Our Activities
Listed below are the news articles for the month of May.
May 26, 2008
NOTES FROM THE DIOCESAN CONVENTION
The special convention of May 2008 was held at Grace Cathedral. Our attending delegates were: Violet Lyon, Terry Moore, Lucy Strandberg, Beth Foote, Fred Heard, Frannie Hall Kieschnick and John Strandberg.
The focus of the convention was to change our canons to restructure the governing board formerly called the diocesan council to an executive council. The diocesan council was an elected body of clergy and lay delegates from the six deaneries. The new executive council has five positions that can be appointed by the bishop and two delegates from each deanery. The ability for the bishop to appoint delegates allows the bishop to call individuals with specific talents for tasks requiring special expertise that is not available from the elected membership. Additionally, canons were changed to incorporate a large fund, similar to a bishop’s discretionary fund, under the management of the diocese.
The bishop is also looking at reinvigorating the deaneries which may mean reorganizing them to be more effective in serving the parishes of the deaneries. There has been several discussions on the possibility of sharing resources within the deaneries. For example, having youth ministery shared within the deanery or possibly having parishes within the deanery contracting a lawn service or janitorial service as a group rather than individually. The bishop then identified five areas for the diocese to focus on over the next five years: embodied justice, church vitality, rooted spirituality, organizational development, and inclusive community.
Lastly, at the October 2007 convention, we approved the addition of an assistant bishop to the staff. At the May convention Steven Charleston was introduced as our new assistant bishop. See his biography which follows.
John Strandberg, Deanery Commission
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston is President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the historic theological seminaries training both lay and ordained leadership for the church. A citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Bishop Charleston was born and raised in that state in a family that has had a long history of service in the Christian Native American community. Both his grandfather and great-grandfather were ordained ministers of the Presbyterian Church, serving among the Choctaw People in rural Oklahoma. Steven received his Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1971. His Masters of Divinity was from EDS in 1976. He holds two honorary doctorates, one from Alaska Pacific University and the other from his alma mater, Trinity College.
May 27, 2008
The RUMMAGE SALE is back!
Praise the Lord there is always something going on at Social Ministries and guess what? We want/need YOU to help…
TRINITY PARISH SOCIAL MINISTRIES
After a hiatus of many years, the famed Labor Day Rummage is returning. Its benefits are fourfold: We clean out our closets and garages, we raise funds for our outreach projects, we work together as a parish to make it happen, and we help support our local communities by providing a place where families can outfit their children for school at reasonable cost.
Wanted: Your gently used or unused items that you would like to donate to Outreach for the rummage sale. Items from clothing to furniture will be collected to serve the greater community. Drop off at church after May 21. For pick up call JB (650) 369-8497
Hiring: Volunteers to sort items this summer at Trinity hall. Pay: Grace of God. Sign-up sheet will be provided after church services all summer starting May 25.
Need: Volunteers for the Rummage sale on Labor Day weekend: August 29, 30 and September 1. Sign-up sheet will be posted after church services all summer.
Need: Person with truck to haul rummage donations.
Look for an End of Summer Social Ministries fund raising celebration with wine, cheese and hors d’ oeuvres, as only Harry and Shirley Hagey can present. Look for your invitation in the mail in July.
Summer Camp program for kids; Social Ministries/Outreach will help with summer camp. Please see any of the SM members or call Lisa Dewberry (650) 367-0741.
The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
May 30, 2008
MIRACLE CAMP on Summer Sundays
Water! Cool like a spring, deep like an ocean, turbulent like a storm.
Water! The source of life as well as a source of danger. The cleansing liquid of baptism.
Water! Boats sail in it, fish swim in it, and kids cool off in it…and Jesus walked on it!
In Sunday School this summer the children of Trinity will explore three of the miracle stories: The Calming of the Storm, The Big Catch, and Walking on Water.
How is “MIRACLE CAMP” organized?
There will be two groups each Sunday: younger (preschool – 2nd grade) and older (3rd- 5th grade) Each session will begin at the children’s homily, and then continue in Angus Hall, on the playground, the lawn, and in the choir room. Parents will meet their children after the service, on the playground or the lawn. They are also welcome to come get their children for communion if they wish.
What will the children learn and do?
Both groups will explore one story for 3-4 weeks. The younger group will hear the story told, and then have an hands-on activity and/or playground time.
The older group will do more work on acting out the stories, with the goal of doing a short dramatic presentation at the All Parish Sunday services throughout the summer. They will also do other hands-on activities as well.
Both groups will make “artifacts” of the summer program that we’ll display in the back of the church near the font, the “watery place” in the church.
Who will staff it?
We need volunteers to help staff “MIRACLE CAMP!” It’s 45 minutes of low-key fun, and an opportunity to get to know our Trinity kids better, as well as other parents and parishioners. Team up with a friend and join the fun one Sunday! Family Ministries Commission has put together activities for each week, so there is very little preparation needed. And you get to learn the stories, too!
Contact info: Please call or e-mail me, for more information or to sign up. There will be a sign-up board at coffee hour.
The Rev. Beth Foote, Director of Family Ministries