S t. Jude s. St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church in Cuper no. Advent Greetings! The Viewfrom the orchard. December 2015

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1 S t. Jude s Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA December 2015 Vol. 31, No. 12 Advent Greetings! I am delighted that this month I am not wri ng this from the hospital or from recovery me. The good news is that I am on the mend, so much be er than I was, and have started the transi on back to church and ministry, while pacing myself and taking it slowly. The healing process con nues as the wound needs a couple more weeks to close up, and I am told it takes a few months or more a er that to regain one s energy. I live in faith and hope that there will be newness growing out of this long and challenging experience. As we approach Thanksgiving and begin another Advent season, I am conscious of how grateful I am for so many and so much. St. Jude s is a wonderful community of people who show their love and care in very prac cal ways. I have experienced this wonderfully over the last two months in hospital and on recovery. The old song says They will know we are Chris ans by our love, by our love and St. Jude s con nues to demonstrate that in many different ways. There are par cular people who show their love in very prac cal ways at St. Jude s and we are indebted to them for their enormous hours of volunteer work to keep St. Jude s running smoothly. Liz Jones has been our treasurer and finance/human resources person and a whole lot more, for many years. The vestry has regre ully accepted her resigna on for health reasons, with huge gra tude for all she has done. We are therefore seeking a new treasurer, and will divide up the work Liz was doing into manageable task areas. This fits in with the Inside This Month Advent..p. 3-6 Community Forums..p. 6 Did you know.p. 11 St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church in Cuper no McClellan Rd., Cuper no, CA (408) goal of the Mission Covenant to nurture our volunteers and leaders, and recruit and train new people to take over from those who have been serving for decades and are ready to pass on the baton. If you have skills in the areas of finance or HR, or are interested in knowing more about these volunteer tasks, please contact Mary Hultquist or myself. We have a beau ful church and campus that is admired and enjoyed by so many people in and beyond St. Jude s. The ongoing upkeep and maintenance has been done through enormous volunteer hours of Syd Jacobsen, who a er extensive years is also passing on the baton and stepping down at the end of the year. As the Mission Covenant reported back in May, his tasks have been divided up into manageable task areas and we are busy pu ng a team of people in place to take over the work he has been doing. We are looking for people with skills in engineering, building, property and gardens, outdoor areas. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact Steve Stolarik or Jennifer Stern. I am so grateful for all Liz and Syd have done, and we will be thanking them properly at a later stage. It is good to see the Mission Covenant goals being put into ac on, see more about this on pages 8-9. Advent is the season of prepara on for the coming of Love. It is always challenging to make me to add the dimension of spiritual, reflec ve prepara on to the urgent, commercialized call (con nued on next page) Diocesan News....p. 13 Stephen Ministry.p. 11 Mission Covenant.. p Vestry Notes.p. 4 PACT...p. 12 Veterans Group..p. 12 Service Worship Page Sun. December..p the View The Viewfrom the orchard December 2015 St. Jude s is a spiritual oasis where lives are transformed. Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here.

2 of prac cal prepara on for guests and gi s, food and fun, to celebrate the coming of Jesus. There are opportuni es at St. Jude s to help us journey through advent in a meaningful way as we follow the theme of Opening to the Light. There are contempla ve Taizé prayer services, Jazz Vespers that includes artwork by jail inmates on the theme Light through the cracks and opportuni es for crea vity on page 6 with our intern, Jani Wild. I encourage you to excavate the me to par cipate in a way that works for you and your loved ones. The prayer below by Henri Nouwen can inspire us to make the journey of advent once again: "Lord Jesus, master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our prepara ons for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day. We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!" I look forward to being back with you all, catching up with you, and journeying together as we open ourselves to the Light. Wilma Into Childhood: Infinite Openness The Thursday morning Book Group has been reading Rebecca Nye s Children s Spirituality: What It Is and Why We Do It. Nye does not offer a single defini on of children s spirituality, but does insist that it is not something that is taught, handed down or given; rather, it is innate. As such, we are to nurture and support children s spirituality even as we nurture our own and indeed, that may very well involve teaching, handing down our tradi ons, and giving to children. Nye commends a short list of features of children s spirituality that she gleaned from observing her own five year old son: deligh ng in all things; being absorbed in the present moment; not too a ached to self and eager to explore boundaries of beyond and other ; searching for meaning; discovering purpose; open to more (p. 1). When have you seen a child exhibi ng these traits? When have you found yourself perhaps experiencing the same? Because our spirituality is always developing with our other abili es and disabili es, we may express our sense of spirituality in different terms at different ages and stages of life. And yet Nye also quotes the theologian, Karl Rahner in his essay, Ideas for a Theology of Childhood, who describes childhood as an abiding reality, and thus suggests that we may grow into childhood rather than grow out of it. For Rahner, childhood is infinite openness, and the prac ce of such openness is the expression of [a person s] religious existence. During Advent this year, our parish is called to a medita on and prac ce of opening to the light. For some of us as adults, this may mean dispelling the darkness in ourselves: entrenchment in anger, apathy, greed, fear, etc. How do we see the children around us opening to all that is light? Is it perhaps by being absorbed in the moment where there is the s llness of peace? Is it deligh ng in a smile that comes from the inexplicable joy of a spontaneous game of chase or peek-a-boo? Is it exploring boundaries that points toward hope for what is beyond? Is it discovering purpose in trus ng a parent or grandparent and speaking and ac ng in love? Each week at the start of our liturgy, we will light a new candle on our Advent wreath a tradi on we hand down to our children to nurture their spirituality in this season. As we light these candles of hope, peace, joy and love, let us open ourselves to the Light that is come into the world. Let us look, too, to our children who also bear the light of Christ and follow them as the lead us into infinite openness reminding us of the abiding reality that is the wonder of God s love for the world. A blessed Advent to all Stephanie stephanie@saintjudes.org cell (510) (Stephanie Green is the Interim Associate for Children, Youth, Families and Young Adults) Page 2 December 2015 the View

3 Advent: Opening to the Light Our theme this Advent is Opening to the Light which we and our world need so desperately, especially in the light of the recent tragic bombings in Beirut, Baghdad and Paris and the escala ng violence, hate and revenge. We need the healing light of Jesus in our own lives and across the planet. Advent is a me when sen mentality and spiritualiza on reign. But, in more ancient forms of Chris anity, Advent was more a season of penitence, not unlike Lent. Today, that call for repentance includes a call for jus ce. This Advent will unfold against the ongoing protests about race, inequality, mass incarcera on, the ongoing oppression of the triple evils of poverty, militarism and racism, the overwhelming needs of migrants and refugees, the horror of terrorist bombings and violence worldwide, and the desperate need for compassion, love and peacemakers in response. It s a me to connect with the spiritual reflec on and the call to jus ce. It is a me for freedom and simplicity, because Jesus came into the world simply and humbly, to set people free. Here are some ways to do this: How about deciding to block out spaces this coming month, with me for yourself to ponder the season, me for family or friends, me for God? Or making an Advent wreath a er church on Advent Sunday and ligh ng the candles with friends or family each week? How about deciding to set limits to buying, for instance choosing to spend 25% less than you did last year, giving instead of your me and skills, giving the extra money to areas of need? What about gi giving? Could you make or bake something to give someone? Could you give things that build rather than use up, or give something living, like a plant you have grown? Or ea ng? Could you think of ea ng simpler meals during the season, or fas ng once a week and giving the money saved toward hunger projects? Prac cing the gi of hospitality is fun - sharing meals with a guest! Or visit an elderly person who lives alone offering the gi of me and conversa on. PACT (People Ac ng in Community Together) is offering a training on December 5 th, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. We recently joined PACT in order to increase our efforts in community organizing, especially around the issues of homelessness and affordable housing, and we have much to learn. This is one way to do something prac cal to learn more. Contact Ian Greensides for more informa on, (408) or ian@greensides.com Perhaps the most difficult challenge is the one of taking me to be alone to ponder and to wait. Maybe you could take a walk, or a end the medita ve Taizé prayer service on Advent Sunday, come to Jazz Vespers, walk the labyrinth once a week or just find a quiet place to sit and be, ligh ng a candle in prayer for the world. Our seminary intern, Jani Wild, is offering a new Advent opportunity to explore the Advent theme, Opening to the Light, through artwork together with others. No art experience or skill needed! Just an openness to the Holy Spirit and a willingness to try! Read more about this on page six. May this Advent bring simplicity and hope into your life in new ways as we all open ourselves to the Light. If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things, if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with ac on, when will we have the me to make the long slow journey across the desert as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the Shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? For each of us, there is a desert to travel, a star to discover, and a being within ourselves to bring to life. (poem is of unknown origin) Page 3 December 2015 the View

4 Advent Opportunities: Opening to the Light This is a brief list; read more on the next pages. Nov. 28: Inten onal Advent Art Experience: Explore your crea ve side. Other dates are Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Nov. 29: ONE SERVICE AT 9:15 am. Make an Advent wreath in the hall a er the service. $10 wreath base and tray, $5 candles. Greens provided, please bring non-fir evergreen to share. Nov. 29: Advent Taizé Prayers, 5:00 pm. Dec. 6: Feast of St. Nicholas at 10:30 am service. Children come in pajamas, leave their shoes at the door, meet St. Nicholas during the service and find a treat in their shoes a er the service. Dec. 6: Jazz Vespers, 5:00 pm. Join Mason Razavi and friends for inspiring jazz. Elaine Bondonno, coordinator of Elmwood jail ministry, reflects on her experiences with jail inmates through the Art and Spirit program. Dec. 10: Faith-Full Families visit Bethlehem Dec. 13: SJ/O Gi Wrap of presents for Santa Maria Urban Ministry Dec. 19: Medita on Meetup, 10:00 am. Come and sit in quiet, centering prayer with a small group. Dec. 19: Christmas Pageant rehearsal, 10:30 am-12:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm Dec. 20: Lessons & Carols by Candlelight, 5:00 pm, followed by brass ensemble Christmas music and hot chocolate in the hall Dec. 24: Family Christmas Service and Pageant, 4:00 pm Pageant Dec. 24: Carol singing starts at 10:00 pm, Christmas Fes val Eucharist, 10:30 pm. Dec. 25: Christmas Day service, 10:00 am, with carols, communion and fes ve music. Dec. 27: 8:00 am and 10:30 am, Eucharist services with a focus on healing for our loved ones, ourselves, and the world. Jan. 10: Epiphany Sunday, the procession of the three Kings, crèche sharing on display in the hall along with King's Cakes. Christmas Poinsettias You can sign up to dedicate a Christmas poinse a in memory or to honor a loved one. The cost is $ Call the office or office@saintjudes.org. There is also a clipboard in the Narthex for signups. Page 4 December 2015 the View

5 Advent Taizé Prayers November 29th 5:00 pm Join us as we begin our Advent journey tonight with singing and candlelight around the cross. Start your Advent in a s ll, quiet space. Faith-Full Families, November 29th Families with elementary school-aged children (and older and younger siblings) are invited to the home of Beth Leonard from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for a potluck and board games. Bring your favorite game and Thanksgiving le overs or anything else that your family enjoys and wishes to share. Contact: Stephanie Green (stephanie@saintjudes.org) or cell (510) Feast of St. Nicholas, December 6th We will observe the Feast of St. Nicholas with some special ac vi es: children are invited to come to Godly Play and church in their pajamas and slippers that day (parents too, if they wish) and bring a new pair of pajamas for dona on to a child through SMUM. The children will hear the story of St. Nicholas, and when they come into church they will leave their slippers/shoes in the Narthex, in the hope that Good St. Nick will fill them with sweets. Bishop Nicholas will make an appearance to bless the children and give them a small treat. It s a great day of celebra on; a chance to reclaim the real saint and tell his story of care and compassion for the poor. The pajama drive gives the kids a tangible way to pass on Nicholas' joy in giving. Jazz Vespers December 6th, 5:00 pm Mason Razavi brings his friends; Kevin Bryson, Benne Roth-Newell and Jack Hanan for a musical, contempla ve inspira onal evening. Elaine Bondonno, coordinator of the Elmwood Jail Ministry, will reflect on her experience with jail inmates and transforma on through the Spirit and Art program. Artwork by jail inmates will be on display in the church and the hall. Refreshments a erwards. Find a peaceful space amidst the hec c pace of preparing for Christmas. Faith-Full Families Visit Bethlehem, December 10th Faith-full Families look forward to visi ng Bethlehem, AD. Doors open at 6:15 pm when Mary and Joseph enter Bethlehem. Offered by the First Bap st Church of Santa Clara, Bethlehem, AD, is an enactment of the Christmas story in a walk-through experien al se ng with characters, costumes, sets, and story stages. Families are invited to gather in First Bap st Church's Fireside Room for dinner at 5:00 pm. (Please park in the parking lot rather than the street.) RSVP for dinner and/or the Bethlehem visit to Stephanie Green (stephanie@saintjudes.org). Communal Christmas Giving, December 13th On Sunday, December 13 th, St. Jude s Outreach (SJ/O) Commi ee will host a gi -wrapping party for Santa Maria Urban Ministry s Christmas Toy Drive, benefi ng 400 children this season. Please come by the Parish Hall a er the 8 am or 10:30 am service to wrap a few gi s. Gi s and gi wrap will be provided. We just need your gi wrapping skills! We also plan to sell Hai an coffee and provide holiday cards for anyone who would like to make a dona on in the name of a loved one to a St. Jude s supported organiza on as a meaningful gi for someone on your Christmas list who doesn t need more stuff. The Angel Tree, prepared by the Youth Group of St. Jude's, will benefit Youth of Santa Maria Urban Ministry this year. Gi and gi card sugges ons for youth, ages 11-17, will be hung on the tree on Advent 1, November 29. Please return all gi s and gi cards (suggested value: $25-30) by December 13. You may wish to tuck gi cards into a holiday card with your own Christmas gree ng. Contact: Stephanie (stephanie@saintjudes.org or cell, (510) On Saturday, December 12 th, a group will transport gi s from SMUM to St. Jude s. Contact Becky Smith (beckys100@hotmail.com) if you d like to help with the gi pick-up on the 12 th or to oversee the gi wrapping party on Sunday, Dec 13th. Merry Christmas from SJ/O. Page 5 December 2015 the View

6 Lessons & Carols service, Dec. 20, 5:00 pm Lessons & Carols by Candlelight, 5:00 pm, followed by brass ensemble Christmas music and hot chocolate in the Parish Hall. Family Christmas Service and Pageant: December 24, 4:00 pm Parishioners, families and visitors of mul ple genera ons are invited to celebrate Christmas Eve together at our 4:00 pm service on December 24. All children who wish to play a role will have a part in our pageant the telling of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ with angels, shepherds, wise men, and other creatures! Pageant rehearsals will beheld in the sanctuary on Saturday, December 19, from 10:30 am 12:00 pm and 2:30-4:00 pm. Please a end one. Plan to arrive by 3:30 pm on Christmas Eve to put on a costume. Visi ng children who are unable to a end prior rehearsals will be invited to join in the pageant on the day. Contact: Stephanie Green (stephanie@saintjudes.org) or cell (510) Evening Christmas Service, December 24, 10:00 pm Carol singing starts at 10:00 pm, Christmas Fes val Eucharist, 10:30 pm. Christmas Day Service, December 25, 10:00 am Christmas Day service with carols, communion and fes ve music. Community Forums Dec. 6: Advent Poetry Reading with Barbara Simmons. Barbara will share some of the poems associated with the Advent Season, and discuss why these poems that focus on "coming from darkness into light" help many of us understand and feel more fully the season we associate with "wai ng, hope, peace, love, joy, and s llness." Come to listen to some well-known poetry and discover some new ones. Dec. 20: Away in a Manger with Michael Morris. The manger is the centerpiece for the birth story of Jesus with all of the central characters in the story present at the humble scene. Michael will explore the various carols, hymns, and songs that relate to this most modest of cradles. Intentional Advent Art Experience Do you feel the need to be part of an inten onal crea ve experience? Are you seeking to be open to the light of Christ as we prepare, wait and watch this Advent? Perhaps the incessant news stories about horrible tragedies makes you feel overwhelmed? You are not alone. As the days themselves get shorter and shorter, this me of increasing darkness in the world can be frightening on many levels, and fear can stop us from truly living. Please join us as we explore opening to the light this Advent season and create an ar s c expression of "opening to the light" in our sanctuary. No art skills required! Simply bring your willingness to be open to the Holy Spirit. Opportuni es available all four weeks of Advent. Contact Jani Wild (408) , Jani@ccla.us) or the office if interested. Dates will be Saturdays, Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12, 19 in the Fireside Room (Dec. 12th will be in the sanctuary.) 9:45 am gathering, 10:00 am 12:00 pm create. Drop in when you can. Remember to lock up around St. Jude s a er you have used a room. We have trouble this me of year with visitors. Page 6 December 2015 the View

7 Vestry Notes The mee ng was opened with a prayer by Wilma. This was day one of her being back with us and she has promised to take it slowly. She will spend the week catching up and will work primarily from home. She commented that she is living in the present moment - you have to be the way that it is. Thanksgiving Day will be her first service. Howard Hill presented a projected use of funds for support of Santa Maria Urban Ministry (SMUM) by SJ/O. Howard provided copies of the SMUM Strategic Plan and Programs. The vestry endorsed the recommenda on of $30K that was allocated to: 1) Fund raising/ development program, 2) Part me staffing for program implementa on and development and 3) Grant research and wri ng. This is a very generous gi that is directly ed to our Mission Covenant and provides an opportunity for members of St Jude's to volunteer at SMUM as part of a St Jude's sponsored program. The Four Homes of Mercy, which SJ/O has been suppor ng for many years, received approval for $1500. With great gra tude and reluctance, the vestry approved the resigna on of Liz Jones as our Treasurer and Financial Officer. Liz's resigna on was for medical reasons. Senior Warden, Mary Hultquist will be ac ng as the Treasurer and Financial Officer in the interim and is working with a commi ee to fill the posi on. The approach is to replace Liz with a team of people and someone to oversee everything. There are people that are stepping up to volunteer in the interim. The August-October financials were presented and accepted. The NOVAL mission covenant report indicated that over 15 people a ended the St Jude's 201 course; the on-line data base is now available to support volunteering for ministries. The commi ee will con nue work in 2016 to: 1) fill the pipeline & remove barriers to entry 2) train/support ministers/leaders and 3) relieve burden/burnout of specific ministers Vestry approved the appointment of Ian Greensides as St. Jude's representa ve on the PACT board. For 2016 the SJ/O mission covenant commi ee will con nue their goals and poten ally focus on other goals with specific sub-commi ees. The Joyfully Share Our Abundance mission covenant reported on the Financial Promise Season and refreshing our pledge drive which appears in detail in another sec on. The extra hours for the Assis ng clergy was approved to be con nued to the end of the year at the same rate as when Wilma was out on sick leave. Vestry: call for nominations At our Annual Mee ng in January, we will be elec ng four people to our 12-person vestry for our standard 3-year terms, plus one person to serve a one year term. Our goal is to have a vestry leadership team that represents a cross-sec on of the parish: long- me parishioners, new parishioners, re rees, families, young adults, 8:00 service-a enders, 10:30 service-a enders, people who are passionate about outreach or music or adult educa on or quiet medita on or community presence; in other words, maybe you? Would you like to know more? Contact Mary Hultquist at mhultquist@mac.com or (408) or any vestry member for more informa on. Page 7 December 2015 the View

8 St. Jude s Women s Weekend 2016 March 11-13, 2016 The St. Jude's Women's Weekend is scheduled at Mt. Hermon Conference Center in the Santa Cruz mountains, and we s ll have room to enroll addi onal women. The weekend can be as contempla ve or as ac ve as you wish - you can set your own pace! It is a great opportunity to take a break from your normal rou ne, relax, get to know some other St. Jude's women be er, or whatever you want. We will have some op onal ac vi es (walks, hikes, bike rides, day trips, zip line...) on Saturday, a fun group ac vity on Saturday evening, and a worship service on Sunday morning. The weekend runs from Friday a ernoon through Sunday mid-day, with 2 nights accommoda on and 6 meals provided by Mt. Hermon. We have a range of accommoda on op ons to fit your needs and your budget, from $170 (double occupancy with shared bath) to $210 (double occupancy with private bath) to $230 (single occupancy with shared bath). Scholarship assistance is available. Deposits will be due in December - right now we are trying to confirm how many women are interested to make sure we have the right number of rooms reserved. Please contact Jennifer Stern (jennifer.stern@sbcglobal.net or (408) if you are interested or would like addi onal informa on. Other Opportunities Weekly Food Offering. Please con nue the habit of bringing food dona ons to church on Sundays to be donated to West Valley Community Services, to Santa Maria Urban Ministries, and for parishioners in need. Items needed include: canned meats, canned beans, canned protein of any kind, peanut bu er, jam, jelly, brown and white rice, flour, and sugar. We need volunteers to move food from the narthex to the altar and to the Farmhouse office on Sundays, then to WVCS and SMUM. Contact Wilma to help out. Around Town The Choraliers, a senior service outreach choir, meets on Monday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 am in the St. Jude s sanctuary. The choir prepares selec ons of SATB repertoire which are presented to folks in senior facili es, and assisted living/nursing homes. We have room for you if you are interested. It s a great way to give back. Contact Laura Green for more informa on, (408) Dec. 5-6: Christmas at the Mission "Auld Lang Syne" Celebrate with the Mission Peak Chamber Singers directed by Michael Morris. This is the 30th anniversary of their tradi onal Christmas Celebra on at Old Mission San Jose. Classic Christmas music performed by the Chamber Singers over the past 3 decades will be featured. Come on Saturday at 8:00 pm or Sunday, at 4:00 pm. Old Mission San Jose, Mission Blvd, Fremont. Advanced ckets can be purchased from Linda Morris (choir member) for $15.00 or see h p:// The deadline for the next issue of the View is Tuesday, December 15 at 9:00 am View ar cles may be ed to: office@saintjudes.org Donna Andresen Araiza, editor How to contact St. Jude s: office@saintjudes.org (408) The office is open Monday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, Tuesday through Fri. 8:15 am to 4:15 pm Page 8 December 2015 the View

9 Living out our Mission Covenant NOVAL Nurturing our Volunteers and Leaders (NOVAL) - Mission Covenant Goal #6 As we hurtle towards the end of the year, it is a good opportunity to take stock of what we have accomplished this year in our "Nurturing Our Volunteers and Leaders (NOVAL)" team: 1. Worked closely with ministry leaders and cri cal volunteers to be er understand how we could support them and their ministries. This has helped us iden fy where we have burned-out leaders who would like to find a co-leader, split the job into smaller pieces to involve more people, or hand off their roles to others. This informa on has allowed us to be er understand and describe why these ministries have been fulfilling for the current leaders and who might engage in the future. 2. Introduced an online searchable database of ministries so that parishioners can find ministry opportuni es that match their gi s, their interests, and their me availability If you haven't gone online to try this out, please do! You might find something that sparks your curiosity and just want to learn a li le more about it. Remember, inquiring about a ministry doesn't sign you up for life!! searchable-ministry-booklet 3. Launched several new course offerings designed to support exis ng ministry volunteers and leaders and provide background and skills for those considering ministry roles These courses included "Leading an Effec ve Mee ng" (Sept 2015), "St Jude's How to get things done at St Jude's" (Nov 2015), and "Healthy Communica ons" (coming in Jan 2016). These courses will be offered again in the spring, so if you missed them the first me around, there will be other opportuni es. Listening to your feedback, we're considering renaming St Jude's 201 to "St Jude's Secrets Revealed!" So, what comes next? Our main objec ves have been to encourage more people to get involved with ministry and raise up new leadership at St Jude's. Each of the tasks we have worked on has been geared towards making it easier to dip your toe in the ministry water - AND to pull it out again. We have further work in progress to add more resources to support those in ministry (gatherings and courses). We have a plan to do a be er job of celebra ng our volunteers and leaders and sharing their passion around their ministries. And we have work to do to let our red leaders pass on the baton to fresh leadership. This is cri cal to keeping St Jude's vibrant! Is God calling YOU to dip your toe in? Come talk to us... we promise we can find a way to deepen your walk with Christ! Jennifer Stern, Lana Foladare, Andy DeBaets, Steve Stolarik, Paul Hayter, Mike Landis, and Ken Shuey Volunteers needed: We are in need of greeters and ushers for the holiday services. If you can assist please call or the coordinator. This is a good opportunity to try out one of these jobs and see if you like it enough to volunteer on the teams. Ushers: Valerie Nau: Valerie.e.nau@gmail.com (408) Greeters: Marianne Wilcox: mmwilcox@gmail.com (408) Page 9 December 2015 the View

10 Living out our Mission Covenant Did we Joyfully Share our Abundance in 2015? Having just celebrated our abundance at the 2015 Harvest Dinner on Friday, October 23rd it s also good to look back on our other achievements this year on this Mission Covenant Goal #7. What does the Mission Covenant say about joyfully sharing our abundance? The summary is: We will share our campus, our money, and our resources for local and global needs. We will educate ourselves about the spirituality of money and encourage generous individual giving, embodied in our parish goal of the the. We will be faithful stewards of our gi s, resources, and property, and of God s crea on. With this in mind, this is what we worked on: Form a Financial Giving Commi ee. We recognized that several people had given faithfully of their me in leadership and par cipa on in the various financial commi ees, but were also ready to transi on leadership. This is also consistent with one of the other Mission Covenant goals (Nurture our Volunteers and Leaders). We created a Financial Giving Commi ee as an umbrella for Stewardship/Financial Promise Season and Planned Giving (current members: Jeffrey Pugh, Carlos Estrada, Margot Jacobsen, Juneann McDonald, Wilma Jakobsen, Pat Coles) The Vestry confirmed the 2015 Endowment Board membership of Jeffrey Pugh, Liz Jones, Ian Greensides, Pat Coles (and Wilma and Mary Hultquist ex officio). The Endowment Board manages the investment and use of the Endowment Fund. Please let Jeffrey Pugh (jeffrey.pugh@sbcglobal.net) know if you are interested in par cipa ng on these commi ees. Partner with Social Jus ce/outreach We worked with the Social Jus ce/outreach leadership to establish guidelines for SJ/O grants and giving, consistent with sharing our resources for local and global needs. Social Jus ce/outreach adopted a guiding theme of Economic Inequality and Empowerment; set percentage goals for local, diocesan, and global giving; and emphasized the importance of money following exis ng St. Jude s rela onships and volunteers. These guidelines have been reflected in a new monthly grant recommenda on format from Social Jus ce /Outreach to the Vestry for the Vestry s approval. Enlighten ourselves about the spirituality of money We made a beginning in this enlightenment by the Financial Giving Commi ee and the Vestry reading and discussing the excellent book Ask, Thank, Tell by Charles Lane. We published monthly View ar cles encouraging prayerful contempla on of such provoca ve ques ons as It all belongs to God and I m Rich, You re Rich. And clergy used key lec onary opportuni es to speak about the spirituality of money and our rela onship to it. Refresh our Fall Pledge Drive Although our 2015 Financial Giving emphasized year-round giving and thinking about money, we stuck with a Fall Pledge Drive, renamed the Financial Promise Season. It focused on provoca ve ques ons-for-reflec on in church, a simplified trifold presen ng key informa on and ques ons, and three parishioners sharing their thoughts and beliefs about giving. We wrapped it up with celebra on (and an excellent meal thanks to Steven Azar) at our October Harvest Dinner, including a talk by Bruce Bramle, a er-dinner discussion, and in-gathering of financial promises/pledges. Summary St. Jude s is a generous community, and shares its campus, money, and resources in so many ways. In 2016 we ll con nue to work on changing our thoughts and a tudes towards money - feel free to join a hard-working core team of Carlos Estrada, Juneann McDonald, Margot Jacobsen, Pat Coles, Terri Hoornstra, and Jeffrey Pugh (Chair). Page 10 December 2015 the View

11 We ll be holding another one on Sunday, January 17th, 2016 in connec on with Mar n Luther King Jr. day. Our celebra on will join with many other churches and organiza ons across the country who customarily par cipate in a weekend of service. Make your plans to par cipate now. We ll meet for a brief commissioning service at 9:15 am, and then go to our separate projects. In the evening we ll reconvene to pray, reflect, and worship together. Some of the planned projects are gleaning at the Farmer s Market, gathering toiletries and socks for veterans, preparing magazines and paperbacks for the prison, cooking at JW House, and pain ng at Santa Maria Urban Ministry. Other possibili es are visi ng the prison, cleaning the West Valley Community Services pantry, helping Habitat for Humanity, a beach clean-up, and sewing blankets. There will be a variety of things to do, requiring different skills and ages - something for everyone. Stephen Ministry The holidays can be a difficult me for many of us but especially for those who have lost loved ones. If you or someone you know would like to have a Stephen Minister to talk with, to be supported and encouraged by, please contact Judy Bailey, referrals coordinator, at or jdthbail@aol.com. For those who have lost loved ones and are looking for a way to remember them during this holiday season, Kara, a nonprofit in Palo Alto, sponsors an annual community gathering of remembrance. This year their Annual Candlelight Remembrance Service will be held Dec. 3rd, 7:00 pm, at the First Presbyterian Church, 1140 Cowper St, Palo Alto. This is a non-denomina onal service open to all and described as an evening of remembrance where sharing on the themes of Love, Hope, Memory and Courage come together with live music and culminate in a special candle ligh ng ceremony to honor loved ones who have died. If you want to help lead these projects, please contact Becky Smith (beckys100@hotmail.com) Or if you just want to par cipate, make sure your calendar is blocked for it. Since you asked...did you know? Master Calendar We'd like to put together a 5-minute video highligh ng aspects of St. Jude's life, using second video clips shot during the year. The goal would be to preview this at the January 2016 Annual Mee ng. If you're interested in working on this fun project, contact Jeffrey Pugh (jdpugh2@gmail.com) You see that yellow financial promise card on your dresser or kitchen table? It's lonely! It wants to be filled out and returned! Do it now before you forget (and before budget me) Thanks! We have the 2016 master calendar posted. Feel free to come in and mark your regular mee ng dates on it. Remember: there is NO longer a permanent calendar, except for classroom usage, so everything needs to be marked on the calendar. Any Saturday or Sunday events need to be approved by Wilma. There are lime green slips above the calendar to fill out and place in Wilma s mailbox. Page 11 December 2015 the View

12 Veterans Group Since the last update the Veterans Group is s ll suppor ng our homeless vets at the Home First shelter with a lunch provided on the first Thursday of the each month as well as with other needs. We and the homeless vets want to thank the people of St. Judes for their outpouring of support. The weather has started to cool off and the Homeless will need warm jackets. If you have any the Vets can use them so please bring them to the church for them and our group will distribute them. If you have any ques ons about this please talk to Karen Leasure as she will be heading this up for our group. I would also like to thank the children of St. Judes for the enormous dona on of their Halloween candy. This will be brought to the shelter over the next few months to provide some sweet treats for the veterans during the day. Home First is also looking for DVDs that can be used to entertain the Vets during the day. If you have any used ones that you do not want please leave them in the box in the farmhouse (No Blu Ray as they don t have a player). If you can donate to this effort in either coats or cash please put it in the Veterans group box in the farmhouse or contact Bob Hebson to have it picked up. If you are interested in helping in any other way please contact Bob Hebson at (408) or rhebson@gmail.com. At the October vestry mee ng, the vestry voted to join PACT (People Ac ng in Community Together). PACT is made up of faith communi es which advocate for social change. Moving forward, PACT will begin to work with Saint Jude's in a listening process to iden fy an area that our parish feels drawn to. One of the issues that PACT is working on is housing. On Tuesday November 17th, several members of St. Jude's a ended a tenants rights workshop training, to learn how PACT works and to also consider the possibility of Saint Jude's hos ng tenants rights workshops at St. Jude's and possibly at Santa Maria Urban Ministry. Although this is not part of the official listening process, it will provide us with an opportunity to learn about PACT and to listen to the needs of the community in this one area. Coming up on December 5th from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm will be a PACT leadership training designed around having one on one conversa ons as part of engaging the community and decision makers to build rela onships as part of community organizing. All parishioners are welcome to par cipate. Please contact Ian Greensides for any ques ons or informa on. Deadlines: Weekly communica ons: Wednesday 9:00 am for the following week Sunday Announcement sheet: Wednesday at 9:00 am for the following week Monthly View: Third Tuesday of the month at 9:00 am Items that arrive a er deadline will be deferred to the following week or month. Sundays at St. Jude s 8:00 am: Eucharist, Rite II with hymns 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Childcare in nursery Room 4 9:15 am to 10:15 am Community Forum (most Sundays, check schedule) 10:25 am: Sunday School children meet in Room 1 & Room 6 10:30 am: Choral Eucharist, Rite II 11:15 (approximately); Children join families for worship 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Youth Group during the school year, grades 6 to 12, schedule varies Page 12 December 2015 the View

13 Diocesan Communications El Camino Real s 35th annual Diocesan Conven on took place November 6-7, 2015 at Sherwood Hall in Salinas. "Values" was the theme of this year s conven on, focusing on our five core diocesan values of Christ-Centeredness, Innova on & Crea vity, Integrity, Passion and Reconcilia on You can read Bishop Mary s address at h p:// -content/uploads/2015/11/diocesan-conven on-2015-bishops-address.pdf. Details and photos of conven on will be at h p:// on/. Dr. Raymond Moody to speak at St. Andrew s, Saratoga in December 4: The South Bay IANDS (Interna onal Associa on for Near-Death Studies) will host Dr. Raymond Moody as the speaker for their December 4, 7:15 pm mee ng in the Center at St. Andrew s. In 1975, Raymond Moody, a clinical psychologist, wrote the book Life A er Life. Since then, medical technology has improved to the point that near-death experiences are happening all the me, and the term is now a household word. Come and learn about this wondrous lifechanging event, from which people come back transformed, and with no fear of death. Reserva ons are $30 in advance, $40 at the door. See more info and pay through PayPal at h p://sbiands.org/2015/10/december-4/. For those without a PayPal account, all forms of payment are honored at the door, or a check can be mailed to South Bay IANDS, 5919 Tompkins Dr., San Jose, CA COM Workshop: Naviga ng the Ministry Discernment Process: Saturday, January 9 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul s, Salinas. (Gathering and coffee at 9:45 a.m.). It s par cularly valuable to those who are discerning a call to the diaconate or priesthood. The agenda includes a discussion about the process of discernment and an overview of ECR s ordina on process. To register, please Do e Fuller at do uller@aol.com with your name and congrega on by end-of-day January 7, (Please note COM Registra on in the subject line.) The Good News Along the King s Highway, the weekly format for diocesan news, comes in your as Real Episcopal. Subscribe to get issues in your Friday at the bo om of the home page at h p://realepiscopal.org/. Please send news/photos about parish events to our new Communica on Specialist, Elrond Lawrence, at elrond@realepiscopal.org. The new deadline is Wednesdays at 6 pm before the Friday issue date. For more diocesan or deanery informa on, contact Linda Morris, St. Jude s Diocesan Communica ons Liaison, at communica ons@saintjudes.org or St. Jude s website page for Diocesan and Episcopal news is at h p://saintjudes.org/beyond-saint-judes. St. Jude s online If you explore the St. Jude s website you will find: The Sunday sermon in text or audio; current or one from the archives Recent adult/community forums The most recent church bulle n The weekly announcement sheet The monthly newsle er Calendar and schedule of regular events This month s contributors Judy Bailey Stephanie Green Ian Greensides Bob Hebson Mary Hultquist Wilma Jakobsen Linda Morris Jeffrey Pugh Becky Smith Jennifer Stern Steve Stolarik Mission Covenant 1. Learn to live as disciples of Jesus in the modern world. 2. Focus energy and resources to make a greater impact in Social Justice and Outreach. 3. Deepen our welcome and accessibility to people of various backgrounds, ethnicities, ages and situations. 4. Support parishioners through all stages of their lives. 5.Strengthen our community by holding courageous conversations within a safe space. 6. Nurture our leaders and volunteers. 7. Joyfully share our abundance. Page 13 December 2015 the View