St. Aidan's Episcopal Church
The Flame
Each week we send out an e-newsletter, the Flame. It includes a reflection by Cameron, brief articles by parish leaders, community announcements, and the parish prayer list. On Saturdays we also send out "The Spark" with links to the Sunday Worship booklets and brief announcements. Past issues of both the Flame and Spark can be found here. If you would like to add someone to the prayer list for the Flame and the Sunday bulletins, please reach out to our parish administrator. To ask for prayers from the Prayer Chain, please reach out to Lois Roach here.
Sanctuary Rising
The Flame for Friday, May 9, 2025
Last Sunday our combined 9 AM worship was followed by a lively Quarterly Parish Meeting inviting us as a community to discern how we are called to practice sanctuary. We began by pointing to the discernment we did in 2017, inspired by the DioCal convention’s sanctuary diocese resolution. We also recalled that St. Aidan’s practiced sanctuary in a variety of ways long before 2017, dating back to the 1980s. But how are we called now? What practical actions are we inspired and able to take in this moment, and in the months to come? How can we open our ears and our hearts to be more informed—informed by what is happening to and among marginalized communities and ways that others are responding so that we can join wider efforts? We are already familiar with the power of acting across communal and religious lines from our work with Faith in Action over the years. What further opportunities might open up for collaboration and solidarity? How might our sanctuary practice emerge in connection with the Community Kitchen and our food ministries? With our ongoing work through Vital + Thriving? All of these questions informed our conversation as we broke into small groups.
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Among the emphases that groups raised was the importance of drawing from trustworthy and informative news sources. Gary Ost graciously agreed to compile a list of his go-to sources— it is included in the announcement section below. Gary also shared that he frequently attends the Episcopal Church Public Policy Network’s weekly Zoom calls. In these meetings, as their website explains, “a grassroots network of Episcopalians from across the country dedicated to carrying out the Baptismal Covenant call to ‘strive for justice and peace’ through the active ministry of public policy advocacy” gathers to discuss the work they are doing. “Facilitated by the Office of Government Relations, this network helps influence the development of legislation and policy of the U.S. federal government on critical issues.” You can sign up to be part of these calls at this link.
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The Office of Government Relations also publishes a weekly call to prayer with special collects written to address particular, pressing areas of struggle. This week’s collects lift up prayer for Religious Freedom; for those who rely on safety net programs; for the United Nations Forum on Religious Issues; for Gaza; for trans members of the military; and for India and Pakistan. I commend them to you at this link. “As one church united in prayer, we name reality, create space for grief, and embrace hope. These prayers ground us in faith and guide our actions—whether advocating for justice, supporting our communities, or seeking peace.”
As it happens, the Office of Government Relations is now also starting a new series of half-hour long webinars, “‘The Episcopal Church in Conversation With...’ where we highlight in conversation church leaders focusing on critical issues of our day.” I will be participating in this series two weeks from today at 10 AM in a session that will highlight “ways to learn more about the threats to the trans community and offer ways for you to stay informed, engaged, and supporting.” You can register at this link.
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St. Aidan’s is also going to host a gathering from 6-8 PM on Friday evening, June 6th for a Pride poster-making pizza party. Anyone in our community and from around the diocese is invited to come together in a space of sanctuary welcome to have fun preparing for the various Pride marches and gatherings around our area – in San Francisco and beyond.
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We came up with a number of further action items, ideas, and connections, and you will hear more about them in the weeks to come. In the meantime, prayerfully consider how our sanctuary discernment as a community, our listening for God’s call to action, can come to us in this moment in time, locally responsive and yet connected far beyond ourselves.
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All of this brings to mind the scene from John 20:19-29, which we heard on the Second Sunday of Easter, in which the risen Christ meets the disciples fearfully gathered in the upper room behind locked doors. He comes into their midst an breathes on them, saying “receive the Holy Spirit.” He shows them his wounds, encourages them, and sends them out into the world as agents of resurrection renewal. This weekend, may this be our prayer:
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Breathe on us, breath of God, fill us with life anew, empower and embolden us with your life-giving Spirit. Amen.
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Peace,
Cameron
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community Kitchen Capital Campaign Update
The response of the St. Aidan's community to our proposal for a Community Kitchen has been truly amazing and heartwarming. The Kitchen Campaign dinner on April 5 turned into a grand celebration as we announced we were close to having the funds needed. Since the dinner, other pledges and gifts have come forth, and we are now confident that we can proceed with construction. At its April meeting, the vestry voted to go ahead and authorize the rector to enter into a contract with Midglen Studio. The next step will be to finalize drawings and apply for permits, with construction expected to start in the summer.
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Now that we know we will have the funds for construction, we are beginning to flesh out what else we will need to go along with the new kitchen, such as utensils and furnishings for a fully functional kitchen, plus new storage to replace what we are losing in the existing space. In the weeks ahead, the Capital Campaign Committee will be contacting members who have not yet had an opportunity to pledge or make a donation to this transformative project. We hope everyone will want to be a part of this community effort.
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Margaret Dyer-Chamberlain, Kate Fritz, David Mealy, Dave Frangquist, Cameron Partridge
Our St. Aidan's Women's Spirituality Group will meet via zoom tomorrow Saturday May 10th at 10:15. As before, we will have time for both checking in and personal sharing as well as time for spiritual growth. We are certainly open to formats and approaches such as reflections on a poem, scripture, narrative passage or another focus for our growth. We want our group to meet the needs and desires of those who participate. If you want to join us, and we hope you will, please contact Elaine Mannon at elaine@mannon.com to get the information for signing into our meeting.
Good News Gardens
Our next gardening date is tomorrow: Saturday, May 10. Timing – 12:30-2 pm. Here are our dates through June 2025 – they vary a little between first and second Saturday due to some commitments I have – I hope they work for most of us…… June 14. Please feel free to reach out to Deacon Margaret with any questions at mdyerc@stanford.edu.
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Solo Organ Concert by Mina Marie Jelinek for Trinity Wall St (NYC)
On Tuesday, 13 May 2025 at 10AM (PST, San Francisco-time), St. Aidan's Minister of Music, Mina Marie Jelinek, will give a solo organ performance for Trinity Wall St (NYC) which will be livestreamed at:
trinitychurchnyc.org
The concert is roughly one hour in duration and will include works by Demessieux, Grigny, Widor, and J.S. Bach. The livestream will pop up right at 10AM PST and should be found on the top banner anywhere on the website. Though she regrets she will be away, if you would consider attending via livestream, your presence and support would mean so much to her.
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Join Us for the Diamond Heights Blvd. Median Project Workday!
Saturday, May 17, 9 - 12 pm
This month we will try a new approach in an Eagle Scout Project by installing soil barrier cloth, planting ceanothus (California lilacs), and then spreading mulch on a portion of the median. Volunteers are needed to work with the Scouts on May 25 to help install plants anytime between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.
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9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. May 17th. Even an hour or two will help!
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Meet at St. Aidan's Episcopal Church on Diamond Heights Blvd. at Gold Mine Drive next to Safeway.
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No gardening experience required.
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Tools and safety jackets will be provided.
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Bathrooms are available.
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Recommended for ages 12 and above because of the traffic on the boulevard.
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Help keep Diamond Heights beautiful!
Help finding more volunteers is most appreciated! Please reach out to Betsy Eddy at dhcasf@gmail.com to let us know if you plan to attend.
Future Median Project Workdays will be Saturday, June 7, 8:30 to 12 noon for Public Works Neighborhood Beautification Day with lunch, t-shirts and lane closure, and then back to the third Saturday of each month.
The Median Project workdays are an all volunteer program to provide attractive medians. Though supported by
Public Works, the Dept. does not have the staff capacity to do the maintenance on the medians
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‘The Episcopal Church in Conversation With: The Rev. Cameron Partridge of TransEpiscopal’
Friday, May 23 from 10-10:30 AM
Cameron will be on a webinar/podcast, the first in a new series hosted by the Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations. As OGR's ad for the event describes it:
Join the church’s Office of Government Relations for a new series highlighting church leaders in conversation about current issues. This inaugural webinar will feature the Rev. Cameron Partridge, a founding member of TransEpiscopal and a rector in San Francisco. Learn more and register online.
Cameron will speak about his experiences as a trans clergy person, the current political environment, and the work of TransEpiscopal. We will share ways to learn more about the threats to the trans community and offer ways for you to stay informed, engaged, and supporting.
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Wrestling with the Scriptures meets every fourth Tuesday at 10:30 am (via Zoom). The next meeting will be Tuesday, May 27. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org.
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Pride Poster Pizza Party! Friday, June 6 from 6-8 PM
Join us on Friday evening, June 6th for a poster-making party to prepare for LGBTQIA+ Pride gatherings and parades in San Francisco and around the Bay Area in the weeks to come! We'll listen to music, eat pizza and get creative in community as we make posters. Our goal is to show up as queer, trans and allied Episcopalians, Christians, and people of faith at Pride events this year in a spirit of support, love, and unabashed queer joy. As Jesus declared to Lazarus... COME OUT!!
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Save the Date: Come & See - a Retreat for Young Adults by DioCal's Young Adult Ministry Working Group
The Young Adult Ministry Working Group is organizing a retreat for young adults (18-39) to fellowship, connect, pray, and rest.
Date: Friday, August 29 - Sunday, August 31
Place: Bishop's Ranch
Please fill out this form if you would like to be contacted when registration opens in June: bit.ly/ComeSeeRetreat
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St. Aidan's Gourmet Book Club
We will continue to meet via zoom with LeeAnn DeSalles serving as our zoom master. If you need the link or would like help with zoom, please contact LeeAnn at leeanndesalles@comcast.net. If you would like to be on the Book Group’s mailing list, please contact elaine@mannon.com.​
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Monday, June 2, 2025.7:00 p.m. Horse – by Geraldine Brooks – A story about humanity in all its ugliness and beauty as it depicts our unfinished reckoning with racism. Based on the true story of a record-breaking thoroughbred, Lexington. (416 pages)
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Monday, June 30, 2025. 7:00 p.m. The Light Eaters:How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers New Understanding of Life on Earth - by Zoe Schlanger (298 pages)
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The next Diamond Diners will be Wednesday, June 4th at the usual time and place: 12 PM in the St. Aidan's sanctuary. We look forward to enjoying lunch with you then!
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Sources for Factual News from the Rev. Gary Ost:
At our Quarterly Parish Meeting on May 4, Cameron asked me to submit some suggested ways to stay grounded in reality in the midst of deliberate attempts currently to normalize the untrue and the unholy. I recommend this list for fact-based sources of information to help “fight against all such injustice in the name of Christ,” as we promise to do in our Baptismal Covenant:
For reporting on the work of The Episcopal Church in this matter:
The Episcopal Public Policy Network; news, resources and how to sign up to listen to their weekly policy network calls on Thursdays, 10-10:30 am. PDT: EPPN sign up
For news:
The Guardian for international perspective: <info@email.theguardian.com>
The New York Times: na.nytimes.com
For sound journalistic reporting, try reading or listening via these links:
The Contrarian: contrarian+jen-rubins-morning-columns@substack.com>
Joyce Vance: Civil Discourse <joycevance@substack.com>
Heather Cox Richardson: heathercoxrichardson@substack.com
Dan Rather, <steady@substack.com>
To put things in bigger scientific, historical and theological contexts, try reading:
Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart, by Brian McLaren (Successer at Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation), St. Martin’s Essentials, 2024 St. Martin’s Publishing Group, New York
The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith and Refounding Democracy, by Jim Wallis (Founder of Sojourners magazine), St. Martin’s Essentials, 2024 St. Martin’s Publishing Group, New York
Origins: How Earth’s History Shaped Human History, by Lewis Dartnell, Basic Books, New York, 2019
Cosmogenesis: An Unveiling of the Expanding Universe, by Brian Swimme, Counterpoint, Berkeley, CA, 2023
The Once and Future Church: Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier, by Loren Mead, the Alban Institute, Inc., c/o Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC; 1991
And remember, we renew our faith in Jesus as our Only Lord by remembering how he first loved us—all of us!
By faith in Jesus Christ, Gary Ost
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Resources for Engaging in Anti-Racism, from Elena Wong
Thank you to Elena Wong for sharing this list of resources that were in turn shared with her through her membership in the Western Association for College Counseling:
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READ
Resources on talking to young kids about race and racism
The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine
“Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)
LISTEN (Podcasts to subscribe to)
1619 (New York Times)
Code Switch (NPR)
Seeing White Series on Scene On Radio
WATCH
13th Film (2 hours)
When They See Us (Four episodes)
DONATE
Color of Change
Southern Poverty Law Center
FOLLOW
Groups and people doing anti-racist work, such as @colorofchange @weinspirejustice @showingupforracialjustice
Contemplative Prayer: Tuesday & Thursday from 9-10 AM via Zoom
We offer Contemplative prayer via Zoom. Contemplative Prayer is silent with the beginning and ending marked by a bell. You can practice meditation, silent prayer, journal, or otherwise enjoy the collective quiet. Thank you to Susan Spencer for anchoring this practice. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org.
Morning Prayer: Mon, Wed, Fri at 7:30 AM - M/W Hybrid, Fri via Zoom
We offer Morning Prayer in hybrid mode (at church and via Zoom) on Mondays and Wednesday, and on Fridays via Zoom only. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org.
Evening Prayer: Wednesdays at 6:30 PM via Zoom
We offer Evening Prayer via Zoom. Readings for the day are from the Episcopal Church's daily lectionary or calendar of saints, and the service includes a brief reflection time on the readings. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org
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Hybrid In-Person/Zoom Sunday Worship
Sunday worship is hybrid, with both in person and Zoom platforms available. We encourage you to connect with worship in whatever way is most accessible for you.
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Mask Policy: We respect the preference of anyone who feels safer by masking. We continue to monitor public health advisories and may modify our mask policy, as appropriate. Please pray for the health and safety of all our members and friends as we continue to navigate this challenging time.
To add an announcement to the weekly bulletin of the Flame, please send your edited text no later than 11:00 am Wednesday to office@staidansf.org