FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE Volume 67 Number 7
SUMMER 2017
The Episcopal Church of Saint Michael & All Angels Pacific View Drive at Marguerite
Corona del Mar
California 92625
THE REVEREND MICHAEL SEILER NAMED INTERIM RECTOR By Mark Peterson, Senior Warden
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am very pleased to announce that Saint Michael & All Angels has named The Rev’d Michael Seiler as its interim rector during the parish’s search for a permanent replacement for The Very Rev’d Canon Peter D. Haynes who retired as our rector in June. Michael joins St. Mike’s from the Parish of St. Matthew in Pacific Palisades where he spent some fifteen years as associate rector and as acting rector following the unanticipated retirement and sabbatical of the rector there. While administering St. Matthew’s parish activities and supervising the church’s lay staff, Michael also worked closely with the headmaster and trustees of St. Matthew’s Parish School. In an earlier assignment, Michael was curate at St. Mark’s Church in Philadelphia. There he planned and taught a program of adult Christian education and spiritual formation in addition to his liturgical and pastoral care duties, which included directing a team of lay ministers at a local nursing home. Recently, Michael has completed two programs that prepare him for interim ministry in the Episcopal Church: Interim Ministry Network Training, “The Work of the Minister,” and Interim Ministry Network Training, “The Work of the Congregation.” He completed Godly Play teacher training in 2010, the Stillpoint Center for Christian Spirituality three-year spiritual directors training program in 2005, and served on the Los Angeles diocese commission on Christian Education in 2005. Michael was a member of the board of directors of the Episcopal Chaplaincy at the University of Southern California from 2002 to 2006 and completed “The Bible and the Land of Jesus,” a two-week course at St. George’s College, Jerusalem in 1994. Michael is a member of The Fellowship of Saint John, The Society of St. John the Evangelist. He holds a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, a certificate in Anglican Studies from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and a Bachelor of Arts cum laude Pepperdine University. Michael is a warm-hearted man who impressed each of us who met him. We welcome Michael to Saint Michael & All Angels and look forward to his ministry with us. He will join us on Monday, July 17 and conduct his first worship with us on Sunday, July 23. The Rev’d Dr. Barbara Stewart will lead our worship services until then.
949.644.0463
stmikescdm.ladiocese.org
Congratulations to Our 2017 Graduates! By Corinne Stover Imogen Kirsch completed her K-6th education at Lincoln School. She will attend CdM Middle School in the Fall. Imogen volunteered with Special Ed PE, has been on the Green Team, and was selected by the OC Dept of Education Imagination Celebration for her art work. Her proud, happy, and grateful mom, Julie Kirsch, and brother Jack celebrate Imogen’s many accomplishments. Matthew Valentine Poska is graduating from Harbor Day School and will be in the Medical Magnet Program at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. Matthew is a faithful acolyte at our 8am Sunday worship services and sings with the youth choir. He will join the JSerra Chamber Choir, play basketball, and compete in track & field. Kim Valentine-Poska is Matthew’s proud and happy mom, with all the extended Valentine family. Ben Blevins-Boor graduated from Sonora High School, Fullerton, on May 25. Ben received a National Honors Society stole and a Seal of B-Literacy cord for 4 years of Spanish literacy. Ben’s high honors include Eagle rank in Scouts, Male Athlete of the Year, Freeway League Male Athlete of the Year, breaking 30-year school records in Swimming (100 Free; 100 Back), and was granted a scholarship for 4 years of service with Special Ed students. Ben is a faithful acolyte at St. Mike’s. Proud and happy parents are Michael & Marjie Blevins-Boor, and sister Rachel. Mary Miller Welch graduated May 27 at the Confucius Temple with an International Baccalaureate diploma from Western Academy of Beijing. Mary Continued on page 5
BUILDING OUR F AITH: L OVING CHRIST AND SER VING OUR COMMUNITY FAITH: LO SERVING
FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
SUMMER 2017
SUMMER ANNIVERSARIES
THE 2017 VESTRY Senior Warden...................................Mark Peterson markpeterson@catespeterson.com.......949.231.2231 Junior Warden........................................Clyde Dodge clydedodge@cox.net..............................949.375.1530 Christian Education...........................Melinda Rader melindarader2244@gmail.com...............949.230.3644 Clerk of the Vestry.....................................Jill Faller jjfaller@gmail.com...................................949.706.9495 Building and Grounds..................Murry McClaren murrymcclaren@ca.rr.com......................714.979.6978 Communications..................................Norris Battin nbattin+SMAA@gmail.com..................949.500.2442 Evangelism...................................Anne Warmington amwarmington@hotmail.com................202.550.4100 Fellowship .............................................Beth Bianchi bethebianchi@gmail.com.......................949.721.0192 Finance.....................................................Larry Casey Lcasey@dsrg.com...................................949.230.3529 Worship...... Mission................................................Kati Nicholson kmowat22@gmail.com............................949.300.3164 Stewardship.........................................Stacie Tibbetts sltibbet@uci.edu.....................................714-544-8490 Ombudsperson...................................Craig Kennedy ckennedy@cpkenlaw.com......................949.474.1500
WHOLE-HEARTED THANKS TO ALL WHO MADE Pentecost – June 4, 2017, so memorable with celebrations of fifty years of Saint Michael & All Angels' Episcopal Parish Church in Corona del Mar and thirty years of the privilege it has been for me to be your rector. That Sunday was so very special, certainly wonderful and truly heart-warming. I was overwhelmed by your affection and respect, andI loved seeing excellence and joy complementing one another every moment. You, the people of Saint Michael & All Angels, will always be in my heart with love.
DID YOU KNOW THAT OUR OWN CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH PUTS ON FREE CONCERTS EACH SUMMER? On the grass? With food trucks? Good music, kids and dogs welcome, and great fun! The first one is July 9th, 6:00-7:30. Bring a chair and join your St. Mikes friends on the grass by city hall. Look for the red, yellow and orange balloons; that's where we will be! Come early to save a spot, or call Beth Bianchi, 949-636-3418, and she will save one for you!
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IT IS BACK TO SCHOOL! For Families Forward at least... We will be collecting back to school items from now thru the end of July. Backpacks and other school supplies will be graciously welcomed to assist kids in Orange County who can’t always afford the supplies they need.
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JULY Birthdays 2nd - James Jackson 3rd - Whitney Peden 4th - Frances Haynes 7th - Marjie Blevins 11th - Steve Morris, Marshall Solomon 12th - Olive Rumbellow 19th - Richard Zevnik 24th - Anne Warmington 26th - Nadine Peden 28th - Catherine Lee 29th - Suzie Peltason 30th - Peter Haynes+ 31st - Louise Stover Baptisms 16th - Anne Conover 22nd - Susan Caldwell Weddings 6th - Adam & Lisa Dooley 10th - Wally & Barbara Paulson 14th - Sy & Barbara Black 18th - Michael Boor & Marjie Blevins 20th - Whitney & Nadine Peden 27th - Ali & Gail Haghjoo 30th - Norm & Beth Bianchi
WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE? At our June gathering, Women's Fellowship considered this question, and then listened and watched Anne Lamott's funny and insightful TED talk with this title. We will meet again on July 25th in the home of Beth Bianchi. For directions to her home, please call 949-636-3418. All are welcome! Please join us!
* * * TIME AND TALENT: If you are thinking about volunteering with one of our Commissions at St. Mike’s, please review the “Parish Life” booklet on the back rail of the sanctuary, which describes these activities. We need greeters, acolytes, coffee hosts, and ushers, and have other interesting assignments as well. Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet new people at St. Mike’s. Please call Anne Warmington with questions: 202.550.4100.
AUGUST Birthdays 1st - Larry Casey Susan Stahl 3rd - Paddy Nelson 9th - Bob Anderson 17th - Carole Palda 18th - Jan Faller 20th - Jack Keating, Ruth Poole 23rd - Murry McClaren, Barbara Stewart+ 27th - Lynne Ruedy 28th - Ray Johnson, Stacy Stone Baptisms 25th - Teri Corbet Weddings 25th - Steve & Ann Morris
A PRAYER FOR OUR PARISH Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and continuing on earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. --BCP page 816
FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE is a publication of Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, Corona del Mar, CA. Copy deadline is the second Wednesday of the month. We welcome letters and articles. Editor: Susan Beechner 949.644.0463 sbeechner@stmikescdm.org nbattin@gmail.com www.stmikescdm.ladiocese.org
FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
MYSTERIOUS SUMMER Our annual installemt about fictional religoius mysteries continues with a long read-think piece discussing theologians interest in crime. Laurie R. King, a native of northern California, holds an honorary doctorate from her seminary, CDSP. She has written fourteen crime novels, including 2004’s The Game, in which Russell and Holmes venture to India in search of a missing spy. For more, and more on Laurie’s thoughts on theology, see her web site, laurierking.com. Why Does a Theologian Turn to Crime? by Laurie R. King Why does a theologian turn to crime? We shall pause for a moment for the gallery’s catcalls to settle, ignoring nobly the hoots and cynicisms. Yes, yes; religion is a rich breeding ground for crime, but I’m not talking about the sins of the worldly church, I’m talking about theology, the study of God. Theos + logos: literally, God-talk. I trained as a theologian. I did my BA in comparative religion (as a good Episcopalian, I pride myself in being comparatively religious) at the University of California at Santa Cruz, with classes as diverse as alchemy, Native American mythology, New Testament Greek, and Russian mysticism. I did my thesis on “The Holy Fool in Western Culture,” following the lives of those men and women who took to heart Paul’s command in I Corinthians that we should all be “fools for Christ’s sake,” embracing iconoclasm, resisting structurization. (Of course, we all know how Paul’s little experiment in Tricksterdom turned out, but the monolithic and unyielding nature of organized religion is a topic for another day.) I then went on to look more closely at my own tradition, doing an MA at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. There I developed a fascination for the Hebrew Bible, what Christians call the Old Testament. The Old Testament is story-telling at its finest, compelling and complex in spite of its sometimes fragmentary nature. Not only do plot and character intermingle pleasingly, but the smallest details of construction are vital: a brief word, a verb’s ending can change everything; a phrase of poetry is repeated with slight variations, and meaning opens up.
SUMMER 2017
When time came to do my Master’s thesis, I chose a topic that interested me on several levels, following its specific storyline from its earliest appearances and through the centuries of the Old Testament, then leaving off when the New Testament began to play with the idea on its own. That thread was the appearance of feminine attributes in the otherwise masculine God of the Old Testament: God as midwife, God as mother nursing the infant child Jerusalem, and God as angry goddess (think Kali), complete with hymns coming straight from the worship of Canaanite and other goddesses. The adoption, and adaptation, of such songs and attributes fascinated me, the way the human mind takes a pre-existing language of religious speculation and uses it to say a new thing. While I was trying to decide what to do with my life, I began to write. And as is so often the case, life is what happens when you’re looking somewhere else. As I wrote, I found that theology and religion crept in. Not just the patterns of storytelling and theology’s close attention to detail, but as a force to be reckoned with in the lives of my characters. What I wrote turned out to be crime fiction. This was not a deliberate choice, but something I edged into when I found the mystery form not only offered a solid, plot-based platform on which I could build my story, but also allowed me to deal with issues that were too hot-blooded for mainstream fiction.And, I was to discover, because when you’re writing a mystery, you can make use of pretty much any aspect of human life, so long as it has authority for the characters. Crime fiction is all about passion. Not just sex, not merely the lust for money or revenge, but about anything that causes the people moving across the book’s pages to breathe more quickly—stamp-collecting, even, if the character has been built with sufficient care to make that normally phlegmatic hobby a source of choler. Desire, resentment, trickery, rage, all can coalesce around the most unexpected endeavors. And religion. Mary Russell, the protagonist of seven books now (in a historical series, partnering her with Sherlock Holmes, which began in 1915 with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice [St Martin’s, 1994], and with The Game [Bantam, March 2004] has reached 1924), shares her author’s interest in things theological and feminist. This enables Russell to go places another would not, so that in A Monstrous Regiment of Women (St Martin’s, 1995), she tutors a woman religious leader on the feminist aspects of God thus ingretiating herself into the center of a spy ring. A Letter of Mary (St Martin’s,
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1997) moves around a papyrus that appears to have been written by one Mary Magdalene, apostle to apostles—a letter that could change the face of Christianity forever. And O Jerusalem (Bantam, 1999) finds Russell and Holmes in Palestine, where the very air is thick with god-talk. The contemporary series I do also draws on religion. Kate Martinelli, homicide inspector with the San Francisco Police Department, encounters a modern-day trickster in To Play the Fool (St Martin’s, 1995), a man who takes to heart Paul’s urging to iconoclasm. And, Night Work (Bantam, 2000) finds Martinelli face to face with the incomprehensible (to her) worship of the angry and destructive goddess Kali, when a group of angry and destructive women seek to draw on the store of rage all women hold. The first stand-alone I did, A Darker Place (Bantam, 1999), is entirely about theology and religion. Anne Waverley is a professor and expert on modern religious movements, those entities a disapproving press dubs “cults.” And in her spare time, she becomes a member of one or another such movements, investigating the religious community for the government and judging the group’s relative stability, alert for any with the potential of being the next Waco or Jonestown. The book is about Anne, about her struggles to redeem herself and to salvage something of her own history, but it is also about how far we humans will go in our quest for meaning in a world of chaos. It’s a tricky business, using religion in a fictional setting. Too far in one direction, and it stinks of proselytizing; too far in the other, and it appears to despise the believer. And to a recovering academic like me, the hazards of popularization loom large: I’m sorry, but from a scholar’s point of view, The Da Vinci Code is nonsense. Much has been made of the deeper meaning of the word mystery, playing on our fiction genre’s tenuous connections with religious mysteries. Certainly, fiction can occasionally aim to illuminate religious precepts (more specifically, in the case of crime fiction, ethics and morals) to the great unwashed of the ethically illiterate (more specifically, in the case of our third millennium, those who simply haven’t the time to tackle Thomas Aquinas in the original.) However, the meaning of the word mysterion is problematic, and the case for using the word to attribute a deeper spiritual meaning to The Mysterious Affair at Styles, or even The Hound of the Baskervilles, is shaky. Sometimes a puzzle is just a puzzle.
(edited for length)
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FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE SAINT MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
SUMMER 2017
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
Our mission is to seek and share Jesus Christ as spiritual food for life’s journey.
3233 Pacific View Drive Corona del Mar, CA 92625 949.644.0463 949.644.9247 FAX stmikescdm.ladiocese.org
The Rev’d Michael Seiler Interim Rector [mseiler@stmikescdm.org] The Rev’d Barbara Stewart, Ph.D. Associate Rector [barbarastewart001@gmail.com] Susan Caldwell Director of Christian Education [scaldwell@stmikescdm.org] Ray Urwin, D.M.A. Minister of Music [raywurwin@gmail.com] The Rev’d Fennie Chang, Ph.D. Canterbury Irvine The Rev’d Canon Ray Fleming Assisting Priest The Rev’d Norm Freeman Assisting Priest Susan Beechner, Parish Secretary [sbeechner@stmikescdm.org] Maile Jansen, Bookkeeper [MaileJansen@stmikescdm.org]
WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sunday ( May 28 through September 3) Sunday worship schedule Holy Eucharist 9am Sunday School 8:45am Adult Education 10am Nursery Care from 8:30am Wednesday Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing-12 noon ABOUT SAINT MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS, CORONA DEL MAR We are a Christian Community of the Anglican Communion who come to hear God’s word and receive and share the Lord Jesus Christ. Our purpose is to have Christ live in us in order that in Christ we may live faithful and productive Christian lives. Our commitment to the Gospel is evangelical; our liturgical tradition, catholic; our theology orthodox but open to thought, reflection, and spiritual endeavor. We care about the world and strive to serve Christ in it.
Susan Caldwell
Summer is Ordinary Time
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ummer is a season of rest. In the Liturgical Calendar year, it is the time when the vestments and altar will display green. It can be called “Ordinary time,” as there are no particular Feast Days until we celebrate Saint Michael’s Day in September toward the end of the month. What to do in summer? This question can be asked about our ordinary lives and how we spend our time with family and friends. How do we relax, rest, restore, and rejuvenate, so that when the new year comes along we are ready to face whatever God has in store for us? Speaking of God, how do we rejuvenate the spiritual side of our lives during this season of summer? Oftentimes at church, several programs and ministries come to a halt at the end of the traditional school year calendar in June. Formal children’s Sunday school transitions to something new to give teachers a break and students something less structured. Choir takes a breather, acolytes and LEMs condense as there is only one worship service to field. These only name a few of the changes that take place in summer. Many parishioners go on vacation, and for good reason. As human beings, we need a break. We may need a break physically and spiritually from our work load and from our routines. It is during this rest, we can be mindful of our own soul. As God is the breath and life of each living thing on earth, during summer, time to nurture the soul becomes apparent. People may say they feel burned out at the end of the year, or use the phrase “feeling dry spiritually, needing some kind of new burst of enthusiasm or spark to re-ignite the flame within.” It is no wonder that Continued on page 7
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PRAYERS HEALING Brad Nadine Suzie Sue Teri Michele Joanne Polly Craig Norm Theo Mark Ron Patricia Richard Tom Ronda GUIDANCE Barbara Whitney Scott, Samantha, Shelby Cliff Dale Wendy Larry Leslie Olive Susan Diane REPOSE Janice Rylaarsdam George THANKSGIVINGS -for our Interim Rector, Michael Seiler - in loving memory of Muriel Ferguson, Edith Coppen, Deacon David W. Steadman, and Barbara Black’s parents - for birthdays of Catherine and Louise Stover - for the wedding anniversary of Kate & Nathan Eaton
Call Esther McNamee for prayer requests 949.640.1749
FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
BEING MORTAL - ILLNESS, MEDICINE, AND WHAT MATTERS IN THE END, BY ATUL GAWANDE, M.D. Join Barbara Stewart, Peggy Montgomery and Beth & Norm Bianchi for a look at Dr. Atul Gawande's best-selling Being Mortal. Dr. Gawande. neurosurgeon, addresses the issue of how medicine can not only improve life, but also the process of its ending. This is NOT morbid or depressing; it is an easy read, filled with stories and research that empower each of us as individuals. Join us!! We wil meet in the library at 8am each Sunday in August. As well as discussing the book, we will share some really good video presentations; Dr. Gwande is a gifted speaker. And there will be food!Questions? Contact Barbara Stewart 714-979-7449, or Beth Bianchi 949-636-3418
* * * GIRLS' FRIENDLY SOCIETY LA INVITES ALL GIRLS, AGES 8 and older, to an action-packed adventure weekend! This will take place Friday, September 8 - Sunday, September 10 at the Creekside Camp Center at Forest Home. GFS recently celebrated its 140th Anniversary, highlighting serving, learning, and growing. To find out more about GFS, check out their website, www.GFSCalifornia.org. For camp registration, go to http:// tinyurl.com/GFSCamp2017. If you have questions, please talk with Barbara Stewart or contact Alex Jacobs, 714-3235891 or alexandrajacobs@sbcglobal.net.
* * * UNITED THANK OFFERING (UTO) is a ministry of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church. Through United Thank Offering, men, women, and children nurture the habit of giving daily thanks to God. These prayers of thanksgiving start when we recognize and name our many daily blessings. Those who participate in UTO discover that thankfulness leads to generosity. United Thank Offering is entrusted to promote thank offerings, to receive the offerings, and to distribute the UTO monies to support mission and ministry throughout the Episcopal Church and in Provinces of the Anglican Communion in the developing world.
SUMMER 2017 5
Parish Financial Report As of May 31, 2017
Graduates, continued from page 1
ONLINE LEARNING - TRY CHURCHNEXT: We continue to explore the resources for online learning available to us through "The Well," which is our parish's module within the ChurchNext website. ChurchNext has a number of offerings and is constantly being updated and expanded. A number of our parishioners have participated. Please take a moment to obtain a user name and become familiar with the offerings. The website offers a wealth of opportunities for reflection and learning both in a group and individually. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please contact Susan Caldwell, 949.644.0463 ext. 12, or scaldwell@stmikescdm.org.
received an academic scholarship and will attend Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She will complete a gap year program living with a Chinese family and advancing her study of Mandarin. Mary received an award for excellence in drama performance. Grandmother Lynne Ruedy proudly attended Mary’s graduation in Beijing. Grace Vandervort, 2017’s valedictorian at Newport Harbor High School, will attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in the Fall. Grace has served St. Mike’s as an acolyte and member of the children’s choir. Grace’s family, parents Robert & Mary Vandervort, grandfather Harry Bubb, and aunt Melinda Rader happily celebrate her graduation. Chase Wheatley will graduate from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Chase is on the Dean’s list and maintains a 4-year membership on their D-1 golf team. Chase will begin work in July at Knowledgent, a data analytic firm in NJ. Parents Brad & Care Wheatley proudly congratulate Chase. Joseph Kelly Stevens and Ryan Asbury graduated from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. Their grandmother and aunt, Barbara Black, congratulates the two cousins graduating together. Dillon Mitchell Brophy graduated from CSU Fullerton with a double major in Business Administration/Finance. Proud grandparents, Wally & Barbara Paulson, congratulate him on his accomplishments. Esther Montgomery will graduate from Northeastern University, Boston, this Spring. Her grandmother, Peggy Montgomery, will celebrate two graduations when grandson Jacob Montgomery receives his Master’s Degree from University of Iowa’s Iowa Writers’ Workshop. McCall Saltzman, Bob Anderson’s grandson, graduated from Rensselaer Institute of Technology (RIT). Pauline Ryan, Dwight Ryan’s granddaughter, graduated from Harvard, Summa Cum Laude. Scott Matthews, University of San Diego, BA and BS, Cum Laude, and Katie Matthews, MA, Chapman University, grandson and granddaughter of Beth & Norm Bianchi.
NURSERY CARE IS AVAILABLE on Sundays from 8:30-10:30am.
REMINDER: Please wear your name badge on Sundays.
Expenses exceeded income by $17,500 in May and by $32,000 for the first five months of 2017 in line with our budget for that period. May pledges were under budget, but year to date pledges approximate budget. Year to date expenses approximate budget as well. We still need help with tellers after the worship service on the third Sunday of the month, so just once each month. The work involves counting cash and checks and preparing a bank deposit slip and takes about 30 minutes. If you are interested, please call the office at 949-644-0463. Thank you all for your generosity to Saint Michael & All Angels. --Larry Casey Finance Commission Chair
* * * Amazon donates to Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church when you shop @AmazonSmile. http:// smile.amazon.com/ch/33-0512534 #YouShopAmazonGives
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FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
GOATS HIRED TO CLEAR UTAH CHURCH’S WEEDY LOT [David Paulsen, Episcopal News Service] The Rev’d Mary Janda has new perspective on Matthew 25:33. If God is to separate the righteous from the cursed like sheep from goats, Janda’s recent experience at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in West Valley City, Utah, has gotten her thinking Matthew was a bit unfair to the goats in destining them for eternal punishment. “I mean, give the goats a break,” said Janda, the vicar at St. Stephen’s. Janda is not alone in her newfound affection for these biblically maligned animals. She, her congregation, and its neighbors spent nine eventful days in May getting to know a flock of 108 goats – give or take a few, due to one death and three births. The goats proved surprisingly useful in taming the church’s field of weeds, when they weren’t escaping and getting into mischief in the neighborhood. St. Stephen’s, a mission congregation of the Diocese of Utah, chose to rent the flock as a less expensive and more environmentally friendly way of clearing about an acre and a half of vacant church land, Janda said. In the process, the goats became an unexpected tool for evangelism. “People stopped and took pictures, and we made the evening news,” she said by phone. The goats “just did a fantastic job.” Churches have long incorporated animals of all kinds into their ministries, from pet-blessing services to farming projects. St. Peter’s Church in Malvern, Pennsylvania, even has maintained a flock of sheep in the church cemetery since 2003. The goats provided by 4 Leaf Ranch had plenty to eat when they arrived at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church’s overgrown field. A flock of goats may not be the best fit for many other congregations, but St. Stephen’s found it uniquely suited to its needs. Years ago, the diocese provided extra land for St. Stephen’s and other churches in Utah with the hope that it would be useful to expanding congregations. Instead, the land in West Valley City has remained vacant – “just a collection of weeds,” Janda said.
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This year, when church leaders were discussing the need to hire a contractor or rent equipment to mow the land, someone said it was too bad they didn’t have goats to do the job for them. Someone else mentioned that farms rent goats for jobs like that. The church took the idea seriously and discovered a flock for hire at 4 Leaf Ranch in Kamas, Utah. The diocese agreed to pay the ranch $1,250 to rent the goats long enough to eat the weeds in St. Stephen’s lot, and Janda said goats munch so close to the roots that their services likely are only needed once a season, rather than hiring someone to mow several times over the summer. On May 17, the 108 goats arrived by truck and were unloaded at St. Stephen’s. The ranch set up an electric fence around the church lot to keep the flock contained and provided a water trough. One of the ranch’s goat herders was assigned to remain with the flock, sleeping in a small camper that he parked on the property. The congregation delighted at the visitors, especially when some of them walked up to the church window and stared in at worshipers during Sunday service before returning to their meal of weeds. The congregation also learned that a lot can happen when you invite a flock of goats over for nine days. In addition to eating virtually nonstop, the goats staged a couple of “breakouts,” in one case getting under a chain-link fence and venturing into a neighboring school yard before they were caught again. Another time, some of the goats got out and made a snack out of a nearby resident’s flowers. Two joggers stopped to help the goat herder corral the animals back onto church property, and 4-Leaf Ranch covered the cost of the neighbor’s damaged plants. “All in the life of the goat-herding business,” Janda said. Life sometimes is mixed with death in this business. One elderly goat died after arriving at St. Stephen’s, a case of old age, Janda said. Two other goats had been pregnant upon arrival and gave birth in the church’s lot, one single birth and one case of twins. The mothers and newborn kids then were taken back to the ranch.
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Mostly, though, the goats just ate and ate, paying little attention to the bands of onlookers who gathered now and then at the edge of the lot to watch. “They’re so busy eating,” Janda said. “They’ll notice your presence, and then they’re continue eating.” St. Stephen’s is working on a plan to turn part of the vacant lot into a community garden by next year, but the congregation still may need the services of the goats to clear any remaining weed-filled land. “I just think anything we can do to show how we’re not just your institutionalized church, we’re trying to do things that are environmentally conscious and just have some fun doing it,” Janda said. – David Paulsen is an editor and reporter for the Episcopal News Service. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.
PLEDGE ENVELOPES: If you ordered pledge envelopes for 2017, please pick yours up on the table outside the Davis Library.
* * * ACOLYTES NEEDED: Do you have one hour to offer this parish each month? Would you like to participate in the worship service on Sundays by carrying the Cross or lighting the candles? Acolyting is a valuable ministry in the life of Saint Michael & All Angels. Please contact Susan Caldwell if you are interested in learning more about this ministry, or to volunteer! 949.644.0463 x 12.
* * * MEN’S GROUP: Meets on Thursdays at 7:30am in the Davis Library to discuss questions relating to theology, science, and philosophy. All men are welcome.
* * * FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE - ADS WANTED: Our newsletter is printed by C & M Publications at no cost to St. Mike’s, thanks to the support of the local businesses whose ads are found on the back of the calendar each month. If you or someone you know might like to become a sponsor, please call Susan Beechner in the parish office for more information.949.644.0463x10.
Calendar of Ev ents At Saint Mic hael & All Ang els Events Michael Angels Sat., July 8th Sun., July 9th
Tues., July 4 Wed, July 5th Fri., July 7th th
Independence Day - Office closed Staff Meeting, 10:30 a.m., DL Vacation Bible School begins: “Journey with the Saints Across the Pacific” 5:30-7:45 p.m., Sanctuary, AAC, NW, SW Citizens’ Climate Lobby, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DL Adult Christian Education Com., 10:30 a.m., CR Concerts on the Green, 6:00 p.m., N.B. City Hall Vestry Meeting, 5:30-7:30 p.m., CR VBS, 5:30-7:45, Sanctuary, AAC, NW, SW Worship Commission Meeting, 10:30 a.m., CR Our Interim Rector, The Rev’d Michael Seiler, begins Staff Meeting, 10:30 a.m., DL VBS, 5:30-7:45, Sanctuary, AAC, NW, SW The Bible Challenge, 8:30 a.m., DL Women’s Fellowship, 7:00 p.m., Bianchi’s Home Spyglass Hill Homeowners Board, 6:00-9:00 p.m., CR VBS, 5:30-7:45, Sanctuary, AAC, NW, SW
JULY
IN THE COMING WEEKS
AAC - All Angels’ Court MR - Michael’s Room CR - Conference Room
DL - Davis Library SW - South Wing NW - North Wing YR - Yellow Room, AAC GR - Green Room, AAC RR - Red Room, AAC
Coptic Christian Church, 8:00-11:00 a.m., Sanctuary Basketball, 8:00-10:00 a.m., AAC
Mon., Sept. 4th Office closed for Labor Day Holiday Sun., Sept. 10th Sunday Worchip returns to 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. Sun., Sept. 24th Saint Michael & All Angel’s Day Observed
IN THE COMING MONTH
Wed., July 12th Parish Church & Preschool Relations Committee, 9:00 a.m., CR Fri., July 14th Sun., July 16th Whiz Kids, 9:15-10:15, 1:45-5:00 p.m., AAC Mon., July 17th St. Mike’s Basketball, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Wed, July 19th Fri., July 21st Senior Fit, 1:30-2:30 p.m., NW Sun., July 23rd Whiz Kids, 1:45-5:00 p.m., AAC Tues., July 25th Basketball, 5:00-8:00 p.m., AAC AA Meeting, 7:00 p.m., SW Fri., July 28th AA meeting, 7:00-8:00 a.m., SW AUGUST Yoga class, 9:00-10:00 a.m., NW Whiz Kids, 9:15-10:15 a.m., 1:45-2:45 p.m., 4:00 5:00, p.m., AAC Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing, Noon Four Sundays in August: 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27 SAA meeting, 7:30-9:00 p.m., SW Book Discussion Group, 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m., DL Wed., Aug. 9th Vestry Meeting, 5:30-7:30 p.m., CR Men’s Group, 7:30-9:00 a.m., DL Sat., Aug. 12th Citizens’ Climate Lobby, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DL Whiz Kids, 9:15-10:15, 1:45-5:00 p.m., AAC Wed., Aug. 16th Life Line Health Screening, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., AAC Basketball, 4:00-5:00 p.m., AAC Sun., Aug. 20th Worship Commission Meeting, 10:30 a.m., CR Basketball, 5:00-8:00 p.m., AAC Tues., Aug. 22nd Spyglass Hill Homeowners Board, 6:00-9:00 p.m., CR Sun., Aug. 27th The Bible Challenge, 8:30 a.m., DL Yoga class, 9:00-10:00 a.m., NW Sun., Aug. 27th Adult Christian Education Com., 10:30 a.m., CR Vacation Bible School, 7/7, 14, 21, 28, 5:30-7:45 p.m. Tues., Aug. 29th Women’s Fellowship, 7:00 p.m., Bianchi’s Home Sanctuary, AAC, NW, SW AA meeting, 7:00-10:00 p.m., SW
Sundays-at-Ten, 10:00 a.m., DL Nursery Care from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Summer Sunday School, 8:45 a.m. Godly Play and Formation, Green Room J2A, High School, 2nd & 4th Sundays, Corner Room
Book Discussion Group, 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27, DL Summer Worship Schedule: 9:00 a.m. (only) Holy Eucharist
Meeting Rooms:
Saturday
Friday
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Monday
Sunday
EACH WEEK
SUMMER 2017
S T. M I C H A E L & A L L A N G E L S W O U L D L I K E T O T H A N K T H E S E B U S I N E S S E S F O R M A K I N G O U R N E W S L E T T E R P O S S I B L E
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ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISC / 68
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FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
SUMMER 2017
Continued from page 4
St. Mike’s Social Media For parish events and activities: www. facebook.com/ SMAACDM For daily worship and meditations plus news from our diocese, the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and global religion news: The Daily Mike www.facebook.com/ SMAAdailymike/timeline http://bit.ly/DailyMike (free daily newsletter) And also: SMAA Friends of Music www.facebook.com/ SMAAFriendsofMusic St. Mike’s website: www.stmikescdm.ladiocese.org Parish email: smaa@stmikescdm.org For the Love of Mike online (color edition with live links and back issues): Use the Issuu app on either Facebook page
Instagram: Stmikessocal
God sent the Holy Spirit as a strong wind, that then turned into a fire that rested on each individual. They spoke in new languages and testified of the Greatness of God and of Jesus Christ. How might we gain a “second wind” and begin again on the path with a stronger footing and a zeal for life that gives life to ourselves and to those around us? What might resting the soul look like? According to Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, “In the Hebrew traditions, there are three parts to the soul: ‘nefesh, ruach and neshama.’ ” Neshema is a cognate of nesheema, which literally means breath. Ruach means wind. Nefresh comes from the root nafash meaning rest as in the verse, “On the seventh day, (God) ceased work and rested.” Nafash. Exodus 31:17.(From the Handbook of Jewish Thought, Vol.2, Maznaim Publishing). We can give rest to our souls by enjoying the great outdoors, whether it be the gift of living so close to Newport or Corona del Mar Beach. To just sit and watch the ocean is one way to begin. The ocean is always so generous in taking away stress when meditated upon. And then there is time to be with friends at a cafe or coffee shop. To meet with others we care about to share experiences and just to “catch up.” Resting from computers or screens can come in the form of exercise, through walking, pilates, yoga, or bike riding, or running. These physical activities can get the cardiovascular going and give more oxygen to the brain. Second, taking time to be quiet and reflect. God gave us an example; during Creation, he saw what he had created and said, “It is good.” Do you take time to think about all that you have done? Journaling allows one to think about the past, pull out what stands out as most apparent or of value. Lastly, summer spiritually has a lot of freedom. There is time to consider theology and Church history. There are many good books in the Davis Library to resource. Summer can be a time to learn a new language. And/or, one can
7
go online and look at Cokesbury or Episcopal Publishing House and see what new topics are being written about and discussed. Summer is very helpful in this Ordinary Time. It gives us the freedom in the Church calendar to do just that: “be free.” Rest, restore, and relax. Enjoy!
* * *
SENIOR FITNESS: An exercise class for seniors meets for an hour every week on Tuesdays at 1:30pm in the North Wing. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Peggy Montgomery, 949.644.2239.
* * * PLEASE CHECK THE FORWARD MOVEMENT DISPLAY RACK ON THE WALL IN MICHAEL’S ROOM. Pick up a pamphlet or two to share with family and friends. A donation box is provide “Blessings with Our Animal Companions” is a pamphlet written by Sister Mary Winifred. She is the caretaker for many domestic animals at the Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary where she lives in Maryland. Included are prayers developed by the Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. The author expresses the loving relationship between pet and owner. “Sometimes a companion animal chooses a person, and sometimes the person chooses –although most often, animal and human choose each other, and the bond is for life.” Special prayers include prayers of blessing, thanksgiving (at the adoption of an animal, for a Saint Francis service), healing (for a lost or missing animal), and prayers in death. All animal lovers will find joy in this reading.
* * * STEWARDSHIP: Thank you to everyone for their pledge contributions this year. Pledge statements will be available in July. As we move into the summer vacation season, I would encourage you to try to keep your pledges current. The church operating expenses continue through the summer, even when we are off having fun. Thank you for that.
FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
CHURCHWIDE BIBLE READING PROGRAM ANNOUNCED Forward Movement invites all Episcopalians to read Luke-Acts in 2018 [Forward Movement press release] Forward Movement is pleased to announce the Good Book Club, a churchwide program that invites all Episcopalians to read Luke and Acts during Lent-Easter 2018. Participants in the Good Book Club will begin reading Luke the Sunday before Lent, Feb. 11, 2018, and finish up the Book of Acts on the Day of Pentecost, May 20, 2018. “We are thrilled to invite thousands and thousands of people to enter the great narrative of Luke and Acts,” said The Rev’d Scott Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement. “As people open their hearts and their minds to scripture, transformation follows. The Good Book Club could change thousands of lives, and, indeed, our whole church.” Several organizations have already announced partnerships with Forward Movement on the Good Book Club, including The Episcopal Church Foundation, ChurchNext, Episcopal Migration Ministries, and the Episcopal Church and Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry. Partner organizations are creating resources or encouraging their constituents to take part in the effort.
SUMMER 2017 8
The Good Book Club website lists the daily readings, as well as available resources to support people as they read the scriptures. Resources also will be available in Spanish at ClubBiblico.org. Forward Day by Day, Forward Movement’s flagship devotional, will use Good Book Club readings during LentEaster 2018, instead of the usual daily lectionary. In this way, hundreds of thousands of people around the world will be joining the Good Book Club. “Our research on spiritual vitality and spiritual growth in the Episcopal Church shows us that scripture engagement is an incredibly important catalyst for growth,” said The Rev’d Jay Sidebotham, director of RenewalWorks, which is a ministry of Forward Movement. Organizations, dioceses, and congregations who wish to partner or create resources can learn about partnership opportunities on the Good Book Club website. “We have already spoken with many organizations, and we invite any organization, diocese, or congregation to partner in this wonderful effort,” Gunn said.
FOR THE LLO OVE OF MIKE Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church A Christian Community of the Anglican Communion 3233 Pacific View Drive Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Inside the Summer Issue: Page Page Page
1: 3: 4:
Welcome The R ev’d Michael Seiler Rev’d Mysterious Summer Ordinary TTime ime
STAY CONNECTED: website: stmikescdm.ladiocese.org email: smaa@stmikescdm.org www.facebook.com/SMAAdailymike www. facebook.com/SMAACDM Instagram: stmikessocal
Pray for and R emember our P arish Emergency FFund und Remember Parish