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| Saint Francis’ Call "Make me an instrument of your peace" October 2009 Website: www.stfranciswillits.orgEditor: Bill Bruneau 459-3390 email: bbruneau@bbruneau.com My dear siblings in Christ, we are coming up to our patronal feast, and celebrating what Saint Francis represents and challenges us to do. Take a little time to read about the man for whom our church is named after, and embrace some of his selflessness and generosity. Also come to the pet blessing - even stuffed animals are welcome! Calendar (all meetings are open to everyone interested) Oct 3 (Saturday) The Blessing of the Animals, 10 am in the garden, Oct 4 The Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, potluck lunch after the service Oct 11 Total Ministry Team Meeting after the service Oct 17 (Saturday) a workshop on "Developing a Ministry Learning Plan" with Deacon Phina Borgeson, 9:30 am through lunch at Holy Trinity, Ukiah. This will be helpful to anyone doing any ministry; continuing education is important for all. For more info: Phina at 571-1479 or phinaborgeson@sbcglobal.net Oct 18 Mission Committee meets after the service Oct 25 Spiritual Direction meets after the service Every Monday, Bible Study with Mary Fisher continues to be wonderful, with consistent attendance and enthusiasm. The group is about to begin a study of Genesis. It meets from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at her home; call her at 459-6295 for info and directions. Birthdays: Erica Schimmel 10/9, Doreen Orme 10/10, Joe Hughes 10/18, Jamie Chevalier 10/28 Saint Francis Happenings Carroll Baker has broken her hip and had successful surgery at Howard Hospital. She will soon be at Northbrook for rehab for a few weeks, and will appreciate visitors... We had our beloved Sarge back for our September 13 service. He was looking pretty good - his children are taking good care of him. They were with him and all seemed to have recovered from Brooke’s death (not that you ever recover from the loss of your mother)… Dick Perrone had made a wonderful mistake, thinking that our annual pool party and barbeque was that day. So we had piles of scrumptious catfish filets (from his noodling trip to Oklahoma last month. He also had some ocean fish from a fishing trip that week that was also delicious! Everyone gorged on fish!)… We seem to have netted over $3,000 in the sale of the contents of Chet and Margaret’s (and June’s) two houses. It was a lot of work but with good remuneration… on the other hand our water bill went from $80 to over $400 last month! That apparently represents the loss of over 51,000 gallons of water! There does not seem to be any huge leaks that could account for this. We are currently assuming that someone filled up several tanker trucks! Bill Bruneau put locks on the two water faucets, as well as the box that controls the drip system. Hopefully this will be the solution… Our Mission Committee and our Ministry Team had a very productive Saturday workshop. Read more below… Bill and Betsy Bruneau represented Saint Francis at the Diocesan total Ministry Gathering in Willows on September 18-19. It was an excellent workshop and amazingly positive for everyone! All three congregations in our cluster were represented and provided good input. Both our Bishop Barry and Canon Britt were there for most of it and reiterated how important Total Ministry is for the long-term health of our diocese. See more below. Pet Blessing and our Patronal Feast Day The Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi is October 4. At St. Francis in the Redwoods, we will have our traditional Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, October 3, at 10 am in the garden behind the church. All animals of any kind are welcome to attend. For their safety, all animals must be restrained or in cages, and accompanied by a human. In case of rain, the animals and their humans will be invited into the church. The service will include some short prayers, some songs, a very brief homily, and the blessing of each animal individually.
On the 4th at 10 am we will have a special Eucharist in honor of our patron saint, with prayers, readings and sermon centering on the life of Francis. After the service we'll have a potluck luncheon. Report on the planning retreat
The Total Ministry team and Mission Committee met together for the first time on Saturday, September 12, with Phina Borgeson's leadership. We began by clarifying the roles of the two groups, and ended by working together on some plans and realizing that though we have different roles, we are all called by God into ministry for the church and the community and our gifts are used best when the two groups work together. It felt good to meet together and see what we might accomplish!
In particular we began working on two projects. First, a group will be putting together emergency information for everyone in the congregation, such as family members to contact if a crisis arises, pets who need to be cared for, funeral wishes, and so on. In addition, we will begin to compile a list of the resources others can offer in a time of crisis, such as driving to doctor's appointments, preparing food, phoning relatives, delivering firewood, pet care, and others. After compiling our own information, this group may go on to explore ways we might be helpful to the larger community in a time of crisis such as fire, flooding, earthquake, etc.
Second, a different group is working on Community Ministry and decided to begin something called the Listening Project. We want to explore where the "holes" are in the larger community, and where the churches and other organizations might be able to help. So much is already being done...but what is still left undone? We plan to have several listening events, each one with a different group invited to simply talk about their needs and how the faith community might be able to assist. We plan to invite leaders from the other churches and other faith groups to be present as listeners. Our first attempt will probably be to invite the Chief of Police and Sherriff to speak to us about the needs they see in the community.
Our third project currently is to work on two calendars; one will be an event calendar so that the congregation can keep better track of scheduled meetings, social events, and so on, and the other will be a prayer calendar that will list the ministries members are involved in so that each day we can pray for each others' ministries.
In October we will be beginning our annual evaluation of our work in the past year. Banners for Advent The Worship committee is planning to make some simple banners to hang in the church during Advent. If you would like to help assemble these, contact Joanne Franklin, 459-7081, Ruth Young, 459-2754, or Donnalee Hart, 984-8460. All Licensed Ministries License renewals are due this year for our Eucharistic Ministers & Visitors, Preachers and Worship Leaders. Everyone needs to document some kind of continuing education they have participated in, although we can usually find a way to the continuing ed you desire. For example, this continuing education does not have to be directly related to the license you hold. Jams, Jellies, and other Preserves for Christmas Last year’s sales of St. Francis preserves at Christmas were so successful that we are planning to do it again this year…so now, when so much fruit is ripe, is the time to prepare them. As before we will have our special St Francis labels to put on the jars, and fabric to "prettify" the tops. We do need them labeled on top with the type and the date, and your name or initials. For more information, contact Jenny Senter at 459-4583 or jsenter@sbcglobal.net, or Dick Perrone at 485-8079 or mtldtr@willitsonline.com.
The Blessing of the Animals- coming up, tell your friends… This coming Saturday, October 3, 10 am in the garden, in honor of St. Francis. All animals, from insects to horses and beyond, are welcome! For their safety, all animals must be restrained or in cages, and accompanied by a human. In case of rain, the animals and their humans will be invited inside (if they aren’t elephants). Greg will lead some songs, we’ll have a few prayers for the animals, and will say a blessing for each one. For more information, call Betsy at 459-3390 or Mary Fisher at 459-6295. About the Total Ministry Gathering The Total Ministry Gathering was amazingly successful! Despite a severe funding crunch for the diocese that has resulted in the contraction (or elimination) in nearly all services and/or funding for small congregations, the spirit was incredibly upbeat! There was joy and laughter from congregations as small as six people who plan to forge on with total ministry. If you remember from last month’s newsletter each attending congregation was going to answer a series of questions that characterized their congregation. Many of them had us howling with laughter! Ours were pretty funny too! As usual we had such a variety of responses, but our "best were: If the description of where your congregation is on the Total Ministry journey were a road sign, what would it be? "This road is not publicly maintained, and always under construction" What kind of trip does your Total Ministry journey feel like? "A road trip where we kind of know where we are going, but taking a chance on a road to see where it leads us, and finding treasures along the way" If your total ministry journey were a mode of transportation, what would it be? "More horse and wagon, than Indy 500" What is the most important item in your Total Ministry journey suitcase? "Prayer, each other (but not in the suitcase), the lamp of the Spirit, and a sense of humor. Definitely leave ego at home." What do you figure you'll just have to buy or borrow when you get there? "Local bread and wine, and enthusiasm to meet whatever we find there." If your congregation’s efforts in Total Ministry were a road movie, what would it be? "The Wizard of Oz" because in the end everyone got their heart’s desire" This time the three congregations that have been certified as Total Ministry congregations got to meet together, share experiences, and make notes about successes and challenges that subsequently the other congregations could look at and ask questions about. Other groups were those congregations on the path, and those just looking into it. They also made notes about hopes and fears. What was fascinating was that many of the hopes and concerns were remarkably similar in all three groups! Diocesan Convention Diocesan Convention this year is Friday, November 13 through Saturday, November 14 in Redding. Our delegates will be leaving for Redding Thursday afternoon. The keynote speaker at the Friday night banquet will be Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori. Non-delegates who would like to go to hear her speak, or observe the entire convention, should let Betsy or Doreen know immediately, since seating during her talk will be limited. Seats for the banquet ($26) or seating in the balcony (free, no food) become available for non-delegates on Sept 1. A Passage From The Life of Saint Francis of Assisi Still it is easy to see that Franciscan poverty is neither to be confounded with the unfeeling pride of the stoic, nor with the stupid horror of all joy felt by certain devotees; St. Francis renounced everything only that he might the better possess everything. The lives of the immense majority of our contemporaries are ruled by the fatal error that the more one possesses the more one enjoys. Our exterior, civil liberties continually increase, but at the same time our inward freedom is taking flight; how many are there among us who are literally possessed by what they possess?... Poverty not only permitted the Brothers to mingle with the poor and speak to them with authority, but, removing from them all material anxiety, it left them free to enjoy without hindrance those hidden treasures which nature reserves for pure idealists... Men hastened from all parts to hear these preachers who were more severe upon themselves than on anyone else. Members of the secular clergy, monks, learned men, rich men even, often mingled in the impromptu audiences gathered in the streets and public places. All were not converted, but it would have been very difficult for any of them to forget this stranger whom they met one day upon their way, and who in a few words had moved them to the very bottom of their hearts with anxiety and fear. Francis was in truth, as Celano says, the bright morning star. His simple preaching took hold on consciences, snatched his hearers from the mire and blood in which they were painfully trudging, and in spite of themselves carried them to the very heavens .. "The whole country trembled, the barren land was already covered with a rich harvest, the withered vine began again to blossom." - Paul Sabatier, Life of St. Francis of Assisi (1894) Saint Francis’ Call "Make me an instrument of your peace" June 2009 Website: www.stfranciswillits.org Editor: Bill Bruneau 459-3390 email: bbruneau@bbruneau.com
July, 2009 Calendar (all meetings are open to everyone interested) Sunday, June 28 – Spiritual Direction Group after the service Saturday, July 4 – Church open during the parade Sunday, July 5 – monthly potluck luncheon Sunday, July 12 – Spiritual Direction Group (moved to this week for this month only) Sunday, July 19 – Mission Committee Meeting Sunday, July 26 – Total Ministry Team meeting (moved to this week for this month only to enable Phina to be with us Every Monday, Bible Study with Mary Fisher continues to be wonderful, with consistent attendance and enthusiasm. It meets from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at her home; call her at 459-6295 for info and directions.
Birthdays: Mike Kelsey 7/5, Jo-Marie Tripp 7/7, Joanne Kerseg 7/15, Dick Perrone 7/16, Jean Yerxa 7/21, Daniel Pollesel 7/22, Carroll Baker 7/25, Esther Hart 7/31
Saint Francis Happenings June Thomas, the daughter of former parishioners Chet and Margaret Smith, has left Mary Fisher the contents of two houses. Mary Fisher generously passed this on to the church. Dick Perrone took on the formidable task of cleaning out one of the houses and organizing the contents for a garage sale. The sale netted our church nearly two thousand dollars. Wow! Way to go Saint Richard! And thanks to his stalwart helpers Bill Gaynor, Tim Piatt, Bill Bruneau, Marlene Brown, Mike and Doreen Orme, Joanne Franklin,Ruth Young, Anne Maxwell, Betsy Bruneau, Mary Fisher, Chuck Senter... Our Rev. Betsy Bruneau was in an Interfaith Discussion hosted by Kol HaEmek Synagogue.Panelists were Betsy, their Rabbi and representatives from the Sufi (Muslim) and Buddhist communities discussing the afterlife. The discussion was very amicable and illuminating with lots of audience input, and there will almost certainly be more. We will give better notice next time… We will be taking a vacation from Sunday School this summer and will return September 6… We are still spreading chips in the garden, help is always needed...Graduations: Our beloved acolyte Ben Malugani graduated from Junior High. We had four young adults graduate from High School this June. Brandi Walker, one of our past acolytes, graduated from Willits High School and will no doubt make her mark in the world. Megan Futscher graduated from our Willits Charter School with honors. A talented artist, one of her pieces was selected for the Congressional Art Display in Washington DC this Spring. Aaron Schimmel graduated from Willits High School. A very talented pianist and composer, his senior project was a sonata in three parts that is incredibly beautiful! Marlene’s grand-daughter Jordan Myers also graduated from Willits High. At Sober Grad she won $1,000 so is now vacationing in Mexico with friends ... John Thorslev and his friend Maria are traveling across the country and up into Canada and all parts in between. Keep them (and their vehicle) in your prayers... Bill and Betsy Bruneau’s son Emile is at the Friends School in Ramallah on the West Bank doing a behavioral study of Palestinians and Israelis. This is part of his post-graduate work at MIT to help the peace process in that most troubled part of the Middle East. Pray for his success and safe return. All Licensed Ministries License renewals are due this year for our Eucharistic Ministers & Visitors, Preachers and Worship Leaders. Everyone needs to document some kind of continuing education they have participated in, although we can usually find a way to the continuing ed you desire. For example, this continuing education does not have to be directly related to the license you hold. Total Ministry News
We had a two-hour Total Ministry meeting on June 14 with Phina Borgeson that was incredibly productive. There were 15 attendees. First, we proposed some leading questions to our congregation last month: What’s something most of us here at St Francis treasure about our life together? When you talk about St Francis to friends and family who aren’t members, what do you mention most often? What at St Francis makes you smile? How does Sunday here at St Francis prepare you for Monday? What in our life together makes a difference in your week? What keeps you coming back to St Francis? and, What do you think would be missed most by the greater Willits community if St Francis didn’t exist? The responses were tabulated and reviewed and we had a lively conversation about what we learned. This helped us to get a fresh look at our values as a congregation. We will use these questions to help set goals for the next year and decide where we are going. Phina tabulated the keywords as a separate contribution and the top five were: music and singing, love (friendship), spirituality/Spirit, children/kids, and "our other family." The Kolb Learning Style Inventory from Understanding and Building on Team Member Differences which Phina gave us when we first started out in Shared Ministry was then re-taken. It is a means to show the strengths and weaknesses in learning and decision making as a group. We found it to be "right on" and very helpful in our process as a team. We have been trying to recognize all our congregational ministries periodically in church and re-dedicate ourselves to that endeavor. It was decided that this would be facilitated if there was a monthly prayer calendar for these ministries so that each one could be prayed for on their own day. And finally, we thanked those who have retired from the team, welcomed new members Joanne Franklin and Barbara Lee Lilker, and re-affirmed our commitment to this crucial ministry before the congregation. Directory Correction Nancy Robinson's new address: 1849 Ponderosa Place, Willits 95490 Immediate Food Supplies at St. Francis We continue to collect non-perishable food items for our emergency larder here at the church. Dick Perrone (485-8079) is coordinating a continuing collection of food (and cash for purchasing food) to have on hand since increasing numbers of people have been coming on Sundays asking for food. The Food Bank is not open on Mondays, and the hot meal program does not serve dinner on Fridays, so there is only the Saturday sack lunch to tide people over during the weekend. Dick’s plan is to make up boxes in advance, so we could just hand out one box per person. Items donated should be non-perishable things that can be eaten without cooking, and if cans are "pop top" that helps. Items can be placed in the basket and they will be brought to the altar during the service. Our Ingathering to Help the Greater World
Many may be unaware that our budget includes regular monthly donations to three local non-profits: The Willits Kids Club, Willits Community Services (the food bank) and Our Daily Bread (the hot meals program). Recently the Mission Committee approved the idea of taking up a special collection (an "ingathering") once each quarter for some need in the larger world. On July 19th, our ingathering will focus on a need that we've learned about from our member John Jeavons, who is the Director of Ecology Action. (Bill and Betsy Bruneau also work for Ecology Action, so it is a ministry that several of us are involved in outside of church.) John tells us of the work of Agustin Medina and Marisol Tenorio, a young couple who came to study at Ecology Action here in Willits 3 years ago as interns in the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Mini-Farming training program. They are from Aguascalientes state in Mexico, an arid region where growing food is often difficult. Agustin and Marisol dreamed of helping others after their training here, so they have become teachers of the methods they learned, and travel to other communities in Mexico where people are struggling to better grow food for themselves. They also will be teaching soon in the Dominican Republic and later in Ecuador, and want to be able to go to more places. When they go to a village to teach, they are usually given food and housing by the people there...but they do not have the money to pay for their travel costs, usually by bus or train. Their good work is enabling people in arid and other regions to be more proactive in feeding themselves. (This is especially useful since our Earth is becoming more and more dry, with approximately 1% more land becoming desertified each year.) Our ingathering will enable Agustin and Marisol to travel to more villages where their teaching is needed. On July 19th we will have a message from them, pictures of them and their work plus more information about their initiatives. Our Gospel that Sunday will be the story of Jesus's feeding of a huge crowd with a few loaves of bread, so support of Agustin's and Marisol's work seems especially appropriate! Whither Our Cluster Missioner? Our nearly two year search for a new Missioner did not work out. There was not agreement among all three vestries on the identified candidate, so we could not hire. The cluster newsletter reported: "The Council of the Redwood Episcopal Cluster... met in Ukiah and talked about how the process failed to produce the desired result: a call from the REC to a Regional Missioner. Several suggestions for improving the process were brought forth. We met a second time, in Lakeport, on June 16 with Bishop Barry Beisner and discussed our concerns with him. The Council members were pleased to learn that the Bishop was not as rigid as we thought about how we make our way to Total Ministry. We agreed at this meeting that we would not rush into another calling process, and that we would discuss various ways to move forward in our desire for each parish to practice Total Ministry." What does this mean for us?. Traditionally Ukiah and Lakeport needed a full-time priest. The diocese requires some form of oversight of our Total Ministry congregation and we paid a small part of this priest’s salary for our oversight. All of this was a serious financial burden on each congregation. The diocese is willing to discuss any reasonable method we come up with for clergy support and oversight. If the other two congregations can call a priest as we did then their needs (and our costs subsequently) would be considerably less. If we can come up with some other method for this support and oversight, the diocese is willing to listen. We would gladly receive your thoughts on this matter; the people to contact with your ideas are Mary Bulles (459-1229), Dorothy DeJung (459-5047), or Doreen Orme (459-6911). They serve on the Redwood Episcopal Cluster Council.
Diocesan News Our diocese has a new electronicnewsletter that you can subscribe to for free. Visit the diocesan website (www.dncweb.org) and scroll down to "News From Our Diocese...". It is the last entry and you can view the current issue to see what it is about, and/or subscribe. If there is interest from those of you who are not online, we can save a copy (or whatever relevant information you are interested in) and post it on the bulletin board. Check it out... The Episcopal Church's triennial National Convention is coming up July 8-17 in Anaheim and we all should keep the delegates in their prayers... This year's Northern California Diocesan Convention, November 13-14 in Redding, will feature a visit by our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. She will attend a special dinner (undoubtedly with a speech). Tickets to attend the dinner are available to delegates, and to non-delegates after August 31.
Willits Kids Club Wish List Summer is fast approaching and the Kids Club will again keep kids busy and happy through the Summer. They have a number of things "on their wish list". Call Kris Wagner for pick-up: 456-0773. For our Sand and Water Area: Sand and water toys, measuring cups and spoons, toy cars and trucks, small toys and figures for imaginative play. For our Building Station: Tape - clear and masking, cardboard boxes and tubes for building, small broken appliances to disassemble, hand tools for disassembling, toothpicks
For our Doll House Area: small scraps of wood, glue for glue guns, scrap fabric, thread and needles, odds & ends For our Cooking Projects: paper plates, paper cups, cutlery, napkins
Adam was hanging around the Garden of Eden feeling very lonely. God asked him what was wrong and Adam said he didn’t have anyone to talk to. God thought about it for a moment and then said that He was going to make Adam a companion. And the companion would be a woman.
"She will gather food for you, cook for you, and agree with every decision you make. She will praise you, bear your children, and will always love you."
Adam said, "That sounds wonderful. What will this woman cost?"
God replied, "An arm and a leg."
Then Adam asked, "What can I get for a rib?"
Of course the rest is history . . . (A little humor from The Redwood Log)
June, 2009 My dear siblings in Christ, as always there is so much happening! Nevertheless, do be sure to spend some quality time with your Christ, and find joy and fulfillment in your ministries. Calendar (all meetings are open to everyone interested) June 7 Potluck Lunch after the service.
June 14 Total Ministry Team recognition during the service. The congregation will greet the newly constituted team and give thanks for those who have served in the past. Extended 2 hours Total Ministry meeting after service with Phina Borgeson. All are welcome to attend all or part of this.
June 21 Mission Committee meeting after service. All are invited.
June 28 Spiritual Direction meeting will follow. All are invited. Every Monday, Bible Study with Mary Fisher continues to be wonderful, with consistent attendance and enthusiasm. It meets from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at her home; call her at 459-6295 for info and directions. Birthdays: Ann Maxwell 6/3, Marlene Brown 6/20, Rose Raiser Jeavons 6/25, Lisa vonSchlegell 6/27, Will Chevalier 6/27, Joanne Franklin 6/30
Saint Francis Happenings The Congregation Question Sheets will be in the parish hall one more Sunday (May 31). We have had quite a few responses - thank you all so much! - and people seem to be enjoying the process. If you haven’t contributed, please do so, it is quite simple and easy. The Total Ministry Group will review them and report to the congregation in the July newsletter... We have carpet samples in the sanctuary and are gathering as many preferences as possible. That is how Total Ministry works - spread the net as wide as possible, look at the catch, then discern what the spirit is telling us... Sarge and Brooke’s 50th Anniversary lunch was very pleasant and very tasty. Lots of good visiting. What was wonderfully touching was having about 8 kids running around!... We have a pretty good supply of newspapers in the red shed. What we need now is people to spread out a layer of newspapers and then cover them with wood chips from the piles between our church and parish hall. You can do as much or as little as you want. By small steps we will have the garden prepared for summer... Aaron Schimmel’s graduation party was a lot of fun, and very tasty! David and Barbaralee laid out a delicious feast. Hanging out on their deck was very convivial - it was great visiting with the Hedges from Holy Trinity, and several people from Potter Valley, where David formerly taught. The highpoint was Aaron playing his latest concerto, which was his senior thesis. Such talent on the keys!...JoAnn Franklin has been doing a magnificent job with the Lectors. This is a very special ministry that can be even more profound than it is now. If you are a lector and haven’t yet checked in with Jo Ann, please do so!... Church school is going smoothly, and Mary Bulles is pleased with the support she has been receiving, but church school is taking a vacation anyhow in July and August... John Thorslev is heading out for an extended road trip, accompanied by his friend Maria, and they'll be back in the fall sometime. They'll be traveling across the country and up into Canada and all parts in between. Keep them (and their vehicle) in your prayers!
All Licensed Ministries
License renewals are due this year for our Eucharistic Ministers & Visitors, Preachers and Worship Leaders. Everyone needs to document some kind of continuing education they have participated in, although we can usually find a way to the continuing ed you desire. For example, this continuing education does not have to be directly related to the license you hold.
New Saint Francis Directory
New address directories have been prepared, thanks to Claudia Hill and Joanne Franklin. Pick up your copy at the church! If you find an error, let Bill know and we'll put it in the newsletter. We already have a few corrections: (1) To save money the Diocesan office (and the Bishop) have closed their Post Office box and are now receiving mail at their physical address, which is 1318 27th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816... (2) Ann Maxwell does not use her email and would like it removed from the directory... (3) Lani and Gwen's last name is spelled Hardage-Vergeer... (4) Joanne and Chief White’s mailing address is: 28615 N US Highway 101, Willits.
Immediate Food Supplies at St. Francis
We are collecting non-perishable food items for our emergency larder here at the church. Dick Perrone (485-8079) is coordinating a continuing collection of food (and cash for purchasing food) to have on hand since increasing numbers of people have been coming on Sundays asking for food. The Food Bank is not open on Mondays, and the hot meal program does not serve dinner on Fridays, so there is only the Saturday sack lunch to tide people over during the weekend.
Dick’s plan is to make up boxes in advance, so we could just hand out one box per person. Items donated should be non-perishable things that can be eaten without cooking, and if cans are "pop top" that helps. Items can be placed in the basket and they will be brought to the altar during the service.
We are feeling our way through this process of caring for the needy, and welcome any suggestions, comments, or concerns about this process. Please direct this to anyone on the Total Ministry Team or the Mission Committee. We can always use help if you have any time to spare.
Spending Time in our Garden
We still need people to spread newspapers and chips around the weedy areas of the grounds. Newspapers are in the shed, or bring some from home. Spread 3-4 layers of newspapers, and then cover them with a good thick layer of chips. This will protect the soil, keep down the weeds, and save water during the summer. In time the newspapers and chips break down to improve the soil for future plantings. We also need weeding done in the garden whenever anyone has some time in town.
Help Decide the Color of the Sanctuary Carpet
Tedd and Carol are moving right along with the project of carpeting the sanctuary. They are far enough along to want input on the color. This is important. This is our Total Ministry in action. There are samples in the front of the sanctuary. Do it now or live gracefully with the color others choose.
Interfaith Discussion This Wednesday Evening
Betsy has been invited to take part in a panel discussion sponsored by the Jewish community, along with their Rabbi and representatives from the Sufi (Muslim) and Buddhist communities. Members of our four congregations are invited, but this first time we are not inviting the general public. The topic for this meeting will be our various traditions’ teachings about life after death. Flyers with more details are available. Betsy is excited to be part of this, and feels that this sort of bridge building is desperately needed!
It is taking place at Kol HaEmek Synagogue, West Road next to Eagle Peak Middle School (just off of US 101), Wednesday, June 3rd, beginning at 7:30 PM. You can email questions and/or subject areas you would like to see explored pertaining to the afterlife: hfrankle@pacific.net
Willits Kids Club Wish List
Summer is fast approaching and our Kids Club will again keep kids busy and happy through the Summer. They have a number of things “on their wish list”. Call Kris Wagner for pick-up: 456-0773. For our Sand and Water Area: Sand and water toys, measuring cups and spoons, toy cars and trucks, small toys and figures for imaginative play.
For our Building Station: Tape - clear and masking, cardboard boxes and tubes for building, small broken appliances to disassemble, hand tools for disassembling, toothpicks
For our Doll House Area: small scraps of wood, glue for glue guns, scrap fabric, thread and needles, odds & ends
For our Cooking Projects: paper plates, paper cups, cutlery, napkins
Redwood Cluster News All are invited to come to Holy Trinity’s (Ukiah) 50th celebration of their annual Strawberry Sunday, June 7. This year, things will be completely different. We are having a parish Bar-B-Q. Please BYOM (bring your own meat) - anything you like: chicken, steaks, hot dogs, hamburgers, fish, or even Portobello mushrooms, if you’re so inclined. Also, it would be most welcome if you brought a salad to share. For dessert, we will be serving strawberry shortcakes (of course!). This will be a time for fellowship and friendship and the festivities will begin right after church. Questions? Call Debbie Hedges @ 485-5525 Beit Ariel, a Messianic Jewish group has asked to use one of Holy Trinity’s rooms for their weekly Saturday meetings and the Vestry was pleased to agree to this, and appreciates the opportunity to participate in this ecumenical outreach and to share their beautiful buildings with others Lakeport held its annual Passion Play on May 16 and 17 and it was as touching as always. They thank everyone who came to this free event. If you missed it, be sure to put it on your calendar for next year; it is scheduled for the 3rd weekend of May. Harry Allagree’s son, Andrew, has been recovering from a very serious illness. Once a talented dancer, he can now only move “very, very slowly” with a cane. But he is slowly recovering. “I still can't thank everyone for all of the love and support and cards and money and everything else! Healing takes lots of love and lots of time and patience and my deepest gratitude is in the friendships I have. That has kept me alive!” For further details check out the Redwood Cluster Newsletter on our website, or ask Betsy or Mary Fisher.
In Memoriam:
With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week. Larry LaPrise, the man who wrote "The Hokey Pokey,” died peacefully at age 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in . . . and then the trouble started. Notions About Total Ministry The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan has been transforming its ministry structure, practice, and formation using the principles and theology of baptismal ministry/mutual ministry for over 20 years. Collaborative ministry and identity have been created by utilizing Ministry Support Teams in congregations, instead of the traditional arrangement of supervising clergypersons(s) with non-ordained people assisting. These teams are intentionally called Ministry Support Teams because they serve not only to offer ministries themselves but also to remind us, as individuals and as a community, of everyone's call to (ministry) by virtue of our baptism. Formation of a Ministry Support Team begins with several sessions of exploring the community's own perspectives, theology, Christian identity, and the ministry roles needed in the congregation. This leads into identification by the community of the ministry gifts of individual members of the congregation... Identification is done by consensus and affirmation rather than evaluation... Preparation for ministry is through community and spiritual formation, and acquiring knowledge of skills, all experienced primarily as a team... The ministry formation process is thus rooted in community from its beginning. The process grows from those roots so that, to use the metaphor of a tree, ministry development constantly circulates its life through all levels and parts of itself, creating opportunities for feedback, accountability, and new transformation.
- from the background material for the Diocese of Northern Michigan’s BMER (baptismal ministry case study) to Living Stones. Living Stones is an annual gathering of all dioceses that are implementing baptismal ministry/Total Ministry, where growth opportunities and problem solving are shared. Our diocese is a member and our congregation has been the subject of our BMER for two of these meetings.
Saint Francis’ Call "Make me an instrument of your peace" May 2009 Website: www.stfranciswillits.org Editor: Bill Bruneau 459-3390 email: bbruneau@bbruneau.com My dear siblings in Christ, please be sure to contribute to the questions on the poster sheets set up in the parish hall. Your input is crucial and necessary for us to determine where we are going in the next year as a church and congregation. See The Future of Saint Francis below for more details. Calendar (all meetings are open to everyone interested) May 3 - Potluck luncheon after the service. All are welcome. May 10 - Celebration of Sarge and Brooke’s 50th Wedding Anniversary after the service. May 17 - Mission Committee meets after the service. All are welcome. May 24 - Total Ministry Team meeting after the service. All are welcome. May 31 - Pentecost. Spiritual Direction meeting after the service. All are welcome. Every Monday, Bible Study with Mary Fisher, 5:30 to 6:30 pm at her home; call her at 459-6295 for info and directions Birthdays: Dick Hill (RIP) 5/9, Joanne White 5/20, Sharon Gaynor 5/31 Influenza and our church service Through the centuries, there has never been a connection between the sharing of the common cup at the Eucharist and the transmission of disease. However, in order to care for each other during this time of increased concern, remember these things: 1. If you don't feel well, it might be best to stay home during this time of increased concern about influenza. 2. If you have a cold, or if you are especially vulnerable to infection, at the passing of the peace you can "signal" that you prefer not to touch others by putting your hands at your chest clasped is if in prayer and simply saying the words, rather than extending your hand. 3. If you prefer not to drink from the cup, cross your arms over your chest as the chalice bearer approaches you, and he or she will say the words but will not offer you the cup. 4. You may also choose to receive the wine by what is called "intinction," which means that you will leave the wafer in your open palm, and the chalice bearer will take it and dip it in the wine for you and place it in your mouth. Please do not dip it in the wine yourself, since fingers can get in the wine that way. 5. It is not necessary to receive the wine to have fully received Communion! 6. Altar Guild members, clergy, and chalice bearers have been instructed to wash their hands before touching the bread and after the passing of the Peace. United Thank Offering Some may remember warmly the tradition of the United Thank Offering’s "little blue boxes." The idea is that whenever one feels thankful for a special blessing in the day, one puts a few coins in the box in gratitude. At a special service during the year, the boxes are collected and sent to the UTO central office, and the money is used to give grants for projects that various churches take on to help those in need. It’s a way of sharing our blessings with those who have less, and those little blue boxes really add up! Dorothy DeJung (459-5047) is our representative for this and she has boxes available for those who would like to take part. Saint Francis Happenings Our beloved Rev. Mary Fisher has really been a huge force of good in so many ways over the last few months. She has stepped in frequently to deliver sermons when others couldn’t, often at the last minute. She has been presiding when Betsy is gone and at special times. The Monday night classes have been wonderful. She always seems to be around with helpful hints when needed. A real bundle of good energy is our Mary... Sarge and Brooke Gentile celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary on the 9th, so we will be having a church celebration on the 10th... which is also Mother’s Day. Bless all mothers - where would we be without them? (we wouldn’t be, actually)... Our beautiful new redwood sign (created by Arden de Jung out of a magnificent chunk of redwood) made it up for Easter. Arden and Greg Schindel did the final fitting of the sign with a little help from Bill Bruneau... More Good Works! Greg and Donna Schindel had a two person work day and transformed the garden for Spring. Weeded magnificently, trimmed the rose garden, started spreading chips, planted five Ceanothus along the Commercial Street side, and other garden magic. I can only stand in awe at the progress they have made... We are all collecting newspapers so we can put down a good layer over the unused parts of the garden and covering this with a layer of chips. Good mulch and good water retention until we can develop that part of the grounds... More good works. Dick Perrone has managed to put up nearly all the fixtures that we have been struggling with since we built the church... Dick, Bill Bruneau, and Lisa vonSchlegell have transformed the sound system from a weak and echo-y white elephant to a pretty clear and hear-able system. We still need to work on the echo-y-ness of the church as a whole but the sound system is no longer a major contributor to this challenge... Meanwhile the orientation of the church has changed back to facing the wall with the cross... some of the Total Ministry group met with the Mission Committee on April 19 to envision what we hope to accomplish in the coming year, and discuss how we can cooperate and help each other out more. It was a good beginning and we plan to devote a few hours in some sort of "retreat" on September 12 for a good, long getting together... Bill Bruneau has updated the Saint Francis website (You mean WE HAVE A WEBSITE? Yes we do). Check it out at www.stfranciswillits.org and pass on to Bill any suggestions on how we can improve it... It Was a Wonderful Easter! We again managed to perform all the rites of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, holy Saturday morning, the Easter Vigil, and of course Easter Sunday) and for those who could make them each was profound. The Stations of the Cross on every Friday in Lent, with soup and discussion after was wonderfully low-key but profound... Easter was wonderful! It was a great service and afterwards the feast was amazing. Dick Perrone had grilled up some delicious marinated lamb and chicken, and the potluck seemed an endless stream of deliciousness. We really outdid ourselves this year. And we again had children screeching with delight over the Easter Egg Hunt that Doreen Orme puts together every year... The touching/troubling reality was the homeless couple who arrived just before the service, whose mom went into labor during the service and had to rush to Ukiah, but still finding a place for the rest to stay that night... A minister preached a very brief sermon and explained to the congregation, "My dog got into my office and ate all my notes." On the way out the door, a visitor said to the pastor, "If your dog ever has pups, would you see that my minister gets one?" The Future of Saint Francis We have as a congregation regularly been engaging in discussions over our ministries, our continuing education, our spiritual direction, and how this fits into our community. These are always challenging and profound questions. The main task of our Total Ministry team is to support and encourage everyone’s ministries. The diocese requires us to continue to educate ourselves in Christ and our mission. A lot of us have a great interest in our spiritual direction (each of us and as a whole) . We have yet to really characterize our community ministry as a church, but we are making progress. Sometime soon these will all fit together like some lovely jigsaw puzzle, and once we put the pieces together, we will have new levels of devotion and mission for God. Phina Borgeson has been encouraging us to have a plan for 2009-2010, that is, what we hope to accomplish and how we plan to grow our ministries. Some of the Total Ministry group met with the Mission Committee on April 19 to envision what we hope to accomplish in the coming year, and discuss how we can cooperate and help each other out more. It was a good beginning and we plan to devote a few hours in some sort of "retreat" on September 12 for a good, long getting together. What the whole congregation can do to help us is to answer a few questions at their leisure. Phina has sent us some good, thought-provoking questions (such as, "What do we treasure about St. Francis"). Donnalee Hart has made some large poster sheets with these questions, which will be posted in the Parish Hall for coffee hour. We will have markers available so that you can easily make your comments. We think this will be a good process for the congregation, will give us some good guidance in our planning, and best of all, will not get in the way of our service. Please take a few minutes away from your coffee hour in the next few weeks to help us out with your answers. Help Decide the Color of the Sanctuary Carpet Tedd and Carol are moving right along with the project of carpeting the sanctuary. They are far enough along to want input on the color. This is important. This is our Total Ministry in action. All you have to do is visit the Carpet Doctor next door and look at all their selections and select the colors you like. I think there is a short list of "favorites" but all color choices will be considered. Do it now or live gracefully with the color others choose. Aaron Schimmel’s Graduation Party Aaron’s Graduation Party will take place Sunday May 24 after 1 pm at their house. All of us are invited. David will be grilling oysters ( if you have never had them you are missing something!) and Barbaralee will be making some great chicken. An excellent lunch will be provided, but Barbaralee says that if you have a special drink or dessert that you want to bring, feel free to do so. Bring your swim suits if you want to use the hot tub or sauna. After about 5PM there will be a great heavy metal band playing with Aaron (though perhaps we can get him to play some of his beautiful lyrical piano before then). "Now, I may put it that way, our Lord is like the dentists. If you give Him an inch He will take an ell. Dozens of people go to him to be cured of some one particular sin which they are ashamed of . . . or which is obviously spoiling daily life (like bad temper or drunkenness). Well, He will cure it all right; but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked; but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment. - from Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis Jesus meets us in our anxieties, fear and 'gloom'. If we listen, he is calling us by name. There is much to bring us down in our troubled and pain-filled world. But in the midst of it all, Christ lives! Perhaps in our busyness we are not recognizing him - maybe he is present in the people we meet today, and we just haven't seen it yet? Where is he meeting you, and your church community today? What people are showing you the presence of Christ - perhaps in the midst of pain or suffering - or in the humdrum of everyday life! Listen to his invitation for him and his risen presence - to transform our perspective on this needy world that he lived and died for. Text: Edmond Louis Budry. Translation: Richard Birch Hoyle From the Fresh Expressions website: www.freshexpressions.org.uk
Saint Francis’ Call "Make me an instrument of your peace" April 2009 Website: www.stfranciswillits.org Editor: Bill Bruneau 459-3390 email: bbruneau@bbruneau.com Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this, your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Dear friends, We heard the beautiful prayer above at the end of our Palm Sunday service, and we’ll hear it again at the end of each of the services of Holy Week, while we walk with Jesus through the last hours of his life, through the worst that could happen, into the light and joy of Easter. I call this prayer beautiful mostly because of that word family in the first line. Yes, you and I, imperfect as we are, are part of God’s beloved family, loved enough to die for. In the words of an old hymn, "What wondrous love is this!" Another hymn I’ve sung often in the past had the refrain, "We are the family of God, and he’s brought us together to be one in him, that we might bring light to the world." Family is a word that can either include or exclude, but I am certain that in God’s heart it is intended to include everyone, and that the suffering and death, and glorious Resurrection, of Christ was for all of God’s beloved human family. If we truly try to walk with our Lord, the only way to do it is together, as God’s family. And it may be that the only real reason to do it is that we might bring the light of Easter into every dark corner of our world…may it be so, with God’s help! I urge you to come to as many of the services of Holy Week as you can – details are on the next page. Bring friends, bring strangers, everyone is part of the family… Love and blessings, Betsy+ Holy Week Services Maundy Thursday, April 9, 7 pm - We recall the last supper, Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet, and his mandate that, following his example, we should be servants of one another. The sanctuary candle is extinguished until Easter. Vigil in Place – from 8 pm Thursday until noon on Friday – In our homes or workplaces, we will offer prayer and contemplation, watching with our Lord, taking turns throughout the time. You may commit to a time by signing the sheet on the prayer altar. See more about this below. Good Friday, April 10, noon - We will read the Passion of our Lord according to John, offer intercessory prayer through the traditional Solemn Collects, pray before the cross, and consume the reserved Sacrament. The church will be open for meditation until 3. Holy Saturday, April 11, 10 am – We will gather for prayers and readings, remembering this day of mourning and waiting. After the service the Altar Guild and others will prepare the church for the Easter Vigil. Easter Vigil, April 11, 7:00 pm - This is the ancient first celebration of Easter. We begin with the re-lighting of the new fire with flint, the lighting of the Paschal Candle, and a procession into the church by everyone, carrying the new light of Christ. We’ll renew our Baptismal vows and move into a glorious celebration of Easter. We’ll be joined by Phina Borgeson. (A local highlight is always the singing of "Dry Bones" led by Greg.) Easter Morning, April 12 - Our usual 10 am service will be another glorious celebration, followed by our Easter Potluck Feast and shish-kabob barbecue. Bring something to share if you can, but if you can’t, do come anyway! There will be plenty of food for visitors, friends and family. If you’d like suggestions of what to bring, call Dorothy at 459-5047. Flowers needed to decorate for Easter In addition to the beautiful Easter lilies that Marlene always provides, we'd like as many flowers as possible for our Easter celebrations. Flowers can be brought with or without vases. We need some small ones that can go in the square vases we have for the four niches in the church walls, and taller ones for around the altar. We'll be working on setting up for Easter on Saturday morning after the 10 am service, so if possible it would be good to have flowers brought in then...but they can also be brought in before the Easter Vigil that evening, or before the Sunday service. Help With Our Annual Easter Feast See Dorothy, or call her at 459-5047 to find out what's needed...otherwise, bring a side dish or dessert to accompany the lamb and vegetable shish-kabobs we'll be barbecuing. (Thanks in advance to Dick Perrone for procuring and marinating the lamb for our meal!) We'll also need help before the Easter service with preparing for the feast and setting up tables. Everyone is welcome, and this is a good time to invite family and friends who don't usually come to church to enjoy our celebration with us. (We'll even be glad to see them if they only come after church for the food!) Vigil in Place Many congregations have a tradition of keeping vigil in the church from the end of the Maundy Thursday service until the beginning of the Good Friday service, as a way of accompanying our Lord in his Passion. For most of us it is difficult to come to the church at odd hours, so it was suggested last year that we keep our vigil of prayer "in place," in our homes or workplaces. If you wish you may commit to a time by signing your name on the list that is on the prayer altar.. A Meeting For All Lectors/Readers Joanne Franklin attended a workshop this year focusing on liturgical readers. She would like to share the materials with all current and future readers. A training session will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 10am in the sanctuary. All current readers and anyone interested in reading on Sunday mornings should plan to attend. We should have some fun projecting our voices to the crowds. See you then. A Letter from our Bishops Enclosed is the Pastoral Letter sent to all of us by the Bishops of the Episcopal Church after their March meeting. They address the current situation in our country and world, and speak of our response to it as Christians. It's long, but well worth reading! Calendar (all meetings are open to everyone interested)
Thursday, April 9 Maundy Thursday service, 7 pm Thursday evening to Friday noon Vigil in place Friday, April 10 Good Friday service, noon; church open for prayer until 3 pm Saturday, April 11 Holy Saturday service, 10 am; Easter Vigil, 7 pm Sunday, April 12 Easter Sunday, followed by our Easter Feast Sunday, April 19 Mission Committee and Total Ministry Team will meet together after the service Saturday, April 25 Lectors/Readers meeting with Joanne Franklin (459-7081), 10 AM Sunday, April 26 Spiritual Direction Group after the service Sunday, May 3 Potluck lunch after the service Every Monday, Bible Study with Mary Fisher, 5:30 to 6:30 pm at her home; call her at 459-6295 for info and directions
Birthdays: Greg Schindel 4/1, Reuben Monteleone 4/6, Dr. Margaret Arner 4/11, Tim Kelsey 4/22, Claudia Smith Hill 4/28, Susan Monteleone 4/28 Saint Francis Happenings Thank you to Tedd and Carol for again adding to the beauty and utility of our church! First they put in some lovely linoleum in the middle room. Than they had Greg the tile master who did the narthex tile the office and hallway! So lovely and sooo utilitarian as well... On March 1, Greg and Malakai Schindel performed at the Soul Café in Willits, and of course, received a standing ovation at the end!. This is a monthly performance by local artists at the Methodist Church. St Francis in the Redwoods sold cornbread, chili and cookies as a fund-raiser during the dinner portion of the evening (your editor chopped the onions so both tears of joy and of onions) We made about $300 on "donations" for the eats.... We finally have (almost) put up the redwood sign our new church that was made months ago by our own Arden de Jung. Soon (hopefully) we will no longer be that "no name" church! (Actually we have a banner out front but that almost doesn’t count.) Arden de Jung, Greg Schindel, Dick Perrone, and Chuck Senter are the sign installers... We continue to participate in providing lunches for anyone who wants one on certain Saturdays, since Willits Daily Bread does not serve on that day. Susan Pollesel has been shepherding our efforts, but has turned over this important ministry to Sharon Gaynor. Good work Susan! Thank you Sharon for finding a great new ministry!... Barbara Lee Lilker has been scheduling our readers and chalice bearers, but since she is now on the Total Ministry team, she has retired. Good work Barbara! Joanne Franklin has seen what an important ministry this is and has taken it over. Bless you Joanne!... Erica Schimmel finally gave her report on her stay in Japan as an Exchange Student on March 29. While there were technical problems with her slide show it did not matter much because she gave a wonderful wide-ranging talk on life in today’s Japan as she saw it peppered with souvenirs and gifts from her stay. We asked her all sorts of questions from religion to school work to how to tie a kimono and she responded with her characteristic bubbly enthusiasm! Thanks Erica, and thanks to all of us who helped her get there!... at coffee hour before Erica’s talk Joanne Kerseg showed everyone present how to fold and make crosses from palm fronds. When I got there, there was an impressive pile of them for Easter! Fast learners those Saint Francis folks! Help Decide the Color of the Sanctuary Carpet Tedd and Carol are moving right along with the project of carpeting the sanctuary. They are far enough along to want input on the color. This is important. This is our Total Ministry in action. All you have to do is visit the Carpet Doctor next door and look at all their selections and select the colors you like. I think there is a short list of "favorites" but all color choices will be considered. Do it now or live gracefully with the color others choose. A Retreat Opportunity Transfiguration Associates’ Spring Retreat – May 29-31, Mercy Center, Auburn - The Rev. Ann Hallisey will invite retreatants into reflection on the spiritual wisdom of some of our foremothers, our Ammas in the faith. These will include women from Scripture, desert Ammas, some of the great mystics of the medieval period and Ammas from more recent years. The retreat provides time for extended silence and prayer, rest, worship and a closing group discussion. COST: $175.00 (Including non-refundable deposit $25.00) Registration Deadline: April 25. Missioner Search I breathe a huge sigh of relief. The work of the Search Committee is largely done. I personally feel that a huge 15-month load has been lifted from my soul. I have immensely enjoyed working with the other members of the search committee. We worked so well together! Now it is up to our REC, and I wish them well! Pray for them! About the Innovative Liturgy Workshop March 21 about a half-dozen attended a workshop led by CDSP (our Episcopal seminary in Berkeley) Liturgy Professor, the Rev. Dr. Lizette Larson-Miller. While it was described as an "Innovative Liturgy Workshop" it seemed to this editor to be a workshop on understanding all the elements of our traditional liturgy, and using it in new innovative ways. Dr. Lizette began the workshop by saying flat-out that there is "no cookbook for alternate liturgy" and that our liturgy should always be designed for and reflect our congregation. She also said that ALL liturgy, even the most ancient, is innovative because it is being used now! After that intro we studied all of the many elements that make up our liturgy and played a bit with them. It was very informative and entertaining. I tape recorded pretty much the whole workshop and will be putting a copy or two into our library. I do not know exactly why I went to this since designing liturgy is not my interest, but am quite glad to have been there. The recording of this workshop is highly recommended for all members of our congregation. Barabbas Watching the Crucifixion By larry r linville I was bad from early days hurting others in so many ways. As my life grew more fully I was known as the town bully. The passing of time gave me great fame. Everyone around knew my name. Even though I had no shame I always received the blame. (Continued next page) I was given the penalty of being hung upon a tree. The crowd demanded I go free and Jesus died instead of me. I laughed when they placed him on the cross while some people cried at their great loss. Then I was hit with something new when he said, "they know not what they do." How could he forgive even me? For the first time I was really free. I could have returned to my crime but now I make better use of my time. | |
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