ON-GOING ACTIVITIES AT ST. BEN’S
ABUNDANCE SHOP– Thrift shop at 2025 9th St. (If you would like to volunteer, please contact 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.
LAUNDRY LOVE – Helping low-income families with funds, soap, and friendly assistance at Osos Clean Laundry. 11-1pm and 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
- Maureen Titus, Presiding Warden
- Lisa Gonzalez, Treasurer
- Sandy Fisher, People’s Warden
- Pamela Bleisch
- Cathy Gildea
- Esta Kandarian
- Helen Schnieders
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.
THIS WEEK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
PARISH SURVEY: This very important survey is designed to help the Transition Team learn about the St. Benedict’s community and what we should be looking for in a new Rector. It is crucial that everyone in the parish participate! Please complete the survey by January 29. You can complete it online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/StBens. Paper copies are available on the Usher’s Table at the back of the sanctuary. If you need a paper copy sent to you, please contact the church office.
This is the beginning of the process of searching for our next priest – it is information for the process, just like the Storytelling Gatherings. Thank you for your participation!
STORYTELLING GATHERINGS As part of the process for developing the Parish Profile, the Transition Team is hosting Storytelling gatherings throughout the month of January. These are in-person small group gatherings that are an opportunity to share your favorite memories of St. Ben’s: worship, ministry, and of course our dear friends. We hope everyone will participate.
Sign ups are posted in the Great Room with dates and locations, or you can contact Hannah-Jaye in the office to sign up. One session (Saturday 14th at 1pm) is via Zoom for those who prefer not to meet in-person. All gatherings are listed on our online calendar https://www.stbenslososos.org/calendar/.
SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION – this week the conversation continues on the Celtic path based on the book by Julianne Stanz, Braving the Thin Places. You are welcome even if you don’t read it. Tues at 10:15, Zoom
CHOIR: The choir will be continuing; rehearsals will be on Sunday mornings after the 10:30am service starting Jan 22nd. All singers are welcome.
NEWSLETTER: The Benediction newsletter is now available online. https://www.stbenslososos.org/2023/01/06/the-benediction-jan-feb-2023/
COMING SOON! This year’s Annual Church meeting will be held on February 5th. As well as the normal business, this will be the first meeting of the process towards calling a new priest which involves several important steps.
CALLING NEW LEADERS: The Parish Council/Vestry is looking for new members for a three year term. If God is calling you, please talk to Esta Kandarian or Sandy Fisher.
PIANO RECITAL: Local pianist Jack Artusio will be playing a program of music by Haydn, Beethoven, Debussy and Rachmaninoff on January 22 at 3pm in the church. There is no charge, donations are welcome.
PERSONAL PRAYER – If you’d like prayer support during the week, contact Helen Schnieders (818-324-2646). If there is no answer, please leave a message and your call will be returned. Prayer requests may also be emailed at any time to prayers@stbenslososos.org and requests for pastoral care may be sent to pastoralcare@stbenslososos.org.
BIRTHDAYS:
Jan 18th Elaine Beckham
This Week at St Ben’s
Sunday
- 8am Contemplative Communion, in-person and Zoom
- 10:30am Eucharist in-person and livestreamed on FB
- 3:00pm Storytelling Gathering in SLO
Tuesday
- 9:45am Prayers for the Morning: Zoom
- 10:15am Spiritual Conversation Zoom
- 5:30pm Vespers, followed by supper
Wednesday
- 3:00pm Earthcare (Zoom)
Friday Session 9
- 9am Gentle Yoga
- 5:30 pm Messy Church
Sunday
- 8am Contemplative Communion, in-person and Zoom
- 10:30am Eucharist in-person and livestreamed on FB
- 11:45am Choir Practice
- 12:00pm Storytelling Gathering
- 12:30pm Parish Council
Service leaflets for Sunday services and Vespers are available under the Worship tab on our website:
https://www.stbenslososos.org/category/service-bulletin/
ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
A reminder that all organic waste must now be put into a green container not into the trash. Thank you to Ron Thompson for getting us a new compost container – note that it is WHITE. Less organic waste in the landfill means less methane and less global warming. In SLO County green waste means food waste and paper napkins/paper towels that have been used for food waste, flowers and other organic material but NOT items that are labeled compostable like plates, cutlery etc. Thank you for caring for the planet and obeying the law. No bags of any kind may go in the compost or the recycle bins.
The Altar Guild serves each Sunday by setting up and creating sacred space and then putting the vessels and linens away at the end as well as by looking after everything we use in worship. There are openings for two or more people to join the team. If God is calling you to this special ministry please talk to Sarah Chesebro.
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.
UKRAINIAN REFUGEES in Poland need help. We are sending money to Caro’s sisters church in Nowy Sacz, Poland. Please put “Ukraine” on your check or on-line gift.
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 the office to make one for you. In the meantime, you can fill out an adhesive tag for the day.
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.
- 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.
HOW TO FIND OUR SERVICES
Our 8am and 10:30 am Sunday services 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.
The 8:00 am service will also be available on Zoom. There is no 8am service on the first Sunday of each month.
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
ON-GOING ACTIVITIES AT ST. BEN’S
ABUNDANCE SHOP– Thrift shop at 2025 9th St.
COMMUNITY DINNER – Providing and serving food at SBCC, on 1st Wednesday of odd-numbered months, in conjunction with Los Osos Cares.
EARTHCARE – Discussion/action group seeking local solutions to environmental concerns. 3rd Wednesdays 3:00 pm on ZOOM
HEALING SERVICE – 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.
LAUNDRY LOVE – Helping low-income families with funds, soap, and friendly assistance at Osos Clean Laundry. 11am and 4pm on last Wednesday of each month.
MEN’S BREAKFAST GROUP – Morning social gathering, 3rd Saturdays 9am at Celia’s Garden Cafe
PEOPLE’S KITCHEN – Providing and serving lunch at 40 Prado, 1st Saturday of even numbered months
SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION – a lively on-line conversation, often based on a book. Tuesdays 10:15am
VESPERS AND CONVERSATION – 5:30 pm Tuesdays