Lost & Fo und
Lost items are piling up in the office again--including a cell phone!
If you are missing children's toys, a jacket or two, water bottles, etc. they can now be found in a basket by the coat rack holding the stray coats in the entry to the Fireside Room. If any of these are yours, please take them home. We would like to tidy things up for the new year!
Many thanks!
Coming Up at Church of Our Saviour
Thursday – February 2:
11 am – Godly Play Meeting – GP Room
7 pm – Marin Action Group/Episcopal Charities Meeting
7:30 pm – Choir Practice – Sanctuary
Friday – February 3 – 11:30 am – Renovare Group – Library
Sunday – February 5:
11:15 am - Parish Annual Meeting after 10 am worship – Sanctuary – Lunch will be provided.
6:30 pm – Confirmation – Fireside Room
Wednesday – February 8 – 7 pm. – Adult Education Meeting – Fireside Room
Thursday – February 9 – 7:30 pm. – Choir Practice – Sanctuary
Sunday – February 12:
11:30 am – Adult Education: San Quentin: “Prison in our Backyard” – Choir Room
Tuesday – February 14 – 1 pm – Youth & Family Ministries Meeting – Fireside Room
Wednesday – February 15 – 7 pm – Vestry Meeting – Fireside Room
Thursday – February 16 – 7:30 pm. – Choir Practice – Sanctuary
Sunday – February 19:
11:30 am – St. Anne’s Circle – Choir Room
Tuesday – February 21:
9:30 am – Mt. Carmel Hot Lunch Program – Mt. Carmel
5:30 pm - Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras. More details soon!
Wednesday – February 22:
10:30 am – Ash Wednesday Eucharist. Bible study after.
7 pm – Ash Wednesday Eucharist
Seeking the Spirit
 Faith to Change
Leaving the counselor’s office the youth walking beside me is fuming. He has spent an hour by the court’s order to attend a session with an addiction counselor. She spent the hour interrogating him and berating him for his behaviors. If her intent was to cause a change, she failed spectacularly. “She treats me like dirt,” he says. “She doesn’t believe I can change.”
“I believe that you have the capacity for change,” I announce. “And I also have faith in you.”
“What is the difference?” he rejoins.
“When I believe, I think with my mind of all the things that are possible,” I say slowly hoping that the difference will come to me quickly. “Faith is more difficult. Faith changes us. Faith implies that I trust the promise. My faith in you is that you will change, not that you can change” I say tentatively. “I believe that you can stop drinking. I have faith that you will stop when you so choose.”
He nods, “So what is this faith in God thing?”
I sigh a little, “I trust that God keeps his promises that I can be healed, and that I am never alone. What do you have faith in that changes your life?”
He thinks for a long time. Finally he says, “I have faith that God doesn’t think that I am dirt.”
With that pronouncement, I begin to see a long line of defeated people who never believed that they are valued and cherished. Without this fundamental faith understanding, change is not possible. And faith requires trusting, which is tough on those whose days are overflowing with fractured promises.
I look again. It’s another distinct line of those we count in the community of saints with Moses and maybe Abraham and Sarah who took the risk of trusting God’s promise. Yes, I even see my grandmother marching along.
I am so glad we are in this rich tradition of those who lived ‘by faith.’ Perhaps we can write about this young man one day -- By faith, he went beyond racial insults. By faith, he gave up alcohol. By faith, he was restored to wholeness. By faith, he chose a different path. By faith, he lived in joy. By faith, he led his people.
Thanks be to our God who keeps his promises.
Kaze Gadway has worked with the emerging leaders of the Episcopal Church within the Native American community of Northern Arizona as a volunteer for eleven years. They are youth of promise from ages twelve to twenty-four. The Spirit Journey Youth is an outreach program of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona with forty young people. She is on Facebook and blogs at infaith's posterous
"Alchemy" by Virginia Wieringa, part of ECVA's most current exhibition, "Imaging The Sacred Art Of Chant."
From Episcopal Café
Prayers and Thanksgivings this Week
In our Church of Our Saviour Cycle of Prayer, we pray today for Kim Gallelli, the Gage family and the Redfield family, and for the ministry of our Ushers, and for those who celebrate their birthdays, especially Maggie Feld, Gus Gibbs and Harriet Redwine. In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Anglican Church of Canada, and for the Diocese of Tohoku and the Anglican Church of Japan in their recovery efforts, and for all assisting with recovery and relief in East Africa and Turkey. Please pray for those who are ill and in need of comfort, especially Janet, Dan, Jack, Nick, Ada, Phil, Lisa, Jack, Elaine, Eleanor, Shovanna, Beverly, Walter, Jennifer and Vyvien; those serving in the military, especially Leif, Steven, Dash, Arthur, Daniel, Justin, Jason, Christopher, Sean, Cameron and George; and those who have died, especially Jake and Bill, all suffering from natural disasters around the world, and all victims of famine, terrorism, war, natural disaster, and violence.
Prayers of the People are updated weekly. Names of those desiring prayers may be added to the Sunday prayers or to this bulletin, with their permission, by contacting the church office.
Ministry & Outreach
Opportunities
 Toys and Musical Instruments
The parish is seeking contributions of durable toys in good condition appropriate for toddlers and other nursery-aged children.
We are also seeking child-friendly percussion instruments in good working order for children participating in Sunday music.
Please drop off contributions at the office.
The Wider Church
Absalom Jones Celebration Service
You are invited to join the annual Absalom Jones Celebration Service at St Augustine's Episcopal Church, Oakland. They commemorate the life of Absalom Jones (1745-1818), the first African-American priest of the Episcopal Church. This year the Celebrant will be the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus, Bishop of the Diocese of California, and the guest homilist will be the Rt. Rev. Julio Murray, Bishop of the Diocese of Panama.
The service also features a festival choir directed by Jerry Donaldson and a reception following honoring Rt. Rev. Julio Murray.
When: Saturday, February 18, 2012
Time: 11 am
Where: St Augustine's Episcopal Church, 525 29th Street at Telegraph, Oakland, CA
In addition, the Center of Anglican Lifelong Learning will host a forum conversation on Multiculturalism in the Anglicanism on the 16th of February at 7:30 pm in Easton Hall at Church Divinity School of the Pacific. The guest panelists are Rt. Rev. Julio Murray, Very Rev. Dr. W. Mark Richardson and Rev. Dessordi Leite.
For more information about either event, please check their websites: St. Augustine Episcopal Church: staugepiscopal.org or Church Divinity School of the Pacific: cdsp.edu
Parishioner Classifieds
Wanted: Au Pair Job
Matilda Mork Johansson of Sweden, the daughter of a good friend of Michael Mooney’s, is looking to be an au pair for a family in the U.S. as of August 2012. To inquire, go to aupaircare.com, which will do all the arrangements for the family and the au pair. Below is Matilda's letter and CV.
Matilda Mörk Johansson
Säbyholmsvägen 10
19570 Rosersberg
Sweden
To whom it may concern,
My name is Matilda Mörk Johansson and I am 18 years old. I live in Sweden and I am studying at the International Baccalaureate Programme from which I will graduate in June 2012.
After graduation I want to go abroad for a year and work as an au-pair girl somewhere in the US, starting in August 2012. I have experience from working with children in the ages 2 to 6 from summer jobs at a Children´s Day Care Centre. I also have experience from activities with older children both from being a Soccer Coach for a team of 11-year old boys and from working as a counselor at a youth club for children from 10 to 15 years of age.
I love working with children and I can see myself being involved in working with children in my future career. The job as an au pair would offer me a great experience and a development of my personal skills.
I am an active, organized and creative girl and I have a positive attitude towards learning and doing new things. My English is good after three years of studying at IB, with all classes in English. I also have some knowledge of Spanish.
In my free time I like to do sports, handball and soccer, study and hang out with my friends.
I will send my application to the STS organization in Sweden which will help me with all the travel arrangements, including VISA. The family in the US will have to get in touch with AuPairCare, http://www.aupaircare.com, which cooperates with STS. Thereafter a match can be arranged.
I am looking forward to a positive answer,
Matilda Mörk Johansson
matilda.morkjohansson@spray.se
Education
Secondary School: IB (International Bachalaureate) Programme, Rudbeckskolan, Sollentuna 2009-2012
Compulsory School: Råbersskolan, Rosersberg, 2000-2007; Ekillaskolan, Märsta, 2007-2009
Working Experience
Summer Jobs
Children´s Day Care Center, Nyborgens Förskola, Rosersberg 2010, 2011
Administration, Swedish Soccer Association, Solna 2009, 2010
Extra Jobs
Counsellor, Youth Club, Rosersberg, 2009
Salesman, Ticnet, Råsunda Arena, Solna 2009
Soccer Referee, 2008, 2009
Assisting Soccer Coach 2010, 2011
Courses
Leadership in junior soccer coaching 2011
Soccer Referee course 2008, 2009
Languages
Swedish: fluent
English: fluent
Spanish: some knowledge
 Seasons of Faith
"Poetry, on the other hand, offers us deep riches of meaning with a remarkable economy of words. This was an art of wisdom often chosen by the mystics of the West and popularized by the hymnodists. In this sense, poetry -- and particularly Christian poetry -- continues to offer a counterpoint to the dry, wordy explanation that often stupefies the human spirit more than it edifies." From these lines, poet and author Peter Menkin, Obl Cam OSB, takes readers on a contemplative and inspiring journey and adventure through his collection of meaningful poems, Seasons of Faith: Religious and Spiritual Poetry.
In this collection of contemplative poems, readers will uncover a very old challenge to the people in the 21st century - a challenge not unlike that penned by some favorite Anglican poets across the ages. Through these moving and distinctive original poems, some from contemporary work that also depict the poet's colorful character, they will find a blend of humor, personality, poignancy, spiritual reflection, and popular culture.
Order your own copy here.
A review on Amazon.com titled, "A Franciscan Review," by Brother Rich:
“I knew of Mr. Menkin's poetry for some time and was very happy to find his latest work. This volume is divided into the Seasons which instantly slow you down. Once you slow down into one season or another, the author slows you down even more with his calm and clear voice. Mr. Menkin takes you into church services, early mornings and even offers you a cup of coffee. There is a story of seeing Angels at a gas station, speaking with the Aged, and sharing of "secret mystical happenings" Mr. Menkin's inspiration comes from, I believe, his Benedictine Spirtuality, as he is a member of that community. But even if you are not a follower of the Rule of Benedict, you will find yourself following Mr. Menkin's words of peace. I therefore, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in those things mystical—to coffee...”
Copies are also available at the Mill Valley and Tiburon libraries, and eBook formats through Amazon.com for Kindle and through the Apple iBooks store for iPad and iPhone.
Send in your work, service, or spirituality-related classifieds for the parish. Postings will be retained for one month, after which you may refresh them for re-posting.
All announcements for the parish e-blast and Sunday bulletins should be sent to the office by noon on Wednesday each week.
 The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour
(415) 388-1907
office@oursaviourmv.org
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Candlemas & Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, February 5