Saint Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church

Fall Retreat is coming in October at Bishop’s Ranch, and the time to register is now! If you haven’t been to a Fall Retreat before, it offers a chance to unwind in the Napa countryside, to enjoy meals and conversations with other parish members and their families, and to participate in a variety of games, workshops, liturgies, opportunities to sing, and, yes, even afternoon naps. This year’s theme is nautical, so let’s see some sailors, pirates, sea monsters, and mermaids at Saturday’s social hour! For more information and to register, check out the flyer or ask Rick Storrs for more details.

Mark Lodico leaves today for Quito, Ecuador, where he will be blogging about his work there. If you visit his blog, it’s possible to sign up for an RSS feed, which lets you know every time he writes a new post. If I know Mark, his posts will be well worth reading, and I also look forward to the stories and experience he will be bringing back to us at the end of the summer when he returns. Keep him in your prayers and keep his blog page in your browser bookmarks--

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of St. Gregory’s, Jackie Lee writes with her memories of her first visit to the church 28 years ago.

In August of 1980, Bob Shearer (an early clergy member of SGN) invited me to come to St. Gregory’s with him and two of his children one Sunday.  I knew of St. Gregory’s, but had never been to a service.  St. Gregory’s was housed in a chapel at Trinity.

I had never been to Trinity before.  With its rock and brick building and architecture, it looked like an old fortress or castle--forbidding rather than inviting.  We walked through an iron gate and courtyard walled on three sides by the walls of the church. You had to know where you were going---there was no sign or banner.  On entering the building, we made a left turn into the chapel. There I saw a room with hardwood floors, an arch painted gold most of the way down the columns, and two rows of chairs facing each other in what would have been the area behind an altar rail. There was a chair facing the open doors, a stand with a Bible on it, and a candelabra on either side of the stand.  On a smaller stand was a round metal container with a round of ashes.  Next to the central chair was a round brass bowl with a stick in it.  We stood around a stand with colorful fabric on it , with a chalice and paten on a purificator (a piece of fine white linen about the size of a handkerchief).

We practiced music either in front of our chairs, or around the altar (I can’t remember accurately which). Bob’s son was asked to light the
candles.  We proceeded through the service including a psalm.  When it was time for the Gospel, Donald Schell (the deacon) asked one of the visitors to read.  After each of the readings and the sermon, Donald struck the rim of the bowl with the stick.  It was so quiet you could hear the tone go around the rim until it died out.  Rick Fabian sat to give the sermon, which was extemporaneous.  After the sermon silence there was no discussion that I recall (again, it may be my faulty memory). We proceeded to the altar for the prayers and Eucharist.  The wine was passed from person to person, each calling the next by name. We then practiced the carol.  There were only 15 or 16 people present, so we did not complete a circle around the altar.  As is still the case, there was much practice before we attempted the carol.

After the service, two of the folks produced coffee and tea from downstairs somewhere. We visited with each other, and I knew I had met other visitors when I was asked how old my children were.  Since they weren’t mine, we had a bit of a chuckle when I couldn’t answer.  After I got home, I tried to sort out all of the experiences.  Something about this place attracted me.  The colorful fabrics, the music without instruments, the form of the entire liturgy, all worked together with the people to make me feel completely at home.

Needless to say I returned, and soon became a member.  The recognition of becoming a member was that Rick took us out to dinner.  I have been part of this community since then.  In these recent years when I have not been able to be present on a regular basis, much of my support has come from members of St. Gregory’s past and present.

I certainly would not have guessed at that time that we would become a parish of so many people, with our own beautiful building and varied ministries.  Thank you for being a part of us.
With love, Jackie Lee

Dear Friends,

It’s been a busy, busy, beautiful few weeks at St. Gregory’s. As we enter the busy and beautiful time of preparations for Holy Week, I want to let you know how much the depth an richness of our life together means to me. In last weekend’s wedding and funeral, as well as in our Sunday worship, and all the ministries of the church, I see such outpouring of confidence, creativity and generosity.

In the exuberance of Damon and Debbie dancing, in our tender love as we laid flowers around Arthur’s ashes, in the non-stop feasting that streamed out of our kitchen, in the honesty of discussion among members in our new book group and new Bible study, in the ongoing, faithful work of the choir and deacons and Sunday School teachers and welcomers and coffee hour hosts...there is so much to be grateful for.

I want you to know I’m doing my best to carry these abundant gifts of St. Gregory’s community to the diocese and beyond.  And I want to let you know what my specific work for the diocese is.

Last fall I was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Diocese.  This is the group that oversees diocesan investments, purchases real property, and manages diocesan finances.  As you may have heard, the work of the Board will likely be folded into the new Executive Council of the Diocese sometime after the special diocesan convention in May.  When that happens, some members of the Board will be added to the Executive Council.  I don’t yet know if I’ll be included in that number - we’ll see.

I am a member of the Department of Youth and Young Adults for the diocese, helping to share our vision of active, empowered young people. My main responsibilities in the DYYA are on the administrative committee.  Right now we are beginning interviews for the next diocesan DYYA coordinator. 

I am the treasurer for the Music and Liturgy Commission for the diocese.  We meet quarterly to discuss upcoming diocesan liturgies, work to implement those liturgies and usually take on one or two special projects per year.  Other Gregorians are on this Commission: Rick Fabian is the long-time chair, and Daniel Simons and Carla DeSola are each members.

And this year, I’m part of a very exciting new group in the diocesan Department of Missions: the subgroup on new congregations. This group, convened by Canon Michael Barlowe, is looking at ways to develop new congregations that have fresh visions of how to do church. Sara Miles is also a member of the sub-committee. Together, we’re helping advise this process, as the diocese takes up the challenge of finding ways to engage un-churched people, develop new organizational models, and create exciting liturgical and worship opportunities for diverse communities. We’re not trying to replicate St. Gregory’s, but we have a lot to offer, drawing on this parish’s core values, and nearly 30 years of experience, to help plant and grow other congregations.

Bishop Marc is very interested in our congregations working together intentionally on outreach and mission.  The idea of “area ministry” is to share our greatest strengths to carry out the ministry of Christ in the city.  I’m also working with a group of rectors and lay leaders from the South of Market churches - St. Gregory’s, St. Aidan’s, St. John the Evangelist and Holy Innocents - to develop new relationships among our congregations. Already, we work together on many projects: the El Salvador mission, food pantries, discussions on liturgy and youth work. After Easter, our churches will make time to eat and worship together, and to talk about ways of deepening the bonds among our communities.

Beyond the diocese, Sara and I continue to be part of larger discussions about “emergent church” in the Episcopal Church nationally.  This is all about ways of thinking about the church and community outside of the older, established model of the church.  I am in conversation with all sorts of people about new models for being church.  The funniest thing about these conversations is the way people talk about St. Gregory’s being “emergent church before there was emergent church”.

The work of tying liturgy and feeding people continues.  After Easter, I’ll be traveling with Sara to Atlanta for a few days to consult with St. Luke’s Church there about ways to revitalize worship and outreach. I’ll be meeting in Seattle with the Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission, to continue sharing St. Gregory’s work developing liturgy with churches around the country.  And I’ll be making a short trip to L.A. to learn more about the ways that the Episcopal Church is breaking new ground in ministry.

You know, from being here on any Sunday, how many visitors come to see and learn about what we’re doing. You may not know how much our Web site, with its free, downloadable resources--scripts, music, articles, videos, sermons--also helps us spread the word. This spring, we’ll be working with Deb Tullman on new videos of all our Holy Week services, and our Sunday liturgies.

All of this is made possible by the living, breathing example of our community. The ways we do church, and are church, are inspiring, and I am proud to share them.  Thank you for everything that you do to inspire, nurture and support me in my ministry.

Peace,
Paul