We are a Christian community seeking to know and unconditionally share God's unfailing love.

Weekly Newsletter

Please note: The recordings on our website only consist of the lessons and the sermon. Due to copyright restrictions, we can no longer post the music. The live-stream on Facebook still has the entire service.

Saturday, November 18

• Celebration of Wisdom Luncheon at 11:30am in Sacquety Hall

Sunday, November 19

• LEV Meeting at 9:45am in the Youth Center
• Funeral Service for Dal Rhoads at 1:30pm in the Sanctuary followed by a Reception in Sacquety Hall
• Youth Group Meeting at 4:30pm in the Youth Center

Tuesday, November 21

• Preschool Board Meeting at 5:00pm in the Preschool
• Stewardship Meeting at 8:00pm in Fr. Nathan's Office

Wednesday, November 22

• Thanksgiving Eve Service at 6:00pm in the Chapel

Thursday, November 23

• Happy Thanksgiving! The Church and Preschool will be closed all day

Friday, November 24

• The Church and Preschool will be closed all day in celebration of Thanksgiving

Sunday, November 26

• Stuffing Kindness Bags between services in Sacquety Hall
• Christ the King Sunday with a special guest orchestra at the 10:30am service

Monday, November 27

• Vestry Meeting at 6:00pm in Sacquety Hall

Wednesday, November 29

• Healing Ministry Meeting at 9:00am in the Church Office
• Advent Book Study begins at 7:00pm in Sacquety Hall (see below)

Saturday, December 2

• Winter Concert by the Men in Blaque at 7:00pm in the Sanctuary; purchase tickets here

Sunday, December 3

• Youth Group
• Advent Lessons and Carols at 6:00pm in the Sanctuary

The Calendar of Events on our website is now live! Click the box above to be directed to our News and Events page on www.stwilfridschurch.org to view an up-to-date digital calendar. This calendar is updated automatically and provides an easy way for you to plan your year.

Starting in mid-October, we began hearing the deeply personal stories of how God has worked through St. Wilfrid's to impact others in profound and meaningful ways. It takes courage to share God's often-deeply personal work in our lives, which is why I am so grateful to those who shared, including Carol Cherpes, Rev. Tamara Green, Stewart Lumb, Monica Martin, Jill McKenna, and Karen Thornton. Also, a special thanks to our Stewardship Chair, Steven Nadolny, for his work in organizing the speakers.

Not everyone had an opportunity to publicly respond to the question, "How has God used St. Wilfrid's to touch your life?" For the past month, we made available three large, easel-sized pads of paper in the narthex for the past month where anyone could write down their response. You can read those responses here. When I read them, my heart filled with gratitude for God's good and mighty work in our community. One person took the time to write down the names of dozens of parishioners whom God had used in their life. This entry reflects how God's Holy Spirit works through so many people to impact our lives. We have such a great and loving community here - and it is wonderful to read about how God's good work continues.

This Sunday also marks the official end of our Rooted in Abundance Pledge Campaign.  All the of the 2024 pledges that have been collected and are turned in Sunday morning, will be blessed. I am thankful to all of you who have made a commitment to support God's work through our parish in 2024. So far, we have 69 individuals and families who have pledged for a total of $274,780, which is 79% of our goal. We do anticipate that more pledges will be arriving in the coming weeks that will bring us closer to our goal of $350,000.

I also want to take a moment to thank each of you who have given. Your gifts this year, and years past, have enabled our parish to continue the mission and ministry of our church. Earlier this year, we replaced the sanctuary roof, and work continues on the Pipe Organ Restoration Project (estimated completion date is late summer 2024). Your support of our parish means a lot to me.   

Even though there is a financial side to the ministry of St. Wilfrid's, I want to draw your attention once again to the words that were written on the large easel-sized pads of paper. So many people have been encouraged and touched by the love that you have offered to each other. You made strangers (visitors and guests) feel welcomed. Some of them have joined our parish because of the love, care, and concern that you offered them. Your love of God and this parish is also reflected in the thousands of ways that you volunteer to make the events and rituals of our parish a reality. I am so thankful for our wonderful and amazing volunteers. Our parish would not be the same without you! You bring a joyfulness and a can-do attitude that makes our parish feel like home. Thank you! 

Fr. Nathan Biornstad+ 

Rector 

Current Pledged Amount: $274,780

Goal: $350,000

We've pledged 79% of our goal!

We are in the midst of our 2024 Pledge Campaign. Part of the request for pledges is to describe, how “How I pledge on donating my time over the next year as a volunteer.” If you are looking for ideas on how you can donate your time, please read below.

Please share with us at St. Wilfrid’s your experience in proclaiming God’s good news to all.

Thank you to all that showed up for Fr. Steve's presentation. We had over 40 people. Fr. Steve showed pictures of his trip to Israel and explained many historical and interesting sights. Also, he showed pictures of Gaza and the wall. Jim Schweitzer and Steven Nadolny plus the Wisdom cooking crew made a wonderful meal. Thank you to Jim and Steven. We sang Happy Birthday to Sharan, and she blew out the candles on a German Chocolate cake made by Steven. The Originator of the Wisdom program, Paula Hulse, was on hand to celebrate with us. It was a grand time and we hope to see you at our November 18th meeting which has changed from the announcement made at October's event. We will not be having a post Thanksgiving Left-Over-Pot-Luck.

And speaking of our next meeting. Ever get the feeling you'd like to try something different? Are you creative? Do you like to write? Or not? Are you interested in poetry? Or not? Well if you answered yes to any of these questions do we have something for you at our next meeting..

Kathy McGuire, a retired English teacher, is bringing her "Poems for the Holidays" Workshop to Wisdom. She is going to make it easy for anyone to write poems for the holidays. It's free and everything you need will be provided. So come join us and explore your writing side. BUT SIGN UP TODAY because our luncheon is also our annual Turkey Dinner. Chef Dave with the Wisdom kitchen crew will be providing all the trimmings. This Saturday, November 18th at 11:30am. See you there!

The season of thankfulness is nearly upon us! According to Harvard Health Publishing, a subsidiary of Harvard Medical School, “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” There are so many positive benefits to living a life full of gratitude. 

Unfortunately, life sometimes makes it difficult to be thankful for what we have and for the gifts we’ve been given. Sometimes, our pain outweighs our gratitude. While the holiday season may bring joy to many, it can do the opposite for those struggling with grief, addiction, self-worth, and many other negative emotions which are more poignant during the holidays. Sometimes, our joy and energy can be siphoned by world events, which can weigh us down and cause us to feel overwhelmed. 

If you are struggling with a lack of gratitude this November, or if you would like ideas on how to be grateful, we encourage you to use the Gratitude Calendar below from United Thank Offering. Even in times of hardship, in the midst of difficult situations, showing gratitude can lift our spirits and shift the focus away from ourselves, so that we can concentrate on the good work that God is doing.  

Please click the calendar below to view and download a printable, full size document that is easier to read.

Article: Giving thanks can make you happier, August 14, 2021

The following information is provided for your consideration and is not meant to be financial advice in any way. Please share these thoughts with your trusted financial advisor before considering any action. 

Does this scenario look familiar to you? I am over the age 72. I have accumulated assets in a Qualified Retirement Account.(QRA) I do not meet IRS requirements to be able to itemize deductions on my tax return and, therefore, I take advantage of the standard deduction when filing my taxes. Since the government wishes to receive a return on these Qualified Retirement Accounts as soon as possible, my qualified accounts are subject to distribution at age 72 (see specific rules for exact application of this regulation) also known as the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). I believe in the mission of a number of charities, including St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church, and I am interested in a tax advantaged way to contribute.

A possible solution: Congress in 2015 made permanent a regulation that allows for a distribution of assets from Qualified Retirement Accounts in a tax advantaged way. For example: taking a normal distribution from a QRA adds the distribution amount to your taxable income resulting in a possible increase in taxes due. Transferring a gift directly from your QRA to a charity results in a distribution that is not included in your taxable income and may lower taxes due. Since you have to take a RMD by law but perhaps may not need the cash for living expenses, you can use this asset as a charitable gift avoiding taxes on an unneeded but required distribution. Of course, you may use this method to make any distribution to a qualified charity.

Basic requirements are: must be at least age 72, recipient charity must qualify as such, distribution must be made from the financial institution directly to the charity (if assets are transferred first to you and then you transfer to the charity it will be considered a taxable withdrawal), maximum contribution in a tax year is $100,000,

If you wish to use this tax advantaged charitable giving technique, please consult with your trusted financial advisor or reach out to Tom Zajac through the church office ([email protected]).  Thank you for considering the ministry and mission of St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church in your charitable giving.  

Delegates and clergy from the Diocese of Los Angeles' 133 congregations, plus exhibitors, staff, representatives of various ministry groups and visitors will head for the Riverside Convention Center (pictured below right) on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10 - 11, for the 128th meeting of Diocesan Convention, themed "Love in Action: For Healing, Housing and Hope."

The convention will be chaired by Bishop Diocesan John Harvey Taylor, with assistance from Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy and Secretary of Convention Canon Steven Nishibayashi, along with a team of diocesan staff members and volunteers. Convention logistics are managed by Samantha Wylie, convention coordinator ([email protected]).

An early order of business will be the presentation of St. James' Mission Church, Newport Beach, to be admitted as a parish of the diocese. (See related story here.)

Highlights will include a panel discussion on multicultural ministries and the biannual Margaret Parker Lecture, this year featuring Robert Ross, retiring president and CEO of The California Endowment and a member of St. Mark's Church, Altadena. In his address, Ross will explore the nexus of philanthropy and social and racial justice. (Read more about Ross and the Parker lecture series here.)

Visitors are welcome at convention, either in person or online. Those attending in Riverside may watch convention proceeding from a designated gallery in the main hall, and will be welcome to browse the exhibit hall, which will feature displays from many ministries and organizations, as well as vendors with goods for sale. In-person delegates will have ample breaks in the convention agenda to check out the exhibits.

Read more here.

Bishop John Harvey Taylor sold Linda Hilton “like nobody’s business” on St. Paul’s Commons retreat center, the granddaughter of hotelier Conrad N. Hilton told a Nov. 2 gathering in Echo Park. “I want to come back," she said. "He made it exciting.”

Hospitality boils down to welcoming guests as if inviting them into your own home, said Hilton, senior director of intermediary group sales for the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, and vice chair of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. She was the featured speaker for “The Light of Hospitality” a campaign to encourage overnight guest stays at the St. Paul’s Commons Retreat Center.

... Taylor praised Hilton’s “radical belonging” philosophy, noting that it is applicable to church congregations. The gathering drew about 75 people and included diocesan staff-directed tours of the facilities, with its 16 retreat rooms with double beds, conference and meeting space, rooftop garden, state-of-the-art technical amenities and food and beverage service – all part of the center’s availability for “lakeside hospitality” for church vestries and other groups, Taylor said.

Read more here.