THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN

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1 VOL 1 November 2012 ISSUE 12 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN The Bishop s Corner The Right Reverend Eric Vawter Menees This month we recognize a unique part of American Christianity - Thanksgiving Day. Who doesn t remember being a kid and studying about the Pilgrims? Perhaps you were even in the school play about Thanksgiving... Beyond the school plays and lessons about Thanksgiving, what I remember most about Thanksgiving is my Grandpa Bushnell. Grandpa would gather the family together for the Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings but before we could eat he would offer the family prayer. Those were the first prayers I ever heard...i can still hear his deep resonant voice with the Oklahoma drawl speaking words of gratitude to God for all that He has given us. These words came from a man who had come to California after losing everything during the depression and then literally seeing his farm land blow away in the winds of the Dust Bowl. We had a tradition that day of forming a circle and telling one another what we were grateful for in our lives. It was beautiful to hear each other speak words of gratitude for health and provisions and love. My grandpa helped to plant a deep seed of gratitude in me. He taught me the importance of not only feeling gratitude but expressing it as well. Sadly, I sense that we are losing that value. More and more we witness an attitude of want and a sense of entitlement. How sad that whole generations of people are growing up believing they are entitled to... you name it... everything. In fact, we are entitled to nothing and all that we have - physical and spiritual is a gift from God. What a blessing life is when we look at life through the lenses of gratitude. BISHOP S SCHEDULE AND DIOCESAN CALENDAR November Diocesan Convention at St. James Cathedral November 4 - All Saints, Bakersfield November St James Women s ECCO November 10 - Standing Committee 10 a.m. November 10 Resurrection, Tracy November 11 - St Matthias, Oakdale November 13 - Rural Deans, 10 a.m. November 17 Diocesan Council 10 a.m. November 18 - St Mary s, Manteca November 25 - St Michael s, Ridgecrest December 1 - Deacons Day, Cathedral, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Continued on page 6)

2 From History of the Diocese of San Joaquin The Foundations Are Laid [ed. note the following is a series of historical essays taken from History of the Diocese of San Joaquin, Chapter 2, The Foundations Are Laid. ] ST. LUKE S, MERCED (Part 2) Fr. Jack Livingstone was called as fourth Rector. A new rectory was bought on West 26 th, facing Applegate Park, the old rectory was made into offices. Steel tie-rods were inserted into the nave to hold the building together. Six apartments belonging to the parish (to the rear of the offices) were rented out. In Atwater on November 13, 1960, St. George s Chapel was started, with Sunday School and Morning Prayer staffed by St. Luke s parishioners. On November 16, the Vestry received a petition from five people in Mariposa that a mission be established there as well. They had met with Fr. Christensen for a number of years and had now found a regular place for meeting. On December 4, Fr. Livingstone celebrated the Eucharist for them in Mariposa. Tragically, On Christmas Eve, Fr. Jack and his brother Fr. Joseph Livingstone, were involved in a train/auto collision. Fr. Joseph was killed and Fr. Jack was comatose for six weeks. St. Luke s was served by a series of visiting priests; and Merced s Lutheran Pastor conducted Morning Prayer on one occasion. By March 1961, Fr. Jack was in his office part of each day, and took part in the Sunday services. By June 1961, discussion was well along on selling the church and moving to East Merced. But a drastic financial situation required a real estate loan. To make matters worse, the offerings for October 15 were stolen. St. George s Chapel was closed for the summer and unable to reopen as planned that Fall due to problems finding quarters and the financial state at St. Luke s. St. Andrew s, Mariposa, however, had funds enough to buy land and make the down payment on a Wurlitzer organ. The portable altar from Atwater was taken to Mariposa. One spring Sunday each year was set aside when the Rector of Merced, with Cherub, Junior, and Senior Choirs went to Mariposa for divine service with the parochial mission. Afterward everyone went to the Mariposa Fairgrounds for a picnic; this practice continued until the late 1960s, building a lasting relationship between the Merced and Mariposa congregations. One year after St. Andrew s Mission was started, the land was completely paid for, and the deed handed to Bishop Walters. Twelve from Mariposa and 20 from Merced were confirmed in November Fr. Livingston, though back full time since June 1962, resigned in February, In June 1963, the Rev. Edward E. Murphy was called from San Andreas to be fifth Rector. He took up his new position in August. Interestingly, he had gone to C.D.S.P. from Colorado without a sponsoring church. Bishop Walters accepted him as from San Joaquin, and St. Luke s sponsored him, 1955 to 1958, without knowing him! He had worked as a special Assistant to Bishop Walters for a time before coming to Merced. Fr. Ed continued the Migrant Ministry in union with other churches in the summer. He kept a monthly appointment in Mariposa for the Eucharist, and started weekly Bible Study classes there Mondays in the basement of the Veterans Building. He was also very active in layman s conferences in California and Arizona, participating in Faith At Work, Billy Graham s Crusades, and other projects. He is also credited for bringing notable spiritual leaders to Merced, such as the late Gertrude Behanna, Rosalind Rinker, Bruce Larson, and others. In September 1964, the Rev. Walter Clarke, rector of St. Alban s, Los Banos, met with St. Luke s Vestry to propose a team ministry between Los Banos, Merced, and Mariposa. This came into being in 1965 when Clarke moved to Merced and became Associate Rector, in charge of yokefellow groups (Elton Trueblood s small group ministry concept). This lasted until On Trinity XIX, 1964, Fr. Murphy announced his engagement to Lorraine Costa Stribling, a native of Merced and parishioner since Bishop Walters conducted their wedding at St. John s, Stockton, on Sunday, December 6, 1964, upon the conclusion of a Northern Deanery EYC weekend at St. Paul s, Modesto, at which 145 young people serenaded them about 3 A.M. by strumming Here Comes the Bride on guitars. A piece of land out in the country was held for St. Luke s for $1.00 while plans were developed for building. The city was rapidly spreading northward, and Merced College was soon to be located across the street. Later Merced Mall and housing was built up around it and the site was no longer isolated. In December 1974, ground was broken and construction begun. The new building was ready in June The downtown property was sold to Security Pacific Bank, and the old building was burned by the Fire Department for practice after valuables were removed. (Cont. on page 4) November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 2

3 Archbishop authorizes a Theological Task Force on Holy Orders At the inception of the Anglican Church in North America, the Lead Bishops unanimously agreed to work together for the good of the Kingdom. As part of this consensus, it was understood that there were differing understandings regarding the ordination of women to Holy Orders, but there existed a mutual love and respect for one another and a desire to move forward for the good of the Church. This commitment was deeply embedded in the Constitution and Canons overwhelmingly adopted by the Inaugural Assembly (2009). In respect of the two integrities concerning Holy Orders, three matters were specifically agreed in Constitution and Canons: 1. The Province shall make no canon abridging the authority of any member dioceses, clusters or networks (whether regional or affinity-based) and those dioceses banded together as jurisdictions with respect to its practice regarding the ordination of women to the diaconate or presbyterate (Constitution, Article VIII) 2. Except as hereinafter provided, the norms for ordination shall be determined by the Bishops having jurisdiction. (Title III Canon 1.4) 3. To be a suitable candidate for the episcopate, a person must: Be a male Presbyter at least 35 years old. (Title III Canon 8.3.7) This initial consensus has allowed the North American Province to make huge strides on almost every front of Kingdom work. Within the College of Bishops there has been a desire, from those representing both integrities, to do the Biblical and theological work that was never done before our founding as a Province. There is also the commitment to be in dialogue about this work with our global Anglican and ecumenical partners. The Bishops have given serious time to this enterprise at their meetings in Amesbury (2010) and Sumas (2011), and will do so again at Orlando (2013). Thus far, the work has been done only when the Bishops have been face to face. The same spirit that characterized the Province s inauguration has characterized these discussions. In our fourth year as a Province we are ready to go deeper still, said Archbishop Duncan. It is time to appoint a continuing body to help us with the study that was never previously undertaken. Archbishop Robert Duncan has requested the formation of a Theological Task Force on Holy Orders, affirming the conciliar leadership that has become a trademark of the Anglican Church in North America. As a Church we do not avoid our disagreements. Rather, we face them in love and charity and, above all, with a Kingdom mindset. To lead this task force, Archbishop Duncan has appointed the Rt. Rev. David Hicks, Bishop of the REC Diocese of the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic. Bp. Hicks has proposed a procedural approach for the task force to address the topic from a neutral standpoint and is awaiting approval from Archbishop Duncan. The proposal recommends populating the task force with two additional Anglican Church in North America bishops and four theological scholars. Bp. Hicks has also suggested that at least two members of the task force be women. The proposed procedure rolls out in five phases. Once the task force is populated and approved, the first major conversation will be a study of hermeneutical issues, specifically looking at how the Church s tradition and culture influence interpretation of Biblical texts. As the work progresses, the procedure requires the task force to report back to the Archbishop and College of Bishops at the end of each phase for review and revision. Thus, the larger leadership body of the Church will remain closely tied to the discussion. In addition to the College, Bp. Hicks has also recommended a procedure for feedback from the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Theological Resource Group throughout each phase of the process. Before the fifth and final phase, comments from our ecumenical partners will also be requested. A specific timeline has not been assigned to the task force. Confident in the mission of the Anglican Church in North America, Archbishop Duncan explained, The current consensus stands. Should a new consensus emerge, we will move forward on it because it is a consensus, for the Kingdom s sake. -- November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 3

4 History of the Diocese of San Joaquin (Continued from page 2) In the meantime, in September 1967, two parishioners, JoAnn Wright and Janeeme Clarke, with the Bishop, Rector, and Vestry s support, began a Day School with 20 pre-school children. Year by year, another grade was added until it reached the 8th grade and an enrollment of 182 pupils, and a graduating 8 th grade class in 1984 and Difficulties with running a Junior High led the Board of Trustees to curtail the program at the 6 th grade. There were other difficulties in more recent years when the School Board was no loner comprised of Episcopalians and the control of the school was no longer under the control of the rector and the diocese. This led to unfortunate misunderstandings and no little acrimony because of the failure to understand the relationship of the school with the diocese and the Bishop as Corporation Sole. With the aid of the Canon Chancellor, the late James Barnam of Fresno, the matter was eventually settled with the school being clearly brought under control of the church and the diocese. The staff today includes eight full-time teachers, two part-time, three aides, a librarian, a secretary, and an Extended Day Care Director. This care is offered for students of the school from 7:30 A.M. until 5:30 P.M. weekdays. An annual auction in support of the school has raised as much as $79,000. The Constitution of the school now makes clear the relation between the Church and the Board. In 1978, the mission work at Atwater was revived. Three vestry members and about 20 families transferred to the new St. Nicholas church. This resulted in about $25,000 a year reduction in St. Luke s budget, but the investment in mission was soon repaid to St. Luke s spiritual benefit, and recovery of the budget as well. St. Luke s has sent at least four men to seminary, and seen several ordinations as well. St. Luke s has been prominent to inter-church work in Merced. A Concern Group in the tumultuous late 60s met weekly for a Brown Bag luncheon in the Parish Hall. Fr. Murphy and the Rev. Tom Wynne from Antioch Baptist Church took the initiative in contacting the other clergy and concerned laity. The group continued to meet for several years, and it was felt that this open communication between leaders of the black and white communities of the city did much to avert serious trouble. Later, the group studied the new books on sex education being introduced in the public schools. This led to the formation of an official Merced Human Relations Commission. Several other inter-church projects and proposals involved St. Luke s, such as, exploration of ideas of shared facilities (when St. Luke s was considering its move), and an ecumenical high school, involving Lutherans, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics. From 1981 to 1983, this received serious consideration, but Fr. Murphy s serious illness in 1983 slowed the momentum and the group eventually dissolved. The Women s Guild has been a vital part of St. Luke s since 1883, raising money through bazaars, teas, etc., until they tired of doing the same work each year, so they rested for a time. Guilds have been formed from time-to-time to meet the schedule requirements of different groups of women. For a time the Episcopal Church Women kept meeting, although no one was willing to be President. The title Convenor was accepted by some, however. In early 1987, it was voted that Presidents would again take the place of Convenors in order to comply with Deanery and Diocesan guidelines. The Daughters of the King have also been an important and active part of parish life and renewal. In December of 1987 the Rev. Edward Murphy has announced his intention to retire in 1988 after a long ministry at St. Luke s and in this diocese. (ed. note: Thanks! for a recent submission, connecting St Luke s history to the present, part of which is entered below) In 1989, the Rev. Donald Kroeger was called to be the sixth rector and he served until November of Under his leadership, ministries in the church were expanded and the school added a junior high. The parish and school were greatly impacted by the closing of Castle Air Force Base in the mid-1990 s. For years, it had been a steady supply of parishioners and school families. On July 1, 1997, the current rector, the Rev. Ronald Parry began his cure. The parish remains active in the community through its support of Love Inc., Merced County Jail Ministry, Alpha Pregnancy Help Center, and Merced County Rescue Mission. The church facilities are used on a weekly basis by outside organizations including several AA groups and Merced Korean Presbyterian Church, a Korean congregation that is reaching out to Korean students enrolled at Merced College and U. C. Merced. November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 4

5 Letter from Archbishop Duncan 18th October, A.D.2012 St. Luke's Day TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As I travel the Anglican world on your behalf, one of the most striking things I experience is the extent to which believers in other places feel connected to our whole North American Church. A meeting of the Anglican Relief and Development Fund Global Trustees, a gift carried for the new Bishop of Singapore, presence in the Primates Council of the nine GAFCON Provinces, sermons preached for the Provinces of Rwanda (October) and Uganda (December) - all these are ways that I symbolically connect you to your Anglican brothers and sisters - millions of them - around the globe. In some sense, my coming to them is received as if our whole Church had come to them. It is a joyful, and somewhat mysterious, function of the apostolic office. As an emerging Province, we continue to be blessed by the unity and support of our global Anglican community. As a community in North America, we seek to be a New Testament Church. Congregations everywhere are planting new congregations everywhere. A section of the new Catechism (300 questions and answers) should be approved by the College of Bishops in January for parochial use. ARDF is producing Advent materials to help parents in the formation of their children's stewardship and global awareness. Serious address of leadership norms ("our aspirational culture") is on the agenda for the College of Bishops meeting in January. All of these things, and more, represent and demonstrate our obedience to the call to build a biblical, missionary and united Anglicanism in North America. Working to fulfill this vision we continue to lift one another up, working together to spread the transforming love of Jesus Christ. As you know, much of our Provincial resources for this work come from Diocesan giving. Nevertheless, we continue to rely on the gifts of individuals, like you, in order to fully fund our budget in support of our various task forces, connections, and staff. As we approach the Christmas of our fourth year of Provincial life, I ask you to please consider a year-end gift in support of the work being done in and through the Anglican Church in North America. As first Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, I seek to establish a strong base on which this generation and successive generations may build. It has been a privilege to serve you as I have. My work is not over. Neither is yours. Together we are making an incredible difference - locally, regionally, provincially, globally. In Christ, +Robert Pittsburgh Archbishop and Primate November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 5

6 The Bishop s Corner (Cont. from page 1) Of course, ungraciousness is nothing new. In the recounting of the Healing of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17) Jesus healed all ten lepers but only one returned to give thanks. We are in a season in the life of the church where we can choose to look at the challenges we have facing us - a weak economy, rising violence in the streets, the rise of paganism all around us - and feeling deprived and frustrated. Or we can thank God for all His many blessings, and choose to be the voice of God s Good News to a broken and suffering world. If we choose the latter - if we recognize God s blessings upon us and come back to Him with grateful hearts, I promise you - you will receive blessings beyond all measure... No you won t win the Lotto, but yes you will be given a heart that overflows. Of course this a fundamental aspect of the Good News of Jesus Christ and we remember that whenever we gather to make thanksgiving that is when we celebrate Eucharist. How blessed we are to have a God who loves us more than we can ask or imagine. God has given us everything...literally and I pray that everyday our eyes will be opened by the power of the Holy Spirit to recognize and acknowledge his love. The words of the Thanksgiving Collect capture this: Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Transitions Fr. Lee & Ela Nelson announce the birth of their daughter Margaret, born October 25. Congratulations! Prayers are requested for Fr. Paul and April Gibbons, who announced that they are expecting the birth of their second child in February. Prayers are requested for our Seminarian, Daniel Marker and his wife Lana, as they have announced that they are expecting the birth of their third child this Winter. We welcome Fr. Don Richmond, of Apple Valley, who is now available for supply work in the diocese. We welcome back to the diocese, Fr. John Barrow, of Bakersfield, who is now available for supply work in the diocese. We welcome St. Augustine of Canterbury Mission, in Hollister, as a Mission Congregation in the Diocese of San Joaquin! November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 6

7 [from Stand Firm In Faith, 10/17/12] TEC Moves Against South Carolina Bishop and Diocese; Special Convention Called From the diocesan web site: On Monday, October 15, 2012, Bishop Mark J. Lawrence, the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina, was notified by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, that on September 18, 2012 the Disciplinary Board for Bishops had certified his abandonment of The Episcopal Church. This action by The Episcopal Church triggered two pre-existing corporate resolutions of the Diocese, which simultaneously disaffiliated the Diocese from The Episcopal Church and called a Special Convention. That Convention will be held at St. Philip s Church, Charleston, on Saturday, November 17, Bishop Lawrence was notified of these actions taken by the Episcopal Church between two meetings, one held on October 3 and one to be held on October 22, which Bishop Andrew Waldo of the Upper Diocese of South Carolina and Bishop Lawrence had set up with the Presiding Bishop to find a peaceful alternative to the growing issues between The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of South Carolina. The meetings were to explore creative solutions for resolving these issues to avoid further turmoil in the Diocese and in The Episcopal Church. Two of the three charges had previously been determined by a majority vote of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops in November 2011 not to constitute abandonment. The Diocese has not received a signed copy of the certification and also remains uninformed of the identity of those making these charges. We feel a deep sense of sadness but a renewed sense of God s providence that The Episcopal Church has chosen to act against this Diocese and its Bishop during a good faith attempt peacefully to resolve our differences. These actions make it clear The Episcopal Church no longer desires to be affiliated with the Diocese of South Carolina. The certification of abandonment is here [PDF] Don t miss Allan Haley s take here. November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 7

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9 ANGLICAN 4 TH DAY NEWS 2013 Meeting Schedule all meetings the 3 rd Saturday of each month, except Dec. January 19 February 16 th March 16 th April 20 th May 18 th June 15 th July 20 th August 17 th September 21 st October 19 th November 16 th St. Paul s, Bakersfield ECCO During President s Day Retreat St. Michael s, Ridgecrest St. Luke s, Merced St. Jude s, Tehachapi St. Mary s, Fresno St. Paul s, Bakersfield St. Jude s, Tehachapi St. Michael s, Ridgecrest St. Mary s, Fresno St. Luke s, Merced (All Meetings: Secretariat at 10 AM; Lunch at 11:30; Ultreya at 1 PM) In Christ, Christine Miller, 4 th Day Lay Director Bishop s Trip to Singapore and Laos In October, Bishop Menees traveled to Singapore, along with Fr. Carlos Raines, to help strengthen our ties for mutual ministry in Laos. Bishop Menees and Fr. Raines attended the installation of Bishop Rennis Ponniah, the Ninth Bishop of Singapore, and attended meetings to begin the process of working together more closely with our mission to Laos, since Laos falls under the Anglican Province of Southeast Asia. Bishop Menees then traveled on to Laos to meet with Fr. Bunsy and the people of Laos, to learn more about the mission and ministry there. November2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 9

10 Shakespeare and St Mark s, Shafter Ministries Update Last year Saint Mark s Shafter decided to host a production of A Midsummer Night s Dream in our education building as part of Shafter s Colours Arts Festival. As the Holy Spirit would have it, several of the college students who participated in the production decided they wanted to learn more about St. Mark s and started attending worship. They apparently liked what they found and have not only continued to attend but have brought friends and relatives along with them. Just last month one of the new attendees was baptized and it was a wonderful celebration for the whole church. This has been a tremendous jump start to our almost non-existent young adult group. The newly formed group has been active in the church s extra-curricular activities, such as the annual barbecue, the annual rummage sale, and several attended the diocesan family camp this summer. The faithful of Saint Mark s thank our gracious God for sending new members of His family our way, and new spirits to join us in worshiping Him; the one true and Holy God! Fr. Randy Messick November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 10

11 Clergy Retreat Clergy of the Diocese are requested to mark their calendars, and plan to attend the Clergy Retreat December 3-5 at ECCO. This year s theme is Mission and Ministry, and will be lead by Bishop Todd Hunter, who is the Assisting Bishop for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, author and church planter. The retreat will begin Monday, with dinner, and end Wednesday, with lunch. Registration, is online, through the ECCO website: As always, spouses are not only welcome, but encouraged to attend. Link to Bishop s Note series-- The Bishop's Note is a pastoral message published weekly by Bishop Eric Menees. To subscribe, send an message with your to erin@vegasanglican.org. The San Joaquin Anglican is published monthly by The Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin, California. Submissions will be accepted for consideration anytime; Contributions must be received by the 20th of the month for possible inclusion in the newsletter in the following month. Please send these to uncleted3@aol.com Thank you! November 2012 THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 11