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public service announcement: time change
Set your clocks back one hour this Saturday, Nov. 3!
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bishop's appeal
The Bishop's Appeal was mailed this week. Please encourage participation in this appeal. What does the Bishop's Appeal do? It funds outreach, mission support and programs throughout the diocese including: clergy support and continuing education, veteran ministries, seafarer's support, micro-credit programs, seminarian support and more. If you have already contributed to this important work... thank you! To join with hundreds of other Episcopalians in doing this collective work, donate here.
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area baptisms: a note from bishop mathes
The 1979 Book of Common Prayer recovered the ancient church's practice of the bishop, when present, celebrating at Holy Baptism. While this is not practical in many cases, I want to continue to encourage you to schedule baptisms during my visitations. When that is not possible, I likewise want to urge you to reserve baptism for the Great Vigil of Easter, Pentecost, All Saints' Day or the Sunday after All Saints' Day, and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord (I Epiphany).
It is particularly valuable that the bishop baptize adults who have come to be followers of Jesus. This permits the water bath and the chrismation with oil that happen in baptism to be united with the laying on of hands by the bishop in confirmation - thus recovering the ancient church's practice. To allow for particular opportunities for adult baptism by the bishop, I have scheduled the following diocesan services for adult baptisms. Even though this is being provided to create opportunities for adult baptisms, I imagine that you will have whole, or parts of, families who may wish to take advantage of this opportunity. In addition, you may also wish to bring people to these services for confirmation. These opportunities are provided for your creative use in forming Christians in community for God's mission.
Contact Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454, at least 30 days in advance with the names and ages of those you will bring for each service.
2013
Saturday, January 12: Eve of The Baptism of our Lord at St. Andrew's, Pacific Beach
Saturday, March 30: Easter Vigil at St. Paul's Cathedral
Saturday, May 18: Eve of Pentecost at St. Thomas, Temecula
Saturday, October 26: To Be Arranged
2014
Saturday, January 11: Eve of The Baptism of our Lord at St. Margaret's, Palm Desert
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retired clergy gathering
Retired clergy, spouses, partners and surviving spouses will gather at the Episcopal Church Center on Thursday, Nov. 8 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Bishop Mathes welcomes all to this annual occasion, which begins with the Eucharist, followed by luncheon and discussions. Please RSVP today to Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454. The Center is located at 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego.
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diocesan convention
Deadline for Resolutions and Nominations If you would like to submit resolutions and nominations for diocesan convention, you must submit them by Dec. 1. For more information, contact Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454. For information about the convention, visit our website.
Lay Delegate Certificates All lay delegate certificates were due on October 1. Please submit yours today to Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454.
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open enrollment
Open enrollment for health insurance is October 31 - Nov. 21. (Last week we incorrectly wrote October 1. It is actually October 31. Our apologies.) Plan descriptions, pricing and enrollment forms are available on the diocesan website. Each congregation is obligated to inform eligible employees of open enrollment. An open enrollment webinar will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. For more information from the Church Pension Group, click here.
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clergy sabbaticals
Sabbaticals are an important part of clergy renewal; Bishop Mathes encourages you to plan for your own sabbatical as part of leading a healthy congregation. The diocesan office has a limited amount of funds to support this important renewal activity. Clergy planning sabbaticals should submit funding requests to the Office of the Bishop by Monday, Dec. 3 to Bobbi Hoff. Sabbatical policies are on the diocesan website.
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hurricane sandy bulletin inserts
Download a Hurricane Sandy bulletin insert from Episcopal Relief & Development to use this Sunday, Nov. 4. ERD continues to reach out to partners in the Caribbean and along the eastern coast of the US where the storm damage is greatest. Learn more and donate to the Hurricane Sandy Response Fund. Bishop Mathes' statement is available here.
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ministering to military
"We offer our voices and presence to confront the brokenness in our lives, and the systems of which we are a part, with the healing and transforming power of the love of Jesus Christ," (page 3, Mission Plan).
Resource for Unemployed Veterans Help vets get jobs by publicizing the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). Please post this link in your bulletins, enewsletters and web sites to help our heroes get the training they deserve:
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save the dates
Mark your calendar for these important upcoming 2012 events:
November 8: Retired Clergy Gathering at the Episcopal Church Center. Please RSVP to Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454.
November 10: Eucharistic Visitor Training at St. Peter's, Del Mar. Contact Travis Thomas, 619-481-5455.
November 11: Armed Forces Evensong at St. Paul's Cathedral.
November 15: Retired Clergy Gathering at St. Paul, Palm Springs. RSVP to Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454.
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Thank you for reading "Clergy News," Bishop Mathes' main mode of communication with the clergy of our diocese. If you have suggestions or comments, please send them to Hannah Wilder; 619-481-5456.
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