Category Archives: Church

April 14, 2009 · 5:14 pm

Holy Week, Passover, Egg Hunt

Last week was Holy Week for the Episcopal Church, ending the Christian season Lent with the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday. 2009 was one of those rare calendar years when the Jewish Passover celebration coincided with Holy Week. So, St. Andrew’s celebration of the
Last Supper or seder on Maundy Thursday actually took place on Passover.

Our family was in church on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and on Saturday night for the Easter Vigil. John and I both read Genesis passages during the mostly-candlelit Easter Vigil. He read the story of
Noah’s ark and I read about the Sacrifice of Isaac. There were five baptisms, wonderful music, and lovely flowers.

However, Easter morning itself was dedicated to a private celebration of Spring’s renewal of life: our family Easter Egg Hunt. We worked on the garden for weeks in preparation. We hosted ten happy children, plus twenty adults for our annual egg hunt and
garden party.

The Easter Bunny hid over 150 eggs, including the gold and silver
eggs for adults. The Bunny leaves two poems as the only clues:

Gold Egg Poem

You can’t see me even a bit,

But I can see little birds fly.

On the uppermost tier I sit

Hard earth protects me ‘though I’m high.

Silver Egg Poem

Dark and dirty, I’m down low,

Between the sleepers to be found.

Don’t hit your head or hit your toe,

Be careful looking for my mound!

The silver egg was under WP668, our backyard caboose (in the ballast). It was found quickly. However, the gold egg took hours to locate: it was under a flowerpot sitting on the retaining wall. I traded big chocolate bunnies for the gold and silver eggs to the two children who found them. They were delighted with the prizes (and to have found the eggs intended for the grownups!).

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday Procession

Palm Sunday Altar

Joyous Haggadah

Parts of our seder

Maundy Thursday

Easter Vigil Baptisms

Cross over altar

Easter flowers

Floral Golgotha

Gold and Siver Easter Eggs

Easter Bunny with Eggs in a Basket

Flowering Jasmine

WP668 Caboose

California Poppy

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Tagged as St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

February 19, 2009 · 2:00 pm

Healing for Holy Land and Africa

The SAMA (St. Andrew’s Medical Assistance) auction and dinner will be held this Sunday, 22 February 2008. The fund raising event will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hall, starting with a silent auction at 5 pm, followed by a Middle Eastern Feast and live auction.

Tickets are $30/adult – $15/child – $100/family (pay at the door)
All are welcome!

St. Andrew's Medical Assistance tile, 2007 photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

Outreach programof
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

13601 Saratoga Ave. Saratoga, California 95070 USA

(408) 867-3493,
http://www.st-andrews-saratoga.org/

SAMA Programs

SAMA exists to provide hope and healing to a hurting world. SAMA raises support annually through the annual Middle Eastern Feast and Auction, Christmas Crafts sale, and other fund raisers.

Ongoing Medical Programs SAMA supports in the Holy Land include:

Ahli Arab Hospital (the only Christian hospital in Gaza)
The Four Homes of Mercy (a home for the severely disabled based in Jerusalem)

SAMA also supports health programs in Africa:

In 2008, SAMA supported St. Mary’s Hospital in Odibo, Namibia. St. Mary’s is an Anglican-supported hospital for which SAMA provided linens for 50 beds as well as funding expansion of their birth delivery room from one bed to two.
In 2008, SAMA also supported the Chiedza Clinic, in Harare, Zimbabwe. The clinic is part of the Chiezda child care center which serves perhaps 300 kids, many of whom are HIV positive, and their families.
As part of St. Andrew’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2007, SAMA raised
almost $5,000 which (in conjunction with Episcopal Relief and Development) purchased 965 specially-treated mosquito nets to prevent malaria in Africa

Auction Catalog

Click HERE

to see the draft (Feb 19) auction catalog (PDF format).

There may be some changes in the published catalog version.

22 February 2009 – Live Auction Items

WP668 with new Western Pacific herald photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

Item # 2004

Caboose Brunch
– by John Plocher – Brunch for six in a private 1916 historic railroad caboose (Western Pacific Feather River Railway WP668) in
Willow Glen, San Jose.

1964 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon by Martini photo: copyright 2009 Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson and Patricia Martini

Item # 2005

Wine – 1964 Treasure from Louis M. Martini
– Martini Family wine collection – 1964 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a very good year – well known for excellence.

1959 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon by Martini photo: copyright 2009 Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson and Patricia Martini

Item # 2006

Wine – 1959 Treasure from Louis M. Martini
– Martini Family wine collection – 1959 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. A sleeper year but now one of the best. Delicious!

Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson etching of Edward Hopper and Walter Hopps Rabbits photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

Item # 2007

Rabbit Etching by Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson
– Original delicate and realistic black and white etching of two rabbits by famous San Francisco artist Eleanor Creekmore Dickinson. “Edward Hopper and Walter Hopps” 1983 14″x17″ framed with glass.

flight over San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge photo: copyright 2008 Charles Jackson

Item # 2008

Private Flight Plus Brunch
– Private flight plus lunch. Experienced Palo Alto pilot

Charles Jackson of the
Shoreline Flying Club will be your host for 2 hours in a 4 seat
Cessna 182 Skylane II. Want to tour the San Francisco Bay and see the
Golden Gate Bridge from the air? Here’s your chance!

SAMA - St. Andrew's Medical Assistance tile photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

Item # 2010

Middle Eastern Dinner
– Middle Eastern Dinner for eight on a date after March 2009 that works for both cook and auction item winner.

Soquel Vineyards Partner's Reserve 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon photo: copyright 2009 John Plocher

Item # 2012

Case of Wine – 2006 Soquel Vineyards Partner’s Reserve
– 2006 Soquel Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Partner’s Reserve case of wine (12 bottles) from the Garvey Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley

Exquisite Designer Necklace by Erin Mac photo: copyright 2009 Erin Mac

Item # 2013

Exquisite Designer Necklace by
Erin Mac
– Necklace by Erin Mac who designs jewelry for the Hollywood Oscar event – Veridian Art Deco Venetian Master-Cut Briolette with an 18k White Gold and Diamond Enhancer on a Stainless Steel Cable with a 14k yellow gold lobster clasp. From the House of Erin MacGeraghty fine jewelry and watches.

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Tagged as Africa, Middle East, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

February 3, 2009 · 2:38 pm

SAMA Auction and Middle Eastern Feast – 22 February 2009

The
SAMA (St. Andrew’s Medical Assistance) auction and dinner will
be held in three weeks, on Sunday, 22 February 2008.
The fundraising event will be held at
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, starting with a silent auction
at 5 pm, followed by a Middle Eastern Feast and live auction.
Tickets are $30/adult or $15/child

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

This event has been held for over ten years. My husband John and I are in
charge of the catalog
and checkout table. In 2008, funds raised by SAMA
went to support medical projects in the Holy Land (Gaza and Jerusalem), Namibia,
and Zimbabwe. Some of the items to be auctioned on 22 February include:

Caboose Brunch by John Plocher

Brunch for 6 on a private 1916 historic railroad caboose (Western Pacific Feather River Railway, WP668) in Willow Glen,
San Jose
Wine – old treasure from the Louis M. Martini family collection
Middle Eastern Dinner for 8 – by Lucy Asfour
Private flight plus brunch for 4

Private flight plus lunch. Experienced Palo Alto pilot

Charles Jackson of the
Shoreline Flying Club will be your host for 2 hours in a 4 seat
Cessna 182 Skylane II. Want to tour the San Francisco Bay and see the
Golden Gate Bridge from the air? Here’s your chance!
Aladdin Fantasy Glass for Children

Own a unique piece of Silicon Valley history! This is an original silk-screened heavy glass display cover from a 1982 Atari Aladdin arcade game. Never used – bought from factory by former Atari employee. 23-1/4″ x 24″ in size. Use it to display your child’s or grandchild’s photo or art with Aladdin, the Genii and other fantastic images. Unframed.
Cross and Chain – Gold – Maltese

Lady’s yellow gold-filled 24″ long rope chain with an 18 karat yellow gold hand engraved “Maltese” cross with pendant dove. Total weight gold 0.2 oz.

Missionary dinner for 6 to 10 persons. Cooked by John Watson-Williams. Menu includes ground nut stew with meat, poultry, or fish. Steamed matoke (vegetarian), side dishes, tropical fruits.
$1000 off Home Closing Costs

$1000 off your closing costs when buying or selling your home with
Asfour Realty at Keller Williams. Contact Sami Asfour at 408-888-7800 for an appointment.
Tiger Woods – Golf picture

A beautifully framed picture of Tiger Woods with his 2006 PGA Grand Slam of Golf Champion Trophy, Poipu Bay Golf Course, Kauai, Hawaii. Also included in the frame is an authentic unused ticket to the 2006 PGA Grand Slam.

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January 27, 2009 · 9:45 pm

Marriage Encounter and Mark Twain

Last Spring, my husband John and I participated in a weekend event called Episcopal Marriage Encounter. Since then, we have joined a Spirals monthly dinner and discussion group which has strengthened our Marriage Encounter experience.

What is Marriage Encounter?

“Marriage Encounter began in Spain in the 1960’s as a program to enable couples with basically good marriages to enrich the quality of their lives together. … The success of Marriage Encounter led to the formation of the Episcopal expression in 1971 and since then EME and other faith expressions have expanded worldwide. Since its inception, over 3 million couples in 45 countries have attended a Marriage Encounter Weekend. … The purpose of the Weekend is for a husband and wife to develop a better knowledge, understanding and acceptance of each other through the use of a communication technique which is taught on the Weekend.”
From http://www.episcopalme.com/NEWeme_about.html

Episcopal Marriage Encounter sign photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

God Doesn't Make Junk banner, Episcopal Marriage Encounter photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

John Plocher, Katy Dickinson, Episcopal Marriage Encounter photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

Love one another as I have loved you, Episcopal Marriage Encounter banner photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

At most Spirals evenings, there is a dinner, group sharing and discussion, plus time for each of the six or more couples to use ME’s communication technique to share their thoughts more privately. This month, our Spirals group did something different. Vance and Cynthia brought a small book containing a short story written just after the turn of the last century called The Diaries of Adam & Eve, Translated by Mark Twain. Vance and Cynthia had thought to read just a part but we started passing the book around the group to read it aloud. We found it so funny and endearing that we ended up reading the whole story instead of following the planned program.

Here is a little bit from early in Adam’s diary:

“MONDAY.–The new creature says its name is Eve. That is all right, I have no objections. Says it is to call it by, when I want it to come. I said it was superfluous, then. The word evidently raised me in its respect; and indeed it is a large, good word and will bear repetition. It says it is not an It, it is a She. This is probably doubtful; yet it is all one to me; what she is were nothing to me if she would but go by herself and not talk.”

And from Eve’s:

“MONDAY.–This morning I told him my name, hoping it would interest him. But he did not care for it. It is strange. If he should tell me his name, I would care. I think it would be pleasanter in my ears than any other sound.

He talks very little. Perhaps it is because he is not bright, and is sensitive about it and wishes to conceal it. It is such a pity that he should feel so, for brightness is nothing; it is in the heart that the values lie. I wish I could make him understand that a loving good heart is riches, and riches enough, and that without it intellect is poverty.

Although he talks so little, he has quite a considerable vocabulary. This morning he used a surprisingly good word. He evidently recognized, himself, that it was a good one, for he worked in in twice afterward, casually. It was good casual art, still it showed that he possesses a certain quality of perception. Without a doubt that seed can be made to grow, if cultivated.”

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Tagged as Episcopal church, marriage, Marriage Encounter

November 25, 2008 · 11:05 am

Wedding Reception

On Sunday, we went to a wedding reception at our old church. Two of our friends were married after living together for 34 years. They were married at home but wanted to celebrate with their church family too. The reception was a joyful event with little kids running around and long-time friends of All Saints’ Episcopal Church catching up on each other’s news. My husband and son and I had a good time and were happy to be invited to toast the “new” couple.

I served on the Vestry (Episcopal parish business committee) and outreach committee with both Jeff and John. I know them to be profoundly dedicated to making the world better for those less fortunate than themselves. I have deep respect for both as good men and good Christians. John wrote in the church newsletter:

“After 34 years together, it is wonderful to have an actual anniversary day! We now know what others had told us: marriage *is* different from ‘domestic partnership’.”

Because of the social controversy and recent divisive public battles over California Proposition 8 (2008), this small community celebration of the lives of two good men had a little flavor of a political event. Spending by groups both for and against Prop 8 and same sex marriage surpassed that of every political campaign in the US except the presidential race. So, the topic was on our minds. Everyone I talked to was full of joy for Jeff and John but also concerned about the pending lawsuits over the Prop 8’s constitutionality and their effect on the lives of our friends.

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Tagged as Episcopal church, marriage

November 25, 2008 · 9:07 am

SMUM Book Club, week 3

Last Thursday started the third week of the new book club at
SMUM Studio 17 (Santa Maria Urban Ministry).
Tonight is our final meeting before the program’s winter break.

How it works:

Every week, each of the older children in the after school homework program
has the opportunity to check out a book from Studio 17’s book shelf, read it,
then give me an oral report. Prizes are offered! Credit will be given for each
book read before Thanksgiving. (Studio 17 does not meet between Thanksgiving
and New Year’s.) Prizes to be paid today in a Target gift card.

Status:

Week two was slower. Many of the kids forgot to bring the books they
finished back to trade in. But several more kids did trade in completed
books. Also, we have two new club members (Edgar and Alejandro).
Here is where we are:

Roald Dahl The BFG

reader: Robert – started 20 Nov
James Howe The Bunnicula Collection (3 books in 1 volume)

1st reader: Abigail – started 6 Nov (read most of book 1, passed it on)

2nd reader: Jose – started 13 Nov (extended for a 2nd week)
Madeleine L’Engle A Wrinkle in Time

reader: Stephanie – started 6 Nov (extended for a 3nd week)
C.S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

1st reader: Jose – started 6 Nov (read half, passed it on)

2nd reader: Abigail – started 20 Nov

3rd reader: Edgar – started 20 Nov
Jack London Call of the Wild

reader: Alejandro – started 20 Nov
Christopher Paolini Eragon

1st reader: Robert – started 6 Nov (read half, passed it on)

2nd reader: Carlos – started 13 Nov (extended for a 2nd week)
Tamora Pierce Alanna

reader: Leslie – started 6 Nov (extended for a 3rd week)
Tamora Pierce First Test

reader: Jocelyn – started 6 Nov (extended for a 3rd week)
Louis Sachar Holes

1st reader: Carlos – started 6 Nov (read it, passed it on)

2nd reader: Robert – started 13 Nov (read it, passed it on)
E.B. White Charlotte’s Web

reader: Abigail – started 20 Nov

The list by reader:

Abigail: Charlotte’s Web, The Bunnicula Collection,
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Alejandro: Call of the Wild
Carlos: Eragon, Holes
Edgar: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Jocelyn: First Test
Jose: The Bunnicula Collection, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Leslie: Alanna
Robert: The BFG, Holes, Eragon
Stephanie: A Wrinkle in Time

The Studio 17 kids liked the pictures I posted
from the
Make Your Own Kaleidoscope software toy. Even more kids requested that I
take their photos so that they can play with their own images next
time. Here are two more Kaleidoscopes:

SMUM Studio 17 kaleidoscope, San Jose CA
photo: copyright 2008 Katy Dickinson

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November 18, 2008 · 4:23 pm

Excellence in Preaching Series – Schell, Lyman, Countryman

On 4 September, I wrote about St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church holding a three part Excellence in Preaching series. Three remarkably gifted, different, and distinguished speakers and authors each had one day to preach twice and then offer a ninety minute seminar. The series is designed to better equip the listener to recognize and respond to different preaching styles – and to appreciate even those styles that may differ from personal preference. Photos follow of the speakers:

14 September 2008: Rev. Donald Schell, All Saints Company Consultant and Creative Director and founder of St. Gregory’s, San Francisco
26 October 2008: Rev. Dr. Rebecca Lyman, Professor Emerita of History, Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), Berkeley
16 November 2008: Rev. Dr. Bill Countryman, Professor Emeritus of Biblical studies, Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), Berkeley

This was an inspiring and thoughtful series! I learned from and admired each of the speakers. I hope that St. Andrew’s continues to offer excellent education opportunities like these. In the final series sermon two days ago, the Rev. Dr. Countryman considered three of the more difficult stories told by Jesus – the parables of the Ten Talents, Prodigal Son, and the Workers in the Vineyard. Each parable presents a question of generosity and fairness in human versus divine context. Every time I hear those stories, I secretly sympathize with the third slave who was cast out, with the older brother who felt ignored, and with the grumbling laborers who worked all day.