Mustard Seed
SEPTEMBER 2011
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Vol. 26, No 9
Holy Eucharist: Rite 1: 8:00 AM Rite II: 10:00 AM
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Printed copies of The Mustard Seed are available in the Narthex. If you have access to email, send us your address and you will receive your copy on the web. If you have no email and can’t get to the Church, you may have a friend or relative who can receive it or pick up a copy and pass it on to you.
Schedule of Services:
SEPTEMBER 4
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
SEPTEMBER 11
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
SEPTEMBER 18
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
SEPTEMBER 25:
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Holy Eucharist, 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM
Sunday School & Child Care, 10:00 AM
Coffee Hour: Guild Hall, 11:15 AM
Morning Prayer will be conducted in the chancel on specific feast days, as indicated in the daily Calendar.
The following outside groups use Church facilities on a regular basis:
A.A., Thursdays at 7:00 PM – Swan Hall
The Vestry Meeting will be held in the Library on SEPTEMBER 25 after the 10 AM Eucharist.
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Clergy during the Search process:
Supply priests are now scheduled through the remainder of the year. Beginning in Jan 2012, we will have an interim priest appointed through the Diocese. The Rector Search process will be going on while we are using supply priests and even through our interim priest. Once the entire search process has been completed, a Rector will be "called" and St. Luke's will have their Rector. The supply and interim priest are not specifically candidates; they are serving and worshiping with us while we go through our search process.
Supply priest for the remainder of 2011:
9/4 - 12/25 Colville Smythe
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Special Services in September
September 4th – Labor Day
September 11 – 9/11 Remembrance
Search Process Update:
For those of you unfamiliar with the Search process in the Episcopal Church, here is a very brief outline:
The first step is developing a "Parish Profile". The profile acts as a prospectus of St. Luke's to the Diocese and for potential candidates. It explains St. Luke's history, direction and what we are looking for in our next Rector. All of the profile's content will come directly from the congregation through a questionnaire.
Once we have compiled all the data and have a completed Profile, the Search Committee -- a group of parishioners tasked with the responsibility of reviewing applications provided to us from the Diocese -- will then narrow down this list of applicants to a workable list for further consideration through personal interviews with the applicants. The remaining applicants will then present a sermon to the search committee, either at St. Luke's or their own parish. Eventually, the Search Committee will provide the Vestry with their recommendations for 3 candidates. The Vestry will discuss which candidate is the best “fit” and believe should be "called" to be the next Rector and an offer will be made. Provided the prospective Rector agrees and is able to accept our offer, we will then have our new Rector.
Though there are some possible variations to this overall process, the MOST important element is and always will be the Parish Profile. This is where the congregation is able to contribute individually and participate in the selection of our next Rector. We will be hoping for 100% participation.
* * * Profile Process Update * * *
Both Junior and Senior Wardens met with the Rev. Canon Joanna Satorius, (Canon for Formation and Deployment from the Diocese of Los Angeles) to discuss both the Parish Profile and Search process. Junior Warden Kelly Lauer will chair the Profile committee. We will be conducting Focus Groups and other events to gather information from parishioners. The information obtained from these Focus Groups and events will be used to develop a parish survey.
From Kelly Lauer:
The first focus group will meet briefly after the 10:00 service on September 4 to go over the proposed schedule (a loose timeline), the draft survey, and to assign roles within the committee. We should also discuss the specific sections we want/need to include in our profile and think about who should be responsible for writing them. This is somewhat short notice, but please contact me if you would like to be part of this group. Once the results of the meeting are finalized, I will send all of the information we will discuss out to you by email so you can review it in advance of the meeting. I can be reached at 905-5247 or by email at darjeeling44@gmail.com. As always, comments and feedback are appreciated.
Two more meetings are scheduled:
1. Sunday, September 11, 2011 - Topic and question brainstorm
The draft survey is currently organized in three parts (demographics, ministry, and ideal qualities of a rector), with the second part (ministry) providing most of the meat of the survey. The questions relating to our ministry are organized into seven sections: I. Worship; II. Christian Education; III. Stewardship; IV. Administration; V. Inter-Church Relations; VI. Quality of Parish Life; and VII. Outreach. These seven sections provide a broad overview of the functions of this church, so any specific topics identified by the focus group participants can be added to the most appropriate section. We will provide large sheets of paper and ask meeting participants to divide into groups of two or three to brainstorm and write down topics that they would like to see included in the survey and profile. Participants can also identify specific questions on the sheets of paper. After the meeting, Kelly Lauer will create a word cloud (via wordle.com) to demonstrate the results.
- Sunday, September 18, 2011 - 'The Ministry of our Priest' brainstorm:
A number of surveys were provided by the diocese as examples we could use in drafting our parish survey. Arcadia Transfiguration’s survey contained a list of 22 ministry attributes (e.g. administration, pastoral care, etc.) and asked its respondents to select the ten most important (unranked). St. Augustine-by-the-Sea's survey contained a list of 20 attributes and asked its respondents first to rank all 20 attributes on a scale of 1-4 (1 being unimportant and 4 being vitally important) and then to rank their top six pastoral roles. The two lists of attributes are very similar, but some of the attributes are worded a little differently. We would like attendants at this focus group to review both sets of attributes and identify other attributes that apply to our situation, identify certain attributes that may not need to be on our list (and why), and think about the specific wording of these attributes.
Once the parish survey is developed, we will have a parish-wide meeting. The Vestry will coordinate with the Rev. Satorius to join us for this meeting, to give the entire parish a brief overview of the profile/search process. At the end of the meeting, everyone will be asked to complete the parish survey. For those parishioners who are not present or may be unable to attend, we will have alternate ways to help them complete the survey. Completing the survey is your voice in the Parish Profile/Search processes so it is important that everyone take part.
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Participation is always welcome and encouraged
All of our groups in the church rely on participation from our parishioners. In addition to our existing groups, we will be setting up more groups as we move through this transition. Please consider volunteering in one or more of these groups. You'll enrich your experience with St. Luke's, have fun and be providing much needed support to our parish family.
Below is a list of our existing groups and who to contact for more details.
v Ushers - Steve Waltmeir
v Pastoral Outreach - Jeannett Armstrong and Trish Gresham
v Altar Guild - Jeannett Armstrong
v Welcome Table/Coffee hour - Sarah Thomas
v SLUGS (St. Luke's Unorthodox Gatherings) - Parish activities and events
o Kelly Lauer, Sarah Thomas and Kathy Eisel
v Lunch Bunch - Lyn Walsh
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Stewardship begins with you!
October is when we begin our Stewardship drive. This year will be especially important. Not only do we have to make sure we have funds to support our existing programs and maintain the church, we also need to consider our new Rector. Fr. Gary was with us for 17 years and as you can imagine, the cost of living has gone up substantially over that time. The pledge you make will be critical to us establishing a budget and determining what we can offer to prospective candidates. And as many of you already know, in addition to monetary contributions, we always value your time and talents as well. Any and all participation in appreciated.
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One Light Observance – A 9/11 Remembrance
The Los Angeles Council of Religious Leaders will host “One Light,” a Sept. 10, 2011 civic and interfaith gathering set to envision global understanding while honoring the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
Diverse expressions of music, prayer and reflection are planned for the one-hour outdoor event at City Hall’s Spring Street steps. Gathering music is scheduled to begin at 7:15pm, and the event will culminate with the lighting of lanterns to be taken back to houses of worship across Los Angeles and Southern California.
The One Light event will unfold around a central flame to be ignited simultaneously by the various religious leaders. Candlelight will then be extended to lanterns specially prepared for display in all houses of worship in Los Angeles.
The etched commemorative lanterns for the houses of worship will be presented as the gift of Hands in Healing, Bishop Bruno’s humanitarian and teaching initiative focusing on nonviolence.
New School in Fall 2011
Tzu Chi has officially taken residence in our school building. Tzu Chi started moving in on SEPTEMBER 1st, 2011. The Modular building has been removed and they plan to have an organic fruit and vegetable garden. Tzu Chi also has other plans for improving the appearance of the property and grounds in preparation for school starting in September 2011. They have already completely painted the exterior and interior. So when you get a chance, take a look at how wonderful it looks!
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Something old, something new, something borrowed . . . no, it’s not a wedding; it’s September at St. Luke’s. (Can’t think of anything blue right at the moment, but give me time.) We start off the month with some old hymns that tie in with the subject of work, which will figure into the sermon on Labor Day weekend. The sermon will be delivered by our new supply clergy, the Rev. Colville Smythe, whom I had the pleasure of meeting over the summer. And we are once again borrowing Pat Kelly from All Saints’, Pasadena, who will cover for me while I am in London. (I am currently researching churches where Evensong will be sung.)
Saturday, September 10 is the date for the ecumenical One Light service in Downtown Los Angeles, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the 9/11/01 attacks. All churches in the Diocese have been asked to participate, and I will be singing with the volunteer choir. (I am hoping to have other members of the St. Luke’s Choir join me.) The theme of peace will be carried over to Sunday morning services on September 11, when we will welcome back the St. Luke’s Choir for the first time this season.
Our beloved choir grows in quality and in repertory, but we have actually grown smaller in the past few years as members have moved away. There are many ways to become involved in our parish – as any vestry member will happily tell you – and if you think you would like to be part of the choir, please see me. We have two main requirements: (1) You must match pitch; and (2) you must play well with others. (And I will be happy to explain those requirements further.) Some ability to read music makes it much easier, but I do teach a little bit of sight reading every week.
-- Kent B. J
Director of Music
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THE LUNCH BUNCH
The Lunch Bunch will meet on Saturday, 17th September at 11:30 am in Guild Hall. We will be doing Part 2 of the English Gardens series, as we move into southern California's version of autumn. So please bring a tasty dish to share with this caring group. All are welcome.
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September Birthdays and Anniversaries
Birthdays
09/04 Steve Baker
09/15 Gary Toops
09/20 Mary Harris
09/24 Susan Goff
09/30 Kathleen Rogers
Anniversaries
09/27 Erin and Hector Zapata
09/29 Lester and Kathy Eisel
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St. Luke Vestry 2011
Jeanett Armstrong
David Bowen
Janet Clark
Linda Cleary - Treasurer
Carey Csik - Clerk
Lester Eisel - Senior Warden
Angie Jancu
Kelly Lauer - Junior Warden
Waynn Pearson
Please check your bulletin insert for current prayers.
Deadline for next Mustard Seed: Friday, SEPTEMBER 23. Please notify David Bowen at (626) 359-4219 or e-mail the information to him at dbowen1@verizon.com.
Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church
300 California Street (at Foothill Blvd)
Monrovia California 91016
(626) 357-7071 or 357-7072
Email: www.saintlukesmonrovia.org
Saint Luke’s is an inclusive church that welcomes everyone to be part of its community— a safe place for skeptics and doubters as well as convicted believers. The communion meal of God’s presence among us is offered to anyone who comes with a sincere heart to receive it.
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4 12 th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Eucharist: 8 and 10 am Sunday school: 10am Coffee: Guild Hall 11:15 am Birthday: Steve Baker |
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11 13th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Eucharist: 8 and 10 am Sunday school: 10am Coffee: Guild Hall 11:15 am |
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HOLY CROSS DAY
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15 Happy Birthday Gary Toops
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18 14th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Eucharist: 8 and 10 am Sunday school: 10am Coffee: Guild Hall 11:15 am |
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Happy Birthday Mary Harris |
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St MATTHEW APOSTLE and EVANGELIST |
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Happy Birthday Susan Goff
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25 15th Sunday after Pentecost Holy Eucharist: 8 and 10 am Sunday school: 10am Coffee: Guild Hall 11:15 am Vestry meeting 11:15 am |
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27 Happy Anniversary Erin & Hector Zapata
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29 St MICHAEL and All Angels
Happy Anniversary Lester & Kathy Eisel
Happy Birthday Kathleen Rogers |
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