All Souls’ Episcopal Church
December 2015 Volume 1, Issue 7
The e-Rubric From the Rector by The Rev. Joseph J. Dirbas
Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love: And the Greatest of These is Love. The season of Advent is a me of prepara on. Of course, we all think about prepara ons this me of year: preparing for Christmas, holiday par es, shopping excursions, you name it. But the prepara on we ought to focus on is three fold. First, the prepara on to recall, remember, and give thanks for the coming of Jesus Christ, the Word incarnate, into our world. Praising our God for coming among us, as one of us, and reconciling us to him. Second, the prepara on for the second coming of Christ, in fulfillment of the promise Jesus made that he will come again and with him usher in the Kingdom of God with peace and jus ce. Third, we prepare and look for ways Christ con nues to break into our world today, through our ac ons, through the ac ons of others, the light of Christ shines and, indeed, the kingdom of God has come near. Our advent wreaths remind us of these actuali es. Each candle on the wreath represents four virtues, each an important companion in our Advent prepara ons. The first candle represents hope: the hope we have in Christ, the hope we experience in Jesus and the hope we have in God’s Kingdom. Next is peace: the peace of God’s reign, the peace that surrounds us as we dwell in the presence of Christ, the peace that overcomes the chaos of the
Inside this issue Town Hall Mee ngs .................... 2 From our Pastoral Associate ....... 3 Update on Finances .................... 5 Music at All Souls’ ...................... 6 Posi ve Aging Program ............... 12 Looking Ahead at All Souls’ ......... 14 Parishioner Profile ...................... 16 Community Garden..................... 18
Special points of interest • Outreach Efforts in Kenya • Values, Vision, Mission, Goals • Home Tour • Thanksgiving at MCRD • Pictures from Conven on
Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, Cont. world. The third candle, o>en pink in color, is a candle represen ng joy. As we look for the coming of Christ, we must always we be joyful with an cipa on. And finally, the fourth Candle represents love. Love is our companion on the Way. The love demonstrated by the life, death, and resurrec on of Jesus Christ, the love that God has for each and every one of us, and the love that we share with friend and stranger. In fact, the wreath itself, in a circle, represents the con nuity of God, the ever endless love of
God flowing in our lives. So, as we take on the tasks of the season, let’s look for Christ. Let’s be alert and mindful of Christ’s presence among us and carry with us the virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love. And remember, when all else fails, the greatest of these is love. You can never go wrong, in any situa on, trus ng the in the love of God and sharing that love with other. Happy Advent and … dare I say it yet… Merry Christmas.
Town Hall Meetings: All Souls’ Compass Committee The Compass CommiCee (our Long Range Planning CommiCee) has been very busy the past couple of months. A>er having discerned our Values and developing our Vision and Mission Statements, we gathered to determine goal areas and strategic objec ves. Page 22 of this e-Rubric highlights our Values, Vision, Mission, and Goal Areas. The next step of the process includes conversa on with all of our parishioners about our goal areas, our strategic objec ves, and the development of Strategic Ac ons. Parishioner input is especially important in this phase of the process because the strategic ac ons will be implemented by the ministries of All Souls’ and all the laity that support those ministries. Below you will find a schedule of Town Hall Mee ngs presen ng specific Goal Areas and Objec ves as we begin our conversa on on Strategic Ac ons. Sessions will be held on Sunday following the 10:15 service and on Wednesday evenings during Advent. We hope you will be able to come to all of these sessions, and, if not all, at least the goal areas that may be of par culate interest to you. If you have ques ons or comments, feel free to ask a member of the commiCee or either of the commiCee co-chairs, Marlene Herndon and Ward Fleri. We look forward to seeing you soon as we begin wrapping our work on our long range plan! Wed, Dec. 2 at 6p.m.
Worship and Music, Value and Care for God’s Gi>s
Wed, Dec 9 at 6p.m.
Outreach and Social Jus ce, Evangelism and Community Presence
Sun, Dec. 13
Value and Care for God’s Gi>s, Worship and Music
Wed, Dec. 16 at 6p.m. Care and Nurture of Our Community, Outreach and Social Jus ce 2
From our Pastoral Associate by The Very Rev. James E. Carroll
In Our Community
In Church tradi on November is o>en referred to as a reminder of our mortality. All Saints’ Day on the first day of the month celebrates the “Communion of Saints,” with emphasis on the fellowship of Holy Women and Holy Men in past genera ons who were “The Lights of the World.” All Souls’ Day, on the next day commemorates all the Faithful Departed, all our Beloved Dead, believers or not. Actually, the November emphasis, these celebra ons and commemora ons, should be a part of our faith and Chris an prac ce throughout the year. I’ve been brought up short in recent weeks by the death of friends and parishioners from my Cathedral days, as well as the death of the wife of a priest friend of mine. Preparing funeral homilies, working with the family on the shape of the Requiem Eucharist, dealing with various levels of grief--these du es are godly and demanding. And no member of the clergy is exempt from them. I’ve told some of you, in an unguarded moment, that my file of funeral homilies (those I’ve kept) is among the largest in my desk! I think it was the poet W. H. Auden who wrote, “If you haven’t accepted your death you haven’t learned to live.” Something like that. My faith in the Resurrec on of Christ tells me that the “resurrec on process” is going on now. As we show mercy and forgiveness and do good things for others, the layers of resurrec on are built up. As we have to let go of our “last grasp of the ego” (Teilhard de Chardin’s phrase) we return to the Absolute Love of the One who is the Beginning and the End of all things, the “Alpha and the Omega.” We’re all in the procession to eternity. Our Book of Common Prayer teaches “The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrec on. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised.” (Page 507)
Members of our parish are busy in the community, this brief column is intended to let us know what we are up to! Congratula ons to Tom Taylor! Tom was the 5th grade Jog-a-thon winner at Dana Middle School. With the Holiday Season upon us, performance of the Nutcracker are right around the corner. Landyn Mercer and Zoe Steers will be performing with the San Diego Ballet Dance Company on December 26 and 27. Cliodhna McClellan will be performing with the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet at Casa del Prado on December 11, 12, 19, and 20. And Finally, congratula ons to Bill Cobb who recently completed a produc on of White Christmas with the Dana Middle School Musical Theater Group. If you’ve got news to share, let the church office know so we can all celebrate together. 3
From the Treasurer: Envelopes? - We Don’t Need to Stinkin’ Envelopes by Cynthia Fleri “Don’t bother with envelopes for me, I pay only annually… I won’t need envelopes because I pay online… My bank automa+cally sends a check once a month which means envelopes for me are a waste of money… I have plenty of envelopes le- over from last year, so I can use those…” I have heard versions of all of the above statements many mes, over many years. Each request is quite reasonable and makes good “horse sense” un l you look into the procedures the finance office goes through to accurately keep track of your pledges and other dona ons. As I have described in prior missives, we use a specialized computer program to record your pledges. Within that program, each pledger is given a number – the envelope number – which provides an easy way to iden fy and track who gives what and when. Also, to maintain good financial controls, we split up the tasks of coun ng and recording your money gi>s among many individuals. The use of envelopes, along with the envelope number, makes their job easier and less prone to error.
Why do we make a dis nc on between pledge income and non-pledge income (we call it Open Offering)? The reason is twofold. First, it is important for our budge ng process so we can plan for the year’s needs. Pledges tell us what income we can expect to see in the next year. They tell us the amount of money our members hope to contribute to cover our expenses and ministries. Open Offering is more uncertain and more difficult to predict. It depends on visitors, I did describe this process before, but I will quickly remind you of how it goes. The Weekly guests and those who have chosen not to Receipts Recorder uses a tally sheet that is in en- pledge. The second reason we make a dis ncvelope number order to record each pledge re- on is that we must report both pledge and nonceived. The tally sheet is also in alphabe cal or- pledge income separately to the Na onal Church via the Parochial Report. It is a requirement and der for all those who pledge before the pledge envelopes are assigned. This helps the Recorder we make every effort to comply. find pledgers who may not have used their enve- Once the tally sheet is accurately balanced and lopes that day. Since we only keep track of do- the deposit made to the bank and posted to our na ons made by pledgers, it is important that accoun ng system, the tally sheet is given to our the Recorder can iden fy who is a pledger and Pledge Recorder to enter into the computer prowho is not. Con nued on pg. 6. 4
An Update on Our Finances The All Souls’ Finance CommiCee is pleased to report that our financial posi on remains strong and we con nue to operate within expecta ons even in the midst of comple ng some off-budget property work. The tables below provide a quick look at our actual vs. budgeted income and expenses for the first three quarters, October, and Year to date. INCOME
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter
October
Year to Date
Income Budget
$ 121,409
$ 124,734
$ 114,571
$ 38,015
$ 398,729
Income Actual
$131,915
$ 119,869
$ 121,841
$ 42,402
$ 416,026
Difference
$ 10,506
($ 4,865)
$ 7,270
$ 4,387
$ 17,297
EXPENSE
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter
October
Year to Date
Expense Budget
$ 122,040
$ 129,791
$ 123,207
$ 40,488
$ 415,526
Expense Actual
$111,202
$ 123,981
$ 123,822
$ 57,962
$ 416,966
($ 10,838)
($ 5,810)
$ 615
$ 17,474
$ 1,440
Difference
Cumulative to Date Did you know? The Vestry has approved Endowment Policies and Procedures that will ensure proper use of our endowment and support crea on of an All Souls’ legacy society.
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From the Treasurer (Cont. from page 4) gram that tracks all pledges and other money given by pledgers. Again, this is most easily and accurately done using envelope numbers. Now, to address the cost of buying envelopes: we buy in bulk, therefore, the more we buy, the cheaper each one is (so all you cost-conscious souls – get out there and find us more pledgers!). The biggest cost to us is mailing the envelopes. This means you can really help with cost savings by showing up at church at the end of the year (or the very start of the new year) and picking up your envelopes when asked. As for using last year’s envelopes as a cost savings, you most likely will not have the same envelope number from one year to the next. Since we ini ally assign them alphabe cally, your number is dependent on who comes and goes with a last name alphabe cally earlier than yours. And finally, for those of you who give electronically, go ahead and take your envelopes (you can always recycle them). You may feel inspired to throw in a thanksgiving offering for a special anniversary or an answered prayer and then you will have an envelope to do so!
Music at All Souls’ The music life at All Souls’ con nues to grow and develop. Recent events include the second offering by our Choristers on Advent 1 at the 10:15 service and the Procession of Advent Lessons and Carols at 5:00 on November 29. We are blessed with incredible ar sts dedica ng their voice and talents to our worship and praise and of God. Here are some upcoming events you’ll want to mark on your calendar. Choral Evensong, Sunday, December 20th at 5:00pm: Fourth Sunday of Advent Responses: William Byrd Psalm 8 (Fauxbourdon): Gerre Hancock Can cles: Magnificat & Nunc DimiSs in F: George Dyson Anthem: O thou, the central Orb: Orlando Gibbons Including the appointed Hymns Sherry recep on to follow The Na+vity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve) - Three Services 4:00pm—Christmas Pageant & Eucharist with the All Souls’ Choristers singing carols of the season 7:00pm—Choral Eucharist of the Na+vity with the All Souls’ Parish Choir Repertoire: SeSng: Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena: Healey Willan Psalm 96: T. Ter us Noble 6
Music at All Souls’ (Cont.) Carol: The Holly and the Ivy: June Nixon Anthem: The Truth sent from Above: Ralph Vaughan Williams 10:00pm—Carol Sing 10:30pm—Solemn Eucharist of the Na+vity with the All Souls’ Parish Choir Repertoire: SeSng: Communion Service in a minor: Harold Darke Psalm 96: T. Ter us Noble Carol: The Holly and the Ivy: June Nixon Anthem: The Truth sent from Above: Ralph Vaughan Williams Including the appointed carols of the season Christmas Lessons and Carols & Eucharist, Sunday December 27th at 9:00am
Thank you from the American Guild of Organists! Dear Ruben and Jayne, and everyone at All Souls’ Episcopal Church, Thank you so much for hos ng our fall organ student recital! The opportunity to prac ce and perform on this instrument was a wonderful learning experience for all of our students. We appreciate your partnership in helping us grow the organists of the future! A photo from the recital is aCached. Sincerely, Leslie (San Diego AGO Educa on Director)
Did you Know?
You can listen in LIVE via the internet to the famous Fes val of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve (December 24). Tune in to BBC 4 at 7am (PST) to hear the solo chorister begin by singing Once in Royal David’s City. The perfect way to begin your Christmas Eve morning. The Fes val of Nine Lessons and Carols was introduced in 1918 to bring a more imagina ve approach to worship. It was first broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world. 7
Hospitality The following was shared by the Reverend Audrey Miskelley, the interim rector of St. Aidan’s in San Francisco. The Rector and Wardens thought it was worthy of sharing with our community.
I have not yet met a church that doesn’t think they are “friendly” and open to new members and truly wish to seek out the visitor and of course “grow the church.” I have also never met a church that is truly successful at this un l they figure out how to let go of how things “used” to be. I find, some mes to my amazement and some mes to my dismay, that what a parish thinks is hospitality is really just being nice to the folks that they already know and like and has not much to do with the new person who is walking through the door. Because we all like one another and have been friends for so long and talk to one another and even overlook one another’s’ liCle quirks - we are under the impression that we are friendly. I believe that most of us really do want to be hospitable to all persons - I believe that most of us really do want to welcome the stranger into our midst. I also believe that many of us don’t realize how our feelings and aStudes affect our hospitality - or lack of hospitality. Hospitality - real radical hospitality - the kind that our Lord Jesus Christ has taught us doesn’t have as much to do with warm gree ngs at the door it has most to do with stretching our aStudes about people. Real radical hospitality has most to do with accep ng that “other” who challenges our idea of 8
who we are. Real radical hospitality has most to do with truly extending the hand of welcome to those who feel like an intrusion into our cozy aStude. Real radical hospitality has most to do with bi ng our tongue in the face of something or someone who has pushed our every buCon, stepped on our toes, taken over our space, parked in our spot, spoken out of turn, or pushed us and our comfortable aStude about who we think we are. It is our aStude of welcome and openness that marks us as hospitable - a welcome and openness to all. I pray that we are able to see beyond our own needs to the needs of others. I pray that our welcome is a welcome so radical that our lives reflect the love God shows to us and for all people. Audrey +
Thank you, Mother Miskelley, for your insighUul words and your encouragement to share God’s love through our hospitality to all people!
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! All Souls’ has had a tradi on of Christmas Pageants in the past and it’s me to con nue that tradi on. This year, All Souls’ is excited to offer a na vity pageant as part of our 4:00 pm Holy Eucharist on Christmas Eve. All children are welcome to par cipate, so spread the word to your grandchildren, friends, and rela ves. There are no rehearsals and no registra on is necessary. Just show up at 3:15 pm on Christmas Eve and we will find a part and a costume for everyone! A pageant is a great ministry to our children, as it allows them to engage the Christmas story through imagina on and play. We hope it will also serve as a ministry to our community, allowing families with children who haven’t yet found a church home to join in the na vity story as well. And let’s not forget the adults—so o>en we think we offer a pageant for the sake of our children, only to find ourselves quite moved by the Spirit as we see the Scripture come alive through the witness of our youngest members. This service will be a beau ful, joyful (and likely quite noisy!) way to celebrate the birth of Christ. All are welcome! If you have ques ons, or if you’d like to join the pageant coordina on team, contact Terry Dirbas at youth@allsoulspointloma.org. (And even though no signup is necessary, if you know your child/grandchild would like to par cipate, we sure would love to hear from you!)
Thanksgiving Food Drive: A Wonderful Turnout Our High School Youth did an amazing job on our We collected nearly 50 bags of donated food for first Community Thanksgiving Food Drive. Here’s the benefit of our local food pantry, Loaves and Fishes in Ocean Beach. how it worked. On Saturday, November On Tuesday, November 14, the youth group 24, the youth sorted the traveled around our dona ons and they local neighborhood were delivered to and dropped of 300 Loaves and Fishes on bags with flyers November 25th. What aCached asking for an amazing offer from dona on. On Saturour neighbors. Thanks day, November 21, be to God for their genthey drove by all erosity this Thanksgivthose homes to pick ing season. And, be preup any dona ons le> pared for an even bigon the doorsteps. ger effort in 2016! And, they le> a note Thanks to our young saying thank you and invi ng our neighbors to members for their service and their inspira on! join us in church on Sunday for the blessing of their offering. 9
All Souls’ 64th Annual Christmas Home Tour It’s Here!!!! The 64th Annual All Souls’ Christmas Home Tour is Here!!! And this year, you even get an opportunity to win a boat! Join us as we offer ourselves in love and service to our neighbors, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, and suppor ng our missions and ministries through our All Souls’ Christmas Home Tour. As you know, a successful Home Tour requires the par cipa on of all our members. In addi on to purchasing Home Tour Tickets and talking about the Home Tour with your friends, there are so many ways you can be a part of this all-parish event. And, if you don’t have a job yet, there’s s ll me! Here are some opportuni es for your par cipa on: MARKETPLACE AND PANTRY: We know you LOVE to bake and create…and we have just the thing for you! All Souls’ Home Tour Pantry needs cookies (label them for the ‘Pantry’), breads, jellies, jams, chutneys and other delicious edibles. Contact Nicki Sharpe OR Myrtle Livingstone. SELLING TICKETS: Volunteer to sell ckets in the church office, a>er church and on tour day ~ Also volunteer to exchange vouchers for map/brochures on tour day at the “drive-by-tent.” Contact Leslie Hudak. ST. NICHOLAS COOKIE BAKING: St. Nicholas Cookies are one of the trademarks of All Souls’ Christmas Home Tour! St. Nicholas Cookie Baking is scheduled for November 30—December 3 from 2-5 pm. Bring your own apron and meet in the All Souls’ kitchen. Contact Judy Kebler or Derelynn Kalafer. BUY TICKETS: A Day at The Home Tour is a wonderful GIFT to give: Purchase your ckets a>er church, in the church office or online at www.allsoulspointloma.org. And don’t forget to donate to All Souls’ for your opportunity to win one of several amazing prizes including, among other things, a 20’ sailboat and trailer and a gi> basket of the rector’s homemade All Souls’ Amber Ale! 10
Outreach Funds for Kenya by Nan Hardison The Outreach CommiCee has received word from Kenya that the $2,000 sent there from All Souls’ has been very helpful. The children in seven programs managed by the Rotary Club of Maseno (previously run by the Anglican Church of Kenya Diocese of Maseno North) are receiving nourishing meals every Saturday, and the $1,000 sent from All Soul’s provides a significant por on of the funds used. The Rev. Joash Owila, one of Nan Hardison’s students at St. Philip’s Theological College, is patron of the Khwiliba program. He reports that the children are happy because they received a special meal of chicken (a huge treat in Kenya), rice and soda, also a big treat. They were each gi>ed with blank exercise books and a pen, as well. Elizabeth Amagoye of the Visaren re red nurses’ group in Vihiga, near Maseno, wrote that there is an increase in the number of youth who do not comply with their HIV drug rou ne. They are s gma zed when their status becomes known. The $1,000 from All Souls’ to Visaren will be used to counsel the young people and encourage their compliance. The funds will help the young people with transporta on to meet with the counselors and to keep their appointments with the Comprehensive Care Clinic for HIV/AIDS at Maseno Mission Hospital. Both Rev. Owila and Matron Amagoye have wriCen with gra tude for All Souls’ parishoners and their generosity to people in Kenya. Thanks to the Outreach CommiCee, and to the Vestry, for the support to these and other ministries, and to the All Souls’ family for the generous giving.
Home Tour (Cont.) And remember… be sure to offer your thanks and support to our Home Tour leadership team. They are doing an amazing job pulling all this together! Join us as we celebrate together and do our part to support our biggest fundraiser of the year. Spend December 5 with your friends and family at All Souls’ and begin the holiday season with a Point Loma tradi on! 11
The Peninsula Shepherd Center: Positive Aging Program by Three hundred years ago, the average life expectancy in the Colonies was only 35 years of age. Today, people in the United States live to well over double that age. Scien fic progress not only allows us to reach our 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, it also gives each of us a real opportunity to live more fulfilling lives. Our Posi+ve Aging Program incorporates the following principles as adapted from an ar cle, Tips for Living Longer by Anca Knopefar, an internist with the UC Davis Medical Group, and Paul D. Nussbauum, Ph.D., President of the Brain Health Center, Inc. They suggest that people o>en underes mate how much they can control the quality of life in their later years, and offer this advice to seniors: 1. Keep Moving. The single most important thing you can do is exercise. Even moderate physical exercise can boost the immune system, protect against chronic disease, and help with weight control and brain health. 2. Keep Thinking. Just as weightli>ing can enlarge your biceps, regular mental exercise can build stronger memory and thinking skills. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Our Posi ve Aging Program will incorporate the six points men oned above. 1.Keep Moving. We will put you in touch with exis ng community-based exercise classes including yoga, Qigong, Aquafit, Pilates, Strength Training, Cardio Gliding as well as other forms of exercise. These classes are taught by instructors through the local community college district, YMCA and local fitness instructors. Addi onal emphasis will be on balance and fall preven on. 2.Keep Thinking. We will be hos ng a monthly Leisure Learning and Lunch Program to include an educa onal program and a healthy lunch. We are looking into hos ng a Monthly Book Club, Current Events classes and other small groups that you might suggest. Crossword and jigsaw puzzles would be made available. We will encourage the playing of games such as bridge, scrabble, and chess which require you to strategize and interact socially as well. We hope to bring back our monthly Movie Monday. 3.Eat Right. Our monthly Leisure Learning will include a simple and healthy lunch. We will encourage classes in Healthy Ea ng for One or Two and Heart Healthy Ea ng and include healthy meal sugges ons and easy recipes . Informa on about por on sizes and labeling will be available.
4.Visit your doctor. This will include program on Eat Right. A nutri ous, low-calorie diet is essen- How to Talk to Your Doctor as well as monthly programs and screenings in a a variety of health and al. wellness topics. This program will be coordinated Visit Your Doctor. Making and keeping medical with local health care providers and non-profits appointments is another key to staying healthy. such as Sharp HealthCare, UCSD, the American Stay Social. Nurture rela onship with family and Heart Associa on, and the Alzheimer’s Associa on friends. and other local health organiza ons. Monthly blood pressure checks will be available. A yearly Health Prac ce Spirituality.
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Positive Aging Program (Cont.) Fair will be held for the community to include stroke and diabetes screening as well as flu shots.
Sunday Morning Forum Offerings
5.Stay Social. In addi on to all the programs and ac vi es described above, our Posi ve Aging Program will host a monthly Needlers Group, and a Fellowship Group to meet monthly for conversa on, refreshments and mee ng friends. In addi on, a list of local events and volunteer opportuni es will be made available. 6.Prac ce Spirituality. Pray and meditate on a daily basis. We will provide informa on on relaxa on procedures and deep breathing and muscle relaxa on. In conclusion, the Peninsula area is a community of older home and many residents who have lived in the community for 40-50 years. By developing and implemen ng a posi ve Aging Program, older adults can extend their lie expectancy and experience a beCer quality of life, while remaining in their own local community. This will help older adults to add life to their years as they add years to their life. I am excited about working to develop and coordinate this important program that will benefit many people in our community.
Have You Linked Your Accounts Yet? Don’t forget, especially as Christmas approaches. Each me you shop, Amazon will donate to All Souls’. You simply need to link your Amazon account to All Souls’ Episcopal Church. Here’s what you need to do: Visit smile.amazon.com . When you log in, if you are not already suppor ng a charity, it will ask you which charity you would like to support, simply search for All Souls’ Point Loma (it may look like the Rector, Wardens, and Vestry….). If you are already suppor ng a charity and would like to support All Souls’ instead, you can change that from the drop down menu iden fying your charit. That’s all there is too it! Be sure to use the URL smile.amazon.com to do your shopping and once you do, many purchases you make will result in dona ons to All Souls’.
Our Science and Religion Series has started off with a bang. Three wonderful presenta on by Dr. Samuel Powell (PLNU,),Dr. Greg Severn (USD), and Dr. John Hood (SDSU). If you’ve missed these sessions, catch them at hCp://allsouls.sermon.net and don’t miss the next three! Dec 6 - Original Sin in Light of Evolu on - Dr. Mark Mann (PLNU) Dec 13 - Reading the Book of Scripture and the Book of Nature together - Dr. Mark Mann, The Very Rev. James E. Carroll and The Rev. Joseph Dirbas Dec 20 - Neuroscience and the meaning of self - Dr. Rebecca Flietstra (PLNU) Looking forward to seeing you all there! The Forma on CommiCee will be mee ng again soon to begin planning forums for 2016. If you have an interest in serving on this commiCee, please let the office know, there’s always room for more!
If you need help… come on in the office… we’ll make it easy! 13
Looking Ahead at All Souls’ December 5: 64th Annual All Souls’ Christmas Home Tour You won’t want to miss this! And, you’ve goCa check out the boat that’s been so generously donated to All Souls’.
December 11, 10:00am: Peninsula Shepherd Holiday Tea in Gooden Hall Join us for tea and conversa on and a receive a gi> to take home. RSVP to PSC by Dec 7th..
December 11, 7:00pm: The Peninsula Singers at All Souls’ The Peninsula Singers will perform Mainly Movies for the Holidays. For more informa on and to purchase ckets, visit www.peninsulasingerssandiego.org.
December 12, 1:00pm: Christmas Pageant Sewing Party If you’d like to help out with prepara ons for our All Souls’ Christmas Pageant, join us. We’ll be assembling costumes for shepherds, sheep, magi, among others!
December 12, 6:00pm: Caroling on Garrison Street Come along with us and join in song as we stroll through the amazing Christmas Lights on Garrison Street and serenade our neighbors with carols of the season. (Note, this is likely the only opportunity you’ll get to sing these carols with fellow parishioners before Christmas Eve!)
December 12: Pizza Dinner and All Youth Lock-in Following caroling, we’ll gather for a pizza dinner and then the High School and Tween youth groups and chaperones will enjoy fellowship, conversa on, and a preCy sleepless night in the parish hall.
December 19: Drop and Shop—Parent’s Day Out Our youth group and adult volunteers will be offering babysiSng so moms and dads can get some holiday shopping done. All proceeds go toward our Youth Mission Trip, Summer 2016.
December 20: Gift Wrapping by the Youth Group For a nominal dona on to the Youth Mission Trip, members of the All Souls’ Youth Group will wrap your presents for you. One less thing to do before Christmas!
December 20: Evensong Join us for the last evensong of the year and a nice respite into the last few days before Christmas.
December 24: Christmas Eve: Something for Everyone 4:00pm Christmas Pageant and Eucharist (if your child would like to par cipate, arrive by 3:15pm) 7:00pm Choral Eucharist with the All Souls’ Parish Choir 10:30pm “Midnight” Mass with a Carol Sing beginning at 10:00pm. This service will include the use of incense and a sung gospel lesson.
December 25, 10:00am: Christmas Day Eucharist December 27, 9:00am—One Service, Christmas Lessons and Carols The choir will present a beau ful program of Christmas Lessons and Carols. There will be only one service on this day so we can enjoy this offering as one parish family. 14
Upcoming Worship at All Souls’ WEDNESDAY EUCHARIST: December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 at 7:00am A wonderful way to begin your day, spiritually grounded and ready to go. Join us, Wednesday mornings at 7:00am in the chapel for Eucharist. Stop by on your way to work or before that first cup of morning coffee and worship with us!
CANDLELIGHT COMPLINE: Sunday, December 13 at 7:30pm Looking for spiritual healing or peace of mind? Come join us in this unique service steeped in tradi onal spirituality while completely updated with modern language and imagery. Live piano music, candlelight and group medita on creates a healing, peaceful environment. Approximately 30 minutes. 7:30pm the 2nd Sunday of each month.
EVENSONG: Sunday, December 20, 5:00pm CHRISTMAS EVE: Thursday, December 24 4:00pm—Christmas Pageant and Holy Eucharist Watch the story of Christmas unfold before your eyes as youth from our parish offer readings and par cipate in a live pageant. This will be a family friendly service and all are invited to par cipate and celebrate with us! 7:00pm—Choral Eucharist with the All Souls’ Choir Join us for a tradi onal Christmas Eve service with all your favorite carols and Holy Eucharist. This will be a lively, joyous celebra on of the incarna on. 10:30pm—”Midnight” Mass with a Carol Sing beginning at 10:00pm Our Midnight Mass will be a Solemn Eucharist with Smells and Bells and a sung Gospel. It will incorporate all the beauty of worship in the celebra on of the birth of our savior.
CHRISTMAS DAY: Friday, December 25, 10:00am Join us for our Christmas Day Celebra on of Holy Eucharist!
CHRISTMAS LESSONS AND CAROLS: Sunday, December 27at 9:00am We will combine our 8:00 and 10:15 services into one service of Christmas Lessons and Carols. Join us as we hear the lessons of Christmas and enjoy the stunning offerings of the All Souls’ Choir.
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Parishioner ProDile: John Patrick (Pat) Ford by Rosemary Barnes Dateline: Los Angeles, California, June 1927. A baby boy is born in Los Angeles, CA in the Beverly Hills area. Other events occurred then too such as: •
The first “talkie” was released starring Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer”
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Coolidge was President
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Charles Lindbergh began his return flight from France on the “Spirit of St. Louis”
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$250,000 in start up capital was raised to launch the first major airline (Pan Am)
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Author T. S. Eliot was bap zed into the Church of England
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And, most importantly, Pat Ford was born… all 8 pounds of him
On a sparkling sunny day, Pat related his story as we sat at his home along the beach of Mission Bay. As Pat grew up, he lived in the Beverly Hills area where, on a clear day, he could see Mount Wilson. He recalls spending quite a bit of leisure me at the beach (and now sees his dermatologist regularly) as well as shopping at large department stores in downtown LA. He went through high school in Beverly Hills, fully intending to become a journalist. While in the military, he con nued as a journalist, then aCended UCLA and became an accountant. WHAT? An accountant? His 38-year accoun ng career began in LA but in 1957 he was transferred to San Diego where he worked for both a na onal firm and on his own. As life went on, Pat was set up on a blind date in 1953, where he met a Carolyn Mackenzie of New York while she visited Los Angeles. When he realized she would be returning to New York 16
in 2 days, he proposed to her. They had known each other 8 days. Carol then returned to New York where she dreaded telling her family she was going to marry a man from faraway California. When Pat arrived on Labor Day to meet the family, they were welcoming and accep ng, even her two older brothers and father. They married in 1954 and moved to San Diego in 1957 where they adopted two children, a boy and a girl. They lived in Point Loma for 20 years, aCended All Souls’, built a home in Rancho Santa Fe where they lived for 10 years, and then moved to their summer home on Mission Bay in 1992. Carol was an ar st who worked on the design of All Souls’ new church and contributed much to the growing parish. Pat worked as a public accountant from 1950 un l re rement in 1988. He enjoyed it and ini ally developed a thriving prac ce in San Diego where he was well connected with clients. He also kept his hand in his avoca on, wri ng. His decision to go into private prac ce was a good one for him. Following re rement, he and Carol decided travel to Germany for 6 months would provide a change of scene. Since then his travels have taken him to Switzerland, Scotland, England, India, Japan, Thailand and many other exo c loca ons.
books and he loves to cook. SiSng on the arm of his favorite chair is a book en tled “A Cooks Tour of San Francisco”. His favorite meals are French, a preference developed a>er living in Provence for a month. He belongs to a dinner group where the group features tas ng “over the hill wines”. Everyone brings a boCle of wine that has rested in a closet or wine cellar for perhaps too long a me. Wine tas ng this way is We talked about what subjects are of interest to fun and poten ally unpalatable, but everyone him, in addi on to opera and travel. Pat is quite describes where their boCle originated and eninterested in the development of Liberty Sta on. joys the evening. I imagine there are some inHe described a recent interview with Alan Ziter. teres ng stories told around the table. It was interes ng to hear that the property is now fully leased and future plans include a 6-plex He always wanted to be a journalist and he is now, as a second career. Thank you Pat for a theater for Indie films and film fes vals, a new restaurant, a public market (similar in concept to most enjoyable conversa on! SeaCle’s Pike Place market), and an ice arena. Other subjects of interest include the stadium issue, the city of San Diego’s pension fund deficit, the Port District, and the growing cra> beer industry to name a few. As you can see, he is a man of many interests. Re rement and travel proved to be his muse as he began wri ng more. In 1992 he submiCed an ar cle commemora ng the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the San Diego Daily Transcript. He s ll regularly produces ar cles, reviews and opinions for them on travel, opera as well as program notes for the opera, and interviews with local community leaders.
But, that’s not all. No, Pat has also been integral in the development of the Osher Ins tute at UCSD that puts on educa onal extension programs for persons age 55 and above. He’s been on boards of St. Paul’s Senior Services and was instrumental in the development and expansion of the PACE program. He enjoys collec ng rare
Youth News: Fa-la-la-la… Lock-in! All Tween and High School Youth are invited to our second annual Holiday Lock-in on Saturday, December 12. We’ll meet at the church at 6pm and join the intergenera onal caroling trip to Garrison Street, followed by pizza in the parish hall. A>er that, we’ll lock the doors and have a night of crazy Christmas fun! Please RSVP by Wednesday, December 9 to youth@allsoulspointloma.org. Friends are always welcome!
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Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? Let’s Start a Church Garden and Grow Community! by Jayne Ricker Church gardens are springing up in church parking lots all over the country and All Souls’ would like to hop on to the gardening band wagon! You may ask, “What are the specific benefits that we hope the congregation and the neighborhood will gain? How will it help people connect more intimately to each other and to God? What are the values and characteristics of God’s kingdom that this garden could portray?” Much like a front porch, a garden can welcome us into a relaxed, fresh air setting while encouraging curiosity among guests and parishioners. A common motivation for faith-based gardens is the opportunity to help those in need. Other motivations can include wanting to provide locally grown organic food, which will facilitate healthy eating habits. Other reasons for church gardens can include motivating those of us who desire to heal our earth and/or to provide a beautiful green space for All Souls’ and our neighbors to enjoy God’s good creation.
All Souls’ garden could easily foster community and generosity within our congregation. Working together as a church community provides a wonderful sense of accomplishment and offers tremendous opportunity to strengthen intergenerational ties as young and old work side by side, weeding, watering and planting. We may even like to designate a special area as a children’s garden where children are allowed to choose what grows and when it is har18
vested. Imagine every Sunday after the 8:00 and 10:15 a.m. service, parishioners take turns weeding and tending the garden. All Souls’ garden could also form the basis for other church related activities. Classes in gardening, cooking and preserving can arise out of garden related activities. Other classes on health and nutrition, healing the earth and other environmental issues and even spiritual formation can have their origins in such endeavors. Many congregations have found that they can grow vegetables, fruits, flowers AND community. A garden at All Souls’ could strengthen community ties, as our new presiding bishop says, “We need to go and evangelize.” Perhaps we could go door to door asking neighbors if they would like to participate or we could use Facebook and Twitter to help get the word out or we could have a Twitter inspired flash mob at our first big work day! Will our larger community benefit from All Souls’ having a garden it its midst? How about fresh produce for our Ocean Beach dinners? Will the garden space be open to work for church members only, or to the wider community…a place for community groups to learn and volunteer? Are there potential institutions and non-profits in our community (a grocery co-op, a food pantry, a shelter, or a school) that might be able to provide supplies and even provide us with volunteer support? Are there community members or institutions throughout Point Loma that could provide our garden with donations or funding to get it started and keep it going? These might include members of the local business community, hardware stores, nurseries, florists, or sister churches. What about gardening tools? We will need to make sure we have
enough and appropriate tools including shovels, trowels, rototillers, wheelbarrows, buckets, wood (especially for raised beds), rakes, hoes, hoses and perhaps rain barrels along with seeds, seedlings, transplants and cuttings. Taking these questions into consideration as we plan our church garden will set All Souls’ on its way to establishing a hospitable, outdoor space in which to share the refreshment of God’s love (and maybe his greenest kale and chard) with our neighbors! Speaking about planning...indeed! We have brought together a small advisory group of master gardeners with a wonderful desire to guide us along our gardening journey, along with representation from Peninsula Shepherd Center. They determined, along with Fr. Joe, that there is ample physical space, exposed to at least six hours of sunlight, available for our church to establish a garden. Additionally, it was suggested that we integrate containers/garden boxes or even raised beds that will provide a tailor-made growing environment for vegetables, food production and even fruit trees. The raised sides will allow room to add fertile soil where poor soil may currently exist, turning a previously inhospitable space into a welcoming one for plants. We are also connecting with local schools that have already established and
have flourishing gardens. With the right preparation, timing, design and planting methods, we can start a healthy garden and have it well on its way to yielding fresh produce! After the initial plans were agreed upon, we began looking, and we are indeed finding, a small group of interested parishioners with a desire to help cultivate this garden offering, but we would also like to involve the entire congregation in some way….beyond that, we would like to enlist young and not so young from the Point Loma community. We will start small and will be realistic. And so, we at All Souls’ are thrilled to invite parishioners with green thumbs and those who would like to learn how to have at least one green thumb to this exciting new offering! We would like to see this new garden ‘ministry’ begin in the spring of 2016 after continued praying and planning. We plan to keep the congregation updated throughout the process while expecting surprises along the way and, of course, having fun! If dreams of ecclesial-based produce would be something you would be interested in, please come and join in. Contact the church office or let Fr. Joe know that you are interested!
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The Ministry of Presence by Terry Dirbas When I was in seminary, I spent a summer interning at the VA Hospital in Durham, NC, as part of the Clinical Pastoral Educa on Program. I remember being handed my white coat, told to “make rounds,” and wondering what on earth I was supposed to do. My mentor’s advice: “Ninety percent of the job is just showing up.” A number of awkward visits later, I realized he was right. I was reminded of that advice on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, when a group of us went to MCRD to provide Thanksgiving lunch to those on base. Remembering last year’s “utensil crisis” (all those hams, and no knives to carve them!), some people even came prepared with their own cutlery, ready to be put to work. But when we got there, we found the opera on much more organized and streamlined than it was the year before. In fact, there was very liCle for us to do. I stood there, awkwardly, with the youth that joined us, wai ng for a task—any task—to come along. I sensed that at least some others were feeling the same way. Finally lunch me arrived, and the chaplain offered some remarks and a prayer before the meal. He spoke about Thanksgiving transcending all our boundaries of race, class, and culture. It was then that I realized we weren’t there to scoop mashed potatoes—we were there to build community. Sure, we cooked a lot of hams and turkeys, and that was really important. But ninety percent of the job was just showing up. Because we didn’t spend the whole me in a serving line, we were able to sit down to a leisurely lunch alongside those who live and work at MCRD. We learned about life on base, about their work, about their favorite recipes and about their families. If we had been busy “doing,” we would have missed out on those moments of connec on that made the whole experience so rewarding. Before and a>er the luncheon, the youth and I sorted the canned goods that had been donated to Loaves & Fishes. In many ways, that concrete “doing” task was easier for us. Green beans go here, soups over there… when the task is clearly defined, it’s easy to measure success and walk away feeling good. “Being” is a lot harder. It takes pa ence, self-confidence, and o>en a great deal of emo onal strength to be present with someone and listen with our hearts as well as our ears. It can be difficult to know what to say or what to do. But as I’m sure anyone who came to MCRD that day will tell you, it’s certainly worthwhile. In an Advent season that is so full of things to do, perhaps we can all use a reminder of the value of being present for one another and all those we meet. It is truly an important ministry! 20
Thanksgiving at MCRD We had a wonderful turnout on Tuesday, November 24 as we assembled to assist in providing a Thanksgiving lunch to the Marine and Navy personnel assigned as Staff at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Our very own Capt. Tim Berger USMC was among the service men and women we served. Through the generous dona ons of our parishioners we provided 20 hams and turkeys and this year we even cooked some of them! It is a pleasure to be in ministry with the chaplains and leadership at MCRD. Our service men and women dedicate their lives to protec ng this country and our freedoms and it’s nice, at least a couple of mes a year, to show our apprecia on. Special thanks to Marlene Herndon and ScoC Crispell for organizing this effort and to all the parishioners who donated! God bless you all!
Creativity Corner: The Baptismal Font The Font at All Souls’ is prominent in the main body of the church as a reminder of Bap sm as entrance into the Body of Christ. The plaUorm on which the font stands was built specifically for its presence. The tripart base and circular bowl represent the Trinity upholding the waters of bap sm. The sculptor, Robert Mansfield, is an Art Professor at San Diego State University and also in Beijing, China. He describes his sculpture of slumped glass, acrylic, and light as represen ng the waters of the Jordan River as they flow down from the Mountains of Moab. (Source: Soli Deo Gloria) As a side note, the Book of Common Prayer iden fies days of the church year which are especially appropriate for Bap sm: The Bap sm of our Lord (first Sunday A>er Epiphany), The Easter Vigil, Pentecost, All Saints Day, and the day of the Bishop’s Visita on. 21
Compass Committee Progress: Values, Vision, Mission, and Goal Areas VISION STATEMENT: To be a vibrant and joy-filled congrega on that serves as the community hub for Christ’s transforma ve love. MISSION STATEMENT: We invite all to grow in faith with us as we embody and courageously share God’s love in the world. VALUE STATEMENTS: CHRIST CENTERED: We are guided by the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus Christ in our prayer, worship, discipleship, and service to others, as we share the Good News. LOVE: We are in loving rela onship with God, each other, and our community, embracing all individuals and families wherever they are in their journeys. RESPECT: We honor the dignity of every person, valuing our differences, as we grow in Christ and learn from each other. STEWARDSHIP: We recognize that all we have comes from God, and with gra tude we generously share these abundant gi>s, caring for all of God’s crea on. CREATIVITY: We celebrate God’s gi>s of liturgy, music, and art as a window to experiencing the Divine.
GOAL AREAS: CARE AND NURTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY To aCend to the spiritual, intellectual, and emo onal needs of children, youth, and adults EVANGELISM AND COMMUNITY PRESENCE To share by word and ac on the Good News of Jesus Christ with compassion, understanding, and love, and to invite involvement in the life, ministries, and programs at All Souls’ WORSHIP AND MUSIC To create an environment that enables everyone to experience the gi> of God’s love OUTREACH AND SOCIAL JUSTICE To strive to love and serve those in need, and proclaiming our shared humanity, advocate for the right of equitable treatment VALUE AND CARE FOR GOD’S GIFTS To strengthen our physical, financial, and cultural resources in gra tude for God’s abundance.
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Pictures From Diocesan Convention, November 7, 2015
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All Souls’ Episcopal Church All Souls’ is a vibrant Episcopal congrega on in the heart of Point Loma. All ages are welcome; infants and children enliven our worship. To learn more about membership, please contact the church office or visit us on-line. Visit our website at www.allsoulspointloma.org Listen to our sermons on-line at allsouls.sermon.net Reach us by e-mail at office@allsoulspointloma.org Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/allsoulspointloma Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/allsoulspointloma
All Souls’ Episcopal Church
Sunday Services
1475 Catalina Blvd. San Diego, CA 92107 619-223-6394
Holy Eucharist: 8:00 am and 10:15 am Nursery Care from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm (infants - 3 years old) Sunday School (all ages): 9:10 am Small Souls Worship: 10:15 am except 4th Sunday of each month Compline Service – 2nd Sunday @ 7:30 pm Family Eucharist – 4th Sunday @ 10:15 am Choral Evensong – 4th Sunday @ 5:00 pm
In the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego The Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes, Bishop
Staff The Rev. Joseph J. Dirbas, Rector The Very Rev. James E. Carroll, Associate Ruben Valenzuela, Director of the Music Jayne Ricker, Facili es and Office Manager BeCy Nork, Nursery Assistant Vanessa Hiday, Nursery Assistant
Weekday Services: Wednesday Holy Eucharist: 7:00 am Thursday Holy Eucharist: 9:30 am Saturday Cel c Eucharist: 5:00 pm