The San Joaquin. Anglican

Transcription

1 VOL 3 ISSUE 7 The San Joaquin The Bishop s Corner Anglican The Right Reverend Eric Vawter Menees O ver the past six years the Diocese of San Joaquin has taken a bold stand for the faith which, not surprisingly, resulted in lawsuits against Bishop Schofield, the Anglican Church Holding Corporation as well as the Rectors and Vestrymen of the Incorporated Parishes. The temptation for us as a diocese and congregations has been to be distracted from our Mission as Anglican Christians, hunker down and fight on. Thankfully, we have not given into that temptation. From the moment of my arrival in the diocese I have argued that either we truly embrace the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20) Or simply pack up and give into a culture that is increasingly pagan and an apathy that will surely kill us. I am pleased to say that in my travels around the diocese it is clear that we have taken up the mantel of the Great Commission! This is seen in our largest congregation, Our Lady of Guadalupe, which has over 800 people a Sunday and is growing, to our newest ministry, Revive Anglican Fellowship at Fresno State University. I was pleased to be at Trinity, Bakersfield for Trinity Sunday on June 15 th. Trinity, has set a shining example of the power of keeping your eyes on mission and ministry. They lost their property in the Kern County decision and chose not to appeal. Without losing a beat, they changed their name to Trinity Anglican (Continued on page 2) Bishop s Schedule And Diocesan Calendar June 29-July 2 Elementary Camp, Camp San Joaquin July 1 Delta Clericus July 1 Delegate Certifications Diocesan Office July 4 Diocesan Office is Closed July 5 Resurrection, Tracy July 6 St. Mary s, Manteca July 6-12 Gerard Family Camp, ECCO July 7-9 FIFNA Council July 12 Retreat Follow-up St. Paul s, Visalia July 13 Jesus Our Savior, Modesto July 19 Diocesan Council July 19 Anglican 4th Day, Trinity, Bakersfield July Junior High Summer Camp, Camp San Joaquin July 20 St. James, Lindsay July Strategic Planning, ECCO July 24 Standing Committee Meeting July 27 St. David s, San Rafael July 27 Aug. 1 High School Camp, Camp San Joaquin

2 (Continued from page 1) Church, found a new place to worship (Olive Drive Baptist Church graciously opened their doors), and moved forward in developing their mission which is to "Grow as Disciples of Jesus Christ through Worship, Fellowship, Learning and Outreach." They maintained and increased their emphasis on discipleship with the formation of small group ministry, catechism courses and bible studies. (What a pleasure it was to be with the nine confirmands and listen to them as they articulated their faith in Jesus!) They have expanded their prison ministry, ministry to the homeless, and those suffering with addiction. They have continued an emphasis on youth and the unborn through their support of the Pregnancy Care Center. Through it all they have maintained their membership and maintained a sense of identity and calling. This summer they have received my permission and that of the Standing Committee to purchase three acres of prime land to build a new church and ministry center upon. It is believed they will be worshiping in the new church within the next two years. Why have they been able to do that? Why have other congregations been able to make similar strides for the gospel? Because they have been focused on mission and ministry! In the midst of the uncertainty of the legal battles raging to protect the properties that God made us stewards of, it can be easy to fall into the temptation of cynicism or frustration. My prayer for each member of the diocese of San Joaquin, and for me as your bishop, is that we will be focused on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. News From the College of Bishops Bishop Menees attended the College of Bishop's at St. Vincent's Arch-Abby & College in Latrobe, PA from June On June 22 nd the Rt. Rev. Dr. Foley Beach was elected the 2 nd Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America and succeeded the Most Rev. Robert Duncan at the Provincial Assembly. THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 2

3 Transitions Congratulations go to the Rev. Dcn. Michael Law who was ordained to the Transitional Diaconate on June 14 th at St. Luke's, Bakersfield. (Bishop Menees ordained him for Bishop Atwood of the International Diocese) Dcn. Law is planning on serving in the Diocese of San Joaquin. Congratulations go to Fr. Paul Gibbons who took his Master in Sacred Theology Degree from Trinity School for Ministry in June. Congratulations go to Abigail Thomason, daughter of Fr. Derek & Elizabeth Thomason, who graduated Clovis High North, and despite having an emergency appendectomy just two days before, delivered the Valedictorian address. Abigail will be attending Fresno State University in the Fall. Congratulations go to Dcn. Erin Giles and Fr. Howard Giles on the birth of their 5 th child, Judith Gerrard Giles, on June 24 th. Mother and baby are happy and healthy! On June 29 th, Fr. Kris Rudell completed his ministry as Priest in Charge at St. Francis, Stockton. Fr. Kris has returned to Idaho to be with his wife but is exploring the possibility of ministry back in the diocese of San Joaquin! On June 15 th, Fr. Woodrow Gubuan completed his ministry as Interim Vicar at Jesus Our Savior, Modesto. Fr. Gubuan will become the Interim Vicar at St. Francis, Stockton on July 6 th. On June 22 nd, Fr. Jack Faucett stepped into the role of Priest in Charge at Jesus Our Savior, Modesto. On July 1 st, we will welcome the Rev. Dcn. Joseph Lawrence along with his wife Joette and their three children to the diocese, as Dcn. Joe steps into the Associate position at Trinity, Bakersfield. Pentecost with Confirmation at St. Columba, Fresno It is always a joy to have Bishop Menees visit St. Columba in Fresno. This year it was on Pentecost so the congregation showed up wearing mostly red (not difficult to do in Fresno State country). We gave Bishop Eric a warm welcome and enjoyed his comments. THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 3

4 WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TODAY TO PROTECT YOUR MINISTRY TOMORROW by John Pryor, Risk Management Consultant and member of Diocesan Council and Trinity Anglican Church, Bakersfield. Whether the problem is severe weather, an earthquake, pandemic illness, or security threats, churches like any other service organization or business need to have not only a disaster and emergency response plan but also a continuity plan. How will you respond to the unexpected? Will you be ready to take action? The record is full of organizations who survived the flood or earthquake or tornado, etc. yet too many failed shortly thereafter because of a lack of a continuity plan. This nature of continuity planning is also relevant if a court decision leaves your church without its physical plant and without all of its equipment, supplies, Altar Guild property, etc. This is an outcome our corporate sole churches in the San Joaquin Diocese may be facing. It s an outcome others have already confronted including St. Paul s Bakersfield now Trinity Anglican. Trinity s experience in transitioning from St. Paul s to Trinity and from 17 th Street in downtown Bakersfield to a temporary location in northwest Bakersfield -- and now toward a permanent location in southwest Bakersfield -- can be a helpful model for your church leaders to consider and possibly to emulate. Trinity learned a lot of lessons during the process. First and foremost is the help of a Ministry Continuity Plan a process in which every church needs to engage regardless of its size, the nature of its property, or the demographics of its congregation. It MUST be a proactive process -- accomplished well in advance of its need and not a reactive effort to cope with each adversity as it arises. Without a plan, it s difficult to know what to do first. With a plan, you know what it will take to resume serving your people and your community. For example: Do you have an emergency or disaster plan? Does it include information about how to resume the business of ministry? For instance, do you know where you ll meet if your church is closed? Do you know how you ll be able to access church records? Do you know how to take the essential steps to form a new legal entity, to select an acceptable new name? Do you know how to address other organizational issues that will assuredly emerge? If not, it may seem like a daunting task to pull this information together. However, out of the experience at St. Paul s / Trinity and from other valid sources you can receive a step-by-step process map and other data on how to take your church through this difficult process and retain (if not increase) your Average Sunday Attendance -- as has Trinity over the past 11 months. These guidelines are yours for the asking. Just contact Corey McLaughlin in the Bishop s office. He ll be glad to you a copy. (continued on page 5) THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 4

5 (continued from page 4) You ll immediately see that it s NOT a simple process. There are a multitude of details. However, by creating a team that can start NOW and by using these guidelines, you and your congregation should be well prepared to work through this difficult process. Even in the event of a positive outcome in the Diocesan litigation, this planning process should be part of your current leadership roles both clergy and laity. Who knows when the next natural catastrophe as opposed to this particular man-made disaster will interrupt your normal ministries and missions? These guidelines will help in all such situations. If you have questions, Corey will be available to field each. If he doesn t have answers at his fingertips for you, he knows where to refer your questions. The critical point is for you and your church leaders to begin this process now! Even if you're already well along in some elements of this planning process, you ll find the information helpful. Call or Corey quickly!!! Note: There are other resources available that can help you develop a disaster response and recovery plan. Here are a few you may want to consider: Ready.gov This website has a wealth of information that can help churches, small businesses, and large organizations alike prepare for the worst and be ready to get back to business as quickly as possible following a disaster. There s information about continuity of operations planning and even a sample business emergency plan that churches and related ministries can use to get the planning process started. There s also information that can help ministries educate employees and volunteers. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Advertising Council designed Ready.gov to help Americans prepare for and respond to emergencies. The Ready Business section of Ready.gov helps leaders of small- and medium-sized businesses prepare their employees, operations, and assets in the event of an emergency. RedCross.org Like Ready.gov, the American Red Cross provides a wealth of information to help businesses and other organizations like churches prepare for disasters and emergencies. The American Red Cross also offers training that can help workplaces be ready to respond. Ministry-Specific Resources In addition to government and national resources like Ready.gov and the American Red Cross, there are several ministry-specific resources available to help you address your disaster planning efforts. Here are a few: Hope Crisis Response Network: This not-for-profit organization helps communities address all stages of a disaster the event itself, relief and recovery efforts, and hazard mitigation. The website offers a variety of information, including a helpful publication, Disaster Planning for Churches that you may wish to review. Church Disaster Mental Health Project: This organization was formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to provide outreach and education to pastors and church leaders. While its goal is to assist with the psychological distress associated with a disaster, the website also provides information and resources about preparing for and responding to emergencies. THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 5

6 A Picante Pentecost! The Congregations at St. James Cathedral (St. James and Our Lady of Guadalupe) gathered together the Sunday before last for a joint Pentecost service that filled Eden Hall with over 800 worshipers! Fr. Antonio Castaneda preached and Fr. Carlos Raines celebrated the Eucharist at a service that also included the consecration of over 20 people to engage in healing ministry for both congregations. There were numerous testimonies about the Holy Spirit and healings as well. Worship was led by the praise band of Our Lady of Guadalupe and by Eagle's Wings and the youth worship band (from St. James). Readings were in English and in Spanish and so were the prayers of the people, led extemporaneously from people from both congregations. Two other highlights were the Bag Piper, who led the opening procession with Amazing Grace, and the Afro-Caribbean members of St. James, who taught us how to dance our offerings up to the Altar! After the service the entire Hall was transformed into a dining facility by workers from Our Lady of Guadalupe and then a hearty lunch of chicken, beans and rice with desserts was put on by members of both congregations. In the testimonies, the most common theme was how deeply impressed people were at the unity and love brought about by the Holy Spirit who had brought together people from every tribe, family, people and nation, a kingdom of priests to serve our God! And so to Him who sits upon the Throne and to Christ the Lamb be worship and praise, dominion and power for ever and for ever more! Picture Captions: The service begins with Amazing Grace played by Mark Little. (top left) The procession moves through the people. (Flags and decorations from Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe!) (below) Facing the camera: Oliver and Susan Okonkwo in Nigerian vestments. (bottom left) THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 6

7 Revive An Anglican Congregation at Fresno State This month has been full of change and new direction, some of it hard and some of it easy, and all of it good. We are meeting together once a week for prayer and fellowship at Anthony and Paula's home, which has been a blessing. We are also planning some other trips and fun activities during the summer, before school starts in the fall. I am finished raising my financial support! Thank you so much to all of you for helping to make this happen. Today, we had the first monthly prayer meeting for Christian clubs of all traditions on campus. We all came together in the Peace Garden to pray for Fresno State. God was there, and we were blessed to be together. Alexandra has been here for two weeks now. Together, we have begun working on the small plot for the community garden. We are busy digging and turning over the soil, and gathering supplies to build a small fence and walkway. It has been very healing to dig in the soil, and we look forward to burying seeds. I am mentoring a lovely young lady named Maggie this summer, as she prepares to be a camp counselor at our camps Thank you! Thank you for all your continued support financially, and with prayers and ideas. Your hearts and minds help make this possible. It took hard work to get such a good-looking dirt! THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 7

8 Trinity Anglican Bakersfield Welcomes New Deacon Trinity Anglican Church is delighted to announce the appointment of Deacon Joe Lawrence to the position of Assistant Rector a role in Trinity Parish that includes: leadership of Trinity s Christian education, youth groups, and discipleship groups participation in worship services pastoral care parish administration Many Trinity members will recall Dcn. Joe as he grew up in our parish while his father, (now) Bishop Mark Lawrence was our Rector for seven years until During that time, Dcn. Joe helped our youth ministry as an intern and led a contemporary music group -- mostly guitars that kids love to play and sing along. He also helped facilitate Bible studies and even did some teaching! Dcn. Joe commented, I am so grateful for the time I spent in this parish growing up. It was largely at this parish that I learned the scriptures, drank deeply from the Anglican way of worship, and matured in a community of disciples. Above all, this was the parish where I grew into a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. (continued on page 9) THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 8

9 (continued from page 8) His educational accomplishments have been extensive and impressive: He earned a bachelors degree in English Literature (with a minor in Philosophy) at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio in He earned a Master of Divinity from Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA just this past month. His ordination as a priest should occur in about six months. Dcn. Joe's ministry experience also has prepared him very well. He served in these capacities after moving from Bakersfield: Most recently to Youth Catechist, Adult Education, SubDeacon, and Mission Mobilization at Grace Anglican Church, Edgeworth PA Fall of 2013, Chaplain to a Hospice in Pittsburgh PA Summer of 2013, adult education, preaching, and pastoral visitation at Parish Church of St. Helena, Beaufort SC 2009 to 2011, pastoral visitation, Liturgical Deacon, and leadership of community bible studies at Church of the Good Shepherd, Charleston SC Dcn. Joe concluded, What an exciting opportunity it is to return to Bakersfield and Trinity Anglican Church! I greatly look forward to working in this community of disciples and to building up more disciples of all ages. I am also very happy that my family, too, will know this parish as their home. Trinity Rector, Fr. Karl Dietze, said, We are very excited about having Dcn. Joe, Joette, and their family join us here at Trinity. His passion for family ministry, both in his own home and for the people of God, will be a tremendous blessing to our church family. All at Trinity Anglican Church are looking forward to welcoming Dcn. Joe, his wife, Joette, and their three children: Samantha, age 5, Sophia, age 4, and Andrew, age 1. THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 9

10 Afternoon Worship Services at Columbus Estates During my intercessory prayer time, I asked the Lord what more could I do for Him since my mobility is limited to a walker and a scooter. I remembered, in the last year, that many of the residents plus the management approached me about leading a worship service at Columbus Estates. Many of the residents have disabilities which prevent them from going to church services on Sundays. Easter afternoon I approached the manager about having a worship service in the Activity Room every Sunday at 4:00 pm and his response was, How soon? I told him I thought we could begin on May 4 th. Then I started writing a Non-Denominational Worship Liturgy which I later shared with Deacon Skip Hill. We met on Friday and he told me that he wanted to support this ministry in any way he was needed. He has been so very helpful in printing the liturgies, selecting familiar hymns from both a Baptist hymnal and from the set of three Classic Hymns CDs. During the service, he is very gifted leading the singing of the hymns for each service. Both of us share in leading the different parts of the liturgy, with me usually preaching the homily. The Sunday attendance has continually grown from six to eight coming in May to sixteen worshiping our Lord on June 15 th. After preaching on Pentecost about the power of the Holy Spirit, many people shared testimonies about how they were led to share the Gospel with a stranger and later found out that he died the following week. We all agreed about how important it is for each of us to support each other when we find one was taken from us. In the beginning, everyone took off after the last hymn was sung, but now they stay as long as they can before dinner. They just don't want to leave. We're starting to form a community. A few have volunteered to read the lessons and lead the Prayers of the People. This Sunday, for the first time, we are offering Communion Under Special Circumstances after receiving a favorable response last Sunday. What is also amazing is that our service is now listed in the monthly Columbus Estate Activities Calendar. On Sundays, the manager announces where and when the services are during breakfast and lunch, and just before 4:00 pm, the manager again announces the service over the building's PA. What is amazing to me is that this secular company is voluntarily promoting the advancement of the Gospel. I thank God for this opportunity to honor and worship Him in a way and place I would have never experienced. For with God nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37) Deacon Gregory Statezni Columbus Estates THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 10

11 IN CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE On June 20th and 21st Russ Willingham, Executive Director of New Creation Ministries (located on the campus of St. James Cathedral in Fresno) led a marriage conference, entitled RADIANT MARRIAGE at The Bridge Church (in Fresno). This seminar on marriage was the culmination of 30 years of Russ s counseling experience and study about what the Bible has to say about marriage. There was a good cross section of ages in attendance (it is never too late to work on your marriage!) Topics of discussion were: Changing the Things I Can; The Relational Hierarchy; Love Languages: what language do you speak and what language does your spouse speak - and learning to speak their language ; and, The Marriage Quadrangle: communication, fun, sex, and partnership. It was at times intense and contained a lot of valuable information to take in and digest and discuss down the road with each other. After the seminar, 4 couples from St. James gathered at the local Spaghetti Factory for a time of relaxation, food, and fellowship. The weekend was capped off by 5 couples at St. James renewing their wedding vows at both services. Dr. Russell Willingham of NCM, doing a scientific experiment with some willing couples! Fellowship time over a meal: (women: Carol Raines, Cheri Risch, Sue Hague, Marguerite Walker; men: Fr. Carlos Raines, Forest Risch, Randy Hague, Luther Walker) THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 11

12 Safe Drinking Water Awakens Hope in South Sudan It s important to have water for our bodies and the Word of God for our souls. Eunice Azuwa, Anglican Mother s Union Leader, Mambee As the tragic civil war continues and catastrophic famine becomes a real possibility, it is increasingly difficult to find signs of positive change in South Sudan. However, in the Anglican Diocese of Olo Area Maridi, an ARDF-funded project is transforming lives by providing clean drinking water and desperately needed hope to poor, rural communities. The project has had an incredible impact: 15,000 People Now Have Access to Clean Water Many people in South Sudan live in constant danger of waterborne diseases which keep parents from working and children out of school, but thanks to ARDF s partnership with the Anglican Diocese of Olo Area Maridi, two rural communities now have deep wells that are providing safe water to drink. Without the threat of disease, the community members health is improving along with their access to education and economic development. 4,667 People Were Reached With the Gospel During and after the well-drilling, outreach and evangelism teams conducted prayer sessions and Bible studies. A local community leader named Godwill Hessin said, I thank those who were involved and supported the water project because today, my people and I are safe because we are drinking clean water Through this project our faith has been [revived] both spiritually and physically. Most of the people came to know the love of God and the work of the church. (continued on page 13) THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 12

13 (continued from page 12) The Community Learned to See Themselves as God Sees Them The poor often feel powerless, which is why ARDF supports projects that restore their sense of dignity and self-confidence. By partnering with the people of Maridi on this project the Diocese helped to build a sense of dignity and a belief that they can continue to transform their own lives. Godwill also told us, This project has opened the mind of our community to understand their situation and also to use their local resources to meet their needs. We thank God not just for clean water, but for a redeemed self-image in the people of Maridi. Despite the Violence, God is Still at Work When we tell the story of South Sudan, it is vital to remember that God is still at work through His people redeeming, saving, and changing lives. In fact, the Anglican Church in South Sudan should be an incredible encouragement and inspiration to us as its members live out the Gospel of Christ in some of the world s poorest communities. Over and over again at ARDF we see how our Anglican brothers and sisters in the developing world many of whom live in extreme poverty themselves experience God s love so deeply that they are set free to love their neighbors in tangible ways. Like Jesus, they see no contradiction between proclaiming the gospel boldly, and acting on behalf of the poor, bringing both physical and spiritual healing. The Anglican Diocese of Olo Area Maridi is a wonderful example of how evangelism and works of mercy both flow from Jesus command to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). We pray that the church in North America would also be set free to love the poor because of God s radical grace. Donate now and help ARDF empower Anglicans around the world to transform their own communities through sustainable projects like this one. Sign-up for our newsletter and stay up to date with what God is doing around the world through the Anglican Church. Read more about the refugee crisis in South Sudan. THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 13

14 NO MEETING IN JULY! Conference Call Only Please join us on August 1 st Saturday at Christ Church in Oakhurst at 7:15 pm. This is our A4D Leadership & Team Retreat at ECCO. Let us hold firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep His promise. Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another show love and to do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer. Hebrews 10:23-25 Just a reminder, team applications are now being accepted for the Next A4D Weekend. Please submit by August 1 st to work the January 1-4 th, 2015 Weekend. Team meetings will start in September. Please visit our website at for applications and mail them to Annie Curtier 1740 W. Jackman St. Lancaster Upcoming A4D Events: August 1st 3rd A4D Leadership & Team Retreat at ECCO Dorms $119/Double $155/Private $233 January 1-4 th, 2015 A4D Weekend at ECCO For more information and retreat reservations, please contact Annie Curtier, Lay Director at or by at amcurtz17@verizon.net. THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 14

15 Gerard Family Camp July 6-12, 2014 A gathering of people of all ages for a week of fellowship, rest and refreshment, fun and games, as well as an opportunity to pray together, learn together and grow together. Sunday afternoon, July 6 th through the following Saturday, July 12 th after breakfast. Lodging & Meals: Price includes 6 nights lodging and 17 meals: (Dinner-Sunday evening through breakfast on Sunday) No charge for children 4 and under. Per Person Fee Lodge Room : $ Dormitory: $ R.V. : $ Kristen Cook Program Coordinator Evergreen Conference Center Oakhurst Hwy 41 Oakhurst, CA ph fax ecco5@sti.net December Page THE THE SAN SAN JOAQUIN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN ANGLICAN Page 15

16 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 receptionist@dioceseofsanjoaquin.net. 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 20 th of the month for possible inclusion in the newsletter in the following month. Please send these to sandfrogers@mediacombb.net and cc: melody@ctkridgecrest.org Thank you! THE SAN JOAQUIN ANGLICAN Page 16