cow hollow church news - winter 2015

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 W i n t e r 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6

Sacraments for a New Century The Rev. Scott E. Richardson, Rector

Towards the end of a sermon preached in mid-September, on Homecoming Sunday, I

suggested that it might be time to think about seven new sacraments for a still-new

century. These practices would not replace the ancient sacraments and sacramental rites

but amplify them. My list included the following practices: shared abundance, non-

violence, creation care, blessed intimacy, radical welcome, nurturing the most

vulnerable, and prodigal forgiveness.

The suggestion was rooted in the awareness that the church hasn’t finished her business

once the sacraments have been offered. The opposite, in fact, is true – we are not at the

finish line in that moment but at the starting line. At the very end of that sermon, I said that I would love to

hear from others who named practices they find life-giving and central to their being in the world. Here is just

one of the several responses I received (all of the responses and follow-up conversations were, by the way,

compelling and helpful):

Slow down. Listen deeply. Radical welcome of everyone and acknowledgement of everything, here

and now.

Energize, activate, and be present in our physical bodies.

Support pursuit of passions; accessible education for all.

Healing/creation care – heal ourselves, our communities, our planet, all relations (bring grief and

forgiveness to forefront).

Creative generosity and storytelling – what is our culture? What core stories and traditions do we

share? How can we all learn them and own them and share them with passion and personal flair?

Being more aware of and intentional about the stories we share/repeat.

Mentoring/art of questioning – how do we take on the role of mentor? Support curiosity in one

another, and live fresh and present in the moment.

Living simply/appropriate action – knowing our part in much larger systems, taking nothing for

advantage, transparency in full supply chains that provide basic human needs and making those

shorter/more local.

I’m sharing this response with you as we enter the season of Advent, the season in which we prepare for the

coming of the Lord. Would you consider adopting one or more of these practices over the next four weeks?

Doing so may open your mind and heart in wonderful ways to the coming of the Light of the World.

Winter 2015-2016 Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin

News of Note from the Sr. Warden Jim Griffith

Stewardship Angst and Joy

Every year Stewardship time gives me angst. Yes,

it is a difficult thing to admit, but every year our

annual campaign gives me pause. I find it

necessary to revisit why I give to the church and

even more importantly, how much. Both are

difficult decisions and necessarily related.

I start with the “why.”

There are the typical reasons why I should pledge:

The Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin

provides a place for quiet,

inward reflection. Having

grown up in the Episcopal

Church, I find the service

comforting. I enjoy the

congregation. The clergy are

exemplary. I admire the

outreach work that so many in

the congregation do.

Then, there are the reasons to

make a pledge that, frankly, I

would like to ignore, but are there: I would feel

guilty if I did not pledge. I feel peer pressure.

There is also the very rational reason for giving:

this place would not exist year to year without

annual pledges. Your annual gifts provide 79% of

our operating budget. Zero pledges would mean

no Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin.

Having served on your vestry for nearly three

years, I have been privy to the financial workings

of the church, and now deeply realize the necessity

of gifts from the congregation.

Finally, there is the one reason why I pledge that

brings me to the finish line: I want to give. For all

the reasons mentioned above, I feel compelled to

give. This reason may sound overly simplistic, but

it has taken me years to understand the “why.”

And, it is related to how much I choose to give.

The amount of my pledge is equally difficult each

year. But, this year, this decision has been easier

because I have made two changes in how I think

about the amount to give.

One, I no longer think of the amount that I can give

as a “give until it hurts” commitment. I took to

heart what I heard our Padre Scott say during a

sermon: “Your commitment to the church should

come from joy. Give an amount that brings you

pleasure!” This simple change in thinking has

provided a welcome and refreshing way to think

about giving.

Two, I no longer think about my pledge like a “club

dues” amount: the amount that one pays monthly

to belong to a club or organization.

This really isn’t a “member dues”

type of situation. So, I have

changed my thinking. I have come

to realize that I should revisit the

amount I give throughout the year,

and base it on my total

compensation. If I receive a work

bonus, I should seriously consider

giving a portion to my church.

And, I have made a commitment to

leave an amount to the church when I am no longer

walking around Union Street, by joining the Legacy

Society. It is the right thing to do!

My 2016 pledge is an amount I want to give, and it

is an amount that brings me joy. I invite you to join

me in joyfully supporting your church, St. Mary the

Virgin.

THE VESTRY

Jim Griffith – Senior Warden

Belle McBride – Junior Warden

Jane A. Cook Jeff Landry

Rick Darwin Annie Morse

Donna Davidson Liz Paxton

Stephen Koch Creighton Reed

Rob Vanneman

Cow Hollow Church News Winter 2015-2016

Youth Group News

Mike Stafford, Director of Youth Programs

The Youth Group has had two very eventful

months. There has been an excellent showing at the

Middle School Youth Group, with great

conversations on individual gifts we contribute to

God’s Kingdom, and what it means to be a

Christian teenager in the Bay Area. The high

schoolers took the Meyer-Briggs personality test,

and had a great discussion on personality, personal

strengths, and how our Christian community loves

and supports all kinds of people. The October

Adventure Night saw a huge group of 6th-12th

graders eating sundaes at Ghirardelli Square, and

November’s Adventure Night had Youth Groupers

running around Cow Hollow on a scavenger hunt

asking people questions and having them sign a

squash (pictured).

December is a short month for Youth Group, but

includes two of our favorite activities: on December

6, we will be making PB&J sandwiches after church

and handing them out to hungry people in the

Civic Center, and on December 13, all 6th to 12th

graders are welcome to participate in our annual

“ChristmAdvent” White Elephant Gift Exchange.

More information regarding these events is

forthcoming. If you would like to have your email

address added to the Youth Group email list,

please contact Mike Stafford ([email protected]).

Annual Parish Meeting

January 31, 2016 at 10:30 a.m.

On Sunday morning, January 31, 2016, we will

come together for our Annual Parish Meeting.

Once again, this meeting will take place in the

church, beginning at 10:30 a.m., following the 9:00

a.m. service.

The 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services will be

combined, taking place at 9:00 a.m. on this day.

The Annual Parish Meeting is different from most

of the obligations we experience

elsewhere; for, in addition to taking

care of some of the normal temporal

actions we need to fulfill—such as the

election of new members of the vestry

and new delegates to represent all of

us within the Diocese of California

and the San Francisco Deanery, as

well as reflection on the proposed

budget for the coming year—we also

take time to ponder our spiritual

health and condition.

We receive reports and remarks about

many of our ministries and programs,

and take time to raise questions about

how we might better serve the

community and the world. Parish leaders, lay and

ordained, offer their reflections on the State of the

Parish. And, unlike in many other meetings, we

join together as one community: we sing, laugh,

remember our departed sisters and brothers, and,

in general, recall who we are, whose we are, and

why we gather, week in and week out, season after

season, and year after year, in this holy place. Child

care will be available, and we encourage teenagers

to attend.

Please take part in this year’s Annual Parish

Meeting, and join your sisters and brothers in faith,

discerning God’s presence in, and call to, this

community of faith.

Youth Group scavengers show off their signed squash.

mailto:[email protected]


Sunday School News

Nancy Clark, Sunday School Co-Director

Meet the Teachers

The open house gatherings at schools, a back-to-

school tradition, offer a time set aside to visit

classrooms, look at books and materials, learn

about the curriculum, and, most significantly, meet

the teachers. Alas, no such thing happens for

Sunday School. Short blurbs in the bulletin each

week highlight the focus of each Sunday’s lessons

and activities. A take-home activity page or project

provides a speck of insight about how class time

was spent. But, who are the teachers, the dedicated,

creative, loyal

volunteers who will

teach the 25-plus

weeks of Sunday

School this year?

Consider this your

official “Meet the

Teachers” forum.

Preschool, for our

three-to-five-year-olds

has three teachers this

year. Lisa Carey,

mother of two St.

Mary’s Sunday

School and Children’s

Choir graduates, has

led the preschool

program for 14 years. She is a true veteran teacher

who has also served two terms on the vestry. Lisa

worked a long stretch for IBM but now is co-owner

of Brandon Natural Beef. She cooks, hikes, plays

tennis, walks her beloved dog, Bo, and spends as

much time as possible outdoors.

Victoria Sutton has attended St. Mary’s since 1988.

Her three high schoolers went through the Sunday

School program from start to finish and are now

active in Youth Group. Victoria worked at

SFMOMA, but now devotes much time to

volunteer work in schools and the community,

without neglecting her tennis. This is Victoria’s

second year working in preschool.

Angela Latigona Heath moved with her husband

from Manhattan to San Francisco in 2014, leaving

behind her well-established career as a luxury real

estate broker, and an impressive array of volunteer

activities in New York. At present, she considers

herself “on sabbatical” from work, devoting her

time to her toddler-aged daughter, Catherine

Elizabeth. In September, she began what we hope

will be a long and happy career as a teacher in our

preschool. She has gifts!

Alice Allick is the Kindergarten teacher. She has

attended St. Mary’s for 30 years, has four children,

all alumni of St. Mary’s Sunday School, and all

confirmed here. Alice

has been a Sunday

School teacher off and

on for ten years. She

hikes, travels, reads,

arranges flowers, and

has been involved in

many volunteer

projects in the

community.

Although she's taken a

brief leave of absence

this year, Scott Case

plans to return to

teaching next

semester – this

time in

Kindergarten. Scott has covered the full gamut of

grades. Last year she worked with the 5th and 6th

graders, but prior to that, taught in all the earlier

grades. Scott has a career in business, has served on

the vestry, and is active in the schools of her three

daughters.

Donna Davidson and Gabby Taylor co-teach this

year’s combined first and second grade class.

Donna has been a St. Mary’s parishioner for 15

years and has taught Sunday School for five of

those years. In her work life she recruits leaders in

the non-profit sector. She is devoted to horseback

riding, plays bridge, takes part in a Bible study

group, and is a member of St. Mary’s vestry. Gabby

Costumed Sunday School teachers encourage and assist hands-on

learning at the Bible Times Market. Left to right: Alice Allick, Nancy

Clark, Nancy Svendsen, Lisa Carey, and Mackenzie Berwick.


has a full-time career in finance and is also the

mother of two little girls. She quilts and sews in

her spare time. She and her family have attended

St. Mary’s for three years and Gabby has taught

Sunday School for two of those years.

A walk upstairs in Pixley House will lead you to

the 3rd and 4th grade classroom of Nancy

Svendsen and Rachel Davey who are frequently

assisted by Mackenzie Berwick, a student at St.

Ignatius High School. Mackenzie, who also races

sailboats on the Bay, has been attending St. Mary’s

with her family for four years.

Nancy Svendsen is new

this year to St. Mary’s

Sunday School, but not

new to teaching or to St.

Mary’s. She has an MA in

Elementary Education and

has years of classroom

experience here in San

Francisco. Nancy was also

an actress, founded a small

theater company, wrote for

a TV game show, ran an

event planning and

catering business, and now

serves as our parish’s

events coordinator.

Imagine what fun it must

be in her Sunday School class! Nancy and her

family have attended St. Mary’s since 2000.

Rachel Davey is a third year law student at USF.

She has attended St. Mary’s for three years but

grew up in another St. Mary’s Episcopal Church,

that one in Edmond, Oklahoma. Rachel hopes to

practice in the Bay Area. Taking the California Bar

exam is in her immediate future, but meanwhile,

when not studying, she hikes, golfs, and devotes

Sunday mornings to our 3rd and 4th graders.

The fifth and sixth grade class, the “big kids,” meet

in the Great Room and have three teachers this

year. The new guy in this constellation is Bill

Rousseau, a first-year teacher at St. Mary’s, but a

genuine pro, a veteran teacher with a 47-year career

in education. His bio is remarkable: he taught social

science classes in independent high schools (in

Florida for 36 years) and at various times was a

resident camp director, an athletic director, an

assistant headmaster and headmaster. He has been

in San Francisco for five years, attending St. Mary’s

for one year.

Capping this impressive array of teachers are Todd

and Lisa Reynolds, also teaching 5th and 6th

grades after a long stretch in 2nd grade. Todd and

Lisa have attended St. Mary’s for 22 years and have

been teaching Sunday School (hold your breath) for

21 years. Of course their two children, Sam and

Sophie, now in high

school, attended St.

Mary’s from start to

finish, served as

acolytes, and assisted in

Sunday School. Lisa,

surely one of the most

energetic people you’ll

meet, is a banker, has

been a Girl Scout leader,

and presently is team

parent for swimming,

lacrosse, and soccer

teams. Lisa knits and

sews, and of late has

taken up trail

running. Todd is a

water treatment engineer and a Scoutmaster for

Troop 11 in the Piedmont Scout Council.

Phil Woodworth, our Confirmation Class teacher,

has been on the job teaching an ever-increasing

batch of seventh and eighth graders for over a

decade. Phil, his wife Linda, and five children, have

been readers, teachers, assistants, organizers – or,

in other words, have taken part in the full spectrum

of parish life. Phil is also a coach for the various

athletic endeavors of his children.

We are blessed to have these accomplished,

impressive role models guiding and teaching our

children. Make an effort to meet and thank them.

A perennial attraction, the Bible Times Market generates

commerce with clay coins for such goods and goodies as

prayer jars, beads, pinch pots, bread, dates, and figs.


Happy Birthday to Us!

Marta Johnson

St. Mary’s is celebrating a significant birthday in

2016: we will be 125 years old!

On May 9, 1891, the Articles of Incorporation were

filed with the State. Did you know that the pews

we are using today are the original pews? I’d say

they have aged pretty well,

as has the rest of the

church.

But the continued beauty,

gentle aging, rich

programs, beautiful music,

strong Sunday School

program, and above all, the

caring and vibrant staff are

still here not by accident. It

is because of good

shepherding, forward

thinking, vision,

community, and of course,

the generosity of you, our

parishioners for the past

125 years.

As our Rector Scott

Richardson has said, “we

are founded on the idea of

generosity and vision.”

Throughout 2016, we will

be celebrating this

milestone birthday in

various ways.

Focusing on our rich history, Mary Morganti will

be putting together photo displays throughout the

campus, and writing articles about the physical

transformation of the church, as well as the people

who have made St. Mary’s what it is today.

Helping to get the message out of the good works

accomplished at St. Mary’s over the past 125 years

will be Colin Hogan and Jory Sandusky. They will

be communicating lots of fun and interesting

stories and creating a pictorial history on our

website, among other things. Keep your eye out for

all of this.

The third prong of this celebration is to ask

parishioners to consider: what does St. Mary’s

mean to you? What brings

you back here Sunday

mornings? Why do you

keep returning to this little

church at the corner of

Union and Steiner streets?

To keep the vibrancy and

beauty of St. Mary’s going

strong over the next 125

years, we need your

generosity and vision – to

continue the tradition of

the early founders and the

people who have gone

before us who have made

this church the very special

place it is today.

As part of our 125th

birthday celebration, we

have a goal of expanding

the Legacy Society – the

group of people who have

remembered St. Mary’s in

their estate plans. Under

the guidance of Jane Cook, Chair of Planned

Giving, and Marta Johnson, head of the Legacy

Society’s 125th Anniversary Campaign, we will

initiate a campaign in early February asking you to

become a part of the Legacy Society – in a way that

is meaningful to you. We have so much to be

thankful for, for the hard work and generosity of so

many caring people before us. We want to keep

this history, generosity, and vision going forward.

Original to St. Mary’s, our pews get an annual airing

and cleaning. Photographer: Anne Kieve.


Becoming a member of the Legacy Society gives

recognition of your feelings and faith and love for

St. Mary’s after your passing. You will have made

it possible with your bequest, along with the

bequests of many others, to keep our church alive

for the next 125 years, and beyond. You will have

left your legacy here.

Meaningful participation is the key, not amount.

The Legacy Continues….

Marking Ten Years

Catherine Secour, Secretary

Members of the

Daughters of

the King at St.

Mary’s

celebrated the

Tenth

Anniversary of

the formation of

their chapter

this year. The

first chapter of

the Daughters

was formed at

St. Mary’s in

1927. Our

current chapter

was reinstated

by the National

Order of the

Daughters of

the King on

June 5, 2005,

retaining the same chapter number as the original.

During the past ten years some members have

moved away, but we have added new members.

We still miss the presence of our faithful member,

Cynthia Soyster, who passed away this past

January. She was with us from the beginning of our

renaissance.

On September 6, we were privileged to welcome

Anna Sylvester into the order with a formal

Admission Service during the 10:00 am service. Fr.

Scott blessed Anna’s cross and Betty Hood-Gibson

presented it to her as we received her into our

order. As Anna was admitted, the rest of us also

recommitted to our rule of life: prayer and service.

Members of the congregation supported us with

their own personal commitment. Anna completed

her discernment process and study in record time

and we have already benefitted from her

organization and sense of humor.

This past year, our chapter has volunteered to

provide the cookies and snacks after the coffee

hour at the

11:00 a.m.

service on the

fifth Sundays

of the month.

Under the

leadership of

Gloria Powell,

we have been

guided to

make cookies

and greet

persons

during the

coffee hour as

we spread

spiritual

hospitality.

Once a year

we provide a

parish-wide

Quiet Day. Our next Quiet Day will be Saturday,

February 6, 2016. Save the date and watch for more

details after the holidays.

Standing in back, left to right: Alisa Quint Fisher, Gloria Powell, Anna

Sylvester, Catherine Secour, Malaney Johnides and Betty Hood-Gibson; in front:

Darlene Sandusky (seated) and Jan Bolles. Not pictured: Lisa Vance and the

Rev. Claire Ranna.


“Yes, Virginia,

There is a Santa Claus”

Alan Jones, Dean Emeritus, Grace Cathedral, San

Francisco

Most of us know this famous response by Francis

Church to a letter from an eight-year-old, Virginia

O’Hanlon, published in The New York Sun in 1897.

Dear Editor,

I am eight years old. Some of my little friends

say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you

see it in The Sun it's so.” Please tell me the

truth; is there a Santa Claus?

The response was printed as an unsigned editorial

Sept. 21, 1897.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He

exists as certainly as love and generosity and

devotion exist, and you know that they abound

and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Alas! How dreary would be the world if there

were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if

there were no VIRGINIAS.

. . . Nobody can conceive or imagine all the

wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the

world . . . Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all

this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he

lives forever.

The letter is as warm and fuzzy as it is

unconvincing, but it does serve a useful function in

that it’s a good idea, from time to time, to recover

the weirdness of existence, its very oddness, the

wonder of being alive at all. Even those among us

who tend to be skeptical, let alone, to be generally

cynical, would profit from being brought up short

with the oddness of being here at all. This is a

good time of year to think about how strange it is

to be here.

Jaron Lanier in his book, You Are Not a Gadget,

points out that people reduce themselves because of

information technologies. “Information systems

need to have information in order to run, but

information under-represents reality,” says the

computer scientist and virtual reality pioneer.

Information under-represents reality. Information

can’t give us the full picture. No wonder many of

us are disgruntled, disillusioned about politics, and

worried about the future. The gathering of data

isn’t enough, and more and more we find ourselves

living in a data junkyard.

We live now with a definite undertow of

decadence. Historian Jacques Barzun wrote, “When

people accept futility and the absurd as normal, the

culture is decadent.” In the light of this, “Yes,

Virginia . . .” is a call to rebellion, albeit of an odd

kind. Santa Claus may not exist, but the story tells

us that Virginia and each one of us matters, and

that a life fully lived is one full of expectation.

How do we nurture the imagination to create an

environment of possibility for ourselves and for

others? Why have a generous construction of the

world? For example, what comes to mind when

you hear, “Twinkle, twinkle little star?”

Philosopher Martha Nussbaum tells the story of

one of her students who responded to the question

in this way. He saw a sky beautifully blazing with

stars and bands of bright color, and the sight made

him look in a new way at his dog, a cocker spaniel.

“I used to look into the dog’s eyes and wonder

what the dog was really thinking and feeling. Was

my dog ever sad? It pleased me to think about my

dog and the way he experienced the world. I

looked him in the eyes and knew that he loved me

and was capable of feeling pleasure and pain. It

then made me think tenderly about my mom and

dad and other children I knew.”

Why would “Twinkle, twinkle little star” make

someone think that the starry sky was benevolent

and not malevolent? Why think of your dog as

loving and good rather than devilish and cruel?


Who cares whether some dog is happy or sad?

There are plenty of people who take pleasure in an

animal’s pain. Martha Nussbaum assures us in her

book, Poetic Justice, that something important is

going on. She writes, “The strange fact is that the

nursery rhyme itself, like other rhymes, nourished

a tender humanity within us and stirs up in us the

prospect of friendship. It doesn’t make us think

paranoid thoughts of a hateful being in the sky,

who’s out to get us. It tells the child to think of a

star like a diamond

rather than as a missile

of destruction and also

not like a machine good

only for production

and consumption. The

nursery rhyme

nourishes a generous

construction of the

seen.”

Yes, Virginia, there is a

Santa Claus! We’re not

talking about the literal

truth but what it takes

to nourish a generous

construction of the

seen! Think of Irving

Berlin’s “I’m Dreaming

of a White Christmas.”

Is it true? No, of course

not! Is it true? Yes, of

course it is! Imagine.

It’s December 1941.

Bing Crosby is singing

it on his radio show on

Christmas Eve – 17

days after Pearl Harbor.

For many American troops fighting in WWII it was

their first time away from home.

Irving Berlin lived in a story made up of amazing

choices. He faced serious limitations. He could

play only in the key of C. Yet, he was the most

successful songwriter of the 20th century. He

embraced a generous construction of the seen. Life was

composed of a few basic elements: life and death,

loneliness and love, hope and defeat. In our

making our way through these givens, “affirmation

is better than complaint, hope more viable than

despair, kindness nobler than its opposite.” That

was about it, writes Huston Smith in his book Why

Religion Matters. “But because Berlin believed those

platitudes implicitly, he helped people cut through

the ambiguities and complexities of a confusing

century.”

Everyone knows the song

“White Christmas,” but our

ears are closed when we hear

it because we're so used to it.

In fact, if you step back and

think about the dramatic

situation in the song, the

narrator is recalling

something that is beyond his

reach. He says, “I'm dreaming

of a white Christmas, just like

the ones I used to know.”

Don’t knock it! This is a song

from an immigrant Jewish

outsider about a holiday that

was never his. Irving Berlin

was five when his parents

brought him to America from

Russia. The first Christmas he

remembered was spent on

Manhattan's Lower East Side

at the home of Irish neighbors.

The song was an immediate

hit. It has no overt religion in

it, no Baby Jesus, no manger,

but it became a wartime

anthem of love and longing. It

opens us up to the possibility of a deeper story – a

generous construction of the seen. Not a bad way to

celebrate Christmas. Not a bad way to celebrate

life.

“Yes, Virginia! There is a Santa Claus!”


Christmas Eve Pageant Thursday, December 24

3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

John Patrick Moore, Pageant Director

In Advent, we are called into a season of

contemplation, waiting, and preparation leading

toward our joyful celebration of the coming of

Jesus into the world. And for the 16th year, we

have begun preparations for St. Mary’s annual

Christmas Eve Pageant. Our wonderful tradition

reenacts portions of Matthew’s and Luke’s Nativity

stories interspersed with Christmas carols, and

includes live animals (a pony, a donkey, and goats),

and a baby Jesus.

The pageant is a wonderful way to explore more

deeply the mystery of Christmas as community,

and everyone is invited to participate and/or

attend.

We are looking for people of all ages to fill the

speaking roles of Isaiah, Gabriel, Mary, Joseph’s

Angel, Joseph, Elizabeth, Innkeepers, Romans,

King Herod, Chief Priests, the Star in the East, the

Wise Men, and a Narrator. We also need a host of

Angels, Shepherds, and Live Animal Handlers and

of course a baby Jesus (or 2!).

Petting Zoo

A pony, a donkey, goats, rabbits, and chickens will

be part of a petting zoo in the courtyard before the

Pageant from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. The petting zoo will

close at 3:00 p.m. when these live animals will join

us in the church.

Participation

On Sunday, December 20, there will be a rehearsal

from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., between the Lessons and


Carols services. For those with speaking roles and

any others who wish to attend, we will have a

rehearsal and introduction in the church with John

Patrick Moore (director), Rev. Claire Dietrich

Ranna, and Katrein Van Riel (student director). We

will read

through the

text and

discuss the

mysteries of

the story to be

told, and the

beautiful

poetry and

music of the

carols.

On Thursday,

December 24,

there will be a

walk-through

from 1:00 to

2:00 p.m. for those with speaking parts. Dressing in

costumes and a sing-through will happen from 2:00

to 3:00 p.m. in the Great Room.

Children who wish to

be in the Pageant as

Shepherds or Angels

must bring their

parents with them

and be at the church

for costumes and

rehearsal by 2:00 p.m.

Costumes and scripts

are provided. Parents,

we need you to

participate with your

children and help

manage them as they

learn how to

participate in a

pageant.

Helping Hands

Even if you don’t

want to be in the Pageant, we need your help!

There are volunteer opportunities for costuming,

live animal handlers, set up, cleanup, and crowd

control. Volunteers for costumes, live animal

management, and set-up need to be at the church at

1:00 p.m. Crowd control is needed from 2:00 p.m.

on. Cleanup is from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Any

assistance you can offer on Christmas Eve to make

this service a more meaningful experience for

others is greatly appreciated.

To Get Involved

Please contact John Patrick Moore at 415.613.2476

or [email protected] before December 13.

A selection of

photos from past

Christmas Pageants.



12th Annual Outreach Grant Program Fundraiser

Greens and Pantry Sale, Sunday, December 6

Benefactor Reception, Friday, December 11

Adele Zachrisson, for the Outreach Grant Program

Fundraiser

Reaching in for Outreach

St. Mary’s Outreach Grant Program has been in

place for more than a decade, helping our

parish share its many blessings with local

organizations that are improving the lives of

people who are in need of all kinds of help.

Funds are raised through donations of friends

and benefactors, as well as through the

purchasing of

Christmas

greens and

volunteer-

contributed

baked goods.

This year, as

part of the 12th

Annual

Outreach

Grant Program

Fundraiser, a

festive

reception

thanking

benefactors will be held at a parishioner’s

home on Friday, December 11, and Christmas

greens and delicious baked goods will be

available for purchase at church on Sunday

morning, December 6.

Community organizations apply for grants,

and the funds are distributed through a

process conducted by the parish’s volunteer

Outreach Grant Team. I have served as a

volunteer on the Grant Team for several years,

an experience that confirmed for me the

positive impact of St. Mary’s outreach grants in

helping community organizations address very

real concerns in the Bay Area. While our grants

are modest, they are meaningful. The

programs are often small and hands-on, and

have arisen to meet needs that traditionally

have not been supported by mainstream

agencies.

Many of the programs we support are

recommended by parishioners, some of whom

have first-hand involvement with them. For

example, one program funded by St. Mary’s is

called “Brainstorm” at the Janet Pomeroy

Center. It helps

young adults

who have

suffered a

traumatic brain

injury, and are

in need of a

caring, safe

environment, to

heal. This

program has

helped many

participants,

including my

own son, figure

out who they

are and what they can do with their “new life,”

recovering as much as possible by engaging in

group activities, sharing experiences, and

learning from each other. I know firsthand that

there is no other program that does this on an

extended basis.

Veteran volunteers from the six years that Carl and Adele Zachrisson have

hosted the benefactor reception; left to right: Adele Zachrisson, Ava Eichler,

Diane Schatz, Alice Allick, and Shila Clement.


Part of the application process for outreach

grants from St. Mary’s involves site visits

where Grant Team members interact with

those requesting funding, getting to know the

programs well, seeing them in action, and

feeling the impact that they have on those

served. I wish that all of you could have this

rewarding experience.

When I served on the Grant Team, I found the

site visits to be particularly moving – and they

have inspired me to give as generously as I can

to the outreach program every year. The

impact of the grants, especially to smaller,

often struggling, organizations cannot be

underrated. A few thousand dollars can make

a big difference. Because many of us at St.

Mary’s donate to the program, we are able to

make a more meaningful gift together than we

could as individuals.

The grants demonstrate in a tangible way the

faith we have in our communal life outside the

walls of the parish. They reflect our

commitment to loving our neighbors.

Supporting the missions of these organizations

is testament to our belief that lives can be

improved. Our grants can literally determine

the success or failure of a program. What

happens to people in our community matters!

Being involved in the Outreach Grant Program

also reminds me of just how privileged my life

has been – even with life-changing personal

tragedies along the way – and how fortunate I

am to be able to help others (if only in a small

way). I believe that it is the faith of St. Mary’s

parishioners – their compassion,

understanding, and love – that is ultimately the

foundation of St. Mary’s Outreach Grant

Program.

For information on becoming involved, go to:

www.smvsf.org.

The Seamen's Church Institute

David Gibson, Member Outreach Grant Team

This is one in a series of

articles on organizations

that receive funds from our

Outreach Grant program.

The Seamen’s Church

Institute (SCI) is the

largest and most

comprehensive mariners support agency in North

America. Founded in 1834 in affiliation with the

Episcopal Church, it is now nondenominational in

its trustees, staff, and service to mariners,

providing educational and advocacy services for

mariners who work on open oceans and inland

waterways.

Its west coast center is located in the heart of the

port of Oakland where its International Maritime

Center offers these services to mariners during

their stay in Port when they often have no place to

stay on land after being at sea a month or more.

Mariners can use the center to seek spiritual

counsel, read, call home using low-cost phone

cards, use the computer for visual and written

contact, and speak to new friends including the

center’s chaplains. The center serves as a station

where chaplains hold services and from which they

visit seafarers aboard their vessels. While located in

the heart of Oakland’s waterfront area, the center

provides these unique and continuing services to

mariners not only in Oakland, but also in

surrounding Bay Area ports. The center welcomes

all seafarers, as well as port workers, including

truckers and warehouse workers, to this friendly

and safe environment for spiritual refreshment and

relaxation.

Historically, before its affiliation with SCI, the

maritime center was located in San Francisco.

Burned out in the 1906 earthquake, the

organization occupied various locations on the San

Francisco waterfront before moving to the Port of

http://www.smvsf.org/


Oakland in 1971, where its name was changed to

Bay Area Seafarers Service (BASS). The center has

been served by Episcopal priests and deacons over

the years. Included among them was the Rev.

Alvin Gomer, who in 1988 became chaplain for the

center and who served part time at St. Mary’s.

Father Gomer's vision was for the new center to

have an ecumenical function with port chaplains

from all denominations using the center’s facilities.

In addition to the Episcopal and Roman Catholic

ministries originally based there, Lutheran,

Methodist, Presbyterian, and American Baptist

Churches have used the center since it was

established. Now its staff of professional chaplains

includes those with interfaith and cross-cultural

backgrounds.

The Bay Area center continues to provide service to

mariners during their stay in the port. The SCI 2015

request from St. Mary’s is for funds for Bibles

printed in various languages, to fulfill a continuing

request of mariners.

Fast, Friendly Facts About St. Mary’s Handbell Choir

Chip Grant, Director of Music

These facts about members of the Handbell Choir

of The Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin

illustrate the “type” of person who might ring

English handbells.

Our handbell ringers come from the East

Bay, San Francisco, and even the Presidio.

A quarter of them attend Burning Man.

They range in age from 4th grade to retiree.

In addition to English handbells, members

of the ensemble also play: cello, xylophone

(two), timpani, bongos, trombone, piano

(three), guitar, and tuba.

Two composers are part of the ensemble.

There are members of the Junior League.

Two ringers “moonlight” with other

handbell choirs: Golden Gate Boys Choir

and Bell Ringers and Resound.

They work as flight attendants,

preservationists, teachers, chefs, or physical

therapists.

Five are students, one is a consultant,

another is a former principal, and another

works in the San Francisco County Jail.

One-half of the ensemble can drive.

They can knit, crochet, macramé, and do

counted cross stitch.

They are the products of both public and

private education.

Some ringers own cats; some are allergic to

cats.

They speak English, Spanish, French,

Japanese, Tagalog (three dialects), and

Gullah.

All are

enthusiastic

about rhythm

and tone. If you

feel you might

fit in with these

musicians,

contact Chip

Grant at

[email protected].

Ensemble members Jeff Johnson (left) and

Daphne Ball. Photos by Cassandra Giovagnoli.

Nolan Giovangoli (left) rings alongside her brother Rollie.



Sister Helen Prejean’s Visit

The Rev. Claire Dietrich Ranna

On Sunday, October 11, we were thrilled to

welcome Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., as our guest

preacher at all three morning services. Sister Helen

is the courageous nun whose tireless work against

the death penalty was brought to the big screen in

Dead Man Walking. A champion for the lost and the

least, Sister Helen continues to serve as a spiritual

advisor and companion to individuals on death

row and has recently published her second book

based on these experiences, The Death of Innocents.

If you found yourself especially moved by her

message and are wondering what you could do to

get involved, there are a number of ways to

support this

important work:

Prayer

Our faith

maintains that

prayer is

effective and

powerful. Pray

for the victims

of violent crime

and those who

perpetrate it;

pray for those

on death row

and those

advocating for

an end to the

death penalty;

pray for all those involved in our criminal justice

system. And pray this prayer for justice adapted

from Sister Helen:

God of Compassion,

You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust alike.

Expand and deepen our hearts

that we may love as you love,

even those among us who have caused great pain.

Jesus, our brother,

you suffered execution at the hands of the state

but you did not let hatred overcome you.

Help us to reach out to victims of violence

so that our enduring love may help them heal.

Holy Spirit of God,

You strengthen us in the struggle for justice.

Help us to work tirelessly

for the abolition of state-sanctioned death

and to renew our society in its very heart

so that violence will be no more. Amen.

Education

Learn more about the death penalty here in

California and the U.S., as well as the history of

capital punishment. Challenge yourself to think

differently about who really benefits from this and

what ethical questions and concerns might be

involved. Explore the

work of Death Penalty

Focus online at

(http://deathpenalty.org/)

to get started.

Advocacy

Advocacy takes many

forms: everything from

supporting pieces of

legislation, writing

letters, and attending

protests, to ministering

among those in prison.

The Episcopal Church

has maintained a

position against the

death penalty since

1958 and has a long history of faith-based advocacy

on this issue.

Donate

Organizations advocating against the death

penalty, including Sister Helen's own Ministry

Against the Death Penalty, need your support.

Consider contributing to this courageous work at

whatever level you are able.

Sister Helen Prejean (at right) signed copies of her book, Dead Man

Walking, and paused to pose with Bebe, Will, and Creighton Reed.

Photographer: Carla Ocfemia.

http://deathpenalty.org/


Solar Power Brings Credit to St. Mary’s

Solar panels installed on the roof

Our solar project, two years in the planning, and in operation since October, is showing bright results from the

outset. These charts show our electric usage in the two periods just before and just after installation. Our

kilowatt usage decreased by just about 65 percent, and we received a credit from PG&E for $68.00. Before

installation of our solar panels, our average electric bill was about $900.00 a month. Solar project leader and

vestry member Stephen Koch offered the panels for dedication in October, saying, “I present this array of solar

panels for the blessing of God almighty, that they might energize this community, reflect our commitment to

creation care, and stand as a witness of God’s abiding love and grace in this world.” Continued Rev. Claire:

“Creator God, we thank you for these solar panels, for the people who designed and installed them, for those

whose generosity made their purchase possible, for the power they provide, and for the households they serve.

Bless us with vision and energy for change as we care for the earth and for each other.”

Chart showing electric usage before solar panels

Chart showing electric usage after solar panels


Year-End Finance Note

Kevin D. Bulivant, Finance Manager

At year end, your contribution to the parish can

include more than one purpose: for instance, for

your pledge and for altar flowers. So it is important

to make your intentions clear. We can split

contributions for two or more purposes as long as

the amount for each purpose is clearly shown on

your check. Unless otherwise noted, checks

received at Christmas services will be assumed to

be Christmas (special) offerings. If you intend such

a check to be a pledge payment, please so indicate.

All checks received in special Christmas envelopes

will also be assumed to be part of the Christmas

offering.

The books for December will be held open until

January 12, 2016 so that checks dated in 2015 but

received late can be posted as 2015 contributions.

All checks received after January 12, regardless of

date, and all checks dated 2016 will be recorded as

2016 contributions. As always, we accept stock gifts

as payments for all pledges. Forms are available in

the office and via links on our website,

www.smvsf.org, under the Donate tab.

Pledge for 2016

Jory Sandusky, Stewardship Co-Chair with Roulhac

Austin

For nearly 125 years the people of St. Mary the

Virgin have faithfully supported the mission of our

church through their generous contributions of

time, talents and treasure. Whether it's the amazing

programs for people of all ages, the impact of our

outreach efforts in the community, keeping our

facilities beautiful, or supporting our talented staff

and clergy, each of us gives and in turn, each of us

receives. Thank you for your continued support of

St. Mary's!

Did you know that our church receives no outside

financial assistance? We are completely self-reliant

which means your annual pledge of financial

support is critical. Our pledging members make up

the largest source of financial support, as you can

see in the pie chart above. Thank you for helping

St. Mary's to remain a place of strength and vitality

in San Francisco!

If you haven't pledged yet for 2016, it's not too late.

Please visit http://smvsf.org/pledge-to-st-marys/

and log your pledge for the new year!

Mt. Calvary Retreat

Save the Dates

February 16 to 19, 2016

We are already planning for a rich season of

Lent, beginning with a retreat at Mt. Calvary

Monastery in Santa Barbara February 16 to 19.

This beautiful facility offers retreat goers a

glimpse of monastic life and an opportunity to

get to know an order of brothers in our own

Episcopal tradition. In addition to observing the

Daily Office with the monks in a beautiful

historic chapel, our clergy will lead a program

exploring Lenten themes. For more information

on the site, check out their website at

http://mount-calvary.org. The cost of $100/night

($300 total) includes all meals. Space is very

limited so please contact Rev. Claire if you are

interested at [email protected].

http://www.smvsf.org/

http://smvsf.org/pledge-to-st-marys/

http://mount-calvary.org/




Our Own Christmas Cards

Erika Coughlan

This year St. Mary’s will once again offer our own

Christmas cards for sale. Long-time parishioners

will recall that the cards show a photo of our

sumptuous altar oil painting Mystic Vision

(originally Asunto Mystico). The back of the cards

offers a short description of the painting and

history of how it came to St. Mary’s. It reads:

Bound by ship from

Europe for a church

in South America,

Asunto Mystico

landed in California

instead. It came to

the church in 1891

after arriving on one

of hundreds of ships

that were abandoned

in San Francisco Bay

when crews landed to

seek their fortunes

following the

California Gold Rush

of 1849. The original

work, commissioned

by Isabella Farnese (wife of King Philip V of Spain) and

painted by Gianbettino Cignaroli (1706 -1770) now

resides in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Mystic Vision

depicts St. Mary the Virgin and Child enthroned and

surrounded by saints. St. Lawrence and St. Lucy stand

to the left, with St. Anthony of Padua and St. Barbara to

the right. A guardian angel cradles a child in the middle.

You may choose between two greetings inside:

NOEL or a verse. Or choose a blank one and

compose your own message. The cards will be

available for purchase at church on December 6th.

For more information, contact Erika Coughlan at

415-563-8343 or [email protected] or use the order

form on our website, smvsf.org

The Rite Words


Anglicanism is often described as a via media, or

middle way: an expression of Christianity which

manages to be both traditional and progressive,

catholic and protestant, even orthodox and

experimental, without sacrificing or minimizing

any of these attributes. It’s a difficult and at times

tenuous practice. We can look at many aspects of

the Episcopal Church and see this at play, but one

where it is especially obvious is our liturgy.

Taken as a whole, the services for Holy Eucharist

appointed in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer have

ancient roots. Much of the structure and many of

the prayers were taken directly from the medieval

Catholic Mass upon which the first English Book of

Common Prayer, published in 1549, was based. And

yet a protestant influence is prominent as well:

many parts of the service which used to be led by

priests are now led by lay people; prayers which

were inaudible when said from a distant altar are

now said in unison; and, of course, the service is in

English instead of Latin.

Liturgical change happens slowly. When the 1979

Book of Common Prayer was first published, the

use of “contemporary” language in the four Rite II

Eucharistic

Prayers

scandalized many

Episcopalians. In

the decades since,

these have

become the

normative

language for

Sunday morning

worship. For

some, formal

language reminds

them of the

precious holiness

of worship. For


others, it makes

worship

inaccessible.

Which raises the

inevitable

question: how to

walk a middle

way?

St. Mary’s, like

many Episcopal

Churches, has

sought to honor

both

perspectives by

offering Rite I and Rite II services at different times

on Sunday mornings. Our 8:00 a.m. service is a

spoken Rite I Eucharist, and more contemporary

language is used at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Recently, however, the team responsible for liturgy

development – your clergy and others trained in

this area -- noticed that this division is not really

quite so stark. During Lent, the penitential season

that precedes Easter, the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

services are also in Rite I. We also frequently use

Rite I for special services. During the summer

months, we use experimental liturgies at the 10:00

a.m. service. These rotations are intended to expose

members of the church to many different styles of

worship even as we remain rooted in the

authorized rites of the Episcopal Church. And yet,

throughout the year, our 8:00 a.m. service remains

strictly Rite I.

People attend the 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., or 11:00 a.m.

services for a number of reasons: a particular style

of music, a family-friendly environment, preferred

language, or convenience. Attendees at 8:00 a.m.

are not necessarily more fond of Rite I than those at

other services, and it seems a disservice to never

expose them to the breadth and depth of our

liturgical tradition. As such, beginning at

Christmas and going through Epiphany this

coming year, we will use Rite II language at 8:00

a.m. as well. When we return to Lent, all 8:00 a.m.

services will again go to Rite I, as usual, but all will

go back to Rite II for the season of Easter. While

this change may be uncomfortable for some, who

really do appreciate and honor the more traditional

language of Rite I, it will be a relief for those who

like worshipping at 8:00 a.m., but don’t care for

“thee”s and “thou”s.

We come to church, in part, to practice being who

God calls us to be all the time. Saint Paul claims

that the whole law found in Scripture can be

summarized in one command, “Love your

neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). If you are

uncomfortable with this change, try to remember

that some of your neighbors will be delighted by it.

But more importantly, listen for God’s invitation

and God’s abiding presence even in your

discomfort. Surely God’s grace can overcome even

that.

The clergy welcome your feedback on this. Please

feel free to contact Rev. Claire with questions or

concerns.

Bach Church Returns

Sunday, December 13

at 5:00 p.m.

On November 1, Dr.

Kayleen Asbo brought

Bach Church to St.

Mary's for the first

time.

We were so moved by

the powerful blend of

music, poetry, and

meditation that we will

welcome the ensemble

back on Sunday,

December 13 at 5:00

p.m. Kayleen Asbo (right) with

violinist Julija Zibrat.


Reflections from Deacon Tim

Tim Smith, Deacon

It’s hard to believe that it has been six months since

I was ordained a deacon at Grace Cathedral and

installed as a parish deacon at St. Mary the Virgin!

My thanks to Scott, Claire, and all others in the

parish for the warm welcome that I have received!

During this period I have been filled with joy and

gratitude for the opportunity to serve and minister

with parishioners and those at the margins in the

community.

One of my roles as deacon

is to assist, enable, and

facilitate sisters and

brothers in Christ in the

parish to live out their

baptismal vows of seeking

and serving Christ in all

persons, striving for justice

and peace among all

people, and respecting the

dignity of every human

being. As deacon I also

personally serve and

minister in Jesus’ name

with others at the margins

of our community.

To satisfy these roles I have

been engaging in various

community ministries

including: (1)

implementing a once-a-

week food distribution

partnership with the San

Francisco-Marin Food Bank; (2) serving in late-

afternoon weekly worship services at the Next

Door and Episcopal Sanctuary shelters staffed by

Episcopal Community Services personnel; and (3)

participating in social justice initiatives in San

Francisco together with other Episcopal clergy,

such as peaceful marches against gun violence in

neighborhoods having a high incidence of gun

violence, demonstrating for an inquiry by the

District Attorney into the shooting death of a

young immigrant by plainclothes police in the

Mission District, and serving as a volunteer to

speak with hotel management throughout the city

about the San Francisco Collaborative Against

Human Trafficking.

I hope that parishioners will join me in these and

other ministries. By doing so, we form

communities not only among fellow parishioners

but also among those whom we serve.

We are looking for volunteers

from the parish to help

package and distribute food

one morning a week in

partnership with the San

Francisco-Marin Food Bank

(SFMFB) to recipients who

are unable to shop for food

on their own, but able to

prepare it. As former

Presiding Bishop Katharine

Jefferts Schori wrote recently,

before we do anything else

we must feed the hungry.

Our partnership with the

SFMFB is one way for us to

help feed the hungry.

Parishioners who have

already joined our ministry

with the Food Bank include

Barbara and John Addeo,

Peter de Castro and family,

David Crosson, Vicki

Haggin, Natalie Hala, Claire

Johnston, Georgene Keeler, Laura Lehman,

Stephanie Lehman, Wendy Moseley, Ann McBride

Norton, Gloria and Everett Powell, Ilia Smith, and

Anne Williams.

I will shortly be putting on the parish’s website a

schedule of future worship services at the Next

Door and Episcopal Sanctuary shelters, in which I’ll

be serving as deacon, and I invite parishioners to

Tim demonstrated for an inquiry by the District

Attorney into the shooting death of a young

immigrant by plainclothes police in the Mission

District.


join me at these inclusive services. These services

will be an opportunity for those of us from the

parish who are present to build community with

shelter residents by sharing with them the liturgy

as well as life narratives during the shared homily

portion of the worship services. The services take

place at the shelters late in the afternoon during the

week. Next Door is located on the corner of Polk

and Geary, and the Sanctuary is located on the

corner of Howard and 8th Street. I’m hoping that

volunteers from the parish will join me to discover

the healing, hope, and renewal that both the shelter

residents and those assisting in the worship

services experience at these worship services.

Also on the parish’s website I will list the diocesan

social justice initiatives with which I’m currently

involved. DioBytes, the weekly electronic

newsletter of the Diocese of California, often

describes the involvement of diocesan clergy in a

variety of social justice initiatives to help find

peace, healing, hope, and renewal in Jesus’ name in

communities in the city that have experienced

violence and injustices. Our participation in these

initiatives shows our desire to be present with

others who have experienced violence or injustice

and to demonstrate our compassion and solidarity

with them. You can subscribe to DioBytes by

linking to: http://diocal.org/diocal-enewsletters.

These community ministries are just a few of those

that are currently being supported by parishioners.

Some of the others include the nearby Edward II

residence for young people where parishioners

prepare and serve dinner for the residents; Open

Cathedral, a program of the San Francisco Night

Ministry where parishioners prepare bag lunches

for congregants after Sunday afternoon Eucharists

near City Hall; and Raphael House on Sutter Street,

where parishioners prepare and serve dinner for

the families who reside there.

A list of parish community ministries is on our

website at http://smvsf.org/community-outreach/

and contains contact information for joining them. I

hope that you will reflect carefully on a possible

calling to you to serve in these or other community

ministries! If you are involved in community

ministries not on the list, please let me know. I'd

like to be able to refer those ministries to other

parishioners who might also feel called to them.

Keys to the Kingdom


Keys are both practically necessary and

symbolically rich, representing privileged access to

otherwise restricted or inaccessible places. Having

a key to the church involves a special and powerful

trust. I was recently reminded of this at a clergy

training session, where I learned that anyone in

possession of a key to a church in our diocese, even

if only for one event or one day, is supposed to

complete comprehensive Safe Church training and

a background check.

For years, keys to St. Mary’s have been distributed

generously and very rarely tracked. In some sense

this is quite beautiful: We are a community that

wants to open our doors to our neighbors, to be a

haven for its members, and to be accessible for local

events and concerns. While these characteristics are

commendable, they are also held in tension with

the very real possibility that keys can be misplaced

and misused.

When I brought the expectations of the diocese to

our vestry last June, pointing out that we are not

currently tracking who has keys or requiring that

they complete the recommended training, they

voted to move in the direction of full compliance

with diocesan expectations. In order to implement

the vestry’s decision, we are planning to re-key the

Church in early 2016. We’ve already received

quotes for this work and are budgeting for it in the

year ahead. We are also budgeting for the

background checks that will be required of

everyone who is entrusted with a new key and

working with our Parish Administrator to get a

system in place to track keys. More details about

the distribution of new keys will be coming early

next year.

http://diocal.org/diocal-enewsletters

http://smvsf.org/community-outreach/


From the Associate Rector


Living Rooms and Living Water

One of the most exciting things for me about

celebrating St. Mary’s 125th anniversary next year

is learning so many stories about our history. One

of my favorites involves the natural spring flowing

in our courtyard. An underground river actually

runs just below the church, one of the many

invisible realities hidden just below the surface of

this special place. Following the 1906 earthquake,

with much of the city in ruins (including the other

side of Union Street) St. Mary’s remained standing,

and this spring provided water for the surrounding

neighborhood.

A few weeks ago, I was

reminded that what we

expect to encounter

inevitably shapes how

we experience a place.

During a program this

fall about end of life care,

someone asked why

death became such a

taboo topic in our society.

We panelists all had

different perspectives,

but in my response, I

told the story of how the “living room” got its

name. For generations, the large room on the first

floor of an English home that was used for

receiving guests (and for visiting or speaking –

parlare in Latin) was known as the parlor. (In my

husband’s family home back in Pakistan, and most

countries once colonized by England, it still is.)

This room was the buffer zone between the public

world and the private home and was generally

used for formal occasions. Following a death,

bodies were placed in the parlor, where guests

could gather to pay their last respects before the

burial. As a result, following World War I, when a

global influenza epidemic claimed the lives of

millions, these front rooms got a lot of use and

came to be commonly known as “the death room.”

In the early 20th century, the Ladies Home Journal,

under the editorship of Edward Bok, began

publishing architectural plans for middle class

homes. As families sought to rebuild their lives

following the First World War, domestic building

boomed. Bok found the existence of a well-

furnished yet infrequently used room impractical

for such families and insisted on calling it “the

living room” in the designs his magazine

published. The popularity of these plans coincided

with the rise of Funeral Parlors, which were better

equipped to receive bodies from overseas and

quickly encouraged everyday families to make use

of their services as well. Soon, death had a new

address, and there was no

room for it in the family

home.

We now use the phrase

“living room” with little

critical awareness, but

there’s a rich history there.

Intentionally

remembering the history

of a place helps us think

differently about it. St.

Mary’s is no exception.

Once upon a time, St.

Mary’s provided water

for the thirsty. We provided the very thing people

most needed during a time of desperate want and

serious hardship. We were a spring; a source; a

fountain of life-giving water for a people with dry

lips and heavy hearts. What if we are still called to

be just that?

In Jeremiah 2:13, God is described as “the fountain

of living water.” When we live as Christ in the

world, many members of his one mystical body,

we, too, are living water for a thirsty world. We are

called to quench the deep spiritual needs of our

neighbors: to be a spring for the soul and a source

of hope in a desperately dry landscape.

Once upon a time, St. Mary’s provided water for

the thirsty. And it turns out, we still do.

Our natural spring, a fountain of life-giving water


ADVENT

December 6 Second Sunday of Advent

9:00 a.m. La Virgen de Guadalupe Celebration

Children’s Choir

December 13 Third Sunday of Advent

9:00 a.m. Sankta Lucia Celebration

Children’s & Youth Choirs

December 19 A Festive Parish Tradition

1:00 p.m. Caroling on Union Street

Saturday All are welcome to participate

December 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

9:00 & 11:00 a.m. A Service of Lessons and Carols

Children’s, Youth, Handbell, & Parish Choirs and Chamber Orchestra

CHRISTMAS EVE December 24

3:00 p.m. Christmas Pageant

Costumed players and live animals

5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Eucharist

Children’s and Youth Choirs

10:30 p.m. Candlelight Carol Sing

Parish Choir and Chamber Orchestra

11:00 p.m. Candlelight Eucharist

Parish Choir and Chamber Orchestra

CHRISTMAS DAY December 25

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Carols

Parish Choir and Organ

December 27 First Sunday after Christmas

8:00, 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. regular services at usual times

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY January 3

9:00 a.m. Visit of the Magi

First Class Mail

.

HIGHLIGHTS—WINTER – 2015-2016 Also visit www.smvsf.org

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE

See Inside Back Cover, page 23

SPIRITUALITY & PASTORAL CARE

Sunday morning services – at 8:00, 9:00, and 11:00 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.

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

OUTREACH

Raphael House Ministry – First Monday of each month. Contact Alisa Quint Fisher at [email protected]

Larkin Street Dinners at Edward II – 2nd and 4th Sundays each month. Contact Marta Johnson at [email protected]

SAVE THESE DATES

Bach Church – Sunday, December 13, in the church, at 5:00 p.m.

Annual Parish Meeting – Sunday, January 31, at 10:30 a.m.

Lenten Retreat at Mt. Calvary – in Santa Barbara, February 16 to 19, 2016. For info contact Rev. Claire: [email protected]

2325 Union Street

San Francisco, CA 94123-3905

(415) 921-3665 • www.smvsf.org

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

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

Youth Group ....................................... 3

Sunday School ................................... 4

Happy Birthday to Us ........................ 6

Daughters of the King ....................... 7

“Yes, Virginia…” ................................ 8

Christmas Eve Pageant ................... 10

Outreach Grant Fundraiser ............. 12

Seamen’s Church Institute ............. 13

Handbell Choir Fast Facts .............. 14

Sister Helen Prejean’s Visit ............ 15

Solar Power ..................................... 16

Pledge for 2016 ............................... 17

The Rite Words ................................ 18

Reflections from Deacon Tim ........ 20

From the Associate Rector ............ 22



cow hollow church news - winter 2015

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