Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
Apostle’s Postscript
We follow Jesus, nurture ministries, and welcome all
Ministry of the Month:
Anglican World Mission in Ghana
St. Paul’s ministry of support to the Anglican Church in Ghana, and of bringing safe drinking water to
remote villages, continues to save and transform many lives. Here is what the parish is doing in Ghana,
West Africa.
We are funding a clergy pension fund for the Diocese of Wiawso, where clergy are paid less than a
dollar a day and retire at age 65 with no home and no pension—until now. We hope that the Pension
for Wiawso will be funded in full by 2015. St. Paul’s provided the first dollars to this fund.
We are turning a dressmaker into a doctor. When The Ven. Richard Crankston, former Dean of St.
See Ministry of the Month continued on page 7
AUGUST WORSHIP
Sunday
9:00 am Holy Eucharist
One service, one coffee hour, one congregation.
Wednesday 9:15 am Healing Service
2nd Saturday 5:00 pm The Crux
The Crux
nd
the 2 Saturday Evening Contemporary
Worship Service
Mythbusters
Myth: Parishioners leave during a time of
transition.
Fact: Average Sunday attendance in 2010 was
159. It was 155 in 2011. Easter 2010 was 316
and increased to 359 in 2011.
We had a great celebration of the Good News
with 40 brothers and sisters in Christ. Music was
provided by Temple Forte. Our reflection was
offered by Kevin Todd. It was a tremendous time
of worship of our Heavenly Father.
Myth: Attendance drops when the services are
combined.
Fact: The 2nd Sunday in July had the same
number of worshipers (121) as last year! If you
are missing your pew neighbor, give them a
call, offer a ride, make a date!
Come join us for this joyful celebration of all of
God’s blessings!
Our next service will be on August 11th at 5PM.
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Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
ST. PAUL’S
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
3290 Loma Vista Road
Ventura, CA 93003
Parish News
Vestry Notes
July
Telephone:
805.643.5033 Church
805.643.5946 Fax
***New E-mail***
[email protected]
Website:
www.saintpaulsventura.org
The Rev. James Sprague,
Transitional Minister
The Rev. Canon Doug Edwards
Assisting
The Rev. Canon Anthony Guillen
Assisting
Katie Weldon.
 Rekeying will happen in
August in anticipation of new
groups occupying our facility.
Key distribution will be
coordinated through the office.
 Many thanks to
Suzanne McCombs for her
relentless efforts to dispose of
our excess furniture and
supplies. (See Treasure Hunt article.)
 And also thanks to Greg
McCombs and the B&G
committee for being good
stewards of our campus
and prioritizing the many
projects. Next on the list is
caring for the parking lot.
 Looking ahead to the
boutique in August and the
Oktoberfest kickoff to the
Stewardship drive.
 Watch for information
from the Discernment
Committee. The last interview
was Tuesday night, and now
comes the challenge. Keep
them in your prayers.
 See you in church!
The Rev. Ed Steever
Deacon
Ms. Julia Neufeld
Music Director & Organist
Treasure Chest
Paula Robertson
Treasurer
Katie Weldon
Senior Warden
Larry Myers
Junior Warden
Barbara Best 642-7031
Rod Weldon 643-3095
Editors: Apostle’s Postscript
September P.S. deadline is
August 24th . Articles may be
sent to Rod Weldon
([email protected] or fax 6483570) and/or the parish office
([email protected] or
fax 643-5946).
June
Paula Robertson
Welcome to summer! Our treasure chest is full of your offerings for
the first half of the year. Pledge income received is 96% and total
income received is 102% of the projected amounts. Our monthly
expenses continue to exceed income which was anticipated. Yearto-date expenses exceed ordinary income by $20,810. Our long
term investment in the Diocesan Investment Trust posted a loss for
the second quarter; however a year-to-date gain of $8,187
remains. Semi-annual donor statements have been mailed. I
offered prayers of thanksgiving and songs of praise with each
statement prepared for mailing. Who knew ‘stuffing’ envelopes
could be so rewarding?! (The postman particularly enjoyed the
joyful noise!)
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Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
Parish News
New AA Workshop
Treasure Hunt
Alcoholics Anonymous is starting a new 12-week
workshop to introduce the 12-step program.
Wednesdays beginning August 8th. You may join
them in Kahler Hall from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.
We are cleaning up around our beautiful
campus and sorting out some of the
“treasures” that have accumulated. (Think of
Christmas when you ‘sing’ this…) On the 12th
day of cleaning, we uncovered this: 42 student
desks, lots of student chairs, 5 overhead
projectors, several full sized desks, one Goose
Necked Lamp…filing cabinets, several
bookshelves, one wall mounted peg board, and
bookcases with white boards on the back.
We’ll spare you the rest of the verses and list
the rest!
Office or Student Furniture:
Computer Tables (suitable for use as a desk)
Metal Bookends
Folding Chairs with Leather Seats (7)
White Chalk Board
Miscellaneous Furniture and other items:
Wooden Coffee Table
Leather & Rattan Captain’s Style Chair with
Rolling Wheels
Portable Vacuum
Oscillating Fan
Ping Pong Table (3)
Armchairs (7)
White Plastic Chairs
3-shelved Wire Storage Rack
TV/entertainment Stand with Glass Doors
Standing Mirror (approximately 12” X 36”)
Tai Chi Expanding
Beginning September 10th, there will be two Tai
Chi classes on Mondays and Wednesdays in
Kahler Hall.
12:00 – 12:45 Beginning Tai Chi
1:00 – 2:00 Intermediate Tai Chi
Contact Katherine Steever, 642-9058, for more
information on this health ministry.
Financial Peace University
FPU is returning in September after a very
successful session in the spring. One couple
eliminated all debt other than their mortgage.
Another couple cut up their credit cards and now
uses cash for all of their purchases. We all found
ourselves better prepared for the unexpected
events that impact our lives and finances. Check
out Dave Ramsey online and on Facebook to get
a glimpse of the program. 1 ½ hours each Sunday
for 9 weeks. Details to follow. See Paula
Robertson with questions.
If you or anyone you know has an interest in
purchasing any of the items listed, please
contact Suzanne McCombs (658-6894) or Paula
Robertson (643-5033).
Labyrinth at Sunset Festival
Escape to a Greek Isle for an evening full of activities to lift your spirits: Saturday, September 15th, 5:00
p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the fundraiser to benefit St. Paul’s Outreach Programs will go on sale
starting September 18th. Join us for good fellowship, food, music and more.
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Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
St. Paul’s Needs
Choir Notes
Wanted: Nursery Caregiver
Julie Neufeld
So- you’ve noticed there’s a choir member sitting
near you in church this summer!
The Vestry is seeking to replace current nursery
caregiver, Hannah Alday, who is heading to
college. Hannah has done a fantastic job caring
for the littlest ones in our parish family. Caitlin
Sexton will fill in during the summer; however,
she will not be available August 5 and will rejoin
J2A in September. The summer nursery hours
are 8:45 - 10:45 and then will revert back to 9:45
– 11:45 in September. Anyone interested in this
paid position should contact Larry Myers, Junior
Warden (805-983-2281,
[email protected]). A complete job
description can be found on the web site.
Enjoying a one-service worship schedule, the
Rites I and II attendees have had an opportunity
to know each other better. The Choir is taking a
break and choir members have come out of the
balcony to say hello to everyone. Don’t be
surprised if a choir singer (or ringer) invites you to
consider joining the choir in the fall.
Our Choir Members have a big heart for singing
the music of the Church even though their
numbers are modest. They and I would be more
than happy to welcome new choir members in
September.
St. Paul’s Food Pantry needs canned food (pop
tops) including meat soups, beans, Beanie
Weenies, chicken, tuna, fruit, corn, granola bars,
single juice drinks with straws, peanut butter,
jams and jellies. For more information please
call Marilyn Hass, 612-0475.
You may ask, “What do I need to be able to do?”
Matching pitches and singing in tune are really
important; so is the ability to hear and sing
harmony. The ability to read music is a real plus
but more important is the willingness to be a
musical disciple at St. Paul’s. It’s a real calling to
serve in this way and I hope there are ears
attuned to listening for that call. Please consider
sharing your musical gifts through choir
membership.
Eucharistic Prayer Ministry is a group of people
dedicated to intercessory prayer who pray with
and for members of the congregation at the
10:15 am service. Speak to Ruth McCool for
more information 639-3082.
Safe Sleep Monitors – Sweet Dreams
Our Safe Sleep ministry remains active and needs several volunteers to check in with our guests. The
Salvation Army screens and registers the guests. We are responsible for providing the parking space,
rest rooms and monitors. The visits should take place after 7pm a couple of times each week. We often
have both male and female guests and sometimes children. With several volunteers, a rotation
schedule can be set up. Please contact the office for details and sign-up. We can’t continue without
your support!
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Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
Opportunities to Help
Family to Family
A big Thank You to Pennie Mann,
Anne Alday, Larry and Shirley Myers as
they stepped in to plan, shop for,
organize and serve lunch for 235
hungry folks. Also thanks to our 19
volunteers who always work hard and
joyfully to sustain this ministry.
St. Paul’s serves lunch on the third
Monday of the month, however Family
to Family serves lunch on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday and breakfast
on Saturday and Sunday. The food
served at Family to Family is made
possible by the generous support of the
members of St. Paul’s.
Donations are always welcomed.
The Harbor Church
Operation Embrace needs razors, shaving cream,
shampoo, powered laundry soap, towels and wash
cloths, also sleeping bags, sweatshirts, crew socks, and
jackets. Call Harbor Church at 650-7422, located at 3100
Preble Ave., Ventura.
Santa’s Workshop Open
Marjorie Cole
We continue collecting toiletries for our December
Family to Family dinner and Christmas gift giving. Travel
size grooming items are welcome. Besides shampoos,
lotions, soaps, razors, and shaving cream, sample size
makeup, fragrances, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash
are appreciated. Toothbrushes are always welcome as
well as manicure supplies. Elves may leave toiletries in
my box in the office or put large amounts in a bag
marked with my name behind the secretary’s desk.
Abundant Table
Transitioning
The Abundant Table is currently transitioning from its location on high-rent farmland on the Oxnard Plain
to more affordable property in the Santa Paula/Fillmore area as the next step in our growth toward selfsupport. The goal of this ministry has always been to be financially self-supporting to the highest degree
possible. During our start-up years, we have been generously sustained in part by faith and community
organization grants as we move toward our goal.
To assist in this transition, we are reaching out to raise $10,000 in the next 30 days. This money will be
used to cover the organizational expenses during the transition, including the stipends of our interns and
staff and the costs of planting crops on our new land. We anticipate completion of the transition by the fall
of this year.
Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to sustain our good work. Donations should be sent to the
following address: The Transition Fund, c/o The Abundant Table, PO Box 2305, Camarillo, CA 93011.
Please contact Bill Knutson, board member since 2008, if you have any further questions about their need
or the work of The Abundant Table. He will happily receive and deliver any contributions.
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Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
Stewardship
Generosity in Community
Mostly unnoticed in the midst of provocative, negative headlines which sell newspapers and
television ads are the stories of individuals who willingly sacrifice on a daily basis: servicemen and
women serving in conflicts and on rescue operations around the world or public safety and medical
personnel answering the call to perilous and precarious situations in municipalities across the country.
We are grateful to the commitment of those who put our safety and security ahead of their own.
Fortunately, our local newspaper covers the good things happening in our community, most
recently recognizing some of the many who give of their time, talent or treasure: a local yacht club
hosting a sailing day for disabled soldiers who were in town from across the country to train for the
Warrior Games which include various adaptive sports competitions as guests of Navy Safe Harbor, an
organization that provides nonmedical care to severely wounded, ill and injured sailors and Coast
Guard members; The Red Cross held a block party to share a message of emergency preparedness;
Kaiser Permanente awarded community health grants to 16 organizations offering services ranging
from youth advocacy for public transportation and increasing physical activity, improving quality and
cost-effectiveness of elder care, training parents to train other parents on the ways their children can
attain higher education to creating community gardens with produce distribution to families, training
trilingual youths who speak Mixtexo, Spanish and English to be health interpreters and door-to-door
low-cost medical transportation service; Ventura City Corps led a drive to collect school supplies so
that teachers won’t need to dip into their own pockets to effectively teach their classes and the
Humane Society celebrated 80 years of helping abused and stray animals, now in a newly expanded
facility.
We are grateful for all those who are committed to the betterment of other’s lives: individuals such
as a neighbor who picks up trash on his daily walk or a friend who reads to an elderly, blind friend to
the many who work through organized programs to bring medical or mental care, justice, healthful
nourishment, education and respite to those most in need.
Finding Hope in Hard Times
Seven Spiritual Practices: A Faithful Steward’s Guide
6. Rebuild Generous Communities
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions
and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much
time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous
hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to
their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)
Times of recession bring people together-those with physical, spiritual, and emotional needs
meeting those with a willingness to share. Today many neighborhoods are less strong than they
used to be; residents barely know the names of their neighbors, recognizing them only by the car
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Free Monthly Church Publication Issue No. 20120801
St. Paul’s Apostle’s Postscript
Ministry of the Month
continued from page 1
Anselm Cathedral in Sunyani, died unnecessarily from lack of medical care ten years ago, we instituted
a scholarship fund so children of clergy could advance beyond their parent’s means. Our first of four
recipients, Monica, so inspires us. She is bright, gentle, and committed to healing. After Holy Trinity
Parish, Covina, put her through the University of Cape Coast ($1,500 per year), St. Paul’s has
contributed to her becoming a doctor. She is in her fifth of seven years of medical training and doing
very well. The $3,500 per year cost would have been inconceivable for this young woman, who was
destined to sell fabric at the open market, were it not for this parish’s generosity. She has chosen to
specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, and expects to practice in rural clinics where the needs are
varied.
In addition to our work within the Anglican Church in Ghana, St. Paul’s is bringing safe sustainable
drinking water to the Cape Coast Region of Ghana. The parish raised over $10,000 to bring water to
the people of Amoanda, Nsadwir, and Bibiani villages. The reports we hear from village elders of
decreased child mortality draw straight lines from this parish’s stewardship to lives saved.
Our mission trips continue to be a source of transformation for those who have taken the plunge to
make a pilgrimage to a most unlikely place and for the many parishioners who provide pencils, soaps,
and other basics for delivery to churches and villages. Our hope is that the youth of the parish will
join us on a pilgrimage one year.
As the face of St. Paul’s ministry in Ghana, we know that by ourselves we could accomplish little.
Together, we are making a difference!
Doug and Lynn Edwards
Finding Hope in Hard Times continued from page 6
they drive. We may have a stronger sense of community at work, church, or the gym – or even in
the virtual world. A sign of commitment to a community is our willingness to sacrifice something to
meet the needs of others. As the body of Christ, our faith communities can demonstrate Christ’s
love in practical ways.
Action: Spend some time getting to know the needs of your neighbors, your
colleagues, and the people you encounter every day. Where do you see need?
What can you do to help?
Pause for Reflection: In what ways can we share as a faith community? How does the
sharing in the early Church shape how we give today?
You may find the following prayer helpful: O God who is Three in One, living in perfect
community; grant us the desire to transform our communities, that we might reflect your love,
grace, and generosity as we minister to others in your name. Amen.
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Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage PAID
Permit 320
Oxnard, CA
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
3290 Loma Vista Road
Ventura, CA 93003-3002
805-643-5033
www.saintpaulsventura.org
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Weekly Worship
Sunday
9:00 am Holy Eucharist
(Rite I and Rite II alternate
Sundays during August)
Wednesday
9:15 am Healing Liturgy
Bible Study
Wednesday
4:00 pm Romans (Library) childcare
avail.
Friday
6:30 am Men’s group (Coco’s) Call Rod
Weldon 643-3095 for information
Looking Ahead - August
9
11
8:00 am Building & Grounds
(Youth Rm)
5:00 The Crux (Church)
14
7:00pm Stewardship (Library)
20
Family to Family (Ventura Ave.)
28
7:00 pm Vestry Meeting
(Gooden Center)
nd
2 Saturday – The Crux
5:00 pm Contemporary
Sunday School begins at 9:00 am. Ages 5 through 5th grade meet on the
Labyrinth with Carin Knutson. Grades 6th through 12 meet in the Youth
Center. Childcare is provided in the nursery for children younger than
four. Activity bags for all children are available in the church narthex.