Many hands are at work beautifying the entryways to our church. Please take a moment to look around and notice the new paint, and artwork, etc. (New lighting coming soon!)

May 9, 2013

Dear Friends of St. Peter’s,

It is hard to believe that this year will mark my third anniversary here at St. Peter’s. It is also a significant year in the larger life of St. Peter’s, as it is has now been ten years since Fr. Alan Richardson’s passing. While that tragic loss was well before my arrival, I know from my time here, that he is still very fondly remembered by many, and has left a wonderful legacy at this church.

On Saturday June 22^nd at 4pm, therefore, we would like to invite you to gather with us, remember Fr. Alan, and celebrate his life and ministry with St. Peter’s. There will be a Eucharist, with wonderful music, and a reception following. As a part of this celebration, we will also be dedicating the Sun Porch (west entrance) of the church, which we are currently refurbishing. It will be a permanent symbol of the Theology of Welcome that was so important to him; and his ministry with and through St. Peter’s.

I hope you can join us in taking time to honor Fr. Alan’s exceptional leadership. Donations in Alan’s memory, toward the improvements of the west entrance, can be made out to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, with that designation on the memo line.

Blessings!

The Rev. Jeanette M. Repp

Rector

Sunday, June 23 @ 9:15 a.m.

Friday, June 14, 2013 @ 7 p.m. at the Grand Annex (434 West 6^th Street).

Cost: FREE.

An Award-winning Documentary

Episcopalian Bishop Eugene Robinson of New Hampshire has two loves:  his love for God and his love for his partner, Mark.  Gene Robinson is the first openly gay person to become a bishop in the historic tradition of Christendom.

His consecration in 2003, to which he wore a bullet-proof vest, caused an international stir.

The film follows Robinson from small-town churches in the New Hampshire North Country to Washington’s Lincoln Memorial to London’s Lambeth Palace, as he calls for all to stand for equality – inspiring bishops, priests and ordinary folk to come out from the shadows and change history.

Location: the Grand Annex
434 W. Sixth Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
(310) 833-4813
just a few doors east of the Warner Grand Theatre (click here for map).

Flier: please click here to download a flier about the film.

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs] “Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death,” Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori rejoices in her Easter Message 2013.

The following is the Presiding Bishop’s Easter Message.

Easter Message 2013

Rejoice, rejoice and sing, rejoice and be glad… for earth and heaven are joined and humanity is reconciled to God! [1]

As the Lenten season ends in Easter rejoicing, note what has been wrought in you this year.  A remarkable cross-section of America has been practicing Lenten disciplines, even some who are not active Christians. [2]   There is a deep hunger in our collective psyche to re-orient our lives toward life and light, healing and peace.  We share a holy hunger for clarity about what is good and life-giving, and we yearn to re-focus on what is most central and important in life.

Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death.  God re-creates and redeems all life from dead, dry, and destroyed bones.  We are released from the bonds of self-obsession, addiction, and whatever would steal away the radical freedom of God-with-us.  Our lives re-center in what is most holy and creative, the new thing God is continually doing in our midst.  Practicing vulnerability toward the need and hunger of others around us, we have cultivated compassionate hearts.  We join in baptismal rebirth in the midst of Jesus’ own passing-over.

The wonder of the resurrection is upon us once more.  May we embrace God’s ever-new life with every cell of our being, every yearning of our soul, and every muscle of our will.  Christ is risen, death is vanquished, humanity is restored to holy and creative relationship with God’s ongoing and eternal liveliness.  Praise God who brings light out of darkness, life out of death, and newness out of the stale and moribund.  Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

[1] From the Exsultet, Book of Common Prayer  pp 286-7
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/16/us/a-ritual-of-lent-attracts-nonbelievers.html?_r=0

Original Article: http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2013/03/19/presiding-bishops-easter-message-2013/

On Saturday May 4th, 2013 – St. Peter’s joined the annual Crop Walk!
We walked for our health. We walked for local charities.  St. Peter’s folks met on the walk at Barbara & Paseo del Mar in San Pedro.

Please stay tuned for our next St. Peter’s Kids Afternoon Out, as it will be fun for all ages!

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer.  It sings because it has a song.”  - Chinese proverb

[Episcopal Public Policy Network] The following message comes from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

The United States has witnessed far too many public shootings in recent months and years. Far too many lives have been cut short or maimed by both random and targeted acts of gun violence. The school shooting in Newtown was horrific, yet since that day several times as many young people have died by gunshot.

It is abundantly clear that Americans are ready to grapple with the complexities of gun violence. The Spirit is moving across this land to mobilize people of faith to act. I urge the United States members of this Church to call your federal legislators on Monday 4 February to express your concern and your expectation that gun violence be addressed. The outlines of the necessary policy decisions are clear and widely supported: limits on sales of military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, effective background checks for all gun purchases, better access to mental health services, and attention to gun trafficking.

We believe all God’s people should be able to live in peace, as Zechariah dreams, “old men and women shall again sit in the streets…And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing.” The prophet reminds his hearers that even if this seems impossible, with God it is not. [Zech 8:4-6] I urge you to add your voice to those clamoring for peace. Call your legislators and sue for peace.

What you can do now
1. Share this message – You can forward this message here. You can find sample posts for Facebook and Twitter here.
2. Make an announcement at church – The National Council of Churches has samples messages for sharing with your church, here.
3. SIGN THE PLEDGE – Sign the pledge to change our culture of violence here.
4. Identify your members of Congress – In case you don’t already know who your members are, you can look them up here. Have their names ready for Monday’s call-in day.

What you can do Monday, 2/4
Call your members of congress – Dial 1-888-897-0174 to reach the Capitol switchboard and ask for your member of Congress. When you are connected, tell the staff person:

“I am a constituent and an Episcopalian, and I am calling to urge [name member of congress here] to support policies that will change the culture of violence in our country. We need legislation that limits sales of military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, requires effective background checks for all gun purchases, provides for better access to mental health services, and directs attention to gun trafficking.”

Repeat for your other two members of Congress.

Original article can be found here.

Lenten Series – with Mother Cindy
Forgiven and Forgiving, by L. William Countryman
Books will be available for $10 each.

Book Description: “Only the strong can forgive. God, who is strongest, forgives best,” writes Dr. L. William Countryman in this fresh look at forgiveness. Unlike most books on the subject, Forgiven and Forgiving is not about a step-by-step process. Rather, it is about conversion. Once we truly understand the depths of God’s love for us and know deep-down that we are forgiven, we begin to see the world anew through God’s eyes. Only when we are able to accept God’s forgiveness for ourselves can we offer forgiveness to others. Biblically based with sound academic research, yet written in a conversational style, Forgiven and Forgiving offers valuable insights for clergy, laity, and church study groups. L. William Countryman is an Episcopal priest, professor of New Testament at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California, and the author of The Good News of Jesus, Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny?, Language of Ordination, and The Mystical Way in the Fourth Gospel: Crossing Over into God (Trinity Press International), and Living on the Border of the Holy: Renewing the Priesthood of All.