All Souls’ Episcopal Church
May 2016 Volume 2, Issue 5
The e-Rubric From the Rector , The Rev. Joseph J. Dirbas
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green One of my favorite Easter hymns is hymn 204 in the 1982 Hymnal, Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain. It’s a perfect spring,me Easter hymn. It calls our a en,on to the new life we see around us in crea,on as plants which have laid dormant throughout the winter now take root, spring up, and blossom into glorious owers and healthy grain. At the same ,me, it turns our a en,on to the deep abiding truth that Jesus, like a grain of wheat that has died and fallen to the earth, has risen from the dead. New birth, new life: Love comes again. This cycle of death and rebirth is a reality for us who follow Jesus Christ. We have witnessed the death of our savior on the cross and his glorious resurrec,on from the dead. We are called to have the courage to follow Christ, to have the willingness to die to self in order to live in Christ. Even in our bap,sm, we recall that through that sacrament we have died with Christ in his death and through his resurrec,on we have come to new life. Each of us, in our own ways, have experienced ,mes in our lives when we’ve felt despair or loss. And we can witness to the truth that when we hand those over to God through prayer, hope, and faith, we are brought to a new way, a new life. Much as our ďŹ nal days on this planet will result in transi,on from life that we know to a new life in the resurrec,on, a life that is changed and not ended, each of the instances of loss and despair we face change us as we walk in new life with Jesus Christ. Life, changed, not ended: Love comes again. As I look around our campus and see new life springing forth in the greenery around us, I also see new life springing forth in our life as a
Inside this issue From the Pastoral Associate ........... 2 God’s Extended Hand ..................... 4 Commi ee Updates ........................ 6 The Third Leg of the Stool ............... 8 A Look at our Finances .................... 11 Music at All Souls’ .......................... 12 Children in the Church .................... 16 VBS Registra,on ............................. 21
Special points of interest • Legacy Society • Outreach Ac,vi,es • Mother’s Day Photos • Dear Abbey • People to People Visit to Cuba
From the Rector, Cont. parish. The seeds we have planted are sprou,ng. Our Compass Plan has provided a fer,le bed and the seeds of evangelism and discipleship are bearing fruit. We have two ac,ve bible studies and a fantas,c movie ministry. We’ve been involved with community events as we stand in solidarity with SoCal Parrot to protect our natural wildlife on the peninsula. We are building rela,onships with the local military and the marines and MCRD. We are welcoming more young families in church, we are bap,zing, worshiping, teaching, serving, and sharing the love of Christ. And there will be bumps in the road. We will engage in ministries that will fail. We must have the courage to risk failure with the knowledge that in the failure, in the loss, in the sadness and grief, Christ is there calling us to new life. Love comes again. And, in all that we do, let us be sure to recognize that while we plant and water, it is
the grace and love of God through our resurrected Lord that provides the growth! Our future is exci,ng, the shoots are just coming out of the ground, I can’t wait to see how we will blossom!
Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain; Love lives again, that with the dead has been: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green. In the grave they laid Him, Love Whom we had slain, Thinking that He’d never wake to life again, Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green. Up He sprang at Easter, like the risen grain, He that for three days in the grave had lain; Up from the dead my risen Lord is seen: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green. When our hearts are saddened, grieving or in pain, By Your touch You call us back to life again; Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green
From the Pastoral Associate by the Very Rev. James E. Carroll There are two Centering Prayer gatherings at All Souls’ Church: Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Sherman Room; Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Chapel. The term “Centering” was coined by the great Roman Catholic Thomas Merton whose quest led him to India, as well as other na,ons of the East to study and appreciate their faith tradi,ons, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. He found parallels between these faiths and the early Church, especially in the prac,ce of quiet contempla,on. Contempla,ve prayer more or less fell out of favor in the medieval church and in the Reforma,on. In recent decades this prayer discipline has grown among all Chris,an communions, mostly Roman Catholic, but others also, including US! The technique is simple and requires a prayerful reading of scripture and much silence. In a way it extends Jesus’ teaching about praying “in secret.” The emphasis is on the interior life being embraced by the Holy Trinity. The aGtude is one of surrender, leGng the Holy Spirit pray within one’s deepest self. We breathe in the new self as the old self is expelled! Two 20 minute periods of silence during a given day are the norm. I welcome inquiries, personally or at one of our sessions. 2
All Souls’ Legacy Society by Scott Crispell The Stewardship Commi ee is crea,ng a Legacy Society made up of those who have remembered All Souls’ in their estate planning. There is no minimum amount one needs to leave, but the mere fact that you hold the All Souls’ family, its life and ministries, close to your heart and want your giI to be realized aIer your death is all one needs to do to be a part of this Society. There are already close to a dozen members. There will be a special recep,on for all who have already leI a bequest to All Souls’ in their wills/trusts on June 17th. These people and anyone who wishes to include All Souls’ before that date will be honored at this recep,on. Of equal importance, the Stewardship Commi ee will be sponsoring an event, date yet to be determined, where a lawyer will be present simply to give advice as how to make this bequest a reality. Please look for announcements concerning this coming up soon. We believe we have an accurate list of those who have already named All Souls’ in their will/trust, but not wan,ng to omit anyone, if you are one of these people, please send me an e-mail (my e-mail address is in the parish directory) sta,ng that fact so that our list is complete and up to date. If you need assistance contac,ng me, please call the church oďŹƒce. Many thanks to one and all who give so generously to our wonderful parish.
Popcorn Ministry
Do you like popcorn? Do you like movies? Well, we’ve got just the thing! Join us on Sunday evenings (dates announced ahead of ,me) as we gather to watch a movie, share some snacks, and end our evening with conversa,on about the ďŹ lm. Our conversa,ons are oIen, but not always, spiritual or theological in nature. We discuss the characters in the ďŹ lm, what the ďŹ lm might be saying about spirituality and God, and how we might have encountered similar situa,ons in our own lives. As we join in fellowship together, sharing our stories, trus,ng one another as we walk together on our spiritual journeys, we strengthen our community and make us ever more willing to seek and serve God’s kingdom. Some movies we’ve watched include: The Way, A Beau ful Mind, Gran Torino, The Devil’s Advocate We’ll be gathering on May 1st to watch Schindler’s List. Stay tuned for what’s next and join us for popcorn and a movie.
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God’s Extended Hand by Charlotte Hartley All Souls’ has been helping God’s Extended Hand Mission downtown for many years. They are an evangelis,c mission whose purpose is to help the homeless individual ďŹ nd a rela,onship with our Lord Jesus. Two meals are served Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Wednesday there is no morning meal and on Sunday the mission is closed so that the sta can worship at their own church. Volunteers from dierent churches provide a 30-minute service before each meal. On Monday evenings there is a worship service for the volunteer sta. Pastor Cur,s Bernstein is the head volunteer. He and the volunteers from area churches make up the sta. Our help over the years has been in the form of contribu,ons of food and clothing. The Outreach Commi ee has increased All Souls’ support by sending them a small check twice a year. The Mission would welcome a visit from anyone who would like to see what goes on there. I would be glad to have someone ride along with me when I deliver your contribu,ons for the May collec,on. God’s Extended Hand was originally located at lower 5th Avenue. Maud Blackstone ran the mission from its incep,on in 1924 un,l 1954 when Winnifred Smith took over. Winnifred, aec,onately known as “Sister Winnie,â€? ran the mission un,l 2003, when at age 81 ill health hospitalized her. She passed away in 2005. Over her almost 50 years of preaching the Gospel and feeding and clothing the poor she was awarded several cer,ďŹ cates of recogni,on for her service. Among them were a Cer,ďŹ cate of Recogni,on from the California State Assembly in 2000, the Cer,ďŹ cate of Apprecia,on from the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 2001 and a Proclama,on declaring SISTER WINNIE DAY June 18, 2000, in San Diego, signed by Mayor Susan Golding. The mission moved from 5th Ave. in 1983 to its current loca,on, 16th and Island. The building had been a hotel in the late 1800’s so there are rooms available on the second oor. Homeless individuals can help with the daily jobs like cooking or cleaning up and aIer a ,me gain the conďŹ dence of Pastor Cur,s that they are commi ed to the Lord. They then could be oered a bed for the night in one of those rooms if one was 4
God’s Extended Hand, Cont. . available. The mission was able to purchase the property because of the generosity of a suppor,ng church. The mortgage was paid o in 2014 so they own it free and clear, thanks to friends. You may wonder how All Souls’ got interested in this very needy project. In the 80’s I was on the Vestry and my commission was Outreach. All Souls’ received many requests for help and we would read the le ers at our monthly mee,ngs. GEH’s story was just what we were looking for. This homeless project was evangelical and emphasized feeding the spirit as well as the body. I made an appointment to meet Sister Winnie. The building was old and dark but she looked neat as a pin in a nice dress with earrings and necklace. Her hair was bright red and you could tell this no nonsense lady was in charge! The people around the table decided to look into it further and we s,ll work with them to this day. May is our month to collect gently used clothing, and shoes and new under wear for women, children and men. There will be a list of preferred food items with Sunday’s bulle,n. Get those closets and drawers cleaned out. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
e-Vangelism! Let’s spread the good news of the missions and ministries of All Souls’ via social media!
Take a moment to ‘LIKE’ our Facebook presence in Cyberspace. All Souls’ Episcopal Church, Point Loma and Music at All Souls’ Church. Once there, you’ll enjoy a steady stream of exci,ng news and announcements, including the weekly music list, posted on the music ministry’s facebook page and links to sermons and Sunday forums. See you there!
Altar Flowers Have you looked at the ower chart in the narthex lately? It’s prac,cally empty of names. May, June, July, September, October, and November all are in need of ower dona,ons. This is a wonderful way to remember a loved one or to give thanks for a giI, kindness, or blessing. Please consider dona,ng owers for the altar soon.
Nextdoor is a great way to communicate to your neighbors and keep up to date on local happenings. All Souls’ posts events and services on Nextdoor. Share those posts with your neighbors! Invite your friends to join us!
Hey! The bishop follows us on twi er, you can, too, @AllSoulsPtLoma‌ and then retweet to your friends!
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Committees And Opportunities The Outreach Commi ee: Opportuni es to Serve The Oureach Commi ee meets once a month on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the library at All Souls’. The main task of this commi ee is to oversee the $15,000 outreach budget and to iden,fy outreach ac,vi,es for parishioner involvement. Our goal is not simply to provide ďŹ nancial assistance but to build rela,onships with organiza,ons and individuals. We have two outstanding Outreach Opportuni,es coming up: Support of the MCRD Gradua,on on May 6 and the Empty Bowls event on May 22. Please consider joining us as we work together. You will be warmly welcomed. Contact Fr. Joe if you have any ques,ons! Evangelism at All Souls’ You may have no,ced over the last few months that Father Joe has been men,oning the “E Wordâ€? (Evangelism) from the pulpit. You may have read in the Compass Plan that we mean to become more inten,onal about sharing the knowledge and love of Christ in the world. Fear not, this is meant to be exci,ng and fun!!! And it won’t be “one size ďŹ ts all.â€? Some of us will do it individually. Some of us will do it in groups. Last week, a few of us met at the Pizza Port in OB to begin the process of discerning God’s call to us. If you would like to join the fun, or have an idea of a way we can share our joy in Christ’s love, please share it with Father Joe, John Brown, Marlene, Drusilla or Jayne. Worship at All Souls’ We’re star,ng a new worship ministry at All Souls’. Jack Northam and Fr. Joe are looking at the possibility of adding a verger to our 10:15 service. What’s a verger? Well, consider them an escort and an MC that makes sure our worship is uid, beau,ful, and transforma,ve. There are many other ways to serve at the altar including, acolytes (torch bearer and/or crucifer), chalice bearers, readers and thurfers. And, if you like to sing, there is always room in the choir. Pastoral Care—Loving care for those in our community: We will soon be developing a more extensive Lay Eucharis,c Visitor ministry. LEVs are those parishioners who take communion from our Sunday Worship to those at home or in nursing facili,es. We have several parishioners who serve in this capacity now and our hope is to expand this ministry. More informa,on to come. If you’ve got the heart for sharing the sacrament, let Fr. Joe know! Youth and Families Ministry Our ďŹ rst Youth and Families commi ee mee,ng is on May 1st, aIer the 10:15 service. We welcome your par,cipa,on either to engage as part of the ministry or to learn about the scope of the ministry. More news on the youth and family front will be forthcoming!
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Upcoming Forums—Mammals, Resurrection, and Evangelism! As we transi,on from Easter into the season of Pentecost, our forums, too, will make a transi,on as we prepare for a forum series on “Exploring the Mysteriesâ€? to begin in June. Here’s what’s in store for the next few weeks: May 1—we will have a forum presented by Erica Putman of the Marine Mammal Founda,on. We will learn about the work they do here in San Diego in training marine mammals. This forum will be followed by a ďŹ eld trip to see their facili,es on Friday, May 13, at 10:00 and noon. Space is limited—so, please RSVP to Pam Rieger and mark your calendars! May 8—Resurrec,on in the Gospel of John, with the Rev. Joseph Dirbas May 15—Pentecost—The Holy Spirit and Evangelism May 22—Trinity Sunday - EMPTY BOWLS - no Forum. May 29—Fr. Jim will lead a presenta,on and dialog on the Lord’s Prayer. See you in the Sherman Room!
Empty Bowls: A Fundraiser for TACO On May 22, Trinity Sunday, the parish of St. Peter’s by the Sea Lutheran Church will be joining us for worship at All Souls’. AIer both services, we will enjoy fellowship and an opportunity to join in the Empty Bowls Fundraiser. This grassroots eort aims at doing our part to help feed the hungry eďŹƒciently and locally. Our Empty Bowls fundraiser will provide ďŹ nancial support to the Third Avenue Charitable Orginaza,on. TACO is a social ministry born out of First Lutheran Church, provides a safe and welcoming place where healing of mind, body, and spirit can happen for any and all who come. In opera,on every week of the year, it welcomes all people in need, regardless of religion, for free meals, medical and dental care, and mental health services. For more informa,on visit: www.tacosd.org
Come Support Kilo Company! Join us as we serve our MCRD neighbors. Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego will be recognizing the gradua,on of Kilo Company/Company K, on Friday, May 6, 2016. All Souls’ has volunteered to provide a hearty MCRD BBQ lunch for the graduates. All are invited to a end the gradua,on from 10:00 to 11:30 am and then lunch will be served at 1:00 p.m. at The Bay View Marina Club, picnic areas. If you would like to help to serve lunch, please meet at the church parking lot on Friday, May 6 at Noon, so carpooling can be arranged. There’ll be a sign-up sheet on the narthex table and at coee hour. Please contact Marlene, Eric or the church oďŹƒce with any ques,ons. 7
The Third Leg of the Stool or, Spiritual Development is Messy, so is Democracy by Lorraine Padden I wrote the following piece in 2012 when my husband Carl and I lived in Laguna Beach and I a+ended St. Mary’s Episcopal. At the me, Margaret Scharf, OP and Director of the Dominican Ins tute for Spirituality in Perth, Australia was living in residence with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and leading spiritual direc on at their retreat center in Santa Ana. During her residency Sister Margaret came to St. Mary’s and presented two lectures on the Gnos c Gospels, which inspired this reec on. For those readers not familiar with the Gnos c Gospels, they are a collec on of 52 (some say 54) sacred texts composed by various authors between the second and fourth century AD. They were discovered in 1945 near the town of Nag Hammadi on the banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt. The Gnos c texts are secret gospels, poems, and origin stories that diverge from the New Testament, and have been a+ributed to Thomas, Philip and Mary Magdalene, among other authors. The Gnos c Gospels were suppressed as here cal and literally buried for nearly 2,000 years. For in depth analysis on the implica on of these invaluable texts, Elaine Pagels. The Gnos c Gospels (Vintage Books, NY: 1979) is an excellent resource.
I’ve come to understand that spiritual development is a complicated process. I grew up in a household led by an agnos,c father who took a Ph.D. in La,n American history at UC Berkeley--yes, even in the 1950’s Cal was progressive by oering areas of study dismissed at the ,me as too liberal or even worse, frivolous I absorbed from a young age a taste for skep,cal inquiry, as there is always more than one story to tell, as my father used to say, about colonial expansion to the “New Worldâ€? – be it the glorious tale of massive pagan-to-Catholic conversion published at the ,me by Spanish authori,es, or the acceptance centuries later of indigenous Indian narra,ves recoun,ng the ac,vi,es of conquistadors in terms of invasion and cultural plunder. So, my tendency, for be er or worse, is to look to the margins of history in addi,on to canonical texts for insight, lest I compromise my chance to gain a full understanding of the topic at hand. Not a li le existen,al angst has resulted from this tendency, as I’ve oIen wondered if it wouldn’t be so much easier to navigate life with unques,oned faith in a few really good stories. But, as I’ve managed to grow somewhat comfortable owning a doub,ng nature, it was with this par,cular cross-grained aGtude that I enjoyed Margaret Scharf’s two presenta,ons on the Gnos,c Gospels a few weeks ago. On one hand, the discovery and valida,on of ancient texts wri en in close proximity to the Synop,c Gospels is a stunning achievement. To consider these documents on a par with the canonical gospels in the forma,on of the early Chris,an church seems a truly bold theological claim, one that stands to oer an expanded view into the social and poli,cal milieu from which our sacred texts emerged in the early centuries of the common era. But, to broaden the pool of source material we rely on to deďŹ ne our faith also seems threatening or subversive, even. Is there any comfort of resolu,on to be found here? While I wander my 40 (or so) days in this par,cular desert of inquiry, I rely on the spirit inherent in the Episcopal tradi,on of the three-legged stool, as I understand it. If the ďŹ rst two legs underpinning our sect are scripture and tradi,on, the third leg of reason makes it possible for me to allow both Synop,c gospels and their Gnos,c counterparts to coexist in my understanding of what makes 8
(Con nued on page 9)
up The Kingdom. Reason encourages me to contemplate a both/and approach as I ponder what’s most meaningful in the body of Chris,an documents—for me, perhaps I’ll revere the Gospels of both John and Mary Magdalene the most; ,me and study will tell. Most importantly, reason dares me to temper the urge to adopt an either/or faith dichotomy, one governed by trust in either Synop,c or Gnos,c good news, but not both. I spoke briey with Sister Margaret aIer her second session with us. She reminded me about James Fowler’s Stages of Faith, his dense and fascina,ng book on the various types of engagement with Chris,an spirituality that many people seem to experience over ,me.* As it turns out, a ending the same services, hearing the same sermons with our like-hearted members does not ensure that we all inhabit the same level of development according to Fowler’s scale. As obvious as this sounds, the dierences are oIen greater than we imagine, and are seldom revealed within congrega,ons at large. Enlightenment and burgeoning curiosity are oIen but not always the norm. What will certainly always be true for Episcopalianism, Sister Margaret added, is the primacy of doctrine inherent in the gospels of Ma hew, Mark, Luke and John, regardless of our posi,on on a path of spiritual development. Yet, she oered, “those of us believing that truth also exists at the margins, we also need to be fed.â€? As messy as the process can be, it seems thoroughly democra,c to allow such intermingling of theological ideas, orthodox and other. It’s rarely comfortable to allow contradictory opinions to commingle in public airspace. And, as much as I believe in the separa,on of church and state, I do believe that as an Episcopal community, we prac,ce democracy when we stretch our tolerance to welcome diverse points of view regarding the sources of our faith, and bear with abundant pa,ence and curiosity, the discomfort that arises around what may be for some novel or challenging concepts. It can be diďŹƒcult to entertain the no,on that our Chris,an tradi,ons might have grown from a vast mosaic of various points of view and authorship rather than a few singular voices. That some were made “oďŹƒcialâ€? doctrine for perhaps arbitrary reasons while other worthy ideas (and their writers) were relegated to the periphery is also diďŹƒcult to contemplate. Stephen Foster called the varie,es of American folk song “individual owerings on a common stem.â€? I can’t think of a be er metaphor to describe the whole gangly and beau,ful body of wri en tes,mony, transla,on and interpreta,on that helps me be er understand the origin and forma,on of Chris,anity. I’m grateful for the mess. I’m also grateful to Sister Margaret for sharing her ,me and insight with us, and that St. Mary’s aided and abe ed the encounter gives me greater respect for what someone once told me was “a very big Episcopal tent.â€? AIer all, it’s the nature of hospitality and democracy to make room for all. *Stages of Faith, The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, 1981. Fowler posits six individual stages of faith development that gain in complexity and universality as we age. 9
Strategic Plan Update The Implementa,on of the Compass Plan is monitored by the rector, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and Ms. Kirsten Hanson Garcia. Of course, actual implementa,on of the strategic ac,ons requires the en,re parish and all its commi ees. That said, in response to diocesan requirements, we will be engaging in a parish wide survey which will allow us to begin working on our near term ac,ons. You’ll be hearing more about the Church Assessment Tool, also known as the CAT. Stay tuned for more informa,on and please plan on par,cipa,ng when the ,me comes.
United Thank Offering Mite Boxes for UTO are available in the Church OďŹƒce!! If you haven’t picked one up yet, stop by the oďŹƒce today and get your very own UTO mite box. United Thank Oering (UTO) is a ministry of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through United Thank Oering, men, women and children nurture the habit of giving daily thanks to God. We encourage all of our parishioners to keep a box in their home, visible, and easily accessible. Each ,me you recall a blessing or something you are thankful for, make a dona,on. Those who par,cipate in UTO discover that thankfulness leads to generosity. United Thank Oering is entrusted to promote thank oerings, to receive the oerings, and to distribute the UTO monies to support mission and ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and in invited Provinces of the Anglican Communion in the developing world. Here in San Diego, the Showers of Blessings were funded by UTO. The maternity wing of Maseno Mission Hospital in Kenya was also funded by UTO.
Mother’s Day Photos Mark your calendars! Once again, on Mother’s Day, May 8, our very own Mike Conner will have camera in hand and be prepared to take Mother’s Day Family Photos for anyone who would like one. This was a great event last year and a great way to get a beau,ful family photo. Tell your mom! Tell your kids and grandkids! Come to church together as a family and then capture a family moment! And, don’t forget to oer thanks to Mike for volunteering to oer this wonderful service!
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An Update on Our Finances Pledge income has fallen a bit behind expecta,on in March and expenses were a bit ahead of plan. Expense overages are mostly within our parish ministries. We are over budget in our Sunday School expense due to the cost of our current curriculum (very li le curriculum was included in the budget). Other ministry areas incurring greater expenses include fellowship , coee hour, and music. Overall, we remain close to our projected budget and con,nue to be ďŹ nancially healthy. INCOME
Jan 2016
Feb 2016
Mar 2016
Q1 2016
Income Budget
$ 50,865
$ 42,315
$ 48,265
$ 141,445
Income Actual
$ 66,040
47,337-
$ 29,612
$ 142,989
Dierence
$ 15,175
$ 5,022
$ 18,653
$ 1,544
EXPENSE
Jan 2016
Feb 2016
Mar 2016
Q1 2016
Expense Budget
$ 48,746
$ 43,298
$ 52,454
$ 144,498
Expense Actual
$ 48,642
$ 48,620
$ 57,556
$ 154,818
$ 104
$ 5,322
$ 5,102
$ 10,320
Dierence
Cumulative to Date
Did you know? The Proper,es Commi ee making some long needed improvements to our campus including: new furnace room doors, addi,onal electrical curcuits in the kitchen, and repairing the cross on top of the church. Thank them when you see them!
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Music at All Souls’ EXCITING CHORISTER NEWS! Royal School of Church Music Exam Eight of our very own All Souls’ Choristers recently took and passed the White Level Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) exam. An RSCM exam is given every ,me the choristers complete a level in their curriculum. The exam covered musical terms and concepts included in the White Level. What’s next? On to the Dark Blue level! CHORISTER INVESTITURE On Sunday, May 1, the choristers who recently passed the RSCM White Level exam will be presented with white surplices during the Sunday morning Eucharist. This will signify their transi,on from proba,oner chorister to a full chorister at All Souls’ Church. Addi,onally, all of the choristers will receive a St. Nicholas Chorister medal, to be worn each Sunday they sing. Well done, choristers!
CHORAL EVENSONG The Day of Pentecost (Whitsunday) Sunday, May 15 at 5pm Introit: O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit – Thomas Tallis Responses: M.J. Gibson Magnificat & Nunc DimiBs in c minor – George Dyson Psalm 145 Exaltabo te, Deus C.V. Stanford Anthem: Our day of praise is done – William H. Harris Including the appointed Hymns: Sherry recep,on to follow 12
ALL SOULS’ ENSEMBLE-IN-RESIDENCE • UPCOMING EVENTS
BACH AT NOON Join the Bach Collegium San Diego for their ďŹ nal FREE mid-day noon series! Cantata: Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut BWV 199, J.S. Bach Alice Teyssier, Soprano Wednesday, May 4 (12.15pm) All Saints’ Episcopal Church 625 Pennsylvania Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
SEASON CLOSER: 2015-2016 Claudio Monteverdi: Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1610) Friday, May 13 at 7.30pm St Andrew’s Episcopal Church 1050 Thomas Ave, San Diego 92109 Saturday, May 14 at 7.30pm All Saints’ Episcopal Church 625 Pennsylvania Ave, San Diego, CA 92103 Bach Collegium San Diego closes its 2015-2016 season with a rare performance of Claudio Monteverdi’s monumental Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1610). Wri en just over four hundred years ago, Monteverdi’s Vespers was included in an imposing volume of Italian church music in honor of the Virgin Mary. In this volume, Monteverdi included a six-part seGng of the Mass in the old style, contras,ng a sequence of Psalm seGngs, hymns, ravishing motets for solo voices, a sonata, a hymn, and a seven-part part seGng of the MagniďŹ cat. This project includes BCSD’s inaugural appren,ceship program, in which the ensemble is joined by choral students from San Diego State University.
TICKETS & FURTHER INFORMATION: www.bachcollegiumsd.org
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Musings by Marlene by Marlene Herndon I speak the truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare; and I dare a li+le more, as I grow older. Michel de Montaigne I thought I’d like to share with you some of my favorite quotes. We all have them; I have many more than I’m sharing here. I’d love to hear some of yours. The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecsta c experience. - Emily Dickinson. According to Dr. David T. Lykken, a behavioral gene,cist, the University of Minnesota, about half of your sense of well-being is determined by your ‘set point’ which is from the gene,c lo ery, and the other half from the sorrows and pleasures of the last hours, days, or weeks. If a person’s natural temperament is cheerful, others present tend to resonate in this mood, sweetening the atmosphere. In the last couple of years, I’ve had occasion to spend a few hours a week with someone whose natural temperament is cheerful and in whose presence others experience a sweetness in the atmosphere. And more speciďŹ cally, there are some others in my immediate world in whose presence my spirit is right away liIed. Cheerfulness colors our world, colors our outlook, colors our minds. We never ,re of those who are cheerful. It’s not that they haven’t experienced loss, pain, and sorrow, it’s that they have the ability to turn my tears into laughter. Let’s let the light ood into our hearts. Let’s sing, as the Psalmist did, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. What trails are we leaving behind? Are they trails of goodness and mercy, love and joy shared with others in the simple pleasures, small things, sprinkled in throughout life? Love makes the moments enchanted. Paul Johnson said, “The essence of Heaven lies not in receiving pleasure but in giving it.â€? Scripture tells us they will know we are Chris,ans by our love. Let us animate and encourage each other.- George Washington A li le while ago, Fr. Joe reminded us not to hide our light under a bushel, to let our light shine. Let your spirit, your life, your loves burn brightly and only become more brilliant in eternity. Let others share in the light. On Saturday, my daughter Ashely and I went to pick out new glasses frames. I was so happy to spend some ,me with her no ma er the occasion. But I came to realize throughout our ,me in the store that (Con nued on page 15)
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oIen in new situa,ons, I close up a bit of me, am a bit unwilling to let my soul stand ajar. This was brought to my a en,on by the man who came to serve us. He was as dierent from me as one could be, color, educa,on, life experience. But, aIer puGng aside the fact that he is a salesman and was doing his job of selling, aIer his “in your face I know everything there is to know about what you need,â€? I said, “What else?â€? He said, “I know that God is good.â€? He had my a en,on, and we were on our way to a couple of hours of laughter and some really good customer service. This man shared with us that he had wanted to be a physician, but at an early age had made some really poor choices. Now he wasn’t the least bit bi er; rather he said he loves his job. He loves helping people. He doesn’t work Sunday mornings; he’s in church praising God and listening to God’s word spoken through his preacher. He and I likely have nothing in common except for our love of God, yet I feel I have a friend. Edgar, his name is Edgar. Edgar didn’t hide his light under a bushel. His joy in the Lord was contagious. I loosened up and made a friend. He is rare, this tall, thin aging black man from Alabama who is causing me to trust just a li le bit more because he wasn’t the least ,mid in his love of the Lord. Everywhere we are and in everything we do, we can witness to the love that is bestowed to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what ma+ers most. Buddha One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others. - Lewis Carroll Happiness is a mystery, like religion, and should never be ra onalized.- G.K. Chesterton Mix a li+le mystery with everything, and the very mystery arouses venera on.- Baltasar Glacian
Bible Studies at All Souls’ Tuesday Evenings: The Acts of the Apostles Using the video series A.D., the Rev. Pam Rieger will lead a study through the events of the book of Acts. Together we’ll learn about the growth of the early church, the courage of the apostles to preach the good news to the gen,les, the conversion of Paul, and how the followers of Christ dealt with conict regarding the message of the gospel. We’ll meet in the Sherman Room beginning on April 19, at 7:00pm. Thursday Mornings: The Gospel According to John Our Thursday Morning group will con,nue to gather at 10:15 in the Sherman Room and will meet for 45 minutes. We’ll be diving into the fourth gospel, the Gospel of John. This gospel is signiďŹ cantly dierent than the synop,c gospels. Join us : Read, Study, Share, Learn!
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Children in the Church: Some Practical Guidelines for Worshiping as an Intergenerational Community (adapted from St. Basil Orthodox Church, Wilmington, NC) Psalm 127 3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, ospring a reward from him. 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Jesus said, “Let the li le children come to me.â€? A parish is a living and breathing thing with a life and character of its own. No two are the same. One thing is certain, however – when the parish ceases to bap,ze new members, it is dying. Children are, indeed, one of the most certain signs of life in any community – they are a giI from God. As children are born, we welcome them as full members in bap,sm. It is the job of the parents, the godparents, and the community to assure that children are raised with the saving knowledge of Christ, and oered a posi,ve church experience that will evolve into a love for God’s house and God’s people. As the number of children increases, so does the “holy noiseâ€? that accompanies children – this is a growing pain that we should welcome, but not be afraid to acknowledge. How do we address the noise and distrac,ons without crushing the children and the parents who might be contribu,ng to the commo,on? The answer is, in short, “graceâ€? – we have all received this in spades from our Lord. But, speciďŹ cally, those without children need to exhibit grace toward the parents and children, and the parents with children need to exhibit grace toward those who aren’t wrestling li le ones day in and day out.
TO THE PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN Relax! God put the wiggle in children; don’t feel that you have to suppress those wiggles during services. •
• •
Consider moving closer to the front where it is easier for young ones to engage, or hold them while you quietly point out the liturgical movements, the choir, the priest, the altar servers, etc. – teach them while you have them during this precious ,me! If being in the front doesn’t work for you, then ďŹ nd an area o to the side where you feel comfortable, perhaps somewhere that allows a quick exit when necessary. Sing the hymns and songs with them. Recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed with them – they (Con nued on page 17)
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Children in the Church, Cont. •
•
•
will learn by following your lead, even before they know how to speak. If you need to leave the service for any reason, please do, but come back in as soon as possible. If your children learn that “making a fussâ€? means leaving for play,me, they will have you trained to leave constantly. If you need help with a child or children during a service, ask someone if they might be willing to be your “helperâ€? for the day. Many people are eager to help, but unsure if they should oer. If you prefer, our professionally staed nursery is available should you need some quiet ,me to worship on your own. However, we do encourage you to bring your children back into worship for communion or a blessing, so that we may all gather at the Lord’s Table together.
TO ADULTS WITHOUT YOUNG CHILDREN Relax! You were once a child, and perhaps a parent, too. • • •
•
•
•
When you see children in the church, oer a prayer of thanks to God for the blessing of new life in the church. Speak to the children outside of worship, and let them know that they are loved. If you see a father or mother in a service without a helper, please be aware of how you might help them, but respect their boundaries! They are in charge, but may welcome some help from ,me to ,me. Treat every parent with love – we have no idea what struggles a parent might be dealing with prior to coming to worship. In many cases it is a challenge to leave the house on ,me with li le ones, and bringing children to church is an expression of love for their sons and daughters -- even when the kids are cranky or restless. If you observe something that is troubling in regards to a child’s behavior in church, express your concerns directly to the priest in charge. Don’t speak about it (speciďŹ cally or generically) to anyone else. If the commo,on gets to be “too much,â€? consider reloca,ng yourself to another area, quietly and discretely, so that you may focus your a en,on. Please remember that it is never appropriate to complain that you cannot “worshipâ€? because of distrac,ons – we can worship, giving thanks to God, in any situa,on, especially if we are guests in God’s house.
These are simply sugges,ons for how we might strengthen our support for one another during worship. If we are all mindful of the needs and circumstances of those who join us on Sunday mornings, we may ďŹ nd that we are able to worship God in a deeper, more meaningful way— even if we experience some distrac,ons from ,me to ,me.
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All Souls’ Senior Warden John Brown To join UNESCO for People to People Visit to Cuba set for June 10-17th UNESCO World Heritage Theme opens a wider plaZorm for dialogue Cuba remains a sparkling jewel in the crown of the Americas. The warmth and tenacity of her people are inspired by the beau,ful landscapes and historical architecture that have achieved interna,onal recogni,on through UNESCO’s World Heritage programs. There are nine World Heritage Sites throughout the island of 11m inhabitants and although many interna,onal visitors have been able to enjoy them during the past 50 years of embargo and poli,cal tensions, Cuba has remained one of the most elusive interna,onal des,na,ons for ci,zens from the USA. Many people also want to see Cuba before it is fully opened up to the wider tourist industry. From the vintage cars that taxi everyone along the wave crested road of Malecon, to the rows of architectural gems that are being lovingly restored on an unimaginable scale.
The Cathedral in Havana
Cuba’s rich historical, cultural, ar,s,c and religious tradi,ons provide plaZorms where deeper rela,onships and mutual understanding can also lead to greater reconcilia,on.
The Cuba 2016 program will seek to weave many of these connec,ons, rela,onships and aspira,ons by focusing on two important World Heritage Sites where our focus will be on environmental reconcilia,on, economic reconcilia,on and ways to heal “wounded memory” in revisi,ng the stories of the challenges of the past 50 years. We have chosen sites to allow American visitors an opportunity to learn about the cultural, religious and economic issues facing our two countries while using the UNESCO interna,onal plaZorm as a larger shared resource. This is an enormously diverse and inclusive community where we can learn from one another about the importance of providing healthcare and educa,on to the marginalized or sustainable development. The St. Paul’s Founda,on for Interna,onal Reconcilia,on is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corpora,on, registered in California. We have been working on reconcilia,on projects in Africa and the Caribbean for the past 5 years and seek to share resources with communi,es oIen divided by cultural, religious or poli,cal differences. (Con nued on page 19)
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Cuba, Cont. Rev. Canon Albert Ogle has volunteered with various organiza,ons working on UNESCO World Heritage Projects and his thesis “Returning to Places of Wounded Memory -the role of UNESCO World Heritage in Reconcilia on” was presented to the 2009 Interna,onal Symposium in Quebec and was later published by UNESCO partners. A version of this thesis was presented at the first Interfaith World Peace Figure 2 UNESCO’s World Heritage in Vinales Conference in Havana in October 2015. Many faith communi,es share in projects like Living Waters (below photo) bringing clean water to communi,es all over Cuba. Far from being a simple tourist or tradi,onal mission trip, Cuba 2016 seeks to iden,fy opportuni,es and challenges in this unique moment in interna,onal rela,ons and to discover some long-term strategies that will assist in the healing of old wounds, crea,ng memories, and building a las,ng reconcilia,on.
6th Annual Amazing Journey Gala Saturday, May 7, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Hall of Champions in Balboa Park 2131 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, 92101 Party AGre Enjoy a delighZul evening of Seated Three Course Dining Silent and Live Auc,ons Tickets: $95 Proceeds benefit RefugeeNet programs to assist United Na,ons/United States sponsored refugees in San Diego Contact Jake Young, 619-283-1337 for more informa,on RSVP by May 2 19
Dear Abbey Dear Abbey, If we have chalice bearers, why don’t we have paten (the vessel that carries the bread) bearers? If there is only one priest why can’t a lay person administer the bread to some of the congregants? Is the bread more sacred than the wine? Confused at the Rail Dear Confused, This is a great ques,on and really has only come up in the last few decades. The administra,on of the sacrament at Holy Communion is clerical in nature and is properly within the du,es of bishops, priests and deacons. In decades past, this was not much of a problem as the norma,ve Sunday morning worship in most episcopal churches was a service of morning prayer with Holy Communion being celebrated once a month or maybe even once a quarter. It would have been the ordained that administered the sacrament on those occasions. However, with the advent of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, the focus of our Sunday morning worship shiIed. The celebra,on of Holy Eucharist became much more common and expected as the preface of the prayer book states: “The Holy Eucharist, the principal act of Chris,an worship on the Lord’s Day and other major Feasts…” (BCP p. 13) With this shiI, the celebra,on of Holy Eucharist became more frequent (although some parishes may s,ll offer Morning Prayer on a Sunday morning with Holy Communion once per month). With increased frequency came the need for assistance in administering the sacrament, especially in those parishes which only have one priest and no deacons. To address this need, the church began the prac,ce of licensing lay people to assist with the administra,on of communion. originally Lay Chalice Bearers, renamed Lay Eucharis,c Ministers, and now simply Eucharis,c Ministers (EMs). So, the reason we have chalice bearers and not paten bearers is because, ideally, the sacrament is administered by the ordained, and a priest or bishop is necessary to celebrate the Eucharist and is hence present at the service and can administer the bread to the people first followed by the chalice administered by assis,ng clergy or licensed EMs. Now, that said, there are occasions when assistance is necessary to administer the paten in the absence of assis,ng clergy. In those cases, EMs may be invited into that possibility. (In fact, I recall a ,me when my priest was ill and, not wan,ng to infect parishioners, he celebrated mass and asked me, a EM, to administer the paten.)
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Dear Abbey, Cont. So, it’s not that the bread is more sacred than wine, it’s simply a ma er of eďŹƒciency in assis,ng with the liturgy. And, the added beneďŹ t, the presence of EMs in the worship highlight the role of the laity in the liturgy, the “work of the people.â€? Do you have a ques,on for Dear Abbey? Send it to DearAbbey@allsoulspointloma.org!
Vacation Bible School: Registration Begins May 8 . Calling all kids! All Souls’ Vaca,on Bible School registra,on begins Sunday, May 8! Parents/guardians may pick up registra,on forms in the church oďŹƒce, on the Narthex Table, at Coee Hour, at the Coee Corner and at Kids’ Club classes. Mail forms and registra,on fees to All Souls’ Episcopal Church, 1475 Catalina Blvd., SD, 92107. Registra,on is $30 per child and will include a Vaca,on Bible School music CD for each family and an iron-on logo transfer for each child. We also look forward to a special mission’s project this year so that we can help our neighbors in need. (Scholarships are available, please contact the church oďŹƒce.) At VBS Surf Shack, August 1 – August 5 from 9:00-Noon with registra,on beginning at 8:30 a.m., kids ages 5 through 5th grade, will be invited to celebrate their faith and plunge into the incredible experience of knowing God. Kids will enjoy beach–themed music, craIs, games, Bible stories and more, becoming fully equipped to live out God’s mission in their lives. Our VBS will feature videos with professional surfers including Georgia Cook, Nikki Viesin, Colton Kane, Joey Cook, and Jared Kane. Throughout the ďŹ ve day adventure kids will have the opportunity to learn how: • God created the world to show God’s love for us in a truly epic way. • God helps and protects us in amazing, unexpected ways. With God’s help, we can also help others. • Jesus is God’s Son, loved by God. And the evidence of God’s amazing love for us is that we get to receive and be part of God’s love. • God can bring peace to any situa,on and calm our fears, even when things aren’t going well. • God wants to show love through us. Jesus invites us and sends us to par,cipate in this amazing experience. Each day kids will hear “Wave Wordsâ€? that will make their lessons easy to remember: God Creates! God Helps! God Loves! God Calms! God Sends! Kids will also experience Crazy Hair and Crazy Hat Day, PJ and Slipper Day and so many more crazy days along with some fun surprises! We already have amazing volunteers and are con,nuing to look for addi,onal youth and adults to volunteer in many fun areas including CraIs, Snacks, Bible Stories, Games, Small Group leader, registra,on, photography and decora,ons! If you would be interested, please contact the church oďŹƒce because you will not want to miss out on the adventure of VBS at All Souls’! 21
Looking Ahead at All Souls’ May 1, 10:15am: Chorister Investiture Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our choristers as they receive surplices and medals
May 5, 7:00pm: Ascension Day Mass Join us in the church as we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord and Savior with a solemn mass. There will be light recep,on in the Sherman Room following and perhaps a Cinco de Mayo excursion.
May 6, 12:00pm: MCRD Lunch for Kilo Company Graduation May 7, 6:00pm: RefugeeNet Gala at the Hall of Champions Join us for this yearly fundraiser suppor,ng the work of RefugeeNet (formerly, The Episcopal Refugee Network)
May 8: Mother’s Day Come worship at All Souls’ and get a photo of you and your whole family.
May 12: School for Ministry Graduation May 15: Pentecost—Holy Eucharist, BBQ, and Evensong Celebrate the birthday of the church, the giI of the Holy Spirit, with a BBQ bash following the 10:15 service! Don’t forget to come back aIer your nap for Evensong at 5:00pm
May 20, 6:00pm: All Souls’ Chorister Music Gala Tickets are going fast. Get yours soon for the event of the Spring and help support our Choristers.
May 22: Trinity Sunday We will be joined by our Lutheran brothers and sisters as we combine efforts for “Empty Bowls.”
Upcoming Worship at All Souls’ ASCENSION DAY MASS: May 5, 7:00pm This service will include the use of incense. WEDNESDAY EUCHARIST: May 4, 11, 18, 25 at 7:00am Worship with us in the chapel. Stop by on your way to work or before that first cup of morning coffee. THURSDAY EUCHARIST: May 12, 19, 26 at 9:30am Join us in the chapel for a quiet service of Holy Eucharist. (Prayers for Healing on 1st Thursday) “THE BROTHERHOOD” MEN’S GROUP EUCHARIST: Saturday, May 14 at 8:00am Join us for the celebra,on of Holy Eucharist and breakfast aIerwards at the Red Sails Inn. CANDLELIGHT COMPLINE: Thursday, May 12 at 9:00pm Join our choir as they lead us in a sung compline, chan,ng the psalms and can,cles. This A Capella compline following the service outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, pg. 127 EVENSONG: May15 at 5:00pm Come and close your day with the Divine Office as the All Souls’ Choir offers their giIs to God in a beau,ful choral evensong. 22
The Beauty of Holiness
The All Souls’ Choristers: Congratulations on your investiture!
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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 oďŹƒce 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 oďŹƒce@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) Kids’ Club and Godly Play: 9:10 am Small Souls Worship: 10:15 am except 4th Sunday of each month 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
Sta The Rev. Joseph J. Dirbas, Rector The Very Rev. James E. Carroll, Associate The Rev. Pamela Rieger, Deacon Ruben Valenzuela, Director of the Music Jayne Ricker, Facili,es and OďŹƒce Manager Be y Nork, Nursery Assistant Vanessa Hiday, Nursery and OďŹƒce Assistant
Weekday Services: Wednesday Holy Eucharist: 7:00 am Thursday Holy Eucharist: 9:30 am Saturday Cel,c Eucharist: 5:00 pm Compline Service – 2nd Thursday @ 9:00 pm