Worship Information
On Sundays we meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Church

A Mask Mandate for Public Gatherings has been issued by the State. We ask people to wear masks in our gathering.


The Youtube liturgy is posted on Saturday evening.
The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord
Calendar for the Week

Youtube Service will be available on Saturday evening

Friday, January 7, 2022
8:30 a.m. Zoom Centering Prayer
Office Closed

Saturday, January 8, 2022
Office Closed

Sunday, January 9, 2022
9:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Monday, January 10, 2022
Office hours: 10 a.m.-Noon
4:30 p.m. Centering Prayer

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Office hours: 10 a.m.-Noon

Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Office hours: 10 a.m.-Noon
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Office hours: 10 a.m.-Noon

Friday, January 14, 2022
Office Closed
8:30 a.m. Zoom Centering Prayer

The Office Hours are listed above, but you can contact Fr. Phil, to arrange a meeting at other convenient times during the week. He can meet you at the church office.


Connie's Comments from our Bishop's Warden
Weekly Greetings 
     St. Mary’s in the Valley 
     Thursday, January 6, 2022
 
 
Hello Friends –
 
Happy January! We’ve gotten through the holidays and now it is time to face up to the actual days of winter. Actually, considering the winter blast that has hit many parts of our country, I guess we can certainly weather the storm here in the West. Fifties, sixties and even some seventies aren’t such a bad prognosis for the winter months. The rainy days also seem to have passed, at least for the time being.
Be sure and mind your mask protocols, socially discance whenever possible, and definitely do what you have to do to stay healthy and safe.


Soon, around the 17th of January or so, you will be noticing some changes around the St. Mary’s sanctuary. Work will begin in repairing the concrete slab which has been damaged and cracked by tree roots. While we’re still not too sure what the total extent of the damage is going to be, thanks to a grant from the diocese, we’re proceeding with the work that needs to be done. Father Phil will be keeping you apprised of the progress and decisions will need to be made on how and where our Sunday worship services will be held – right now I think the important thing is that there will be Sunday worship!
Stay tuned and stay informed!


Our annual meeting will be held on the first Sunday in February. If you are a committee head, please get started on putting together your annual reports. I know mine is on my to do list and I will be getting to it fairly soon. If you have any questions regarding your reports, feel free to contact Father Phil or me – we’re happy to fill you in on what is needed and how soon they are needed. We thank you for your diligent service to St. Mary’s this past year. Looking back, it feels like a much more normal year than we had in 2020. Our hope is that 2022 will look even more normal.

A couple of good quotes on happiness for our weekly thoughts. The first is from St. Alban’s Episcopal Church:
Ironically enough, when you make peace with the fact that the purpose of life
is not happiness, but rather experience and growth, happiness comes as a
natural byproduct. When you are not seeking it as the objective,
it will find its way to you.
 
And this comes from Positive People – Making a difference.
 
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. 
It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with
love, grace and gratitude.”

Wishing you all joy, peace and health in the new year.

Connie
 

ECW Meeting, Saturday, January 8, 2022
Be Sure and Get scrip cards. Contact Gail
Thank you to the twenty plus who have submitted pledge cards for the new year. We are hopeful to present a balanced budget this year without dipping into operational reserves. Your giving is appreciated!
An Invitation to Intentional Stewardship
Help us to insure a balanced budget with no borrowing from our reserve funds in the new year. We appreciate your participation in our stewardship.
Arts and Craft Items Will Be on Sale in the Haven on Sundays and by appointment
Women of the Bible Study is Friday, January 21st at 7 p.m. via Zoom
Foundation Work to Begin
We have scheduled with a contractor to begin the foundation repair work in the nave on Monday, January 17th. We may be required to meet outside or in the Haven for a Sunday or two, depending upon the scope of slab work and floor covering work which needs to be done. We ask for your patience. We want to get as much work done in this one disruption and also be able to take advantage of the diocesan property committee grant monies.
Centering Prayer
How About Starting the New Year with Centering Prayer?


Centering Prayer will meet on January 10, 2022 at 4:15 p.m.(prayer starts at 4:30 prompt) in person at the church. We have several copies of the updated version of Fr. Keatings's Open Mind, Open Heart, enough so that we probably don't need to share books. We will use this book for formation and we will practice lectio divina with our readings. The Friday morning Centering Prayer on Zoom continues at 8:30 a.m. for a short, half hour session of meditation only. If you want to know more and are interested in joining, please contact either Deb Lewallen (deborahslewallen@gmail.com) or Cindy Dodson (cindysberrypatch@gmail.com).
 
Vicar's Voice
Dear Parish family and friends,

The new year is upon us and we have the usual tasks to do to get ready for the annual meeting. We take our "pulse" on the past year, and thanks be to God we survived another "Covid" year and even came really close to paying for everything without having to dip as much into the operational reserves due to the fundraising around the sales in the Haven, the Bazaar with the added craft sales, and the quilt raffle.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have to begin this year with care because of the new Covid variant, the increased hospitalizations and the persistence of many refusing vaccination. We want to practice care, even as we want to take new steps in ministry.

We had a music meeting and we're pleased that we will have soloists, instrumentals, and handbell music this year. We're grateful for those who are offering their music gifts.

La Misa in English is planning an event and we're hoping that the Covid threat will not delay our plans. We will be meeting with the diocesan organizers who will help to mentor this start up ministry.

The plan is to begin our foundation repair on January 17th and we're unsure about how long it will take for the repair and floor covering to be complete. We may be able to meet in the back of the nave while the work area in the front is sealed off, but we are going to have to be flexible.

The Annual Meeting will be after the liturgy on February 6, 2022, and we'd like to get the Annual Report finished before the end of January.

This Sunday we ponder the Baptism of Our Lord, and the meaning of our own Baptism.



Blessings and much love,


Father Phil

HEALING & RECOVERY
Keith, Jerry J., Nikki M., Bob W., Richard R., Janet S,Dottie H., Ralph D.,Doug S.,Jennifer D., Jerry P., Sarah S., Guillermo, Stanley S., Antonio M., Frank and Rose, Donna N., Karen H., Nicole, Donna B., Dianne B., Kris J. Joanne G., Wossene & family, Chris A., Claudia, Marlys B., John A., Ellie S., Kyle K., Ryder K.
 
THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER


CONTINUING CARE
Michael B., Dave C.

Faithful Departed


SUPPORT & COMFORT
Chila, Dave C., Virginia P.

 MILITARY
Brooke S., Barron S., Chris R., Ricky S.,
Joseph F.

Please submit the names of persons for our Prayer Lists so that we can keep them current and up to date

Vicar's Office Hours 10 a.m.-Noon
Tuesday - Thursday
760-789-0890
stmramona@gmail.com
stmarysramona@hotmail.com

Blessings to you and your family and friends!
St. Mary's-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church
stmramona@gmail.com
stmarysramona@hotmail.com
1010 Twelfth Street, Ramona, CA 92065
Mail: P.O. Box 491
(760) 789-0890
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