God makes a promise. Faith believes it. Hope anticipates it. Patience quietly awaits it.

Administrative items:

• Along the King’s Highway – The August edition will be an on-line only edition. Several hard copies of the August Episcopal Life have been special ordered, and will be available at the diocesan office in Seaside. You can pick one up or have it sent to you upon request until they are gone.
• Our Bishop Elect - The Ven. Mary Gray-Reeves’ first day in the office in Seaside will be Tuesday, September 4th. Bishop Romero’s last day in the office in Seaside will be Tuesday, September 18th. Please pray for both of them and their families during this time of moving and transition in their lives.
• Deployment/Position Postings – Detailed postings for jobs can be seen by clicking on the following link: http://www.edecr.org/jobs.htm .
  • Rector, St. James the Apostle in Paso Robles (new)
  • Director of Music, St. Barnabas’, Arroyo Grande (new)
  • Bookkeeper, All Saints, Carmel
  • Adult Choir Director, St. Jude’s Cupertino
  • Director of Christian Education, All Saint’s Palo Alto
  • Youth Director, St. Paul’s Salinas
• The Diocesan Restoration Plan with the National Church can be viewed at the following link: http://www.edecr.org/council/
• Coming in September, is National Preparedness Month. This is a nationwide effort meant to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and churches. Throughout September, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will work with over 1,000 organizations to highlight the importance of emergency preparedness and promote individual involvement through events and activities across the nation. “Get a kit, make a plan, be informed and get involved.” Get a Kit: An emergency supplies kit should include items such as water, medicines, a flashlight, non-perishable food, blankets, a battery powered radio, spare batteries and a first aid kit. These supplies should be sufficient for 72 hours. Make a Plan: Be sure to have emergency plans are in place and regularly practiced so when the time comes, you and those around you know where to go and what to do in case of an emergency. Be Informed: Know where to locate the local fire department, police station and nearest hospital as well as how to contact them (via phone or internet) in emergency situations. Also, stay informed on current threats and risks in the area. Get Involved: Participate in community preparedness activities. Help prepare, protect, respond and recover from all-hazards affecting everyone in your community. For more information, check out the following website: http://www.ready.gov/america/npm07/index.html  .
• CONVENTION INFORMATION - Convention will take place Friday, October 26th and Saturday, October 27th!
  • Please mark your calendars and save the dates for our upcoming Diocesan Convention which will be held at Sherwood Hall in Salinas on Friday, October 26th and Saturday, October 27th. We will have a full agenda including Eucharist, diocesan elections, Constitution and Canon Changes to facilitate our transition to the collaborative model of governance, fellowship, celebrations and much MORE! There will be a Friday night banquet and display tables. Additional details will be mailed to all Delegates, Alternates and Clergy in September and will be posted on the Diocesan website as they become available. (Information with hotel information for those needing lodging Friday night is here.)
  • From Linda Taylor, Chair of Nominating Committee: At our October meeting of Convention, we will elect those who will serve our diocese in this important time of transition. In order to prepare for the election, nominations for office need to be received in the diocesan office by August 31, and applications for those offices (which include a brief biography) need to be received by September 7. After nominations and applications have been received, candidates will be reviewed for eligibility to serve. Your Nominating Committee has been hard at work for several months, identifying and recruiting potential candidates for office, but we need your help to complete the slate. Posted to the website are three documents:
    1) A description of all the elected and appointed diocesan offices, which includes information about function, term of office, needed gifts and skills, as well as the number of people who need to be elected/appointed this October.
    2) A briefer listing of the offices for which people need to be elected/appointed in October
    3) An application form
    
    Please review these materials and prayerfully consider if you or someone you know is being called to these ministries of service in our diocese. Please submit names and applications to Susan Altig at susan[atecr]edecr.org . If you have questions, please contact Susan Altig at 831-394-4465 or deanery members of the Nominating Committee: Mary Blessing, David Breuer, Charles Greenleaf, Bill Morley, Barbara Rice, and Barry Turner.
     
  • Note that the due date for submission of resolutions and proposed changes to the Constitution & Canons for consideration at this Convention is Monday, August 27, 2007. See memo here for details.
  • To prepare for Convention, in September each deanery will be host to a combined presentation of the 2008 Diocesan Budget and review session of the currently proposed Constitution and Canon changes (drafts of which can be found on the Diocesan website at http://www.edecr.org/candc.htm ). Watch your email for these September dates as they become defined.
• Congregational Development Grant – Roanridge Trust – applications for the training of “town and country clergy and rural Christian workers of PECUSA” (now known as The Episcopal Church). Please note the September 1st deadline for application. For more information and a complete application, visit http://www.episcopalchurch.org/smallchurch_51593_ENG_HTM.htm?menupage=51387 or contact Sarah Johnson at sjohnson[atecr]episcopalchurch.org .

Announcements:

• Appreciation Parties for Bishop Sylvestre Romero will be held at the following locations/times:
  • Friday, August 17 at 7PM, St. Paul’s, Salinas. The 7PM worship will be followed by a party with tributes, music, food, and fun at 7:45PM.
  • Sunday, August 19, St. Stephen’s, SLO. 12:30PM gathering; 1:00PM lunch (RSVP 805-543-7212).
  • Saturday, September 8, 4PM at St. Timothy's in Mountain View.
  • From The Rev. Wendy Howe – Bishop Transition Committee: We are gathering an appreciation “purse” for Bishop Romero. Donations may be sent to the Diocesan office (attention Jo Ann) with a memo “For Bishop’s Gift.” Please give generously for this faithful servant who has done so much for our Diocese!
• Two versions of the redrafted Constitution and Canons to be voted on in October are now posted on the website for your review at the C&C page (http://www.edecr.org/candc.htm ). One version shows all the changes from the October 2006 version and the other is a clean copy that may be easier to read. These changes incorporate the changes needed to implement the collaborative diocesan structure voted in October 2006 as well as a number of cleanup revisions. Comments should be sent by email by August 8 to canons[atecr]edecr.org 
• From the Resource Center at St. Thomas in Sunnyvale: We will be having an OPEN HOUSE on Thursday, August 16, 1:00 – 4:00. The emphasis will be stewardship material and intergenerational activities. Join other teachers and program coordinators for refreshments and conversation about these resources.
• Saint Luke's Los Gatos will host the Mesgana Dancers, an Ethiopian dance troupe made up of girls ages 7 to 12, on September 8th. The troupe will visit the Bay area in September as part of their 2007 US performance tour. The group is a project of the Children of Ethiopia Education Fund (COEEF), a nonprofit organization promoting education for girls in that East African nation. The work being done by COEEF addresses the Millennium Development Goals of achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equality. The Vestry and Clergy have agreed that our parish should support the Mesgana Dancers’ visit. We’re planning several fun activities for them on Saturday, September 8, including: A TRAIN TRIP THROUGH THE REDWOODS ON ROARING CAMP RAILROAD, A SATURDAY NIGHT POTLUCK HOSTED BY THE DE SANTIS FAMILY, and the DANCE PERFORMANCES. Please see flyer here <archived> for more information.
• You are cordially invited to attend the ordination of Kathleen Crowe to the Sacred Order of Deacon at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at Trinity Cathedral, 81 N. Second Street, San Jose, CA 95113. Bishop Romero will preside. A reception will follow. Clergy: red stoles.
• Bluegrass Concert & Barbecue Returns to Seaside Aug. 25: The Fog Valley Drifters headline the Third Annual Bluegrass Barbecue Bonanza August 25 in Seaside, beginning with a Southern barbecue at 6 p.m. at St. Matthias’. For tickets call Janet Eswein, 831-372-7967 or the Rev. Susan Miller, 831-624-3375.

Ministry items:

• Culture and Technology is still battling evil! Come join us at our next scheduled meeting: Tuesday July 31 at 7 PM at the Tied House Restaurant at 954 Villa Street in Mountain View. We will be continuing our discussion--and a very lively one--on the subject of evil. We have talked about its sources and how it enters and affects our lives through organizations, but there's simply SO much more to talk about! Questions and RSVPs: svmissioner[atecr]aol.com .
• Youth Ministry –
  • Big Sur Camping Trip: Please note the dates for the St. Lucia Big Sur Youth Camp are Friday, October 5 – Sunday, October 7. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact the diocesan office at 831-394-4465 or susan[atecr]edecr.org .
• Attention Young Adults…"Camino: A Sacred Journey" is set for September 21-23 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California. Through provocative workshops, creative worship and an interactive urban pilgrimage focused on global peace and justice, participants of Camino will partake in an urban pilgrimage, exploring the cities many contrasts, paradoxes, eccentricities and challenges while discovering sites where the values of the Millennium Development Goals, Baptismal Covenant and Franciscan Spirituality are being practiced. Camino builds upon the work and consensus of the Young Adult Ministry Network consultations of the last three years to provide an opportunity for young adults (ages 18-30), and those designated by their parishes and dioceses as young adult ministers, to come together in community and discuss the place of young adults in the church. Cost for the three-day event is $340/Single; $195/Double; and $130/Commuter. The fees include all program fees, housing and most meals. To register visit … https://www.conference.com/eventmanager/OnlineRegistration.asp?EventCode=ROY . For further information, contact the Rev. Douglas Fenton, staff officer, Young Adult and Higher Education Ministries for the Episcopal Church, at 800-334-7626 ext 6323 or e-mail dfenton[atecr]episcopalchurch.org .
• St. Thomas Safe Haven Transfer Center: St. Thomas in Sunnyvale, in partnership with the Children’s Rights Council, will be opening a Safe Haven Transfer Center October 12, 2007. The center will be operating every other Friday and Sunday evening from 7:00-8:00PM. All research indicates that children generally do better in all areas of life if they have a close and continuing relationship with two caring and supportive parents. St. Thomas Safe Haven Transfer Center will allow children to stay close to both parents during the stressful time of family breakup. The center will assist the children of never married, separated and divorced parents by offering a safe and monitored place for children to be exchanged between the parents. There will be no charge to either parent for the use of the center. Centers like this one cut down the opportunity for family violence because they provide a monitored exchange. St. Thomas will be working with the Santa Clara County Family Court system. Training for the volunteer monitors will be held at St. Thomas August 17th and 18th with commissioning of the monitors during the August 19th Sunday service at 10:30. If you are interested in participating as a monitor in this ministry to children and parents, and are willing to commit to a minimum of one hour a month, please contact Pam Storrer at pam_storrer[atecr]yahoo.com  or 408-732-3002.
   

Important Training / Dates to mark on your calendars:

• Train the Auditor training will be offered this year on Saturday, August 11th. This training is open to anyone who has a desire to become certified as a parish/mission financial auditor/reviewer, and would be willing to share this important ministry with other congregations. You do not need to be an accountant or CPA to be a church auditor. We are looking for people who are willing to help congregations work on their best practices. If you are interested, please contact me at: brian[atecr]edecr.org .
• Basic Anti-Racism training takes place September 28-29 at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Yakima, Washington, hosted by the Diocese of Spokane. A second segment September 30 – October 1 is being offered to provide training for potential trainers. For information contact Darcy James at 208-983-9334 or email djames[atecr]camasnet.com 

Diocesan Office Meetings:

• This Week: N/A
• Next Week:  ECR Foundation and Finance Committee on Tuesday the 14th; Council and Convention Planning on Thursday the 16th – all in Seaside.
   

“Let us pray for truly thankful hearts. Let us pray that we may constantly be reminded of reasons for sincere gratitude to God -

and for the people and things for which God enriches our lives…"