Dear Friends in Christ, Just as The Episcopal Church is going through a time of transition, getting ready for a new Presiding Bishop to take office, so we in the Diocese of El Camino Real are in a time of transition. Not only are we searching for a new bishop, but we are also getting ready to change the structure of our diocese. Both processes will take more than a year, and we will be in that ambiguous time when we are not quite what we have been, but not yet what we will be. Let me try to describe the two choices being presented to Diocesan Convention, for delegates to decide on October 21st. The first choice is the Collaborative Structure. The concept of this proposal is that the function of the diocese is to nurture and guide both congregations and members, with resources that are beyond the capability of individual congregations. This proposal is intended to simplify and clarify the current structure. The Diocesan Council and the Corporations would be merged into one body, the Board of Trustees, to plan and execute the program and finances of the diocese as adopted by Diocesan Convention. It would be composed of 12 members, 6 elected by the deaneries, and 6 elected at large by Convention. The deaneries would be reorganized from 7 to 3 regional deaneries. They could develop and sponsor programs if they wished. The Finance Committee would be a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees. The Standing Committee would carry out its canonical responsibilities, and serve as a council of advice to the bishop. The second choice is called the Mission Model. The idea is to give both responsibility and authority for most ministry to parishes and convocations (aka deaneries). At the center of the diocese is, of course, the Bishop, with the particular resources of finance, communications, chancellor, etc. The Standing Committee and Corporation would merge to take care of all governance matters, and then there would be a Great Commission Council to focus on the mission and ministry of the diocese, in a future-oriented way. It will allocate funding to the Convocations for regional programs, and at the end of a 3-year transition, 40% of all diocesan income will go to the Convocations. In addition to these three plans for the structure of the diocese, there are 4 funding formulas being presented. As long as I have been a member of the diocese, there has been discussion about changing the Fair Share formula. At present, each parish gives to the diocese 10% of the first $60,000 of income, and 22% of income over $60,000. And at present, nearly half of the churches in the diocese are not able to pay their full Fair Share. Now, rather than voting up or down on one proposal, we have 4 possible formulas to choose from. Here they are:
Having read so far, you might like to know who, from St. Thomas, will be voting on these proposed changes. Our delegates to Diocesan Convention are: Dorothy Furgerson, Gary Letson, John McVey, and Lou Poulain. If any one of these is unable to attend, our alternates are, Jon Aderhold, Joe Gutierrez, Linda Ormiston and Pat Williams. The Convention meets on Fri Oct 20 and Sat Oct 21st. Please do speak to them and tell them what you think! They represent you. In closing, I want to say that I was thrilled by the way we celebrated our 10th anniversary together as rector and parish. The Vestry chose just the right gifts: a scrapbook of the 10 years, a VERY LONG scroll with drawings and good wishes from you all, and the beautiful gift for the church in my honor, of the red Holy Spirit frontal and vestments. I have come back from vacation refreshed, and relaxed, and looking forward to all the special things we do in the fall: the Roundup at Sunset, the Rotating Shelter, the Pledge drive, the Children's sabbath, All Saints day . . . and the 40th anniversary of our beautiful sanctuary.
Offering Our First Fruits to God in Gratitude by Jon Aderhold, Pledge Drive Chairman All of our calendars mark the cycles of life. The church calendar takes us through the seasons of our worship. Nature’s calendar of spring-summer-fall-winter guides our activities, the clothes we wear, and our balance of indoor and outdoor activities. From earliest biblical times, farmers have followed a calendar of soil preparation, planting, fertilizing, watering, tending, and harvesting and have offered the first fruits of their harvests to God in gratitude for the abundance they received from him. The farmer’s calendar is an allegory of how we prepare for our careers and earn our livelihoods, even today. And, like the biblical farmers, we can offer God the first fruits of our earnings in gratitude for what he has done for us. That will be the theme of St. Thomas’ stewardship activities that begin in September and will culminate in our pledge drive in October. You’ll hear much more as the time grows closer. Let’s remember to be grateful and to offer generously! Introductory meeting Sun Sept 24 by the Rev.Wendy Smith This is the first call for those who want to explore membership in the Episcopal Church. Everyone who worships at St. Thomas is considered a member of the parish, but to be a member of the Episcopal Church, you must be either baptized, or confirmed, or received by the Bishop in a formal ceremony. That service of Confirmation and Reception will take place on Sunday January 7th, 2007. Preparation for this sacrament is made in the Inquirers' Class, in which I, and others, will lead discussions about the history, structure, and "doctrines" of the Church, about our approach to the Bible, to worship, to the Christian journey, to ethics, and to the sacraments. Participation in the class is an exploration of whether or not you want to join the church; we do NOT assume at the beginning that you will. Generally we meet for 9 or 10 sessions during September, October and November, at a time and on a day that we will choose on Sun Sept 24th, at an introductory meeting. Teenagers are welcome, however Confirmation is NOT necessary to receive Communion, so there is no necessity for youth to rush into this process. We understand Confirmation to be a "mature affirmation of the faith", which can only be received once. Finally, I encourage the many members of St. Thomas who are not yet members of the Episcopal Church, to give serious thought to participation in this class. Adult Education Fall 2006—Spiritual Practices -- Weds Sept 13, 20, 27, 7:30 pmby Lou Poulain Life in the Valley in 2006: In this materialistic, secular, wired world, what constitutes a Christian life? What does our tradition teach us about the art of living in Christ in modern America? How do we allow ourselves to be formed by the Gospel? How do we carry the Sunday experience of worship into the Monday experience of everyday life? How do we chart a moral course in the face of the prevailing value of self-interest? How do we make time for prayer and reflection? How do we learn to forgive? How do we unwind and recharge? What are the SPIRITUAL PRACTICES can we exercise that will make a difference? This year, our Adult Education effort at St. Thomas will explore these SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, including forgiveness, moral discernment, intercessory prayer, the Spiritual Practice of creativity, the Spiritual Practice of living joyfully with chronic illness, the Spiritual Practice of meditation, and much more. We will meet on Wednesdays, at 7:30 in the Library
Watch BAD and the Sunday bulletin for details and the rest of the Fall calendar. Bridge Party -- Next Bridge is Sat Sep 9; 7 pmby Linda Alcock There will be a bridge party held on Saturday evening in the Disciple's Room of the Education Building at St. Thomas Church from 7 to 10 PM. The dates are Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 11, no bridge in December because of holidays, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Mar. 10 or 17 (date depends on Our Daily Bread annual dinner), April 14, May 19, June 9, July 14. Call Linda Alcock for more information or if you are interested in playing. The Later Life Group—Being Sick Well -- Tuesdays at 1 pm, beginning Sept 12by The Rev. Wendy Smith Being Sick Well is the title of a new book by Jeffrey Boyd, which I plan to use with the Later Life group in September. The subtitle is "Joyful Living Despite Chronic Illness". Actually, the scope of our discussion will include chronic conditions, which are not usually described as illnesses, such as having to wear corrective lenses. Sooner or later we all develop a chronic condition or illness; wearing glasses may not interfere much with our lives, but back problems, dialysis, and chronic fatigue certainly do!On Tuesday September 12th, the Later Life group will meet at 1:00 pm in the Disciples' Room, to begin a month-long discussion of the alternatives to complaining, our spiritual resources, living with joy in the midst of pain, gratitude and blessing, and the shaping effect of attitude. There is no particular qualification to join this discussion, other than interest in exploring this topic with people in later life (whenever that begins!). by Jan Camp Many thanks for helping Sunnyvale Cares with their annual Food Drive! Our Daily Bread received five full shopping carts of appropriate food from this ingathering and the other agencies, like FISH, Salvation Army, and Sunnyvale Community Services did well, though the drive wasn't as successful this year as last. Thanks also for taking part in the annual School Supplies drive that helps Sunnyvale Community Services outfit more than 325 children for back- to-school. We all know that new supplies like a binder, back pack, pens, and paper make starting school much more exciting. Sunnyvale FISH now has its own website < http://www.sunnyvalefish.org/ > so our supporters can spread the word about our good works, plus be knowledgeable about current needs. Remember, Sunnyvale FISH started right here at St. Thomas in the 1960s. Countdowns by John Buck 3 months to the 40th anniversary of dedicating our sanctuary (Dec 2006) 5 months to the 30th anniversary of Wendy’s ordination to priesthood (Feb ’07) 63 months to our Centennial (December 2011) PEP Talk -- "In community we have love, through community we have strength."by Pat Dare “Back to the Parish” Kickoff Luncheon, September 10th, at Cowans Hall September is “Back to Parish” month and we’ll kick off the activities on Sunday, September 10th, with a Salad Potluck Luncheon in Cowans Hall after the 10:30 morning worship service.
After lunch, we will have representatives of various parish committees come to speak to us about their activities. Hopefully, you will become enthused and join one or more of these committees. For the remainder of the month, other parish committee representatives will be available after each of the worship services to describe their functions and answer any questions you may have. Upcoming Activities “Roundup at Sunset”, September 23rd—PEP will be assisting with the food reception for this fundraiser activity. Planning Meetings, Sept 5th and Oct 3rd, 7:30 pm, in the Disciples Room At our September meeting, we will work on the “Back to Parish” Kick-off and on the support of the “Roundup at Sunset” fundraiser. At our October meeting, we will talk about support for the Stewardship event and entertain ideas for celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sanctuary. If you would like to help, or have any ideas you would like us to consider, please come to the meeting. The work is both fun and spiritually rewarding. Sundays Sep 10 thru Oct 8 by Jan Letson Do you have --
A lot of things go on at St Thomas besides our Sunday and Wednesday worship services. Many who come to our worship services know little, if anything, of these other activities and might love being a part of one or more of them. We want you to know about them and to feel free to join any that interest you or where you feel you can serve joyfully. Our Parish Event Planners (PEP) have decided to be a bit different in our approach this year in order to make the "menu" of our activities more personal—and maybe less overwhelming. The Parish Program Fair will last for several Sundays (September 10 thru October 8), with different people showcasing and personally presenting their activities on each Sunday. Our intent is to bring the Parish Program Fair to all three Sunday
services, Come see! Come learn about what goes on the rest of the week! Maybe you will like something and want try it out! We are starting off with a PROGRAM FAIR SALAD LUNCH on the first Sunday of the fair, September 10, after the 10:30 service. PEP will supply the green salad and parishioners are invited to bring specialty salads or fixings for PEP's green salad. Trip to Camp Coast Care in Mississippi -- November 11-18, 2006A group (adults) from the Diocese will be going to Mississippi November 11-18, 2006, to continue with the relief work that is going on from Hurricane Katrina. There are physical demolition/construction jobs as well as organization/administration jobs. People will either be flying or driving. This trip will change your life! Contact Sheila Vossler: mabear2@sbcglobal.net or Robin Denney: redenney99@yahoo.com by Ruth Hoffman, Clerk; edited for publication
July 18, 2006 Meeting FINANCE REPORT: Mel Hoffman reported that the pledge and loose offering income for the month of June was slightly lower than budget. The expenses were slightly lower than budget. The net (loss) was quite close to the amount budgeted.Mel talked about some special items.
PLEDGE DRIVE: Jon Aderhold discussed the preliminary plans and schedule for the Pledge Drive. Pledge Sunday is scheduled for October 29. (NOTE: Now scheduled for Sunday, November 5, per the Vestry meeting of August 15) OLD BUSINESS: WENDY’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: It was reported that the event was successful. There were about 110 people in attendance. Chris Schmidt was complimented on his excellent preparation and presentation as Master of Ceremonies. ROUNDUP AT SUNSET: Wendy Tracy reported on the progress for this event. It has been suggested that groups could “go together” and make some type of a donation for bidding. A booklet will be prepared to list items for bidding. There will be some restaurant donations and some theatre tickets available for bidding. SURFACE COATING FOR THE CHURCH: Chris Schmidt updated the information about the refinishing of the church. This is a question about upkeep and the recommendation is that the wood sidings should be refinished every three years. Chris said that the Finance Committee recommended that the Vestry decide what they want to do and propose it as part of the budget for next year. There was discussion about the use of volunteers do some of the work. It was felt that volunteers should NOT do the bleaching. MOTION: A motion was made (Storrer) and seconded (Tracy) that the Vestry approves to put all of the work of the refinishing of the church exterior onto the budget for next year and to increase the amount of expense to […]. This would include bleaching and clear coating of the wood surfaces of the church and wood of other buildings. The motion passed with a 6 to 2 vote. NEW BUSINESS: BACK TO PARISH PROGRAM MONTH: Jan Letson reported that PEP is making plans for the “Back to The Parish” Program. The plans for this year will cover several Sundays. (September 10 through October 8) Several groups will be featured on each Sunday. There will also be a salad potluck luncheon. 40th ANNIVERSARY OF DEDICATION OF SANCTUARY: Plans are being made for the celebration of the Dedication of the Sanctuary. MOTION: A motion was made (Schmidt) and seconded (Tracy) that the Vestry approves spending a maximum of […] in order to submit St. Thomas Sanctuary for the “25 Year” award of the AIA. The motion passed. Chris will handle the necessary details. There was a discussion about establishing a Preservation Fund for the church. MOTION: A motion was made (Tracy) and seconded (Storrer) that the discussion of the Preservation Fund be tabled until the August Vestry meeting. The motion was passed. COMMISSIONS CHECK-IN: FUNDRAISING: Sign ups are progressing for the auction items. EVANGELIZATION, ATTRACTION and INTEGRATION: Chris Schmidt reported that there is enthusiasm about serving more ethnic groups. How can we serve them? There will be a meeting on July 30 to discuss some plans. STEWARDSHIP: Dave Morris suggested that in 2008 we should have a plan for the […] for the architectural work on a new family room. 2007 would only be involved with planning for the money and maybe plans for a capital drive in 2009. Chris Schmidt announced that the estimate for trimming the trees was […]. Chris also announced that there would be a WORKDAY on August 12. RECTOR’S REPORT: Wendy was away; no report. Joe Gutierrez is working with the Architectural Committee to inquire about roof vents for the church that could provide some relief during the hot weather. by the Rev. Wendy Smith, Susan McVey, John Buck On Sunday, July 30, La Mora Wiggin’s family joined us in commemorating a milestone birthday with her, using new liturgy authorized at the 2006 General Convention. Chris McVey is engaged to marry his long-time girlfriend Melissa. They have not set the date yet but will probably wait until he completes his Navy training and she graduates from college. Chris left UCSC in April and has enlisted in the Navy. He will be leaving for boot camp at the end of October and will serve for six years. The Rev. Bob Williams had successful knee replacement surgery in August, and is recovering at home. We are delighted to report that Pat Williams will take office as Chair of Diocesan Council after our Diocesan Convention in October! Congratulations, Pat !!! Barbara Connelly is moving from her Sunnyvale apartment, to [a place] which will bring her closer to the church. Both the Schmidts and the Dares welcomed their grandchildren for visits during August. Michael Ridgway is beginning his third year at the School for Deacons. Alexander Tan has gone to England to attend Exeter College and live with his grandparents. Elise Whisler sang a duet with her father Scott on Sunday Aug 13th. Meredith Ross has gone back to the University of Nebraska for her doctoral studies, and will teach an undergraduate class in Engineering Management. Matthew MacKenzie went to Greece this summer, and Ryan MacKenzie went to a drama workshop in London. by Chris Schmidt Thanks to all of you who helped out on August 12th. If you have a discerning eye you might notice some changes that were a result of the work You might see scraped and flattened earth behind Cowan's Hall, that a board was removed board from the west end of the church, or patches on the altar kneelers receiving needed patches. Most of you won't notice all of the paper that was sorted in the Sunday School supply room. Some have asked about the long term plan for the area behind Cowan's Hall where all the bricks are stored. So far we've put in drainage and leveled the ground. Pretty soon we could start laying bricks to give us a beautiful outdoor area for sitting outside, for a bar-b-q, or for purposes yet to be discerned, If you are an experienced or an aspiring brick layer please talk to Chris Schmidt. DATE CHANGED TO: Saturday, Sept 23, 6:30 pm by Elaine Timm The second Roundup at Sunset fundraiser has been moved forward to Saturday, September 23. The corral gates will open at 6:30 p.m. in Cowans Hall. The evening begins with appetizers provided by our own St. Thomas gourmet chefs, with J. Lohr wines and non-alcoholic punch. Throughout the evening, raffles and silent auctions will be held. One auction item is a Thai dinner for 10 to be prepared by Canon Britt Olson. Review the catalog of auction and raffle items as you enjoy the music of the SPECS, the popular trio who entertained at last year’s Roundup. Their music ranges from gospel to folk to bluegrass and “will touch your soul and refresh your spirit.” Their CDs will be for sale. It will be an evening of socializing and fun--a chance to get together with members of the St. Thomas family from all three services. Mark the date on your calendar--Saturday, September 23. Proceeds will benefit St. Thomas ministries, outreach and Our Daily Bread. Book Club -- Tue Sept 26, 7 pmby Dorothy Furgerson The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard Soon after the end of World War II, a disillusioned veteran and U.S. Army major named Aldred Leith travels to a Japanese island, hoping to understand the impact of the war on the place. Meanwhile, his friend Peter Exley is investigating war crimes. And two young children, the daughter and son of a general, play their part in a novel about victims of various kinds and their rescuers.
by Carol Campbell Did you know that ... St. Jerome is the patron saint of libraries, librarians and archivists Jerome lived from 340-350 C.E. and died in 420 C.E. Jerome was highly literate and was appointed secretary to Pope Damasus I at an early age. A biblical scholar, his most important work was a translation of the Bible into Latin, which became known as the Vulgate and is still the official biblical text of the Roman Catholic Church. Jerome went to the Holy Land in 385 and settled in Bethlehem in 386, where he remained for a number of years. Jerome lived to be quite elderly—70 years was a very long life in the fourth century! Since his own time, Jerome has been associated with scrolls, writing, cataloging, translating, etc.—hence his assigned patronage. St. Jerome’s feast day is September 30. Another interesting tidbit: Jerome was reported to have drawn a thorn from a lion’s paw; the animal stayed loyally at his side for years. Believe it ... or not! Permission granted to use by Karen Bota, Editor of Church & Synagogue LIBRARIES. Carroll Rankin to speak at Los Altos Hills Historical Society meeting -- Sun Sep 24, 3–5 pm, LAH Town Hall by John Buck St. Thomasian Carroll Rankin, architect of our sanctuary, will be the speaker at the Sunday September 24 meeting of the Los Altos Hills Historical Society. He will be describing the work involved in getting Palo Alto’s Eichler-built Grerenmeadows and Green Gables neighborhoods listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting is from 3 to 5 pm in the LAH Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road, LAH. A discussion and refreshment period follows the formal portion of the meeting. You are invited to attend and participate. Contact John Buck for more info. Mark Your Calendars! -- Children’s Sabbath® Sun, Oct 15, 10:30 service by Rosemary Halas Parker St. Thomas’ annual Children’s Sabbath will be observed on Sunday, October 15th during the 10:30 service. The National Observance of the Children’s Sabbath is organized each year by the Children’s Defense Fund to “encourage prayer, education and service to help children and families.” On the weekend of the Children’s Sabbath, faith communities across the country hold special worship services and activities to call attention to the special needs of children and families all over the world. Families, watch the bulletin and your email to find out how kids and parents can help out with this year’s Children’s Sabbath! To find out more, please visit http://cdf.convio.net/What_CDF_Does_Childrens_Sabbaths or www.childrensdefense.org. Our Daily Bread’s Current Needs by the Rev. Wendy Smith During the summer, we are blessed by having volunteers who are high school and college students. Now they have gone back to school, and so Our Daily Bread needs some new volunteers to take their places. In particular, we need some more volunteers to work on Mondays. Other donations which would be much appreciated, are ground beef, paper placemats, ground coffee, and juice (not frozen) of any kind. Recently, we have been serving approximately 200 diners each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If you would like to help ODB, but are not available in the middle of the day, please let me know, or leave a message for the Coordinator, David Barnes (408-736-4108). by Courtney Tan I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the people who have been so kind and helpful towards me and my family, and also in covering phones and performing miscellaneous office duties during my recent absences from the St. Thomas office. I feel truly blessed to be part of such a caring community.
Sundays
Mondays Office is closed on Mondays 2–4 pm Monday’s Crew 8 pm AA
Tuesdays 10 am Library, Resource Center 1 pm Later Life Group—Begins Sept 12 7:30 pm PEP Talk—9/5 and 10/3 only 7:30 pm Ministry Network—9/12 only 7:30 pm Vestry—9/19 and 10/17 only 8 pm Alanon 7 pm Book Club—The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard—9/26 only Wednesdays9:50 am Meditation 10:15 am Bible Study 12:10 pm Holy Eucharist
Thursdays
Fridays Diocesan Convention—Fri 10/20, Sat 10/21 only—San Luis Obispo Saturdays "Roundup at Sunset" Fundraising Auction—Sat 9/23, 6:30 pm only Altar Guild Men’s Spiritual Growth Group—9/2, 9/16, 10/7, 10/21 only
Bridge—9/9 and 10/14 only, 7 pm Diocesan Convention continues—Sat 10/21 only—San Luis Obispo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
