St. Paul’s at Midweek. Paul’s at Midweek All are welcomeAll are welcome Whoever you are, and...

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St. Paul’s at Midweek

All are welcomeAll are welcomeAll are welcomeAll are welcome Whoever you are, and wherever you find yourself on your journey of

Faith, we welcome you to our inclusive faith community.

www.stpaulsepiscopalbakersfield.org

[email protected]

2216 17th Street, Bakersfield CA 93301

661-869-1630

March 25, 2015

Saint Paul’s Saint Paul’s Saint Paul’s Saint Paul’s

Episcopal ChurchEpiscopal ChurchEpiscopal ChurchEpiscopal Church,,,, a part of the Anglican a part of the Anglican a part of the Anglican a part of the Anglican

CommunionCommunionCommunionCommunion

Final Lenten Soup

Supper TONIGHT!

Each Wednesday during Lent we

have had a soup supper and program

in Grace Hall from 6-8 p.m. Tonight is the final one.

Supper is from 6-7. Volunteers have signed up to

bring soup and breads. Bowls and spoons are supplied.

All we need is YOU. The 45

minute education program

begins at 7pm. Our program

this Lent is “Episcopal 101 –

Liturgy and Music of the

Church.” Tonight we will do a

walking tour of the church with plenty of Q&A time.

We will also do a singing tour through the hymnal

looking at the great array of music that has come

down to us from the past. We close with Compline

(Night Prayers). Childcare is provided.

SundaySundaySundaySunday Morning Morning Morning Morning MeditationMeditationMeditationMeditation

Would you like to begin or continue a meditation practice with some support? All are welcome at Sunday

sittings between services, where we practice posture, breath, and attitude of mind. No experience is necessary. If you are new to practice, contact Gary Enns ([email protected], 331-5000) and plan on arriving fifteen minutes before start time for some instruction.

This Sunday from 9:10 - 9:50 am in the Forum.

.

Palm SundayPalm SundayPalm SundayPalm Sunday The Sunday of the Passion The Sunday of the Passion The Sunday of the Passion The Sunday of the Passion March March March March 29, 201529, 201529, 201529, 2015

10 a.m.

Holy Eucharist

“The Liturgy of the Palms & Passion”

Sunday School &

Childcare

The entry of Jesus into

Jerusalem.

On Sunday our St. Paul’s Kids are invited to take part in the Entrance Procession. Each will have a palm branch to wave. From the Procession the Kids will go on Sunday

School.

This Sunday’sThis Sunday’sThis Sunday’sThis Sunday’s 10am 10am 10am 10am ServiceServiceServiceService:::: This Sunday we bless the work of the Pastoral

Ministry Team.

Celebrant & Presider: The Rev. Dr. Tim Vivian,

Priest-in-Charge

Preacher & Gospeller: Rev. Deb DeBoer, Assistant

Minister

Eucharistic Ministers: Stef Donev & Devon

Chambers

Lectors: Gary Enns & Dee Whitley

Readers of the Passion: Hank Webb, Cathy Henry,

Melinda Hill, Jackie Cooper-Glenn, and Stef Donev

Altar Guild: Heather Halka, Cortnie Enns & Melinda

Hill

Verger: Philip Holt

Crucifer: Desiree Giffard

Torches: Gwen Mangum & Jadelyn Ross

Pianist: Jason Sliger

Organist: The Rev. Dr. Vernon Hill

Cello: Aaron Conner

Choir Director: Christopher Borges

Greeters: Kathy and Tom Harlan, Kaye Spotz

Ushers: Amador & Ignacio Alcazar

Readings for this Sunday

Litany of the Palms: Mark 11:1-11 Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16

Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 14:1-15:47

Diocesan Prayer Cycle - We pray for the work and

ministry of the Diocese of Haiti and, in our Diocese, the

congregation of Saint Sherrian’s Episcopal Church,

Kernville; The Rev’d Robert Woods, Vicar.

In the Communion of Saints and all holy men and

women. There are no commemorations during Holy

Week or the first week of Eastertide.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. Plan to set aside the week to walk again the path our liturgy takes through these days of betrayal,

execution, darkness, and the empty tomb.

The Reconciliation of

a Penitent

Private confession and absolution with a priest is available through-out the year. Lent and Holy Week, however, is a time when this may be especially appropriate. If you would like a meeting for private confession, pastoral counseling, and absolution, please contact Tim.

Maundy Thursday, April 2, 7pm

Holy Eucharist followed by Foot Washing, and/or Prayers for Healing. Our special guests will be the congregation of Emman-uel Lutheran Church.

Good Friday, April 3, 7pm,

The Good Friday Liturgy followed by the Stations of the

Cross. Rev. Deb DeBoer will preach.

The Great Easter Vigil,

Saturday, April 4, 7pm

The Great Vigil and Holy Eucharist Lighting the Paschal Candle, Baptism and Renewal of our Baptismal Covenant. We receive the light of the risen Christ with our candles and hear the words “Christ is risen,” responding joyfully with the ringing of our bells.

Easter Day, April 5

8:15am Bilingual Eucharist in the Chapel 10am, Easter Festival Eucharist with the St. Paul’s Kids leading the Entrance Procession, special music

and the St. Paul’s Choir singing. Following the 10am service our Easter celebration moves to the courtyard for an Easter Festival with roving musicians, face painting, balloon artists, photo booth, lots of goodies and the Easter

Bunny and Egg Hunt.

“Between the

Wednesdays” at

Saint Paul’s during

Lent

Wednesday, March 25

9:30am Food Pantry Co-op; Grace Hall Stage

6pm Lenten Soup Supper; Grace Hall

Supper is from 6-7pm. Our program –

Episcopal 101 on Liturgy and Music - follows.

For this final session we will move to the church

for a walking tour and a brief exploration of

Anglican hymnody. The evening closes with

Compline. Childcare is provided.

Thursday, March 26

9:30am Food Pantry Co-op; Grace Hall Stage

Palm Sunday, March 29

8am Coffee & Conversation; Dagny's Coffee,

20th & Eye

10am Holy Eucharist, Sunday School &

Childcare

1-3pm Food Pantry Co-op; Grace Hall Stage

6pm Youth Group (EYF); Youth Room, led by

Jason and Alison.

Holy Monday, March 30

6:30pm Budget & Finance

Holy Tuesday, March 31

11am Mass of Chrism and Renewal of Clergy

Ordination Vows, Church of the Saviour,

Hanford. Bishop David, Celebrant. All laity and

clergy are invited to attend.

6pm Choir Rehearsal; the Choir Room

6pm St. Paul Bridge Club; Forum

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS . . . Monday-Friday from

9am to 1pm. The office phone is 661-869-1630.

Rev. Deb’s hours are Mon. & Wed. 10-12am,

Thurs. 9-11am, and Tues. 3-5pm at Dagny's Coffee

House, 20th & Eye. Tim’s office hours are on

Fridays from 10am to 1pm.

For further information on all things “St. Paul’s”, go

to our website:

http://www.stpaulsepiscopalbak

ersfield.org/index.html OR

Help decorate the church for Easter on April 5. A donation of $10 will help provide for the purchase of Easter lilies. Contributions may be given to

Jennifer Silvius or Heather Halka.

The Lenten Socks The Lenten Socks The Lenten Socks The Lenten Socks ProjectProjectProjectProject

During Lent, donations of new white

socks and/or underwear will be

collected and delivered to local

homeless shelters. A collection bin is located in the

Narthex entry hall to the church.

Sundays at 10am Childcare ~ 6 wks - 4yrs old Sunday School ~ K- 6th grade

Youth Program Episcopal Youth Fellowship ~ 7th - 12th grade

Meets Sun. @ 6pm in Fusion Room

¡La Iglesia Episcopal le da la bienvenida!

The Episcopal Church welcomes you.

A partir del domingo, 1 de marzo habrá una Eucaristía bilingüe de una vez al mes desde las 8:15

hasta las 9 am en la Capilla. Esta es una creación del Ministerio Latino con el P. Vern.

Easter Sunday is our second “first Sunday” bilingual Eucharist. The service is from 8:15 until 9am in the Chapel and is under the sponsorship of Ministerio Latino. The service is Rite II from both the Spanish and English editions of the Book of Common Prayer. The liturgy is printed side by side so that whatever your language preference is, you will find it easy to follow and translation can be kept to a minimum. All readings will also be printed in both Spanish and English. In those parts of the liturgy which are dialogues, the spoken language will be Spanish. Feel free to respond either using the Spanish or English response.

With the exception of a brief Homily, we are trying to keep “translation” to a minimum since the written liturgy in both Spanish and English perfectly parallel each other. Fr. Vern will be Celebrant for March 1, April 5 (Easter) and May 3. Coffee and goodies will be available after the service. For Easter, feel free to attend both the 8:15 and 10am.

Lamenting with God, a Lenten Reflection By Deborah Sampson

For your reading: Psalm 102; Romans 8:28-39

The report said "metastatic carcinoma, unknown primary." Thus began a six-month journey through the medical

system. In the end, there were no answers. "The cells look like mesothelioma, but we just don't know. I'm recommending we do nothing for a little while."

It was a harsh diagnosis with a not-so-good prognosis. I'd lost a major contract because of my health issue and the temptation was to rage at God. All the good advice to trust God - "God never

gives you more than you can handle" - was more harmful than helpful.

Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass. - Psalm 102: 1-2

A wise friend urged me to embrace the lamentation, to wallow in my pain. It felt like the only thing I could do. The temptation is to assign blame when bad things happen. I could blame God or I could blame myself. Neither seemed exactly right.

What did seem right was the mantra of our cancer support group: "We cannot all be cured, but we can all be healed." I cannot say exactly when I began to embrace the lament, not as God-blaming, but as a way to see that I did not lament alone, that my lament was a call to God to lament with me.

I was not cured, but I began to experience healing. It was nothing of my doing. It wasn't even that I was particularly open to healing. Yet the idea that God was just as upset with my illness as I was - that God laments not just the illness, but my need to be healed - began to be real for me.

In time, my conversations with God became less "Why me?" and more "What do we do with this?" Eventually, I quit preparing to die and continued to live. Ten years after I was essentially left to die, I was still alive. I would say I never had cancer, that I had some strange situation that mimicked cancer. Perhaps that indicates my continuing need for healing, that I continually need to be open to things I cannot understand or explain.

Deborah Sampson is active at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Centennial, Colorado, a volunteer advocate for Voices for Justice and a member of the Episcopal Public Policy Committee. This piece is part of a daily Lenten Reflections

from the Diocese of Colorado.

Please send announcements, corrections

and pictures to � Melinda Hill at

[email protected] for Midweek at Saint Paul's

� Fr. Vern at [email protected] for the weekly bulletin

� Lori Toia at [email protected] for the website.

St. Paul'sSt. Paul'sSt. Paul'sSt. Paul's

PlannerPlannerPlannerPlanner

Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday!Happy Birthday!

Cecil Bailey April 7

Rosie Sosa April 16

Taylor Drake April 21

Reilly Borges April 23

Nakiya Ayala April 11

Lea Brown April 14

We want to celebrate your special day!

Send birthday and anniversary dates to

Melinda at [email protected] .

All Saint Paul’s Kids are

invited to take part in the

Easter Egg Hunt after the

10am service on Easter, but

the Easter Bunny needs help

with the eggs! We need donations of plastic

eggs filled with prepackaged candies (no open/loose candies because ants get in

them). If donors wish to package their own

candies, then we ask that candy be placed in

airtight Ziploc snack bags to keep those pesky

ants out! Eggs can be brought on Sunday and

left in the Narthex in a box that is labeled Egg

Hunt Donations. Contact Stephanie for more

info at [email protected] .

Speaking of eggs . . .

Have you sampled the eggs from Holy

Currencies? They are selling handmadehandmadehandmadehandmade

chocolate-coated eggs for only $1 an $1 an $1 an $1 an

egg or $10 for a dozenegg or $10 for a dozenegg or $10 for a dozenegg or $10 for a dozen. Choose from

Peanut Butter coated w/milk chocolate,

Coconut Cream coated w/dark chocolate and Butter

Cream coated w/dark chocolate, or mix and match!

Take them to work to sell to friends, family and

coworkers. Place your order by 3/29 for delivery the

week of 3/30-4/5, specific date to be announced

depending on volume of eggs that need made.

Spring Book Study! Are you interested in the intersection of food and faith, justice and the environment, ecology and economy?

Did you get inspired by Rev. Julie Morris' sermon and class? Then join us for a seven-week series on "Just Eating."

Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table is a seven-session curriculum for congregations that explores the relationship between the way we eat and the way we live, published by the Presbyterian Hunger Program. (Yes, I will bring in Episcopalian resources as well!) The study uses scripture, prayer and stories from the local and global community to explore five key aspects of our relationship with food:

• the health of our bodies • the challenge of hunger • the health of the earth that provides our

food • the ways we use food to extend hospitality

and enrich relationships • The opportunities for action, renewal and

transformation in our eating practices-as individuals and as faith communities.

We'll meet at 7 p.m. in the Forum for seven Thursdays, beginning April 16 and ending on May 28. Please RSVP to Rev. Deb, [email protected]. Books are $3, payable to St. Paul's, and have been pre-ordered. If you haven't already RSVP'd but are intending to come, please let Deb know, as she'll need to order more books.

El Ministerio Latino, patrocino nuestra segunda

“Fiesta de Spanglish” el viernes pasado 20 de marzo.

Tuvimos muchos invitados nuevos, entre ellos 4

niños. Ahora ya tenemos un gran grupo de personas

que quieren jugar Lotería, y otro que les gusta charlar

en español. Esta es una gran oportunidad para

practicar su español o inglés no importa el nivel que

sea. Tendremos nuestras “Fiestas de Spanglish” el

tercer viernes de cada mes. Nuestra próxima reunión

será el 17 de abril a las 6:00 P.M. en el salón del “El

Foro”…..También recuerden que tendremos nuestra

misa bilingüe el 5 de abril,

a las 8:15. Si, el dia de

Pascua.

Ministerio Latino

sponsored our second

SPANGLISH FIESTA on

March 20. We had many

new guests, including 4

children. We now have a

great group of people

who want to play more Loteria, AND a group of folks

who are chatting in Spanish. This is a fun opportunity

to work on your language skills in Spanish or English,

on all levels. We will have our monthly meetings on

the third Friday of each month. Next month, it will be

April 17, beginning at 6pm in The Forum.

Also, please remember that we will have

our second BILINGUAL

MASS on Easter

Sunday, April 5 at

8:15am!

Read about The Gay Christian Network Conference from parishioner Barby Dumont

I wanted to write a brief (?) note about the time I spent at the GCN (Gay Christian Network) Conference in Portland this past January. What is GCN? Well, it is a wonderful Christian group that embraces our LGBT community, and is a tremendous support for our brothers and sisters in Christ who just happen to be LGBT! My son is gay. Our journey has been long, fraught with a tremendous amount of growing on both our parts. As a Mom of a gay son, I have had 16 years to blossom into the straight ally that I am. I spoke this year on a panel, a parent panel, that was well attended. Speaking of attendance! My first conference was in Phoenix, we had 22 parents. That was 2 years ago. This year in Portland, we had well over 90 parents! The LGBT in

attendance call us “rock stars”. As parents, we all wear “Parent hugs here” pins. I cannot tell you how many young people come up to me and ask me, “When will my parents be like you, I told them 3 months ago.” They have told me horrible stories of rejection by family, and I have 3 sets of parents I am actively praying for now, per request of their children. But I wasn’t always this way, my process was long and painful, because I was a fundamentalist Christian. God had other plans :) I cannot encourage the LGBT parishioners to check us out! Straight allies and parents too! It will rock your world! It is a combination of praise and worship, INCREDIBLE speakers, and breakout sessions for topics that appeal to you. Our transgender group is growing by leaps and bounds. This year we heard Jeff Chu, Vicky Beeching, and Danny Cortez. Google them, they are amazing. There is always a concert Saturday night (I go to bed!) Sunday morning we have amazing worship, that combines beautifully all of our attendees backgrounds. We have Salvation Army to Unitarian, side “A” and side “B”, and lots who have given up faith because of the despicable treatment by so-called “Christians”. But it is the purest form of worship I have ever had the privilege of attending. The conference is held every year, ALWAYS the second weekend in January. People come from all over the U.S., Canada, England, New Zealand, and China!! It rotates all over the United States, this year Portland, the year before Chicago, and the year before, Phoenix, and so on and so on! This year grew from 800 attendees to 1400! We usually meet in a large hotel, but we outgrew the Portland Doubletree and had to use the convention center. 2016.....Houston, second week in January. If you have maybe a smaller LGBT group that does retreats, you may consider joining GCN retreat as an option. There is some scholarship money available, and a first timer discount. Oh yeah, it’s always Thursday night through Sunday worship. But we always do a community service project for the city we invade on Thursday mornings. Speaking of INVADE, Westboro BAPTIST church came all the way from Kansas to protest us! We knew they were coming, and the gay-affirming churches in the Portland area and the parents made an ‘AISLE OF LOVE” so our attendees could go straight from the train straight to the conference through our aisle. The protestors were so obnoxious, but some of our attendees are so vulnerable, no one knows they are there, they are not out yet. But they were NO match for our “Mama and Papa Bears.” We sang “They will know we are Christians by our love”. Ironically, the weather had been gorgeous, but it poured rain that morning. But it suddenly stopped, and three gigantic rainbows came out over the convention center! Thank you Lord! I am donating three books to our library. One is there already, ‘WALKING THE BRIDGELESS CANYON’, repairing the breach between the church and the LGBT community, by Kathy Baldock She is a straight ally and has a website called “canyonwalkers”, with great information. Also the book TORN, by Justin Lee, founder of GCN, a favorite book of mine. Justin was raised in a fundamentalist home, discovered he was gay, and has now founded this group. I love this book. Lastly, GOD AND THE GAY CHRISTIAN, by Matthew Vines. This young man is so bright. I sat next to him at the newcomers meeting, and ice breaker, in Phoenix. I believe he is 23 years old now? He told me he was dropping out of

Harvard, and was going to study and learn all he could about this topic, and this book is the result of his study. Last but not least, there is a “west coast GCN” subgroup that you can get involved with. We are having a retreat the end of May. You can camp, or stay at Embassy Suites in Pismo. I’ve got details. OK, so my note turned into a book! As you can see, I am STILL riding high from my conference adventure! Get on the GCN website, and you can chat and get into groups that are for you. Hope you can join me in Houston 2016!! Barby Dumont

Deacon Steve wanted to share this. . . .

My Beliefs About

God In 100

Words —Salvador Litvak

My dear friend and teacher, Rabbi Adam Kligfeld, challenged me to write my theology in 100 words. This is both harder and easier than it sounds. I highly recommend the effort.

Theology is “the systematic and rational study of God and of the nature of religious ideas.”

Confronting my theology was difficult because I have so much to say, little of it is rational, and 100 words could never qualify as systematic.

The exercise was liberating, however, because I knew it would not be exhaustive. I simply wrote from the heart. I believe: � God created the world and sustains it continuously, as a

Dreamer sustains His dream. Like characters in a dream, we cannot fathom the Dreamer’s waking world.

� God loves us. � God exercises infinite restraint in permitting us to live,

despite the aggravation we cause Him and each other, perhaps because we make God kvell.*

� God gave us eternal souls, and eternity is more than enough time to redress the apparent injustices of this world.

� God created different streams for living, loving, and knowing Him, Baruch HaShem.** My soul flows within the Jewish stream.

* Kvell is a word of Yiddish origin meaning to feel extraordinarily proud of a loved one. ** Baruch HaShem is Hebrew for “Blessed be The Name.” We say it to express gratitude for the infinite gifts we receive continuously, both knowingly and unknowingly.

The Five Marks of Mission

• To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

• To teach, baptize, & nurture new believers

• To respond to human need with loving service

• To seek to transform unjust structures in society

• To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation & sustain & renew the life of the earth

St. Paul's Family Fund and Priest-in-Charge Discretionary Fund

Most of you know that St. Paul's maintains a

Discretionary Fund (DF) which I use

to cover odds and ends.

We also have a Family Fund from which I help only parishioners cover unexpected

costs. Several parishioners have borrowed

money from the FF and repaid it.

Normally, unpledged money collected the

first Sunday of each month goes to the

Discretionary Fund.

The parish has designated Easter and

Christmas for days for offerings to the

Family Fund.

The first Sunday of April, the 5th, is

Easter, and I'm designating that day for the

Family Fund.

This Sunday, Palm Sunday, will be for the

Discretionary Fund.

Both funds are supported only by your donations. They receive no money from the

general fund budget.

Both funds are a little low, and could use

your help.

If you write a check, make it out to St.

Paul's (tax deductible) and memo either DF

(Discretionary Fund) or FF (Family Fund).

Thank you, and blessings,

Tim

From Lori – Maria's Girl Scout Troop 3157 is in need of help! Unfortunately they are falling short in their sales (yes believe it or not even with Maria's mega-seller abilities) and have 156 more boxes of cookies that must go!

If you or someone you know is in NEED of Girl Scout Cookies ($5 per box) the following are left for sale: 31 boxes of Carmel Delights (Samoas) 29 boxes of Peanut Butter Patties (Tagalongs) 31 boxes of Peanut Butter Sandwiches (Do-si-dos) 38 boxes of Shortbread cookies (Trefoils) 19 boxes of Cranberry Citrus Crisps 8 boxes of Thank-A-Lots

Want to buy a box (or more) to share? The Food

Pantry would gladly accept your donation!

A Brief Meditation in Lent: March 12th

Tim Vivian

I hear the pounding of nails

somewhere near. Or is it far?

In Lent all nails remind me

not only of Jesus but of all those

who wander our streets asking

only for crucifixion yet receiving

from us indifference and disbelief.

St. Paul’s at Midweek. Paul’s at Midweek All are welcomeAll are welcome Whoever you are, and...

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