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.

Dream Dreams

The Flame for Friday, September 11, 2026

The dream of a better world – more just, compassionate, respectful, peaceful, loving – is much on my mind today, the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9-11. Over the last several days people across this country have been remembering so much that was lost – not only particular people, including several with Bay Area ties, but also open, embracing frames of vision. I think of the anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant bias that intensified so fiercely across the U.S. in the wake of the attacks, how laws and policies shifted to justify the loss of civil liberties, setting precedents that continue to reverberate widely across our body politic.

I trust that each of us will have marked this day in a way that meets us where we are. Some of us will have gone to special worship services, read stories, watched films, or taken time in quiet. I have felt the need to move through this time listening to the wisdom of those who have persisted in dreaming dreams, even when those dreams have been diverted or thwarted.

I encountered such wisdom last Friday and Saturday as I attended a conference in Minneapolis, “Full & Equal: 50 Years in Pursuit of a Promise.” It brought together people from across The Episcopal Church to share stories of the work over the last five decades to uplift and empower LGBTQIA+ people in our church, inspired by a resolution passed by the General Convention in 1976. I saw a number of people I’ve known for years but don’t often see. One of those, whom I actually did see recently at St. Aidan’s, was Bishop Nedi Rivera. As she shared in this ENS article about the conference, she was there in part because she has grandchildren who are gay and trans, and “wanted to learn how to be a better ally with them and ‘how can I make a world that is better’ for them.” Than you +Nedi.

It was wonderful to connect with so many people who are committed to the work before us, learning from our history – its victories and its struggles – to meet the moment we are in now, to join afresh in the dreaming of dreams.

Bishop Gene Robinson preached at the closing Eucharist on Saturday (which you can watch at this link – the service starts at the 20 minute mark, and the sermon at ~35 minutes in). He spoke about dreams and dreaming. A dream is “the collective work of a community who envisions something better for themselves and for the world and then works like crazy to make it happen.” In addition to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, I was reminded of Verna Dozier’s The Dream of God.

“Dreaming has always been a part of our identity,” Bishop Gene said. Dreams dreamt by people long before 1976 have been passed along to us, and we stand on their shoulders. We inherit from them and other forebears the ability to dream dreams – as Peter proclaimed, via Joel, in the Acts Pentecost story (Acts 2:1-21) – and to live into them, hanging in there as we struggle to help them come to pass, and handing them on to generations after us.

Meanwhile, Bishop Gene continued, in the interim period between the dreaming of dreams their fulfillment, as we struggle, we need to live in tents like Abraham, Sarah and their children. That flexibility and portability is “part of what resilience is.”

In that in-between time, we also have to keep cultivating the audacity to imagine ourselves into the dream. Peter’s walking on water is an example of this. It’s a story we heard in church just a few weeks ago (Matthew 14:22-33). “He dreamed the dream of himself walking on the water, and then he found the courage to get out of the safety of the boat. Because, truth be told, before Peter or any of us can walk on water, we have to first imagine it and then get out of the damn boat.”

But another feature of this interim-dream-time is allowing ourselves to be sustained when we are weary or fall. Peter actually walked a few paces on water in the Matthew story before he was overcome by fear. Then “Jesus was there to scoop him up” when he began to sink, “when his dream faltered.” We have to imagine the dream, get out of the boat, and then lean on God to carry us, often in the form of the people around us.

It was at this point that Bishop Gene told a story from early in his episcopacy in 2003, as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. Fellow bishops at a House of Bishops meeting were speaking about him and churchwide reactions to his ministry as if he wasn’t in the room. He “had just about had it.” At a break he went outside to pull himself together. Then Bishop Barbara Harris – the first woman in the history of the Anglican Communion to become a bishop – came up behind him. Without a word, she “put her arms around [him], just held [him], and then walked away.” He continued, “I just want to witness to the fact that there are lots of ways to be scooped up by Jesus.”

Today and the days surrounding it mark a time of remembrance, of grief, of awareness of the profound gap between the dream of God and the moment we are in. In this place, I for one need to be reminded of the presence, the love, the power that meet us here, reminding us of our power to dream dreams. That even as we falter, as people in this world fail or thwart us, the dream of God and our call to join in realizing it remains.

Thanks be to God for leaders like Bishop Gene and Bishop Barbara, for all the people in community who encourage us to dream dreams, who help us to live into them, and encourage us when we struggle, and draw us onward to dream again.

Peace,
Cameron

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our St. Aidan's Women's Spirituality Group will meet via zoom Saturday September 12th 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 Gardening - upcoming dates

We are continuing with the second Saturday of the month at our usual 12:30-2 pm time and our next dates will be Sept 12, Oct 10, etc. Please reach out to Margaret at mdyerc@stanford.edu with any questions.

Sept 15: Public Meeting at St. Aidan's Church to meet the District 8 Supervisor Candidates
Date: Tuesday, September 15
Time: 6:30-7:45 PM (Doors open at 6:15 PM)
Location: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church

This event is hosted by the Diamond Heights Community Association (DHCA).
Join us for an informal community conversation with the four candidates for District 8 Supervisor. Unlike a traditional forum, this event is designed to encourage direct engagement between candidates and community members.

BINGO, BINGO, BINGO. It is true that Bingo is coming to St. Aidan’s on Saturday, September 19, from 5:00 to 8:00. Please get your tickets for a family-friendly early evening of dinner, drinks, merriment and of course Bingo! Bingo players of all ages (particularly on the younger side) are invited to come and have fun on Sept 19. Prizes including a grand prize for the finale game are available for the Bingo winners.

Cost: Under 18: No charge for dinner/drinks and one bingo card, and additional bingo cards can be purchased for $5 each;

Over 18: $20 for dinner/drinks and one bingo card and additional bingo cards can be purchased for $10 each.

Scholarships are also available, so don’t let costs stop you from an early evening of Bingo fun.

Wrestling with the Scriptures meets every fourth Tuesday at 10:30 am (via Zoom). The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 22. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org.

St. Francis and St. Clare Day is coming!
The Feast of St. Francis, which we put together with the Feast of St. Clare, is always a big day here at St. Aidan’s.

On Sunday, October 4th in both services parishioners are invited to bring their companion animals to receive a blessing. Additionally, at the 10:00 service, it will be possible for animals to be blessed on zoom. We welcome these beloved animals to receive their blessings.
Sunday, October 4th, Blessing of the Animals, Upper Douglass Dog Park, Douglass at 27th, 12 -1.
Sunday, October 4th, Multi-Faith Companion Animal Memorial Service at 2:30 at St. Aidan’s. This is a time and place to come together to remember, celebrate and say “thank you” to beloved animal companions. Participants are invited to bring mementos to add to the altar of honor we will create for our animal companions.

"Celebrating Audacity" with former Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori Sunday, October 18

Join us at Grace Cathedral for evening Eucharist at Grace Cathedral on Sunday, October 18th at 6pm with Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. Bishop Katharine is coming to DioCal to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of her election as Presiding Bishop and the 50th anniversary of the first women ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. Bishop Katharine will preach as well as speak on a panel prior to the 6 PM service. More details forthcoming about panel timing, but mark your calendars now!

New Jim Crow Anti-Racist Book Group, Sunday, October 25, 4:30 pm, via Zoom, (note the later start by 30 minutes). We’re reading Devil in the Groveby Gilbert King. Please feel free to reach out to Deacon Margaret with any questions at mdyerc@stanford.edu.

Remembering Pat Kleinberg
We were very sorry to learn recently that Pat Kleinberg has died. Pat was a member of another San Francisco congregation but participated in several St. Aidan's ministries and events over the years, particularly activities with a multi-faith theme. She was part of our ELM (End of Life Ministries) Committee efforts in its earliest years. She also contributed three reflections to our Blue Christmas services. In 2019 she talked about Elizabeth, Mary, and Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:39-56). In 2020 she reflected upon “And He Shall Feed His Flock” from Handel’s Messiah. Her 2021 reflection – the only on for which we have a video (linked here at 4:47) – lifted up the difficulties and disappointments that can attend the Christmas season. Pat was an interfaith minister who volunteered at the Sequoias in San Francisco. She was also learning to become a death doula. All of us who worked with her or had the opportunity to sit and talk with her remember her with love and appreciation. Her memorial service is not yet finalized but will be taking place at the Unitarian Universalist Church of San Mateo later in September. May she rest in God’s deep peace with the saints in light.

Opportunities for Immigrant Solidarity

Several local organizations offer opportunities to stand with immigrants facing Trump administration attacks.
Faith in Action(www.faithinactionba.org): Local branch of a national community-organizing group anchored in faith communities around the country. In the Bay Area they focus on housing and immigration. Opportunities include:

Immigration Court. Accompany immigrants to their court hearings. You’ll need at least conversational Spanish, and you’ll be trained before you get started. For more information and the sign-up link: www.faithinactionba.org/accompaniment.
Rapid Response Network (203) 666-4472: Faith in Action operates the San Mateo County Rapid Response phone network, providing information for immigrants and their supporters in the whole Bay Area, not just San Mateo. Call the number:
- If you or a loved one has been detained by ICE
- If you learn that someone has been detained by immigration enforcement
- If you see ICE activity in the community
- If you need accompaniment at an ICE Check-In or court appearance
- If you need support filling out your asylum paperwork within the first year of entering the country
- If you think immigration enforcement is contacting you by phone call or text message

Immigration court demonstrations and vigils: Several groups maintain a presence outside the immigration court at 100 Montgomery in downtown SF. Here are a couple:

Interfaith Court Vigil (www.im4humanintegrity.org/category/events/): Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday every week. Sponsored by the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. Click here to sign up: bit.ly/CourtVigilVolunteer.
Tuesday and Friday demonstrations: Loosely organized, pretty confrontative demonstrations, called by Democratic Socialists of America and others.

Immigration Court Observers: The National Lawyers Guild trains non-lawyers to participate in observing and documenting what happens in immigration courts in S.F. Click here for more information: nlgsf.org/programs-committees/nlg-sfba-programs/immigration-justice-program/

Comprehensive action calendar: (www.actiontogetherwest.org/bayarea) A project that grew out of the 2016 Pantsuits Nation group, this is a very well-maintained and up-to-date calendar of resistance activities in the Bay Area.

Men's Group: Saturday, February 7, 9-10:30 am, via Zoom. We will connect for prayer, study and fellowship. All men are cordially invited. If you haven’t received connection information by October 30, contact Dave Frangquist (frangquist@acm.org).

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

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:

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

Hybrid In-Person/Zoom Sunday Worship

Sunday worship is hybrid at the 10 AM (not the 8 AM), with both in person and Zoom platforms available. We encourage you to connect with worship in whatever way is most accessible for you.

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