July 25, 2024 | VOLUME 36, ISSUE 30

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Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

July 28, 2024

SCRIPTURE READINGS

2 Kings 4:42-44

Psalm 145:10-19

Ephesians 3:14-21

John 6:1-21

Preacher: The Reverend Jennifer Wagner Pavia

Wednesday, July 31, 7:00 PM: "Join or Die" Documentary at Laemmle Monica Film Center, 1332 2nd St, Santa Monica (see article below).

Thursday, August 8: Backpack Project with Dinner at Alice Short's house. Start time TBD.

Bible and Breakfast

Tuesdays | 9:30 AM

Luther Hall & Zoom

Midweek Eucharist:

Wednesdays | No service on 7/31

Sanctuary

Adult Forum: Documentary on 7/31

Wednesdays |

Luther Hall & Zoom

By Jennifer Wagner Pavia

Join or Die

A film about why you should join a club...and why the fate of America depends on it.

In this feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking "Bowling Alone" research into America's decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis. And, most importantly…what can we do about it?

Wednesday, July 31 at 7:30pm

Lemmle Theaters

1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica

RSVP to Reverend Jennifer for ticket instructions.

For more info and to watch the trailer visit https://www.joinordiefilm.com/#about

Important!! There will be NO Midweek Evening Service on this date at the church. Meet up at 7pm at the Lemmle Theaters for evening prayer, followed by the movie, or come to the movie at 7:30pm.

Starting in front left & going clockwise: Ina Klem, Susan Holder, Rea Crane, Bond Harper, Janet Hartley, Sharon Schmidt, Stephanie Landry, Lana Spraker, Kelly Riggle-Hower. Missing: Corrine Henderson.

St. Bede's Altar Guild members wish to express their gratitude to Sharon Schmidt, who hosted a lovely luncheon honoring Rea Crane for her decade of leadership as the Head Sacristan at St. Bede's. After a refreshing non-alcoholic aperitif, a toast to Rea, and a delicious lunch with a decadent dessert, members enjoyed chatting and laughing with each other about a myriad of topics. Everyone expressed their sincere appreciation for Rea’s devoted leadership and guidance over the past decade. Rea, in turn, thanked all Altar Guild members for their dedication in making St. Bede’s services run smoothly. Again, thank you, Rea!

The current Altar Guild, now led by Susan Holder, is seeking at least two new members. Serving on the Altar Guild is a beautiful, sacred and vital ministry. Imagine what an honor it is to set the Lord’s Table so that all may follow His commandment of “. . . do this in remembrance of me.” You are invited to come join this group of fun-loving parishioners, regardless of whether you want to do a little or a lot. Whether you are interested in making communion bread, working with sacred vessels in setting the Lord’s table, caring for linens or selecting/arranging flowers, it is truly a service of love and a chance to work for our Lord. If you are interested, please let Reverend Jennifer know.

By Alice Short

BREAKING NEWS !

Our assembly and dinner are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8, at 3156 Coolidge Ave.--my house. Please let me know if you can join us? Thank you !

For the last several years, St. Bede’s has partnered with First AME Church on a

back-to-school backpack project for children in foster care, and this summer we

are doing it again!

We plan to fill 45 backpacks (15 for elementary school-age children, 15 for middle

school and 15 for high school), and we’re collecting monetary donations to buy the

supplies that will go in the backpacks.

If you’re writing a check, please make them payable to St. Bede’s with “Backpack

Project” in the memo portion (at the lower left corner of the check.) You can bring

the checks (or cash) to church, mail the checks to church, or send your checks to

Alice Short (3156 Coolidge Ave. Los Angeles 90066). In addition, you can donate

via the St. Bede’s Vanco e-giving and payment process site.

We’d be grateful if you could make your donations by July 26, and we plan to

schedule our “assembly dinner” shortly after that (early August is likely).

Questions? Please reach out to members of the mission committee.

By Melora Sundt

Bring out your (gently) used books!

The St Bede’s Book Cart, located at the north end of Luther Hall, is alive and well! It’s attracting so many readers that we are in need of gently used fiction, particularly mysteries and thrillers.  

How does it work? Donated books are lovingly curated by Kathy Russell and Melora Sundt, and rotated onto the shelves. Recently donated books receive a colored sticker, coded to the month in which we acquired the book. Any book remaining after 4 months is pulled off the shelves and donated elsewhere, making room for new books. We review and refresh the cart on the first Sunday of each month. 

Mysteries and thrillers are particularly popular, so please check your own bookshelves, and bring your oldies-but-goodies to St. Bede’s. You can leave them on top of the cart or give them to Kathy or Melora when you see us. Please donate only books in good condition and perhaps route those outdated textbooks, old health books, and the dusty, battered volumes to other worthy charities. 

As always, there are no prices on the books in the book cart, but we’d appreciate your leaving a donation in the baskets on the cart if you decide to claim something new to read. All proceeds go to the scholarships for NYA.  

Thank you!

Visit the St. Bede's website and at the top of every page, look for the "Donate" button. When you click on the "Donate" button, you will be transported to St. Bede's Vanco eGiving and Payment Process Site.

Vanco is an industry leader in online payments. More than 40,000 churches, faith-based groups, nonprofits, schools, and educational organizations trust Vanco to securely complete transactions every day. Vanco complies with PCI Level 1 standards, the highest security standard in the payment processing industry.

You are invited to set up one-time or recurring gifts using credit, debit, or bank transfer on Vanco's secure payment processing platform. Giving online through the Vanco site saves time and the hassle of remembering to bring your offering. In addition, you decrease the expense incurred by St. Bede’s from handling and processing checks and cash.

The Rev. Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell spent the 1982 General Convention trying to find a bishop who would let her enter his ordination process without having to move to that diocese. Then-Diocese of Michigan Bishop Coleman McGehee eventually ordained her a priest in 1987. Photo: Courtesy of Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell

Women priests who were caught in ‘conscience clause’ hope the church remembers their stories

By Mary Frances Schjonberg

The historic ordinations of the Philadelphia Eleven on July 29, 1974, and General Convention’s vote on Sept. 15, 1976, to allow women to become priests and bishops were not the end of the women’s ordination struggle.

Many women faced ongoing discrimination for years, none more so than those who were caught in the web spun by the non-canonical but widely used escape hatch, referred to as the “conscience clause,” the House of Bishops gave to those who objected to women’s ordination.

The Episcopal Church Canons, as of Jan. 1, 1977, called for equal access to the ordination process for both men and women. However, meeting in October of that year, the House of Bishops gave cover to any process gatekeeper who refused to follow the canon because of “his or her conscientious objection.” They said “no bishop, priest, or lay person should be coerced or penalized in any matter” for that objection. The bishops also refused to accept Presiding Bishop John Allin’s offer to resign after he had told them he was “unable to accept women in the role of priest.” In what appeared to be a change of heart as his term was ending in 1985, Allin said that his role as presiding bishop had been “to keep the two sides in conversation and to have the church do what she said she would do — ordain women priests.”



The conscience clause had no official standing because it had not been considered, much less approved by both houses of General Convention. It simply was announced during the October 1977 House of Bishops meeting and included in a pastoral letter calling for unity in Christ. However, it took 20 years and an act of General Convention (Resolution A052) to eliminate the loophole.

Nevertheless, some Episcopalians, especially bishops, persisted for another two decades, imposing sometimes circuitous arrangements to skirt but not violate the canons. Some arranged to have other bishops handle the ordination process for women. Then-Bishop of Eau Claire William Wantland said shortly after the 1997 General Convention that he would resign when his successor was ordained and consecrated in early 1999, citing the canonical change as one of his reasons. Until then, he imposed a moratorium on all ordinations.

READ MORE HERE

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'By Your Side' training sessions set for summer and autumn

Since 2011, the mission of By Your Side – a program of Episcopal Communities & Services – has been to support people in times of change and difficulty, particularly in health crisis, and to be at their bedside at the end of their lives as needed. More than 500 volunteers have been trained to be a compassionate presence.

By Your Side's next 10-hour training session will be held on Wednesday evenings, Aug. 14 - Sept. 11, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena 91101. This class will be hybrid, with an option to attend via Zoom. For further information and to register, contact Susan Brown at sbrown@ecsforseniors.org or 626.403.5424. A fee of $70 (which includes all materials) is due by the second class. ECS team members are complimentary; scholarships are available for public enrollees. CE (12 hours) for nurses is available for an added $30 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider CEP 16239.

Future trainings in 2024 are scheduled for Oct. 1 - 29 (Tuesdays) and Nov. 18 – Dec. 16 (Mondays). Locations TBD: there will be hybrid options for both. Anyone may take the training; there is no obligation to volunteer.

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