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Cow Hollow

Church News

T h e E p i s c o p a l C h u r c h o f S a i n t M a r y t h e V i r g i n S u m m e r 2 0 1 7

Blessed by God, One Encounter at a Time

The Very Rev. Dr. Donald Brown, Interim Rector

This summer, whether you are away on vacation or taking a “staycation” here in the Bay Area, I hope you will

remember to be attentive to the people whom you encounter in your daily life. Whether they are family,

friends, or complete strangers, know that each person has something to teach you about, life, love, forgiveness,

adventure, hope, endurance, and trusting in the transformative blessings (that don’t always look like

blessings) from God.

I hope the little story

that follows will open

for you my meaning

about being attentive to

the people you

encounter.

There once was a little

boy who wanted to

meet God. He knew it

was going to be a bit of

a hike to where God

lived, so into his little

backpack he placed some cupcakes and

a few bottles of water, and started on his

journey.

Our summer clergy: Paula Nesbitt, Don Brown, and Lin Knight

When he had gone about three blocks, he saw an elderly woman. She was sitting on a park bench watching the

pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his backpack. He was about to take a drink from his bottle

of water when he noticed the lady looked hungry so he offered her a cupcake.

She gratefully accepted and smiled at him. Her smile was so wonderful that he wanted to see it again, so he

offered her a bottle of water as well. Once again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!

Summer 2017 The Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling

without saying a word. As it began to grow dark,

the boy realized how tired he was and wanted to

go home. He got up to leave but before he had gone

no more than a few steps, he turned around and

ran back to the old woman, giving her a big hug.

She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy arrived home his mother was

surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked,

“What has made you so happy today?”

He replied, “I had lunch with God.” Before his

mother could respond he added, “You know what?

Sheʹs got the most beautiful smile in the whole

world!”

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy,

returned to her home. Her adult son, with whom

she lived, was stunned by the look of peace on her

face. He asked, “Mother, what has made you so

happy today?”

She replied, “I ate cupcakes in the park with God.”

And before her son could reply, she added, “You

know, he is much younger than I expected.”

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a

smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest

compliment, or the smallest act of caring; all of

which have the potential to turn a person’s life

around.

People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or

a lifetime. Take no one for granted and embrace all

equally with joy!

By the end of the summer season your new rector

will arrive and begin a journey with the St. Mary’s

family. I pray that together you will discover the

hand of God at work in your lives.

May you joyfully embrace the opportunities that

will unfold as God leads you forward in new

opportunities to deepen your faith and assist in

doing the work of bringing God’s love more fully

alive in our very troubled world.

News of Note from the Sr. Warden

Roulhac Austin

Love Letter to the Search Committee

Our parish has been tremendously well served by

the faithfulness of our Search Committee, the

people who discerned who would be the best of the

best candidates to serve as our next rector:

Matt Bartlett

Donna Davidson

David Gibson

Riley Haggin

Natalie Hala

Anne Kieve

Lauren MacDonald

Alan Pendergast

Creighton Reed,

Co‐Chair

Mike Stafford

Diana Sullivan,

Co‐Chair

Pleasant Thompson

Did you know our parish’s interests were

promoted and protected by a nonprofit executive

recruiter, a retail buyer, a tech consultant, two

attorneys, an historian, two school teachers, an

interior designer, a nonprofit executive director

and verger, an executive coach, and seven parents?

Did you know that together these men and women

traveled over 20,194 miles from stem to stern

around our country to discern who would be the

best possible candidates to be our new rector?

Did you know these people donated miles for

travel whenever it was possible to save money on

the process?

Did you know they collectively spent more than

6,000 hours in pursuit of the finalists to be our new

rector? These hours include:

2,016 hours in almost weekly meeting over

the course of 14 months

Co‐Chairs Diana Sullivan and

Creighton Reed

Cow Hollow Church News Summer 2017

1,000 additional hours hosting and

documenting the Town Hall Meetings and

online surveys so they could then draft and

revise the Parish Profile and the Office of

Transition Management form which is the

official “job posting” for the new rector’s

position

At least 288 hours on Skype interviews of

potential finalists

1,728 hours away from home doing site

visits of candidates

At least another 1,500 hours preparing the

50‐page dossiers on each of the finalists they

presented to the vestry during three hours

on April 26th.

Did you know Natalie Hala and Anne Kieve

prepared dinner each week the Search Committee

met? Did you know that Mike Stafford was their

spiritual director during the process?

Even after these thousands of hours of hard work,

they all agree they wouldnʹt have it any other way!

On April 26th, the vestry hosted a joint dinner with

the Search Committee to honor them as they

concluded their duties. In addition to our shared

meal, all 12 dedicated parishioners delivered to the

vestry the written dossiers and gave a live

presentation of their site visits to the candidates

they discerned to be the best possible choices for St.

Mary’s. They were unanimous in their

recommendations and offered no rankings or

preferences.

In May and early June, we are hosting the finalists

and their partners for weekend visits to St. Mary’s.

Their visits include dinners with the vestry, tours

of the rectory and church campus, and lengthy

interviews.

The names of the finalists will remain in strictest

confidence, known only to the Search Committee

and vestry. This is required to maintain the

finalists’ confidentiality in seeking to come to our

parish. With prayer and the Holy Spirit, the

finalists and vestry will mutually discern who our

next rector will be. We will all rejoice with the

rector who ultimately accepts our call, sometime in

June or early July.

Our deepest gratitude goes to the 12 members of

the Search Committee for their fidelity and

commitment to listen to all who considered the call

to become St. Mary’s next rector and to selflessly

devote whatever was required to limit the choices

to only the few candidates who truly reflected the

values and aspirations we share as a congregation

for our spiritual life as we move into our future.

(Read the Search Committeeʹs wrap up on page 10.)

Your Pledge This Summer Allan Jergesen, for the Stewardship Team

Thank you for your support this Summer! Each

year as summer looms, the vestry assesses St.

Mary’s financial situation to ensure that our

projections for income and expenses are on track

and that we are in a good position at the half‐way

point in our fiscal year. This year, we were blessed

with $795,000 in pledges made by parishioners in

the course of our stewardship campaign. Actual

contributions through the first quarter of 2017 have

been $378,000, which is 48 percent of the total

pledge amount. This compares favorably with first‐

quarter pledge results in prior years, which are

usually in the range of 40 percent. Special thanks to

all who have pledged and contributed for bringing

us these happy results!

Summer also creates challenges for St. Mary’s

finances, as parishioners take a break from

ordinary life, go on vacation, and look for ways to

refresh and renew themselves. At the same time, St.

Mary’s continues to serve its parishioners and the

wider world, employing the resources available to

it. Parishioners can assist by using the summer

months to pay as much of their outstanding

pledges as they are able. Every little bit helps! With

everyone’s assistance, we look forward to

gathering our resources in the months ahead as we

prepare to welcome a new rector in the fall.


Sunday School News Nancy Clark, Sunday School Co‐Director

We are nearing the end of another Sunday School

year, a year that adds up

to 30 Sundays of classes

and activities. As always,

we are grateful for the

energy and interest of the

children, the

commitment of parents,

and (applause! applause!)

the dedication of the

corps of teachers—12 in

all‐‐ who make it all

possible. With the

liturgical year as our

structure, spring lessons

focused on Lent and

Easter with the work of

Heifer International at

the center of our Lenten

outreach activities. The

traditional 5th and 6th

grade fundraiser on

“Refreshment Sunday“ featured cakes, cookies and

hot cross buns as well as potted flowers and savory

herbs and greens planted, tended, and harvested

by the class. This class of enterprising bakers,

horticulturalists, and aggressive sellers raised over

$500 for the Heifer cause. Noteworthy, of course, is

the generosity of parishioners, which underlies this

philanthropic success.

Readers of Sunday bulletin announcements know

that lessons after Easter focus on sightings of Jesus

by his incredulous followers as well as Jesus’

parables and acts of concern and caring. Stories of

the Good Shepherd, Good Samaritan, the healing of

blind Bartimaeus, and the Ten Lepers are avenues

for discussions about caring, healing, and kindness

in its many forms in everyday life. Older children

have been learning about Christian heroes and

activists such as Harriet Tubman, John Chapman

(aka Johnny Appleseed), Cesar Chavez, and Martin

Luther King.

Though Sunday School classes end on June 11, we

encourage parents to seek out during the summer

months activities that are extensions of Sunday

School lessons and endeavors. Here are some ideas:

Read a biography and

look for qualities in

that person that led to

success and greatness.

What acts of

generosity,

perseverance,

kindness, and

courage can you find?

”

an

onder:

nly

s value?

Talk about and

practice what it

means to be “good

stewards of creation.

Put the three R’s—

reduce, re‐use,

recycle‐‐‐ into every

day use wherever

you are, even on

vacation. At home,

work hard to fill the green compost and

blue recycling bins, and strive for ever

smaller quantities in the black garbage c

headed for the dump. A question to p

Why is environmental stewardship not o

an essential social concern but also a

religiou

Choose a family good cause or charity, set

out a collection jar, and make a point of

adding spare change and making regular

contributions. Learning early the benefits

and pleasures of philanthropy is a great gift

to give to our children

And of course, say family prayers. If you’re

shy about this, consider Anne Lamott’s

three categories: “Wow,” “Help,” and

“Thanks.” That will cover just about

everything.

Fifth and sixth graders offering home‐generated

edibles and botanicals for sale in support of Heifer.


Outreach at St. Mary’s – Funding and New Opportunities Ellen McLean, Assistant Treasurer

St. Mary’s has a deep and long‐standing

commitment to outreach with a focus on ministries

that support San Franciscans who struggle with

poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity. This

issue of the Cow Hollow Church News features

articles and pictures of some of the projects that

focus on improving the lives of those in need. See

stories on Nourishing Bodies and Souls (on page 6)

and on Rebuilding Together (on page 16). While

most of our outreach projects involve a

commitment of time and talent, some of these

projects also involve a commitment of financial

resources from the parish. There are three separate

sources of funding for outreach projects at St.

Mary’s:

1. Outreach Funds in our Annual Budget:

Every year the vestry budgets money for

outreach projects. This year they plan to

spend money on Open Cathedral, Edward

II/Larkin Street Youth Services, and Stephen

Ministries. Although the amount we budget

varies from year to year, we must spend at

least $6,700 each year from our operating

accounts because there are funds in our

endowment/investment accounts that

require the income to be used for outreach

each year.

2. The Annual Fundraiser for the Outreach

Granting Program (Tidings of Comfort and

Joy): Each year St. Mary’s has an Advent

fundraiser from which 100 percent of the

proceeds are distributed to local non‐profit

agencies that minister to those in need. Last

year St. Mary’s raised almost $50,000 for the

Outreach Granting Program and distributed

funds to eleven agencies: Art With Elders,

Brainstorm Program at the Janet Pomeroy

Center, The Episcopal School for Deacons,

Family House San Francisco, Raphael

House, Rebuilding Together San Francisco,

The San Francisco Night Ministry, San

Francisco Court Appointed Special

Advocates, Sojourn Chaplaincy at San

Francisco General Hospital, St. Dorothy’s

Rest Hospital Camps, and The Village

Project. For more information about these

organizations, see the Annual Report online

at http://smvsf.org/wp‐

content/uploads/2017/01/2016‐

17annualreport.pdf

3. New Outreach Fund: In 2015, St. Mary’s

received an anonymous gift from a

generous parishioner to be used exclusively

for outreach. These funds have been

earmarked for projects which expand our

outreach efforts and programs. Last year

and this year we used some of these funds

for the “Stop Hunger Now” initiative which

required a financial commitment to

purchase the food that was packaged by the

dozens of participants for distribution

overseas.

With this wonderful bounty, Ruth Tatum the vestry

representative for outreach, and Margaret Stafford,

the coordinator for outreach and the new Faith in

Action initiative, see opportunities both to expand

our outreach efforts with the help of the New

Outreach Fund and to increase the coordination of

our participatory outreach programs with the

Outreach Granting Program. Ruth and Margaret

are making plans to gather everyone interested in

outreach, but especially the current leaders of our

programs at St. Mary’s, for a brainstorming session

focusing on bolstering communication and

coordination of outreach efforts and discussing

new outreach opportunities. Look for

announcements in the Highlights email and the

Sunday bulletin for a date and time in June.

http://smvsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-17annualreport.pdf




Nourishing Bodies and Souls The Rev. Tim Smith and the Rev. Nancy Bryan

The food ministry at St. Mary’s has blossomed into

a robust and thriving group of different initiatives

in which parishioners minister with the elderly,

disabled, homeless, youth, and hungry people

abroad by providing food for them.

In ministering with those without adequate food

resources, our parishioners and non‐parishioners

who participate report that they find many benefits

from their work: joy, healing, a return to

wholeness, and renewed gratitude for all of the

blessings which God has bestowed on them.

Food Bank

St. Mary’s partnership with the SF‐Marin Food

Bank is now in its second year. In the first year, 25

volunteers

delivered over

25,000 pounds of

food on a weekly

basis throughout

the city to elderly

and disabled

residents who

could not

otherwise procure

food for

themselves.

Parish Sunday

School children,

under the

passionate

tutelage of our

Sunday School head Nancy Clark, periodically

prepare wreaths for volunteers to share with food

recipients. Recently, one of our volunteers

delivered food and an Easter/spring wreath

prepared by parish Sunday School children to an

elderly Russian couple at their home in the city.

They were so grateful for the wreath that they have

placed it next to their icon of Jesus on the mantle of

their living room!

Another recipient had retained on her front door a

Thanksgiving wreath prepared previously by

parish Sunday School children. When she received

an Easter/spring wreath from them, she proudly

placed it, too, in her home.

When

volunteers

have noticed

that food

recipients

struggle

with living

alone, they

have put

them in

touch with

various

resources of

the City of

San

Francisco to

assist them

with

housing and

medical care.

Stop Hunger Now

On March 4, the parish hosted a food packaging

event in partnership with Stop Hunger Now, a U.S.

non‐profit dedicated to eliminating global hunger.

At this event, a robust and highly‐energized multi‐

generational group of 75 parishioners and non‐

parishioners packaged over 15,000 meals in the

Great Room, for patients at tuberculosis and

hepatitis facilities in North Korea.

Edward II

Edward II, located several blocks from St. Mary’s,

is a residential facility for youth, operated by

Larkin Street Youth Services. On one Sunday a

month, a group of parishioners under the inspiring

leadership of Marta Johnson, prepares dinner for

Lifting spirits with wreaths

Packaging 15,000 meals in one afternoon


youth who live at the residential facility, and

prepare seasonally‐themed gifts, including for

Christmas and Easter. These young people are self‐

supporting, have experienced homelessness,

parental abuse, or lack of parental support, and

have committed to a rigorous educational program

to prepare themselves for independent living with

meaningful employment in the community.

After one of the young residents had broken his

leg, he came to visit with the volunteers preparing

dinner, who that evening were Alexandra

Crosswell and her three‐year‐old son, Marta

Johnson, Anne Williams, and Ilia and Tim Smith.

He told them it was the first time he had ventured

from his room for a meal in the kitchen since his leg

was broken. He looked forward to the St. Mary’s

dinner and seemed quite energized by his

experience with the volunteers, eagerly sharing

with them his stories about his work and about

living at Edward II.

Cupcakes decorated by residents at Edward II

The Food Basket

St. Mary’s is known for being very generous in

reaching out to others in the wider community.

Our food basket, located in the Narthex, is always

“open for business.” When you shop for groceries

or clean out your pantry, remember to pick out

some non‐perishable items and leave them in our

Food Basket. These items are delivered to

community‐based programs that feed hungry folks

and provide them with a filling meal. Deliveries are

made to places such as St. Paulus Lutheran Church,

the Food Bank, the Larkin Street Youth Services

residence at Edward II, Glide Memorial Church,

and others. Thank you for remembering others ‐‐

you make a difference!

Open Cathedral

For many years, St. Mary’s has helped to prepare

and serve bag lunches quarterly for “Open

Cathedral.” June 18 is our next date. During the

school year, our 5th and 6th graders help prepare

100 bag lunches, while learning about the

importance of serving others who are without

regular housing or food. Open Cathedral is under

the direction of the S.F. Night Ministry, begun in

1964, and serves the needs of those in crisis, both

on the streets at night and through trained

counselors answering their telephone Crisis Line.

We invite all parishioners to come along and see for

yourselves what happens when a faith‐filled

community gathers to pray, sing, receive the

Eucharist, and be fed both in spirit and body. The

Service begins at 2:00 p.m., lunch is served about

half an hour later. Regular attendees number about

75 and the ushers are always helpful and engaging

with everyone. This service takes place every

Sunday, rain or shine. Location: In the walkway at

Golden Gate and Leavenworth Streets, close to the

Sunday Farmer’s Market in Civic Plaza. For more

information, please contact Deacon Nancy Bryan at

[email protected].

Fifth and Sixth graders making sandwiches for Open

Cathedral

mailto:[email protected]


In God’s Hands Kevin Bulivant, Finance Manager

The principal of St. Brendan’s, my children’s

school, used to say, “God doesn’t always promise

you tomorrow.” I have thought about Sister

Diane’s words often in the last year. On Friday,

July 29, 2016 at around 9:10 a.m. I had a cerebral

infarction in the sanctuary at St. Mary’s ‐‐ a stroke

in the cerebellum area of my brain. I would like to

share my experience of that day and my journey to

recovery.

Normally I am the only one in

the office on Fridays; however

this day was an exception. At

9:00 a.m., Bryce, the piano

tuner, rang the door buzzer,

and I went down to let him

into the Sanctuary to do a

scheduled tune‐up on the

grand piano. I started to walk

back to my office; I felt a slight

dizziness that made me think

I’d better sit down for a

minute. I sat down in the

second center pew directly

facing the lectern. After about

a minute or two my breathing

felt very shallow, so I tried

taking some deep breaths to

calm myself. I started to feel a strange warming

sensation in my face. At this point I sensed an acute

awareness that something was wrong, and I asked

Bryce to call 911. I could tell he was a little nervous

making the call because he wasn’t quite sure how

to explain my situation. I am truly grateful that

Bryce was there that day to help me.

Sitting in the pew with my eyes closed, I was

breathing very deeply to control my anxiety. When

I opened my eyes, I felt like I was about to slide out

of the pew, as the whole sanctuary and the pew

were now slanted downward at a 45‐degree angle.

I gripped the front pew rail firmly to keep me from

sliding off the pew. I felt afraid and very alone

hanging onto the pew with different thoughts

running through my mind about my life, death,

faith, my deceased parents, my love for my family,

and whether I would ever see them again. I was in

God’s hands now and all I could do was hold on to

the pew, close my eyes, and pray to God for help

until the ambulance arrived.

When I arrived at St. Mary’s Medical Center, I was

so relieved to see my wife Mary at the ER. I

explained my slanted vision to the neurologist and

he called a stroke alert, and they took me to

radiology immediately for a CT

scan. The scan confirmed a clot in a

very small blood vessel in the right

side of my cerebellum. I was given

the miracle drug, tPA, to dissolve

the clot and to minimize damage to

my brain. There is about a three‐

hour window from the time of the

stroke for the drug to be effective. I

remember the Doctor telling me

the next 48 hours would be criti

because of swelling in the brain

after a stroke.

cal

I woke up around 2:00 a.m. on

Saturday in the ICU and thought I

saw an angel standing at the foot of

my bed. It was Sister Benzi, the

night nurse, in a long white habit.

Sister noticed I was awake and came into my room

to check on me in a very gentle caring way. She

explained the seriousness of my condition and her

spiritual presence gave me a feeling of hope and

peacefulness. Over the next few days in the ICU, I

realized how lucky I was to be alive. It felt like I

was on an emotional roller coaster and my blood

pressure was unstable. I wasn’t quite sure about

the road ahead.

After a one‐week stay in the hospital, my medical

team thought it would be best to continue my

recovery at home. I remember feeling so fragile and

cautious walking with a cane. My balance was

definitely off and I noticed my senses were over

Kevin Bulivant, grateful for tomorrow


stimulated, making it very difficult to be around

crowds and noisy environments. Fortunately, after

several weeks of physical, speech, and occupational

therapy, my balance and cognitive skills improved

greatly. I returned back to work on a part‐time

basis on August 19, 2016, and full time a couple of

weeks later.

To complete my healing process, I realized I

needed help for my mind to better comprehend

how this event affected me and to talk about all the

feelings I was having. After four months of sessions

with a neuropsychologist, I was able to work

through my PTSD and became – and remain ‐‐ very

optimistic about life. I feel blessed. Many stroke

patients do not receive tPA. I am one of the lucky

ones who did.

I am very grateful God gave me tomorrow.

Meet Your Stephen Ministers David Crosson

On March 26th, seven new Stephen Ministers were

commissioned, most of them young. (Just don’t call

them millenials.) With this new class, 12 Stephen

Ministers at St. Mary’s now provide quality, Christ‐

centered lay care with people in crisis. Most of the

new Stephen

Ministers work jobs

that require that they

travel nationally and

internationally, often

on a few hours’

notice. Two of them

have young children.

One was pregnant

throughout the

training classes and

gave birth two days

after commissioning.

Still, these dedicated

souls committed

themselves to fifty

hours of intensive

training with Stephen

Leaders Don Brown, Nan Slavin, and David

Crosson, every Monday evening and two full

Saturdays, over seven months.

The classes covered feelings, listening skills,

process‐oriented goal setting, assertiveness,

Christian care giving, boundary‐setting, identifying

and responding to psychological and physical

crises, mental health issues, and confidentiality.

The trainees read multiple books, watched training

videos, listened to lectures, read scripture, and

participated in role‐playing exercises. They

continue to grow into, and support each other in

loving community. Everyone is certified in the

diocesan safe church program to shield the

vulnerable. They did (and do) all of this because

each one has responded to the call to serve Christ

by serving God’s people in the most personal of

ways.

Are you going through a time of crisis in your life?

Are you losing or changing a job? Is your body

beginning to let you down? Are you caring for, or

mourning the loss of a dearly loved one? Are

family members hurting you and themselves? Are

your friends tired of hearing your story again and

again and again? Do you wonder how God could

allow this to happen to you, or to someone you

love? Then you may want to talk to a member of

the clergy about

having a Stephen

Minister walk with

you. Stephen

Ministers are trained.

Stephen Ministers are

absolutely

confidential. And

Stephen Ministers

will be with you,

listening, walking

beside you, as lon

you need them. Tha

is what God has

called Stephen

Mini

g as

t

sters to do.

New class of Stephen Ministers, left to right: Alli Bunker, James

Shepherd, Laurie Martin, Alexandra Pearson, Megan Burrows,

Kory Li, and Joannie Ericson


Profile and Search Committee Wraps Up Its Work Creighton Reed and Diana Sullivan, Co‐Chairs

The Profile and Search Committee (PSC) wrapped

up its work in April 2017, delivering to the vestry

our reports on the three final candidates to become

rector of St. Mary the Virgin. While assurances of

candidate confidentiality preclude us from

providing details, we are thrilled with our finalists,

and truly feel blessed to be forwarding for

consideration three eminently qualified priests

with the requisite skills and experience to lead our

parish. Moreover, these are three fantastic

individuals — excellent people — whom we would

be honored to have as “fellow travelers” on the

journey we all share in this world. It makes us sad

to think we will need to professionally part ways

with two of these candidates; they will stay with us

in our hearts and go on to lead congregations

fortunate enough to have them bless them with

their presence.

Process and Timeline

Our process involved five steps, and included

dozens of intervening tasks.

1. Formation

2. Gathering, collating and organizing data

3. Writing the Parish Profile and OTM Profile

4. Collecting and screening applications;

conducting first round interviews;

interviewing semi‐finalists on site

5. Discerning finalists, writing up and

delivering reports to the vestry

Co‐Chairs Creighton and Diana were named at the

end of February 2016; our full committee was

identified in March; and we had our first meeting

in April. Our committee quickly organized itself,

set operating procedures, and began the first of

many cycles of planning and execution. From April

2016 through April 2017, we met virtually every

week, except for some weeks in summer and

around major holidays. We also met for full‐day

video conferences with first round candidates on

three successive Saturdays in January 2017, and

completed eight weekend on‐site visits with semi‐

finalists between late February and early April,

including teams that flew to visits in six separate

states. Here are some of the things we learned:

Outstanding parish — first of all, we have an

amazing community of faithful, dedicated,

energetic, compassionate, and thoughtful

parishioners. While we had a large task, and no

place is perfect, we felt part of a special place where

we care about each other, seek to support each

other, and choose to believe the best of each other.

Our main task was to find the best way to express

and communicate that, and then find the right

people who want what St. Mary’s offers and could

fit in — again as one of us, in the best mold of a

Servant‐Leader. So we always felt, in business

terminology, that we had a great “product” to

offer, and we feel fortunate to have found what

appear to be great individuals to continue on the

path with us towards a call.

The process — a quick note about this. In short, it

works. Yes, 13 months to get to three Finalists is

long (context: national average of 18 months for a

complete process). Many of us on the committee

wondered why it could possibly take so long —

after all didn’t we just go through this and have a

great Parish Profile from 2011‐12?

What we learned was that our parish had evolved

since we called our last rector. Our congregation

had changed a bit (for example, some more new,

young families and young adults), the times had

changed, and our needs had subtly changed. And

we needed, frankly, to heal. Perhaps some of us

still do. The time it took, and the steps we went

through — six large Town Halls, multiple smaller

targeted group meetings (Parish Choir, Altar Guild,

etc.), the survey, countless one‐on‐one discussions,

and so on until our current final step — have given

us as a committee, and we believe as a parish, time

to reflect and become clearer about what we

collectively want (and don’t want). Some people


left the church — which

is truly sad — but

others came, and while

we are still the same

basic St. Mary’s we

were five years ago, we

have changed. Again,

more accurately, we’ve

evolved, and this

process allowed for

that.

Our growth — Truly a

efforts as Search

Committee memb

has been our growth as

a team, and perhaps

even more so our

growth as individuals. Each of us feels we learned

a great deal about our faith, about our parish, and

for many of us, most significantly about ourselves.

As Co‐Chairs, this process deepened our fait

greatly increased the appreciation for what St.

Mary’s is. We talked about it a bit above, but w

came to really understand and appreciate just

truly hard so many volunteers work, and how

much so many of us do for those within and (even

more so) outside of our courtyard.

by‐product of our

ers

h and

e

how

s a committee, we did lots of hard work, but also

this

s

ppreciation of Applicants and those who choose

elves

.

though, thank you for what you do each and

uch

u

,

out our time as the rector Search

or of

e,

ne final time, Thank you and God bless you!

A

had laughs, and became friends. The two of us feel

so blessed to have worked with this committee.

This was an honor, a privilege, and such an

affirming experience. Thank you for giving us

opportunity — for the trust you placed in us, for

your support, and for your friendship and prayer

along the way. We pray for, and cheer the vestry

and our final candidates.

A

Episcopal Priesthood — Finally, we would like to

thank all of the candidates who took the time to

apply. Thank you for blessing us with your time,

your energy, and your effort to put together

applications, to talk with us, and to put yours

out there on paper and in person. We heard some

amazing stories and so many phenomenal sermons

Many of you truly touched us.

More

every day. Your work is truly important,

meaningful, and a blessing to those you to

personally and to the world as a whole. Our

appreciation for what it means to be a priest and

rector in The Episcopal Church grew tenfold — yo

stand not only as a spiritual, moral, and religious

leader, but also as CEO, coach, therapist, at times

referee, friend, and (again) fellow traveler (which

means father/mother, wife/husband, sister/brother

daughter/son) — and you wear countless other

hats. Thank you and God bless you!

Closing

We close

Committee by saying thank you for the hon

serving in this capacity. It has been an amazing

experience and a true privilege. We feel we have

gained far more than we could ever give. We hop

pray, and trust this journey will result in calling a

wonderful person to come and steer the special

ship that is our St. Mary’s.

O

Profile and Search Committee members at work; left to right, standing: Anne Kieve, Matt

Bartlett, Lauren MacDonald, Creighton Reed, Diana Sullivan, Alan Pendergast, and David

Gibson; sitting: Pleasant Thompson, Donna Davidson, Mike Stafford, and Riley Haggin;

inset: Natalie Hala.


Martha Daetwyler, Vestry

Senior Warden

oulhac Austin and I announced the names of the

cre

to St. education of

0 among seven

r,

on

e

oung

women. You may have seen them serving the

arish in such capacities as Acolytes, as members

m

Member This year we are awarding $43,00

At the 9:00 a.m. service on May 7,

R

very first recipients of the St. Mary Magdalene

Scholarship Fund. This scholarship fund was

young women from our parish, selected on the

basis of outstanding service to the church and the

broader community. The name of the fund and the

broad outline of the purpose were designated by

the donor who wished to remain anonymous.

recipients. The scholarship will continue each yea

because we spend only the income, so the milli

ated with a very generous donation of $1 million

Mary the Virgin to fund college

The first recipients are an amazing group of y

dollar gift will stay in the endowment and continu

to grow and provide the scholarships.

p

of the Childrenʹs and Youth Choirs, and as

participants on Youth Group mission trips.

Following are the recipients, their colleges, the

year they will enter in the fall, and their war

sentiments for their home parish.

First St. Mary Magdalene Scholarships Awarded

Announcing recipients of the first scholarships: left to right, Martha Daetwyler, Roulhac Austin, Frannie Sutton

and Ginny Woodworth. ʺMartha has been singularly devoted to setting up the St. Mary Magdalene Fund,ʺ said

Roulhac. ʺThe document that created this endowment is about three sentences long and the lawyer in her came

to the fore and created the structure and the process to make this viable in perpetuity for St. Maryʹs and for the

young women of this parish.ʺ


Ainsley Ball, First year

Tufts

St. Maryʹs

at

has been a

ays been a part of

d

elen Carey, Fourth

ear at Notre Dame

ʹs

n

na

ʹve

Isabel Paxton, Fourth

year at UC Los Angeles

e

ophie Reynolds, Second year at

C San Diego

mes Market, from

Smith, First year UC

a

of

ity

rannie Sutton, First year at

e most special

r me

y

il Iʹm back in the choir

inny Woodworth,

my home

, and

home‐base over the years.

Itʹs alw

my life, and I am so

grateful for the sense of

community it has provide

me.

H

y

Since joining St. Mary

with my family fiftee

years ago, St. Maryʹs

has given me a place to

grow, not only in my

faith, but also in my

personal and professio

and the experiences I

values and who I am today.

l life; the people Iʹve met

had have helped shape my

St. Maryʹs means a

community and a family

that has watched m

grow up since I was born

and always greets me

with love and warm hugs

when Iʹm home from

college.

S

U

My absolute favorite St. Maryʹs

event is Bible Ti

when I was in 3rd grade making

homemade clay coins to when I

was in 10th grade and got to be a vendor selling

grapes and matzo, itʹs something I looked forward

to every year.

Eva

Santa Barbara

St. Maryʹs has been

family to me in times

grief. A friend to me in

times of joy. A commun

that surrounded me with

positivity and sparked my

love for music. It has truly

been an honor to spend time there.

F

Pomona

One of th

activities at St. Maryʹs fo

is singing in the choir for

Lessons and Carols. That

service is, without fail, a

beautiful one, and a lovel

tradition that I am lucky to

have been a part of. It never

quite feels like Christmas unt

stalls trying my best to reach those high, high notes

of the descants.

G

First year at Seattle

University

St Maryʹs is

and my family, full of

people who have

helped me to grow

full of so many

memories.


Transition, Baptism and Trust

he New

ut

t’s the way it’s been ever

ing to

en

l the

m

icene Creed.

e

se days is

t

,

d will

don’t be

of what God is doing – God is

ny

ick Buechner tells of a

time in his ife when he was really discouraged and

fearful. His

a

,

license

of

allenged beyond what we think we

handle, God can use anything to speak to us,

swer

on.

The Very Rev. Lin Knight, Assisting Priest

There was a cartoon a few years ago in T

Yorker of Adam and Eve walking hand in hand o

of the Garden of Eden. Adam turns to Eve and

says, “Dear, I think we’re entering a time

of transition.”

It seems like tha

since. St. Mary’s is going through its

second rector search, its second time of

transition, in five years. It’s an uncertain

time – “who will be our new rector?”

“Why did this have to happen to us?”

“Why is it taking so long?” “What

changes will our new rector bring to St.

Mary’s?” We are in a time of transition.

Years ago, when I was thinking about go

seminary, people talked about “going into the

ministry.” “Oh,” they would say, “we need nice

young men like you in the ministry” (it was all m

back then). The ministers were the ordained.

But that’s wrong! Because the ministers are al

people of God, all of you. The ordained clergy, the

1 percent of the church who are priests or deacons,

are like the supply corps, as we used to say in the

Navy. The ordained clergy minister mainly to the

ministers: to you who are out there on the front

lines, in the real world, meeting people where they

are, and showing them what a Christian looks like.

You’re where the action is, and the clergy are here

to support you in your ministry, give you the

spiritual strength to do your job as Christians.

Baptism is your ordination into ministry. Baptis

makes you a minister of Jesus Christ.

Baptism is more important than the N

Yes, it’s important what we believe. But the

Baptismal Covenant is what we do: “proclaim by

word and example the Good News of God in

Christ; seek and serve Christ in all persons; strive

for justice and peace; respect the dignity of every

human being.” Marcus Borg said, “You can believ

all the right stuff and still be a jerk!”

Clergy, rectors, and interims, come and go. The

average length of time for a rector the

about seven years. A wise priest once told me tha

if you want to know how much you’ll be missed

put your fist in a bucket of water, pull it out fast,

and see how much of a hole it leaves. The

congregation stays, you are the

backbone of St. Mary’s, the 99 percent

who have been here for years an

still be here years from now.

Finally, trust. Trust God and

afraid

bigger and more loving than we can

imagine, and God is with us in so ma

surprising ways.

The author Freder

l

daughter was very ill, and he didn’t

know what to do. He was sitting by the side of the

road in the little Vermont town where he lives,

when a car sped by with the license plate TRUST.

Buechner says that was exactly what he needed,

message from God to trust God, trust his daughter

trust that she would be okay, trust himself. A few

years later the doorbell rang at his house, and when

Buechner answered it a man stood there who had

read one of Buechner’s books in which he

mentioned that incident. He was the man in that

car, and he had come to give Buechner the

plate. He said he worked in the trust department

the local bank.

When we feel ch

can

even a license plate. Or another person. Or a

dream. St. Mary’s is not going into “circle the

wagons” mode. St. Mary’s will continue to an

Jesus’ call to be the church, to be the presence of

Christ, out in the streets. Ultimately a church is

known not for what it believes but for what it does.

Trust God, especially during this time of transiti

God is always with us. Transition, baptism, and

trust.

Fr. Lin Knight


A Journey to the UN he Rev.T

Dr. Paula Nesbitt, Assisting Priest

ber of the

ering

n

s of Women (UNCSW). I had never

is

.

ich I

en’s economic

rment across the Anglican world. It offered

es in various

erment.

e

the

of The Episcopal

hurch from 2012 to 2015. Both The Episcopal

ts on

ns,

r

n

n and

s to

sted,

e

Church Center,

untries,

and

der‐

sensitive budgeting

Episcopal Church. S

the experience has b

The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt is a mem

International Anglican Women’s Network Ste

Committee.

For years I had taught college students about the

valuable work of the United Nations Commissio

on the Statu

imagined being involved in any way. But I was, in

March, and in 2016, when I spoke at events that

parallel the UNCSW annual meeting in New York.

“Listening across our

Differences: Empowering

women cross‐culturally for

transformation” was th

year’s event that I took part

in, one of the hundreds that

accompany the UNCSW

deliberations and are open to

both delegates and the public

I was invited to share my

research on how indaba had

empowered Anglican women

to speak up and work

together across cultural

differences, and to lead the

audience in a brief listening

exercise using indaba

principles. Indaba is a way of

communal listening and

deliberation that has been

used across the Anglican

Communion – and at St.

Mary’s.

Another parallel event, wh

attended, focused on wom

empowe

insights on what various Church

cultures are doing to promote this empow

For example, the Anglican Church in Samoa is

actively working to eliminate both violence against

women and the common practice of child brides.

The Episcopal Church of South Sudan has a

campaign for every woman to learn to read and

write, and to receive training in how to engage in

some kind of business: “We have to do that becaus

otherwise women never have a future,” said

panelist Joy Kwaje Eluzai.

I first encountered the UNCSW through my role as

chair of the Executive Council Committee on

Status of Women (ECCSW)

C

Church and the Anglican Communion sponsor

delegations of women and men to UNCSW who sit

in on official discussions, attend parallel even

related topics, offer their insights and suggestio

and return home to empowe

women in their communities.

As Chair of the ECCSW, I

served as a bridge betwee

TEC and the delegates to the

UNCSW. Each fall, wome

men can apply to become

Episcopal Church delegate

the two‐week UNCSW

meeting. If you are intere

contact me at [email protected].

This year, both Anglican and

Episcopal delegates cam

together for a Eucharist and a

lively discussion at the

Episcopal

where delegates spoke about

the importance of The

Episcopal Church for women

in Spanish‐speaking co

about the issue of refugees

immigrants fleeing violence,

and about whether gen

was being used by The

ome delegates have said that

een life‐changing in what they

learned, the relationships they built, and their

motivation to work for change. One woman had

brought a group of teenage girls and their mothers

The Rev. Paula Nesbitt and Imaculee

Nyiransengimana from Rwanda engaging in

important work for women worldwide



to the UNCSW meeting to reflect on where God

might be calling them.

Anglican women delegates, coming from more

than 20 countries, wrote a statement to the

Anglican Consultative Council at the end of the

o week UNCSW meeting, urging it to ensure

e those

omen

N conference

n economic empowerment.” March 28, 2017.

glic

David Sullivan, Event Chair

At 8:30 a.m. on a rare warm April day in

San Francisco (the temperature hit nearly 70

ore than 35 hearty souls

ined forces in Bernal Heights to help elderly

f years

the‐

made

rnal

. And

Francisco

dvertising and promotions agency. St. Mary’s

to,

tw

that women were full participants at all levels of

Church leadership, and to publicly denounc

involved in gender‐based violence. Having met

Anglican women from Rwanda, South Africa,

Burundi, Pakistan, and elsewhere, and learning

about the work they are doing to improve women’s

status, I returned home inspired and freshly

committed to this important work.

Here are some resources for more information:

ACNS – Anglican News Service, “Anglican w

pledge to ‘change the world’ after U

o

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/03/an

an‐women‐pledge‐to‐change‐the‐world‐after‐un‐

conference‐on‐economic‐empowerment.aspx.

International Anglican Women’s Network,

http://iawn.anglicancommunion.org/. To find

out more about the UNCSW meeting, see

https://www.ngocsw.org/

degrees later in the day), m

jo

residents stay safely in their homes. It was

Rebuilding Together day and we did a lot in one

day. We weeded (filling 35 compostable bags), we

painted, we repaired stairs, we built a deck, we

replenished a garden, we emptied an attic o

of clutter, we replaced old smoke detectors, we

installed handrails – then we caught our breath for

lunch. Whew! Yes, we did nearly all this before

lunch! After lunch, we repaired and painted a

stairway, finished building the deck and

replenishing the garden, and cleaned up. We

wrapped up the whole day by 4:00 p.m. and

greeted our two beaming homeowners, across‐

street neighbors Curtis and Harold. Yes, we

this effort at not just one, but two homes in Be

Heights. Quite an accomplishment in one day

our homeowners are now safe at home!

Many thanks to our generous St. Mary’s volunteers

who were joined by forces from St. James Episcopal

Church and Jack Morton’s, a vibrant San

a

participants this year included Josie McGann, Steve

White, Tim Smith, Ellen McLean, Pam Sauer, Ned

Mobley, Linda Logemann, Jessica Metoyer, Dan

Hodapp, Susan Crown, Greg Toto, Katherine To

David Crosson, David Gibson, Nancy Svendsen,

Mark Wilson, and volunteer coordinator David

Sullivan.

In Bernal Heights before weeding, repairing and replenishing and

after (below)

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/03/anglican-women-pledge-to-change-the-world-after-un-conference-on-economic-empowerment.aspx



http://iawn.anglicancommunion.org/






Chalice Bearing at St. Mary’s arl Zachrisson, as reprised from the Summer 2014

ow Hollow Church News

.

ur

s

wine

pper. In his

us

er

ev

ious

e rgy, the

ook

e

Christ’s

of

.

is

love

the

e

e

XXX

h

arers.

o

to be a Cha

coordinated by Pam Ble

conducted by Bob B

C

C

Regular celebration of the Holy Eucharist at St

Mary the Virgin has been an essential part of o

community worship since the founding of the

parish in 1891. Holy

Communion, or Mass, is

celebrated each Sunday,

with additional

celebrations depending on

the season. Chalice Bearer

are central to the

celebration.

The roots of Holy Eucharist

are found in Christʹs

offering of bread and

at the Last Su

first letter to the

Corinthians (I.23), the

Apostle Paul witnesses, “I

have received from the

Lord what I also delivered

to you that the Lord Jes

on the night when he was

betrayed took bread, and

when he had given thanks,

he broke it, and said, ‘This

is my body which is for

you. Do this in

remembrance of me’. In the

same way also the cup,

saying, ‘This cup is the new

covenant in my blood. Do

this as often as you drink it,

in remembrance of me’.” A v

is spoken by the celebrant at

Eucharist is also called, var

Supper, Holy Communion, th

Mass, and the Great Offering. It has been

celebrated since the Last Supper. Our Prayer B

sion of those words

ery Eucharist.

ly, the Lordʹs

Divine Litu

One of the special opp

St. Maryʹs is

Catechism offers the following observations: “Th

outward and visible sign of the Eucharist is bread

and wine, given and received according to

command; the inward and spiritual grace in the

Holy Communion is the Body and Blood of Christ

given to his people, and received by faith.”

In 1563, the Church of England sought to define its

doctrine as it related both to the Calvinist doctrine

and to Roman Catholic practice, by adopting the

Thirty‐nine Articles

Religion. These articles

were restated by the

Episcopal Church in 1801

Article XXVIII affirms that,

“The Supper of the Lord

not only a sign of the

that Christians ought to

have among themselves

one to another; but rather it

is a Sacrament of our

Redemption by Christ’s

death: insomuch that to

such as rightly, worthily,

and with faith, receive

same, the Bread which w

break is a partaking of th

Body of Christ; and

likewise the Cup of

Blessing is a partaking of

the Blood of Christ.”

Significantly, Article

stated, “The Cup of the

Lord is not to be denied to

the lay people: for bot

parts of the Lordʹs

Sacrament, by Christʹs

order and commandment,

administered to all…”

Enter the Chalice Be

rtunities for lay ministry at

lice Bearer. The schedule is

dsoe, and training sessions

ledsoe. Please consider the are

possibility that you may have a call to join this very

rewarding lay ministry. If so, contact Pam or Bob

Bledsoe ([email protected]).

Carl Zachrisson joined St. Mary’s of his own volition at

age 14 in 1954 and was baptized and confirmed two years

later. While his parents never attended, he brought up his

two sons at the parish with his wife Adele, and became one

our longest‐standing and most engaged parishioners. He

of

altar

of

served in many capacities including as member of two

rector search committees and on the vestry twice, once as

Senior Warden. His gracious presence was a fixture as a

welcoming usher at the 11:00 a.m. service for decades. A

regular reader of scripture, Carl offered his resonant

baritone and powerful delivery of the 22nd Psalm as a

deeply moving integral part of St. Mary’s Maundy

Thursday liturgy for 21 years. He died on March 10. All

St .Maryʹs Chalice Bearers have contributed moving

accounts of their own personal experiences behind the

rail. Read them at http://smvsf.org/liturgical‐

ministries/.


http://smvsf.org/liturgical-ministries/

http://smvsf.org/liturgical-ministries/


Faith, Justice and Action Sandra Gary, Editor of the Cow Hollow Church News

For some parishioners of St. Maryʹs, events of the

s of issues

faith on matters of social justice through

The

, the

sued the federal

over its ban on travelers entering the

m

year 2017 ignited a heightened awarenes

in the community, inspiring a desire to express

their

taking action. Individuals have joined marches or

demonstrations on a variety of issues like

protesting travel bans, supporting gun control,

showing solidarity with women and refugees.

“Answer hate with love, ” read one sign,

articulating a guiding principle.

These actions reflect steps taken by members of

Episcopal Church elsewhere. For example

Diocese of Olympia, Washington

government

US from certain majority Muslim countries, on the

grounds that the ban prevented its members fro

practicing their faith by welcoming strangers in

need.

St. Maryʹs on the march on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

One parishioner of St. Maryʹs, in the everyday

course of doing his job, took action in a judicial

reflected the faith‐centered values of

o on

d

al

yʹs parishioners acting as individuals

the group Faith in Action.

a project ‐‐

may or may not have a social justice focus ‐‐

ve

do you feel called to live out your faith in the

ll

St. Mary’s has been working with Faith in

an interfaith organization that guides

o

s

setting that, while not faith‐based in itself,

nevertheless

fellow parishioners ‐‐ and in the process gained

national attention. As reported in The New York

Times on April 25: “A judge in San Francisc

Tuesday temporarily blocked President Trump’s

efforts to starve localities of federal funds when

they limit their cooperation with immigration

enforcement, a stinging rejection of his threats to

make so‐called sanctuary cities fall in line. The

judge, William H. Orrick of United States District

Court, wrote that the president had oversteppe

his powers with his January executive order on

immigration by tying billions of dollars in feder

funding to immigration enforcement. Judge Orrick

said only Congress could place such conditions on

spending. ”

He also presided at an immigration case in April

that was coincidentally the focus of participation by

other St. Mar

through

Through Faith in Action, parishioner Margaret

Stafford and a core group are leading a parish‐wide

discernment process to see if there is

that

that the parish might like to adopt as a way to li

out our faith.

Engaging with the Community Margaret Stafford, Outreach Chair

How

world? How should St. Mary’s engage with the

eeping you up atcommunity around us? What is k

night?

Many people in our congregation are feeling a ca

to take our faith beyond the walls of the church. A

group at

Action,

congregations through an internal exploration and

discernment process and helps makes connections

to community groups with similar goals. In April,

the Faith in Action team at St. Mary’s hosted tw

facilitator training workshops where we learned to

listen deeply to one another’s stories. We are now

shifting to the congregation‐wide discernment

process, and we will be holding exploration group

this summer to allow us to get to know each other

more deeply and discover the common threads in

our stories and concerns.


Several parishioners have been eager to jump right

into actions and new relationships with other

communities of faith. You

can read their stories

elow and get a sense of the amazing work that can

of

ore familiar with

aith in

community, St.

s such

in Action gathering held

March 30 with

pal churches,

many other faiths. Participants heard first‐

n

ias

was taken into custody by federal

re

I. Our

t.

further proceedings for July in front of a

in

ral on April 20. Various

congregations, the San

cisco

tives

S

t

Arrivals (DACA) not

confer legal statu gram is

r

other individuals

representing many faiths.

b

be done within these relationships. If you want to

know more, contact Margaret Stafford at

[email protected].

Parishioners and Clergy Explore Faith in Action Kathleen Murray

In recent weeks, as a way

becoming m

San Francisco’s F

Action

Mary’s parishioners and

clergy have become involved

as individuals in activitie

* Joining a citywide Faith

at St. Mary’s R.C. Cathedral on

representatives from several Episco

as: introduced a U

studying under

and

hand the experiences of undocumented immigrant

families and how leadership from Faith in Actio

had kept their families together. Citywide Faith in

Action gatherings are scheduled quarterly.

* Accompanying a 34‐year‐old mother of three,

who came to Santa Rosa from El Salvador at age

four, at her federal court hearing. Yazmin El

Obregon

immigration officials in February 2016, and later

denied bond by an immigration judge. On April 3,

her appeal of the denial of bond was heard befo

federal district court Judge William Orrick II

accompaniment consisted of sitting quietly in the

courtroom filled with close to 100 supporters. Just

before the end of the bond hearing, Judge Orrick

looked out at the observers and acknowledged that

he could see that Ms. Obregon had a lot of suppor

Judge Orrick later issued an order for a full bond

hearing.

* Attending Ms. Obregon’s bond hearing before an

immigration judge on April 12. After two hours of

testimony, the judge suspended the hearing and

scheduled

new immigration judge. Ms. Obregon returned to

incarceration. She will have been held without trial

for a year before the trial begins

July.

* Joining the “Immigration Now”

panel discussion at Grace

Cathed

faith

Francisco Interfaith Council, and

the University of San Fran

School of Law participated.

Several St. Mary’s representa

attended along with about 300

others. Speakers discussed

immigration policies and

F law student who is on campus

he Deferred Action for Childhood

program. Since DACA does

s and the future of the pro

in question, this student reports she is living in fea

for herself and her family.

* Attending Faith in Action’s Accompaniment

Training on April 25 at First Unitarian Universalist

Society Church with about 80

Natalie Hala, David Crosson, the Rev. Davidson

Bidwell‐Waite, Tim Smith, and Ilia Smith demonstrating

in solidarity with refugees

Answering hate with love



Newcomers’ Corner

The Li Family Kory Li

My wife, Liz, and I have moved around quite a bit

in the last two years – from St. Louis to Houston to

San Francisco – but we never really had to shop for

a church before. When in St. Louis, there was only

one Episcopal Church in downtown St. Louis –

Christ Church Cathedral. When we were in

she

hen we came to San Francisco, we didn’t know

shop?” How do

about in a church?

We spent the first month going

service to Sunday service, try

Houston, we went back to Liz’s church where

went to school for 12 years – St. John the Divine.

W

what to expect. Do people “church

we do it? What do we even care

from Sunday

ing to find a good fit.

a cradle Episcopalian, and I was baptized

ew it

’t

that they had the same vestments as her

tion

r

grow an

ntirely new thymus out of stem cells. She obtained

gton

pany. I

held positions ranging from leading our

y, to my

current position

managing all

les to

t

! We

S

a e

was Liz

about two years ago. I chose the Episcopal Church

because of its inclusive spirit as well as because it

maintains many traditions. We did not check out

any other denominations in San Francisco.

When we came to St. Mary the Virgin, we kn

was home after the first service. Liz loved the

amazing music during the 11:00 a.m. service (didn

hurt

childhood church). The sermon by the Rev. Deb

White professing love, acceptance, and inclusivity

spoke to both of us. However, most importantly,

the friendliness and openness of the congrega

made us feel at home after the first 20 minutes. We

knew that we found our church home.

When not at church, Liz works at UC San Francisco

as a Research Associate in the Diabetes Center. He

research focuses on stem cells and how to use them

to re‐grow organs. Her current project is to

e

her Masters in Biology from St. Louis University

and Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Washin

University in St. Louis, where we met, and where I

received a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical

Engineering and Finance.

I have worked for Anheuser‐Busch since

graduating from college three years ago, and have

moved around quite a bit within the com

have

innovations

team in the

creation of some

of our national

brands (ask me

which) to

managing the

Houston

Brewer

beer sa

Safeway.

We live righ

here in Cow

Hollow and

enjoy exploring

our new city we

call home

t. Mary’s.

people, but our

y from our hom

live about a 10 minute walk from

Parking can be a problem for some

car is actually garaged farther aw

than the church is!

Newcomers Liz and Kory Li

Summer Sched

Starts June 1

Sunday Service

8:00 a.m. and 10:0

Parish BBQ

Sunday, June

00 a.

ule

8

s at

0 a.m.

18

m. service Following the 10:

Music News ric Choate, Interim Director of Music

Chili Cook O asting

he first ever Chili Co ft Beer Tasting

t St. Mary’s, in M ople who

ampled a dozen ozen

inds of freshly‐baked corn and several

pes of brews and sof one voted for

eir favorite chili in hottest,

ost origina me

ooden spoons engraved with St. Maryʹs logo by

olly and Conrad Irwin. A benefit for St. Mary’s

riends of Music, the event drew hearty applause

nd calls for an encore


E

ff and Craft Beer T

T ok Off and Cra

a arch, drew over 50 pe

s varieties of chili, a half‐d

k bread,

ty t drinks. Every

th three categories –

m l, and best overall. Winners took ho

w

M

F

a next year.

Chili Cook Off winners, left to right: Stephen Currier for

best overall, Anna Sylvester for most or

iginal, and Jay

ssell for hottest.

Summer Choir at St. Maryʹs

The summer choir at St. Maryʹs is a wonderful time

for you to try your hand (or voice, rather) at some

choral singing. The choir has a relaxed commitment

during the summer months. We still sing every

Sunday morning even though a single 10:00 a.m.

service replaces the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

services. Thursday evening rehearsals for the

Parish Choir and Wednesday rehearsals for the

Youth and Children’s Choirs are suspended. If you

would like to participate, simply show up at 9:00

ma ole year.

one a ticipation

the

e

co

g

t, and

and H ance singer

as an aspi appreciate

n

music.

without king a commitment for the wh

nd come all. We welcome parCome

from people who have much singing experience,

and people who have none. It is a fun, friendly

environment in which everybody participates fully

in the music ministry at St. Mary the Virgin.

Max Colter in Concert

Section leader Maximiliano Colter first sang in

Parish Choir in 2010, when he was a student at th

Ruth Asawa High School of the Performing Arts

(SOTA) and arrived at church on his skate board.

He joined the S. F. Symphony Choir for two

seasons and began studying at the San Francis

Conservatory of Music, from which he is now a

graduating senior with a Bachelor of Music in

classical vocal performance. The baritone gave his

senior recital at St. Mary’s on April 23, enchantin

an enthusiastic crowd of admirers with selections

from composers as varied as Mozart, Schuber

Rodgers ammerstein. “As a freel

ring classical musician, Iand

the knowledge of liturgical music I have received

from St. Mary’s,” says Max. “Studying a

combination of church music at St. Mary’s and

classical works at the conservatory has given me a

insight into the whole foundation of western

And I wouldnʹt change the environments in which

I learned for the world. Thank you St. Maryʹs!”

Ru

a.m., an hour before the service for a quick

rehearsal. It is a very fun way to get involved Max enchanting the crowd


Parish Retreat 2017 at The Bishop’s Ranch

Over fifty members of St. Mary’s, with many first‐timers, joined us on this year’s annual parish retreat at the

Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg. The theme this year was “Inside Out.” On Saturday morning, Parish Life

Committee member Stephen Gamboa led the adults in a forum that started with a period of meditation and

that then explored in small groups how the noise inside our heads can get in the way of experiencing the

“peace that passes all understanding.” Riley Haggin, Theodora Knauss, and Mike Stafford helped fifteen kids

fill their buckets with joy. Pam and Bob Bledsoe and Arthur Perkins led attendees through a tasting of the

flavors of the world Saturday afternoon. Chris Ralph served as mosquito bait while strumming his guitar

(along with Stephen and Mike) while others joined in songs and s’mores around the campfire under the stars.

On Sunday, Parish Life Committee member Olivia Gamboa led a peaceful Yoga session overlooking the hills.

the Rev. Lin then led a beautiful service in the chapel with wondrous music provided by Marla Perkins and

the children. After a weekend of sun and fellowship, old and new friends were already marking their

calendars for May 18 to 20, 2018. Can’t wait to see you next year at the Ranch! (see the photo gallery at

http://smvsf.org/2017‐retreat‐photo‐gallery

‐‐ Amy and Christian Cebrian

A Sparkling Afternoon

Legacy Society members gather under the great window’s tracery at Don and Carol Anne Brown’s fabulous home.

On Sunday, May 7th, the Planned and Major Gifts Committee hosted an Afternoon Tea for the members of St.

Mary’s Legacy Society. The Very Rev. Dr. Don Brown and Carol Anne Brown graciously opened their fabulous

home in Berkeley for the gathering. About 30 people attended. Don thanked everyone for coming and for

being so generous. Don and Carol Anne both provided fascinating architectural and historic background

regarding the house. It was designed by Julia Morgan in a style that Don said Julia described as

“Mediterranean‐Moorish‐Renaissance.” The Browns frequently allow nonprofit organizations to use it for their

events. David Gibson then mentioned that we all drink from wells that others have dug. He reminded us we

are the beneficiaries of past gifts received by our parish, and our generosity will in turn benefit countless

unknown people in the future. On Sunday, July 16, as part of the Summer in the City series of forums, Sandy

Stadtfeld will make a presentation about the meaningful and lasting impact that specific planned gifts have

had on our parish over the years. Please plan to attend. If you need more information regarding easy ways to

make arrangements for planned gifts to St. Mary’s, or if you have already done so but have not notified us yet,

contact the parish office at 415‐921‐3665.

Jane A. Cook, Planned and Major Gifts Committee Chair


First Class Mail

.

HIGHLIGHTS—SUMMER - 2017 Also visit www.smvsf.org

SUMMER SCHEDULE STARTS JUNE 18 Summer Schedule for Sunday Morning Worship – Starting

June 18, Service times are 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Regular worship times start again September 10, with services at 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 11:00 a.m.

SPIRITUALITY & PASTORAL CARE Sunday morning services – at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite II – Wednesdays, in the chapel, at 7:00 a.m.

Nursing Home Ministry – every 4th Sunday, Golden Gate Healthcare Center, 2707 Pine Street, at 1:30 p.m.

Presidio Gate Ministry –2nd & 4th Mondays, 2770 Lombard Street, at 11:00 a.m.

Pastoral Emergencies – A priest is always on call. To reach a member of the clergy, go to www.smvsf.org/pastoral-care

Upcoming Baptisms – Sundays, June 4, July 30, September 24

OUTREACH Raphael House Ministry – First Monday of each month.

Contact Alisa Quint Fisher at [email protected]

Larkin Street Dinners at Edward II –Sundays June 11, July 9, and August 13, at 4:00 p.m. Contact Marta Johnson at [email protected]

SF- Marin Food Bank – Every Thursday morning deliveries from church. Contact the Rev. Tim Smith at [email protected]

MEETINGS & MISCELLANY Deadline for the Fall 2017 Cow Hollow Church News –

August 1. Please email articles to [email protected]

SAVE THESE DATES Confirmation of St. Mary’s Confirmands – Saturday, June 3,

at Grace Cathedral, at 10:00 a.m.

CHEFS Gala – Episcopal Community Services Benefit – Thursday, June 8, 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.ecs-sf.org/events/CHEFSGala.html

Parish Barbecue – Sunday, June 18, following the 10:00 a.m. service, in the courtyard.

Open Cathedral – Sunday, June 18, at Civic Center Plaza, at Leavenworth and McAllister Streets, at 2:00 p.m. For information, contact the Rev. Nancy Bryan at 415-608-8777.

City Adult Forum Series – Sundays. June 25 – August 7, in the Great Room, at 9:00 a.m. See flyer for details.

2325 Union Street

San Francisco, CA 94123‐3905

(415) 921‐3665 • www.smvsf.org

INSIDE… From the Rector ................ Cover Story

Sr. Warden’s Letter ............................ 2

Sunday School & Youth .................... 4

Outreach Funding ............................. 5

Nourishing Bodies and Souls........... 6

In God's Hands................................... 8

Profile and Search Committee........ 10

First Mary Magdalene Scholarships12

Transition, Baptism and Trust ........ 14

A Journey to the UN ........................ 15

Chalice Bearing at St. Mary's.......... 17

Faith, Justice & Action .................... 18

Newcomers’ Corner ........................ 20

Music News ...................................... 21

Parish Retreat 2017 ......................... 22

A Sparkling Afternoon..................... 23

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