All Souls’ Episcopal Church
September2015 Volume 1, Issue 4
The e-Rubric From the Rector by The Rev. Joseph J. Dirbas
On Church Growth and Evangelism Now I’ve gone and done it. I’ve used the E-word in a 1tle for my newsle3er ar1cle. I’m fully aware that simple men1on of the word “evangelism” may cause Episcopalians to cringe. For some reason there seems to be an aversion to the very thought of evangelism. When asked to proclaim their faith, it seems like most Episcopalians would rather draw away from the world and hide under the pew, like a church mouse who gets the benefit of our beau1ful worship and who has the luxury of simply dri:ing into obscurity once worship has ended. Our hesita1on with evangelism is based upon outdated and outmoded stereotypes. When we hear the word, we imagine street corner preachers wielding a Bible in one hand and making accusatory gestures with the other as they pronounce the judgment of God on this sinful genera1on. Or we imagine those people marching in parades with signs that say “Jesus saves” or standing in the crowd at a football game (behind the goal post for maximum TV coverage) wearing a rainbow wig and holding a sign that says John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his only bego3en son, Jesus Christ, that all that believe in him should not perish but have everlas1ng life”).
Inside this issue From the Pastoral Associate ....... 3 Update on Finances .................... 5 Music at All Souls’ ...................... 6 Home Tour .................................. 10 Music as Mission ......................... 14 Parishioner Profile ...................... 16 Stewardship & Mental Health ..... 20 Dear Abbey ................................. 21
Special points of interest • Mission Sunday • Planned Giving • Youth Mission Trip • Changes Around Campus • Art around All Souls’
Evangelism is a necessary and integral part of every healthy congrega1on. Evangelism is the core of Chris1anity. The etymology of the word
Evangelism, Cont. makes that clear: evangelism, from Medieval La1n evangelismus “a spreading of the Gospel,” from Late La1n evangelium “good news, gospel,” from Greek euangelion. Evangelism is the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ. Evangelism begins with the four evangelists in Holy Scripture, Ma3hew, Mark, Luke, and John, and con1nues through the ages and into the current day. You and I, as Chris1ans, as followers of Jesus Christ, are called to be evangelists and take our part in spreading the good news. Evangelism isn’t about condemning the world, it’s not about proclaiming an elevated status because we are believers in Jesus Christ. Evangelism is about love, it’s about following the call Jesus made to the first disciples when he said, “Follow Me.” And it’s about issuing that call to the world that has yet come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple is o:en quoted as saying, “The Church is the only ins1tu1on that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.” Evangelism is our chance to be a benefit to those who are not our members. It’s our chance to love all people (not just our fellow parishioners) as beloved children of God and invite them to come, worship, sing, and join with us in the work for God’s kingdom. Evangelism is our highest calling. So, if it’s our calling, if it’s what we are supposed to be about as Chris1ans, how do we go about it? Well, in my humble opinion, the best way to evangelize is to share the love and joy of Jesus Christ with everyone we meet. It’s opening our doors, invi1ng friends, strangers, neighbors and those who might be far off to join us in our ministries
2
as disciples of Jesus Christ. It’s speaking the truth about how the Good News of Jesus Christ has touched our lives and how it has made a difference to us. It’s being bold enough to invite people into that same possibility. Evangelism takes courage. Evangelism leads to spiritual vitality and creates a place where the Holy Spirit is free to swirl round about us and draw us into ministries we could never imagine. And, of course, God willing, with evangelism comes growth. If we mean to go into the world to administer Jesus’ invita1on to follow him, we must expect that people will take us up on the offer. And, with growth come challenges. More people in church means more opinions. It means our voice may carry less weight than before. It means we may become more prominent in the community with more people looking at us and maybe even with a cri1cal eye toward how we do ministry and how we preach the gospel. It also means we may make a lot more friends! We’re up for this. It’s our call. The Holy Spirit of God is with and among us as we engage the world. Just to let you know, I used the word evangelism over twenty 1mes in this ar1cle. It’s not so bad a:er all. Join me in being an evangelist. Let’s share the good news. Let’s proclaim the love of Christ. Let’s invite our friends and neighbors to church. Let’s grow disciples and build an evangelis1c team that can’t be stopped! And then, let’s give thanks to God for the grace bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ our Lord and let’s make sure that all people know they fall within his saving embrace.
From the Pastoral Associate: Pope Francis and Church Unity By The Very. Rev. James E. Carroll Selma Vassal gave me a copy of the latest Na1onal Geographic, with its 1tle page, “Pope Francis Remakes the Va1can.” A beau1ful photo essay of the Va1can and the Basilica, the Pope interac1ng with people, and an historical outline of the papacy---all done in typical Na1onal Geographic style. The ar1cle relates how Francis differs from his two immediate predecessors (John Paul II and Benedict XV) and yet how he shares their concerns over the best way to follow the teaching of the Second Va1can Council which sought to modernize the Roman Catholic Church. When Francis was Archbishop of Argen1na he told a friend that the walls surrounding the presiden1al palace were an offense to the common people. Now he feels the same way about the “walls” that surround the life of the Va1can. He takes informal walks among the people, drives a small car and occupies a two-room apartment instead of the customary, commodious papal residence. He is the first Jesuit to occupy the Chair of Peter. And because of the Jesuit’s custom of trying new things, accep1ng new teachings, and general unpredictability, Francis makes officialdom nervous. I’ve also been reading, in the May issue of the Atlan1c, an ar1cle en1tled “Will Pope Francis Break the Church?” The writer, Ross Douthat, points out that Francis’ two predecessors were European (Benedict from Germany and John Paul from Poland), while Francis is from South America. Francis is already making appointments from the socalled Third World. So Douthat says that liberals are happy, conserva1ves are nervous. Of par1cular concern is the Pope’s flexibility on sexual issues: marriage and divorce, admission to Communion of those who have been denied, etc. Can Francis steer between opposite poles and maintain the balance?
The Bishop is Coming! Baptism, con/irmation, reception and so much more! Bishop Mathes will be at All Souls’ on October 18, 2015. During his visit we will all have a chance to reaffirm our bap1smal vows. Most importantly, we will also welcome new members into our church family (both young and old) as the bishop will preside at the sacraments of bap1sm and confirma1on. This is an exci1ng day for the church. It is an opportunity to experience the laying on of hands, the apostolic succession of the Episcopal church in ac1on. When the bishop lays his hand on the heads of those being confirmed or bap1zed, they become part of that chain of laying on of hands which extends back to the apostles in the early church. Membership in the Episcopal Church is claiming our place as disciples of Jesus Christ and being in ministry with disciples through all ages.
One cri1que from me. The Geographic essayist refers to Peter as the first pope. No Chris1an used such a 1tle un1l the 3rd Century, when the important ci1es of Alexandria, An1och, Constan1nople and Rome used the term “pater, patris, papa,” similar 1tles in La1n and Greek, to refer to the bishop of the see. Even today the head of the Cop1c Church is called “Pope,” in succession to the See of Alexandria. We Anglicans are not in communion with the Patriarch of the West, the Bishop of Rome. But we are praying and working for the restora1on of unity.
3
New Blue Stripe Envelope If you pledge you already have pledge envelopes, but what are you to do if you wish to give a special gi:, or if you’ve forgo3en your pledge envelope and want to receive credit for your contribu1on? Or perhaps you just feel extra blessed or grateful and want to put an addi1onal something in the offering plate? The new offering envelopes are designed for just that very use. You will find them in the rack in the pew in front of you. It’s easy to spot as it has a wide blue band dis1nguishing it from the regular pledge envelopes. The Blue Stripe envelope doesn’t take the place of your regular pledge envelope unless you happen to misplace your envelope. It’s always nice to put something in the plate as it passes by you during the service.
Offering a Gift that Lasts: Planned giving for the church On behalf of Bishop Mathes, the Diocesan Planned Giving Support Commi3ee invites all parishioners of All Souls’ to par1cipate in a series of gatherings taking place in each of our seven Mission Areas to explore legacy giving as a way to sustain the church and reflect our gra1tude for the presence of God in our lives. A Planned Giving Gathering will be held on October 17th at 10:30 am at All Souls’ Episcopal Church, located at 1475 Catalina Blvd., Point Loma. The gathering will feature parishioners offering insight on why they chose to make a planned gi:, advice from experts and the opportunity for dialogue on how legacy giving supports the vital life of the church for genera1ons to come. A fes1ve luncheon provided by St. Peter’s and Good Samaritan will conclude the Gathering by 1 pm. This is your opportunity to learn more about how legacy giving has posi1vely impacted All Souls’, as well as other parishes. Please contact Jayne Ricker at All Souls’ before October 14th to sign up: 619223-6394 or jricker@allsoulspointloma.org. There is no charge for a3ending.
4
An Update on Our Finances The All Souls’ Finance Commi3ee is pleased to report that our financial posi1on remains strong and we are opera1ng within expecta1ons. Pledge income con1nues below forecast. The tables below provide a quick look at our actual vs. budgeted income and expenses for the First Quarter, months in the Second Quarter, and Year to date. INCOME
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter
July 2015
Year to Date
Income Budget
$ 121,409
$ 124,734
$ 37,966
$ 284,109
Income Actual
$131,915
$ 119,869
$ 36,094
$ 287,877
Difference
$ 10,506
($ 4,865)
($ 1,872)
$ 3,768
EXPENSE
1st Quarter 2nd Quarter
July 2015
Year to Date
Expense Budget
$ 122,040
$ 129,791
$ 38,864
$ 290,695
Expense Actual
$111,202
$ 123,981
$ 42,573
$ 277,756
($ 10,838)
($ 5,810)
$ 3,709
($ 12,939)
Difference
Cumulative to Date Did you know? In 2004, pledges made up 75% of the churches income. Today, our pledges account for less than 60% of income.
5
Music at All Souls’ Begins New Season: 2015/16 by Dr. Ruben Valenzuela This 13 September marks the beginning of a new program year for Music at All Souls’ Church. If you are interested in being part of the music ministry, whether singing or behind the scenes, please contact Director of the Music & Organist, Dr. Ruben Valenzuela (rvalenzuela@allsoulspointloma.org).
PARISH CHOIR Rehearsals: Thursdays: 7-9 pm Choral Eucharist: Sundays: 10:15 am Evensong: 4th Sunday of the Month: 5 pm The Parish Choir is made up of audi1oned volunteers along with the support of 4 staff singers in each voice part (SATB). The Parish Choir sings at the weekly Choral Eucharist, monthly Choral Evensongs, Holy Days, and other principal services throughout the year. The Parish Choir’s primary responsibility is to support the musical rendering of the liturgy, whether it be the singing of the Ordinary of the Mass or suppor1ng the hymns and service music sung by the congrega1on. The choir’s repertoire is varied and diverse and is grounded in the Anglican choral tradi1on.
CHORISTER TRAINING PROGRAM Voice for Life Rehearsals: Thursdays: 3:30-6 pm Choral Eucharist: 4th Sundays: 10:15 am The Chorister Training Program, for boys and girls ages 8-16, follows the Voice for Life curriculum and is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music, America. (www.rscm.org). This program provides an educa1onal opportunity for instruc1on in music theory, solfège, vocal technique, and music and church history. It is one of the few programs of its kind in the San Diego community, and introduces young singers to a world of great church music.
6
Music at All Souls’, Cont. BACH COLLEGIUM SAN DIEGO OPENS NEW SEASON AT ALL SOULS’ The Bach Collegium San Diego, under the direc1on of Ruben Valenzuela, opens the 2015/16 Season at All Souls’ Church on Saturday, 17 September at 7:30 pm at All Souls’ Church. SOMETHING ABOUT MARY J.S. Bach: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben BWV 147 Henry Purcell: Celebrate this Fes#val Friday, 16 October at 7:30pm St James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, La Jolla Saturday, 17 October at 7:30pm All Souls’ Episcopal Church, Point Loma For 6ckets and informa6on: www.bachcollegiumsd.org Allegories have long been made between earthly and heavenly monarchs. J.S. Bach’s cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, wri3en for the Feast of the Visita1on of the Virgin Mary, retells Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth following the Annuncia1on. Henry Purcell’s Celebrate this Fes#val is the fi:h of six birthday Odes to Queen Mary II, extolling her virtues and Divine right. Not to be missed!
Thank you! Thank you for the wonderful gi:s in support of the music program at All Souls’. Growing our choir and building a music program for our youth has been a priority and thanks to the generous contribu1ons by many All Souls’
parishioners, the dream, hope, and desire has become a reality. Soon we will experience the impact this makes in our worship life.
1me. Simply iden1fy your dona1on for the “All Souls’ Music Fund.” And remember, as St. Augus1ne said, “He who sings prays twice.”
If you have not yet made a contribu1on and would like to, you may do so at any
7
History of Our Accounting System by Cynthia Fleri In our first ever full audit, All Souls’ received an excellent report. How did we accomplish that? A big reason is our accoun1ng system which the auditor found most impressive. I want to share with you the history of this system and how we have a state-of-the-art program to accurately keep track of the church’s finances. When I took over as treasurer from Marjorie George (then Eldredge) in the early 1990’s, we were keeping the books the old-fashioned way with paper and ink. Marcia Lister, the bookkeeper, had big ledger books where she recorded income and expense on pages with columns and columns of accounts. At the end of each month, I would add the columns and record the totals in a simple li3le repor1ng computer program to create the monthly financial report. The only computer available to me was the one Grace Hurst used in her role as church secretary. Since she was using it during the week, I would have to go in on Saturday to prepare my reports. Marcia handwrote checks and manually calculated payroll with all of its associated taxes and withholdings. This method con1nued on for a few years un1l a tax auditor informed us that no CPA would be willing to perform an audit un1l our books were automated. This encouraged the Vestry to enter the brave new world of computerized accoun1ng. I began researching church accoun1ng sys-
8
tems. I visited St. Dunstan’s to check out their system. I spoke with sales reps and received brochures. Remember, there was no Internet then to look online at all the various choices. I knew that this was an expensive investment of money and 1me, and if I made a bad choice, I would be the one suffering trying to make a poor system work. I also didn’t want the company to vanish a:er a few years forcing us to change systems (a cutely named program called Church Mouse comes to mind as a possibly short-lived system). I also wanted to accommodate our wonderful pledge secretary, the late Jill Belzer. She had been pledge secretary for years and she had developed a database on her home computer that kept track of everyone’s pledges. She was willing to con1nue volunteering, but only if she could s1ll work at home. If the accoun1ng system resided only on a new finance computer at church, she would quit. So, I managed to
find a system that was designed specifically for churches (fund accoun1ng and pledges are not addressed in most accoun1ng so:ware) which could be purchased and used modularly. That means we only bought the pieces we needed and we could install them on separate computers. So we bought finance, payroll, contribu1ons and member-
Accounting, Cont. ship. Membership was for the secretary’s use, Contribu1ons was for Jill and Finance and Payroll were for Marcia and me. The church computer was the official keeper of the informa1on, but both Jill and I could do work at home and bring a copy of our results to put on the church computer. Church Management Systems was the name of the company and, despite my fears, I managed to choose well (was there some divine interven1on, perhaps?). 1996 was our first year with them. We started in DOS, moved to Windows in 2002 and we began using the online version about a year ago.
There have been other changes over the years: the company is now called ParishSo:; we no longer do Payroll inhouse (let ADP have sleepless nights wondering whether the quarterly taxes were sent in on 1me!); and we have added Online Giving to our module selec1on. This brings us to the present day where we can log on using any kind of device; where there is an incorrup1ble audit trail; and where all data is securely maintained in the all-knowing cloud of witnesses.
You Better Belize It! by Terry Dirbas All Souls’ Youth Group is excited to announce our summer 2016 mission trip to San Mateo, Belize! We will work and play in a community that the Red Cross has deemed most at risk in all of Belize. At risk of what, you ask? Hurricane, fire, disease… you name it. Children and families in this community face incredible need, and parents o:en struggle to provide necessi1es for their children.
as with maintenance projects. We are so excited to spend 1me with children and learn about their community and their culture. Dates and full details are s1ll in the works, but we’re planning to travel in early July. If you know any local high
school youth who might be interested in joining us on this great adventure, please contact Terry Dirbas at terrydirbas@gmail.com. For more informa1on about Holy Cross, check out their website, www.holycrossbelize.org.
We will serve at Holy Cross Anglican Primary School, which educates 440 students from preschool through 8th grade. Summer school will be in session, and we’ll volunteer in classrooms as well 9
ALL SOULS’ 64TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR “A View From Point Loma” by Linda Parker Planning is underway for the muchan1cipated Christmas Home Tour, the signature event for our church. This is our opportunity to reach out to our community and promote awareness of the mission and ministries of All Souls’, with each member contribu1ng his or her unique gi:s to our parish -wide effort.
From planning to 1cket sales, publicity to welcoming guests in a home or hos1ng our famous “Tea”, we work together on making All Souls’ Christmas Home Tour as success. This year, in keeping with the theme of the 64th year, “A View from Point Loma”, each home boasts a wonderful view; two homes view San Diego Bay and two view the Pacific Ocean! It is important for us to know the purpose behind our Christmas Home Tour as we tell others about how much fun it is to a3end and how fabulous the homes are…All proceeds support our parish’s local, na1onal and interna1onal ministries, including; • •
•
10
Suppor1ng Loaves and Fishes, an Ocean Beach food bank Providing monthly dinners for homeless and others in need at OB’s Episcopal Church Center Contribu1ng food, clothing and shelter to Episcopal Refugee Network for new San Diego arrivals
•
•
Financing medicines and supplies for orphans and families at a hospital in Maseno, Kenya And many addi1onal worthy ministry projects within San Diego, the United States and the World A Brief History of All Souls’ Christmas Home Tour
All Souls’ Episcopal Church Home Tour is the oldest Christmas Home Tour west of the Mississippi. It began in 1952 as an a:ernoon event in five Point Loma homes decorated for Christmas. Tea was served with a few arts and cra:s for sale in the parish hall. It is now in its 64th year! Now homes are open from 10:00-4:00, with guests invited to a gracious Tea and Marketplace of unique items. Since the beginning, Peter the Church Mouse has made an appearance for purchase (as a limited edi1on), with his iden1ty a closely held secret un1l tour day! Last year All Souls’ welcomed over 800 guests from throughout the county. This year we will need support from each member of our parish to make the 64th Annual Home Tour a rousing success! Stay tuned for more informa#on in the next few weeks.
A Story of Planned Giving: Ms. Brenda Outland By Daryl Ferguson As Mission Area Three gathers on the 17th of October at All Souls’ Church to consider planned giving, what about The Widow’s Mite? A recent bequest to All Souls’ is a perfect example of Christ’s recogni1on of the magnitude of small gi:s. Brenda Outland le: a small percentage of her estate to All Souls’ and her fellow parishioners are grateful. Brenda grew up in Grosse Pointe, MI, and a3ended the University of Kentucky. A:er college, she returned to Michigan where she met her husband, Joe, a professional photographer. The couple se3led in San Diego where her daughter was born. Brenda earned a teacher’s creden1al from San Diego State and taught French and English in the San Diego City School District for 24 years, re1ring in 2013. At All Souls’ she par1cipated regularly over 40+ years-- un1l the past two--serving on the Altar Guild and crea1ng lovely flower arrangements. During the most recent months, she needed help to get to church services, but made the effort to a3end as o:en as possible. As her demen1a progressed, small details faded, but she o:en reminded her family that she wanted her Requiem Eucharist and Celebra1on of Life to be at All Souls’-- where she was interred with her husband (D. Year) in the All Souls’ Columbarium on June 20, 2015.
Save the Dates! September 5 SFM Classes Begin
September 10 PSC Posi1ve Aging Program and Lunch Bunch Choir Rehearsals begin… adult and choristers!
September 12 Centering Prayer Workshop
September 13 Mission Sunday!!! Blessing of backpacks and helmets
September 16 Wednesday 7:00am Eucharist begins
September 20 Sunday School Begins
September 23 FPU Classes at All Souls’ begin
September 26 Apple Picking in Julian
September 27 Commissioning of Acolytes and Choristers
When her husband was disabled and her daughter was s1ll young, she supported her family on her teacher’s salary. Although there was not much le: for charitable contribu1ons, she gave generously of her 1me and what treasure she could manage. Her church was a very important part of her life. Her legacy to her church–her final gi:–will help to keep All Souls’ alive and well into the future.
October 4
Come join your Mission Area Three rectors, wardens, vestry members and parishioners as we learn about a variety of ways to leave similar legacies to your church on October 17th at 10:30 a.m. Call Jayne Ricker at (619) 223-6394 to make your reserva1on for lunch or e-mail her at jricker@allsoulspointloma.org.
Planned Giving Luncheon
Annual Pledge Drive Kick-off
October 11 Diocesan Day of Service
October 17 November7 Diocesan Conven1on
11
Adult Formation For Baptism, Con/irmation, and Reception Fr. Joseph Dirbas and Mr. Sco3 Crispell will be presen1ng a four week course to prepare those who are seeking membership in the Episcopal Church. During these four Sundays we will
Looking Ahead at All Souls’ Centering Prayer Workshop: September 12 The Contempla1ve Outreach of San Diego will be conduc1ng an introductory workshop on centering prayer. Together we will learn about this ancient Chris1an method of Christ-centered silent prayer. The session will be from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm followed by six con1nuing sessions on Thursday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 pm beginning on September 17. For more informa1on visit www.contempla1veoutreachsd.org
discuss the pastoral rites of bap1sm and confirma1on, the meaning of recep1on in the church, and the opportunity to reaffirm our vows as bap1zed members of the church. We will also explore some church history, the development of the Prayer Book, and the bishop’s place in the apostolic succession in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. We’ll meet in the Sherman Room at 11:45 am. We’ll be joined by the bishop at our services on October 18 and we’ll wrap up with a recep1on on October 25th. Please contact Jayne Ricker by phone or e-mail to sign up for this class.
12
Mission Sunday: September 13 Mark your calendar… you won’t want to miss this. A:er both the 8:00 and 10:15 services you’ll have an opportunity to enjoy foods from around the world and learn about the different ministries of All Souls’ and how we feel called to par1cipate in God’s Mission. The Compass Commi3ee will be presen1ng some more findings from our long range planning process and there will be raffle prizes and a carnival for the kids. It’s shaping up to be a ton o’ fun! Invite your friends and neighbors!
Blessing Backpacks & Bike Helmets: September 13 With the start of the school year we will offer the opportunity for our children in the parish to bring their backpacks and bike helmets. We will pray together and ask God’s blessing upon our children. Be sure to bring your kids!
Upcoming Worship at All Souls’ MISSION SUNDAY: 13 September at 8:00am and 10:15am Join us for celebra1ons of Holy Eucharist and a fes1ve recep1on / coffee hour to follow. Our theme for Mission Sunday is World Café and we will provide food from around the globe. Join us in the parish hall to learn about the ministries and missions of All Souls’ and the complete your “passport” for a chance to win wonderful prizes.
WEDNESDAY EUCHARIST: 16, 23, and 30 September 7:00am If you’re looking to start 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!
COMPLINE: Sunday, 13 September at 7:30pm Join us for a contempla1ve candlelight compline service. This service provides a quiet repose at the end of the day and allows us to prepare for the week to come with quiet medita1on.
COMMISIONING OF ACOLYTES AND CHORISTERS: 27 September, 10:15am Join us for Eucharist and celebrate in the commissioning of our acolytes and choristers. Commissioning of those serving in worship is tradi1onally conducted on the feast of St. Michael and All Angels, 29 September.
EVENSONG: Sunday, 27 September at 5pm Join us for our monthly sung Divine Office (Evening Prayer), culmina1ng with the singing of the appointed Psalm and Can1cles (Magnificat and Nunc Dimi-s). A fes1ve sherry recep1on to follow.
13
Music as Mission
by Dr. Ruben Valenzuela, Director of Music
As many are aware, All Souls’ long range planning team (Compass Commi3ee) has been busy working to discern the future of this parish; goals, vision, where should we be in 5 years? As these important topics are considered, one goal that con1nues to rise to the surface is considering All Souls’ as a community hub. To that end, the music ministry has the poten1al to play a dis1nct role in bringing a3en1on to this parish, both through the direct week to week work of the ministry, and through the many musicians who will pass through our doors for rehearsals, mee1ngs, and concerts in the years to come. As your Director of Music, one of the tools that I bring to this ministry is my longstanding connec1on and involvement with the music community across the country through my work with the na1onally recognized Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD) (www.bachcollegiumsd.org). On two occasions last spring, the BCSD held rehearsals in both the church and Gooden Hall to great success. This Fall the BCSD will open its 2015/16 season (see page 7 ) here at All Souls’, and is currently working with the Rector and Vestry on appoin1ng the BCSD as Ensemble-inResidence.
14
Locally, there is also much buzz and ac1vity. Many of San Diego’s most talented choral singers and organists are beginning to flock through our doors to sing with the choir, offer performances, or simply for regular organ prac1ce hours. The American Guild of Organists will be with us on a regular basis for young organist recitals and workshops, the Choral Consor1um will hold its annual mee1ng here next month, fine ensembles are inquiring about holding concerts here at All Souls’, and on and on! Simply put, our music ministry is already doing its job to make this parish the community hub for those local and abroad. As we con1nue our work of bringing the community through the doors of All Souls’, it is once they are inside that there is the poten1al of experiencing the holiness of beauty that many of us find here week to week.
Sel/ie Forget, Don’t Directory: theSay Sel/ie Cheese! Directory is Coming The staff of All Souls’ meets every Tuesday Ever to since discuss Fr.our Jimwork had the andbrilliant ministryinspira1on together. that Staffwe mee1ngs include recapping past Sunday create services a Selfie and events, Directory planning as ourfor parish upcoming photo Sundays directoand services, conversa1on about events ry, happening we’ve been on campus, receivingand a number discussing of photos. needs around (Rumor the parish. A couple of weeks ago, we discussed has it the our rector parish hasdirectory. a photo of We’ve himself made decked someout im-in provement to our directory over the lastminer’s year, upda1ng gear in Silverton, informa1on, CO.)adding If younew haven’t people. had But a we all agreed that what we are missing ischance a pictorial to get directory. your photo Now, toIthe know office we’ve you’ll hadhave pictoria al directories in the past and, to be honest, great I’mopportunity not a big fanonofMission the process. Sunday! That’s As part where of our Fr. Jim comes in. He suggested that we promote fes1vi1es, a “Selfie we’ll Directory.” have a selfie Most booth. of us You’ll have phones be able to with cameras. I’m sure most of us have taken choose one some or two props selfies. and choose So, let’sany have background a li3le fun with We’llwall start this! Grab your phone! Take a Selfie! Andyou’d send like… it to jricker@allsoulspointloma.org. maybe the Eiffel tower or the great assembling the very first All Souls’ Selfie of Directory! If Fr.knows. Jim canWe’ll suggest Wefun, can we’ll all doget it! I China. Who haveit…. some can’t wait to see your photos. (P.S. Rumor has it there ample opportuni1es selfies to know nameswill andbefaces, too! If you’ve gotfora photo, on Mission Sunday, September 13, 2015)send it in to Jayne. And if your wai1ng for the right 1me… Mission Sunday is there for you! Grab your phone! Take a Selfie! And send it to jricker@allsoulspointloma.org.
Changes Around Campus There have been a few changes in our administra1on building. Most notably, the choir room, upstairs on the second floor, has been completely revamped. The music library will be moved from file cabinets to shelving. The carpet has been removed to aid in the acous1cs. The grand piano from the parish hall has schlepped upstairs. It’s a stunning space and will create a great environment for singing and educa1on for children an adults. Similarly, the classroom just below the choir room is in the midst of renova1ons. That classroom, and the one at the end of the hall, have been u1lized by the San Diego Community College Districts Child Development class. Upon their departure, we’ve decided to make use of that room for our Sunday School (specifically, Godly Play) and to make it a mul1-func1onal space to be used by outside organiza1ons and our own commi3ees and commissions. And, we’re in conversa1on with the Peninsula Shepherd Center to convert the room at the end of the hall to a senior lounge. As always…. Lots going on around All Souls’. 15
Parishioner Pro/ile: The Life of Grace Hurst by Rosemary Barnes Grace Hepburn was born in Rhode Island in 1920. Her family a3ended the Episcopal Church and at the age of 7 she sang in the church choir as did her older sister and two brothers. She con1nued to sing in choirs all through her life. Some of the changes during her life6me: Women’s suffrage, Alcohol Prohibi1on and Repeal; Hurricane Carol; the Great Depression; WWII; the Korean Conflict; United Na1ons; Bay of Pigs, Vietnam. Inven1on of TV, computers & internet; travel to space / the moon. The Depression was not hard on kids: they were all in the same boat. They had each other to play with; movies cost only ten cents, a big bag of popcorn or an ice cream cone for a nickel. It was adults who felt the brunt of financial hardships. Many businesses “went belly up”, unemployment was rampant, banks defaulted. People worried about jobs and how to pay their mortgages and
u1lity bills. Fortunately her father never lost his job. Grace a3ended Classical High School in Providence, RI, majoring in English lit and foreign languages: four years of La1n, three in German, two in French. A:er gradua1on she enrolled in Pembroke College in Brown University gradua1ng in l942. She was the first in her family to a3end college. On her first day of college there was to be a tea for the mothers of incoming freshmen. Toward noon the air became humid and winds became stronger. It was Hurricane Carol. Large trees on campus were falling down. Glass doors in the gymnasium blew in, sha3ering glass all over the hallway. The canal running through downtown overflowed and the water rose as high as the second stories of the department stores. There was no ge]ng across the city. The Dean told everyone they should spend the night in the dorms. Only freshmen and seniors were on campus that first week. Students lighted candles and made up beds for the visitors and a:er a candlelight dinner (there was no electricity) an evening of storytelling ended the day. Our country entered WWII on Pearl Harbor Day, 1944. Howard Hurst was a career Navy man sta1oned at New London, Connec1cut during that 1me. Grace met him through her cousin, his best Navy buddy. Howard spent three years in the Pacific war zone, received
16
the Purple Heart among other honors, became a commissioned officer, and eventually advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Meanwhile, Grace and Howard became good friends through weekly correspondence. He returned from the Pacific on VJ Day, visited his family in Rosemead, California and then came to Rhode Island to see Grace again. Eight days later Howard and Grace were engaged to be married. When they returned from their honeymoon, transfer orders awaited him to report for duty at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, so they went back on the road with wedding presents piled in the back seat of their car. It was a happy 18 months of shore duty, and the birth of their first son. Then Howard went aboard a Navy oil tanker to be gone for a year, “the worst year of my life,” says Grace.
ground and to the le:, the old city of Naples. Other families from the United States, Britain, Holland, Spain, and Italy also lived in the building. The Hursts all learned to speak Italian well enough to converse with Agos1no who spoke no English and became a wonderful friend. He had a large garden and grew vegetables, fruit trees and grapes for wine which he shared with them. He was always available to help them explore their new environment. Once he took them to the 1ny Island of Procita –no telephones, no cars, no radios, just small farms, fragrant citrus trees, and grapevines – where his friends treated their visitors to a huge feast with foods fresh from their farm.
Howard worked at NATO with the officers of five na1ons: Italy, Greece, Turkey, England, and United States. Each month one of the countries Grace learned of her strengths during that year would host a formal party. When it was Italy’s turn they held the party in Naples’ royal palace and in the years that followed. Howard was eight more months at sea on another ship; home where elaborately uniformed guards for three weeks then back to sea for six more stood at the foot months during the Korean War. of a long stairway Being a Navy wife was a great experience. Grace lined with plush learned to cope with many new challenges, red carpet leading made wonderful friends, learned so much about to the ballroom the world, developed new skills and came to apabove. preciate the good 1mes. A short period in MonThe family le: Naterey, California, a couple of years in Rhode Island then Howard was transferred to Naples, Ita- ples a:er three ly. NATO Headquarters was the most interes1ng years that includof his duty sta1ons. The Navy shipped their car, ed much travel household goods and family-- which then includ- through Europe. It was back to the U.S, to explore New York. They ed two sons and a 3 year- old baby girl. They lived on Staten Island and o:en took the nickel traveled aboard a Military Sea Transport ship ferry, past the Statue of Liberty to Manha3an-which was great fun. It was like going back in lots to see there. 1me when they pulled into Naples Harbor and saw vendors with horse and wagons delivering Several hurricanes blew in that year. Howard’s vegetables and fish. first duty in a storm was to take his ship away They rented a roomy apartment overlooking the from the harbor to the safety of the open sea, (Cotninued on Page 19) Bay of Naples with Mt. Vesuvius in the back17
Values, Vision, and Mission Statements The Compass Commi3ee presented their work on the Values, Vision, and Mission of All Souls’ to the vestry at our June Mee1ng. The Vestry has accepted and endorsed these statements. Below you will find the Vision and Mission Statements. Value Statements follow and con1nue on Page 16.
VISION STATEMENT: To be a vibrant and joy-filled
Creativity Corner: Baptismal Stitchery Hanging behind the font is the bap1smal s1tchery, a work of Karen Spurgin, which portrays the Bap1sm of Jesus by John in the River Jordan. The work captures in part the imagery of Bap1sm as seen in the water: the Red Sea crossing, fetus/child, Jonah and the great fish, shells, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove cascading down in the golden shower. The triangular form of the s1tchery represents the Trinity. (Source: Soli deo Gloria)
congrega1on that serves as the community hub for Christ’s transforma1ve 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. (Con1nued on Page 22.)
18
New Children’s Worship: “Small Souls” Our new children’s component of ministry, Small Souls, will begin September 13th at the 10:15am service. All families will be in church together at the beginning of the 10:15 service and will join in the opening hymn, prayers, and lessons. As the Gospel procession returns the chancel, the children, led by a Small Souls leader, will follow the gospel procession and find their way to the chapel. At the Small Souls service, the children will join in a children’s sermon, say the creed together, and offer prayers... concurrent with the same ac1ons being conducted in the church! At the exchange of the peace and the announcements of the parish, the adult leaders will lead the children from the chapel back to their families in the pews. On Family Sundays, the procession of children will come right into the chancel for the children’s sermon. This change benefits our children in many ways: children will get to sing and be with the whole community at the beginning of worship; they will experience the flow and rhythm of worship; and, they will get an age appropriate message every Sunday. This will also be more welcoming to visitors with Children as they will be readily able to par1cipate in our children’s ministry.
Parishioner Pro/ile, Cont. but Grace knew that she and the children were next in line for his concern. Though the wind blew down trees and shingles and le: them without power and telephone for up to a week, they weren’t hurt and it was all part of the adventure.
One 1me a telephone call a:er midnight ordered Howard to return to the ship. He only said, “I have to go and I can’t say where to or for how long. Read the newspaper,” It was the Cuban Missile blockade, scary because Howard’s ship was a missile carrier. No violent ac1on ensued. From New York Howard was ordered back to San Diego. His last duty sta1on before Navy re1rement was as Officer-In-Charge of the Naval Missile Training Unit Pacific. Twentyseven years of Navy service was behind him. He went back to college to complete his degree in Business Administra1on and worked in that field un1l his final re1rement. Grace hadn’t worked in a job for 14 years while the children were growing up and now felt it was 1me to brush up on her office skills learned years ago at Bryant College’s School of Execu1ve Secretarial Training for college graduates. She took a job in the legal office at Headquarters Eleventh Naval District and worked happily there for eleven years, un1l
October, 1976 when she couldn’t resist taking the job of Parish Secretary of All Souls’ Church under Fr. Arnold Fenton. During the next 21 years she worked for many fine priests, took lessons in calligraphy to create cer1ficates for the parish and diocese; learned to use a computer – the parish’s first – and decorated cakes for special occasions including parish weddings. A:er re1rement she joined the Thursday cra:s group and made fabric dolls, Christmas wreaths, marzipan nut pies, pine needle baskets and jewelry for the Christmas bazaar. In 1985 the All Souls’ Fri3s Tracker organ was completed and installed in the church. Grace took photos at every stage for an album. Paul Fri3s explained the various parts and func1ons of the organ for the calligraphed narra1ve. A note from Grace: It was a crea#ve #me in the church and in my life. All Souls’ has become my parish family, its members my dearest friends. I love the choir, the liturgy, the clergy and Music Director and am so happy to s#ll be a part of it.
19
Want to Improve your Mental Health? Get Involved in Church From the Stewardship Committee Being a good steward through generous giving of your 1me and talent at church, par1cularly for seniors, is now associated with a reduc1on in symptoms of depression. That’s the fascina1ng finding of a recent study reported in the Washington Post and other media. In other words, if you want “sustained happiness” get religion, say the researchers from the London School of Economics and Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands. Involvement and par1cipa1on in church ac1vi1es, according to the study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, pays off in unexpected mental health benefits. Par1cipa1on by seniors in a religious group has a greater mental health “return on investment” than involvement in other social ac1vi1es such as taking a class, playing sports, or volunteering. The academically 1tled “Social Par1cipa1on and Depression in Old Age: A Fixed-Effects Analysis in 10 European Countries” studied 9,000 Europeans, older than 50, par1cipa1ng in four different social ac1vi1es: 1) volunteering or working for a charity 2) taking educa1onal classes 3) volunteering in a poli1cal or community organiza1on 4) par1cipa1ng in a religious organiza1on Of these four social ac1vi1es only ac1ve par1cipa1on in a church or other religious organiza1on appeared to contribute to “sustained happiness,” according to the researchers who noted that, “the church appears to play a very important social role in keeping depression at bay and also as a coping mechanism during periods of illness in later life.” Although people in good health are more likely to volunteer, the research found nothing to indicate that volunteering in general leads to be3er mental health. Not all social ac1vi1es are the same. For instance, the inves1gators found that over 1me involvement in poli1cal/community organiza1ons was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms. Regarding religious ac1vi1es, the researchers found that, “Par1cipa1on in religious organiza1ons may offer mental health benefits beyond those offered by other forms of social par1cipa1on.” The inves1gators could not say whether the mental health benefits associated with religious ac1vi1es were due to being part of a religious community or to people’s faith. 20
Dear Abbey: All crossed up!
Dear Abbey, I am never sure of when making the sign of the cross is appropriate. Also, what is the correct way to do it. I was taught to touch 4 1mes, but I see people touching 5 1mes, and maybe touching their lips. Confused. Dear Confused, Making the sign of the cross is an expression of faith. It can be made at any 1me, by anybody. I’m sure you’ve no1ced in church that the priest makes the sign of the cross at various 1mes in the service and some of your fellow parishioners join in. The gesture of the “sign of the cross” is essen1ally proclaiming your faith in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and invoking the same upon yourself. It is a Trinitarian blessing upon yourself. Typically, the sign of the cross is made by using your right hand to touch your forehead (Father), chest (Son), le: shoulder and right shoulder (Holy Spirit). (As an aside, in the Orthodox Church they touch the right shoulder before the le:.) As you’ve no1ced, some people finish making the sign of the cross by touching their chest or their heart, making a fi:h point. For some, that becomes a reminder or a touchstone that God is within us and the blessing resides within our very spirit. While it is customary to make the sign of the cross with the right hand, whether you make the sign of the cross with your le: hand or right doesn’t impact the faith by which you are making the cross. The same hold trues for whether you choose to have your hand open or closed and fingers together or apart. Another gesture you may see people make is during the introduc1on to the Gospel. The priest or deacon and the people may use the back of the thumb of their right hand to mark a small cross on their forehead, on their lips, and on their body. This affirms our desire that the Gospel of Christ may be in our heads, on our lips, and in our hearts and lives. For more informa1on on the sign of the cross, visit www.youtube.com/user/FatherMa3hew/featured and click on his “sign of the cross” video.
Reach out to Dear Abbey! Do you have a burning liturgical or church ques1on that you’ve been wondering about, but just can’t quite bring yourself to ask it? Well, now’s your chance. You can e-mail your ques1ons to DearAbbey @allsoulspointloma.org Certain ques1ons will be selected for publica1on.
Web and Social Media update Have you seen the All Souls’ Web Page recently! It looks a lot different than it did a year ago. There’s a lot more informa1on. It has new photos of our beau1ful church. There are ways to register for programs including the St. Nicholas Choristers and Sunday School. And there are ways to give on-line and request informa1on about volunteering! Check it out and feel free to make sugges1ons or comments about content. Send an e-mail to office@allsoulspointloma. org
Hopefully this response hasn’t le: you all crossed up! Abbey 21
Values, Vision, and Mission (cont .)
Outreach Opportunity: A Sock Mountain By Drusilla Grubb
LOVE We are in loving rela1onship 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
Are you juggling cards from mul1ple worthy causes asking you to support them with dona1ons? Some want food, others want hygiene items, clothing, shoes, blankets, underwear, glasses, books, etc. Do you know the common denominator? What do ERN, ECS, Doors of Change, ECC/Cal State San Marcos, Friend to Friend, God’s Extended Hand, Safe Havens, Showers of Blessings and other organiza1ons all request? Socks! So, at Diocesan Conven1on this year, we will collect socks. Lots of socks. Imagine, if you will, a mountain of socks!
Christ and learn from each other. STEWARDSHIP We recognize that all we have comes from God, and with gra1tude we gener-
Dr. Seuss might say: White socks, black socks, red socks, blue socks. His socks, her socks, old socks, new socks.
ously share these abundant gi:s, caring for all of God’s crea1on. CREATIVITY We celebrate God’s gi:s of liturgy, music, and art as a window to experiencing the Divine.
22
A:er Conven1on, Sock Mountain will be dismantled and distributed to our brothers and sisters in need. If you are aware of other organiza1ons that need socks, you can email drusilla@drakegroup.com and we will get them added to our list of recipients. All Souls’ is star1ng the Sock Drive now. The diocese will recognize the congrega1on bringing the most socks to Conven1on on November 7th with the highly coveted Golden Sock Award (wait ‘1l you see this!). Let’s pool our resources, gather up some socks, and make a mountain in our courtyard that would make Jack Northam (aka Crazy Jack) proud!
Pictures From Past to Present
23
All Souls’ Episcopal Church All Souls’ is a vibrant Episcopal congrega1on 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, Facili1es and Office Manager Be3y Nork, Nursery Assistant Vanessa Hiday, Nursery Assistant
Weekday Services: Wednesday Morning Eucharist: 7:00 am Thursday Holy Eucharist: 9:30 am Saturday Cel1c Eucharist: 5:00 pm