Professional Documents
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This passage, part of a memory that extends far back into my childhood, has always teased me into prayer. Impressed by the experience of some who tell of Gods voice coming to them and knocking them off their horses or feet or from their senses, this passage validates my experience of God as the still, quiet voice that comes in soft breezes. Mind you, I have been touched and formed by the Word of God especially by the love I feel whenever I approach God. However, my experience is that it is more frequently in the soft, sometimes ineffable whispers of gentle breezes and subtle stirrings of the soul when Gods voice is
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clearest. These Divine encounters happen frequently as I am at the altar, or praying the psalms in community, or listening to music that transports the soul or when working in my garden and cooperating with Gods creativity. Far from perfecting the habit or making it easier for me, these blessed events serve to whet my appetite and to point the way to more! Listening has become, perhaps, a career for me. Both by education and by vocation, I have spent many years as an active listener. Some of the people who talk with me have big booming voices while others can only whisper or raise their eyes to communicate their needs or pain. I have learned that everyone has needs and wants as well as a desire to connect to other people. I have also learned that it can be a mistake to take too readily the communication of another at face value. Sometimes people communicate what they think they must while at other times they havent the words for what it is deep in their soul. Certainly, sometimes communication means exactly what the person says. What I have seen more often, however, is that there is a struggle going on inside a person and what they say only conveys one facet of their struggle. One of our charges as a parish community at this time of transition is to speak and listen to each other. Perhaps with a critical ear and with none-anxious presence we might listen without judgment and without having to solve one anothers problems. I cannot imagine a more positive outcome from these dialogues except in the context of an active and ongoing prayer relationship with God. We pray as a community when we gather at the Lords table; we pray also when we begin and end our meetings. I wish to encourage you further to set aside time weekly, daily or even hourly when by yourself you can enter into the presence of the Almighty with prayers of praise and gratitude for what God is doing for us and to plead with the Holy Spirit to be our constant companion and guide as we traverse this path. Dont discount the voice of God that may come in earthquakes and mighty winds and with fire. Be prepared, though, to hear and attend to the soft still voice of God that comes to us in our private and communal prayers, and that may lie hidden beneath the words we share as we speak with each other.
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Many Thanks to all who save their greeting cards and Campbell Soup labels for St. Judes Ranch for Children, in Boulder City, Nevada, as well as the cancelled postage stamps for the Sisters of the Community of St. Marys in Greenwich, NY. Please remember that these are ongoing ministries and we collect and mail them off all year long. As usual anyone having any questions on this or even have other suggestions or ideas regarding any of our Outreach Projects are free to call or email: or Ned Bergert at 714-501-3858--- Nhbergert@gmail.com , Marion Hetherington at 714-528-9907--- CSSquared@SBCGlobal.net .
Please, also remember, Every Sunday A Can a Week to Feed Gods Sheep. (Use the green bags provided by Outreach for transporting your donations. )
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It is the bounden duty and service of the people of this parish, being part of the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, to worship God as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, to become saints, and to make disciples of all people.
Be joyful always; pray continually; Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is Gods will for you in Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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The 57th Annual Meeting of the Blessed Sacrament Church was held on Sunday January 19, 2014. Father Christopher gave the invocation and was welcomed as our new Interim Priest. Elections for new Vestry members were not held as Bishop Bruno has asked that the current Vestry members remain in place until a new Rector is called. Nevertheless, Brondt Kamffer and Craig Holoboski were elected as our parishioner representatives to the 2014 Diocese of Los Angeles Convention and Ashley Romero was elected as our deanery representative. The retirement of Dave Juergens as Treasurer was announced and thanks was given for his 16 years of guidance and service to Blessed Sacrament Church. Paula Larsen will also be moving on from the position of Business Manager and thanks was given for her skillful management of church finances over the past 1 years. Robert Bell has graciously agreed to take over as Treasurer (pending ratification by the Vestry) and Amber Moore has assumed the position of Business Manager (Amber is currently the part time bookkeeper for several other Episcopal churches, has auditing experience and comes highly recommended). Reports were also received from the various guilds and ministries and the proposed 2014 budget was presented. Attendance and offering statistics are printed on page 7 of this newsletter.
Consider A Mustard Seed If you have Faith the size of a Mustard seed.. ..nothing shall be impossible for you.
Matthew xvii:20
FR. CHRISTOPHER POTTER, INTERIM PRIEST JEFF GREEN, SENIOR WARDEN BRIAN NICK, JUNIOR WARDEN MARCY RATCLIFF, OFFICE MANAGER MARION & THEO HETHERINGTON, EDITORS cssquared@roadrunner.com
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* This number has been adjusted positively by $4238 to account for Christmas offerings
YEARLY SUMMARY OF ATTENDANCE & GIVING Average Sunday Attendance - 8:00 Average Sunday Attendance - 10:15 Average Sunday Attendance TOTAL Average Number of Contributions (Sunday) Average Sunday Contributions TOTAL ($) Actual Cumulative Contributions % Parish Members Participating (74 envelopes) Average Sunday Contribution (per envelope) Median Sunday Contribution (per envelope) Average Weekly Variance From Budget ($4238) Actual Cumulative Shortfall/Gain From Budget
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Long time member Dixie Shaw was wondering if you were aware of the Bereavement/Grief Support Group that is located here in Placentia. The group meets every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at: 377 E. Chapman Avenue, Suite 280, Placentia. Support is offered in 9 week sessions, so if you would like to register for a future session and/or need further information please call: 714-577-9656 or 800-889-3227 and ask for Barbara Amavisca, Bereavement Coordinator or Forrie.
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