May 22, 2015

Being homeless in Taft is illegal and the homeless
stay pretty hidden and under the "radar".

We have a person who worships at St. Andrews who is on the staff at the ARC program. When we received the bags, she mentioned to a friend that our challenge was to fill the bags with items which could be used by the people in Taft who were homeless. It was November and cold weather was anticipated. The friend is a member of the board of the Sharon Corporation. Sharon Corporation is an organization which is planning to use aqua ponics to help people transition from homelessness into community life. He went shopping and filled the bags with items that are needed including blankets.

The congregation had a wonderful time distributing the bags to the homeless people that we knew in the community. I gave one bag to a woman who was just kicked out of a place she was staying. Cleanliness is important to her and the shampoo received was a treasure. She wants clean hair when she attends church. She attends St. Andrew's regularly and the people in the congregation accept her and always greet her when she comes.

We are grateful to have a second supply of bags. The bags are helping those in need and bringing people in the community together.

Aloha Heather

"Travel Light, leaving baggage behind."
Luke 10:1-12

St. Anthony's Retreat...

Love, Suffering and the Cross:

A Retreat with Julian of Norwich

June 5-7, 2015

While having lived in the 14th century, Julian of Norwich has much to say to us today. Her visions of Christ's suffering reveal the depths of love, and surprisingly convey a sense of peace and joy. Come to St Anthony's Retreat House in Three Rivers to learn about and pray with this extraordinary woman. Fr. Luis Rodriguez, the Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Savior in Hanford, will be leading this retreat, which is very similar to the Women's Retreat he led some years ago at ECCO. He is a friend of the Julian Shrine in England, has visited there many times and led a number of pilgrimages to this holy place.

A registration form with further details can be clicking here , or by visiting St Anthony's website at http://www.stanthonyretreat.org.

The Benedictine Experience...

The Benedictine Experience

takes place each year in a number of special places around the United States and England. Each Experience offers an opportunity to live the rhythm of Benedictine life for a few days in a "thin place" where God's presence seems very near. Each offers a chance to explore Benedictine values such as humility, stability, and listening. Every day, rich in silence, offers the distinctive balance of time for prayer, study, work, and rest. Two Benedictine Experiences are coming up in June:

Bishop's Ranch, Healdsburg, California, June 22-29, 2015: This is truly a "thin place," with beautiful views of the surrounding vineyards and hills. We will learn from conferences by Sr. Mary Donald Corcoran, OSB as well as Fr. James Knutsen and Fr. Robert Hale, OSB. Sacred music helps us build a Benedictine community of constant prayer with John Renke as musical director.

Canterbury Cathedral, June 22-29, 2015: We will stay at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, within the Precincts of the Cathedral. In this splendid and sacred space, we will join the Cathedral community in Morning Prayer, Eucharist, and Evening Prayer each day, often with the Cathedral choir. Our spiritual director is Abbot Stuart Burns, OSB, who is the abbot of a growing community of Benedictine brothers and sisters at Mucknell Abbey in Worcestershire.

For more information and registration details, please visit www.benedictfriend.org, email info@benedictfriend.org.

From the Diocesan Office...

For Clergy and Lay:

We need Stories of the Bag from all parishes and missions for Friday Reflections. Please submit to emeyer@diosanjoaquin.org!

For Clergy and Lay:

The 56th Annual Diocesan Convention is October 23-24, 2015 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Modesto, CA. The Convention Committee is asking everyone to save the date. We encourage everyone to attend and welcome all who would like to participate.

Please direct any questions to:

Stephanie Gilmer (sgilmer@diosanjoaquin.org)

Marilyn Metzgar (mmetzgar@diosanjoquin.org)

For Clergy:

Is your parish/mission information correct on The Episcopal Church Website?

Go the Episcopal Church website at www.episcopalchurch.org and click on Find a Church. Upon finding your church, you can verify, update, and correct your information if needed.

Articles for Friday Reflection

Parishes and Missions! We want to know what's happening!

Articles can be submitted to the Diocesan Office at emeyer@diosanjoaquin.org. All submissions are due no later than the Tuesday before the Friday Reflection. Pictures submitted are to be in jpeg format and forms to be attached to the Friday Reflection are best in PDF format.

Treasurers:

Cash donated for the Bishop Discretionary Fund at your Episcopal Visits, should be deposited it into your parish account and a check for the total amount be sent to the Diocese of San Joaquin. Thank you.

ALL MAIL...

for the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, Bishop, Canon, and Administrator is to be mailed to 1528 Oakdale Road, Modesto, CA 95355.

Thank you,

Ellen Meyer,

Administrator

For Northern Deanery...

Northern Deanery Meeting:

The next Northern Deanery Meeting is Saturday, June 6, 2015. 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,

St. Francis, Turlock.

For Central Deanery...

Central Deanery Meeting: Let's all go to the ball game!

The next central deanery event will be gathering at Chukchansi Park to watch the Grizzlies play on August 2, 2015. The game starts at 6:05 PM. The Rev. Suzie Ward is working on reserving a block of tickets. Each congregation in the Central Deanery needs to make an estimate of how many people will be coming and email her at sward1978@sbcglobal.net.

For Southern Deanery...

Southern Deanery Meeting

The next Southern Deanery meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, 2015, 11:00 a.m., St. Andrew's, Taft. There will also be a Warden and Treasurer Meeting from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Whats going on...

What's Happening in the DIO

Diocesan Council Meeting, Saturday, May 30, 2015, 10:00 a.m., Holy Family, Fresno

Joint Meeting with Standing Committee and Diocesan Council, Saturday, May 30, 2015, 12:00 noon, Holy Family, Fresno

Standing Committee Meeting, Saturday, May 30, 2015, 1:00 p.m., Holy Family, Fresno

Northern Deanery Meeting, Saturday, June 6, 2015, 10:00 a.m., St. Francis, Turlock

Commission on Ministry Meeting, Saturday, June 13, 2015, 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Holy Family, Fresno

Southern Deanery Meeting, Saturday, July 11, 2015, 11:00 a.m., St. Andrew's, Taft

Warden and Treasurer Meeting, Saturday, July 11, 2015, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., St. Andrew's, Taft

Warden and Treasurer Meeting, Saturday July 18, 2015, 10:00-noon, St. Paul's, Modesto

Warden and Treasurer Meeting, Saturday July 18, 2015, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Fresno,Holy Family

Annual Convention, October 23-24, 2015, St. Paul's, Modesto

Click on the link below to see more upcoming events and meetings around the diocese.

Meetings and Events

From our Parishes and Missions..

Walking To Stamp Out Hunger!

Here's a nice photo of the St. Paul's, Modesto contingent getting ready to participate in the Modesto CROP Hunger Walk today (May 9). The Walk raises funds to assist hungry people in Modesto and around the world. 75% of the funds from this Walk go to Church World Service and 25% go to Modesto's Interfaith Ministries. St. Paul's, Modesto hadn't participated in the Walk before, but we got into it in a big way!We had the largest contingent of walkers.

We've raised $3135.00 thus far with some donations yet to be turned in. A goal was set for $1500, and we have more than double that. and when the totals are tallied will likely have raised the most money. Anyone interested in learning about CROP Hunger Walks in their community can learn more at www.crophungerwalk.org.

Tom Hampson, St. Paul's, Modesto

You are invited to Holy Family!

We know that you are concerned, as are we, with the human trafficking that is occurring in our valley communities. We join in and support your efforts to bring awareness to the tragedy of human trafficking. Because of your commitment and leadership on this issue, we invite you to participate in an upcoming event, we hope, will inspire further action to bring liberty to those enslaved and justice to those who ensnare.

Please consider joining us for a Human Trafficking Awareness to Action Summit, to be held on May 30th at 4:00 pm. This summit will feature the film, A Trafficked Life, which explores the problem of human trafficking in our own valley communities. The film will be followed by a question and answer session and a call to action to eradicate human trafficking.

We hope you will consider participating. It will take all of us, working together in a sustained fashion, for liberty and justice in our communities.

Shalom,

The Rev. Michele Racusin

and the community of

Holy Family Episcopal Church