Message from the Rector

“The Birth of the Word in the Soul”

This quote is from Meister Eckhart, a German philosopher and Dominican theologian who lived c.1260 – c.1328. It was the most pervasive theme in Eckhart’s preaching. He especially preached on this theme during the Advent and Christmas seasons, and it represents the essence of his teaching about the nature of our union with God; or, in the language of Sermon 53, how we are “formed anew into the simple goodness that is God.”More >

Events

Sweet Music
The season of Advent is always a wonderful time in the musical year of the church. We all have memories of beautiful holidays past with choirs, bells, concerts and parties. We at St. Aidan's hope to have more of these meaningful events in the next few weeks. The choir will present an Evensong service on December 2 to be followed by the annual Christmas party. If you would like to participate in this service we can find something for you. Singers are always welcome, even if they say that they do not sing!! We have a procession which invites rhythm instruments, and both adults and children are invited to ring bells.

Our plans for the weekend of Christmas include the Childrens' Pageant on Sunday, December 23, and a special family service on Christmas Eve at 4:00. We especially invite you as families to participate in the music for the family service. Singers and instrumentalists are welcome. There will also be a Midnight Service beginning at 10:30. This service will include the reading of the lessons with carols and the celebration of the Eucharist.

Please join us for this festive season of music and joy.

Sara Banta
Minister of Music

Vestry Nominating Committee
At the November Vestry Meeting, a Vestry Nominating Committee was delegated with the responsibility of preparing a slate of candidates for the Vestry to be voted on at the Annual Parish Meeting on January 20th, 2008. If you are interested in serving on the Vestry, being a delegate for Diocesan Convention, or would like to suggest a candidate, please speak to a member of this committee (Patricia Clifford, Chris Soper, and the Rev. Joyce Stickney) soon.

Annual Advent Party and Carol Sing
Sunday night, December 2nd, we invite you to gather at the Rectory to usher in Advent with our world-famous potluck dinner (victuals lovingly prepared by some of the finest chefs on the West Coast – our parishioners), caroling, and time of good cheer. We’ll begin around 5:30 PM (after Evensong in the church at 4:30), and there will be activities and a program for children, too. This is a great event to invite your friends and neighbors to!

Christmas Greenery and Music
Donations are being collected this month for the greening of the church and special music on Christmas Eve. Please make a notation on your check if you are donating to this or use the envelopes located in the church entry.

Epiphany Celebration
On the Feast of Epiphany, Sunday, January 6, the Rev. Kathie Clark will be our guest preacher and celebrant at both services.

Annual Meeting
Save the date – January 20th after the 10 AM service for our annual meeting. Committees and leaders of the various parish ministries are invited to submit reports.

Meet the new Interim Dean and President of the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont
Many of you met the Very Rev. Mary June Nestler the former dean and president of ETSC who is now on the Cathedral Staff with the Diocese of Utah. The Very Rev. David Jackson is the new interim dean and president of ETSC and will be with us as celebrant and preacher on Sunday, Dec. 30th at both services. Please welcome him!

Away for 2 Weeks
The Rev. Joyce Stickney will be away on vacation Dec. 26 – Jan. 10 celebrating the New Year in Costa Rica with family. If there is a pastoral emergency, please contact the church office for the priest on-call.

Dorcas House

The Children at Dorcas House - Christmas is fast approaching! It’s time for us to remember the children at Dorcas House in Tijuana, Mexico. Each year St. Aidan’s provides pajamas or sweat suits for each of the forty children who live at Dorcas House. They are there because a parent is serving a prison sentence in Tijuana.

We have a list of the boys and girls, their sizes and ages. If parishioners choose a child they can purchase pajamas or sweat suits for him or her. Then, return the gifts wrapped and ready to deliver by Sunday, December 9.

Any questions about this longstanding St. Aidan’s project should be directed to: Sky Stipanowich through the Church Office @ 310:456-7966.

Gracias and Feliz Navidad!

Service Opportunities

Looking for an opportunity to be of service to St. Aidan’s and the community? Here are some areas that are always in need of assistance:

AIDS Luncheons:
Prepare sandwiches or donate a casserole for the AIDS luncheon, hosted by St. Aidan’s four times a year. Dates will be announced well in advance. If you can spare a half a day, help deliver and serve the food at the AIDS luncheons at USC Hospital.
Contact: Fred Cornett

Malibu Labor Exchange:
Teach English to men and women at The Malibu Labor Exchange while they wait for employment. Half an hour a week, one hour a week, or whatever time you can spare.
Contact: Patricia Clifford

Party Planners:
Volunteers are always needed to help organize St. Aidan’s events. We need volunteers to prepare food, arrange flowers or decorate venues. Whatever time you can give is greatly appreciated.
Contact: Lorraine Senna or Patricia Clifford

Coffee Hour:
Sign up to host a coffee hour after the 10:00AM service on Sunday

The 2007 Directory

The 2007 Directory is now available! Please pick up a copy on Sunday in the Parish Hall. A hearty thank you to those who produced it: JoAnn McCrea for hours of data entry; Lorraine Senna for the beautiful cover design and editing; and Pete Tompkins for the much needed formatting and printing. Thank you so much for helping us be in touch with one another.

Sunday School News

Season's Greetings!

'Tis the season for giving thanks, and 'tis definitely my favorite time of year! Sure, it's insanely busy and the hustle and bustle seems to increase exponentially every year, but to me it's absolutely worth it to have the warmth (supplied by a cozy fireplace, a gingerbread latte or the current 80 degree weather) of the holidays at hand!

In the spirit of the season, here are some important Youth & Family Ministry/Sunday School Announcements:

1. Beginning Sunday 11/18, Sunday School will be held in the pre-school (we've beta-tested this set-up for the last couple of weeks, and it's worked well). However, through the end of the year, all kids should still gather in Parish Hall.
2. During the month of December, we will be working on the annual Christmas Pageant. Please note that this year (since it is so close to Christmas itself) the Christmas Pageant will be held on Sunday December 23 during the 10am service. SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THIS MONTH (as it is always, of course)!!!
3. We are forming an exciting new Youth & Family Ministry Committee at St. Aidan's! The committee's intention is to help cultivate and support the growth and transformation of our parish's Christian Education program (Sunday School included). If you are interested in participating in this ministry or just have some ideas, please call, email or find me on a Sunday morning!

Peace and blessings,
Lisa Devine
Director of Youth & Family Ministry

Stewardship Update

We just celebrated Thanksgiving – a time to pause in our hectic lives, reconnect with family, and give thanks for our many blessings. We are now in Advent – a season of preparing for the coming of our Lord Jesus. Advent culminates in the greatest gift of love that God could give – His Son. We honor this gift by sharing gifts with loved ones on Christmas.

Stewardship is often seen and felt as a duty. Many of us respond with the bare minimum we feel we can get away with and still satisfy this obligation. I encourage you to see stewardship in a new light – a light of thanksgiving and joyful sharing of God’s gifts to us.

As I write this stewardship update the day before Thanksgiving, we have received 57 pledges . Almost 50% of the pledges received so far are the same as last year. In the spirit of the Widow’s Mite, some of us are on fixed incomes or facing hard times. What ever you can give is a blessing.

Many of us are giving what is comfortable. Some have still not pledged. Let’s reframe our stewardship. Let’s pledge gifts that reflect our thanksgiving for God’s many gifts to us and joyfully give back to God through our St. Aidan’s family.

Last year 66 families pledged. We need everyone’s help – everyone who pledged last year and new pledgers. Imagine a generosity that enables us to easily cover our increased operating costs and joyfully give to the needy in our community.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow.

Joe Pickard
Treasurer

St. Aidan’s Personals

The Treasury of our Hymn Book (Ancient and Modern)

By May Weidermann

May I share with you some thoughts and verses from a few hymns of which I am especially fond and which speak to me. Most practically, I respond to our Eucharistic hymns.

“And so we come;
O draw us to thy feet,
Most patient Saviour,
Who canst love us still!
And by this food,
So awesome and so sweet,
Deliver us from every touch of ill:
In thine own service
Make us glad and free,
And grant us nevermore
To part from thee… “
(#337, William Bright, 1824-1901)

More >

A Christmas Prayer

Dolores Kozielski

Today Lord I have a plan
I will take one person and feed that person
And that person will take another person and feed him
And before you know it no one is hungry.

Today Lord I have a plan
I will take one woman and laugh with her
And that woman will take another woman and laugh with her
And before you know it every woman is laughing.

Today Lord I have a plan
I will take one child and teach that child loving-kindness
And that child will take another child and teach loving-kindness
And before you know it all children are loving and kind.

Today Lord I have a plan
I will take one man and show him mercy
And that man will take another man and show him mercy
And before you know it all men are showing each other mercy.

Today Lord I have a plan
I will tell one woman that she is indispensable
And that woman will tell another woman that she is indispensable
And before you know it every woman is indispensable.

Today Lord I have a plan
I will nurture one boy and set-aside time for him
And that boy will nurture one girl and set-aside time for her
And before you know it every child is nurturing and caring for each other.

Today Lord I have a plan
I will be at peace with all humankind
Even though all humankind is not at peace
And before you know it my thought is the spark of knowing
That peace to all humankind is possible.

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December 2007

Worship & Education

Come join us, building up the Spirit that reconciles, loves, guides, & empowers us in Jesus Christ.

Sunday Schedule:

8:00 AM
Holy Eucharist - Contemplative service.

10:00 AM
Holy Eucharist - Traditional & contemporary music.

10:00 AM
Sunday School - For children of all ages.
Lisa Devine, Coordinator
call (310) 457-7966

11:15 AM
Coffee Hospitality – A time of community – to connect, to talk, to share. To volunteer refreshments call (310) 457-7966 or email: office@staidanschurch.org

 

For All Who Suffer In Body & In Spirit…

Jack Roe, Allie Mei Stevenson, Don Burchett, Leo Najar, Maurine Ford, Patty Henning, Don McCrea, Randy Holland, Dale & Rindy Eichs, Robert Leach, Jon Carlos, Herman Gold, Merle Hogren, Patty Monahand & Family, Shirly Babcock, Polly & Ben Holmes, Peg, Robert Wagner, L,inda Riddle, Joan Fontaine, Max Toberoff, April, Ron, Hylda, Virginia Johnson, Connie Davidson, Jamie Sheridan, Warren Kramer, Sandra, Peggy, Dave, Janet, Frank, Ed Milkovich Sr. (Ed’s dad), Gy Waldron, Ruth White. Bobby Becker, Sidney P., Dawn Schmitz, Gracie, Cyndie Gully, Helen Russell, Betty Jones Dominick Senna, Jim McGee, Victoria Montes, Bill McIntyre, Jody, Tanner, Terry DeWolf, Barbara Rude, Judi Kaufman, Bill Musselman, Frank Ohm, Anna Russell, Ben & Helen Matthews

For All Who Have Died...

Don Henry, Gail Mayo, Nancy Parks, Milton Sarpy, Jason Burchett, Ben Satterfield, Clayton Hammond, Rex Pompelli, Jane King, Vera Becker and Milo Muslin, Jr., Mike Schilz, Eunice Ford, Zonetta Sarpy, David Baker, Ian Ferns, Theo McIntyre & William Weissberg

 

Church Staff & Officers

The Reverend Joyce Stickney, Rector

Chris Soper:
Sr. Warden, Vestry

Joe Lopez:
Jr. Warden, Vestry

Joe Pickard:
Treasurer, Bookkeeper

Jim McGee:
Clerk

Lisa Discola:
Parish Administrator

Lisa Devine:
Sunday School

Sara Banta:
Music Minister & Organist

Kathy Cook:
Preschool Director

Ministries

Altar Guild:
Barbara Bacon, Julie Johnson

Centering Prayer:
Paul Elder

Education, Adult:
Chris Soper

Education, Youth:
Michael Lansbury

Hospitality/PR:
Lorraine Senna

Fundraising:
Premilla Arasasingham

SAHS (High School):
Jim McGee, Ceci Najar

Lectors & Acolytes:
Fred Cornett

Long Range Planning:
Jeff Kramer, Lon Porter

Newmembers/Alumns:
Patricia Clifford

Newsletter Editor:
Mike Lansbury

Outreach:
Patricia Clifford

Planned Giving:
Mark Glattly

Physical Plant:
Joe Lopez, Don McCrea

Preschool Liaison:
Michael Lansbury, Cindy McConnell

SABEL:
Dona Bigelow

Stewardship:
Vestry

Worship:
Margaret Bowles, Rebecca Sprigg