ON-GOING ACTIVITIES AT ST. BEN’S
ABUNDANCE SHOP– Thrift shop at 2025 9th St. (If you would like to volunteer, please contact them at (805) 528-1370)
COMMUNITY DINNER – Providing and serving food at SBCC, on 1st Thursday of odd-numbered months, in conjunction with Los Osos Cares.
EARTHCARE – Zoom 3rd Wednesdays 3pm. Discussion/action group seeking spiritual and practical solutions to environmental concerns. MEN’S GROUP – Morning social gathering, 3rd Saturdays – 9am at Celia’s Garden Cafe.
HEALING SERVICE – FACEBOOK – A time for prayers for healing at the 10:30 service on 5th Sundays.
HOLLISTER INSTITUTE – Opportunities for stimulating discussion and thoughtful exploration on Tuesdays at 10:15am on Zoom. “The Book of Joy” by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama starts Nov 30.
LAUNDRY LOVE – Helping low-income families with funds, soap, and friendly assistance at Osos Clean Laundry. 4-6pm on last Wednesdays
PEOPLE’S KITCHEN – Providing and serving lunch at 40 Prado, 1st Saturday of even-numbered months
VESPERS AND CONVERSATION – Zoom – 5:30 pm Tuesdays
VESTRY / PARISH COUNCIL – ZOOM – 3rd Sundays at 12:30pm.
- The Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall, Rector
- Stef Shuman, Sr. Warden
- Jane Wu, Jr. Warden
- Lisa Gonzalez, Treasurer,
- Lorienne Schwenk, Clerk
- Esta Kandarian,
- Alan Kiste,
- Benjamin Nucum
- Helen Schnieders
- Barbara Schippers
- Maureen Titus
Bidding Book Prayers – If you’d like to request prayers for someone and have their names read out during the online worship services on Sunday, please submit their names to stefshuman@sbcglobal.net during the week (by Friday).
We are grateful for God’s financial providence and blessing. Thank you for making your offerings by mail to our PO Box, or on-line.
Week of January 9th, 2022
Sunday, Jan 9
8:00 am – Contemplative Eucharist service in-person and on Zoom
9:20 am – Bible Study
10:30 am – Eucharist service – (also live-streamed on FB)
Monday, Jan 10 – RECTOR’S SABBATH
Tuesday, Jan 11
9:45 am – Prayers for the Morning (Zoom)
10:15 am – Spiritual Conversation:
“The Book of Joy” Concludes (Zoom)
5:30 pm – Vespers service: in person and on Zoom
Wednesday, Jan 12
6 pm – Choir Rehearsal note new starting time
Saturday, Jan 15
9:00 am – Men’s Breakfast at Celia’s Garden Café
2:30 pm – Memorial Service for Larry Swafford @ St. Ben’s in person
Sunday, Jan 16
8:00 am – Contemplative Eucharist service (also on Zoom)
9:20 am – Bible Study
10:30 am – Eucharist Service – (also live-streamed on FB)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MUTUAL MINISTRY REVIEW – Every year we ask for your feedback and your input. You are welcome to share thoughts and concerns with Parish Council members and the Rector at any time, but every January we ask you to take the time to reflect on our ministry. This information helps the Parish Council in its planning for the coming year. There are two ways you can complete the Mutual Ministry survey – you can go to the online form which is available here: https://forms.gle/RoQZhXvbWbZur2Ti9 or you can collect a paper survey from the back of the church, and return it completed. The survey is confidential but if you want a direct response you do need to let us know who you are. In addition, Parish Council members will be calling to check in with you and see if there is anything else you want to say – some of us find it much easier to talk than to fill in a form! So that we can share the results of the survey at our Annual meeting on January 23rd, we ask you to complete your part as soon as possible, and no later than January 16th.
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING – Sunday, January 23rd – The annual parish meeting will be held on January 23rd starting at noon. This is an important meeting where we take care of business for the year – electing Parish Council members and representatives for Deanery and Diocesan affairs. We also receive reports from all the different groups in the parish and consider plans for the coming year – particularly the budget. We also give awards to recognize outstanding service – you will need to stay to the end to see who is honored this year, and to welcome the new Senior Warden as Stef Shuman is stepping down from that role at the end of January. All members and regular attenders are encouraged to participate in this meeting which last about 90 minutes and will be available on Zoom. Lunch will be provided for those who attend in person.
TUESDAY SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION – Our current Tuesday morning spiritual conversation based on The Book of Joy by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama concludes this week.
Then, starting on January 25th the conversation will be based on the book, Benedict’s Dharma: Buddhists Reflect on the Rule of St Benedict. This seems to be a good follow-on to some recent spiritual conversations on Buddhism and Christianity, mostly centered on the The Book of Joy.
The publisher says:
Through personal anecdotes and thoughtful comparison, four prominent Buddhist scholars—including Joseph Goldstein and Yifa—reveal how the wisdom of each tradition [Christian and Buddhist] can revitalize the other. Benedict’s Dharma is a lively and compelling dialogue which will appeal not only to Buddhists and Christians, but to anyone interested in rediscovering the value of an ancient discipline in the modern world.
This conversation is open to anyone and everyone whether or not you read the book. On-line via Zoom on Tuesdays at 10:15am. A service of Prayers for the Morning is also available on Tuesdays, starting at 9:45. (There will be no Spiritual Conversation on January 18 to give us time to start reading Benedict’s Dharma.)
CONGRATULATIONS ABUNDANCE SHOP CREW – for a year well done! You contributed $50,000 to St. Benedicts in 2021 and $5,000 to community organizations. Praise God!
CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK:
— Birthdays —
Jan 11 – Roz Malone
Jan 15 – Faye Hogan
PERSONAL PRAYER – A member of the Healing Prayer Ministry team is available each week after the 10:30 service to pray with you for special concerns. If you’d like this prayer support during the week, contact Helen Schnieders at (818)324-2646. If no answer, please leave a message and your call will be returned.
GUANTANAMO WEBINAR – Tuesday, January 11, 1-2pm
January 11th, 2022, will mark 20 years since the first detainees were sent to Guantanamo as part of the Global War on Terror. Today, 39 detainees remain there. Despite this ongoing injustice, Guantanamo is largely overlooked; in December, the Senate hosted its first hearing on Guantanamo in eight years. Many Guantánamo detainees were tortured by the U.S. government, and two decades after the prison opened, most of the 39 people imprisoned there have never been charged with or tried for any crime.
To mark this anniversary and to advocate for closing Guantanamo, The Episcopal Church and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture are hosting this webinar: Guantanamo 20 Years On: A Religious Perspective
A distinguished panel of experts will provide more information about why the prison at Guantanamo was opened, the human rights abuses that occurred there, the long-running failure of the military commissions process to provide justice, and what steps we, as people of faith, can take to close the prison for good.
Panelists include:
– Dr. Shaun Casey, Professor at Georgetown University and former Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State
– The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
– Matt Hawthorne, National Religious Campaign Against Torture
– J. Dixon Wells, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights
– Moderated by: Rebecca Linder Blachly, Director of Government Relations, The Episcopal Church
Registration is free, but required.
VESPERS Consider coming on Tuesdays at 5:30 for some mid-week fellowship. This short service includes time for bible reflection and sharing together. It is a good way to build relationships and deepen community. If you come in person, please consider staying afterwards for a glass of wine or other beverage. You can also participate in Vespers via Zoom. You will be able to see and hear the participants in the church as well as others joining via Zoom and those in the church will be able to see and hear you as well. Everyone is welcome.
RDF – On the last Sunday of each month, the loose cash in the plate offering is designated to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund, to help those in the parish or the wider community in need of emergency assistance. Or you may write checks to St Ben’s with “RDF” in the memo line. Thank you for your generosity!
PERSONAL PRAYER – A member of the Healing Prayer Ministry team is available each week after the 10:30 service to pray with you for special concerns. If you’d like this prayer support during the week, contact Helen Schnieders at (818)324-2646. If no answer, please leave a message and your call will be returned.
BIDDING BOOK PRAYERS – If you’d like to request prayers for someone to have their names read out during the worship services on Sunday, please write them in the bidding book on the stand by the usher’s station as you come into church.
PRAYER CHAIN – Also, remember that you may send your prayer requests to the prayer chain at: prayers@stbenslososos.org This is a group of individuals dedicated to intercessory prayers, who upon receiving your email will pray for your concerns.
SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY – Sunday Morning Bible Study is held each week between the two morning services starting at 9:20 in the classroom. Lisa Gonzalez and Lorienne Schwenk will be leading the discussion.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS – Jay’s office hours are: Tuesdays 3-6pm; Thursdays 10am-1pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm
NAME TAGS – We are asking everyone to wear a name tag. Please check the name tag board by the door for yours. If you don’t have one, or if an old one has become too shabby, please ask Stef to make one for you. (Or just tell the ushers). In the meantime, you can fill out an adhesive tag for the day.
DONATIONS – Collection plates are not passed during the service, but you may put your contributions in the plate by the usher’s station before the service, or contribute on-line at: https://www.StBensLosOsos.org/support-us/ or by mail to our PO Box. Thank you for your offerings! We are grateful for God’s financial providence and blessing.
ST. BENEDICT’S CONNECTIONS – Please do not hesitate to reach out to each other to stay in contact, and feel free to contact Caro+ at 805-704-5826 or caro@stbenslososos.org She loves to hear from you. In an emergency, texts are best.
IN-PERSON SERVICE AT ST. BENEDICT’S – To help lessen the chance of spreading Covid – or Flu or colds – please observe the following behaviors when worshipping at St. Ben’s. Thank you.
- Masks are required at all times inside the church, except when putting the communion bread into your mouth, or when reading the lessons or making announcements from the lectern.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
- Maintain safe social distancing – spread out in the pew to maximize space both from side to side and before/behind.
- When coming forward for communion, spread out the circle to keep from standing too closely together.
- During communion the consecrated bread will be dropped into your palm for you to consume. The consecrated wine will be served in individual cups throughout Epiphany Season.
- No physical contact with people outside of your family unit.
- We will only have coffee hour if someone signs up in the kitchen in advance and agrees to follow the diocesan food service guidelines posted there.
HOW TO FIND OUR SERVICES
Our 8am and 10:30 am services each Sunday are Eucharist services, held indoors at the church for anyone wishing to attend in person. Masks are required, and we will continue to ask people to maintain social distancing by having no more than three people per pew. Communion will be distributed in bread only. Wine will be received by sight.
The 8:00 am service will also be available on Zoom.
The 10:30 am service will also be live-streamed for those who watch remotely — either on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stbenslososos/ or through our website at http://www.stbenslososos.org/facebook-including-live-stream/
Service leaflets for both services are available under the Worship tab on our website: https://www.stbenslososos.org/category/service-bulletin/
Unless otherwise stated, our meetings happen on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7977776046?pwd=VUFZSXY3UVpNVitJaDl2VmhPS3E2UT09 Passcode is: 93402