#3 Blessed Sacrament Placentia 2013 March

THE BETHLEHEM
Hebrew for “House of Bread”
MARCH 2013
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.bsacramentchurch.org/
Finding a Grateful Heart
One of the invitations of our life with God is to acknowledge that place of wonder, reverence and thanksgiving
to the Lord for the graces in our life. Perhaps your Lenten journey could include asking the Lord to help you
connect with a deeper sense of gratitude for how God has been with you in the times of suffering, struggle and
difficulty.
Here are some thoughts from G.K Chesterton in The Autobiography:
“I invented a rudimentary and makeshift mystical theory of my own. It was substantially this; that even mere
existence, reduced to its most primary limits, was extraordinary enough to be exciting. Anything was
magnificent compared with nothing. Even if the very daylight were a dream, it was a day-dream; it was not a
nightmare. The mere fact that one could wave one’s arms and legs about…showed that it had not the mere
paralysis of a nightmare. OF if it was a nightmare, it was an enjoyable nightmare…No man knows how much
he is an optimist, even when he calls himself a pessimist, because he has not really measured the depths of
his debt to whatever created him and enabled him to call himself anything. At the back of our brains, so to
speak, there was a forgotten blaze or burst of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic
and spiritual life was to dig for this submerged sunrise of wonder; so that a man sitting in a chair might
suddenly understand that he was actually alive, and be happy.”
Psalm 103:1-5 teaches us about being satisfied with the Good:
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits---Who forgives all your iniquities,
who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Continued on page 2
2nd Annual Blessed Sacrament Church
Youth Camp
Friday, May 3—Sunday May 5, 2013
Thousand Pines Christian Camp and
Conference Center
NEXT BETHLEHEM DEADLINE
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
It is the bounden duty and service
of the people of this parish,
being part of the
one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church,
to worship God
as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ,
to become saints,
and to make disciples of all people.
All youth, age 10-18, are invited!
There will be great games, fun, food,
fellowship, music and Bible study. We
will be returning to Thousand Pines
Camp, near Crestline, for a second year, and staying
at the “Ponderosa Camp” there.
Costs for youth are minimal (we don’t want anyone
to hesitate because of price)—only $59 for the
entire weekend! Parents are also invited, but the
group meetings will be constructed for our youth.
Please invite guests! This is a great opportunity for
outreach and building our youth community.
Continued from page 1
For more information, contact Steve Classen
<[email protected]> or Ashley Nick
<[email protected]>.
Let us pray: Lord, I confess that too often I see the
glass as half empty instead of half full. I see
problems instead of potential, obstacles instead of
opportunities. Give me eyes to see the miracle of
life within me and all around me. Give me eyes to
perceive the grace of every human face, to marvel at
the movement of my limbs, to wonder at the wind.
This day, Lord, let me be amazed at this precious
gift of life you have loaned me.
……
Volunteer – Live Better,
Healthier, and Longer
How would you like to feel better, be healthier, and
live longer? One way seems to be – Volunteer! A
number of studies (“The Health Benefits of
Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research,”
www.nationalservice.org) show that those who
Lenten Action: In your journal or on a piece of
paper, draw a line down the middle of a page,
splitting the page into two columns. On the left side,
make a list of things for which you are grateful. As
God brings new blessings to your mind during the
week, add to your list. In the right hand column,
comment on these blessings, recording your
thoughts of amazement, wonder and joy.
volunteer benefit not only the organization or cause
they support, but also their own health and vitality.
Those who volunteer gain not only the satisfaction
of contributing to a worthwhile cause; they also gain
self-esteem, gratification, social interaction, and
health benefits. The above referenced report states,
“… that volunteers have greater longevity, higher
functional ability, lower rates of depression and less
incidence of heart disease.” That is a pretty good
return on investment, right?
Faithfully,
Father Brad Karelius, Interim Pastor
Credit: Lent and Easter Wisdom from G. K.
Chesterton, published by the Center for the Study of
C. S. Lewis and Friends.
2
H.I.S. House does have a paid staff including the
Director, Administrative Assistant, and Case
Workers, but all the rest of the work is
accomplished by – Volunteers. Charity’s Closet is
run completely by volunteers, and you can’t believe
the number of hours of volunteer effort that are
given each year – as well as the amount of money
provided to support the H.I.S. House operation.
SUMMARY OF ATTENDANCE & GIVING
ATTENDANCE
Average Sunday Attendance: 8:00
Average Sunday Attendance: 10:15
Average Sunday Attendance: TOTAL
GIVING
Average Weekly
Number of Contributions
Average Weekly %
of Parishioners
Contributing (of 127
distributed pledge
envelopes)
Total Average
Weekly Contributions
Average Weekly
Variance From
Budget (Budget=
$4238)
Monthly/YTD Variance From Budget
Our cadre of dedicated workers have forged new
friendships, maintained high social interactions, and
basically enjoyed what they were doing. Why else
would they be there? Everyone has something to
offer. It could be an area of expertise in marketing,
merchandise display, accounting, collectibles, or
simply a joy of working with people.
Needs include workers at Charity’s Closet, people
with trucks to help transport donated furniture or
deliveries of unneeded items to Goodwill, people to
answer the phone at the shelter, people to work on
resident events at the shelter, people to be mentors
to the residents, etc., etc., etc.
Whatever your talents, you would be welcomed into
the family of volunteers that allow Charity’s Closet
and H.I.S. House to function. In return you would
become healthier, happier, more fun to be with,
longer lived, better looking, and famous. OK –
maybe not ALL of these, but you get the idea.
JAN
YTD As Of
2-10-2013
26
26
58
58
84
84
27
29
21%
23%
$2,801.69
$3,928.78
($1,179.53)
($309.22)
($5,746.24)
($1,856.31)
ANALYSIS:
This chart shows the average Sunday attendance by
service. It also shows the average number of
contributions, percent of contributions (based on 127
pledge envelopes) and average amount of
contributions for the month of January. The Year To
Date (YTD) column factors in the first two weeks of
February to arrive at YTD averages. What isn’t
shown on this chart (but will be shown next month)
is a dramatic increase in the number and amount of
contributions in the second week of February which
accounts for the YTD totals being much closer to
budget than they were for the month of January. The
budget calls for total average weekly contributions
of $4,238.00 per week.
If you now feel the urge to get up off the couch, get
involved, get healthier, and have a good time doing
it, call the shelter (714) 993-5774 or Charity’s
Closet (714) 993-4687 to join the community of
volunteers. You’ll be glad you did!
Blessings,
Allen Sypherd, Past Chair
H.I.S. House Board
3
THE CHARLES WILLIAMS READING
GROUP . . .
. . . invites you to come and explore the writings,
times and colleagues of Charles Williams, poet.
For more than a year and a half,
the Charles Williams Reading
Group has been meeting, and
exploring together. Our Mr.
Williams was a contemporary of
Mr. Lewis, Mr. Tolkien, and
many other well known writers
and poets – and, during the Second War, a visitor to
the Inklings. He considered many of the same issues
and ideas, but always from a starkly different,
spiritual and almost self-educated direction. During
our time together, we have been ‘reading in a circle’
(reading contemporaneous works that ‘talk’ with the
Williams texts) to help understand not only
‘English’ prose of the early 20th century (not at all
‘American’!) but the context and ethos so that we
can better understand “what Mr. Williams was on
about”! (For those of you who may not know, Mr.
Williams wrote 7 novels, at least 4 volumes of
published poetry, three books of theology, perhaps a
dozen published plays; this on top of whatever else
he was asked (and paid) for by way of biography,
introductions to others’ books, periodical essays,
articles and reviews, and huge numbers of personal
letters.) Currently we are beginning The Descent of
the Dove, subtitled ‘a History of the Work of the
Holy Spirit in the Church.’
We meet the first and third Tuesdays, usually at the
home of Eliot Harry, at about 7:15 for tea, biscuits,
and conversation! Please contact either Eliot Harry
([email protected]) or S. Emily Evans
([email protected]) for information
and/or directions. We’d enjoy your companionship
on this adventure!
FR. BRAD KARELIUS, INTERIM PRIEST
JEFF GREEN, SENIOR WARDEN
JOHN TIFFIN, JUNIOR WARDEN
MARCY RATCLIFF, OFFICE MANAGER
MARION & THEO HETHERINGTON, REPORTERS
JAY DUFFIELD, EDITOR – [email protected]
4
BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH WOULD LIKE TO THANK THESE BUSINESSES FOR MAKING OUR NEWSLETTER POSSIBLE
Margo's
Flowers
YORBA LINDA
PLUMBING CO.
• Garbage Disposals
• Water Heaters
• Sink Lines Cleared
1280 N. Kraemer
Placentia, CA 92870
www.margosflowers.net
(714) 572-8878
Call 777-2717
10% OFF
4891 Main Street
with coupon
Since 1970
Green Cleaners
Taking care of you & your
clothes since 1965
• Delivery Service
• Drive-up Service
• 24 Hr. Drop Box
• Superior Cleaning and Finishing
Authentic Mexican Cuisine
• Laundry Fluff & Fold Service
Imported Beer
Take-Out Available
• Household Linens & Bedding
• Couture Clothing
(Menudo Sat. & Sun.)
• Alterations & Tailoring
204 E. Yorba Linda Blvd.
Placentia, CA 92870
714-524-7130
Open 7am - 9pm
714-993-7880
201 S. Bradford Ave.
Placentia
642 N. Rose
Placentia, CA 92870
714-524-9184
nortonscleaners.com
Residential • Commercial • Industrial
No Job Too Small or Large
• Troubleshooting
• Room Additions • New Outlets
• Lighting Installation
• Ceiling Fans • Circuits
Call: (951) 295-4399
LICeNSed CONTRACTOR
Fullerton
Since 1911
McAulAy & WAllAce
714-525-4721
Lic.#190
Blessed sacrament / 003
Mortuary and Florist
William H. McAulay
Funeral Dir. Lic. #289
www.cmpublications.com
Yorba Linda
Since 1976
714-777-2692
Lic.#1304
For information, please call (951) 776-0601
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
1314 North Angelina Drive
Placentia, California 92870-3442
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
THE BETHLEHEM
Phone: (714) 528-2995
Fax: (714) 528-2997
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.bsacramentchurch.org/