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The Pastors' Pastor
Pacific Beach is a special place.
I began serving at St. Andrew's in September 2019. In these three years, a lot has happened (to say the least!). Soon after I began working in PB, I received an invitation from Caryn Blanton, a friend of St. Andrew's, to have breakfast with other pastors in the neighborhood. Caryn was the first to invite me into the fold of spiritual leaders in Pacific Beach, and continues to nurture community in our neighborhood in so many ways.
She is the glue that keeps the Pacific Beach pastors connected. She is the heart behind many community organizing initiatives that our church has been connected with, including the PB Street Guardians, assisting us in keeping our Tuesday night Hunger Suppers going through COVID, and now Shoreline Community Services and the transformative work at the Compass Station.
Caryn in our guest preacher this Sunday. I often call her the pastors' pastor, so I really mean it when I say I look forward to God's message she will share with us.
More than anyone I know, Caryn is rooted in Jesus, in Christ's vision of a world where are all treated with dignity, and she is a living reminder to me of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. What a gift that she will share the Good News with us this third Sunday of Advent, a season when we wait with expectation for the new world God is creating.
Advent blessings,
Mother Mary Lynn
[email protected]
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If you missed the sermon last week, never fear! You can listen here. | |
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Children and Youth
This Sunday, December 11
10:30am
Nursery (0-3 years)
Godly Play (3-1st grade) Story: Advent III
Seekers (2nd-5th grade) Storymakers: Creation Chapter Four
Youth Group (6th-12th grade): Living the Good News Advent 3
Saturday, December 10
There is still time for Youth to RSVP to attend the Good News Festival with Kari and Elodie. All youth get dinner and tie-dyed shirt! This event is free to attend. See article below for details.
Thursday, December 15
Youth Epiphany retreat registration OPENS! This one sells out quickly every year so be sure to sign up as close to 9am as possible. See article below.
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Guest Preacher Caryn Blanton
Our guest preacher this weekend is Caryn Blanton, executive director of Shoreline Community Services, a nonprofit focused on eliminating homelessness in San Diego's central beach area, which includes: Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and La Jolla Shores. Learn more.
Caryn lives in and loves her community of Pacific Beach and works to find ways to make it a safe and thriving place for everyone with a focus on those who have been pushed to the margins. In her spare time she can be found curled up on her couch with a book or out and about the neighborhood with her husband, Jeff and labradoodle, Telly.
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Help Needed
We need a volunteer to bring a meal prepared at The Bishop's School in La Jolla to our church for reheating on Tuesday, December 13 around 3 pm. If you are able to do this, please let Kari Robinson know. Thanks in advance for your help!
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Spiritual Direction and Companionship
So, you have a relationship with God. You now go to a church. You participate in communion. You’ve connected with a ministry the church offers . . . but you suddenly feel roadblocked or maybe a feeling of indifference is creeping in where once you felt joy. The answer may be a spiritual director! Spiritual Direction is an option for those who want more clarity about life’s critical moments. They help us see through the mist of distractions and emotional entanglements that preclude witness to God’s presence. Through the deep listening of a spiritual director, you may begin to see more clearly the Holy Spirit’s guidance in those times of loss and indecision or when you just feel stuck. Spiritual directors are often help lighten the load by illuminating the paths we currently are on. Here is a link to some spiritual directors in our area.
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Thank You for the Canned Goods!
Thank you to all the preschool families who contributed to the Giving Tuesday canned food drive for our Hunger Supper Programs! We were able to stock the food pantry for homeless suppers here at St. Andrew's and we couldn't have done it without you. Thank you!
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Stewardship 2023: More Than Enough
Our theme for this year's pledge drive is More Than Enough. Did you know that monthly donations from our members is what keeps our church functioning and thriving? Our vibrant ministries - children’s ministry, spiritual formation, Hunger Supper, and more - would not be possible without your generous financial gifts. Please pray about making a commitment to giving to St. Andrew’s in 2023 - it’s a profound way to put down roots in this place, and it makes a huge impact in our church and our neighborhood. Our 2023 goal for pledges is $180,000 and we've already pledged $135,000 - will you join us? You can fill out a pledge card at the welcome table on Sunday, or pledge online. Thank you!
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Beloved! Epiphany Youth Retreat
Save the dates: February 3 - 5 for the upcoming Epiphany youth retreat. Cost is $130 per student and includes two nights accommodations, five delicious meals, campfires, worship, games, activities, friends, laughter, Christian formation, and more! Registration opens Thursday, December 15 at 9am and sells out pretty quickly. Scholarships available. Payment due at time of registration. For a scholarship, register and select "Pay later." Contact Diocesan Formation Director Charlette Preslar for more information. Packing lists will be available one week prior to the event. Cell phones and other electronic devices prohibited.
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Is God Calling You
to Serve on Vestry?
The vestry of our church is similar to a board of a nonprofit. The vestry is the legal representative of the parish. We elect vestry members at our annual meeting in January. Our rector, the Rev. Mary Lynn Coulson, is the presiding officer. We have two wardens--a senior warden and a junior warden. The senior warden supports the rector and leads the parish in between rectors. The junior warden is often responsible for the buildings and grounds. We have a treasurer and a clerk. Our vestry defines and articulates our mission, supports the mission in word and deed, and ensures effective organization and planning, and managing resources and finances. Learn more by reading our vestry job description, and email Cathleen Flowers for more information!
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Blue Christmas Service
Tuesday, December 20, 5:30pm. Our brokenness feels especially painful this time of year. Our depression and struggles seem magnified by Christmas lights and holly jolly ads on TV and in-your-face Christmas décor at Walgreens. But the Church offers us a space to bring our whole selves, including the broken, disappointed, afraid parts of us: Advent. Advent is the season of darkness. The Church doesn't go right to Christmas, right to the joy and celebration. Come experience the Blue Christmas service. This service is designed to be quiet, meditative, and peaceful. It's meant to be a space in the midst of the busy holidays to remember those we love who have died; to witness to our complicated feelings; to sit with others who are also struggling. Come, listen, pray, or just sit in silence together. And, come as you are.
A Light in the Dark
Tuesday, December 20, 7:15pm. After the Hunger Supper, which takes place at 6:30pm, we will participate in a vigil for people who have died living on the street this year. We will light candles at St. Andrew's and walk silently to the beach where we will hear the names of those people experiencing homelessness who died within the past year. In partnership with Shoreline Community Services.
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Spiritual Practices During Advent
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to learn when we're going live with conversations about spiritual practices. Pick up a devotional with a practice for each day of Advent at church this Sunday!
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Blanket Drive
As the weather cools, we're holding a blanket drive for people experiencing homelessness. Please bring blankets, sleeping bags, rain ponchos, and other warm items for our unhoused neighbors. Drop them in the box at the back of the sanctuary. We're hosting the blanket drive now until January. Thank you!
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The Good News Festival
Two of our nation's best preachers will be in San Diego this Saturday night for the Good News Festival! Come to the Town and Country in Mission Valley at 6:30pm to hear the Most Rev. Michael Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Dr. William Barber, co-director of the Poor People's Campaign, founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These two powerhouse preachers will translate the gospel into relevant terms for our lives today. We'll enjoy incredible music from Voices of Our City Choir, and meaningful prayer. If you want to make a day of it, you can arrive earlier for workshops, including one about LGBTQ+ issues with the Rev. Hannah Wilder at 1pm, and a holiday marketplace with alternative Christmas gifts. Free!
Youth at the Good News Festival
Saturday, December 10, 3:30pm-9:30pm. Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to the Good News Festival. Experience what it means to be the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement. Hosted by your Youth Leadership Council--you can look forward to reconnecting with old friends from across the diocese and welcoming new ones into diocesan youth ministry. Together we will explore what it means to be LIVING GOOD NEWS! Youth will be prominently featured in the Good News Festival with front-row seating in front of the stage. Afterwards, we will take the energy from the event and focus it outward with time to consider where we go from here. Come and be part of the party. Come and be LIVING GOOD NEWS! Register Here
The Good News Festival is also looking for volunteer ushers, greeters, and others to support the event. Visit the website for all event information.
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