The Good News

February, 2025

The Season of Epiphany

The Monthly Newsletter of St. Paul's Episcopal Church

+ To know Christ better and make Him better known +

Liturgical Year C

IMPORTANT DATES AT-A-GLANCE

Every Wednesday, 12:10pm Liturgy of the Word & Holy Communion

First Saturday of Every Month, 10am Acolyte Training

2nd & 4th Saturdays, 10am Food Pantry Bag Prep

2nd & 4th Sundays, 12pm Food Pantry Service Day

2nd Sunday Each Month, 4pm A Service of Evensong

4th Sunday Each Month, 8pm A Service of Compline

PARISH NEWS

Rector's Message

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson

DO I LAUGH OR CRY

For a few months now I have found myself in conversation with people from many walks of life who expressed a great deal of uncertainty regarding how to approach the renewed reality of a Trump presidential administration that seems to promise more chaos than the first. It cannot be denied that even those who may appear to have no reason to fear or be concerned are actually deeply distressed, and those who are at risk of encountering direct adverse effects of policies that may be enacted have a growing sense of hopelessness. The first weeks of official actions have only confirmed what many expected. So, what can we, the church, do to ameliorate fear and anxiety, to keep hope alive?

As we are living into Black History Month 2025, I think of the hymn We shall overcome, which reminds me of those involved in the Civil Rights Movement in this country as well as the fight to end Apartheid in South Africa. Though neither of these has fully eradicated the enormous damage done to the lives and cultures of people of African descent, the faith and hope of overcoming was central to their ability to persist and continue forward in the struggle.

One of the most important elements of effective movements of justice of any kind is action. It was not called the Civil Rights Stillness, it was a movement. Thoughts, prayers and hopes for the future are great, but any time there is a situation of injustice in need of rectification presents itself, staying still is not the answer, action is what brings true and lasting outcomes. When I think of the hymn, We shall overcome I remind myself that the verses call for some kind of action: we’ll walk hand in hand, we shall live in peace, and also adding that we are not afraid and that God is on our side.

The next 4 years are no different than the previous 4 or 8 or 100. Being vigilant about the need for the church’s voice and action in the face of injustice is not a fashion statement or something that goes in and out of style. It is rather a constant state of living Christ Like lives. It is above our readiness to hear the voice of one crying out to the body of Christ when the rest the world either looks the other way or tells them to be quiet. It is being ready to feed the great multitude, even when you only have a few loaves and fishes. It is a willingness to give ourselves freely to suffering or death, even when we have done nothing to deserve such a fate.

As the Body of Christ in the world today we must strive daily to make God’s grace, love and peace be known and lived. The Spirit that lives in us compels us to such a manifestation. We must uphold each other constantly and be relentless in loving each other up with courage and hope.

With God’s help, we will overcome and transform tears of pain into tears of joy.

Message from the Senior Warden

Pamela Kruse-Buckingham

Dear Beloved Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,

I am both humbled and honored to accept the call to serve as Senior Warden of our parish. As I step into this role, I do so with a profound sense of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me and a deep commitment to serving our church community with faith, integrity, and love.

St. Paul’s has long been a spiritual home where we come together to worship, support one another, and seek God’s presence in our lives. Over the years, I have witnessed the incredible dedication, compassion, and strength of this congregation. It is that shared spirit of unity and service that inspires me as I take on this responsibility.

I am especially grateful for the leadership and example set by those who have served in this role before me. Their faithfulness and wisdom have helped guide our church through both joyful seasons and challenging times. I will strive to honor their legacy as we continue to walk forward together in God’s grace.

Speaking to Fr. Mauricio's message above, I do feel a sense of hope. Recently, Bishop Mariann Budde delivered a poignant sermon at the National Cathedral, urging for mercy and compassion towards marginalized communities, including immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals. Her call to "have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now" resonates deeply with our mission at St. Paul’s. episcopalnewsservice.org.

Here is why I have hope:

At the 175th annual convention of the Diocese of California, we took an important step forward by passing a resolution to form a task force addressing the growing concerns around Christian Nationalism. This work is a reflection of our commitment to being a faith community that champions inclusivity, justice, and the true teachings of Christ. As the task force begins it's work, I ask for your prayers. We have an excellent cohort of Clergy & Lay leaders that include The Very Rev. Julia McCray Goldsmith, Paula Hawthorn and myself, among others across the Diocese.

We are Parishioners of St. Paul's Episcopal Church! We respond with love and dignity for all! We run towards the fire!

We can do it, with God's help!

As Senior Warden, my hope is to listen attentively, serve diligently, and work collaboratively with all of you—the clergy, vestry, ministry leaders, and every member of our congregation—to discern where God is leading us next. Together, we can nurture the spiritual growth of our community, deepen our outreach efforts, and strengthen the bonds that make St. Paul’s such a special place.

I ask for your prayers and your partnership as we embark on this journey together. Please know that I am here to support yo, pray with you and for you, and that your thoughts, concerns, and ideas are always welcome.

May we continue to be guided by God’s love, finding strength in our faith and joy in our fellowship.

With gratitude and hope!

Pam

CALLS TO ACTION

Support the Dykzeul Family's NICU Journey

Deacon Rachel & Theo Dykzeul recently welcomed their newest child, Desmond, who is doing well post surgery, and they are beginning to dream of bringing him home. Praise be to God!

If you'd like to support their NICU journey, click the button below. They are very near their goal - let's help push them over the top!

GIVE TO THE DYZEUL FAMILY NICU JOURNEY

Bakers Needed for Communion Bread

Do you like the taste of homemade bread? Do you find the aroma of bread baking in the oven irresistible?

If you attended any services during Advent or Christmas, you may have noticed that rather than communion wafers, we had homemade bread. It has a secret ingredient: BEER!

I have made it off and on for the last several months. One recipe makes enough for four small loaves (4 Sundays). It is not difficult to make. If you would like the recipe or chat more about how to make it, contact Sharon Pilmer at pilms@hotmail.com.

Would love to create a small army of bakers!

Social Justice

News from Social Justice Committee

The following is a message from Danny Thongsy, the Faith Campaign Manager,

Northern California, for Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. St. Paul’s worked with this excellent organization during the last difficult time for our refugee neighbors, and Danny writes, “Next Thursday Feb 13, 11am - 1:30pm we will be having a Reaffirming Sanctuary - Interfaith Sanctuary Press Conference, Procession & Day of Remembrance Vigil."

We are gathering to reaffirm sanctuary, a sacred tradition across many faiths of welcoming immigrants and standing against actions that would tear families and communities apart. After proclamations of sanctuary, we will proceed to historic Japantown, a community that, in 1942, was torn apart by government policies that separated families and forced the relocation and incarceration of Japanese immigrants and their U.S. citizen children.

Through interfaith prayer and ritual, we will honor their legacy and uplift sanctuary as a sacred practice of protection and solidarity for immigrant communities targeted today.

Thurs. February 13th | 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM

11:00 AM: Interfaith Sanctuary Press Conference | St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (1111

O’Farrell St., San Francisco)

11:45 AM: Procession | Japantown

12:15 PM: Interfaith Vigil commemorating the 83rd Day of Remembrance | Christ United Presbyterian Church (1700 Sutter St., San Francisco)

CLICK HERE TO RSVP!

Also, just to get it on your calendar, the group Soldiers Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) will have its next Stand In at 11AM Noon, March 8. SAVE was formed as a ministry of Truevine Ministries in 2011. Then, as now, the homicide rate in Oakland was awful, but people were often treating the homicides as business as usual: “just another person killed”. Truevine members decided to stand on the street corners near where someone was killed, lift up their name, and shout (with bullhorns) that this is not acceptable, this is not business as usual, this needs to stop. St. Paul’s joined our brothers and sisters in this effort many years ago, as have other churches. This is a short time commitment: one hour, and our presence means a lot to the other participants so that they know they are not alone in proclaiming: “Increase the love, increase the peace, get those guns up off our streets”.

Join us: March 8, 11AM, 7 th & Market.

For more information on either of these events, please contact Paula

paula.hawthorn@gmail.com

Paula Hawthorn, Co-Chair

Social Justice Ministry

Ways to Give to St. Paul's Oakland

 Cash in an envelope in the plate, with your name on it so we know who it came

from. Do not send cash in the mail.

 Paper check, in the plate or mailed to the office.

 By credit or debit card. Visit our website, www.stpaulsoakland.org, click the red

“GIVE” button, select “give to annual pledge”, select the frequency, the amount,

and “give by Credit/Debit Card”. Credit card companies typically charge a fee

which you may elect to pay so that the church sees the full value of your gift.

 Direct transfer from your bank, otherwise known as an ACH (automated clearing

house) transfer. You may set this up directly with your bank, as a recurring

payment, OR you may set it up on our website following the same instructions as

for a credit card payment, but select “ACH bank transfer” instead. ACH fees tend

to be less than credit card fees.

 Gifts of stock, mutual funds etc. Contact Sharon Pilmer, chair of the stewardship

committee for instructions.

 Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution. If you are over the age of 70 ½ years

and have an IRA, you may make a tax-free gift directly to St. Paul’s. Contact

Sharon for instructions.

Questions? Reach out to our bookkeeper Joan at finance@stpaulsoakland.org or

Sharon Pilmer at pilms@hotmail.com.

Pastoral Ministry Group Has Initial Meeting

A group of parishioners interested in a lay pastoral care ministry met with Fr. Wilson and Archdeacon Bolton, the current clerical pastoral care team, on December 1st after the 10am service.

The participants were enthusiastic about the possibilities for expanding pastoral care through the use of lay people, who can not only increase the frequency of visits to those in need but may at times prove to have skills and resources that are particularly helpful.

One of our deacons will be the pastoral contact for the group and will coordinate efforts to identify and

respond to potential candidates for a visit.

Fr. Wilson explained the differences among and training for visitors, Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs), and Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs). He said that everyone should go through the Whole and Healthy Church training, and he emphasized that all can benefit from these sessions, whether they become licensed or not.

The group plans to meet again in the new year for further discussion. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry, please get in touch with Sharon Pilmer at: pilms@hotmail.com.