Listening Sessions
 

The next listening session available is a Zoom session on October 3rd from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.   The link for that is:
 https://www.diocal.org/venue/zoom/ 
The link to get more information about the Listening Sessions is:  https://www.diocal.org/calendars/listening-session-online-zoom-meeting/
 

Annual Convention Resolutions

There are five resolutions before the Annual Convention. Two resolutions are to amend governing documents of the convention.  The three non-governance related resolutions before the Annual Diocesan Convention address the following three topics: 

1. Addressing Christian Nationalism
2. 50th Anniversary Triennium of the Ordination of Women and Local Commemorations
3. Diocesan Support for the Association of Episcopal Deacons

I addressed the first of these resolutions last week.  The second of these affirms the General Convention Resolution 2024-D055, 50th Anniversary Triennium of the Ordination of Women, and calls for its celebration and observance in our diocese. As part of our triennium observance, the Convention acknowledges these following local ordinations held in the Diocese (Grace Cathedral) which will be commemorated:

• the 60th Anniversary of the service in which the Rt. Rev. James Albert Pike, Fifth Bishop of California, recognized the Rev. Phyllis Edwards as an ordained deacon on September 13, 1965, making the Rev. Edwards the first ordained woman in The Episcopal Church;
• the 50th Anniversary of the ordination of the Rt. Rev. Bavi Edna “Nedi” Rivera, D.D. as a deacon by the Rt. Rev. Victor Manuel Rivera (III San Joaquin) for the Diocese of California on June 28, 1975, making the Rev. Nedi Rivera the first female transitional deacon of Latin American descent. She was subsequently ordained by the Rt. Rev. Chauncie Kilmer Myers, Sixth Bishop of California, to the priesthood on May 5, 1979.  Later the Rev. Dr. Rivera would become Bishop Suffragan in the Diocese of Olympia on January 22, 2005, and the first Latina bishop in The Episcopal Church;
• the 40th Anniversary of the service in which the Rt. Rev. William Edwin Swing, Seventh Bishop of California, ordained the Rev. Fran Toy, D.D. as a priest on June 8, 1985, making the Rev. Dr. Toy the first Asian American female priest in The Episcopal Church;
• the respective ordinations of the Rev. Barbara Bender-Breck, J.D. on June 1, 1994 (31st Anniversary) and the Rev. Katherine Ward, Ed.D. on June 1, 1995 (30th Anniversary) by Bishop Swing marked the first Afro-American female priest and the first Afro-American female rector in the diocese;
• the 20th Anniversary of the service in which Bishop Swing ordained the Ven. Cn. Carolyn Bolton as a vocational deacon on December 3, 2005, making Archdeacon Bolton the first Afro-American female vocational deacon in the diocese; 

This resolution also tasks the Bishop to create and appoint an advisory group of six to nine members, comprised of deacons, priests, and laity who represent the diverse constituencies of the Diocese to assist in coordinating and planning these and other possible commemorations in DioCal as well as communicating with other Dioceses, Communion Partners, and the Episcopal Church Center as necessary; and that the advisory group shall have renewable 1-year terms, sunsetting on May 31, 2027 at the end of the commemorative triennium before the 82nd General Convention. More information regarding this resolution can be found at https://www.diocalconvention.org/175-convention/2024resolutions/ordination-of-women-anniversary-and-phyllis-edwards/
 
Please share your reaction to this resolution with either of your Deanery representatives --- Tony Mei and Harry Lehmann, so they can best represent the desires of our parish.
Next week we will summarize the third resolutions and the two governance resolutions.

-Tony Mei

Please consider singing with the choir to help St. Francis prepare for and have a wonderful Advent and Christmas season this year. Rehearsals are only one hour (6:00pm to 7:00pm) on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. Please speak with Ray for more information! 

So, come one, come all that would like to try the choir as a ministry that is a fun, learning experience and the chance to make beautiful music together.

- Ray

Curious about why our weekly e-newsletter is called The Transitus? The name comes from the most important feast day in the life of St. Francis, his death on October 3 and his entrance into the joy of our God. This is known as the Transitus, or Journey. Just as Francis was sent into new life, we pray our community worship, events and education help send you into new life - a journey -  as well!

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