosa. November 23 is the Harvest Ingathering; we will bless the food at the altar.

Festival of Lights
This beautiful evening will take place on Saturday, November 29, 5:30-8:30. Wineries in our valley will be decorated and there will be wine, food and entertainment. Tickets ($25) will be available at area wineries. If you would like to help, call Ken Walsh (584-1721), a member of Star of the Valley Roman Catholic Church.

Some of the money raised will pay for Christmas baskets, which will be distributed under the "Neighbor-to-neighbor program." Young people and adults from our congregation will help assemble food parcels at Star of the Valley, White Oak Drive, from 8:00 a.m. on Monday December 22, and distribute them on Tuesday, December 23. Would you like to help?

 

September Vestry

We discussed many things at this meeting:
  • The resumption of three services at the beginning of September
  • Arrangements for October's Town Hall Meeting
  • A Crab Feed Fundraiser for the ECW to take place in February
  • Delegates to Diocesan Convention
  • Arrangements for Julie's party

We also noted that:

  • Turning off the large fridge in the kitchen has reduced both our electricity bill and the noise in the parish hall
  • The new bench given in memory of Jeanne Anderson was ordered (it has since arrived and waits assembly)
  • Hugh Stevenson is overdue for a sabbatical

We opened and closed with prayer.

NOMINATIONS

 

John Bogart Library

Surpassing Wonder. The Invention of the Bible and the Talmuds by Donald Harman.
This is a fine addition to our library. We have several books on the development of the English Bible. This book examines the ancient Hebrew Scriptures, the Christian New Testament and the Talmud of the Rabbis. The author argues that these books are best understood if one regards them as the work of one author-editor. In his opinion, Western Civilization is the creation of neither the Greeks of Athens nor the patrician Romans, but the desert worshippers of Yahweh. (The Gift of Armand Russell)

One Final book to aid our understanding of the Middle East catastrophe is A Peace to End all Peace by David Fromkin, professor at Boston University. Fromkin explains how and why England and France remade the geography and politics of the Middle East during the 1914-1922 period. Their decisions were responsible for the endless wars and acts of terrorism that continue to our day. This book is extremely interesting.

On a lighter note we have an autobiography by P.D. James, Time To Be In Earnest. Fans of Mrs. James' mystery novels will enjoy this personal memoir which she has written in diary form covering a single year's time. It is a delightful book.
Ronnie Leonard

 

Prayer for All Souls

Remember, O Lord, we beseech thee, the souls of them that have kept the faith, both those whom we remember and those whom we remember not: Grant them rest in the land of the living, in the joy of Paradise, whence all pain and grief have fled away, where the light of thy countenance shineth forever; and guide in peace the end of our lives, O Lord, when thou wilt and as thou wilt, only without shame and without sin; through thine only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Thanksgiving

Very few people who live in the United States can trace their ancestries back to the members of the Plimouth Colony, whose celebration of a winter's survival in the New World we recreate in our national Thanksgiving Day. Most of us are much more recent arrivals: our grandparents or great-grandparents came from somewhere else. Or perhaps our parents or we ourselves are newcomers here.

What a wonder this immense land is to new arrivals! Everything seems big or fast. Buildings touch the sky, and the highways are eight lanes across. People scurry back and forth like ants. The noise is incredible. And America is beautiful: the redwood trees with trunks thick enough to drive a car through. The lakes of the Midwest. The swamps of the south. The ancient beauty of the Western desert. The quiet approach through green farmland to a thousand small towns.

The people who came here three centuries ago from Europe thought that God had given this land to them. We look at it a little differently now: there were already people living here when they arrived, and the history of the land and its ownership has often been as much a story of human greed as of divine gift. Today we think that God has given the land to all that lives upon it-or that ever will live upon it. All the people. All the animals. All the trees. And today we are finding that it is no simple matter to live together fairly, even in a great and rich land like ours.
-The Rev. Barbara C Crafton

 

What is Stewardship?

We have come to believe that Stewardship means more than just making a yearly pledge: it is a way of living in closer relationship with God. Stewardship is an ongoing process of giving thanks to God for God's many blessings. Stewardship is responding to Gods gifts to us by giving of ourselves, our talents, time and treasure. Stewardship is returning to God a portion of what we have been given to fulfill God's purpose for the world.

 

 


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