Dear Friends in Christ,
What a time of transition we are in at St. Thomas! As I write on Aug 21, we are exactly one month away from the conclusion of our construction. We expect to be moving into the renovated office building on Fri Sept 19 and Sat Sept 20. We expect the courtyard, and the labyrinth to be finished, the exterior of the sanctuary to have been refinished, and to see new paint on the parish hall, office building and education center. And we expect to see four new trees in the courtyard, and new plantings all around our property. We will have some green grass in front of the church, and three sets of restrooms to choose from! We can already see what a difference it makes to have the same roof on all our buildings, and what a fine job our brick and cement workers are doing. What all this means, is that we will have the opportunity to adjust to a new parish self-image: a beautiful, functional, welcoming campus and buildings.
There are three related articles in this issue that I hope you will read carefully. One is about the labyrinth; it describes the unique skills being used to construct it, as well some background on the design and meaning of the labyrinth. The second is a detailed article about the cost of the construction, which includes the many changes we've had to make as the project has developed, and how we hope to pay for it all. And the third is the call for volunteer help that we will need in September, and November. We will not need volunteers for painting, however, as we have decided to pay the professionals to paint and stain the exteriors of the buildings. The parish hall was a manageable indoor task, painting surfaces that were not new. Much of the exterior work requires careful priming, taping, spraying and detailing, that the Vestry and I judged was beyond our capability.
The transition we are making, however, is more than adjusting to new buildings. Six years ago we went through a visioning process, which led us to discern 3 ministries that we wanted to emphasize: education, pastoral care, and outreach. We believed then, and I hope we still believe, that we could do much better work in each of these areas with new and renovated buildings. We wanted Sunday school rooms that were larger, better equipped, and could be used solely or primarily for children. We wanted space where we could develop an after-school program. We wanted offices where there was adequate room for pastoral counselling and for committee meetings. We wanted more space for Our Daily Bread, and exterior-entry restrooms for our diners. We wanted a courtyard where we wouldn't worry about children or adults tripping on cracked concrete or raised bricks. We wanted a completely wheelchair accessible church. And we wanted our buildings to look like they belonged together. By the end of September, we will have all these things, and we will be able to focus on how we want to use them for the ministry of the Gospel. Of course, we will use it all as soon as it is ready. But during the next year, it will be important to discern more exactly how we are to care for one another and the stranger, to welcome all who are searching for deeper spiritual meaning, to work for the spread of God's Kingdom, and to restore all people to unity.
One of the ministries we will now be able to continue is the Rotating Shelter. Although we had space the last 2 years for 15 men to eat and sleep in the parish hall, we did not have space for the living room they bring along, which has a refrigerator, couch, television, and storage cabinet. Now we do, and we have decided, for this year only, to put that "living room" into the Storage Room in the parish hall, which used to be the stage. This means that we will delay the process of emptying the Blue Cube in the parking lot until after the Shelter leaves on November 1st. (The Blue cube is our storage of the metal shelves and most of what they held from the stage.) So the Rotating Shelter will arrive on Saturday September 26th, and we will be asking people to volunteer to bring cooked dinners for 15 to the Shelter guests through October, at 8:00 each evening. St. Thomas was the founding parish for this program.
I am looking forward to this transition, to the work as well as the joy, to the challenge and the responsibility that this new campus gives us.
| Love, |  |
Beginning in September, each Sunday the preacher will be available for a sermon discussion after the morning services. He or she will sit in the parish hall at a table near the storage room, which will have a sign on it that says, "Sermon Discussion". Whoever is interested is invited to bring their cup of coffee or tea to the table for the discussion.
You are invited to explore the Episcopal Church for a possible commitment to a life-long journey. We will have an organizational meeting on Sunday Sept 21st at 12:15, for all those who might be interested in in this exploration, which is also known as Confirmation class. At that meeting, we will decide on what day, and at what time, the other sessions will take place. Baptized Christians from all denominations are welcome as active participants in the life of St. Thomas, and confirmation is not required. To become an Episcopalian, however, you must either be baptized in the Episcopal Church, or be Confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church. Confirmed members of the parish are eligible to serve as delegates to Diocesan Convention, and as participants in many positions in the diocese and national church.
What is really important, however, is the question whether you want to continue your spiritual journey in company and in communion with the Episcopal Church. You do not need to answer this question before you join the class! The purpose of the class is precisely to help people discover whether they want to make this commitment. Usually some do, and some don't. If you complete the class but are not quite ready, you can be confirmed another year, without repeating the class. There are 10 sessions, beginning in September, which prepare those who wish for the Bishop's Visit on Sunday December 14th. The class is taught by a team, usually of two clergy and two laity, led by the rector. Teenagers are welcome to join the class, which will be taught at the adult level.
One of the things the Newcomers Welcoming Committee is responsible for is the coffee service after the Sunday morning services. There are several areas where we could use some help:
Friendship Bread—When a visitor comes to St Thomas and signs in the visitor registry a parishioner visits the new person, delivers Friendship Bread and asks if the person has any questions about St Thomas. Right now this task is being done by Dave Morris and he could use some help. Please see or call Dave Morris, Cal Cornwell or Lou Poulain.
Coffee Service after the 10:30 service. Right now Marisha McMahan is the person who brings the snacks after the service and cleans up. She could use other folks to provide the snacks for some of the Sundays and she needs a strong person(s) to help empty the large urns when coffee service is over. Please see or call Marisha McMahan, Cal Cornwell or Lou Poulain.
On nice weather Sundays we would like to move the Coffee Service into the new courtyard. Please see or call Cal Cornwell or Lou Poulain.
Some Reflections on Morning Prayer
For men, women and children who were worshipping in the Episcopal Church forty years ago, the Morning Prayer service evokes an era in their lives. In those days before the “Services for Trial Use” and the 1979 Prayer Book, the responses, canticles and collects of the morning office were written on their hearts.
At St. Francis, Willow Glen, where I grew up, Holy Communion was celebrated weekly only at the early service. At the mid-morning “family” service we had communion once a month, and otherwise Morning Prayer. This was not just the pattern in our parish, but also a common pattern in parishes across the country.
When Archbishop Cranmer created Morning Prayer in the 16th century, compiling materials from older monastic services, he intended it as a service for lay people to use. He never intended it as the central service. Nevertheless, while communion remained central at cathedrals, Morning (and also Evening) Prayer became the common form of worship in many village churches, perhaps owing to the sheer beauty of the language and the comfort of the prayers.
In older times, when the celebrant was remote from the congregation, often separated by the rood screen and choir, Morning Prayer seemed more inviting than the Eucharist. As a service for the laity, it was an order of worship that anyone could lead. In the country, when no clergy was available, the warden typically read Morning Prayer. In country houses, or other remote establishments, the squire or some other educated person would read it.
When the Rev. Samuel Wesley was imprisoned for debt in the 18th century (the occasional plight of many respectable people in those days), there was no one to take his services in the village of Epworth, England. His wife Susanna, the most learned person in the vicinity, didn’t feel entitled to lead a service in the church. So on Sundays she invited the village into her kitchen. She read Morning Prayer and explained the scripture readings. The experience of seeing their mother assume leadership of the church made a lasting impression on her sons, John and Charles Wesley, who became Anglican priests and the founders of Methodism.
Far from home, and where clergy might not be available to consecrate Eucharist, people relied on Morning Prayer. On ships at sea, the captain or another officer would lead the service, and the British prayer book added prayers especially for that setting. Morning Prayer was used throughout the British Empire and in America. In our own county, south of San Jose, the service was read on Sunday morning at the manager’s house at the New Almaden quicksilver mine more than 100 years ago.
With the reforms represented by our current Prayer Book, the Eucharist has properly taken its place as our central act of worship. In addition, with the monthly return of Morning Prayer to St. Thomas Church, we have recovered one of the most distinct and loveliest elements of our Anglican heritage.
Since the end of June, we have been using the Revised Common Lectionary on a trial basis, to see how we as a parish liked it, and to assist me in deciding how to vote at General Convention. Many of us do like it, because we have had a connected series of lessons on David, because we have heard different parts of the Bible than the Prayerbook lectionary, and because some more stories of women are included.
The Worship committee recommended, on Aug 21st, that we continue to use the Revised Common Lectionary for a whole year, and I have agreed. This lectionary
Ninety percent of the Gospel readings are the same as the Prayerbook lectionary. General Convention voted to continue trial use of the Revised Common Lectionary, making it an optional choice for each parish.
In September we will return to Eucharistic Prayer A at the 10:30 service, and we will be using a new Sanctus for the fall. For the presentation of the offering, we will use the first verse of Hymn 288 "Praise to God immortal praise", to the familiar tune Dix, which we associate with Thanksgiving. At the 5:30 service, we will make trial use of the Native American Liturgy used at General Convention. And we will continue, on the third Sundays, to use Morning Prayer as the Liturgy of the Word at the morning services.
First and second week of September: evaluate existing mini blinds, and install those that fit and are in good condition, in Education Center.
Friday Sept 19: packers needed for offices in Education Center; some moving will probably be done this day as well.
Saturday Sept 20: help with moving boxes and furniture from the Education center to the office building. also moving some of contents of Storage Room to Education center.
Saturday Nov 8: help with moving contents of the blue storage cube in the parking lot, to the Storage room in the parish hall. Installation of metal shelving in storage room.
FINANCE REPORT: Jim Cobb reported that pledges continue to do well, compared to the budget. The income from the Art and Wine Festival was $1,097. (This amount includes anticipated refunds of $200 and $110 from the City of Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce.)
TOPPING OFF CAMPAIGN received a donation of $20,000 plus other donations in June amounting to $340. LOAVES AND FISHES FUND received $55 for the month.
The Finance Committee concurred with Wendy Smith’s suggestion to have St. Thomas sponsor a Discretionary Fund for Sheldon Hutchison. A motion was made, seconded and passed to have St. Thomas sponsor the Discretionary Fund for Sheldon Hutchison.
BUILDING COMMITTEE: Joe Gutierrez reported that the area of the entry to the church would be ready for the pouring of cement very soon. The Building Committee continues to meet on Wednesday mornings. Recently some decisions were made concerning interior details for the new restrooms.
MUTUAL MINISTRIES REVIEW: Lou Poulain discussed the results of the questionnaire. Members reported that they love the parish, like the liturgy, but see a real need to grow. How can we revitalize the parish? There will be a special meeting of the Vestry on Saturday morning, July 19, 2003 at 9:00 a.m., to evaluate the review.
There was a discussion about having a sign for the Education building. Joe Gutierrez will contact the City of Sunnyvale to see about the requirements for a sign.
The Vestry approved a resolution for the Altar Guild to appoint Donna Stadtfeld as Treasurer. Agnes Allison will be retiring after more than 17 years of service in that position. A letter of appreciation will be sent from the Vestry.
Plans are in progress for the Dedication of the Education Building that will be held on Sept. 21, 2003. The tentative date for the Dedication of the Courtyard, Labyrinth, and Office Building is Oct. 19, 2003.
The Farmers’ Market will continue on the first Sunday of the month from March through September and in December. (skip October, November, January and February)
The Marianist Center has closed. The Women’s Retreat will be held at the Presentation Center in Los Gatos on September 26 and 27. The Vestry Retreat will be held at Vallombrosa Center in Menlo Park in February.
Wendy has been working with some members on plans for the Sunday School programs. There was discussion about hiring a Director of Christian Education.
Appreciation was expressed for the successful planning, organizing and working that were done in connection with the Art and Wine Festival. A letter of appreciation will be sent to Liz Kidney and Thom Mayer.
"In community we have love, through community we have strength."
"Dedication of New St. Thomas Campus" , Oct. 19th
Due to construction delays, we have changed the date for the dedication of the new Education Center to Oct. 19th. In so doing we will celebrate the completion of the entire remodeling project with a dedication of all the new items in addition to the Education Center. The theme, however, will remain the same, “Open Doors - Open Minds”. We are opening the doors to the general public. Everyone is invited to come, to ask questions, and to learn what St. Thomas has to offer. We hope people will like what they see and decide to stay. We hope that our new education building will become a center for numerous activities to explore and nurture our relationship with God and the community.
Because we are putting out a special invitation to the general community to join us as we celebrate, we want to have a gala event and make a good impression. We have many plans on the agenda for that day and we will need lots of added volunteers to help us carry them out. Here are some of our plans for the event in which we will need help:
Distributing invitations - distribute invitations to houses in our local community and to pocket communities where parishioners live or work.
Decorating & Setup - clean and decorate our campus with colorful balloons and etc; setup of barbecue and eating areas; placement of sign to gives directions to visitors
Guiding - pass out brochures for the dedication, give directions for facilities and activities, and share information about St. Thomas
Hosting - each room in the education center will have hosts to help decorate it, greet visitors, give information and take signups for Sunday School
Supervising Activities - setup and supervise any of the activities below
Cooking & Serving -
barbecuing hamburgers & hotdogs; tossing salads, and servingCleaning Up - many things will need to be cleaned up and/or put away
In the weeks to come, signup lists will be set up with more details on the amount of help that is needed on each task. Please signup for as many tasks as you feel comfortable in doing. If you would like to help in our planning process, please come to our next meeting (Tuesday, 9/9/2003, 7:30 PM, at the education building).
Even if you can't help, please make plans to come to the October 19 "Open House" and tell your neighbors and friends about it!
“Out of Our Hearts” —
the St. Thomas women’s retreat at Presentation Center, Los Gatos, Sept. 26-28
Please register before Sept 15
The St. Thomas women's retreat has a history. Yearly since 1992 we have focused on Christian spirituality, in very different ways. We have also been at Presentation Center before and have good memories.
In a manner we say that a retreat is like when Jesus said to the disciples, "come away with me to a silent place." They needed rest and refocusing. One time they asked him, "Teach us to pray."
This year we shall focus on deepening our prayer life.
Have you tried silent prayer in a group before? Have you tried non-verbal prayer? Have you listened to what your heart speaks when you don't program it ahead of time? Have you ever sought spiritual direction?
At Presentation Center we'll be in old Spanish style housing. Most rooms are shared, two to a room. So the price is lower than last year, $180 per person for the week-end.
To register, send your check for $180 to St. Thomas Church, marked 'Women's retreat.'
If you need financial help, talk to Wendy about it, but make sure that the office gets that registration check!
We'll share responsibilities for the retreat, because we have many wonderful gifts among us. Wendy will celebrate the Eucharist and Melanie Donohoe will lead the guided meditations.
Feel free to call me [Randi Schmidt] with any questions you may have, including room sharing requests, carpooling needs, or just whatever! Do plan to come!
Sexuality and the Bible—Wednesdays, Sept 10 and 17, 7:30 pm
On the first two Wednesdays in September, the 10th and 17th, we will review the many different things the Bible says about sexuality, including homosexuality, and discuss what these statements mean for us today. We will meet at 7:30 pm in the large meeting room in the Education Center, and a booklet by Biblical scholar Walter Wink, called "Homosexuality and the Bible" will be given to those who attend. Our purpose is to look more closely at the verses which are interpreted in different ways, to reflect on the values and behavior in our culture today both for heterosexuals and homosexuals, and to discuss how we make ethical decisions as Christians in today's culture. Gary Letson will lead the first session.
The Gospel of Thomas—Wednesdays, 7:30 pm, Sept 24 through Oct 29
Does the Holy Spirit still speak today?—When and how did being a Christian come to be defined as accepting certain beliefs? Who’s a heretic, and who says so? How did the early Church survive harsh persecution and emerge as “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic”? Join us for six Wednesday evenings this fall to study these and other questions, using Elaine Pagels’ latest book Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas. We’ll meet [on Wednesdays] at 7:30 pm in a room to be announced. Copies of the book will be available for $10.
Sep. 24—How the Gospels were written, the historical context and how the church
decided which books to include in the New TestamentOct. 1—From the Feast of Agape to the Nicene Creed
Oct. 8—Gospels in Conflict: John and Thomas
Oct. 15—God’s Word or Human Words
Oct. 22—The Canon of Truth and the Triumph of John
Oct. 29—Constantine and the Catholic Church
Bridge is held in Cowan's Hall at St. Thomas Church, usually the 2nd Saturday of the month, from 7 to 10 p.m. All parishioners are invited to play simply by informing the Alcocks before the Sunday preceding the Saturday bridge night.
The bridge dates for the coming year are: Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13, Jan. 10, Feb. 14, Mar 13/ Mar 20 (We'll use the Saturday "Our Daily Bread" does not use for their annual dinner), April 17, May 15, June 12, July 10.
Paying for our Construction and Renovation
The good news is that we are doing very well, with 99% of the construction paid for. We do still need 1% of the total cost, approximately. As with all construction, there have been surprises, resulting in changes to the contract. Most of the changes do add to the cost.
Therefore, any parishioner who has not yet contributed is encouraged to do so. And if anyone can make a gift in 2004 but not in 2003, please contact our Treasurer, Mel Hoffman directly, to discuss how to do this. We are in the home stretch on this project, and are most grateful to all of you for your generosity, and patience.
Whisker says…..
transcribed by Carol Campbell
If you would like to have a little background knowledge or learn the fascinating history of the labyrinth walk, you will enjoy reading:
EXPLORING THE LABYRINTH, a guide for healing and spiritual growth by Melissa West.
LABYRINTHS FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, walking to spiritual insight: a beginner’s guide by Donna Schaper.
WALKING A SACRED PATH, rediscovering the labyrinth as a spiritual tool by Lauren Artress. This is also available as a VIDEO RECORDING.
BE PREPARED FOR ST. FRANCIS DAY (Oct. 4)
SAINT FRANCIS by Brian Wildsmith tells the life of St. Francis who rejects his wealthy background to lead a life of poverty, good works and kindness to animals, told as though spoken by the saint himself.
ST. FRANCIS IN SAN FRANCISO by Jack Wintz tells of a young boy and his dog who join St. Francis on a tour of the city of San Francisco.
A CELEBRATION OF CREATION. A video recording from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Every October thousands of people flock from across North America and beyond with an incredible array of pets that includes monkeys, birds, rabbit and lizards. They are all part of the procession for the Blessing of the Animals. This particular procession was preceded by a bald eagle. (Our thanks to Rich and Betsy Randolph for this special video)
Visit the library for other books on the life of St. Francis.
WANTED
We need a good home for 4 audiocassette racks. They are for wall use only, walnut; each holds 96 tapes, 20 1/2" height, 21" width, and 2 3/4" depth. Contact the library crew or the church office.
OUR VERY OWN "PROCESSIONAL" LABYRINTH
On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 3, 1998, St. Thomas organized a "Vision Sunday". Out of this vision work the parish decided to strengthen its Worship, Pastoral Care and Outreach ministries, by building a labyrinth. As most architects know an idea is only as good as the paper it's drawn on, until it gets built. It is in the construction that all great ideas become reality. Architects are made to look good by the people who build from the sketches that they are given, and the architects for this wonderful and monumental task, were the Rev. Wendy Smith and Gary Letson .
This article is intended to focus on the gifts of all of those who cross our life path, if only for a brief moment, on certain occasions. This particular occasion is the construction work going on at our church. I want to call to our attention, the wonderful things we enjoy without always appreciating who brings these wonderful things to us. They are the many people with special talents and experience that follow our plans and make our vision a reality.
The following notes are my attempt to explain why this labyrinth is so difficult to build and why it requires very skilled people to even consider something this complex. First, please refer to the photo that Pat Dare provided for us to see, because it shows you some of the things that I will try to explain. You might want to look at the picture as you read my notes.
Every inch of this labyrinth is made of concrete, and every lineal foot of concrete must be reinforced with steel, and all of our labyrinth concrete is poured like a ribbon. In fact two continuous ribbons right next to each other but kept separate because each ribbon is a different color of concrete. Concrete ribbons are narrow bands that are extremely weak in the short direction and they get weaker as the bands get narrower. One band is only 4 inches wide the other is only 20 inches wide. These two bands run side by side for the entire length of the path. Each band must have steel reinforcing bars running the full length and the steel must be bent in a continuous curve following five radii that set the geometry of the labyrinth. All of the forms must be bent to conform to these 5 radii and each ribbon must be exactly 4" and 20" wide throughout the entire length of the meditation path. Since the ribbons are formed interstitially every adjustment to a form at one point requires an adjustment to every form away from that point. This is done with many steel stakes, bender board, lots of measuring and very experienced hands.
Once the ribbons have been formed, the forms are tied to each other in the short direction so that they move and deflect together and one ribbon does not sink below the adjacent ribbons. Now, if that is not hard enough, Gary has specified that the narrowest ribbon (4" wide) be given a special seeded aggregate texture. This is for beauty and function, people meditating on the path, might have their eyes closed or might be visually impaired. Therefore the narrow ribbon gets a tan color with a hand seeded texture and the wider ribbon gets a green color with a sand blasted finish for safe walking. This requires separate pours, separate finishing techniques and many skilled hands to finish these serpentine concrete ribbons before they set or cure beyond change. All of this work is done by hand, the old fashion way, there are no machines to do this work.
I could go on and on about this project because I have been fascinated by the intensity of labor and love that have gone into making this labyrinth. But rather than bore you with all of the little details that intrigue me let me share this one last observation. Our labyrinth must slope in four different directions toward four separate storm drains. This means that everything I have just explained has to be done in four separate units and divided like a pie at expansion joints that break all of the pours into four separate drain areas. This complicates the task many times over.
You may want to visit this work site very soon. Most of the joy for me is appreciating the workmanship and the skill of all the people who have labored on this regional monument. A very special thanks to Wendy Smith and Gary Letson for their research and creative design work. Many thanks also to, Rich Benson our General Contractor, Bob Hobbs our Superintendent and to All Forms Inc., particularly Fred Dixon and his team for the wonderful gift of their time, skills, patience and their commitment to excellence.
I am looking forward to a quiet time to meditate in our new labyrinth someday soon. When I do, I will be remembering all of the people that built this very special place for us. I will remember those we had the privilege of meeting and those we remember only by their fine work.
Yes, Sunday School will begin on the Sunday after Labor Day, September 7th, even though we will be 10 days away from moving our offices back to the Office building. Chris Schmidt has been recruiting teachers, while Cindy MacKenzie and I are working on supplies, curriculum and furnishing the new rooms. We will use the excellent curriculum "Seasons of the Spirit", which is tied in closely with the church year, is flexible, and makes use of experiential learning. We will have three classes:
For Sunday School purposes, the year is divided into 5 units or blocks of 6 Sundays each, with 2 teachers in each classroom. For the first two Sundays, the Preschool-through-2nd graders will meet in the Big meeting room in the Education Center, with teachers Kedith Wickware and Ashley Cobb. The 3rd to 5th graders will meet in the kitchen, because teachers Linda Alcock and Tiniki Roxton have a cooking project planned. The Rite-13 class will meet with Nick Steinmeier and Eileen Luna in the Library. We expect that each class will be able to meet in its own room in the Education Center on September 21st.
We are also planning to have Family Celebration Sundays this year, when children and adults are together in the 10:30 service, which will be focused on those Sundays as intergenerational worship services. At the same time as all this is happening, we are once again looking for a Director of Children's Education, which could be either a quarter time or a half time position. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please speak to me about them, or to them about St. Thomas. Wendy Smith
Youth News from General Convention
There were about 20 official youth representatives at General Convention, sent by their provinces, who had seat and voice. Some were teenagers, some young adults. They used the opportunity of having a voice, and spoke frequently on the more controversial issues that came before the House of Deputies.
An interesting thing happened when a report was given that the next General Convention would be in Columbus, Ohio, from June 12-21, 2006. The deputies overwhelmingly said those dates were not acceptable, since youth still in school would not be able to attend. The national church was told to find a time that did not conflict with school calendars.
When the Executive Council prepared the budget for the next three years, they chose as their top priority, youth and young adults. At the budget hearings, however, the Program Budget and Finance committee heard that the budget did not really reflect that priority. So the budget was revised by the committee, taking $1,000,000 from various other lines in the budget, and putting them into youth and young adult programs.
The original allocation for Young Adults and Youth was 2.9% of the total 3-year budget; with the additional $1,000,000, the allocation was 3.6% of the total. The actual new amount for 3 years is $5,317,000.
Why did you choose Gonzaga?
I first heard of Gonzaga when I was looking at Santa Clara University and found out that they are very similar in many ways. I was looking for a school with small class sizes, a focus on well roundedness and a good atmosphere. Gonzaga fits all these and more. The beautiful campus and great men's basketball team just put it over the top.
What will you be studying?
I have not declared a major yet because I honestly can't choose one area to focus in yet. As of right now, I am most interested in math and science, but I am also interested in Spanish, psychology, and philosophy. I haven't had enough experience in the higher level classes to know for sure if those areas are something that I would want to pursue for a long time. Right now I want to try as many different things as possible until I come up with an idea of what I might want to do.
How do you feel about going away to college?
I am definitely feeling a lot of mixed feelings about it right now. I am excited about being on my own, but I also know that it will be hard and will require a lot more responsibility. I am looking forward to meeting new friends, but I know that it will take a lot of reaching out and trying to get to know people. I am also excited about some of my more interesting classes, but I know that these classes will be way harder than any classes in high school. To sum it all up, I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun, but I know that it will be really hard.
Sunnyvale Community Services recently received needed school supplies from St. Thomas parishioners to give to children of families receiving monthly food supplements. This has become a yearly occurrence & especially important during a downturn like we're experiencing. I feel proud of our out reach projects & so pleased with the support you continue to give to those in need in our community. Thanks to all who donated school supplies!
Many of you heard my report in the forums on August 17, but for those who didn't, here is a capsule summary. The convention was notable, first, for the spirit of respect and dignity that was maintained among all the bishops and deputies, despite passionate feelings on all sides. Both hearings and debates were conducted in calm voices, and with an apparent willingness to listen to opposing positions. This reminded me very strongly of the 1976 General Convention, which also took place in Minneapolis, when we debated the adoption of a new Prayerbook, and the ordination of women to the priesthood. Both then, and now, when the results of the votes were announced in the House of Deputies, there was a quiet acceptance of the result, with no expressions of joy or sorrow at that moment.
The news-making votes to confirm the election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, and to approve a substitute resolution which recognized same-sex blessings as taking place "within the bounds of our common life", were votes by orders. This meant that the clergy and lay deputies voted separately, and that each diocese had only two votes to cast, one from the 4 clergy deputies, and one from the 4 lay deputies. Each deputy wrote down her/his vote, and the chair of the deputation made the tally: 4-0 or 3-1 in favor counted as one Yes vote, 0-4 or 1-3 counted as one No vote, and 2-2 was a divided vote, which counted as a No vote. So even though there were some 832 deputies seated in the House, the vote totals were much smaller, reflecting the number of dioceses (108).
We made many important decisions for the life of the church, which you did not hear about on the evening news.
Each newly ordained priest, whether employed or not, shall be assigned a mentor priest by the Bishop in consultation with the Commission on Ministry. The mentor and new priest shall meet regularly for at least a year, to provide guidance, information, and a sustained dialogue about priestly ministry." (Title III, Canon 9, Section 2)We agreed with the Executive Council in giving a top priority to youth and young adult ministry.
We established a Task Force to study ministry with and for an aging population.
We established a Standing Commission on Health.
We approved four people to be commemorated in our church calendar: Janani Luwum, Archbishop & Martyr, William Temple, Archbishop, C.S. Lewis, Apologist and author, and Florence Li-Tim Oi, First Woman Priest.
We approved continuing use of the Revised Common Lectionary as an option, rather than a requirement, for parishes.
Although we did not approve direct ordination to the priesthood, we did approve many other changes to the Title III canons on ministry. One of them I wrote myself, as a suggestion to the committee on Canons, which they incorporated. It says: "
And, the head of our own deputation, Dottie Fuller, was elected by the whole House of Deputies, to the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church.
Several resolutions concerned education in various forms. Leaders in the national church, and in dioceses are to take anti-racism training. All Episcopalians are encouraged to study bio-ethics. Parishes and dioceses are to study world mission, as presented in the booklet "Companions in Transformation". Every Episcopalian is called to be able to articulate his or her faith story, and congregations are to create opportunities for these to be told. Each diocese is to create a plan for the continuing education of clergy, and is to identify leadership programs and internships for 18-25 year olds. Finally, a Theological Education committee is to prepare an in-depth study of the future of theological education.
Your prayers and presence are requested for
A Celebration of New Ministry
as
The Rev Sue Thompson is instituted as Vicar at St Edmund’s Church
Sunday, October 26, 4:00pm
1500 Perez Drive, Pacifica
Clergy, festive stoles Reception to follow
A new Canon Missioner to Silicon Valley
The Rev. Dr. Sheldon Hutchison has been appointed as the new Canon Missioner to Silicon Valley. Sheldon's appointment took effect at his ordination on June 28, and he is scheduled to be formally installed at Trinity Cathedral in November. The final date selection will be made by the bishop, who is currently on vacation.
The position of Canon Missioner is one that Sheldon feels very strongly about, especially with his 20-plus years in the Silicon Valley and about 30 years in high technology. Sheldon notes that the position has no defined "job description," leaving him to form this new ministry to fit the gifts available and the needs that arise. To help fill in the lack of structure in the Missioner's position, he has assembled an Advisory Team of four people from our diocese to meet with him and advise him in his efforts. Sheldon notes, "This job is, I think, all about outreach, evangelism, and prophetic witness. As I've also said to some folks the job is also about 'spiritual environmentalism,' taking care of the spiritual environment in which we live. It is also not a 'the' position but an 'a' position. We all have a part to play in this ministry, and I hope to involve as many people as I can. I don't like to [think of myself as] THE Missioner, but to think that the work is to be shared, making me "A" Missioner among many. The title might mean one thing, but the work can't be done alone."
Part of the formal duties of the Canon Missioner include work at Trinity Cathedral. Sheldon serves there two Sundays a month, when he's not serving as transitional deacon at St. Thomas. Trinity Cathedral also serves as the office location for the Canon Missioner and will ultimately be the "home base" for Sheldon's Missioner work. However, St. Thomas figures into the Missioner's plans. As he notes, "St. Thomas is a parish that is situated very close to the epicenter of the movement of the Valley, both technologically and non-technologically. I am hoping that St. Thomas will always have a vital role to play in this ministry--it should, I think, and perhaps it even must. This is a time of new opportunity for this parish, and a time that requires us, I think, to look at our outreach and evangelism as we continue to grow. As Canon Missioner I'm hoping to make St. Thomas an important part of what I will do in this job."
If you'd like to talk to Sheldon about your own ideas and hopes, you can reach him at 408-749-9320, sheldonhutchison@aol.com, or on Sundays when he's serving at St. Thomas.
[This information is drawn from an October 2000 BAD article.]
The Faith in Action Rotating Shelter comes to St. Thomas during October.
Faith in Action is a collaborative effort between Cupertino Community Services and more than twenty churches, religious congregations, and local community groups. It is a program that offers a new beginning for the homeless.
The Rotating Shelter Program provides shelter, meals, shower facilities, bus passes, job counseling, job development, and other support services to homeless men who are willing and able to find employment and a permanent place to live.
The Rotating Shelter moves from one host church to another each month. Each host church provides adequate space for the guests to sleep, a secure area for them to store their belongings during the day, and an area where they can have their meals. The guests’ personal belongings and supplies for the shelter are moved from one host church to the next each month by a team of volunteer movers.
Cupertino Community Services provides professional case management, overnight supervisors, voice mailboxes, passes to the Northwest YMCA, job counseling, bus passes, and their supportive services.
Funding sources for the program administration include the cities of Cupertino and Sunnyvale, the County of Santa Clara, FEMA, and donations from the faith community and individuals.
Rotating Shelter
Rotating Shelter is simple in concept and a bit difficult to describe. It involves a dozen Santa Clara Valley churches of several denominations. It is administered by Cupertino Community Services (CCS). It provides church-facility nighttime homes for up to fifteen men at any one time, for up to one month at any one church. No man may stay in the program for more than 3 months. Each man has one trunk in which to keep his belongings. St. Thomas hosts Rotating Shelter men during the month of October.
At the beginning of the month, even before the men arrive, their trunks are delivered and stacked in the southwest corner of the Sanctuary. At night the men arrive and set up housekeeping in Cowan's Hall. Meals are pot-luck, cooked at home and brought by St. Thomas members who have volunteered to do so. There is opportunity for socializing during and after the meal. The next morning, the men repack their belongings and go out to work or look for work. During the day there is almost no sign at St. Thomas of their nightly presence. At the end of the month, a truck arrives and the men load their belongings onto it and are gone.
In 2000, the last year we had Rotating Shelter on our campus before our remodeling, Chris Schmidt invited me (John Buck) to bring dessert one night. He had to twist my arm slightly. I wasn't sure what kind of person I'd be meeting there. Would there be language problems? Health problems? Attitude problems? No. No. And no. These were guys who seemed not that much different from us except somehow something had run their lives to a place where they needed some resources they couldn't generate on their own; and the expectation was that each one would soon be working himself out of the program. Finding and having a job is an important part of the Rotating Shelter program. The job situation in these parts was different in October 2000 than it is now. It will probably be different next October. The need doesn't change although the faces do.
Rotating Shelter is a program of an organization appropriately named Faith in Action.
Faith in Action-Cupertino/Sunnyvale/Saratoga Rotating shelter program
Faith in Action is a collaborative effort between Cupertino Community Services and more than twenty churches, religious congregations, and local community groups, that offers a new beginning for the homeless. The Rotating Shelter Program provides shelter, meals, shower facilities, bus passes, job counseling, job development, and other support services to homeless men who are willing and able to find employment and a permanent place to live. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for members of the homeless community to re-establish a stable, self-sufficient lifestyle in a warm and supportive environment.
The Rotating Shelter moves from one host church to another each month. Each host church provides adequate space for the guests to sleep, a secure area for them to store their belongings during the day, and an area where they can have their meals. The shelter opens at 8:00 p.m. (at 9:00 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays while at St. Thomas). It closes at 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. The guests’ personal belongings and supplies for the shelter are moved from one host church to the next each month by a team of volunteer movers.
Cupertino Community Services provides professional case management, overnight supervisors, voice mailboxes, passes to the Northwest YMCA, job counseling, bus passes, and other supportive services. Our funding sources for the program administration include the cities of Cupertino and Sunnyvale, the County of Santa Clara, FEMA, and donations from the faith community and individuals.
Applicants are carefully screened and must sign a contract that defines their responsibilities and rights within the program. The program is limited to 15 guests at a time who are allowed to stay for a period of up to 90 days, as long as they are making progress toward the goal of self-sufficiency and are in compliance with program requirements. Because of the extensive case management guests receive and the tremendous support from the community, our shelter graduates enjoy a success rate exceeding 80%.
In the month of October, the shelter is located here at St. Thomas, in Cowan's Hall. The men sleep on mats and in sleeping bags provided by the program and eat food that is donated and prepared by our parishioners and other area participants. There is a salaried overnight supervisor to look after the men. There are volunteer “greeters” to represent the parish each evening for the first hour or so. A “shopper” purchases staple foods for the guests’ breakfasts and lunches (which they fix themselves). The shopper is reimbursed from the outreach fund for these expenses.
| Anne Bradburn | 09/01 |
| Ashley Cobb | 09/02 |
| Patricia Pietrzyk | 09/02 |
| Nancy Tucker | 09/03 |
| Jerri Olivari | 09/04 |
| Chris McVey | 09/06 |
| David Matlock | 09/07 |
| Elaine Ho | 09/08 |
| Kevin Whitmer | 09/12 |
| Elizabeth Beeler | 09/13 |
| Dorothy Ames | 09/14 |
| Paul Rowe | 09/14 |
| Jon Aderhold | 09/15 |
| Rick Morse | 09/16 |
| Ann Stevenson | 09/19 |
| Mark Camp | 09/23 |
| Scott Whisler | 09/28 |
| Bob Ridgway | 09/29 |
| Claribel Dare | 10/03 |
| Brenda Jones | 10/03 |
| Tiniki Roxton | 10/03 |
| Matthew Ridgway | 10/04 |
| June Amos | 10/05 |
| Sandee Draper | 10/05 |
| Margo Poulain | 10/07 |
| Pat Dare | 10/08 |
| Edie Goodwyn | 10/08 |
| Edward Wilson | 10/11 |
| Lorraine Fife | 10/12 |
| Kari Ridgway | 10/12 |
| Helen Rogers | 10/15 |
| Jim Cobb | 10/18 |
| Teri Bradburn | 10/29 |
| Alicia & Frank LaFetra | 9/1 |
| Chris Peterson& Karen Rogers | 9/9 |
| Harvey & Ruby Brenner | 9/14 |
| Gerald & Mary Jane Larson | 10/12 |
| Lou & Margo Poulain | 10/30 |
