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Sunday, Sept. 22 and 29
- Sept. 22: Wayfarers Chapel to worship with us at the 10:00 am service.
- Sept. 29: We will worship with Wayfarers in the St. Francis Chapel at 10:15 am.
- On both Sundays, we will have our usual 8:00 am worship in the St. Francis Chapel.
Monday, Sept. 23
- 5:30 pm – St. Anne’s Guild Meeting (Salad and Dessert)
- 7:00 pm – Choir Rehearsal
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 7:00 pm – Taizé in the chapel
Wednesday, Sept. 25
- 10:00 am – Healing & Reconciliation Holy Eucharist
- 5:00 pm – Good Grief Support Group
Thursday, Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, 1:00 pm – Quilting Group
Saturday, Sept. 28, 1:00 pm – John Dingee Memorial and Reception
Monday, Sept. 30, 7:00 pm – Choir Rehearsal
Wednesday, Oct. 2
- 10:00 am – Healing & Reconciliation Holy Eucharist
- 11:00 am – Good Grief Support Group
Friday, Oct. 4, 6:15 pm – Nurture Group
For more events, dates, and times, visit our website (click on Calendar).
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I do my best not to talk about politics when I preach…or current events…or anything current, save for things that happen in my life: driving, grocery shopping, and things my children have said, done, or both. I don’t write about politics or current events for the newsletter. It’s not because I don’t have anything to say... I have lots to say about both. But I think that talk without action is largely pointless, and I’m too busy driving, grocery shopping and being with my kids to do much of anything (this in addition to serving the church).
I’ve tried splitting hairs when it comes to politics; the root definition refers to life in the city. But when people say that they don’t want to hear anything political in church, generally what they mean is that they don’t want to hear things that they disagree with or that make them uncomfortable. At least that’s the case for me. I stick to the gospel because the gospel tells us what we are supposed to do: love one another as we are loved, and as we love ourselves. We are taught that whatever we have done unto the least of these we have done unto Jesus, and that when we welcome the powerless, we welcome Christ. All of that supersedes styles of governance and economics. But there are times when the gospel itself is political, which is to say, it addresses the temporal, governing authorities of the world and/or how we are called to respond to them.
There are times when the gospel makes me uncomfortable. The first instance that comes to my mind is when Jesus says, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s,” (Mark 12:17). What belongs to Caesar that doesn’t belong to God? But that’s not the rabbit trail I want to follow today. It’s when Jesus says, “Any who wish to become my disciple must first deny themselves, then take up their cross and follow me,” (Mark 8:34).
There are several things to keep in mind when studying this passage. The Gospel of Mark was the first recorded gospel of Jesus’ life, written in approximately 70 AD, either just before or right after the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. During Jesus’ time there were people in Israel actively fighting the Romans for their freedom; they were called Zealots, and Barabas was one of them. The two men crucified on either side of Jesus were also Zealots, men who had taken up arms against Rome, and who died a rebel’s death. But Jesus isn’t calling on his disciples to take up arms against Rome; he is telling them to reject the earthly authorities so vigorously that they offer them the means of their execution.
By telling them to take up their cross he is saying, “Let them kill you like a rebel and a slave, and make it easy for them by giving them the material.” This is how the Message’s translation of Mark 8:34 reads, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” One other way to put it: Rome isn’t in charge, Jesus is in charge, and He’s calling us to give ourselves over to serving one another.
I will likely spend the rest of my life working on the part where Jesus says, “Deny yourselves…” I don’t know that I’ll ever get to taking up my cross. All of this is incredibly uncomfortable, but as the adage goes, the gospel should be a comfort to the afflicted and an affliction to the comfortable. I think we all fall into both categories in our life, sometimes on the same day. The gospel isn’t a nostrum to make us feel better; it is the good news that we have been saved from ourselves by Christ.
—Fr. Jason
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The Wayfaring Community is the Congregation that has been gathering at Wayfarers Chapel for Sunday Worship, Prayer Service, and fellowship for many years. Since the doors were opened on Mother's Day, 1951 there has been a spiritual community celebrating and following the life and ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Wayfarers Chapel was founded as a National Memorial to Emanuel Swedenborg, a Christian Mystic who lived 1688-1772 and has inspired many followers of his unique Christian Tradition including Hellen Keller (Light In My Darkness) who was a keynote speaker at several of our Annual Convention gatherings in North America on multiple occasions. We continue to be an Ecumenical Ministry of the Swedenborgian Church in North America.
Thank you St. Francis for welcoming the Wayfarer in our time of need and for walking the walk of Christian faith.
In gratitude,
Rev. Dr. David Brown.
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Fr. Jason's Week in Review | |
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September 13: Pastoral call; piano moving logistics; sermon prep.
September 14: Ancient Ways Karate held their tournament in the parish hall, and I welcomed them, invited them to church, and gave a prayer; was called back later in the morning because the karate people noticed a squirrel in one of the Town and Country Classrooms, so I went back to help convince the squirrel to come back when school was in session - the squirrel left after doing several laps around the room.
September 15: Sunday services and Get Connected Sunday! We had a delicious lunch of fried chicken and fixin’s, and during the service had the opportunity to hear from two students who have been helped by the scholarship committee.
September 16: Started the business week by praying in the chapel; met with senior warden; two pastoral visits, one planned and one unplanned; went to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner to support the scholarship program.
September 17: Prepared for the vestry meeting; pastoral call; pastoral visit; finance committee; vestry meeting.
September 18: Prepared for John Dingee’s funeral service; healing service; admin tasks; pastoral call.
September 19: Took Rachel to the dentist, where she did a wonderful job; pastoral meeting; meeting about adult baptism and joining the church; worked on an article for the Bellringer.
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Get Involved at St. Francis | |
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Good Grief Loss Support Group: Alternating Wednesday mornings (11 am to noon) and evenings (5 pm to 6 pm) in the St. Francis Library. For people suffering loss of any kind including death, divorce, loss of health due to an illness or accident, et al.
Men’s Corner: Monthly for dinner at Corner Bakery. Contact Ed Hinz (kn6jn@yahoo.com).
Quilting and Knitting Group: Thursdays at 1 pm in the Board Room. Contact: Anna Eakins (annatkozaki@gmail.com).
SAGES (Senior Adult Group of Episcopalians): Group outings, social gatherings, guest speakers, and more.
St. Anne’s Guild: Meets on the 4th Monday of Sept-June at 6pm. Join us for fellowship, plan church events (like the Rummage Sale and Antiques Show), potluck dinners, and our Christmas charity event! Contact Anna Eakins.
St. Teresa’s Guild: Meet a few times a year to raise money for charities that support women and children through dues and our famous Chinese New Year event. Contact: Robin Pano.
Friars: Meets as needed to cook meals for Parish events (e.g. Lenten Suppers). Contact: Dick Briggs.
Yoga: All Levels Hatha Yoga for Strength and Mobility: Mondays, 11 am to 12:30 pm. All Levels Gentle Yoga for Vital Mobility and Balance: Wednesdays, 9am to 10:30 am. Contact: Jill Lynch (jillfenskelynch@gmail.com).
Download our 2024 Get Connected booklet (PDF) for a list of all our ministries and small groups.
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Consider making a donation of altar flowers in honor of a special occasion or in memory
of someone you love. (The suggested donation is $50.) Contact Jessica Salazar in the church office at 310-375-4617 or by email.
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Each week we change the photo in the header of this weekly email newsletter. But we need more up-to-date photos... Get your photo featured! You can submit your photos of the St. Francis campus, events, and people to us at social@stfrancispalosverdes.org for consideration. We'll even run your name as a photo credit. So get snapping—we can't wait to see what you create! | |
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Liturgy and Worship
Sundays at 8:00 am
Holy Eucharist Rite I with hymns in the Chapel.
Sundays at 10:00 am
Holy Eucharist Rite II with choir and music in the main church.
Wednesdays at 10:00 am
Healing & Reconciliation Holy Eucharist Rite II with hymns in the Chapel.
Taizé: Last Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
A meditative service of music and prayer in the Chapel. (No communion.)
For other worship services and parish events, visit our calendar.
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Livestream Worship and Sermons Online
We livestream Sunday 10am worship on Facebook and YouTube. You can view past sermons or entire livestreams on our YouTube channel.
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Nursery School and Sunday School
Sunday school for children in kindergarten through fifth grade will be held in the Parish Hall from 9:50 am to 10:40 am (ish ... the kids typically come in at the Peace). There is a nursery for children 6 months to 5 years old.
Contact: Kristina Pelá
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Pastoral Care
In need of prayer? Send prayer requests to Fr. Jason.
Contact Kristina Pelá to arrange for a Lay Eucharistic Minister to safely bring you communion.
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Parish Directory
Our directory is available online. If you need the password, contact the church office or email Jessica Salazar.
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Calendar of Events
All of our worship services, events, and small groups are listed on our church calendar.
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Communications
and Notices
Please send all notices you wish to be included in the enews or bulletins to Father Jason and Wayne Hastings.
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Coffee Hour
Ministry
To volunteer to help one week after the 10am worship service, see the sign-up sheet at Sunday coffee hour.
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Yoga with Jill
A spiritual mind and body practice led by Jill Lynch in the St. Francis Parish Hall.
Mondays 11:00-12:30 pm – Level 1/2 Hatha for Strength and Mobility
Wednesdays 9:00-10:30 am – Level 1 Gentle Yoga for Vital Mobility and Balance
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