St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church
A Spiritual Oasis Where Lives are Transformed
February 2006
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St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal ChurchA Spiritual Oasis Where Lives are Transformed |
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| Volume 23; Issue 1 |
February 2006
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From the Rector
Each year, under the leadership of Jim Harrah, an Annual Report is compiled and produced for the annual meeting. In order to prepare for my report, I spend time reflecting over the happenings of the previous year and count the many blessings and ministries of the people of St. Jude’s. In spite of all the challenges of being the Church in the 21 st century in Silicon Valley, St. Jude’s remains a vibrant parish and a beacon of light to a secular culture which values material things, frantic activity, and the bottom line. “The Church exists so that God has a community in which to save people from meaninglessness, by reminding them who they are and what they are for.” (Douglas Hall)
December of 2005 was an especially busy yet fruitful time for all of us. I want to use this opportunity to thank you, the people of St. Jude’s, for your compassionate response to the Harrah family on the loss of their son and Betty’s recovery. Please continue to keep this family in your prayers and ministry. I also want to thank all of the leaders and participants who made the Advent/Christmas services an occasion of joy and transcendence. The music this year was outstanding in spite of all of the colds
and sickness that befell our choir community.
As we ramp up for the new year, I am busy preparing for the Annual Meeting which is on Sunday, January 29 th. There will be one service at 9:15 am in the church followed by the annual meeting at 10:00am in the parish hall. Please be sure to come and bring a food dish to share. It is the one opportunity we have to communicate the major issues of the parish on a large scale.
This year, we have a wonderful slate of candidates for the vestry: Steve Andrews, Gordon Mullin, Dianne Rhudy, Linda Shonk, and John Kemp. Candidates for delegates to convention include Pat Coles, Margot Jacobsen, and Dave Sena. As you know, the vestry is responsible for the finances of the parish and are charged with making sure there are enough resources to keep our ministries functioning and our buildings and grounds in good order. St. Jude’s vestry is also responsible for strategic planning and goal setting, and making sure those goals are achieved. As we say goodbye to the graduating class of our vestry, I have compiled their parting insights below.
Peggy McNutt and her husband Michael, came to St. Jude’s in 1998. It was the beginning of a whole new journey, one that got her through some very painful losses. Peggy has been involved in covenant group, the memorial garden, vestry, and has spent this last year as Sr. Warden. She has been a great support to me and a breath of fresh air to the community. She especially appreciates “the community of faithful members and the caring clergy.” She sees our challenges as “looking to the future with an open heart and mind.” Her advice: “Look at changes for their possibilities and potential for strengthening St. Jude’s.
Jan Parnell first came to St. Jude’s in 1982 with her husband Paul and children. They were looking for a church where they could feel at home and were taken in by John Buenz’ excellent preaching, the similarities between the Catholic and Episcopal liturgies, the friendliness of the congregation, and the various child-oriented activities. Over the years, Jan has been involved in the Mother’s Club, Sunday school, coffee hour host, offering counter, Planned Giving/Endowment Board, and the vestry. She sees our strengths as “outstanding teaching and preaching, many opportunities for spiritual growth, a friendly and welcoming congregation, beautiful liturgy and music, and an awareness of and respect for the holy that permeates all that we do at St. Jude’s.” Our challenges include “reaching out to the community, making the liturgy accessible to newcomers, making relevant the Episcopal tradition in the contemporary world, and coming up with enough funding for property management.” Her advice: “I think we need to continue to explore ways to take the church into the wider community, outside the church walls.”
Ned Snow returned to St. Jude’s with his family in 2000, having moved to Orcas Island, WA in 1998. Over the years, he has been involved with the vestry, choir and instrumental music, organist search committee, financial analysis, attendance reporting, Planned Giving Committee, St. Jude’s family (predecessor to Faith-Full families), and has worked on the Property Management Committee. He sees our strengths as, “friendliness, acceptance, inclusiveness, music, and strong lay ministries.” Our challenges include, “finding the balance between keeping things the same as a comfort to our long-time parishioners and changing in order to attract new disciples.” His advice: “Convince long-time parishioners to make more of an effort to change with our demographics change, especially regarding a preschool or other project that would serve the community around us and make us a conspicuous force in the community.”
Kay Knapp came to St. Jude’s with her husband in 2000 when David Knapp became City Manager of Cupertino. She has been involved with vestry, hospitality and newcomers, and a board member of the Sr. Day Care Center. She sees our strengths as being “friendly, warm, a lovely spot” and values “the movement of the Holy Spirit in our congregation.” She sees our greatest challenges having to do with property. “Property seems to run the Body of Christ at St. Jude’s. It occupies everyone and is very distracting, taking center stage. I do not think God wants us to spend so much time and energy worrying about and fussing over property issues.” Her advice: “We need to reach out into the community and spread the word of Christ. If property remains such a big issue and saps our energy, perhaps we need to sell some of it off.”
For Peggy, Jan, Ned, and Kay, and for all of the leaders in our community of faith, I give God thanks.
Peace,
Did You Know?
2006 Brings New Youth/Children Opportunities
The Rev. Mary B. Blessing
Youth and Children need spiritual support in a challenging world. St. Jude’s offers many opportunities for adults to serve children and teens, to nurture their spiritual paths. What kids need most is the loving care of adults who won’t add to the stress they already feel from the world around them. If we, the church, can be part of their “stress release”, directing them to place their lives in the hope of Christ rather than the ways of the world, then we will fulfill what was promised at their baptism to “do all in our power to support these persons in their life in Christ.”
The following are some activities/events that have happened or will happen for youth and children. YOU can be a part of the spiritual development of our children and youth by showing your love in service to them (we often need drivers!) or just to speak with kids about these experiences. Please don’t hesitate to contact me (408) 252-4166 or mary@saintjudes.org
To the People of St. Jude’s:
The response that you made to Greg’s death and Betty’s injuries has been overwhelming. The outpouring of warmth and compassion is helping us make it through the difficult time. The service was wonderful and meaningful for us and we received many comments at that time and over the past few days that many others shared our feelings. The reception afterwards was spectacular. The tables were lovely and the food was beautifully presented and so generous. We thank you for your prayers, concerns and gifts. We are very proud to be part of St. Jude’s family.
Sandi Harrah, Tim, Matthew and Amy, Jim and Betty
Our library is shaping up. More free books!
Susan Stanley
The Library Committee has finished removing older books which have not been checked out for five years or longer from the shelves. We plan to reorganize the remaining books into four alphabetized categories: children’s, adult fiction, adult non-fiction and reference. We hope to have this task finished by the end of February. Meanwhile the books taken from the shelves are being placed on the book cart in the Parrish Hall so parishioners may take for their personal libraries any books they wish to own. In a month’s time any books remaining on the cart will be donated to the library at St. Thomas’, Sunnyvale.
The committee continues to welcome donations of books for our library. Recognizing the fact that some parishioners have been displeased in the past when books they donated were culled from the library, we request that you place a note (post it) inside of the front cover off any donated book that you may wish to have returned to you if it is ever deleted from our collection. The committee will try to honor any such requests provided that we can easily locate you and we do not need to bear shipping costs.
Look at next month’s View for tips on how to use the reorganized library and its computerized catalog.
Noon Day Eucharist and Seminar
by Pastor Karen Siegfriedt
Each Wednesday, a group of people from St. Jude’s, gathers together to pray. On the first Wednesday of the month, a healing liturgy is offered while Holy Eucharist is offered on the remaining Wednesdays. The service is 30 minutes long. Beginning on February 1 st, we will have a seminar presentation each Wednesday in the fireside room following the service. (However, this seminar will not be held on the 4 th Wednesday of each month.) Beginning at 12:45pm, we will watch a DVD presentation, “Mysticism, Empowerment, and Resistance,” sponsoring Marcus Borg, Sr. Joan Chittister, and J. Dominic Crossan. A discussion will follow. Each session stands on its own. Bring a bag lunch. This is a great opportunity to participate in a mid-week liturgy and to study the faith.
Feb. 1 Mysticism, Empowerment, and Resistance
Feb. 8 The Link between Mysticism and Activism
Feb. 15 The Violent and the Non-Violent Feb.
22 No SeminarMarch 1 Empowerment: The Individual and the Community
March 8 Catherine of Sienna
March 15 Paul, the mystic
March 22 No seminar
March 29 Resistance: The negative and the positiveApril 5 A Modern Day Mystic
April 12 Resistance and Empire
Diocesan Communications
Linda Morris
The pre-convention issue of Along the King’s Highway is now available in the Narthex or Parish Hall and on-line at http://www.ecrweb.org/newsletter.html and.
There will be another Deanery workday to help build houses for Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, February 4th. There is still rime to sign up. If you are 14 or over you can help. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to work along with the homeowners who have to put in 500 hours of sweat equity into building their house. It's a very rewarding experience. Those who would like to help provide lunch are also needed. Please contact Linda Morris. Thank you.
A pre-convention issue of Along the King’s Highway should be available soon. Look for it on-line at http://www.ecrweb.org/newsletter.html or in the Narthex or Parish Hall.
At the January 28 th Diocesan Convention at Sherwood Hall in Salinas, St. Jude’s Delegates, Alternates, and clergy will be representing the parish. There should be a lively discussion on the future of the diocese and how it is funded. The controversy grew from the Diocesan Funding Review Committee’ s report on alternatives to our current Fair Share Formula, which can be read at http://www.ecrweb.org/f/Council-DFRC-20051020.pdf . To learn more about the dialog that has been occurring throughout the diocese in response to the report, contact Linda Morris or any of your representatives.
Ministry Update- A new form of diocesan communication has been added via email. There will be a series of occasional articles on the many and varied ministries of the Diocese El Camino Real. The 1 st ministry article was on Youth Ministries. ETC (Episcopal Teen Community) Santa Clara has had a great start, under the leadership of Holly Hem, our Diocesan Youth Coordinator. In the first 3 months of this experimental program it has grown to having monthly attendance of more than 60 people. Each month teens and mentors gather to build relationships while exploring topics that matter to teens. (The full article is on the Kiosk) For more information on diocesan youth ministry visit http://www.ecrweb.org/youth.html.
Message from the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan: You are invited to the second annual conference of the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan (AFRECS). It will be held February 17-19, 2006 at Trinity Cathedral in San Jose. If you are interested, contact susan@edecr.org for more information.
A Diocesan Ministry Fair will be held at St. Paul's, Salinas, on Saturday, March 18, from 9 AM until 3 PM. Details on lunch and cost will be announced as soon as they are available. The Fair will start with a presentation by the Rev. Sam McLain and Ms. Linda Curtoys called the Day of Discovery—looking at the mission and ministry of Christ and how the Episcopal Church expresses that ministry through lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons. All of the various ministries of the Diocese will be invited to have tables or booths to provide information to and answer questions from the participants. For more information contact Jerry Witherspoon at jerry@witherspoons.net.
Episcopal Marriage Encounter Weekend- T here will be an Episcopal Marriage Encounter Weekend held April 21-23, 2006 in Pleasanton, CA. If interested, please contact: Curt & Arlene McClelland, 2191 Casa Mia, San Jose, CA 95124, 408-371-5581, curt@sbcglobal.net or go to: www.episcopalme.com for more information.
Farewell to the Dean of our West Valley Deanery- The Rev. Kevin Phillips has left St. Timothy’s after 12 years to accept a call to be the second Rector of St. David’s in Ashburn, Virginia – outside of Washington, D.C. Always one to bring a spark to any conversation, he will be missed in the diocese.
For more diocesan and deanery news, see the kiosk in the church entry (Narthex).
Women’s Getaway at Pajaro Dunes – February 10 – 13, 2006
Pat Coles
Sign up for St Jude’s Women’s Getaway at Pajaro Dunes. We have House 39 and House 52 for 3 nights. Since we have 3 nights perhaps those who can’t stay the entire weekend could arrange some timesharing. The cost is $175.00/person. For more information contact Jeanne Reed at 408-257-3349 or Pat Coles at 408-253-1224 or email pat@saintjudes.org.
Lenten Soup Suppers
Pat Coles
The first of five soup suppers will be on Wednesday, March 8 at 6:30pm. If you or you and friends would like to prepare soup for one of these suppers please contact me at pat@saintjudes.org or 408-253-1224
American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan
February 17- February 19, 2006
The Second Annual AFRECS Conference will be held at the Trinity Cathedral in San Jose, CA, on President's Day weekend, February 17-19, 2006. The conference will begin with a dinner on Friday, February 17, at 5:00 p.m. The official program begins at 7:00 p.m. that evening. The conference will end after the 10 a.m. Sunday worship service at St. Andrew's Saratoga.
This is a significant opportunity to interact directly with one of the most persecuted parts of the Anglican Communion and experience the depth of faith of its members who will be gathered from across the country and from the Sudan. In one diocese alone there are a million Episcopalians.
Participants can learn about ongoing programs, activities and advocacy efforts for Sudan and will worship together at a Sudan-inspired church service.
The program will feature workshops and speakers, including
Learn more at http://www.afrecs.org/An_Conf.htm
Find registration, donation and volunteer forms in the narthex, the Parish Hall or online at www.saintjudes.org - click on Social Justice.
Did you know that the Episcopal Church stands against the death penalty?
From 1979-2000, General Convention has passed six resolutions regarding opposition to capital punishment and urging study of the death penalty.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear death penalty opponent, activitist-nun Sister Helen Prejean at Grace Cathedral with a special introduction by the Dean of the Cathedral, Alan Jones.
She will speak about the need to build grass roots support for abolition of the death penalty among the religious community and to garner support for the “California Moratorium on Executions Act” (AB 1121).
Prejean, the author of “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in America,” is a passionate advocate for restorative, rather than retributive, justice. She serves as spiritual advisor both to convicted prisoners and to the families of their victims. She began working in prison ministry in New Orleans in 1981. Her 2005 follow-up book is “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions”
7pm, Friday, February 24, 2006 at Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street, San Francisco. Suggested $15 donation. Sponsored by: California People of Faith Working Against the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Focus, Amnesty International USA and Grace Cathedral, with the support of American Friends Service Committee
Additional information: 415-243-0143 or www.deathpenalty.org
For more information contact Mary Souza, Mwsouza@aol.com
Candidates for Delegate
The following people are candidates to represent St. Jude's in the diocese at conventions and deanery meetings: Pat Coles (1 year), Connie Erickson, Margot Jacobsen, and Frank Snow. The term is for 2 years, the 1st year as an Alternate and the 2nd year as a Delegate. The election will take place during the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 29th.
Candidate statements:
· Margot Jacobsen: I have attended St. Judes for the past 32 years. Among other positions at St. Jude's I have been on the delegation a couple of times. I am currently a delegate for St. Jude’s and would like to continue on this committee during this time when the Dioceses is looking for a Bishop and undergoing other changes.
· Pat Coles (1-year term) as Delegate to Diocesan Convention & Deanery. I joined St Jude’s Church in spring 1966 with my husband and 3 young children. I have been an alternate and delegate to the deanery and diocese many times in the last 40 years and I served a term on Diocesan Standing Committee with both Bishops Mallory and Shimpfky. At St Jude’s, I am currently Parish Life Minister and Clerk of the Vestry. I am particularly interested in representing St Jude’s this year as the diocese and deanery continue to transition. I hope my experience can add value to the process.
· Frank Snow: I have been a member of St. Judes since 1968 and have served in a variety of positions at St. Jude, in the Deanery and the Diocese. (Delegate, co-leader Youth Group, Outreach Committee, Bulbs & Bolts (property manager), Clerk of the Bishop's Committee, Bishop's Warden, Junior Warden, Search Committees, Eucharistic Visitor; Deputy to General Convention 2006,2003, 2000; West Valley Deanery representative to Diocesan Council, Director El Camino Real Board of Directors, Secretary of the Diocese of El Camino Real). I am particularly interested in serving again as alternate/delegate in this important time of transition for the diocese.
Candidates for Vestry
The following people have agreed to support St. Jude's Church by running for the Vestry for 3 year terms: Steve Andrews, Gordon Mullin, Linda Schonk Dianne Rhudy. and John Kemp (2 year term). We appreciate their prayerful and thoughtful commitments to our church and its community.
Look for candidate statements in the Bulletin.
Feb 5 - Healthier Churches, Healthier Families: Bowen Family Systems Theory
How can we encourage healthier congregations and healthier families? By understanding the interconnectedness and relationship of people within these systems. Bowen theory, a natural systems theory of the family, provides a conceptual framework for recognizing the impact of relationships between family members, within organizations such as the parish church, and in society on human biology and behavior. Bowen theory can help identify factors that impact health and reproduction and guide the application of knowledge in ways that are specific to the family and to the relationship of influence.
It is the nature of a family that its members are intensely connected emotionally. Often people feel distant or disconnected from their families, but this is more feeling than fact. Family members (this includes parishioners) so profoundly affect each other`s thoughts, feelings, and actions that it often seems as if people are living under the same `emotional skin.` People solicit each other`s attention, approval, and support and react to each other`s needs, expectations, and distress. The connectedness and reactivity make the functioning of family members interdependent. A change in one person`s functioning is predictably followed by reciprocal changes in the functioning of others. Families differ somewhat in the degree of interdependence, but it is always present to some degree.
Feb 12 - No Forum
Feb 19 - Disaster Preparedness
We live in an area prone to earthquakes, mudslides and other natural disasters, plus these days, there is concern over man-made disasters such as terrorist attacks. Part of Sunnyvale was even struck by a damaging tornado in 1998! What do you need to know about preparing yourself and your family? What help can you expect, and what do you need to be prepared to do for yourself--and for how long? Ken Foot, from the Office of Emergency Services for the City of Morgan Hill, joins us to tell us what you need to know.
Feb 26 - Via Media - An Anglican Way of Being Christian
How do Anglicans / Episcopalians understand scripture? The history of Church teachings? Human experience? Scientific discovery?
| Updated 1/31/2006 |
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