The LENTEN INVITATIONS BY THE VERY REV. MARY HUDAK THE NEWSLETTER OF ST. MICHAEL S EPISCOPAL CHURCH FEBRUARY 2016 VOL. 46 ISSUE 2

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1 The MESSENGER THE NEWSLETTER OF ST. MICHAEL S EPISCOPAL CHURCH FEBRUARY 2016 VOL. 46 ISSUE MISSION AVE. CARMICHAEL, CA STMICHAELSCARMICHAEL.ORG LENTEN INVITATIONS BY THE VERY REV. MARY HUDAK Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repent of evil. (Opening sentence, Morning Prayer, Book of Common Prayer, Joel 2:13) Lent is coming quickly, beginning with Ash Wednesday on February 10th. It is a time to reflect on our relationship with God. Important questions to ask are: Is your life centered on God s will? If not, what is taking God s place? Are you paying attention to the places in which other things are distracting you or have become more important then God? Is there something you need to do or stop doing in order to reorient your life toward relationship with God? It is also important to ask these questions of our communal life. We believe that Jesus is our purpose. The focus of our ministry should be to make Jesus known to those who don t know him with acts of mercy for those in need, justice for those who are oppressed, love, praise and thanksgiving for God and the blessings we receive, love for each other and ourselves. St. Michael s is making a concerted effort to invite others into a relationship with Jesus. We are creating opportunities to include visitors and members into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Fr. Rod s weekly book study after the 8am and 10am services is one such opportunity. Twenty members have already signed up. All are invited to join the book group. We are also offering confirmation classes to help those who want to go deeper within the Episcopal tradition. Please consider joining the class. Both of these small groups are meant to engage our minds and hearts to better know God s will for us. We are also gathering information about the neighborhood surrounding our church. The purpose is to determine how best we can be an important resource to the neighborhood. Our desire is to offer our space in order to assist the community in becoming a more just place. We are working to define our partnership with St. Matthew s in a clear way so that both communities can reach out to those in need. By working together, St. Matthew s, St. Michaels, and the community around St. Matthew s can hope to understand the needs better in order to break down barriers that hinder our efforts to bring mercy and tackle systematic injustices. We are taking a critical look at our campus space to determine how to make it a more effective place to worship, honor our families, and continue to serve the ministries that already exist. We are already taking steps to make this happen. We sent out a survey to determine our present needs. When we are done gathering our space needs, we will begin a process to select an architect who can help us think this through in a concrete and practical way. We are constantly refining the worship services to be clear on our purpose. The three services we currently offer all have the same purpose: to love, adore, and worship God. We are currently doing it in three different styles; traditional with little music, Choral music with the prayers slightly modified to make it more accessible and contemporary to better fit our context, the 5pm service is offered to those who desire a more contemplative experience. In addition, members are surveying other Episcopal Churches to determine if another casual service should be added to continued on page 2

2 PARISH OFFICE continued from page 1 reach out even further to those who need something different in order to connect with God. I want to thank everyone who has been involved thus far in the work and planning of these goals. I also want to be clear that all are invited to get involved in the areas that God is calling you to participate. Please add this to your prayers during lent: Gracious God, I ask you to show me the ways in which you need and desire me to get involved at St. Michael s. Give me Wisdom to determine your call for my ministry. Equip me with the resources to allow me to do this with grace and love. I pray this seeking your Spirit and love for Jesus as the guiding light to the answers. Amen. May God be with you during this holy time. Faithfully, Rev. Mary Rev. Mary M-Th 9am-5pm ST. MICHAEL S STAFF & OFFICE HOURS The office is open M-F 9am-4pm Mari M, T & Th, F 11am-3pm Glenn M-F 8am 4pm Father Rod W, F 9am-12pm Deacon Cindy M, W Ellen T-F 9am-5pm Treasurer M 9am-12pm page 2

3 DATES TO REMEMBER MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 MERCY & SOCIAL JUSTICE MEETING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 PANCAKE SUPPER WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES AT 7AM, 12PM, & 7PM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 MEN S BREAKFAST SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 MESSENGER DEADLINE LOAVES & FISHES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 R.O.M.E.O.S SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20 GOD S HELPING HANDS LAUNDRY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22 DAUGHTERS OF THE KING FRI-SAT, FEBRUARY CEYN YOUTH LOCK-IN SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT ALL FAMILY EUCHARIST ANNUAL MEETING RECAP BY THE VERY REV. MARY HUDAK Thank you for attending the Annual Meeting on January 24, It was a great celebration of the past year and a look into what the future might hold for St. Michael s. Thank you to Jill Aills of Rutabaga Café by School House Catering, which prepared and served a wonderful brunch. Thank you to the outgoing Vestry Members: Jim Dodds, Mary Ellen Ferguson, Sarah Foley, Chris Lee, and Tammy Murray. Thank you to Jim Sargent who has been our Treasurer since 2009 and is turning over the keys to Bob McMichael. I am pleased to announce the Vestry: Doug Davy, Senior Warden, Kate Muris, Junior Warden, Diane Rehrer, Clerk, Cary Adams, Bryan Barry, Dave Decker, Anna Johnson, Susan Johnson, Gail McMichael, Savannah Olivier, Michael Patrick, Huey Tidwell. At the Annual Meeting Sunday, we did not accurately report the outcome of the vote for the Diocesan Delegates. The following seven people were voted to be delegates to the Diocese of Northern California 2016 Convention: Jim Cole, Lisa Sargent, Mary Ellen Ferguson, Mary Groesbeck, Mary Davy, Kate Muris, and Janice Bowdler. The following people were voted to be alternates: Alternate 1: Marcie Larkey, Alternate 2: Elizabeth Ridinger, Alternate 3: Tina Ferriot, and Alternate 4: Diane Rehrer. Thank you all for agreeing to participate in this important ministry! The following people received The Bell Award as determined by the Rector: Julie Linderman, Kate Muris, Susan and Michael Johnson, and Tammy Murray. Jim Sargent received The Angel Award. Thank you all for your support and ministry at St. Michaels! page 3

4 PARISH LIFE ST. MICHAEL S S This is what you can expect: We send out a Friday with information for the upcoming Sunday and the weekly announcements. You will also receive a monthly that contains the Messenger, our monthly newsletter; one click and you have it delivered right to your computer! We also send s informing the parish when their is a death that has happened within the parish family and information regarding the Memorial service. You can go onto the website and click on the join our list and then add your address, first and last name. You can also or call the office and we can do this for you. If you are currently not receiving our s, we ask you to try and sign up again. We am sorry if there has been any confusion with people not receiving our . SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 R.O.M.E.O.s will meet for lunch on Thursday, February 18 at 12pm at Serritella s (6346 Fair Oaks Blvd). Daughters of the King will meet on Monday,February 22 in the Friendship Center. All women in the congregation are most welcome to join us. Any questions, please call Edie Decker at or Saint Margaret s Guild St Margaret s Guild will meet on Monday, February 8 at 1pm at the Red Lobster at 1400 Howe Avenue. All women in the Congregation are cordially invited to attend. Any questions and for reservations, please call Geneva Pratt or BAPTISMS AND CONFIRMATION CLASSES: We will be having Baptisms during the Easter Service on March 27th at 10am. If you know of anyone who is interested in being baptized or having their children, grandchildren, friends, relatives, or neighbors baptized, please let the office know! If you are interested in being confirmed, received, or want to renew your commitment to the church, Please let Rev. Mary know. Anyone who is between the ages of 14 and 104 are invited to attend Confirmation classes. They will be the following dates: February 14, 21, 28, March 6, and 13. page 4

5 PARISH LIFE NEW CONSECRATION SUNDAY RESULTS BY DOUG DAVY, SENIOR WARDEN Thank you for pledging your generous financial support for St. Michael s. Your estimate of giving is essential for sound financial planning for our parish. Once again this year, pledges are higher, on average by 12 percent over last year. Also, the proportion of the Estimate of Giving cards given on Consecration Sunday is significantly higher than previously, having risen to almost 70 percent. I know that is a real help to our Treasurer when it is time to prepare the budgets for the coming year. The total number of pledges to date this year is 133 for $403,082, but there may still be pledges that have not been turned in. If you have not sent your card, please do so at the earliest opportunity. If you would like a card, please the office (or me at dougdavy@winfirst.com). Again, your generous support is what makes everything possible at St. Michael s and is much appreciated. USE OF CAMPUS SPACE FOCUS GROUP BY DOUG DAVY, SENIOR WARDEN One of the Vestry s three-year goals is to determine the best use of our campus space to be consistent with the Parish s Family Church and Joyful Welcoming initiatives. One of St. Michael s strongest assets is that we have a large facility that has many useful spaces and is mostly in good repair. The purpose of the Use of Campus Space Focus group is to assess how we can use our space even more effectively for our ministries. We need to improve our facilities for Christian education and family worship because these ministries are among our highest priorities. Our worship space is somewhat outmoded and could use some renovation. The first step in the focus group s work is to take an inventory of how our ministries currently use the campus and its facilities. If you are a ministry leader, you will soon be receiving a questionnaire about how and when your ministry makes use of our facilities. Please return the questionnaire promptly as this information will be used to determine which ministries might be underserved and to envision how we can implement the needed changes that will help us to function more effectively as a church. If you would like to be part of this interesting and important group, please contact me (dougdavy@ winfirst.com). We are in the process of taking inventory of who uses St. Michael s campus space in the past and currently. This includes meeting space, storage space, and special events use. In addition, we are evaluating our campus space needs for the future as well. According to the St. Michael s calendar, we determined that you use our space regularly (Children, Youth, and Family Ministries) or may need to use the space in the future. You will have the opportunity to fill out a questionnaire for our planning purposes and to determine your needs on an on-going basis. The campus spaces we are discussing are the following: The Sanctuary (The Church) The Columbarium The Godly Play Space connected to the Columbarium The Language Lab/Choir Robing/Sunday School Room The Office Space The Conference Room The EYC Room The Friendship Center Johnstone Hall Parish Hall Kitchen Pantry It is the intent of the Campus Space Committee to use this information to make informed recommendations about how our campus can be used to fully support all of the needs of the St. Michael s Community. In addition to this questionnaire, the committee is happy to speak to you and your group to better understand your needs. We thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration and determination of space needs. page 5

6 PARISH LIFE ST. MICHAEL S RECEIVES LARGE MEMORIAL GIFTS BY JIM SARGENT I reported at the Annual Meeting that St. Michael s has received some large monetary gifts as bequests from member estates as well as memorial gifts. We received $50,000 from the estate of Mary Swartz. Sam Soffa, the brother of Selma Wolfson gave St. Michael s $100,000 in Selma s memory. $10,000 to be used by the Altar Guild and $90,000 as an unrestricted gift. The executor of Sally Freitag s estate informed Jim that in early February she will be sending to St. Michael s an initial payout check from Sally s estate for $250,000 and, most likely, will send an additional amount later in the year when Sally s estate is settled. Jim also reported that the Vestry voted to establish a new investment fund titled Large Memorial Gifts Fund. This new fund will separate the large memorial and bequests gifts from our Unrestricted Reserve Fund which will allow us to acknowledge those who so generously gave when we use these funds to improve our facilities. Have you selected St. Michael s as a beneficiary in your will or trust? It s a wonderful way of allowing you to continue to support St. Michael s into the future. WORSHIP: THANK YOU! BY THE VERY REV. MARY HUDAK Reading of The Three Trees: I want to thank Michael Walker and Hunter O Hair (Narrators) and Kate Muris, Paula Frink, and Jim Dodds (Trees) for a very fine reading of The Three Trees as part of a sermon during a 10 am Sunday morning worship. It worked very well and we look forward to more stories during the sermon time to illustrate how we all can be living out the Gospels in our own lives. Please continue to give generously to support food programs in our community: St. Matthew s, River City Food Bank, and Loaves & Fishes Please continue to give generously to support food programs in our community: St. Matthew s, River City Food Bank, and Loaves & Fishes page 6

7 LENT AT ST. MICHAEL S Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper February 9th, 6pm in the Parish Hall. Please sign up with the office. Your Lent devotional booklet will be available! Ash Wednesday Services 7am, 8:10am St. Michael s Episcopal Day School Eucharist, Noon, and 7pm. LENTEN BOOK STUDY Sunday Mornings immediately following the 8am and 10am services beginning Feb 14, Lenten Book Study Please join Fr. Rod in observing a holy Lent this year as we read together and discuss each Sunday after the 10 a.m. service the book entitled Power in Weakness: New Hearing for Gospel Stories of Healing and Discipleship by Frederick Houk Borsch, former bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and former dean of Church Divinity School of the Pacific. Through imaginative telling of nine foundational Gospel stories, we will be trying to use them to develop a bedrock and practical theology for living our lives as followers of Jesus. Please tell Fr. Rod of your intent to participate so that a book can be ordered for you. The cost is $16. Lent Madness It s back! Remember how much fun Lent Madness was last year? Well, it s back with a whole bracket of new saints to work with. If you are new to this craziness. Lent Madness is like March Madness with Saints instead of basketball teams. There are brackets with saints paired up. Each day a different pairing is featured and you can read about each saint and vote for the one you think is most deserving of the Golden Halo. Last year s winner was St. Francis, with St. Bridget picking up the Silver Halo. Brackets will be available in the Narthex. We will keep a large poster bracket up in the Parish Hall. You can also print your own and learn more at lentmadness.org. We start on Ash Wednesday, so be ready! page 7

8 COMMUNITY PANEL DISCUSSION - HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION Nationally, The Episcopal Church has taken steps to increase awareness of human trafficking issues (Google: Episcopal Resolution on Trafficking, and The Five Marks of Mission). Here at St Michael s the Mercy and Social Justice Committee is committed to bringing opportunities for education, advocacy and action to the attention of the congregation and we recognize the importance of supporting efforts to end trafficking and child exploitation in our area. We are fortunate to have a local organization, Courage Worldwide (courage worldwide. org), that provides safe, long-term care facilities for children removed from sex trafficking, and has the support of law enforcement and the judicial system. Mercy Foundation and Sacramento Rotary have both recently committed to raise funds for more cottages at Courage House. Interested in learning more? We would like to encourage you to attend this panel discussion at St. Mark s. Questions may be directed to Dancy Dobrenick When: Thursday, March 10, 7 pm Location: St. Mark s United Methodist Church, 2391 St. Mark s Way, Sacramento, CA Speaker Panel Members: Jenny Williamson, Executive Director, Courage Worldwide; Jan Scully, Founder and Director, Family Justice Center; Holly Gibbs, survivor and health educator at Dignity Healthcare; Sonia Satchell, Deputy District Attorney, Sacramento District Attorney s office and member of the Human Trafficking Task Force March 14, :30 pm-8:00 pm -$70 Wine, hors d oeuvres, soups, and desserts by Classique Catering March 15, :30am to 1:30pm -$30 Traditional soup lunch and desserts Sacramento Convention Center-1400 J St. Sacramento, CA For more information: COMING MAY 2016 Mitch Albom s TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom based on the book by Mitch Albom 50% of the proceeds go to the ALS Association Greater Sacramento Chapter St. Michael s Episcopal Church, Johnstone Hall 2140 Mission Avenue, Carmichael CA page 8

9 Habitat for Humanity Greater Sacramento org/buildforunity has announced a new project called Build for Unity, which will be a collaboration between local faith groups to provide housing to families in need while taking an important stand on our shared values. In today s political climate and given the divisive national rhetoric, it s more important than ever to show what Sacramento stands for: diversity, inclusion, and community. Build for Unity will bring together members of different faiths to sponsor two homes. In a show of solidarity with each other, the vision is that the Muslim community will commit to funding a home for a non-muslim family; simultaneously, the non- Muslim faith community will commit to funding a home for a Muslim family. The groups must raise $75,000 for each home, which will then be built by people of all beliefs. OUTREACH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY UNITY BUILD BY DEACON CINDY LONG This is an important statement about the culture of Sacramento. Not only will diverse faith groups come together to sponsor homes for two families, but the homes themselves will be built next door to each other, a symbol of the acceptance and friendship within our community. Habitat for Humanity Greater Sacramento has a long tradition of spearheading interfaith builds, and Build for Unity is a timely example of this work given the current national dialogue isolating specific faiths and groups of people. St. Michael s Mercy & Social Justice Committee has approved a donation of $2000 (from existing outreach funds and a private donor) to support Habitat for Humanity s project Unity Build. Target date for beginning construction is July 2016 with a completion date of December As the project develops we will share the progress and volunteer opportunities. For questions please contact Deacon Cindy or Sue Gaston. ST. MARK S HOSTING WINTER SANCTUARY Winter Sanctuary is a project that provides overnight shelter and meals for homeless men in the winter. The guests are carefully selected and bused daily to the host church. The church provides dinner, foot washing, overnight shelter, and breakfast the next morning. The guests are then bused back after breakfast. This is a wonderful way to help people eat, and stay warm and safe overnight. Our parish has the opportunity to assist 2 area congregations who are hosting Winter Sanctuary. We need volunteers to do food prep, food serving, clean-up, greeting/hosting, foot washing, and breakfast. The dates needed are below. You will find the times are noted on the signup board which is available in the parish hall on Sundays. For questions please contact Deacon Cindy or Sue Gaston. Carmichael Presbyterian - February 25 thru 27 St. Mark s Methodist - February 29 - March 4. GOD S HELPING HANDS LAUNDRY DAY BY MARY GROESBECK On the third Saturday of every month a group of three or four volunteers gather at Launderland on Fulton Avenue to serve our neighbors in need. People who are homeless, or are living on social security, have no or very low income, or are disabled bring their clothes to Launderland. They come on foot, by bus or by automobile. We will pay for washing and drying two loads of laundry and also supply detergent and dryer sheets. This service is financed by donations, large and small. Strict accounting is kept for income and outgo. Starbucks in Town and Country Village donates a box of hot coffee with cream, sweeteners, napkins and stir sticks. The volunteers bring muffins, juice and granola bars to go with the coffee. In the few months we have been at this new location we have served from 9 to 14 individuals each month. Our limit for a Saturday is 20 people. Volunteers are always needed. If you would like to help, please contact Mary Groesbeck at maryg32@sbcglobal.net or at page 9

10 PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY UPDATE by Deacon Cindy Long & the Pastoral Care Team: Kate Muris, Lisa Sargent, & Tina Ferriot Our Vision: Create a culture where the people of St. Michael s Church pastor to one another with open hearts, healthy emotional attitudes, good boundaries, and a sense of God s presence in their work. All Pastoral Caregivers Retreat on Sunday February 28, 2016, 12:30-4:30pm If you are a Pastoral Partner, Caring Heart, Community of Hope Pastoral Minister or Eucharisitic Visitor please join us for our second annual Pastoral Caregivers Retreat. This event is a special thank you for the care you share with St Michael s. We will begin with lunch and continue with a refreshing and Holy Spirit filled afternoon retreat. Please call the church office to RSVP and include any special dietary needs. For more information contact Deacon Cindy Good Grief! A new support group is starting. We held our introductory meetings on January 31st to discuss future dates, times and format for our grief support group. If you missed the meetings and are interested in hearing more or joining a support group it is not too late. Please contact Deacon Cindy. Important Upcoming Dates! Community of Hope Pastoral Ministers- Next check in meeting is Wednesday Feb 24th 6:30-8:30pm THE BIG PICTURE: 4 TIERS OF PASTORAL CARE Tier 1- Caring Hearts Volunteers provide meals and rides to appointments/other errands, and Church / Church Events. Please request by ing caringhearts@stmichaelscarmichael.org or by leaving a message on the Caring Hearts extension at the church office ext 12 and we will do our best to help meet your need. Tier 2- Pastoral Partners Offers intentional hospitality and support through regular check ins with members who may be feeling isolated due to illness or other life circumstances. Tier 3- Pastoral Ministers and Bereavement Ministry Offers ongoing spiritually based pastoral care after clergy have attended to initial crisis. Tier 4- Clergy Pastoral Care- Offers pastoral care for those situations that require clergy. (ongoing- please call the church office if you or someone you know are in need) page 10

11 YOUTH & FAMILY AN UPDATE AND A THANK YOU BY ELLEN COLEMAN Dearest friends at St. Michael s, As you ve probably noticed, I m not physically in California. I m currently writing you from Jackson, Mississippi, where I m staying with my sister Claire, her husband Craig, and their two boys, Ben and Sam. I m taking a little bit of time off because I have a pretty serious health issue that I ve been struggling with, and decided that in order to heal, I need to be close to my immediate family for support. It s difficult to be this vulnerable, but I m learning that I need to be a little more open in order for healing to begin. I learned this important thing from all of you: all of you who come to church every week to put yourselves in the way of Grace; all of you who serve and give your talent, time, and resource to further St. Michael s mission to joyfully welcome all people; all of you who take care of yourselves and each other in such generous ways, always listening for when God is calling your name. Even from 2,138 miles away, I still feel wrapped in your community, and I am overwhelmingly grateful for your thoughts and prayers. I know that I am called to serve you for a long time, but right now I feel called to healing so that I can return to you healthy. I m working remotely (by the grace and understanding of our fearless leader), and staying connected to you is a huge help in my process of healing. Thank you for allowing me the space to take care of myself; I miss you all very much, and I can t wait to see you again soon! CEYN WINTER WEEKEND CHANGES I have REALLY good news and not bad news! First, the not bad news: the CEYN made an executive decision not to do our Winter Weekend in Tahoe (due to precarious weather and cost). The REALLY GOOD NEWS: We re having it at St. Michael s! YES. We get to host kids in grades 7-12 from Episcopal churches all over Sacramento for an Extreme Lockin beginning Friday evening, February 26 and ending Saturday evening, February 27! me to sign up for TIME OF YOUR LIFE. Can t wait to see you all there! NuRsery for ages 0-3 is open 9:30am-12pm every Sunday Come meet our new nursery workers! page 11

12 S MICHAEL S 2140 Mission Ave. Carmichael, CA Phone: (916) Fax: (916) The St. Michael s Messenger (USPS ) is published monthly by St. Michael s Episcopal Church at the above address. Postmaster: Please send address changes to St. Michael s Episcopal Church, 2140 Mission Avenue, Carmichael, CA OUR MISSION St. Michael s Episcopal Church, centered in Jesus Christ, welcomes all who desire to grow in their relationship with God. WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Eucharist 8:00 a.m.... Rite II 10:00 a.m.... Rite II 5:00 p.m.. Music, Prayers, and Eucharist PARISH CLERGY The Rt. Rev. Barry L. Beisner, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Northern California The Very Rev. Mary Hudak, Rector The Rev. Rodney Davis, Associate The Rev. Cindy Long, Deacon Sonya Reichel, Seminarian 2016 VESTRY Doug Davy, Senior Warden Kate Muris, Junior Warden Diane Rehrer, Clerk Vestry Members: Cary Adams, Bryan Barry, Dave Decker, Anna Johnson, Susan Johnson, Bob McMichael, Gail McMichael, Savannah Olivier, Michael Patrick, Huey Tidwell STAFF & VOLUNTEERS Constance Weichert, Music Director Ellen Coleman, Dir. of Communications and Youth & Family Ministries John Cozza, Organist Glenn Croy, Sexton Mari Reddell, Office Manager/Bookkeeper Jim Sargent, Treasurer Utonomy, Accounting Deadline: Submissions for the March issue are due in the office or to ellen@stmichaelscarmichael.org by Wednesday, February 17.