56 pancake dinners were served at the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on February 21st. Father Joel initiated the talent show with a slightly improved rendition of the same repertoire that he has performed on his guitar for the past five years. This broke the ice for jokes from Barry Phillips and John Vesecky. John Martin regaled us with songs by John Denver and Bob Dylan. Orville Canter was the newly discovered talent of the evening with his complex chord progression and arpeggio on the guitar. John Vesecky threatened to bring his ukulele next year.

Lots of fun, fellowship and food at Bingo Night on February 16th. A record number of gamers were present. Calvary parishioners were winners of some of the bigger games: Lucky Seven, Texas T and, Black Out. 

Prayers for The Great Litany were offered twice at Holy Eucharist on February 26th, once during Sunday School and once at the Monday Night Coffeehouse. The young people wrote their own supplications and prayers which included: “Help us to share our stuff with others:” “End war;” and “Help the poor” the response to each prayer was “Savior hear us!” About 25 people from the Monday Night Coffeehouse precessed around the church and city parking lot using the Elizabethan form of the Great Litany with an enthusiastic response to each petition: “Lord we beseech thee to hear us!” 

The Reverend Cathy Crow spoke at ECW on February 24th to a well attended luncheon. Cathy spoke on women of the early Church and was well received. Her talk complemented nicely a presentation made by Sarah Peterson last year at which she reflected on the lives of women in the Bible.

The Pilot Shelter Program at Calvary Church officially began on February13th. Monitors were trained and mattresses were procured. However, there were no guests forthcoming, due to a delay in the vetting process at the Homeless Service Center. We do have guests slated for March 5th with the Vestry also acknowledging the vetting of persons at the Monday Night Coffeehouse as also qualifying to stay at the shelter. 

For insightful understanding of the emerging church movement, all of Diana Butler Bass’ books are strongly recommended.  Many in the parish have already read Christianity for the Rest of Us. And some have read A People’s History of the Church as well as Imagining the New and Old Church.  Dr. Bass explores the recent phenomenon of the emerging church and historic church to discern the characteristics of growing, energized churches in complex cultural environments.

In their book The Hospitality of God, Bishops Mary Gray-Reeves and Michael Perham share their understanding of  emerging churches in the Anglican communion.  Specifically Bishops Mary and Michael investigated 16 emerging Anglican churches (8 in the UK and 8 in the United  States).  Their writings have been useful input for  the Committee on Growth (COG)

Bishop Ernest Shalita traces his life journey in his autobiography From Goatskin to Woolen Suit.  Bihsop Shalita was raised in a home without a wooden floor and was first sent to school with a goatskin as his only piece of clothing.  He would later be instrumental, as Dean of the Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda, in negotiating the difficult relationship between the Church of Uganda and the dictator Idi Amin.  Bishop Shalita witness phenomenal growth in the church.  In his diocese the number of churches grew from 3 congregations to over 140 churches during his ministry as bishop.  Bishop Shalita’s ministry has always placed a priority of reaching out to the marginalized in society.  Particularly significant was Bishop Shalita’s inclusion of Pygmy people into the life of the church and the building of orphanages and schools. All of these books will be available at our Coffee Hour book table.  See Al Reetz or Patrick Dexter.

ECW Diocesan Luncheon: Sally Green was honored as Woman of the Year from Calvary Episcopal Church, and all enjoyed a luncheon menu prepared by the ECW ladies.  Proceeds went toward supporting the UTO Thanksgiving offerings.   This year some of the money raised went to purchase a four-wheel vehicle for the Diocese of Western Tanganika, our sister diocese to the Diocese of El Camino Real.