The Monthly Newsletter of St. Paul's Episcopal Church

+ To know Christ better and make Him better known +

Liturgical Year C

Message from the Rector

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson

WHY NOT ME?

It is good to be back with you after some weeks of physical and mental respite. Taking time to clear one’s mind inevitably creates space for new thoughts and opportunities to take shape into possible ways in which God is calling us to live as the Body of Christ in the world. Unfortunately, the creation of space can also allow thoughts of hopelessness and fear to creep, especially when the world outside of us is in turmoil.

I think it’s important to acknowledge that historically there have been significantly more reasons for hopelessness in other moments of human history. We can also acknowledge that such reality does not negate the way we may feel about our own current reality.

The first disciples of Jesus lived in the midst of the precariousness of their own time, as Jesus was born, lived and time during one of many periods of persecution of his people. It is in the midst of that persecution that Jesus tell them over and over again ‘Do not fear.’ As disciples of the present day we must make the words of our Savior resound in ears and feed our spirit.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland is a community of people that come together to worship and grow to living our Christlikeness. In 154 years we have shown ourselves to be more than just a passive group of believers. We have lived our faith actively in the streets of Oakland and beyond. We have borne the Good News of hope and grace through our actions. 

So yes, my time of respite did leave a lot of room for me to hear all the ways in our current time is filled with potential opportunities and reasons to be fearful and hopeless, but it has also renewed in me the faith in how the love of God has been made manifest through how every single member of St. Paul’s steps forward to do what needs to be done to make our world a better place for all God’s children.

I fully trust that even now, when God calls we will not be asking ‘why me?’, but rather ‘why not me?’ 



To our God we faithfully say:

Here we are Lord, send us.

Message from the Senior Warden

Keep the Fire Burning (2 Timothy 1:1–14)

When Paul writes to Timothy, he reminds him of something so simple and yet so powerful: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now, I am sure, lives in you.” I could not agree more with blessed Paul. I feel the exact same way every time I am with my friends in Christ.

I think we can all trace our faith back to a special place, an experience with nature, a church or someone who first lit that spark for us. St. Paul calls it “the gift of God,” and he tells Timothy to “rekindle” it, like stirring embers back into flame.

It’s easy for the fire of faith to flicker when life feels heavy, when fear whispers louder than hope, or when routines grow stale. But blessed Paul reminds Timothy - and us - that the Spirit God gives is not one of fear, but of hope and love.

This week, let us take a moment to remember who or what first lit the flame of faith in us, and give thanks. Then ask: how can I keep that fire burning? Through prayer, through service, through kindness shared with a neighbor? The “good treasure” of faith isn’t just ours to hold—it’s ours to live and pass along.

May the Spirit strengthen us to guard that treasure with courage, joy, and love.

Pam Buckingham

Sr. Warden

I picked apples in a friend’s orchard recently to turn them into applesauce and apple butter. A Fall activity. I love the Fall. The cold tinged mornings, the hot afternoons, the late fruits ripening and the gardens (my green beans!) giving their all before the coming cold. The light seems both more intense this time of year and precious as the days grow shorter and soon we will be rising in the dark and coming home from work in the twilight.

It might seem odd, but I also love the Fall process of pledging support for the church. For me, it fits with processing the produce of ripened gardens and seeing if my last year’s winter layers are still serviceable for the coming cold. It fits with an inward turning towards a more contemplative time of year. Towards counting my blessings and giving thanks. Towards confirming that which I hold most dear and honoring it with my time and my energy and my resources.

It is precious to me to be part of a church that walks together as Children of Light, especially as growing darkness can seem so omnipresent and powerful. We need a community to remind us that the divine Light of Christ is always stronger, and to accompany us as we walk into whatever season, whatever challenges, life brings us. And a community with which to celebrate our joys! And to share our produce!

The Rev. Linda McConnell

Environmental Stewardship - October 2025

An Economy of Gratitude: A Harvest Metaphor for the Gift Economy by Indira Balkissoon

The fall harvest is a powerful metaphor for environmental stewardship and the principles of the gift economy. As we gather the last fruits of the season, we are participating in a cycle of reciprocity that is at the heart of this concept.

In her book “Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World,” Robin Wall Kimmerer uses the serviceberry, or Juneberry, as a perfect example of this. The tree freely offers its fruit to birds and other animals. In return, the birds disperse the tree's seeds, ensuring its continued life. This is a cycle of mutual support—a symbiotic relationship that benefits the entire ecosystem. It's a clear model of ecological abundance where generosity ensures the survival and flourishing of all who participate. This is, in short, a gift economy.

This concept stands in stark contrast to capitalism, which is often based on scarcity, competition, and individual gain. A gift economy, in contrast, finds a profound connection with biblical theology, which is built on abundance, reciprocity, and deep relationships.

Grace as a Gift

The serviceberry's selfless giving echoes the biblical understanding of God's grace. Just like the abundance of the berries, God's love and salvation are not a transaction to be earned, but a free gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." This idea of a non-transactional, overflowing generosity is central to both the serviceberry's role in nature and God's relationship with humanity.

Gratitude and Stewardship

A crucial part of the gift economy is gratitude. The act of giving thanks is a recognition that everything we have—from the food we eat to the air we breathe—is a gift. This gratitude compels us to act as good stewards of both creation and our fellow human beings.

Just as the serviceberry's gift inspires reciprocity from the birds, the gifts of God inspire us to care for creation and love our neighbors as ourselves. In this way, both the serviceberry's lesson and the biblical message offer a shared worldview: one that replaces a mindset of consumption with a spirit of gratitude and community. It transforms us from passive consumers into active participants in a sacred economy of grace and giving.

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

by Robin Wall Kimmerer

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

Every Sunday 8am (spoken) & 10am (sung)

Liturgy of the Word w/Holy Communion

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

Weekly Prayer Call via Zoom

Tuesdays

Cancelled for a few weeks: 11:00 am

Weekly Prayer Call

Many regulars cannot attend for the next month or so, so we're suspending Prayer Hour for a few weeks. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR A NEW DATE & TIME! 

Become a Member of the Leadership Team for St. Paul’s Christmas Giving Tree

St. Paul’s has been working with the Center for the Vulnerable Child (CVC) for several years to provide Christmas gifts to families in need. The CVC first sends an enquiry, usually in late September, asking whether we want to participate and, if we do, how many families we would like to help.

The Leadership Team decides how many families we will commit to help. Then

around mid-October the CVC social workers assigned to the families send us the lists of the family members, their gift wishes, and some personal information such as their clothing sizes and favorite colors. Each member of the Leadership Team takes the family’s information that the CVC provides, eg “clothing” and makes specific gift cards to hang on the tree, eg “Shirt, size 5”. Around the weekend after Thanksgiving the Leadership Team gathers at the church to

put up the tree.

The Leadership Team makes announcements asking people to take the tags, and to bring the gifts to church by the CVC deadline, which is usually the week before Christmas. Then the Leadership Team checks to make sure we have all the gifts for their family, and we work together to deliver the gift to the CVC.

Join the Giving Tree Leadership Team for the fun of giving! Please

email Paula Hawthorn, paula.hawthorn@gmail.com if you can help.

St. Paul’s Family: Join us for No Kings Day!

As we did in June, we will gather at Wilma Chan Park (aka Madison Square Park), in Oakland.

Wear your St. Paul's t-shirt! If you don't have one, contact Paula Hawthorn or Matthew Schooler.

WHEN: Saturday, October 18, 11:30am-1pm

Gather at Wilma Chan Park.

Speakers at noon, march kick-off at 12:30, march to Lake Merritt 810 Jackson St, Oakland, CA 94607

Sign up HERE!

Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.



A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

Gun To Gardens is Nov 15!

Guns to Gardens St. Paul’s innovative faith-based project to reduce the number of guns in Oakland, will be at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1203 Willow St., Oakland from noon until 4PM Saturday November 15.

Guns to Gardens is centered in Isaiah 2:4 "and they shall forge their swords into plowshares" so the guns that are turned in are forged into garden tools. Each person turning in a gun will receive a gift card (up to $300) and a garden tool forged from a gun that was turned in at last year's Guns to Gardens event. 

This year Guns to Gardens is not asking for contributions from St. Paul’s, because we had funds left over from last year. Instead we are asking:

Please help us get the word out! Having a gun in the home increases the risk of death from homicide, suicide, and unintentional shootings, affecting all members of the household, including children. Studies show a significantly higher rate of violent deaths, particularly suicides and homicides, for people living in homes with firearms compared to those in gun-free homes. Additionally, guns in the home are prime targets for thieves, who can then use them for crimes.

 Please help us encourage all to get any guns out of their homes and the homes of their neighbors and friends, and bring them to the Mt. Zion parking lot on Nov. 15 knowing that they will be forged into garden tools, and get a gift card and a garden tool that was forged from a gun.

Proposed Social Justice Resolution at Diocesan Convention

At the upcoming 176th Convention of the Diocese of California, deputies will consider a resolution that seeks to amplify the Church’s public voice on social justice issues. The proposal affirms the Episcopal Church’s longstanding commitment to love, peace, justice, and the dignity of every person, regardless of race, religion, gender, orientation, economic status, citizenship, or housing situation.

If adopted, the resolution would:

• Direct the Diocese to create shareable public communications and media content highlighting these affirmations.
• Encourage congregations and individuals to make use of these resources and create their own aligned content.

The aim is to provide clear, accessible tools so that our values of justice and inclusion are visible in the wider community, not just within church walls. This resolution continues the Diocese’s ongoing work for equity and justice, and - if passed - would equip parishes and parishioners alike to be stronger, more consistent advocates in the public square. The full text of the proposed Resolution can be found HERE.

The 176th Diocesan Convention of the Diocese of California

On October 17–18, 2025, delegates, clergy, and lay leaders from across the Episcopal Diocese of California will gather at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco for the 176th Diocesan Convention. The Very Rev. Austin Rios, Bishop of California will preside. Deanery Delegates from St. Paul's will attend.

This annual gathering is not merely administrative—it is a spiritual and communal touchstone. It provides a space to worship together, engage in discernment, and set direction for the diocese’s life and mission in the year ahead.

As part of this process, our diocese continues to refine its Strategic Vision, a shared effort to deepen collaboration and strengthen ministry across congregations.

Please keep our diocesan leaders and delegates in your prayers as they gather in San Francisco. May their work reflect the Spirit’s wisdom and our shared commitment to follow Christ’s call—together.