To View the San Joaquin Anglican please click on the sections below. To download or print the current or past San Joaquin Anglican Please click the icons below
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
November 2019
The Bishop's Corner
Over the past few months we in the diocese of San Joaquin have been talking about and praying about our new companion relationship with the Diocese of Kigezi. Kigezi is a diocese in the Province of the Church of Uganda - the Anglican Church in that country. Kigezi is located in the highlands of South West Uganda and is most famous for edging the region that is home to the Silverback Gorilla and Dr. Jane Goodall’s seminal work and research.
In October, we in the Diocese of San Joaquin were blessed to have the Rt. Rev. George Bagamuhunda, the Bishop Ordinary for the Diocese of Kigezi, with us to tour the diocese and meet with the clergy and people.
I was blessed to be with Bp. Bagamuhunda and several other bishops from around the world at the Bishop’s Leadership Summit in Colorado Springs Oct. 14-18. We examined the specific challenges bishops face in our ministry which are surprisingly similar whether you are in Myanmar, Uganda, Canada or the USA.
Following the Bishop’s Leadership Conference Bishop George and I returned to the diocese where he joined me for my pastoral visit to St. Luke’s, Merced where Bp. George preached. Bishop George then joined me for the service at Our Lady of Guadalupe where he preached again. This was his first time in a Spanish language congregation and the first time to have an interpret-er for his sermon. He did a great job!
During the week Bp. George and I visited Bakersfield, Fresno and Stockton. Each visit included a luncheon with clergy and lay leaders, along with a discussion of our ministries in San Joaquin and Kigezi and prayers for how we can support one another in the advance of the Kingdom of God in our respective dioceses.
A formal document agreement is still in the works but we have decided to support one another through:
• Regular prayer and conversation (Thanks to internet communication this is very easy)
• Bi-annual visits beginning with the bishops but soon including laity.
• Short term, two to three month, clergy exchanges.
I will be visiting the Diocese of Kigezi in June and very much look forward to the visit.
I have long said that we in the Diocese of San Joaquin need to look forward and this companion relationship is just one of many ways to do that. I pray that God will richly bless this relationship and that both we in the Diocese of San Joaquin and out brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Kigezi will enjoy much fruit as a result of this relationship!
May the Lord bless and keep you!
In October, we in the Diocese of San Joaquin were blessed to have the Rt. Rev. George Bagamuhunda, the Bishop Ordinary for the Diocese of Kigezi, with us to tour the diocese and meet with the clergy and people.
I was blessed to be with Bp. Bagamuhunda and several other bishops from around the world at the Bishop’s Leadership Summit in Colorado Springs Oct. 14-18. We examined the specific challenges bishops face in our ministry which are surprisingly similar whether you are in Myanmar, Uganda, Canada or the USA.
Following the Bishop’s Leadership Conference Bishop George and I returned to the diocese where he joined me for my pastoral visit to St. Luke’s, Merced where Bp. George preached. Bishop George then joined me for the service at Our Lady of Guadalupe where he preached again. This was his first time in a Spanish language congregation and the first time to have an interpret-er for his sermon. He did a great job!
During the week Bp. George and I visited Bakersfield, Fresno and Stockton. Each visit included a luncheon with clergy and lay leaders, along with a discussion of our ministries in San Joaquin and Kigezi and prayers for how we can support one another in the advance of the Kingdom of God in our respective dioceses.
A formal document agreement is still in the works but we have decided to support one another through:
• Regular prayer and conversation (Thanks to internet communication this is very easy)
• Bi-annual visits beginning with the bishops but soon including laity.
• Short term, two to three month, clergy exchanges.
I will be visiting the Diocese of Kigezi in June and very much look forward to the visit.
I have long said that we in the Diocese of San Joaquin need to look forward and this companion relationship is just one of many ways to do that. I pray that God will richly bless this relationship and that both we in the Diocese of San Joaquin and out brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Kigezi will enjoy much fruit as a result of this relationship!
May the Lord bless and keep you!
Accepting Christ as King, Individually and as a Nation
At the end of this month, we have a feast on our calendar we all celebrate but that we might not know a lot about, the Feast of Christ the King. Of course, the idea of Christ as the King is something that is prevalent throughout scripture and has been with the Church throughout its history.
We get some of the first hints of Christ’s kingship when God establishes a kingship in Israel. He calls Saul and then David to serve as Israel’s king. Saul fails in his obedience to the Father but David despite some stumbling stays true to Him. The concept of a messiah, or in Hebrew anointed one comes from the anointing used to install kings, that eventually a son of David would rise up to lead Israel. The New Testament is filled with references showing that Jesus Christ is the son of David that had been promised. He’s acknowledged as a king by the wise men after his birth, he’s given a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the cross he’s hung on even has a sign saying, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” in three languages.
Despite that wealth of scripture teaching us about Christ’s role as King, the Feast of Christ the King has only been around since 1925. A new feast for such an old concept! The Feast of Christ the King was started by Pope Pius XI in a letter called Quas Primas. Because it was such a good idea to acknowledge Christ as King in the calendar year, the feast was gradually celebrated by not only Roman Catholics, but also Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and many other Protestants. In our new Book of Common Prayer, the Feast of Christ the King is set on the final Sunday of each liturgical year.
We get some of the first hints of Christ’s kingship when God establishes a kingship in Israel. He calls Saul and then David to serve as Israel’s king. Saul fails in his obedience to the Father but David despite some stumbling stays true to Him. The concept of a messiah, or in Hebrew anointed one comes from the anointing used to install kings, that eventually a son of David would rise up to lead Israel. The New Testament is filled with references showing that Jesus Christ is the son of David that had been promised. He’s acknowledged as a king by the wise men after his birth, he’s given a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the cross he’s hung on even has a sign saying, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” in three languages.
Despite that wealth of scripture teaching us about Christ’s role as King, the Feast of Christ the King has only been around since 1925. A new feast for such an old concept! The Feast of Christ the King was started by Pope Pius XI in a letter called Quas Primas. Because it was such a good idea to acknowledge Christ as King in the calendar year, the feast was gradually celebrated by not only Roman Catholics, but also Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and many other Protestants. In our new Book of Common Prayer, the Feast of Christ the King is set on the final Sunday of each liturgical year.
|
So why was such an old concept added to the calendar in 1925? Pope Pius XI used his letter Quas Primas to speak out against the secularism and nationalism that he saw on the rise in countries around the world. In the 19th century many countries started to change governments, and there was much political unrest among different groups. The turn of the 20th century brought World War I and a rise of nationalism, first as countries drummed up support for the war and then as empires fractured into governments based around national groups. Nationalism and secularism would only worsen after Quas Primas was written due to the Great Depression. Many nationalist groups in countries like Germany and Italy took advantage of the poor and the suffering in those times to draw them towards their movements.
The main problem Pius saw in these movements was that they drew people away from God. Instead of people prioritizing their faith and seeing God as the source of their salvation, they started to look toward different political and social groups for their salvation. The Feast of Christ the King was started because Pius saw the acknowledgment of Christ’s kingship as the answer to these problems. Too many of these groups’ leaders acted only in their own self-interests or in the best interest of their groups’ members. By acknowledging not only Christ as King but ac-knowledging his rule over all creation, Pius believed politicians would no longer serve themselves but serve their king, and through serving Christ they would govern in the best interest of everyone. Acknowledging Christ as King of all also bridged the divide caused by nationalities. People of different cultures and languages could come together as brothers and sisters under their one singular king of all creation. The problems that lead Pius to write Quas Primas are still problems today and the solution he offered is the same solution to-day. As Anglicans, we may not give a letter from a Pope the same importance as Roman Catholics, but we can and should acknowledge the scriptural truths Quas Primas illuminates. In our day and age, we have different political parties all claiming they are the only ones who can truly save their countries from the dangers facing them. In a response against globalism, we have many leaders exploiting distinctions between peoples for their own political gain. The solution is not to turn to a different political leader for salvation, the solution is to turn to Christ our King and acknowledge his rule in our hearts. We should be sharing our faith with those around us, pointing others to Christ’s reign, and we should be praying for the world to accept his rule. The Feast of Christ the King is an opportunity for us to acknowledge a scriptural truth, not only one which should shape our own personal faith, but one which we should pray and work towards shaping our whole world. Many people around us may try to scare us and point out problems and threats in the world, but Jesus is the only one we can turn to for true salvation. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to man-kind by which we must be saved.” The Rev. Fr. Phil Berghuis |
|
60th Annual convention, november 8th, 2019
|
9:00 am—Mass at St. Luke’s Anglican Church
(which meets at Our Lady of Mercy), 459 W. 21st St., Merced, CA 95340 11:00 am—Convening at the Hoffmeister Center for business (at Central Presbyterian Church), 1920 Canal St., Merced, CA 95340 |
|
International day of prayer for the persecuted church
Dear Friends of the Persecuted Church,
I wanted to give you a special invitation to my church’s observance of this wonderful day – IDOP - to pray for the persecuted church. This year we have a very special blessing in store for us. Our speaker, Dominic Sputo, was the best speaker at the persecuted church plenary session of the recent wonderful Anglican New Wineskins Global Missions Conference (www.newwineskinsconference.org), so we are so excited to have him come to California to share with all of you! He has written a very powerful, life-changing book c nbvcbxhdzhl/`21QsazedXaa``alled Heirloom Love – Authentic Christianity for this Age of Persecution, and he is passionate and articulate in his advocacy of our brothers and sisters in Christ on the front-lines of the spiritual battle. This is no ordinary speaker. Please help me get this invitation sent far and wide. Thank you!
Once again this year we are partnering with a wonderful organization called Trellis that seeks to unify all the churches in Costa Mesa in prayer and outreach. They are coming alongside me and will invite ALL the churches of Costa Mesa to our IDOP event – what a blessing! I hope you can come and hear this exciting speaker give us the full scoop on what God is doing in places like North Korea, India, Pakistan, and Nigeria; and how He is inviting us to be a big part of it! This is an event you do NOT want to miss! Please see the attached flyer and share it with others!
Many Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Patricia Streeter
I wanted to give you a special invitation to my church’s observance of this wonderful day – IDOP - to pray for the persecuted church. This year we have a very special blessing in store for us. Our speaker, Dominic Sputo, was the best speaker at the persecuted church plenary session of the recent wonderful Anglican New Wineskins Global Missions Conference (www.newwineskinsconference.org), so we are so excited to have him come to California to share with all of you! He has written a very powerful, life-changing book c nbvcbxhdzhl/`21QsazedXaa``alled Heirloom Love – Authentic Christianity for this Age of Persecution, and he is passionate and articulate in his advocacy of our brothers and sisters in Christ on the front-lines of the spiritual battle. This is no ordinary speaker. Please help me get this invitation sent far and wide. Thank you!
Once again this year we are partnering with a wonderful organization called Trellis that seeks to unify all the churches in Costa Mesa in prayer and outreach. They are coming alongside me and will invite ALL the churches of Costa Mesa to our IDOP event – what a blessing! I hope you can come and hear this exciting speaker give us the full scoop on what God is doing in places like North Korea, India, Pakistan, and Nigeria; and how He is inviting us to be a big part of it! This is an event you do NOT want to miss! Please see the attached flyer and share it with others!
Many Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Patricia Streeter
|
What: International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) Our Speaker: Dominic Sputo, Lumen Life Website: http://lumenlife.org/ Focus: Heirloom Love - Authentic Christianity for this Age of Persecution When: November 10, 2019; 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Where: Grace Fellowship Church, 3170 Red Hill Ave, Costa Mesa Cost: Free (but attendees will have the opportunity to contribute to a project to support the persecuted church) Directions to the event: https://www.google.com/maps/place/3170+Red+Hill+Ave,+Costa+Mesa,+CA+92626/@33.6809053,-117.874631,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80dcdee3f6d5c559:0xe925771165c01bb8!8m2!3d33.6809009!4d-117.8724423 https://gracefellowshipchurch.org/contact |
|
Christ Church, Oakhurst Christmas boutique
Diocese of san joaquin ministry grants
In 2018, our Diocese set aside money in our budget not only for mission, but for mission grants. This meant that if someone wanted to use money for mission, they needed to submit a concrete plan about how that money would be used for mission in their community. We’ve been blessed to have a number of congregations submit grant applications and have them approved for great works around our diocese. Here are a few examples of the kinds of activities the mission grants have gone to support.
Kern Deanery: Youth Ministry
The congregations of the Kern Deanery were able to come together with a ministry grant proposal for a joint deanery youth group. With the grant they’ve been able to pay a salary for a Youth Minister for the group. The youth group has been meeting frequently and it’s been a great way to encourage their youth in the faith.
St. Alban, Los Banos: Coffee House
St. Alban’s is in the planning stages of opening a coffee house in Los Banos. The Coffee House will provide a space for people from the community to gather together, it helps St. Alban’s outreach to a large number of people, it will have space to support other ministries and non-profits in western Merced County, and St. Alban’s will be able to use the space for worship Sunday mornings.
St. Francis, Stockton: Taize Outreach
St. Francis applied for a ministry grant to help setup evensong services using Taize music. Part of the money goes towards the services, and part goes towards outreach in their nearby community college. The Taize music is a way to interest young adults who may be unchurched and it gives them an opportunity to reach people outside their congregation.
Ascension, Bakersfield: CS Lewis Study Outreach
Ascension recently applied for a ministry grant to start a midweek study of CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity. Rather than just being aimed at people in their congregation, the study is a way of reaching out and sharing their faith with their surrounding community. Their ministry grant provides for food, books, and childcare. They’re also informing people about the study in very deliberate ways like social media, the local newspaper, and invitation cards for members of the congregation to hand out.
It’s not too early to start planning for ministry grant applications in 2020. Just speak with the rector of your congregation about how your congregation can minister to people in your community, work on a plan to do that outreach, and have your rector submit that with the other required information to the Diocesan Office. All of us as Christians should be thinking about ways to intentionally share the Gospel both in word and deed with the people around us!
Kern Deanery: Youth Ministry
The congregations of the Kern Deanery were able to come together with a ministry grant proposal for a joint deanery youth group. With the grant they’ve been able to pay a salary for a Youth Minister for the group. The youth group has been meeting frequently and it’s been a great way to encourage their youth in the faith.
St. Alban, Los Banos: Coffee House
St. Alban’s is in the planning stages of opening a coffee house in Los Banos. The Coffee House will provide a space for people from the community to gather together, it helps St. Alban’s outreach to a large number of people, it will have space to support other ministries and non-profits in western Merced County, and St. Alban’s will be able to use the space for worship Sunday mornings.
St. Francis, Stockton: Taize Outreach
St. Francis applied for a ministry grant to help setup evensong services using Taize music. Part of the money goes towards the services, and part goes towards outreach in their nearby community college. The Taize music is a way to interest young adults who may be unchurched and it gives them an opportunity to reach people outside their congregation.
Ascension, Bakersfield: CS Lewis Study Outreach
Ascension recently applied for a ministry grant to start a midweek study of CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity. Rather than just being aimed at people in their congregation, the study is a way of reaching out and sharing their faith with their surrounding community. Their ministry grant provides for food, books, and childcare. They’re also informing people about the study in very deliberate ways like social media, the local newspaper, and invitation cards for members of the congregation to hand out.
It’s not too early to start planning for ministry grant applications in 2020. Just speak with the rector of your congregation about how your congregation can minister to people in your community, work on a plan to do that outreach, and have your rector submit that with the other required information to the Diocesan Office. All of us as Christians should be thinking about ways to intentionally share the Gospel both in word and deed with the people around us!
An update from christina raines
Dear church family,
I want to start by expressing my deep gratitude to those of you are currently giving or have given in the past, as well as those who continue to pray faithfully for me while I am overseas. I write to you now to express to you my cur-rent financial need for the remaining nine months of the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
With my current financial levels, I am able to stay overseas through February. In order to stay the remaining 5 months, I need your help.
My monthly need is $620 --> That need can be met by just 6 of you committing to giving $100/mo. If that's too much to ask, any amount is helpful.
My need for one-time expenses (rent, airfare, etc) amounts to $7,845. This can be covered with one-time gifts or can also be covered by monthly support gifts.
Thank you for all of your prayers and help for me. To make a gift online with a credit card or bank transfer, please go to www.elic.org/support/christinaraines
To make a gift by check, please mail a check to:
ELIC
1629 Blue Spruce Dr.
Ft. Collins, CO 80524
Make the check out to ELIC and write my name in the memo. Again, thank you so much, and God bless.
Also, by way of update of my activities here:
This past month has been (most recently) a whirlwind! It seems there is plenty to protest in this area of the world these days. I've spent many a night up late watching the live news feeds closely as protests against a corrupt and in-efficient government flirted with anarchy in cities all across this nation (including where we have 4 teachers). Our university partners are faithful to extend care to our teachers, but this country is still a new context for us. Currently, the situation has stabilized (for now). Please be remembering our leaders and our teacher there.
This weekend has also been filled with much hubbub from my former foreign home! These people don't do any-thing halfheartedly, and millions have poured onto the streets to protest corruption and inefficiency in the government (sound familiar?). The situation had our local partners concerned to the point that they recommended that we preemptively send our teachers there to Cyprus to see what transpires this week. Our team has just returned after spending a week enjoying the beaches and fare of Cyprus. Please remember them in your prayers as they are back to teaching, but the future continues to be uncertain for this country.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and generosity. Please be remembering our teams and leaders in this volatile time, and please be asking for justice to reign in the countries I’ve ministered in.
All the best to you! Please don't hesitate to reach out to me! I love hearing from you. Please be sensitive to my con-text in the language that you use.
I want to start by expressing my deep gratitude to those of you are currently giving or have given in the past, as well as those who continue to pray faithfully for me while I am overseas. I write to you now to express to you my cur-rent financial need for the remaining nine months of the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
With my current financial levels, I am able to stay overseas through February. In order to stay the remaining 5 months, I need your help.
My monthly need is $620 --> That need can be met by just 6 of you committing to giving $100/mo. If that's too much to ask, any amount is helpful.
My need for one-time expenses (rent, airfare, etc) amounts to $7,845. This can be covered with one-time gifts or can also be covered by monthly support gifts.
Thank you for all of your prayers and help for me. To make a gift online with a credit card or bank transfer, please go to www.elic.org/support/christinaraines
To make a gift by check, please mail a check to:
ELIC
1629 Blue Spruce Dr.
Ft. Collins, CO 80524
Make the check out to ELIC and write my name in the memo. Again, thank you so much, and God bless.
Also, by way of update of my activities here:
This past month has been (most recently) a whirlwind! It seems there is plenty to protest in this area of the world these days. I've spent many a night up late watching the live news feeds closely as protests against a corrupt and in-efficient government flirted with anarchy in cities all across this nation (including where we have 4 teachers). Our university partners are faithful to extend care to our teachers, but this country is still a new context for us. Currently, the situation has stabilized (for now). Please be remembering our leaders and our teacher there.
This weekend has also been filled with much hubbub from my former foreign home! These people don't do any-thing halfheartedly, and millions have poured onto the streets to protest corruption and inefficiency in the government (sound familiar?). The situation had our local partners concerned to the point that they recommended that we preemptively send our teachers there to Cyprus to see what transpires this week. Our team has just returned after spending a week enjoying the beaches and fare of Cyprus. Please remember them in your prayers as they are back to teaching, but the future continues to be uncertain for this country.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and generosity. Please be remembering our teams and leaders in this volatile time, and please be asking for justice to reign in the countries I’ve ministered in.
All the best to you! Please don't hesitate to reach out to me! I love hearing from you. Please be sensitive to my con-text in the language that you use.
Protesters on Oct 20th (some reports claim 1.2 million participants).
Institute for the renewal of christian catechesis
Catechesis as Monasticism:
Cultivating Single-Minded Devotion in a Fragmented Age
Featuring Dr. Gerald Sittser and Rev. Dr. Greg Peters
Cultivating Single-Minded Devotion in a Fragmented Age
Featuring Dr. Gerald Sittser and Rev. Dr. Greg Peters
I'm pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2020 Catechesis Colloquium. On February 7-8, 2020, we'll gather in San Francisco to learn from two leading theologians about how the monastic tradition can help shape our approaches to catechesis.
If, as Greg Peters argues, baptism makes all believers monks—what he calls "the monkhood of all believers"—then how might we re-think the theological and spiritual formation of all Christians?
Likewise, in his soon-to-be released book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World, Gerald ("Jerry") Sittser helps Christians today, living in a post-Christendom age, learn from the early church's practices of for-mation. Neither accommodating to Roman religion nor isolating themselves from it, the early Christian "third way" helped Christians remain faithful to Jesus Christ while dramatically reshaping their culture. The development of the cat-echumenate, you might guess, played a big role—and it can again today.
We have so much to learn from the monastic tradition about faithful Christian living, but especially when it comes to catechesis.
We'll have four presentations from our speakers, plus responses from three "catechists in the field"—Fr. Ryan and Elizabeth Jones of Eucharist Church, and Fr. Lee Nelson of Christ Church Waco—plus plenty of time for questions and conversation.
All the details about format and pricing can be found at the event page below. Or just go ahead and register.
If, as Greg Peters argues, baptism makes all believers monks—what he calls "the monkhood of all believers"—then how might we re-think the theological and spiritual formation of all Christians?
Likewise, in his soon-to-be released book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World, Gerald ("Jerry") Sittser helps Christians today, living in a post-Christendom age, learn from the early church's practices of for-mation. Neither accommodating to Roman religion nor isolating themselves from it, the early Christian "third way" helped Christians remain faithful to Jesus Christ while dramatically reshaping their culture. The development of the cat-echumenate, you might guess, played a big role—and it can again today.
We have so much to learn from the monastic tradition about faithful Christian living, but especially when it comes to catechesis.
We'll have four presentations from our speakers, plus responses from three "catechists in the field"—Fr. Ryan and Elizabeth Jones of Eucharist Church, and Fr. Lee Nelson of Christ Church Waco—plus plenty of time for questions and conversation.
All the details about format and pricing can be found at the event page below. Or just go ahead and register.
|
Early Registration Pricing (ends Dec. 15):
$95 - students/pastors/retiree $125 - regular rate I hope you'll join us! Yours in Christ, Alex Fogleman, IRCC Director |
|
|
The Bishop's NoteThe Bishop's Note is a pastoral message published weekly by Bishop Eric Menees.
To subscribe, send an email message with your email 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 any-time; Contributions must be received by the 20th of the month for possible inclusion in the newsletter in the following month.
Please send these to akr93555@gmail.com and cc: melody@ctkridgecrest.org
Thank you!
Submissions will be accepted for consideration any-time; Contributions must be received by the 20th of the month for possible inclusion in the newsletter in the following month.
Please send these to akr93555@gmail.com and cc: melody@ctkridgecrest.org
Thank you!