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Thursday, February 9, 2012   

LATEST NEWS
the word resilience
Global Warming Preach-In
Deacon Eric posts
Screening Revolution
Bluegrass Festival
Lenten Series
Sing with Nikola
Mardi Gras with the Village Project
Save the Dates
Absalom Jones
February Concerts
2011 Year in Review
2012 Pledge Campaign
Weekly E-News Archive
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Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Members of St. Cyprian's,

  

One word is being used more and more around St. Cyprian's these days, the word is resilience. We're discovering the term in old documents in the church filing cabinets as well as in the ecological commitments of our contemporary members. We are uncovering the term in the experiences and stories of our elders overcoming health challenges, and in the tears of exhausted hardworking members striving to keep up with the youth they mentor, technological change & limited resources. We hear the word in the energy of young adults passionate for a future of hope despite all sorts of discouraging "facts." Here's a few definitions of the word resilience:

 
- the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.
- ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.

- resiliency the state or quality of being resilient

- ecology the ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state after being disturbed

- physics the amount of potential energy stored in an elastic material when deformed

 

flowers

St. Cyprian's volunteer Director of Community Initiatives, Michael Helquist shared this article not long ago about the word. The author Jamais Cascio shares these principles of resilience: 
  • Diversity: Not relying on a single kind of solution means not suffering from a single point of failure.
  • Redundancy: Backup, backup, backup. Never leave yourself with just one path of escape or rescue.
  • Decentralization: Centralized systems look strong, but when they fail, they fail catastrophically.
  • Collaboration: We're all in this together. Take advantage of collaborative technologies, especially those offering shared communication and information.
  • Transparency: Don't hide your systems -- transparency makes it easier to figure out where a problem may lie. Share your plans and preparations, and listen when people point out flaws.
  • Fail gracefully: Failure happens, so make sure that a failure state won't make things worse than they are already.
  • Flexibility: Be ready to change your plans when they're not working the way you expected; don't count on things remaining stable.
  • Foresight: You can't predict the future, but you can hear its footsteps approaching. Think and prepare.

All of these principles will inform our work tremendously at St. Cyprian's in the coming months and years. Resiliency, is at the heart of the gospel message as well. Just take a close look at the Sermon on the Mount, the feeding of the multitude with just a few pieces of bread, Jesus resurrection appearances or the stories of the Apostles fanning out around the Roman Empire proclaiming peace and reconciliation to any and all who would listen. All our global faith traditions have tremendous gifts for students of resilience. I think there's a real hunger in our culture to go beyond the old conversation of "secular" vs "religious" to engage at a deeper level the significant resources of humanity's ancient stories, rituals, poetry, beliefs and practices. I'm excited about participating in those conversations. In closing, check out this beautiful poem of resilience by Lucille Clifton, whose work "emphasizes endurance and strength through adversity, focusing particularly on African-American experience and family life."

 

won't you celebrate with me - Lucille Clifton 

  

won't you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself?
i made it up
here on this bridge between
starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my other hand; come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.

 

See you soon at Turk & Lyon!

 

Peace,

Will Scott 

St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church

415-987-3029

[email protected] 

 This Sunday, St. Cyprian's Participates in
National Preach-In on Global Warming
Hannah Elyse Cornthwaite, an intern for Interfaith Power & Light will preach on Sunday, February 12th at 10:10 a.m.

Hannah describes herself and ministry in this way, "I am a second-year Masters of Divinity and Masters of Arts (in theology) student at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, from Montana but sponsored by the Diocese of Iowa. My academic interests include interfaith relations, eco-theology, eco-racism and theologies of trauma. I am currently serving as an intern at Interfaith Power & Light and part of our campus' greening and sustainability efforts. 

About Interfaith Power & Light:
Interfaith Power & Light effort began in 1998 with Episcopal Power and Light and the support of Grace Cathedral as a unique coalition of Episcopal churches aggregated to purchase renewable energy. In 2000, this Episcopal effort broadened its focus, brought in other faith partners, and California Interfaith Power & Light was born. California IPL developed a successful organizational model that engaged hundreds of congregations, educated thousands of people of faith about the moral and ethical mandate to address global warming, and helped pass California's landmark climate and clean energy laws. Building on California's success, this model has now been adopted by 38 sister state affiliates, and we are working to establish Interfaith Power & Light programs in every state.
Click here for more.
 
Deacon Eric posts...
Check out Deacon Eric Metoyer's latest reflections on the 
St. Cyprian's blog.
 
Screening Revolution:
St. Cyprian's Black History Month Film Series 
continues Wednesday, February 15 at 7 p.m.
St. Cyprian's Deacon Eric Metoyer facilitates a three part film series for Black History Month, our last film is "Bring Your A Game" We begin at 7 p.m. with conversation to follow.
 
February 15
 
San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival
Launch at St. Cyprian's TOMORROW
 
Friday Feb 10, 7:30 pm, SF Live Arts Presents
SF Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival Launch
Foghorn Stringband, Jeff Kazor & Lisa Berman, Anne & Pete Silbey
$16 adv, $18 door, $14 over 65, under 12, students w ID
 
Friday Feb 17, 7:30 pm, SF Live Arts Presents
SF Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival Continues
Nell Robinson & Jim Nunnally, Misner & Smith, Jeanie & Chuck Poling
Keeps on rolling with great bands in this duo night special
$16 adv, $18 door, $14 over 65, under 12, students w ID
  
Saturday Feb 18, TWO SHOWS, day & night, SF Live Arts and
SF Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival
2pm -- Bluegrass for Kids -- Gayle Schmitt & The Toodala Ramblers
special 50 minute show for kids, sing-a-long, treats
$6 kids, $9 adults,   
 
7:30 pm -- Americana Angels with Rita Hosking Band, Evie Ladin Band, Blushin' Roulettes
$16 adv, $18 door, $14 over 65, under 12,  

 

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE at BROWN PAPER TICKETS 

& at the door 

 

For details on all our concerts visit 

 

St. Cyprian's Lenten Series -
"being made new"
Wednesdays, February 29th - April 4th 
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
 

Each week during Lent,share a meal, book, practices & prayers. Join us as we read together, Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation by The Reverend Stephanie Spellers.  This book is a theological, inspirational, and practical guide for congregations that want to move beyond diversity and inclusion to present a vision for the church of the future: one where the transforming gifts, voices and power of marginalized cultures and groups bring new life to the mainline church.

  

Read more about the author the Reverend Stephanie Spellers and the faith community she leads "The Crossing" in Boston, by clicking here.

 

Our theme for the season, "being made new" comes from a prayer said during the Good Friday & Easter Vigil liturgies,

 

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

(BCP, p. 285) 

Singing with Nikola 
NikolaNikola Printz, St. Cyprian's Sunday Music Coordinator is interested in gathering with those who long to sing together on Wednesday evenings beginning Wednesday, February 29th at 7 p.m. 
Any age and experience level are welcome. Together you will develop music for special services at St. Cyprian's on Palm Sunday, Holy Week & Easter. 
 
For more information contact Nikola: [email protected]
 
Before singing, join others at St. Cyprian's for a simple meal during the season of Lent at 6:30 p.m. 
The Village Project Presents... 
  Mardi Gras San Francisco Style/ Fat Tuesday in the Fillmore, 2012
SAVE THE DATES
 
St. Cyprian's Oral History Project Interviews continue...
Feb 12, 19th & Feb. 22
 
Ash Wednesday Service
Wednesday, February 22 6:30 p.m.
an ancient communal practice of opening up, reflecting on our choices, and committing ourselves to the way & wisdom of Jesus. Imposition of Ashes & Communion

 

Wednesday Lenten Series
February 29-April 4th
6:30 p.m. -8 p.m.
Each week we will share a meal, book, practices, & prayers.

 

Bazaar 
Bazaar BBQ - 
Saturday, May 5th  
News from the Episcopal Diocese of California

10th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus

THIS EVENING Thursday, February 9th at 5:15 p.m.

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco  

 

 

 

2012 Absalom Jones Celebration Service

 

Saturday, February 18, 11 a.m.
Rt. Rev Julio Murray, Bishop of Panama will preach

St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, Oakland  

 

February Concerts at St. Cyprian's
 
Many thanks to volunteer Kevin Barnard
 for putting our February event flier together.
 
For details on all our concerts visit 
 
2011 Year in Review 
On Sunday at the St. Cyprian's Annual Meeting we shared a slideshow of photos from 2011 events and projects. View the slideshow by clicking here. You can also check out the meetings agenda which included: updates from the Kitchen Team, Building Committee, & "Cyprian's Scholars: The Vivian Hambrick Scholarship Program." 
Still time to pledge for 2012

 

Click here to read about St. Cyprian's accomplishments in 2011, our plans for 2012 and why folks give for the life and work of St. Cyprian's Church. Your support makes a difference.

To download a pledge card click here

Weekly E-Mail Archives

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In January, 2011 St. Cyprian's began sending weekly e-newsletters. You can find an archive of all these messages here. Forward messages and invite friends, neighbors, and distant congregants to join our list.  
St. Cyprian's is a congregation emboldened by the opportunity to engage with our energized urban neighborhood to create a community
where everyone matters.