Jul 11, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
Story and photos by Cannon Debbie Low-Skinner
Family, friends, clergy colleagues, and the community of St. Paul’s, Oakland gathered on July 6 for a requiem mass and celebration of life of the Rev. Anne Hislop Jensen.
The celebrant was St. Paul’s Rector, the Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson, assisted by the Rev. Christian Harding, the Rev. Dcn. Gary England, and the Ven. Carolyn Bolton. The homilist was the Very Rev. Dr. Deborah White, who spoke of how loving, wise, and supportive Anne was in her ministry. Assisting in communion distribution were the Rev. Cn. Debbie Low-Skinner, the Very Rev. Dr. Deb White, and the Rev. Deacons Gary England, Vincent Jang, Stephen Tiffenson, and Archdeacon Carolyn Bolton.
Remembrances/Eulogies were offered by Anne’s husband, Douglas; her children Elizabeth Jensen, Michael Jensen, and Christina Litter. Canon to the Ordinary Debbie Low-Skinner read a letter from Bishop Marc Andrus; the letter expressed his appreciation for Anne’s valuable contributions for many years in the diocese as interim minister and spiritual director (she also served on the Episcopal Impact Fund Board).
At the end of the service, Anne’s ashes were placed in a niche in St. Paul’s columbarium, with Anne’s family gathered there to say their goodbyes.
Jul 11, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
Story courtesy of Michael Drell
Sitting here at the departure gate having gotten up at 4:23 AM after finishing packing at midnight, I am feeling tired but immensely blessed. To say the trip was perfect would be inaccurate but only because of some tummy upsets and overly hot weather, some heavy traffic, sunburn and mosquito bites. Otherwise it really was perfect and astoundingly surpassed my expectations. Having spent a lot of time in Mexico, I felt I knew what to expect and could even dream and hope for a great trip for all. But what I failed to understand was the amazing grace God had in store for this group.
The group was composed of 8 high school youth aged from 16-18, 4 adults, and an adorable baby.
If you need something else to be proud of this Pride month, please feel pride for the All Souls community developing these amazing young people who arrived with open hearts, minds, eyes and joyous souls ready to connect with all the wonderful people (dogs and horses) and places here in Mexico. It would be impossible to give you a full sense of the connections we made, but as a well seasoned middle aged traveler, I was still blown away by how much fun and deep fellowship we could have together. The unforeseen miracle of Toni’s warm and welcoming relatives and friends in the Anglican Church here could not have been imagined. Strangers immediately considered us family and that’s pretty much the point of our faith right?
This was an immersion trip, visiting the city overall but specifically a few parishes with strong youth programs and various other locations including a hospital ministry with Padre Arturo of Sagrada Familia congregation. We also had a day in Cuernavaca where my sending parish St Michael and All Angels is located and we were hosted for lunch, relaxation, and swimming. On our way back to CDMX we stopped in Tres Marias at a horse rescue where I previously worked.
We approached “immersion” through meeting other youth groups and learning about what it is like to grow up in the Anglican church in Mexico, for the purpose of coming closer to God through relationships and experiences with others.
I personally held hopes for our group to experience and develop empathy, solidarity, unity amongst difference, and faith through worship and friendship.
This was all accomplished well beyond my expectations and each day or rather several times per day, my mind was blown and my heart filled with the countless miracles of God’s Love and Providence revealed through the offerings of welcome and hospitality and also the enthusiastic, respectful, and humble acceptance and appreciation of these gifts by our group.
Our hosts in Mexico embodied everything that we talk about in Christian faith.
We all knew and felt this; recognising it happening around and through us.
This was obvious as we played games, tried new things, and through the observations and reflections brought up during “roses, buds, and thorns” each evening.
Our youth were asked more than once what keeps them involved in church both by other youth and the various adults involved in their formation. The answer each time was ‘community’. The All Souls community that raised and sent out this group, but also the communities we encountered deeply as hosts and family. We are all part of something bigger now. We welcome you into our experience and thank you for the ways you supported us through prayers, enthusiasm, and financial sponsorship.
I want to encourage us all to keep the relational quality of the experience going through continuing the story telling. Ask us, especially our youth, about the trip. Maybe we can make this an annual event? If there is anyone interested in working towards this more specifically please speak to me and Toni. If there is anyone interested in further financial donations, we encountered ministries which would love that support and utilise it beyond its economic value. We would all gain further blessings through maintaining our ties with our newly found siblings in Christ.
Jun 28, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
Story and photos by the Rev. Canon Debbie Low-Skinner
Canon Debbie had the pleasure of guest preaching and presiding on Sunday, June 25 at Holy Family Episcopal Church in Half Moon Bay.
She preached on the Genesis story of Hagar and her son Ishmael, who were cast out because Abraham’s wife Sarah didn’t want Ishmael to overshadow and take God’s favor away from Isaac, Sarah’s son.
The sermon described how instances of sibling rivalry are rife throughout the bible. Canon Debbie then quoted Rabbi Harold Kushner, who said (in his book “How Perfect Do I Have to Be?”) that humankind’s real original sin is believing that there’s not enough love to go around — which is a big cause of sibling rivalry. He said that God loves us all equally, despite our imperfections.
Canon Debbie also cited Galatians 3:28, which says there is no longer any Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, as all (i.e., races, ethnicities, religions, sexualities, etc.) are one in Jesus Christ. The sermon ended with a prayer for racial harmony from the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas:Good and gracious God,
Who loves and delights in all people,
we stand in awe before You, knowing that the spark of life within each person on earth is the spark of your divine life.
Differences among cultures and races are multicolored manifestations of Your Light.
May our hearts and minds be open to celebrate similarities and differences among our sisters and brothers.
We place our hopes for racial harmony in our committed action and in Your Presence in our Neighbor.
May all peoples live in Peace.
Amen.
Jun 28, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #FunFacts
For decades, the Diocese of California has been at the front of LGBTQ+ advocacy in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. Some of examples from Bishop Marc’s episcopate include:
- Chancellor Christopher Hayes and Bishop Marc gathered amicus curiae briefs from dioceses around The Episcopal Church to support both the overturning of the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and Proposition 8, which banned same-ex marriage in California.
- Bishop Marc raised money for production of “Voices of Witness, Africa,” a documentary highlighting the voices of LGBTQ+ Anglicans, and he organized events at the 2008 Lambeth Conference to show the film after Proposition 8 was passed.
- The Diocese of California, under Bishop Marc, was the first diocese in The Episcopal Church to allow open blessings of same-gender unions!
- Bishop Marc was the first Bishop of California to march in the Pride Parade!
- Bishop Marc ordained the second transgender person in The Episcopal Church.
- Bishop Marc joined the Episcopal Church, the Scottish Episcopal Church and others at the 2022 Lambeth Conference in pushing back on to the “Lambeth Calls” document that was distributed to Anglican bishops on the eve of the conference. It contained objectionable content in its Statement on Human Dignity. The content included an apparent attempt to fast-track a Communion-wide stance opposing same-gender marriage.
Jun 22, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #FunFacts
The Diocese of California offers church administrators a weekly rundown of diocesan events and offerings to include in their church bulletins, newsletters, etc.
To subscribe, email the Communications Working Group: stephaniem@diocal.org and communications@diocal.org.
