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Cow Hollow

Church News

T h e E p i s c o p a l C h u r c h o f S a i n t M a r y t h e V i r g i n W i n t e r 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8

New Birth, New Life, New Joy The Rev. David Erickson, Rector

As it happened, the night before our son Jonathan was born, Heather, Gabriella, and I got into a conversation

about how our family would be changing soon because her baby brother would soon be with us. We answered

questions Gabriella had and we talked about how wonderful and amazing it

was going to be with another child among us.

And yet, as we talked, I became aware of a unique sadness. There I was with

my wife and child and I was so happy. My life was so full of love and joy and I

realized I didn’t want that to change. In fact, I was a little afraid to lose it.

Indeed, the fullness of life as I knew it at that moment was about to change, be

lost, and there was a moment of sadness as I realized this joy was about to end.

Every year, we prepare for and celebrate the life of God in our midst as known

through the birth of Jesus Christ. We then move forward in and through

Epiphany and discover all that God came to do for us and through us in

God’s healing of all creation. It is a wonderful and joyous season.

And as joyous as this season is, God is reminding us that the journey is not

done yet, that we are called to open ourselves up even further to receive the

love, grace, and mystery of God.

Here at St. Mary’s, we have begun, again, as faithful followers of Christ in the Cow Hollow neighborhood.

God is making all things new. We are beginning to explore together new opportunities for worship, service,

education, and fellowship. And at some point in the coming year we will welcome a new associate rector into

our midst. Our journey together has begun, and God has many wonderful gifts in store for us; gifts that will

make us who we are and will be our witness of God’s love to the world.

As we grow into the fullness of Christ’s vision for us, let us celebrate who we are and welcome all that we will

be. And if that is a little sad, that’s okay. It’s simply a faithful part of the journey. I love my son Jonathan and I

can’t envision life without him. And yet, that moment of recognizing just how wonderful my life was before

does not detract or deny just how wonderful it is now, and how wonderful it will be when we enter even

deeper into God’s Kingdom as known here at St. Mary’s.

May your souls reflect and be filled with the grace, love, and mystery of God.

Fr. David holds a dog that was

blessed in celebration of the Feast

of St. Francis and Creation Care

Sunday, in October.

Winter 2017-2018 Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin

News of Note from the Sr. Warden Roulhac Austin

Vestry Candidates

As this auspicious year winds down, your vestry is

gearing up for the Annual Meeting on Sunday,

January 28th at 10:30 am. As part of the business

conducted at the Annual Meeting, parishioners will

vote in new vestry members when four current

members – Rick Darwin, Donna Davidson, Jeff

Landry, and Rob Vanneman – will end their service

This fall, the vestry has actively recruited

parishioners in good standing to serve as part of

the vestry class of 2018; there are four open

positions for a term of three years.

At the vestry meeting of December 6, we will select

a slate of four candidates, as required by our by‐

laws. As soon as practicable thereafter, we will

publish the slate together with a photograph and

short biography of each candidate for your

consideration.

In addition to the four vestry‐selected candidates,

open nominees may also be proposed. If you wish

to nominate yourself or someone else for this

position, you will have until January 2, 2018 to

complete the nomination application in accordance

with the requirements set forth in our by‐laws as

described in the form found with this link:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/50eb2741d2557da8c

051aa7fb/files/75d78ea9‐3c98‐4ed9‐b023‐

5d3c64401637/SMV_Vestry_Nomination_Form_20

18.pdf. All proposed nominees will be vetted

against the qualifications on the form. If qualified,

our parish by‐laws indicate the name(s) will be

added to the ballot presented at the Annual

Meeting.

To refresh your memory, the vestry functions like a

board of directors for the parish, managing the

budget, assuming authority for the parish body,

and overseeing a wide range of ministries,

programs, and events. We meet one evening

during the fourth week of the month for

approximately two hours; members can also

participate by phone if necessary. We also have a

day‐long vestry retreat on a convenient Saturday in

February.

We are heading into our future together with Fr.

David having settled in (mostly). He and your

vestry are eager for what’s next for our spiritual

journey here in Cow Hollow.

Deanery Delegates

Why serve on the San Francisco Deanery? St.

Mary’s is the largest congregation in the Diocese of

California and we should have a comparably

strong presence in our deanery. Largely

administrative, the deaneries are also the conduits

for congregations to voice concerns or question

diocesan policies including the annual diocesan

budget. The deanery also makes outreach grants

and St. Maryʹs received $1,000 last year for Edward

II (see photos page 8). We’re seeking a grant this

year to kick start our participation in the Interfaith

Winter Shelter.

Deanery also is the point of origin for many social

issues and resolutions relevant to the Church. It is

where you find and connect with other people of

faith beyond our parish who share your values and

who want to act on them. Further, if you really

want to know the Episcopal Church in this diocese

in all of its glory‐‐from smells and bells at All Saints

to dancing the Eucharist at St. Gregoryʹs to street

ministry at St. Johnʹs‐‐the deanery is where to do it.

As a delegate you are a voting member of the

deanery and the annual diocesan convention where

budgets are approved, policy established and

positions taken, some of which direct our desires to

the triennial National General Convention. St.

Mary’s is entitled to seven delegates and seven

alternates. The commitment is not harsh: you’re

asked to commit to one (of three) Saturday

morning deanery meetings, 9:00 a.m. to noon,

September, November and/or May, and to

convention on the third Friday night and Saturday

of October. If you’re interested, please contact

[email protected] as I am convener of our

delegation.

Cow Hollow Church News Winter 2017-2018

Sunday School News Nancy Clark, Sunday School Director The 2017 Sunday School year is in full swing with

just under 100 children registered for our children

and youth activities which include the nursery

class, pre‐school, kindergarten, first through sixth

grades, Confirmation class, and youth group. Drop

by on a Sunday morning and you’ll find the

classrooms upstairs in Pixley House and in Fowler

Hall filled with children hearing Bible stories,

working on projects, engaging in outreach

activities, and, from time to time, reprising the

hymns they’ve sung that morning. The singing‐est

groups are the first and second graders who are

also enthusiastic choir members. Leading all these

activities—but not the singing‐‐ are our remarkable,

loyal, creative teachers: Lisa Carey, Victoria Sutton,

Cynthia Harper, Alice Allick, Donna Davidson,

Gabby Taylor, Tatiana Harper, Nancy Svendsen,

Lisa and Todd Reynolds, and Phil Woodworth.

They deserve our wholehearted thanks and praise.

Sunday Schoolers learning about Dia de los Muertos.

As always, the focus for the first semester in classes

other than Confirmation has been the classic Old

Testament heroes and stories together with special

celebrations for St. Francis Day, All Saints Day and

Dia de los Muertos. So far this year the children have

met—in the virtual sense—Adam and Eve, Cain

and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, Jacob

and his 12 sons with a focus on the youngest son

Joseph and his enviable coat, then Pharaoh, Moses,

and finally David. They’ll be ready to sing “Once in

Royal David’s City” and know who David was,

why he was royal, and what “city” was his. With

the coming of Advent we transition to New

Testament stories when the line‐up of luminary

“visitors” will be John the Baptist, Sankta Lucia, St.

Nicholas, the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mary and

Joseph and then, the brightest and best, the Baby

Jesus.

“Advent box” to fill with donations.

With an aim to fostering a commitment to outreach

and service, the 5th and 6th graders have met with

our deacons, Tim Smith and Nancy Bryan, to learn

about issues of hunger and homelessness, and to

engage in activities related to those themes. So far

the students have spent two Sundays making 100

sandwiches—they’re speedy—and packing lunches

for the Open Cathedral services led by Nancy

Bryan. They’ve also worked on a special

Thanksgiving gift for the recipients of the food

delivered by our St. Mary’s Food Bank delivery

team. In the season of Advent, the 5th and 6th

graders will oversee the second year of our Reverse

Advent Calendar Collection Box Project. On the

first Sunday of Advent, each family will carry

home a big cardboard “Advent box” and

instructions to say a prayer for the needy and place

a donation—canned food, clothing, toiletries,

school supplies—in the box each day of the Advent

season. The 5th and 6th graders will lead the

charge for getting those boxes distributed, filled,

returned, and dispatched to needy recipients.


On Raising Kids in Church Kathleen Bean

It can be hard to get busy kids (or parents) out of

bed and dressed on Sunday mornings for church

and Sunday School, much less make a commitment

to Wednesday afternoon choir practices. That was

my experience the late 90s, when my girls Phoebe

(now age 24) and Fiona (now age 18) were small.

We led busy lives – filled with carpools, sports

commitments, birthday parties

and homework ‐‐ and all those

extra‐curriculars offering

enrichment and friendships.

Nevertheless, primary among

our commitments, right up

there with club soccer, was

choir and Sunday School.

Phoebe and Fiona both entered

the Children’s Choir in

Kindergarten, and remained in

choir through 8th grade. Fifteen

years (they are five years

apart) of Wednesday

afternoons at St. Mary’s, of 8:30

a.m. arrivals on Sunday

mornings, and even longer

mornings on major feast days

when they sang in multiple

services. So what was the

benefit of this to them? It was

hard to see when both girls went away for high

school, and their church attendance dropped to

occasional holidays when they were home. Would

they become part of a trend seen broadly across the

Episcopal Church and other mainstream

denominations – lots of kids getting through

confirmation, then disappearing? The question

was, would they return?

Church was not part of Phoebe’s routine once she

got to college. And yet, when she was home and in

the pews at St. Mary’s she felt so at home that she

once said to me, “Mom, I have to move back to San

Francisco eventually, because of course I have to

raise my children at St. Mary’s.”

The girls are now in college, both at the University

of Montana in Missoula. This August, after I helped

Fiona move into her freshman dorm room, she

announced, “We are going to church.” I was

delighted, and we all set off to Holy Spirit

Episcopal, just down the street from the U. There,

Fiona promptly signed up herself and her big sister

for the choir. Once again they are hauling

themselves over to church

every Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

What do they have to say

about this? They say that they

value the sense of community

they find in church. They

value the intergenerational

aspect of the congregation.

They appreciate being part of

a faith community that is

committed to justice and

inclusivity. They love to sing,

and to settle into the ritual

and rhythm of the liturgy. Do

they believe everything they

recite in the Creed? I’m not

sure. Many of us stumble

over parts of the creed, from

time to time. What they see

and value and try to live into in their daily lives is

the truth of the Gospel, of the Way of Jesus, as our

Presiding Bishop would say‐‐loving their neighbors

as themselves. And, at this season in their lives,

that is drawing them back to church.

So young parents, I commend you in your efforts to

involve your children in our Sunday School and

choirs. The lessons learned and relationships

formed at St. Mary’s can help form good people,

who live out their Baptismal Covenant by

respecting the dignity of others, and striving for

justice and peace. That’s the best extra‐curricular I

can imagine.

Raised at St. Mary’s, Fiona Bean (top) and

Phoebe Bean, value their faith community.


The Commission on Ministry – and Discernment David Crosson

What Is the Commission on Ministry?

I have had the honor of serving on the Diocese of

California Commission on Ministry (COM) for the

past five years. St. Mary’s has actively contributed

to the work of the COM for decades. Both Carl

Zachrisson and Georgene Keeler sat on the COM

for many years, including terms as chair. So, what

is the COM, and why should we care?

Every Sunday Bulletin for the past two years has

identified parish members Nan Slavin and

Kathleen Bean as “in discernment.” Both are

seeking to understand (discern) their calls to

ordained ministry, Nan to the diaconate and

Kathleen to the priesthood. The COM has been

walking with them almost every step of the way.

The Episcopal Church believes that God calls all

baptized Christians to ministry. A few may be

called to ordained ministry as deacons or priests.

We also believe that the body of the church calls

people to these positions. The discernment process

begins in the local parish and continues to the

diocese, including the Commission on Ministry, the

Standing Committee, and ultimately to the bishop,

who must approve every step, including

ordination.

The process for each order is similar, although not

identical. All individuals seeking ordination first

work with a Local Discernment Committee (LDC)

in their parish and must be nominated by both the

rector and the vestry. The Commission on Ministry

(COM) must recommend and the Bishop must

approve them as postulants, at which point they

begin their official relationship with the diocese.

Each must complete a rigorous educational

program and be approved for candidacy and

ordination by the diocesan Standing Committee,

the COM, and the bishop.

The Commission on Ministry is comprised of laity,

priests, and deacons. Beginning when the local

parish nominates someone for consideration, a

member of the COM is assigned to walk with that

person throughout the process. The COM’s first

official decision is whether to recommend a person

for postulancy. The COM then continues to

challenge, guide, and support the individual

through the end of the process, which does not

always result in ordination. Our ultimate goal is to

help the individual discern her or his true call,

whether or not it is to holy orders.

What About Me?

You may be saying, “But what about me? I don’t

want to be ordained. I just want to figure out what

God wants me to do.” Title II, Canon 1, of The

Episcopal Church charges the COM to provide

assistance to everyone “to identify their gifts . . .

and to serve Christ’s mission. . . .” In 2016 the

COM moved assertively to affirm the role of LDCs

“with an individual who is seeking to understand

and clarify a life decision, which may, but need not,

include a call to specific ministry.” Notice that the

word ordination is not mentioned. You may find the

document at

http://diocal.org/sites/default/files/media/PDF%20

Docs/ldc‐guidelines‐201610.pdf.

In my opinion, Guidelines and Resources for Local

Discernment Committees is the most important

document adopted during my time on the COM. It

places Christian discernment at the center of our

parish life and our lives as individuals. What next,

God? Why me, God? How can I, God? Whether our

question is retirement or marriage or the possibility

of a new job or ordained orders, these are questions

of discernment, and we now have additional tools

to help address them within our Christian

community. For that, and so much more, we may

thank the Commission on Ministry.


Save the Date for our Annual QUIET DAY FOR ALL MEN and WOMEN Hosted by the Daughters of the King

Saturday January 20, 2018 from 12:00-5:00 p.m. An afternoon of peaceful reflection and time for

practicing the presence of God. With periods of silence

for personal reflection and a Eucharist to end the day.

On Being a Lector With the leadership of scheduler Margaret Stafford,

many parishioners bring meaning and personal

inflection to our services by reading scripture, leading

prayers, and delivering homilies for children. Pam

Bledsoe collected contributions from participants in

these ministries. Read one reflection here and others at

http://smvsf.org/liturgical‐ministries/.

Fran Hegeler, Lector

So, what’s it like being a reader? I remember when

I’d sit in the pews and admire those who came

forward to read from the big book each Sunday.

Eventually, I was inspired to try it myself. Even

with the training that you are given at St. Mary’s,

it’s kind of scary up there at first. There you are,

alone in front of your community, reading aloud

these powerful words from what is likely the most‐

read‐and‐influential book of the ages: the Word of

the Lord, as we say. Time

seems to slow down when

you’re up there, and you

feel surrounded by a

strange sense of quiet. But

if you have practiced

beforehand – as you really

must – and you know the

meaning of the reading, it’s

almost as though a spirit

carries you through it. You

anchor your feet on the

ground, speak from the

middle of your body, and

pace yourself, inhabiting the text and allowing the

words to convey, through your voice, emphasis,

and pauses, the reading’s story or message. The

bookends – announcing the reading and closing it –

are a blessing. They somehow make the reading

happen in God’s time and way: you are just the

messenger. There are a lot of wonderful things

about this practice. First it makes you really think

about the readings. For those of us who are super

busy, it means you need to find the time and focus

to think about things spiritual when you’re not in

church. Second, like many practices, reading

requires you to truly engage yourself—your mind,

your body, your spirit—in the delivery. It requires

you to be fully present in the moment. And

ultimately it’s a gift to your community. I love

reading at church, and I have come to trust enough

that I will be guided through that reading‐‐ God’s

space between the opening and closing‐‐ that I’m

willing to risk filling in for others in a pinch. It’s

taken a lot of practice to arrive at this place. If you

are curious about reading, give it a try. As with so

many ministries at St. Mary’s, there are unexpected

blessings when you extend yourself.

“Tell Him You Are Willie” Along with Lectors and Prayer Leaders, lay ministers

participate in the 9:00 a.m. services, giving homilies that

tailor gospel stories for the children who gather to listen.

Bob Scavullo, Children’s Homilist

Shortly after

beginning my

freshman year at

Xavier High

School in

September 1956,

my uncle, Fr.

Stephen Duffy

S.J., takes me

aside at a family

dinner. He

encourages me to

look up fellow Bob Scavullo evoking Willie and Sarah to tell a gospel story.


freshman Mike Shanley. “Tell Mike that you are

Willie. It will make for an interesting

conversation.”

Fast forward a couple of weeks. I introduce myself

to Mike and say that my uncle, Fr. Duffy, said to

tell you I am Willie. Mike looks at me and says,

“No way! Willie doesn’t exist. Fr. Duffy just made

him up to use in his sermons to us kids at Sunday

Mass.” Now I am getting curiouser and curiouser.

When I next see Fr. Stephen I ask, “Who is Willie?”

Now, Stephen was a charismatic high school Latin

and Greek teacher. He tells me that, as a change of

pace, he loves preaching to the young children at

Sunday Mass. He says, “Children learn best when

the good news of the gospel is presented in terms

they can relate to. So I would let ‘Willie’ deliver the

message.” To get his Willie material Stephen would

regularly call my mother and ask what sort of

trouble we five Scavullo siblings had been getting

into. From this treasure trove of juvenile

adventures Stephen would select one that related

to the Sunday scripture readings and fashion a

Willie story. Occasionally there would be a dry

patch when my mother had nothing to report. Then

Stephen would have to draw on other sources such

as his own childhood growing up in a family of

seven siblings.

Earlier this year St. Mary’s put out a call for

children’s homilists. My wife Barbara urged me to

do it. So I raised my hand and resolved to resurrect

Willie. Only this time around I figured Willie

should have a sister Sarah.

A few months ago I asked Mike Shanley if he

remembered the details of any of Fr. Stephen’s

Willie stories. Mile replied, “No, I do not remember

any specific story. I do remember your uncle as a

caring and interesting preacher, thinking that

Willie was a lot like me, and being assured that

God loves me.”

Fr. Stephen is a tough act to follow but Willie,

Sarah, and I are trying.

Annual Parish Meeting January 28, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.

On Sunday morning, January 28, 2018, we will

come together for our Annual Parish Meeting.

Once again, this meeting will take place in the

church, beginning at 10:30 a.m., following the 9:00

a.m. service.

The 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services will be

combined, taking place at 9:00 a.m. on this day.

The Annual Parish Meeting is different from most

of the obligations we experience elsewhere; for, in

addition to taking care of some of the normal

temporal actions we need to fulfill—such as the

election of new members of the vestry and new

delegates to represent all of us within the Diocese

of California and the San Francisco Deanery, as

well as reflection on the proposed budget for the

coming year—we also take time to ponder our

spiritual health and condition.

We receive reports and remarks about many of our

ministries and programs, and take time to raise

questions about how we might better serve the

community and the world. Parish leaders, lay and

ordained, offer their reflections on the State of the

Parish. And, unlike in many other meetings, we

join together as one community:

We sing, laugh, remember our departed sisters and

brothers, and, in general, recall who we are, whose

we are, and why we gather, week in and week out,

and year after year, in this holy place. Childcare

will be available, and we encourage teenagers to

attend.

Please take part in this year’s Annual Parish

Meeting, and join your sisters and brothers in faith,

discerning God’s presence in, and call to, this

community of faith.


Outreach is Now Community Ministries Margaret Stafford and the Community Ministries Team

Come join us in living our faith out in the world.

St Mary’s engages with the community beyond our

doors in a wonderful variety of ways. This past

month, St. Mary’s volunteers provided a monthly

meal to formerly homeless youth at a transitional

residence and brought a homemade birthday cake

to a young man there who couldn’t remember

when someone last sang Happy Birthday to him;

delivered 42 bags of fresh food from the Food Bank

to homes of senior citizens throughout the city; and

was present in an immigration courtroom in

support of a single mother who has been separated

from her children. And this is only a sampling of

the amazing work being done this month and

throughout the year!

In order to support this wonderful work, which has

been traditionally called Outreach, we have

gathered together the leaders of the involved

groups and created an umbrella leadership group.

We felt that Community Ministries better describes

both the nature of our relationship to the

communities around us and the blessings that we

receive, as well as give, by our involvement in this

work. We were active at the Ministries Fair this

September and welcomed many new members to

our groups, and we are planning other ways to

publicize opportunities for engagement in

upcoming activities. You can find more specific

information about our ministries at

www.smvsf.org under the Community tab.

Call for Proposals for New

Community Ministries Projects

A member of St. Mary’s has given a generous

donation specifically meant to be used to support

activities of Community Ministries. This provides

an opportunity for us to consider new ways to

become involved with the surrounding

community. We invite anyone who is interested to

submit a proposal for an event that meets these

guidelines:

Edward II Space Redecorated

Before After

In addition to providing good food, St. Mary’s, under the leadership and sharp eye of Anne Kieve, has recently

redecorated the community room on the lower level, thanks to funding from the San Francisco Deanery of the Diocese of

California. It looks terrific and the residents can now use that space for TV watching, cards, games, or get‐togethers.

Previously, one resident said the space looked much too institutional.


Offers a potent event or opportunity to be a

blessing to people outside of the walls of St.

Maryʹs as a result of the event or

opportunity.

Incorporates members of St. Maryʹs in

planning, praying for, and implementing

the event from start, through execution, and

wrap up.

Invites additional members of St. Maryʹs,

and others from the surrounding

community, to participate in the execution

of the event or opportunity, so that the there

is a chance for others not currently a regular

part of St. Maryʹs to experience Godʹs love,

grace, and mystery.

Is a new or special project rather than a

continuation of funding for something

already being done (although existing

ministries could use the funds for an

expanded or new project).

If you would like to submit a proposal for a

Community Ministries project, are interested in

coming to meetings of the Community Ministries

leadership group, or have any questions about

what we are up to, email Margaret Stafford at

[email protected].

S.F. Night Ministry Award Goes to Marian Brischle Barbara Addeo

The San Francisco Night Ministry is the

organization that helps people in crisis in the

middle of the night, and that operates Open

Cathedral for which our Sunday School children

make sandwiches. The Night Ministry also receives

grants from St. Mary’s Outreach Grant Team, and

participation from many parishioners. Foremost

among them is Marian Brischle who was honored

with Night Ministry’s Charles H. Lewis Special

Service Award at their annual gala in October. The

award celebrates the work of individuals for

service and advocacy on behalf of those who

struggle with the effects of poverty, discrimination,

and injustice as well as to appreciate them for their

work for the Night Ministry.

Marian has worked for the organization for over

twenty years, first as a Crisis Line Counselor

lending an ear on the phone from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00

a.m., then as a member of the training team for

counselors, and as a member of the Board of

Governors from 2004 to 2017. She served as

president of the board twice. In terms of her

community service, Marian was a founder of the

Episcopal Sanctuary which became Episcopal

Community Services, and served on their Board for

many years. She has also been a faithful supporter

of Sojourn Chaplaincy and Episcopal Community

Services.

Marian Brischle (left) holding the S.F. Night

Ministry award named after Charles H.

Lewis (right). Photo by Barbara Addeo.


Anglican Women Strive for Gender Justice The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt, Assisting Priest

Global efforts on behalf of women and girls feel

more personal when we hear stories from women

about the local issues they face and how they are

working to address them. Some efforts involve

seeking access to education and medical care for

girls, working to eliminate domestic abuse, and

developing sustainable economic empowerment

for women that benefits both their families and the

regional economies. These are some of the issues

that the International Anglican Women’s Network

(IAWN) Steering Group discussed when we met in

London last October.

The purpose of the network is to be a prophetic

voice for women and girls across the Anglican

Communion, affirming their God‐given dignity,

eliminating gender‐based violence and inequality,

and upholding just relationships for all people. It

advocates for

women through

sharing news

from around the

world on what is

being done in

specific locales to

support women

and girls, as well

as challenges they

face, and to share

resources and

ideas for global

campaigns such

as the annual 16

Days of Activism

Against Gender‐

Based Violence, the elimination of human

trafficking, and other concerns.

IAWN reports to the Anglican Consultative

Council (ACC), one of the four decision‐making

bodies of the Anglican Communion, and follows

up on its resolutions related to women and girls. In

2016 the ACC had affirmed resolutions to urge all

Anglican Communion provinces to continue to

strive for the empowerment of girls as well as boys,

women as well as men; to promote relationships

that uphold Christian values of dignity, love, and

justice; to support women being equally

represented in all decision‐making bodies, and to

eliminate all forms of gender‐based violence,

including human trafficking.

The network’s Steering Group is elected by the

provinces (churches) of the Anglican Communion.

The other seven members besides me come from

Canada, England, India, New Zealand, Panama,

Rwanda, and South Africa. For four days, we

discussed what we plan to achieve by 2019 when

the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meets

next in Brazil. This includes developing resources

based on biblical and theological understandings of

women and men formed in the image of God, to

help clergy and others to advocate for fundamental

gender equality and mutually respectful

relationships.

For me, being involved with

IAWN has brought fresh

appreciation of all that is being

accomplished on behalf of

women and girls in different

parts of the world, both within

Anglican and Episcopal

churches, and in working with

other faith‐based and secular

groups to bring about social

change. Several churches

across the Anglican

Communion have gender

justice policies, but they can be

overlooked unless there are

voices persistently calling to

put them into practice. The network provides a

voice of advocacy for this, as well as support for

equitable, loving, and just relationships. For more

information, see

http://iawn.anglicancommunion.org/.

Paula Nesbitt, fourth from left, with members of the

International Anglican Women’s Network, meeting in

London. Photo credit: ACNS.


Deacon Nancy’s Corner Deacon Nancy Bryan

“….I Have Called You Friends….”

To live and be a deacon in the Diocese of California

is to serve under the direction of our Bishop Marc

Andrus and to live according to the sacred vows

taken at ordination. It is a sacred and mighty

responsibility! Looking back over the past twelve

years of my discernment, preparation, and active

work as a deacon, I must say the best part of

diaconal experiences continues to be in knowing

other deacons I serve in partnership with and

knowing the recipients of diaconal ministry, all of

whom are my friends.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus reveals to us what being a

deacon is all about: it is caring, teaching, engaging,

and sharing the Good News with all people,

including our church members and those in the

larger community. A friend does not hover, give

simple answers, judge or “fix” another person. A

friend is one who listens, prays, and shows up. It is

with the combined gifts of each one of us, the

ordained and the laity, that the Holy Spirit shines!

Deacons serve alongside their priest at the Sunday

services by proclaiming the Gospel, praying for

those in need, and preparing the table for the Holy

Eucharist. Deacons also serve the bread of Christ

and serve at other church services when needed.

Deacons also have full‐time jobs or are retired, and

serve in various community locations. One

recently‐retired deacon was the chaplain for Marin

County Police and FBI, riding her full‐sized

motorcycle as well! Others serve at San Quentin

prison, at S.F. General Hospital, with Episcopal

Community Services, or with the S.F. Night

Ministry. Others are nurses, information

technology people, writers, or legal assistants.

There are endless opportunities to serve those who

are on the margins, who have no voice, and are

living on the edge. To discern a call to be a deacon

is to know that you feel in your own heart to be,

“corroborated and affirmed by others in their local

community of faith and in the wider church.”

My first experience in serving as a chaplain at St.

Luke’s Hospital opened my eyes to those who

would never live outside the confines of a hospital

bed. I spent months with a patient whose paralysis

kept him bedridden for years. But he was so full of

God’s loving spirit, and his ability to paint

beautiful portraits with the brush held in his

mouth, that he touched me deeply and gave me a

feeling of great appreciation for his abundant,

creative soul. And we were friends.

When I assist with the Eucharist at “Next Door,” a

transitional housing hotel supported by Episcopal

Community Services, the intercessory prayers are

honest and painful expressions shared by someone

who is living on the edge and is releasing feelings

of loneliness, helplessness and rejection. In spite of

the hurt that is expressed, there is so much hope and

so much appreciation for being cared for and

listened to. Time spent at Next Door is a humbling

experience. And we are friends.

So whether one is feeding, praying, teaching,

walking, healing, listening, or sitting with

someone, we are friends for this journey of life. We

are living the Gospel because God has invited us to

join with all creation and to live in communion

with one another. “I do not call you servants any

longer, because the servant does not know what the

master is doing: but I have called you friends,

because I have made known to you everything that

I have heard from my father.”

New Service Coming Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m.

Starting Wednesday, December 6, the 7:00 a.m.

Eucharist will move to 12:10 p.m. This mid‐week

service will be at lunch time, so we are

encouraging those who would like to do so to

bring lunch from home or the deli and we will

gather together after the service for lunch. We

hope to see you there, especially those who

found 7:00 a.m. just too early!


Sandra Gary, Editor of the Cow Hollow Church News

In October, St. Mary’s Rector David Erickson named

Eric Choate Director of Music for the parish. Eric had

previously fulfilled duties as Interim Director, including

serving as organist and directing the Youth Choir.

Before he grew a beard, before he commanded an

organ, before he composed a

song, and almost before he

learned to walk, Eric Choate

sat on his grandmother’s lap

on a piano bench in front of a

Steinway grand in Cincinnati,

Ohio and absorbed love and

music.

Thus enkindled, Eric’s love of

music would grow brighter

after he discovered his calling

early on. An inspiring eighth

grade band teacher put a

trumpet in his hands and a

desire in his heart. “I’ve known

since eighth grade that music

was the obvious thing for me,”

reveals the self‐assured 27‐year‐

old who has become a multi‐

talented musician.

Eric started cultivating a passion for composing in

ninth grade when a teacher at his performing arts

high school asked his piano

lab class to compose a

variation on Beethoven’s Ode

to Joy. The assignment, which

he completed with several

variations, brought great joy

to Eric – as well as a

realization. “The other

students dreaded having to

do the assignment, but I had

fun with it,” he says,

downplaying his own gifts.

“It was kind of unusual that I enjoyed the creation

of music as much as the performance of it.” He

kept at his demanding discipline, “For a year I

would take hymn tunes and compose piano

fantasies on them.”

St. Mary’s parishioners have appreciated listening

to several of Eric’s compositions, most recently a

set of songs titled …and Fall, sung

by tenor Brian Thorsett for a

Candlelight Concert in October.

Eric majored in music and

concentrated in composition at St.

Olaf College in Minnesota, which is

renowned for its music program.

He discovered the college when he

contacted the composer of a piece

of music he admired. The composer

turned out to be a professor at St.

Olaf through whom Eric

established a connection to the

college before he ever thought of

applying. “The minute I walked

onto campus, I knew it was the

right place for me,” he says. Once

there, he taught himself to play the

euphonium literally overnight to fill

an open spot in his college band.

The sound of sacred music came naturally to Eric

who as the son of a Presbyterian minister was

required to attend church every

Sunday. While accompanying his

father to a conference on liturgical

music, Eric experienced worship

with a large choir and a big organ

and brass for the first time. As he

tells it, “We were singing the hymn

Love Divine All Loves Excelling and

got to the last verse, and the organ

was roaring and there was a

beautiful choral descant. That

was a crystallization moment. I

Eric Choate Becomes St. Mary’s Director of Music …

Director of Music Eric Choate

Composer Eric Choate and tenor Brian Thorsett


was profoundly moved by that experience,” he

says. “In retrospect, it’s probably unusual that a 13‐

year‐old would be moved by singing a hymn.” He

stops, laughing at this image of his unique teenage

self presaging his current calling. “It was a

formative moment.”

So, when Eric enrolled in graduate school at the

San Francisco Conservatory of Music and knew he

would need a part‐time job, his choice was not

surprising. “I thought, well, what am I qualified

for?” he deadpans. “I thought maybe I would try

church music.” He got a job at Transfiguration in

San Mateo. “Within the first week or two,” he

remembers, “It was another one of those very

strong moments. I thought ‐‐ this isn’t just a gig or

a side job. This is really a vocation for me.”

Now that he has been called to St. Mary’s, what are

Eric’s aspirations for St. Mary’s Parish Choir? “We

have kind of an embarrassment of riches and

resources at St. Mary’s ‐‐ an exceptional church

choir,” he effuses in his charming way. “I’d like to

grow the music program so that we’re

continuously offering things besides Sunday

morning liturgies. I’d like to build up a repertoire

and a strong program to be

able to do more concerts,

cantatas, larger sacred music

like oratorios or passion

settings, and offer those

bigger pieces to the wider

public.”

Collaboration is key. In

November the choir sang a

Bach cantata with St. Mark’s

Lutheran Church choir.

“Most parishes in San

Francisco don’t have the

resources to pull off a large

work like that by

themselves,” explains Eric.

“But just get two or three

churches together, pool the

funds and resources, and it’s

really not that difficult to do.” Members of the

Parish Choir wholeheartedly support his

leadership. “To be really good as a conductor, you

need to be able to hear every voice in the choir and

Eric can do that,” says long time chorister Adele

Zachrisson. “He’s extraordinary.”

Eric’s extraordinary talents are already widely

appreciated beyond the parish. He is Minister of

Music at Grace Cathedral on Sunday evenings and

on occasion has served as Assistant Conductor of

the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. He is also on

the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of

Music.

… And Marries Ellen Leslie

It was in grad school at the Conservatory where he

and Ellen Leslie met. Known at St. Mary’s as the

Soprano section leader of the Parish Choir, Ellen is

known to the greater music world as a freelance

singer performing with such companies as the

Lamplighters in their Gilbert and Sullivan

operettas, and with Pocket Opera.

Ellen and Eric’s wedding website reveals, “Eric

swore that he would never

date at school, never date a

singer, and especially not a

soprano.” Nevertheless, three

years after first exchanging

awkward glances and shy

stares during a class on the

Alexander technique of body

awareness and movement,

“Eric got down on one knee

and proposed to someone

who was all three!”

They were married at Grace

Cathedral on September 2,

2017 in a sublime celebration

to which they welcomed all

St. Mary’s parishioners and

for which Eric trimmed his

trademark beard.

Eric and Ellen: Just Married!


Greens and Pantry Sale, Sunday, December 3

Benefactor Reception, Friday, December 8

Sandy Briggs, Communications Chair for Tidings

Since the year 2004, St. Mary’s has organized an

annual fundraiser to benefit St. Mary’s Outreach

Grant Program. It is time for all of us to get busy

again helping with this work. We need to be

donating to the fund, volunteering to help, and

being ready to buy wonderful Christmas greens

and fabulous goodies. Let me explain how the

Tidings of Comfort and Joy fundraiser connects

with the work of St. Mary’s Outreach Grant Team,

and why you should be involved in as many ways

as possible.

While we are busy with the fundraiser, the

Outreach Grant Team is busy soliciting grant

applications from local organizations that help

people in need, choosing among proposals to

receive the money that we raise. The organizations

whose proposals are chosen will be funded early in

2018. The more money we

raise, the more good work

the team will be able to fund.

Last year we raised more

than $50,000 in grants to 11

organizations.

Through St. Mary’s outreach

program, our parish is

helping share our blessings

to improve the lives of

people in our community.

Ava Eichler and John

Schlesinger are the co‐chairs

of this year’s Outreach Grant

Team. The other members of

the team are Nancy Clothier,

David Gibson, Martha Daetwyler, and Steve White.

Adele Zachrisson, a long‐time member of the team,

explained very well in an article in the Cow Hollow

Church News in 2015 what a unique and important

role St. Mary’s grants play in a variety of programs.

She says, “When I served on the Grant Team, I

found the site visits to be particularly moving—and

they have inspired me to give as generously as I

can to the outreach program every year. The

impact of the grants, especially to smaller, often

struggling, organizations cannot be overrated. A

few thousand dollars can make a big difference.

Because many of us at St. Mary’s donate to the

program, we are able to make a more meaningful

gift together than we could as individuals. The

grants demonstrate in a tangible way the faith we

have in our communal life outside the walls of the

parish. They reflect our commitment to loving our

neighbors. Supporting the mission of these

organizations is testament to our belief that lives

can be improved. … What happens to people in our

community matters!”

So, our donations and volunteer work for Tidings

of Comfort and Joy are our ways of raising

significant funds for these vital programs. Become

a benefactor, make donations of any amount. Order

greens. Volunteer to make goodies or gifts for the

Pantry or to help set it up and to

sell the items. There are forms

online at www.smvsf.org/tidings

and in the bulletin at church,

which you use to donate, buy, and

volunteer. You can also send a

check to The Episcopal Church of

St. Mary the Virgin, 2325 Union

Street, San Francisco, CA 94123

made out to St. Mary the Virgin

Special Events, marked for Tidings

of Comfort and Joy.

Please remember these dates:

Sunday, December 3rd: Pick up

the Christmas greens—garlands,

wreaths or holiday plants that you

Making fudge for the Pantry: (l to r) Anna

Sylvester, Anne Kieve, Joan Toney, Pam

Sauer, Susan Crown, and Marta Johnson.


have ordered in the courtyard and shop in the

Pantry for Christmas gifts and goodies.

Friday, December 8th: A festive reception at the

beautiful home of a parishioner will take place,

thanking benefactors for their donations.

If you have questions, you can get in

touch with the chairs of the various

committees:

Steven Currier, Overall Chair

at [email protected]

or 415‐587‐9150

Shila Clement, Chair for

Greens at

[email protected]

or 415‐673‐2195

Anne Kieve, Pantry Chair at

[email protected] or

415‐409‐4020

Nancy Clothier, Finance Chair

at [email protected] or 415‐

292‐4060

Ellen McLean, Benefactor Chair

[email protected] or 415‐921‐4657

San Francisco CASA Steve White, Member of the Outreach Grant Team

This is one is a series of stories about organizations that

receive grants as part of our Outreach Grant Program.

For 25 years, San Francisco CASA (the acronym for

Court Appointed Special Advocates) has provided

advocacy, mentorship, and a stable adult presence

to neglected and abused youth in the City’s foster

care system. The effort has been critical to ensure

that children in San Francisco’s foster care ‐‐

comprising 1,000 of the State’s 60,000 ‐‐ have safe

and loving homes and are given the opportunity to

thrive. Consider that the average foster child

spends nearly two years in foster care and by age

18 many of them have lived in multiple homes,

attended an average of nine different schools and

worked with seven different social workers. All of

CASA’s client children and youth are low income

and approximately 50 percent require special

education services. Currently, only half of

California’s foster youth graduate from high school

and more than half of CASA’s clients suffer from

severe mental health challenges as a result of

trauma. Reasons for referrals of children and youth

to CASA include severe maltreatment or neglect,

physical or sexual

abuse, prior

contact with child

welfare,

educational

concerns, or a

combination of

factors.

CASA ‘s basic

core advocacy

program provides

advocacy,

mentorship and,

very importantly,

a stable adult presence. Program activities are

based on one‐to‐one advocacy and mentorship by

volunteer, court‐appointed advocates (CASAs).

They are closely supervised by professional case

supervisors who match the children clients to a

volunteer who has completed a 42‐hour training

program and has been officially appointed by the

court. CASAs meet with their assigned foster youth

once a week. During these visits, CASAs assess the

safety of the youth’s placement, establish

communication with the youth’s parent or

guardian, social worker, attorney, teacher,

caregiver, and therapist. They appraise the needs of

the “whole child.” Through collaboration, a case

plan is developed which provides timely objectives

that measure the movement of the foster youth

towards independence. CASAs attend a court

hearing every six months with their assigned youth

and advocate for services in the child’s best

interests, including medical appointments,

psychological evaluations, and individual

education plans. Recommendations made by

CASAs are valued by court and child welfare

professionals and are generally approved.

Enjoying the benefactors’ reception in 2016: (l to r)

Barbara Scavullo, Sue Vanneman and Pat McGuire.


The evidence is overwhelming that the one‐to‐one

advocacy and mentoring offered by CASA

volunteers does much to break the cycle of abuse

and neglect their foster care clients have suffered,

as well as to improve their quality of life. In

addition, CASA volunteers work to prepare their

clients for “positive” citizenship as they transition

from foster care. The San Francisco CASA

organization has increased its training of

volunteers and intends to serve as many as 400

foster youth annually by the program year 2019‐

2020.

Members of St. Mary’s have been actively involved

and supportive of CASA’s mission. Susan Crown

has served as board chair, and Joanne Squire has

also served on the board. A number of other

parishioners have provided financial support.

Stewardship 2018 Update Allan Jergesen for the Stewardship Ministry Team: John

Addeo, Susan Crown, the Rev. David Erickson, Allan

Jergesen, Michael Perry, Joanne Squire, Anna Sylvester,

and Rob Vanneman

Fall is the season for harvesting, for getting things

in for the winter. It is the end of something, when

the days get shorter, light diminishes, and the

world grows darker. There is a temptation to

withdraw, to look within ourselves and perhaps to

dwell on our limitations. In the Church year, the

Pentecost season is drawing to a close. But we are

not just ending things. Rather, we are in a time of

preparation, and also planting, as we anticipate the

Advent season and all that it will bring.

Fall is also the season for stewardship, and

therefore a critical time in the life of the Church for

planting. As a parish, we at St. Maryʹs come

together to worship the divine and to live in a

sacred community. But we do so not apart from

this world, but firmly planted in it. That means that

we must be concerned with our physical space, our

clergy and church staff, and the programs that we

bring to the wider community outside St. Maryʹs.

Buildings must be maintained, our clergy and staff

supported with wages and benefits, and our

outreach work funded. All of this requires not only

spiritual, but also material, resources. There is only

one source, and that is our parish and its members.

My wife, Rebecca, recounts how she received her

first allowance of 25 cents per week when she was

a young girl in a small Ohio town. That amount

went a bit further then than it would now, but it

still had its limitations. Her parents made it clear

that she was not to spend it all on candy and comic

books, but was to reserve some of it for less

immediate things. The local bank created a savings

account for each school child and funded it with

one dollar as a start. The children then were

expected to put a bit of money into their accounts

every week. In addition, her parents made it clear

that some of her allowance should go to the local

Lutheran church that they attended. It might have

seemed to be an imposition on someone who had

relatively few resources, but it made the point in

her early life that she had some responsibility,

however small, for the broader spiritual

community of which she was a part.

We all have a responsibility, whatever our age,

resources, and interests to care for the material

needs of St. Maryʹs. That is what stewardship is all

Pledging for 2018 as of November 15, 2017

Pledges Received: 131

Amount Received: $520,612

Amount Needed: $909,145

CASAs provide stability to kids in foster care.


about. It is important every year, but perhaps

critical this year, as we contemplate the challenges

from the departure of leaders who were so

important to us, and as we anticipate the year of

hope and expectation that lies before us.

Those of us who have made a commitment to

stewardship hope that every member of our parish

will consider what he or she can give, recognizing

that no contribution is too small to make a

difference, and that we are all blessed in the eyes of

God, whatever we are able to contribute. Thanks to

all who have supported the mission of our parish

in the last year and who have pledged for next

year. We encourage all who have yet to pledge to

please do so now as we move toward a new year in

the life of St. Mary’s. If you havenʹt pledged yet for

2017, please visit smvsf.org/2017‐pledge/ and make

your pledge for the new year.

Year-End Finance Note Kevin D. Bulivant, Finance Manager

At year end, your contribution to the parish can

include more than one purpose: for instance, for

your pledge, for altar flowers, or for the music

program. So it is important to make your intentions

clear. We can split contributions for two or more

purposes as long as the amount for each purpose is

clearly shown on your check. Unless otherwise

noted, checks received at Christmas services will be

assumed to be Christmas (special) offerings. If you

intend such a check to be a pledge payment, please

so indicate. All checks received in special

Christmas envelopes will also be assumed to be

part of the Christmas offering.

The books for December will be held open until

January 12, 2018 so that checks dated in 2017 but

received late can be posted as 2017 contributions.

All checks received after January 12, regardless of

date, and all checks dated 2018, will be recorded as

2018 contributions.

Donate Stock

If you would like to make a gift of stock, we would

be happy to provide stock transfer instructions to

you for you to ask your broker or financial advisor

to use to make a direct transfer. Forms are available

in the office and via links on our website,

smvsf.org/donation/ under the Donate tab.

Our Own Christmas Cards This year St. Mary’s will once again offer our own

Christmas cards for sale. Long‐time parishioners

will recall that the cards show a photo of our

sumptuous altar oil painting Mystic Vision

(originally Asunto Mystico). The back of the cards

offers a short description of the painting and

history of how it came to St. Mary’s. It reads:

Bound by ship from Europe

for a church in South

America, Asunto Mystico

landed in California instead.

It came to the church in

1891 after arriving on one

of hundreds of ships that

were abandoned in San

Francisco Bay when crews

landed to seek their fortunes

following the California

Gold Rush of 1849.

The original work,

commissioned by Isabella Farnese (wife of King Philip V

of Spain) and painted by Gianbettino Cignaroli (1706 ‐

1770) now resides in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Mystic Vision depicts St. Mary the Virgin and Child

enthroned and surrounded by saints. St. Lawrence and

St. Lucy stand to the left, with St. Anthony of Padua

and St. Barbara to the right. A guardian angel cradles a

child in the middle.

You may choose between a greeting inside that

says NOEL or a blank one to compose your own

message. The cards will be available on December

3rd at the Pantry. For more information, contact

Robert Manette at 415‐824‐0577.


A Day With the Presiding Bishop Natalie Hala, Parish Verger and Liturgist

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop

of The Episcopal Church, challenged the Vergers

Guild of The Episcopal Church to reflect on

whether the Church and its members are truly

answering the call of Christ during these times of

challenges from outside and inside the Church.

This message was delivered at the Vergers Guild

annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in October. I

was one of over 300 vergers from throughout the

world who convened for four days of prayer,

worship, continuing education, community service,

and to reaffirm our commitment to the verger

ministry’s purpose of

bringing God’s radical

hospitality to home

parishes and to the world.

One of the highlights of the

conference was the

presence of the Presiding

Bishop, who spent Friday,

October 13, with us in

community service,

worship, and in

conversation. His

commanding presence as preacher and shepherd to

Episcopalians reverberated throughout the

conference. His sermon at a Eucharist celebrated at

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, and his

afternoon discussion with the guild revolved

around three major themes: the Jesus movement,

core values of Christians, and the future of The

Episcopal Church.

“I really believe,” he said to us, “that whether itʹs

the Church or any organization or institution … the

closer it gets to its reason for being, the stronger it

will be. Thatʹs one of the reasons Iʹve been using the

language of the church being a Jesus movement.

Thatʹs where the origins are. Jesus manifested a

movement and that movement gathered around

him and changed lives.” Curry said heʹs “finding a

receptivity” to his idea of describing his

denomination as “the Episcopal branch of the Jesus

movement. Itʹs reclaiming who we are in the first

place. … Itʹs digging down to our deep roots ... to

early Christianity. This is a cause that actually

changed lives and changed the world for good.

God is always, always on the move.”

Curry acknowledged that membership in The

Episcopal Church continues to decline. The pace

has slowed some, he said, but the trajectory

remains downward. While it may be tempting to

despair and search for ways to return to a church

that Episcopalians believe existed in the past, Curry

believes that if the church concentrates on making

and forming disciples who truly live the way of

Jesus, “we won’t have time to worry about average

Sunday attendance; that will

take care of itself.”

“If we continue to navel gaze,

then we won’t survive, and

probably shouldn’t,” he said.

But, if Episcopalians are

concerned about keeping

Jesus at the center of their

lives, then “that’s Church

that has a reason to exist.

… That is why the Jesus

movement is so important

to us now and to the future.” He said, “There are

voices in our culture that masquerade as

Christians.” However, those voices “do not even

show basic humanitarian concern and care. … the

way of Jesus, the way that is gracious, kind, loving,

just, good – is what the world is hungry for.”

What did I take away from our day with the

presiding Bishop? When Episcopalians answer

God’s call that Curry proclaimed, we will be a

Church reoriented around the Gospel and eager to

hear the Gospel as a call to action. Episcopalians

must counter an impoverished and vindictive

interpretation of Christianity with the loving,

liberating, and life‐giving message of the Jesus

movement to become responsible stewards to our

Church and truly walk in the way that we profess

to believe. Amen, Bishop Curry.

Over 300 vergers convened and listened to the Most

Rev. Michael Curry in Atlanta.


Pastoral Care Ministry Josie McGann, Leader

The Pastoral Care Ministry Team is made up of a

devoted team of parishioners who are willing and

able to be with you in

prayer, and provide

emotional support in times

of joy, illness, loss, grief,

loneliness, addiction or

other life events.

Many parishioners have

felt the kindness and

compassion of pastoral care

team members over the

years. Here is gratitude

expressed by just two:

“We welcomed a precious

baby girl, Claire, into the world last September. In

those initial weeks after Claire was born, we were

filled with endless joy ‐ but we also faced the

stresses, challenges, and sleepless nights of new

parenthood. The pastoral care team was an

incredible blessing during this time. The team

brought delicious, nutritious, and creative meals to

our door, each delivered with a warm smile and

thoughtfully tailored to our unique dietary

restrictions (no easy feat!). We send our sincere

thanks!” ‐‐ Emily Hertzer Hallowell

“The Pastoral Care committee and the St. Mary’s

community that supports it have been invaluable to

me. I was taken to the emergency room twice.

There have been meals and company and

friendship and understanding. I feel very blessed to

have such great support.” ‐‐Jeanne Lacy

Mission

Our care and concern is rooted in our wish to be of

service and to embody the love of Jesus by

extending compassionate, confidential caring and

support to parishioners in need, in collaboration

with the clergy.

Purpose

We wish to maintain a structure that allows

volunteers the opportunity to respond with

appropriate caring to parishioners who could

benefit from short‐term assistance as well as those

with long‐term needs, and to

parishioners who are homebound.

We are a spiritual support team

and we offer nourishment, both

spiritual and physical, as well as

open hearts and minds and ears to

those who ask for our presence.

Process

The Pastoral Ministry Team

achieves its mission and purpose

through sharing of information

with the clergy, effective

communication among team

members, and help from auxiliary volunteers who

step in when meals or transportation are needed.

Our service to parishioners is always kept in the

strictest of confidence, unless a person has asked to

receive assistance with meals or transportation, in

which case, confidentiality may be difficult to

maintain. Prayer requests will always be kept

confidential.

Collaboration

The Pastoral Care Ministry has recently formed a

Pastoral Roundtable made up of members from

Stephen Ministry, Eucharistic Visitors, clergy, and

Daughters of the King. We meet four times a year

or as needed to connect and assure that we are

meeting the needs of our parishioners. Daughters

of the King have begun providing weekly Tele‐care

calls to our parishioners who can no longer attend

services. This ministry has received positive

feedback.

If you feel you are called to serve in any way,

please contact Josie McGann at 415 297‐2202 or

[email protected]. Any effort is appreciated,

especially joining our list of volunteers who make

meals and provide transportation.

Pastoral Care Team members (l to r) Josie

McGann, the Rev. Nancy Bryan, and Barbara

Addeo prepare Christmas goodies for

compassionate giving.


Mindful Costuming Marla Perkins, Interim Children’s Choir Director

I climbed up the ladder to

enter the attic at St. Mary’s

early last November, eager to

pull down boxes of costumes

for my first Advent as Interim

Children’s Choir Director. I

emerged, dazed, from the

laundry room in mid‐January,

after Epiphany. The period

between was an unexpected

journey into St. Mary’s history

and a lesson in mindfulness.

It started with the ceremony of

Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Parishioner Debbie Veatch

reviewed the ceremony

with me as together we

unpacked the lovingly‐prepared and folded

costumes: colorful ribbon bunches for the girls’ hair

and wrists, small sombreros and simple white

cotton costumes for the boys, all hand‐

embroidered. With honor and reverence I prepared

the flow of the ceremony in my mind, as I repaired

seams and embroidery. I ironed, hung, and labeled

a costume for each child – until 3:00 a.m. I found

myself meditating on the girls finding their white

dresses for this occasion, on the roses, and on Juan

Diego and Our Lady. The effort drew me nearer to

them. My hands experienced the ceremony in

preparation. I wanted the children to feel good in

the costumes, to wear them joyfully, and to honor

the soul of our church named for St. Mary the

Virgin as they brought their sweet gift of music to

her and to our parish. They did.

After the service, I cleaned and folded the

costumes, returning them to their spot in the attic,

and started preparing the costumes for Sankta

Lucia. This pageant was initiated years ago by

parishioner Robin Powell, rest her soul, and her

daughter, Joanna. My daughter, Christina had

taken part. Over the years, parents had sewn the

white gowns with finished seams, with tidy facings

and hems, and with ties in the back. Tinsel garlands

and star hats for the boys were ready. As I washed

and repaired a few gowns and hung them all up,

Christina, now 23, ironed the long red ribbons and

sorted tinsel garlands by size. I paused to ponder

the candle headpiece that forms the dazzlingly lit

centerpiece of the ceremony, placed atop the head

of the girl in the role of Sankta Lucia. I recalled past

Sankta Lucia ceremonies when it seemed to me the

congregation collectively held its breath, praying

that the candles would remain in place. Headpieces

in previous years had been crafted of artificial

greens or tinsel with tinfoil for protection. I wanted

our Sankta Lucia, Celia Clark, to look and feel

beautiful. To make the headpiece look natural,

Christina and I spent days seeking and testing

materials and greens for malleability and safety. It

was social and mindful work as our hands drew

our minds and hearts to St. Lucy, to Robin, and to

our family’s life in the parish; and to the parish

family lighting candles in the dark of December

and preparing for Christmas. The energy and

beauty of this reverent meditative task carried over

to the children as they put on their costumes. Celia

walked tall and sang like an angel; the children

were happy and adorable, carrying their candles

with respect for the church and parish. This was

their heartfelt gift.

With materials packed away and gowns destined

for my laundry room, meditative costuming hit a

snag. The Sankta Lucia gowns were requested to

Sankta Lucia: Celia Clark

Roses for Our Lady of Guadalupe


double for angels in the Christmas pageant. As

costumes of Christmas pageants past were

gathered from the attic and nooks and crannies of

the church, parishioner Anna Sylvester and I faced

16 boxes and garbage bags of costume materials.

Our eyes burned and noses ran from mustiness and

mothball odors; some materials had to be

discarded. A few items were sewn, most were

simply unsewn pieces of fabric. To complicate

matters, the Epiphany pageant costumes got mixed

up with them and needed sorting and separating

out. From this mass Anna creatively put together

costumes for the Christmas Pageant and Catherine

Secour, former Children’s Choir Director, rescued

the costumes for the Three Kings. The youths who

portray the Kings traditionally put together their

own costumes from the particular pieces available

to them, gathered and created over years mainly by

Catherine with her brilliant costumer’s eye.

I decided to haul home all of the Epiphany

costumes to save and repair these wonderful old

pieces. Meditation resumed and I again found the

pageant through my now weary

hands and bleary eyes, as I

washed, sewed, and hung

delicate pieces. Most time was

spent on a tattered, soft, rich, red

velvet‐lined jacket and matching

turban brilliantly created years

ago by Catherine out of a dress

that once belonged to Deacon

Nancy Bryan. During several

late nights I pondered the

decades of dedication that Catherine and former

Music Director Michael Secour gave to the Kings,

the star, the infant Christ child, and Mary. I

thought of fibers and dyes available in ancient

times, of colors, textures, and fabrics worn then,

and of stories of Mary as a weaver, it being said

that she wove the garment of Jesus in one piece.

I wanted the youths to choose from items that

would feel and look good, that would carry them

into the story. Hovey Clark, Sebastian Landry, and

Isabel Landry seemed delighted, choosing pieces

easily and imaginatively for their particular king

among the genuine Arabian silk rope headpiece,

the red velvet turban and jacket, and more. They

were wide‐eyed as Lisa Busby transformed them

with beards and makeup.

As camels and kings returned to storage, I

voluntarily hauled home bags and boxes of

Christmas pageant costumes to clean. For weeks on

end my house looked like a mad costumer’s shop.

Cleaning the costumes required 60 to 75 loads of

laundry. Meditation came gradually in this

particular laundry experience. Most of the

Christmas costumes were unstitched lengths of full

width fabric with a hole slit in the center for a head

to fit through – 136 pieces of striped, plain,

patterned cloth. There were hats, yarmulkes, a

Jewish prayer shawl, and turbans. I sorted and

labeled them all, and, by mid‐January returned

them all to the attic in ten clear labeled boxes.

From my meditations, I learned about the effort,

thought, and value of sewn garments; the value of

wise fabric choice; the sacredness of

our costumes and the need to care for

them properly; the joy brought to all

by the creative people of our parish.

Our costumes serve a sacred purpose

in bringing forth our liturgy into our

hearts, souls, and imaginations; and in

enriching our experience of God.

Much like items in the sacristy are

prepared by the Altar Guild with care

and prayer, our costumes can become

a gift for God. They cloak a child or

adult in a spirit of sacred giving, and lift and

inspire them into offering a sacred gift to all.

Angels in the Christmas Pageant

Three Kings: Hovey Clark, Isabel

Landry, and Sebastian Landry


Meeting and Greeting Fr. David Sandra Gary, Editor of the Cow Hollow Church News

The highlight of this fall for parishioners at St.

Mary’s was an opportunity to meet and greet the

Rev. David Erickson,

our new rector. Gracious

hosts who opened their

homes include Rebecca

and Allan Jergesen, Kim

Regan and Dan Hoth,

Stephanie and

Christopher Lehman,

Nancy Clark, David

Gibson and Betty Hood‐

Gibson, Jan Bolles at the

Heritage, Jim Griffith

and Kim Whitney, and

Sheryl Barden. A lunch

with the LGBTQ+ group

was another opportunity to get to know Fr. David.

A good many parishioners attended these cordial

and informative events.

David answered parishioners’ become‐acquainted

questions about himself, his wife, Heather, and

their children Gabriella, 6, and Jonathan, 3, with

verve and humorous anecdotes. Then he posed

three questions of his own: What first brought you

to St. Mary’s?; what has kept you coming to St.

Mary’s?; and what do you want your neighbors to

know about St. Mary’s five years from now?

Answers to the first two questions revealed some

common themes including: the multi‐generational,

friendly and welcoming community of parishioners

is close knit with individuals well known to one

another, “like a small town in a large city;”

parishioners appreciate the music program and the

quality of sermons, they “find here, by

the Grace of God, that which feeds

their soul;” people take pride in the

parish’s outreach programs.

Responses to future draws to St.

Mary’s included a (fanciful) wish to

have a parking lot or valet parking and

a genuine desire to have the same

rector five years hence that we do now.

Other hopes called for being present to

the Spirit and remaining a vibrant, safe

oasis in San Francisco.

Everyone appreciated the opportunity

to draw Fr. David closer into the fabric

of our abundant life at St. Mary’s.

Fr. David and Nancy Clark

Fr. David, seated center, and the crowd at Kim Regan and Dan Hothʹs home

Fr. David speaking at the Gibsons’ home


ADVENT

December 3 First Sunday of Advent

9:00 a.m. La Virgen de Guadalupe Celebration

Children’s Choir

5:30 p.m. Advent Dinner and Hymn Sing

December 10 Second Sunday of Advent

9:00 a.m. Sankta Lucia Celebration

Children’s & Youth Choirs

December 17 Third Sunday of Advent

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

9:00 & 11:00 a.m. A Service of Lessons and Carols

Children’s, Youth, Handbell, & Parish Choirs

December 24 Fourth Sunday of Advent

8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

CHRISTMAS EVE December 24

3:00 p.m. Christmas Pageant

Costumed players

5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Eucharist

Children’s and Youth Choirs

10:00 p.m. Candlelight Carol Sing

Parish Choir

10:30 p.m. Candlelight Eucharist

Parish Choir

CHRISTMAS DAY December 25

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Carols

Organ accompaniment

December 31 First Sunday after Christmas

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Christmas Carols

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY January 7

8:00, 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. regular services at usual times

9:00 a.m. Visit of the Magi

First Class Mail

.

HIGHLIGHTS—WINTER – 2017-2018 Also visit www.smvsf.org

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE See Inside Back Cover, page 23

USPIRITUALITY & PASTORAL CARE Holy Eucharist, Rite II – Wednesdays, in the chapel, at 12:10

p.m.; Note time change Nursing Home Ministry – every 4th Sunday, Golden Gate

Healthcare Center, 2707 Pine Street, at 1:30 p.m. Presidio Gate Ministry –2nd & 4th Mondays, 2770 Lombard

Street, at 11:00 a.m. Pastoral Emergencies – A priest is always on call. To reach a

member of the clergy, call 415-921-3665 or go to HTUwww.smvsf.org/pastoral-careUTH

U

OUTREACH Raphael House Ministry – First Monday of each month.

Contact Alisa Quint Fisher at [email protected] Larkin Street Dinners at Edward II –Second Sunday each

month, at 4:00 p.m. Contact Marta Johnson at [email protected]

SF-Marin Food Bank – Every Thursday morning deliveries from church. Contact Deacon Tim Smith at [email protected] UT

UMEETINGS & MISCELLANY Deadline for the Spring Cow Hollow Church News –

February 1. Please email articles to [email protected]

Sign Up for DioBytes – and connect with the Diocese of California; go to: diocal.org/connect

SAVE THESE DATES Advent Dinner – Sunday, December

3, in the Great Room, at 5:30 p.m. Tidings of Comfort and Joy Pantry

and Greens Sale – Sunday, December 3, in the courtyard and Pixley House

Baptisms – Sunday, January 14, in the church

Annual Parish Meeting – Sunday, January 28, at 10:30 a.m., in the church

Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, February 14

2325 Union Street

San Francisco, CA 94123‐3905

(415) 921‐3665 • www.smvsf.org

INSIDE… From the Rector ................ Cover Story Sr. Warden’s Letter ............................ 2 Sunday School ................................... 3 On Raising Kids in Church ............... 4 Commission on Ministry ................... 5 “Tell Him You Are Willie” .................. 6 Community Ministries ...................... 8 Anglican Women.............................. 10 Deacon Nancy’s Corner .................. 11 Eric Choate Director of Music ........ 12

Tidings of Comfort and Joy ............ 14 Outreach Grant -- CASA .................. 15

Stewardship 2018 Update ............... 16 Day with the Presiding Bishop ...... 18 Pastoral Care ................................... 19

Mindful Costuming .......................... 20 Meeting and Greeting Fr. David ..... 22

Advent and Christmas Schedule.... 23

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