St. Paul's Episcopal Church News

Remembering Susan Prather

2008-08-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

St. Paul's remembers Susan Prather, the Executive Director of Fresh Start, who passed away on July 29. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's on Thursday, August 28.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2

Congratulations Father Phil Brochard

2008-07-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

Our Associate Rector, the Reverend Philip T. Brochard, has been called to be the 13th Rector of All Souls Episcopal Church in Berkeley. Father Phil's last Sunday at St. Paul's will be August 24.

More Photos from Honduras

2008-01-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

Bible stories go high tech in Honduras.

More Photos from Honduras

2008-01-11T17:24:00.001-08:00

Some of the children from the church.

More Photos from Honduras

2008-01-11T17:22:00.000-08:00

Crowned with love.

Getting Ready for Noonday Prayer

2008-01-10T23:07:00.001-08:00

The children get ready for Noonday prayer in the church.

Commissioning for the Mission Trip to Honduras

2008-01-10T22:45:00.000-08:00

Commissioning of the Honduras Mission Trip Team on Sunday, January 6.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:42:00.000-08:00

Nancy sews a puppet.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:37:00.001-08:00

Sherry working with fabric.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:35:00.001-08:00

Robbie and Mike S. working hard to help build the second floor.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:33:00.001-08:00

Jan and Jennifer help the children get creative.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

Hard working crew from St. Paul's and Honduras. Photo includes Robbie, Dave, and Mike.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:24:00.001-08:00

Emily teaches the children how to play chess.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:22:00.001-08:00

Bible stories go high tech.

Honduras Mission Trip

2008-01-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Sissy helps the kids.

Taize Service - Monday, October 15, 7:00 PM

2007-09-02T00:24:00.000-07:00

Members and friends of the Diocese of California are invited to join together in prayer in the Taizé form, and to come together in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Christ within the diocese and beyond.

Following the service there will be a festive reception welcoming the Most Rev. Njongunkulu Ndungane, Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Province of Southern Africa, who will be appearing throughout the diocese for the rest of the week and preaching at the convention's opening Eucharist on Friday.

All are welcome. Come join us in prayer and to welcome Archbishop Ndungane.

Honduras Info Night is Coming!

2007-08-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

Doing short-term mission work is a challenging mix of hard work, sacred experiences, and deep, joyful fun. On August 15th we will have an evening of information, initial planning and good eating for anyone interested in participating in our Honduras Mission trip.

This trip is geared for adults from 18 years old and above. The mission team is comprised of two parts: the away team and the home team.

All you need to be on the "away team" is a willing heart and some physical stamina because we do our work at the mid-point of a large hill (that we may have to climb everyday) and we’ll be staying at a lovely B&B whose meeting space is on the 4th floor (with no elevator)! Spanish is NOT required.

All you need to be on the "home team" is a willing heart and time to help us organize, fund raise, and pray-pray-pray!

Info Night Details
When: August 15th
Time: 6:30pm fiesta dinner 7:00pm presentation and discussion
Who: Any adult from our parish
What: Information about our Mission trip to Honduras
Where: Parish Hall

Youth Group Heads Back to New Orleans

2007-07-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Youth Mission Trip To New Orleans - July 29 to August 9

Our youth group is joining other Episcopal youth groups in the Contra Costa Deanery and heading to New Orleans to help with the rebuilding process. The trip is centered around the Saints of the Church.

On Sunday, August 12, the youth will talk about their trip during the sermon at both the 7:30 am and the 9:30 am Eucharists.

Sign Up for the Next Fellowship/Foyer Groups

2007-05-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

FELLOWSHIP/FOYER GROUPS

The next round of Fellowship/Foyer groups is forming now for June-December. Fellowship groups are composed of 6-8 people who meet 3-4 times during the six month period to share a meal and Christian fellowship. Each member/couple takes a turn hosting the group in their home or other specified meeting place for a simple meal. You can host a brunch after church on Sunday or serve a light evening supper or even a picnic! Your group decides when to meet each month and the host provides the meal. Fellowship groups are an excellent way for newcomers to the church to begin their life at St. Paul’s. It is also an excellent opportunity for long-time parishioners to develop deeper relationships with people they already know. Please see Jen or Larry Gossett at Coffee Hour to sign up or send them an e-mail at parishlife@stpaulswc.org

Easter Services at St. Paul's

2007-03-02T17:45:00.000-08:00

Easter Vigil - Saturday, April 7, 8:00 pm - beginning in the courtyard for the lighting of the New Fire followed by a procession into the Church. A festive reception in the Parish Hall follows this service.

Holy Eucharist at all Easter services

Easter Day - Sunday, April 8, 7:30 am - Holy Eucharist in the Chapel

Sunday, April 8, 9:00 am - Family Service in the Church

Sunday, April 8, 11:00 am - Service with incense in the Church

Palm Sunday and Holy Week Services

2007-03-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

Palm Sunday - Holy Eucharist and Distribution of Palms
Saturday, March 31, 5:30 pm - Chapel
Sunday, April 1, 7:30 am - Chapel
Sunday, April 1, 9:30 am - Church

Maundy Thursday - Holy Eucharist and Footwashing
Thursday, April 5, 7:30 pm - Church

Good Friday - Friday, April 6, 12:15 pm - Church
Friday, April 6, 4:00 pm - Family Good Friday Liturgy - Church
Friday, April 6, 7:30 pm - Church

2007 Lenten Series

2007-02-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

This year's theme is:

"Personal Transformation:
How Lent and Holy Week can change your life."

Series begins on Wednesday evening, February 28 and continues every Wednesday evening through March 28. Speakers will be from CDSP and the Diocese of California. The evening begins with a simple supper at 6:00 pm followed by a speaker and ending with Compline. Cost for the series is $20 for youth (12 to 18) and $40 for adults or $5 per evening for youth and $10 per evening for adults. Childcare will be provided. Signup during Coffee Hour on Sunday mornings or contact the Parish Office (925) 934-2324 or email events@stpaulswc.org

The speakers are:

Wednesday, February 28 - The Rev. Dr. Judy Siker
Dean of the Faculty and Associate Professor of New Testament
American Baptist Seminary of the West - Graduate Theological Union

Wednesday, March 7 - The Rev. Dr. David Gortner
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology
Director, Center for Anglican Learning & Leadership
Church Divinity School of the Pacific

Wednesday, March 14 - The Rev. Dr. Michael Guinan (OFM)
Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages
Franciscan School of Theology - Graduate Theological Union

Wednesday, March 21 - The Rev. Dr. Louis Weil
Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics
Church Divinity School of the Pacific

Wednesday, March 28 - St. Paul's Clergy - The Service of Reconciliation

2007 Lenten Food Drive

2007-02-04T18:18:00.000-08:00

Food will be collected at the church

on the following Sundays:

February 18th   -  Veggie  Day



    February 25th   -  Canned Fruit


March 4th  -   Soup



           March 11th  -  Crackers and Cereal



           March 18th  -  Noodles, Spaghetti,

                                             Peanut Butter and Jam



   March 25th  -  Boxing  Day

(Parish Hall during Coffee Hour)

Annual Meeting

2007-01-05T20:22:00.000-08:00

January 21, 2007 - 11:00 am - Parish Hall

Christmas Services

2006-12-22T23:47:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS EVE - December 24 (All services in the Church)

4:00 pm - Family Eucharist and Nativity Story - Join us in the Church with music, the Nativity Story, and the Family Eucharist. Children of all ages are welcome!

8:00 pm - Fesitival Eucharist with Choir - Holy Eucharist with full choir and organ. A reception follows in our Parish Hall.

10:30 pm - Carol Sing followed by Christ's Mass at 11:00 pm. Full choir and organ. Incense is used at this service.

CHRISTMAS DAY - December 25 (Service in the Chapel)

11:00 am - Join us in our historic Chapel built in 1888 for a Festive Eucharist with music.

The Parish Office will be closed beginning Friday, December 22, through Monday, January 1.

Caroling at BART in Walnut Creek - December 18

2006-12-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18
Caroling
Walnut Creek BART station
5:00 pm.

Bring the whole family - sing carols till 6.15pm and then return to St. Paul's Parish Hall for soup supper. The collected donations go to UNICEF.

Christmas Lessons and Carols - December 17

2006-12-05T00:10:00.000-08:00

Sunday Evening, December 17
7:00 PM in the Church
A Festive Reception will follow
in the Parish Hall

Investiture of the Presiding Bishop - November 4

2006-11-06T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori Invested as the Twenty-Sixth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

On Saturday, November 4, in the Washington National Cathedral, the Right Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop of Nevada, became the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. During the ceremony attended by more than 2600, Bishop Jefferts Schori received the Presidng Bishop's pastoral staff from the 25th Presiding Bishop, the Right Reverend Frank T. Griswold III. As primate of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Jefferts Schori is now addressed as the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori. On Sunday, November 5, Bishop Jefferts Schori was seated in the stall of the Presiding Bishop at the Washington National Cathedral. Since 1941, the seatings of the Episcopal Church's presiding bishops have taken place in this cathedral in the carved Gothic stall at the northeast side of the chancel.

The Very Rev. Bill Rankin to Preach at 9:30 - October 22

2006-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 22nd, at the 9:30 am Eucharist, we will welcome the Very Reverend Dr. Bill Rankin and others from GAIA to witness to their work with the children in Malawi orphaned by the A.I.D.S. pandemic.

Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA), a non-profit organization, was founded in June 2000 in response to the global HIV/AIDS catastrophe. Driven by the desire to stop this devastating disease, William Rankin, GAIA's president and chief executive officer, and Charles Wilson, GAIA's board chair, focused on the idea of using the religious networks in Africa as a way to distribute anti-retroviral drugs to block mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

The founder, president, and chief executive officer of GAIA is the Very Reverend William Rankin, Ph.D., M.P.P., a distinguished Episcopal minister and educator, activist, teacher, and nationally recognized counselor on ethics. Rankin is the former president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., a visiting scholar at Cambridge University in England, and chaplain at California Institute of Technology. Rankin has had a long ministry in Northern California.

More information may be found at the GAIA website - http://www.thegaia.org or by contacting GAIA

Phone: (415) 461-7196

FAX: (415) 461-9681

Email:info@thegaia.org
Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance

The Presidio of San Francisco

PO Box 29110

San Francisco, CA 94129-0110

It's Rummage Sale Time - October 21 and 22

2006-10-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

FALL RUMMAGE SALE DATES and TIMES

Saturday, October 21

9:00 am until 4:00 pm

Sunday, October 22

12:00 Noon until 4:00 pm

St. Paul's Parish Hall

1924 Trintiy Avenue

Walnut Creek, CA 94596

between California Blvd. and Oakland Blvd.

one block from the Lesher Center for the Performing Arts

(925) 934-2324

St. Paul's New Rector - The Rev. Canon Sylvia Vasquez

2006-10-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

The Vestry of St. Paul's is thrilled to report that we have called the Rev. Canon Sylvia Vasquez to be our next Rector, and she has accepted. The Vestry selected Sylvia unanimously in the first round of voting last Thursday evening. We anticipate that she will begin her ministry at St. Paul's on December first.

Sylvia is currently a Canon for Congregational Development in the Diocese of New York, having served there for three years. She also serves as the Vicar to a small congregation in the mid-Hudson region of New York. Previously, she was the Associate Rector at Trinity Episcopal Parish in Wilmington, Delaware, and Vicar at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pleasanton, TX and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in George West, TX. She also was the Assistant Rector at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in San Antonio. She received her M.Div. at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.

In presenting Sylvia to the Vestry, the Search Committee described her as a person with great faith, high energy, and an infectious personality, and the Vestry concurs. Sylvia believes in strong lay leadership with collaborative decision-making, based on a vision jointly developed by clergy, staff and lay members. Glowing references from previous positions confirm her skills, and the Vestry believes that she will be an outstanding fit with the members of St. Paul's, and will help guide us toward a vision that includes our stated goal of becoming a vibrant program-size church.

Sylvia and her husband Bill now live in Highland Mills, a small town north of New York City. They have three grown children, a dog (Bill's dog, Beethoven), and, as Sylvia describes it, about 300 close relatives, mostly living in San Antonio.

The Vestry would like to express its deep appreciation for the work done by the Search Committee. It's been a long, arduous year, but they faithfully completed the search. The quality of the candidates presented was outstanding, and we are confident that God has brought Sylvia to us for a purpose.

The Vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

The Blessing of the Animals - October 8, 9:30 am

2006-09-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning, October 8, at the 9:30 am Eucharist, we will celebrate the Blessing of the Animals. There are a few guidelines that will need to be followed:

Owners must be in control of their pets at all times. The pets must have up-to-date vaccinations. Pet deposits, other than monetary, must be cleaned up by the owner.
All dogs must be kept on a leash
All cats must be kept in pet carriers
Other pets must be kept in cages or containers
No mice or other rodents - St. Paul’s already has a Church Mouse and her name is Thedy.
No horses or animals of the farming persuasion

A special note to our snake and reptile owners, your pets will be included in our prayers but we ask that you keep them at home. We will leave the set location for the filming of the movie, “SNAKES IN A CHURCH”, to another religious denomination.

Search Committee Update

2006-09-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

by Richard Kemink, Seach Committee Chairperson

The search committee has submitted the names of the finalists to vestry for consideration to be St. Paul’s new rector. During the course of the next month or two, the vestry will bring these three candidates to St. Paul’s for interviews and a tour of our church. The candidates will not participate in a service nor be introduced to the parish during the visit. After the interviews, the vestry will vote on its selection and call our new rector. The committee received applications from many outstanding candidates. It was a difficult, but rewarding process to narrow this list down to the final group given to the vestry. The committee thanks you for your patience, thoughts and prayers. We will soon be able to give you a more detailed report of our process.

Prayer for a New Rector (BCP)
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector of this parish, that we have receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"An Inconvenient Truth" in 2 parts- October 4 and 11

2006-09-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with The Regeneration Project, St. Paul’s will host a screening of “An Inconvenient Truth” the first two Wednesdays in October - Part 1, October 4, and Part 2, October 11 This will be held in the Parish Hall and the evening will begin with a light supper with the members of the ALPHA Program at 7:00 pm. The film begins at 7:30 pm Following each part, there will be time for discussion. There is no charge for this event however we will have a freewill offering to be donated to the Regeneration Project.

We do ask that you sign up so the folks making the supper will have an idea of how many people to expect.

MEMBERSHIP ORIENTATION - Sunday, October 1

2006-09-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

Meet the leadership of St. Paul’s and participate in a membership class led by Mother Wendy and Welcoming Team. This is a one-meeting class from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and we meet in the Livingston Conference Room. Lunch will be served and questions will be answered. RSVP to membership@stpaulswc.org

Fall Rummage Sale - October 21 and 22

2006-09-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

Join us in the Parish Hall on Saturday, October 21, beginning at 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Also Sunday, October 22, beginning at 12:00 Noon until 4:00 pm.

Nominations for Vestry and Alternate Delegates

2006-09-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

NOMINATIONS FOR 2007 VESTRY AND
THE 2007 ALTERNATE DELEGATES
TO THE DIOCESAN CONVENTION

Here are the nominating committee guidelines and information regarding the 2007 Vestry and Alternate Delegate to Diocesan Convention elections that will be held at St. Paul’s Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 21, 2007. The chairperson of the Nominating Committee is Sharon Schlagel.

Nominating Committee Guidelines

4.2 Tasks of the Nominating Committee. At the first vestry meeting in November of each year, the Nominating Committee shall present a slate of candidates for election to the vestry and election as delegates/alternates to the Diocesan Convention. The Committee shall submit at least one candidate, and preferably two, per vacancy to be filled on the vestry. Parish members wishing to serve as candidates may submit their names to the Committee before October 15 and if they are eligible under Section 4.3 of these Bylaws, their names will be included on the slate. Members of the congregation may submit names to the committee sixty days before the parish meeting date as well, and with those persons’ agreement and eligibility under Section 4.3, their names will also appear on the slate. The slate shall be published to the parish at least forty-five days before the annual parish meeting. During the month of September this section of the Bylaws, plus Section 4.3, shall be published at least once in the Epistle (monthly Parish newsletter) and in the parish Announcement Sheet (weekly information leaflet).
(Amended by the congregation at the Annual Meeting January 21, 1996)

4.3 Eligibility of Nominees. All nominees for election as vestry members or delegates/alternates to the Diocesan Convention shall be communicants in good standing registered in the parish for at least one year, age eighteen or over, and regular contributors to the support of the parish as confirmed by the pledge treasurer. A retiring or resigning vestry member may not again serve on the vestry until one year has elapsed, except that a member completing less than one year of service may be elected for a full term. Incumbent delegates/alternates to Diocesan Convention may again be nominated and elected as delegates/alternates on expiration of their terms.
(Amended by the congregation at the Annual Meeting January 17, 1988)

Nomination forms are located in the narthex of both the church and the chapel. Members of the nominating committee are: Linda Banwell, Helen Greenwood, Lyle Morton, Patty West, and Sharon Schlagel (chair).

Pastoral Care Potluck - September 25

2006-09-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Parish Hall, 6:30 pm This meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more about pastoral care at St. Paul’s and everyone currently participating in pastoral care ministries: Good Sams, Prayer Network, Healing Ministry, Hospital Ministry and Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEVs). Please join us! Contact Donna Colombo 465-4203 or Mike Siebert 943-6269 for information.

Our Newest Member

2006-08-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our newest member, Jonah, who arrived on August 15. His mother Sarah is doing fine and so are his father, Phil, and his big brother, Ben.

Jonah weighed in at 9 lbs. 11 ozs. and 22 and 3/4 inches long. The football coach at UC Berkeley has big plans for this guy!

Sunday School Begins August 20

2006-08-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday School begins a new season on Sunday morning, August 20. There are now four Godly Play classrooms with the addition of the new classroom in the Preschool building as well as the three Godly Play classrooms in the classroom wing.

Also new this year is the Godly Play for middle school for grades 6, 7, and 8 and this group will meet in the Youth Center.

Registration forms are available in the classrooms. Please join us at 9:25 am on August 20.

Backpacks and lunch boxes will be blessed at the time of The Blessing at the 9:30 am Eucharist on August 20!

St. Paul's 2006 Fall Women's Retreat

2006-08-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

Grace in Unlikely Places
Facilitator: Dr. Judy Siker
Dates: 9/29-10/1
Location: Tallac Center
Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center
Tahoe
P.O. Box 289, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448
(775) 588-6759 (775) 588-1095 FAX
http://www.zephyrpoint.org

Single: $230 pp
Double: $160 pp (2 in a room; 2 double beds)
Triple: $148.50 pp (if willing to share 1 bath and a double bed)
Rates include 6 meals, 2 nights lodging, & facilitator

Payment: Due to the short timeframe for coordinating, we are only accepting registration with a check for a deposit (you may pay the full amount if you wish when registering). Full payment is due by 9/15/06. Scholarships/Partial Scholarships available .

Sign up in the Parish Hall on Sundays after the 9:30 a.m. service or mail your deposit to the church office (make sure to mark it for the women's retreat). If you would like an email of the retreat information please send an email to dlcolombo@yahoo.com.

"Grace in Unlikely Places"
How many times have you wondered why you feel so refreshed and renewed when you are with fellow believers in a "church" setting, but have difficulty "finding" that feeling in your everyday life? The biblical text is filled with stories of people who, in the daily routine of life, quite unexpectedly realize they are "standing on holy ground."

God's grace does indeed show up in the most unlikely places! On this weekend retreat, Dr. Judy Siker will lead us as we look anew at their stories. We will weave our own stories through theirs, and we will cultivate the ability to recognize sacred space and heighten our awareness of the interior movements of God's Spirit. Come with us on this spiritual retreat as we discover (or rediscover) together that God is with us wherever we are, and wherever God is with us we are in sacred space.

The Anglican World Online

2006-08-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

(An article from AnglicansOnLine.org which is published in England)

From time to time we sit back to have a look at the state of the Anglican world online. It is tempting to say that the tone of some sites is bitter, counter-productive, boring, or what have you. But a careful, dispassionate look tells us that the most striking thing is the sheer size of it. A small number of mega-sites provide news, content, opinion and other forms of information, and most of them do so very well. The great majority of sites are parish or cathedral websites, usually created from within the communities they represent. (Many Anglican websites, like church-political labels, really tell us more about their creators than the parishes or organisations they are intended to represent, but that is a topic for another time.) A recent tally of our parish and cathedral listings surprised even us:

4385 in the US
2603 in England
707 in Canada
455 in Australia
183 in New Zealand
163 in Ireland
155 in Africa
154 in Scotland
143 in Wales
142 in Europe
72 in Japan; and
333 in "the rest of the world"

Clearly, there is no direct correlation between the number of Anglicans and the number of websites that represent them on the world wide web. But the numbers are still wonderful and in some sense amazing: a decade or so ago the numbers would have been much, much smaller, and the number of people using the internet to learn about and live within Anglicanism would have been minuscule in comparison to today's reality of a plugged-in communion, learning about itself at breakneck pace and with occasionally mixed results. The exponential growth of the online Anglican world over the last decade and a half has brought with it new challenges and responsibilities, but not new standards for Christian conduct and discourse. It is a cause for joy and thanksgiving to us that the bulk of the 15,000-odd people who work (without organisation, pay, or often acknowledgment) as Anglican webmakers do so in a way that honours the promises made when they were baptised and confirmed.

ALPHA News

2006-08-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

Basic Details of the Alpha Course and Retreat

Dates: Wednesdays Sept 6 - Nov 15, 2006

(missing Wed Oct 18)

Times: Supper 7:00 - 7:30 PM
Video 7:30 - 8:15 PM
Small group 8:15 - 9:00 PM

Weekly Topics:

Who is Jesus?
Why did Jesus Die?
How can I be sure of my faith?
Why and How do I pray?
Why and How should I read the Bible?
How does God guide us?
How can I resist evil?
Why and how should I tell others?
How does God heal today?
What about the Church?

Retreat Details:

Location: Bishop’s Ranch – Healdsburg
Schedule: Arrive evening of Friday, November 10

depart after lunch on Sunday, November 12

Retreat Topics:
What does the Holy Spirit do?
How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

Number of retreat attendees: 20

Cost of Retreat and Course materials and suppers: $200

For more information:

Contact the Parish Office (925) 934-2324 or info@stpaulswc.org

M.O.M.S. To Return This Fall

2006-08-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

(This article appears in the August issue of The Epistle.)

St. Paul’s will again offer Ministry of Moms Sharing (M.O.M.S.) in the fall.

The 8-week class will meet once a week for two hours in the morning from mid-September to mid-November. (Exact dates and times and facilitators to be announced in upcoming bulletins.) Cost is $50 and includes a journal, supplies, optional social and a Celebration Dinner. Babysitting costs are extra. We do not want anyone to be dissuaded due to costs. Scholarships are available.

St. Paul’s first M.O.M.S. class was at the beginning of the year and all of the participants agree that it was a great way to make friends and focus on our spirituality. Weekly topics ranged from personal growth to everyday spirituality and self-acceptance. The course is for all mothers with children at home, baby to high school. Expectant moms are also welcome. An evening course for working moms and those who cannot come during the day is planned for the winter.

Participation is limited to six participants and two facilitators. If you would like to sign up or are interested in finding out more about the program, please contact the Parish Office at info@stpaulswc.org or call (925) 934-2324.

Search Committee Update

2006-08-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

(This article appears in the August issue of The Epistle.)

The search committee is pleased to report that it has narrowed down the field of candidates and is currently conducting visits of finalists. If all goes well, the committee hopes to have the names of three finalists to submit to the vestry by the end of the summer.

We had a number of outstanding applicants and narrowing down the field was not easy. Please keep the committee in your thoughts and prayers as members conduct their visits.

Teams of three are visiting the finalists, conducting interviews with them and watching them preside and preach at Sunday services. After the visits, the committee will recommend three candidates to the vestry. The vestry will bring these candidates to St. Paul’s for a visit, interview them, and then vote on its selection for the new rector. Following the vote, the new rector will be announced to the congregation.

Although committee members cannot share information on the candidates, we are committed to keeping the congregation apprised of the process.

St. Paul’s rector search process began in October of 2005.

The following chart shows where we are in the process and what we have ahead: (Boldface type is used to show where we are now.)

PHASE I
First town hall meeting – completed in October.
Second town hall meeting – completed in October.
Complete profile and approve by vestry – completed in January.
Complete questionnaire for candidates – completed in February.

PHASE II
Job listing posted – completed Feb. 20.
Receive applications – completed April 30.
Screening names – completed June 28.
Visiting and interviewing finalists
Submitting three candidate names to vestry

PHASE III
Three finalists brought to parish for a visit
Candidates interviewed by vestry.
Vestry votes on new rector
New rector announced to congregation.

If you have questions, please contact search committee chairman Richard Kemink at stpaulswcsearch@sbcglobal.net.

Prayer for St. Paul’s rector search:
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being. We of St. Paul's humbly pray for guidance in our search for a Rector. May we prayerfully consider all who apply, without personal bias, so that we will find the person you have chosen for us. May we remember we are ever walking in your sight. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ESCRIP Group ID

2006-08-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
eScrip Group ID – 137107215

To register your Safeway card or other cards, logon to www.escrip.com

If you have any questions, please contact the Parish Office - info@stpaulswc.org or (925) 934-2324. The funds raised from escrip will fund special projects as directed by the Vestry.