Wednesday, April 23, 2025
#952
Seeking to live Christ’s love in a caring and inclusive community
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
(John 20:26-31)
A Message from Bishop Steven Charleston:
“It is not all about me, but when it is, it is good to know I have not been forgotten. Spirit watches over the great events of our time, just as Spirit watches over you and me. We are never out of the loving gaze that has guarded us since we first stood up to walk.” And one more: “One kind act can heal a hundred hurts. We do not have to be rich or powerful to help. What we do adds up; it makes a difference. Your help may be the tipping point. So roll up your sleeves and joyfully do what you can. You are Spirit’s partner in change.”
(Editor’s Note: Steven Charleston is a Native American spiritualist who lives in Oklahoma and posts daily meditations on Facebook [Steven Charleston | Facebook]. He is also the retired Episcopal Bishop of Alaska, and has written several books on spiritualism. He has two new books coming out this year: Spirit Wheel: Meditations from an Indigenous Elder and We Survived The End of the World: Lessons from Native America on Apocalypse and Hope.)
Upcoming Events:
| April 23: | Administrative Professional’s Day | |||
| April 23: | Lunch Bunch | |||
| April 27: | Vestry Meeting | |||
| May 3: | World Labyrinth Day: Walk as one at one — Labyrinth Walk at 1:00 p.m. | |||
| May 6: | Caregiver Recognition Day — (see note below) | |||
| May 17: | Hoedown and Chili Cook Off — to support theHealth Ministry’s goal to obtain an AED |
This Week at St. Columba’s
| Wednesday 4/23 | WEDNESDAY EASTER WEEK |
| 12:00 Noon | Lunch Bunch — Parish Hall |
| 2:00 p.m. | Craft Group — Parish Hall |
| 7:00 p.m. | Women’s AA — Parish Hall |
| Thursday 4/24 | THURSDAY IN EASTER WEEK |
| 9:00-10:00 a.m. | Project Hope — Parish Hall |
| 11:15 a.m. | CLC in the Mary Chapel |
| Friday 4/25 | FRIDAY IN EASTER WEEK |
| Saturday 4/26 | SATURDAY IN EASTER WEEK |
| Sunday 4/27 | SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER |
| 9:30 a.m. | Holy Eucharist — The Rev. Michael Anderson, Presiding In-Person Worship and Livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook |
| 10:30 a.m. | Coffee Hour — Parish Hall |
| 11:45 a.m. | Vestry Meeting |
| 4:00 p.m. | Boy Scouts — Parish Hall |
| Monday 4/28 | SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST |
| 6:00 p.m. | Boy Scouts — Parish Hall |
| Tuesday 4/29 | CATHERINE OF SIENA, Mystic and Prophetic Witness, 1380 |
| 10:00 a.m. | Staff Meeting — Parish Office |
| Wednesday 4/30 | SARAH JOSEPHA BUELL HALE, Editor and Prophetic Witness, 1879 |
| 11:15 a.m. | CLC in the Mary Chapel |
| 2:00 p.m. | Craft Group — Parish Hall |
| 7:00 p.m. | Women’s AA — Parish Hall |
Morning Prayer and Thursday Eucharist Schedule—There will not be Morning Prayer
or Thursday Holy Eucharist April 21- May 1. The regular schedule will resume the week of
May 5.
Special Notes:
The online Calendar for St. Columba’s has been updated! Check it out at:
- For links to Holy Women, Holy Men posted (listed by month and date or follow the alphabetical listing), visit:
https://stcolumbaca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WIL-authenticity.pdf
(see also the link below to the Lectionary Calendar)
- To find the Lectionary for any Sunday or Holy Day, visit:
Lectionary Calendar – The Episcopal Church
Prayer Requests Procedures—Praying for others is an important part of our worship experience and essential that it hold spiritual meaning. Prayer is integral to our community, and we would love to pray for you. To add or remove someone from the prayer list, please email the church office at office.manager@stcolumbaca.com or call 805.482.8831.
Those Requesting Our Prayers for Immediate Needs:
Robert, Richard, Kandis, Patricia, Teri, Sara, Carrie, Jenna, Kim, Joan, Candice, Dana, Chase, Betty, Susan, Millie, Justin, Jerry, Ann, Bruce, Keli, Chris, Gail, Maggie, Eileen, Declan, John, Emily, Allison, Linda, Mary, and Lisa
We Pray for All Those Serving at Home and Around the World:
Jesse, Liam, Matthew, Matt, Jonah, and Chris
Fr. Michael is available to any who desire the Rite of Reconciliation (Confession). To arrange an appointment, please email (Michael.anderson@stcolumbaca.com) or call/text 626-228-8917.
Would you like to use a website for daily reflection? Try Pray as You Go. They have an ap for smartphones that you may download for free. Using earbuds or headphones can make this helpful a private time for spiritual reflection. Pray as you go – Pray as you go (pray-as-you-go.org)
We give thanks for all members of our St. Columba’s parish family.
Holy One, you are our comfort and strength in times of sudden disaster, crisis or chaos.
Surround us now with your grace and peace through storm or earthquake, fire or flood.
By your Spirit, lift up those who have fallen, sustain those who work to rescue or rebuild,
and fill us with the hope of your new creation; through you, our rock and redeemer.
– Jesuit Prayer
You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.
Morning Prayer
Mondays and Wednesdays, Fr. Michael Anderson invites you to join him in the Chapel to start your day with Morning Prayer at 9:00 a.m., on Mondays and Wednesdays. All are welcome. (NOTE: There will not be Morning Prayer or Thursday Holy Eucharist April 21- May 1. The regular schedule will resume the week of May 5.)
Sunday School
For Sunday worship, students will start in the Nave with the parish and then walk together to our new class space in the Children’s Learning Center. They will join back with the congregation at the “Peace” to share in Communion with their church family
Francina Anderson will be teaching the class, and she is a gifted teacher, who brings a calm, gentle approach to ministry. She is excited for the opportunity to help children, youth, and families to grow in faith and experience more deeply the love of Jesus.
Youth Group News – Calling all Middle School and High School Students!
Sunday, May 4 and May 18, will be the dates for the upcoming Youth Group meetings. Meet in the parish hall at 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for lunch, games, and Bible Study. Francina Anderson and Eleanor Tyas leading this group and are excited about supporting the young people of the congregation. Email Francina for more info: francina.anderson@stcolumbaca.com.
Health Ministries – Parish Nurse Office Hours
St. Columba’s Health Ministry is delighted to announce that a Faith Community Nurse will be available for private meetings on most Tuesdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the church office. The Parish Nurse is able to offer:
- Blood pressure checks
- Health education and resources
- A compassionate ear and caring heart
An appointment is suggested—but feel welcome to drop by anytime during the above hours. For those unable to visit the office, home visits can also be arranged.
Questions or Assistance? Contact Teri Helton at 805.312.1631 or teri@terihelton.com.
Financial Update for April
The reports from Gail Hill, Treasurer, may be found at:
https://stcolumbaca.com/financial-updates/
Labyrinth Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross will be available at the labyrinth starting on Palm Sunday, April 13. Printouts will be available on the narthex table and at the labyrinth. These can be used with the corresponding numbered stations on the labyrinth.
St. Columba’s “Greg and Nancy Larkin Labyrinth” is available during daylight hours for anyone who wants to set aside some time to walk with God. You may walk the Labyrinth during this period. Kindly follow good practices of social distance. Also, note the helpful labyrinth walking guides posted under the tab “Labyrinth” at the top of this web page.
May 3, 2025: World Labyrinth Day
Every year on the first Saturday in May thousands of people around the globe participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace and celebration of the labyrinth experience. Many “Walk as One at 1” local time to create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next, and there are additional ways to participate. Read more!
World Labyrinth Day is an annual international event founded by The Labyrinth Society (TLS) in 2009. World Labyrinth Day in Educational Settings was initiated by the Australian Labyrinth Network (ALN) in 2019 in collaboration with TLS.
In 2021, TLS and ALN also partnered with Veriditas and Legacy Labyrinth Project to bring together engaging events, labyrinth-based research, helpful resources, and a vibrant new website dedicated to World Labyrinth Day.
Join us at the St. Columba’s labyrinth at 1:00 pm on Saturday May 3rd for World Labyrinth Day as we “walk as one at one”. Thousands of people around the world participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace. As we all walk at 1:00 pm in our own time zone, we participate in a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next around the globe.
Our guided labyrinth walk will be led by facilitator Linda Devenstedt. All are welcome. A time of fellowship and light refreshments will be available after the walk. Seated finger labyrinths will also be available.
The labyrinth is located behind the church in the labyrinth garden.
The Larkin Labyrinth is open for walkers any time during daylight hours. The labyrinth is an ancient form of walking prayer; ours here at St. Columba’s is a quarter mile from start to finish. With no choices to make other than at what speed one walks, the mind is free to listen for that still, small voice of God. At the same time, the pathway is intricate, calling one to focus on the labyrinth more than the world outside, if only for the brief time it takes to walk.
Three Congregations Taizé
If you’re interested in a contemplative, meditative type of worship, the Three Congregations (Camarillo United Methodist, Mount Cross Lutheran, and St. Columba’s Episcopal Churches) are offering in-person Taizé-style prayer, held in the intimate setting of the Mount Cross sanctuary (102 Camino Esplendido, 93010) generally on the 2nd Friday of each month, at 7:00 p.m. For those unfamiliar with this type of prayer, Taizé is an international, ecumenical community in France, dedicated to peace and reconciliation, whose prayer includes meditative singing, scripture, silence, and spoken prayer. The meditative singing of simple refrains repeated many times allows the words—often as simple as “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”—to truly settle into our hearts.
Then Next Three Congregations Taizé will be May 9.
If you are interested in participating as a musician, lector, or intercessor, please contact the Mount Cross office (office@mountcross.com or 805-482-3847).
Return to Communion Common Cup
We have returned to the ancient practice of a common cup.
- Some may choose no Communion wine. The Church has always taught that to receive Communion in one kind is to receive the full grace of the sacrament.
- Take a sip from the cup.
- Intinction: The Eucharistic Minister will take the host from your hand and intinct, dip the wafer in the chalice and place it back in your hand.
We have now returned to using the Communion rail. Please use the handrails at the left or at the right at the Chancel steps if you are the least bit unstable at using the steps. For those who wish to avoid the steps altogether, we will have a LEM to distribute the bread and wine in the Mary Chapel. Or if you would rather not come forward to receive Communion, notify an usher and the bread and wine will be brought to you in your pew.
Worship Beyond Sunday Mornings
This month, our non-Sunday morning services will be as follows:
- Morning Prayer on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. in the Mary Chapel.
- Thursday Morning Eucharist is on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. We meet in the Mary Chapel.
- Three Congregations Taizé at Mount Cross: With the growing partnership of the Three Congregations (Camarillo United Methodist, Mount Cross Lutheran, and St. Columba’s Episcopal Churches), we will be bringing back an in-person Taizé-style prayer, held in the intimate setting of the Mount Cross sanctuary (102 Camino Esplendido, 93010) on the 2nd Friday of each month, for this month: February 14, at 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday Morning Digital Eucharist services may be viewed at any time (click here) or click on the “Welcome” tab on the menu at the top of any page on the St. Columba’s website.
Notes Concerning Facebook streaming of services:
If you are unsure of how to view the videos, a link is provided to give some instruction; a quick tutorial on viewing the video, including instructions on displaying the clip in full screen mode as well as instructions on how to adjust the volume, click here.
Simply go to the “Welcome” tab on the menu bar at the top of any page of the St. Columba’s website to find the links to the videos, help, and downloadable service bulletins.
For any who are having trouble connecting to our online services, Tim Helton has offered to assist. Tim may be contacted at 805-231-6986, or by email at tim@timhelton.com
At the bottom of each page of the St. Columba’s website, you will find a red icon. This is a “widget” button that will take you to our St. Columba’s YouTube channel. The Livestream team is pleased to announce that it is now streaming the Sunday services to YouTube as well as to Facebook. You can reach either channel by clicking on the appropriate icon at the top right hand side of our web page (https://stcolumbaca.com). Happy viewing!
St. Columba’s Project Hope Food Pantry
Donations Needed
Thank you all who provide us with plastic grocery bags! We continue to need the bags—please bring your bags in—we
pack them with fresh produce for the families each distribution. We continue to serve about 65 families in need three times a month. A dozen parishioners help in this process—getting groceries and produce, packing bags, taking bags out to family cars, and delivering to those who can’t pick up. And, importantly, many of our parishioners have generously donated money for us to buy groceries and produce or brought items in for us to use. Many of you made donations to the CROP Walk in March—many thanks! Our Food Ministry receives a nice donation from CROP each year that we participate. We thank everyone for all you have done and will continue to do this year! Please contact Maurice Hill if you are interested in participating in this ministry.
As we continue to do serve our Project Hope families, we need the following items: cereal, oatmeal, pasta sauce, pasta, canned soup, mac & cheese, canned tuna, canned chicken, fresh bread, toilet paper, paper towels, and Kleenex. If you would like to donate any of these items, you can bring them on Sunday or drop them off at the parish hall during the week. Alternatively, you can donate to our Food ministry fund, by indicating “Food Ministry” in the memo of your check. Your support is so appreciated by our food clients who truly need our help! Your support is so appreciated by our food clients who truly need our help. Thank you! And, last but not least, thank you to all our volunteers!
Food Pantry
You can also donate to St. Columba’s, and we’ll do the shopping. Just indicate “Food Ministry” in the memo on your check. Your support is so appreciated by our food clients who truly need our help – thank you for your donations and thank you to our volunteers!
Lunch Bunch will be Wednesday, April 23. Come and enjoy lunch and fellowship, hosted by Michele Hauser, Diane Off, Beanie MacLaurie, and Jarrel Fuller, at Noon in the parish hall. Sign up on the bulletin board in the narthex.
Flower Chart for 2025
The 2025 Flower Chart is posted on the closet door in the Narthex. To sponsor the altar flowers:
- Put your name next to the date of choice.
- Fill out the form in the basket at left on the table below the chart.
- Enclose a check ($50 for the High Altar)
- Put the form in a colored envelope from the basket.
- Deliver the envelope to the Parish Office.
It is helpful to receive the from well in advance of the date of sponsorship to help in bulletin preparation. Call Marjo Grdner with any questions.
In case you haven’t taken the opportunity, there is a copy of our current Church Directory on the table in the Narthex. Please check your information. If it is correct, please put a checkmark next to your name. If there are corrections or additions, please print those neatly in the directory or email the office (office.manager@stcolumbaca.com) with the updates.
Health Ministry Event
Join us for St. Columba’s Episcopal Church’s first-ever Hoedown on Saturday, May 17! This exciting event will support the Health Ministry’s goal of purchasing an automatic electronic defibrillator (AED). Sign up in the narthex to volunteer or participate. If you’re interested in competing in the chili cookoff, be sure to contact Teri Helton at teri@terihelton.com —only 10 spots are available!
Let’s get into the mood: click here to watch YouTube
Mountain Fire Assistance
Wildfire Response Fund
Episcopal Relief & Development is offering technical support to partners in California that are being affected by the devastating and fast-growing Palisades, Woodley, Eaton and Hurst fires. Emergency responders are currently working to contain the 100 mph wind-fueled fires that are consuming the dry land. At least five people have died and around 130,000 people have had to evacuate their homes. Places of worship, businesses and other buildings have been heavily damaged. There are widespread power outages impacting hundreds of thousands of people. Please pray for the people affected by the wildfires. Supporting the Wildfire Response Fund will help communities around the world respond to the impact of fires. You can donate here:
https://bit.ly/ERDWildfireResponseJan2025.
Note: The photo above was taken by Robyn Migel, and shows the destruction of the home of the Migel family. The location is on Fair Oaks Avenue, Altadena, CA. Robyn is the daughter of Gwen Waite.
Episcopal Relief & Development Donations Needed
Contributions to the campaign will benefit the Global Needs Fund–a critical resource to help continue work in Episcopal Relief & Development’s focus areas. Support of the campaign will be used by our partners to make a lasting impact through long-term programs in their local communities, focusing on:
- Supporting young children’s development through nurturing care throughout Africa
- Reducing gender-based violence and support women’s financial self-sufficiency globally, including Liberia, Vanuatu and Honduras
- Investing in at-risk communities to help them adapt to climate change in places experiencing chronic drought like Tanzania, Angola and Brazil
- Responding to global disasters, wars and other crises, and accompanying people as they recover
101 Reasons to be an Episcopalian
#40: “I am an Episcopalian because it is the one from of the tradition that enables me to still call myself a Christian. It allows me to think and feel deeply in a life that is grounded in tradition and yet is always open to change. I sometimes think of Anglicanism as the Zen Buddhism of the West. I love it because schism is a greater sin than heresy. I would much rather be with someone who loved me than with someone who could define love”
Alan Jones, Diocese of California
We invite you to share part of your journey with us. Here at St. Columba’s, we don’t have all the answers, but we will gladly join you in exploring the questions.
Here is a link to the website for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles:
More from The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations
A Prayer for Peace in Israel and Palestine
Supporting humanitarian response to the crisis in Ukraine
One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal
Your support of the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal directly assists congregations working to meet unforeseen, unbudgeted expenses – from repairing a roof to sheltering unhoused neighbors.
Congregations seeking Annual Appeal grants are encouraged to review the application and FAQ information available via the “donate” link below.
To all donors, thank you! And to all who are considering a gift, please follow the link to contribute today.
Dear Friends,
Click the link to read and download a PDF of The Church at Work. Feel free to pass the link along to a friend or print a copy for your parish. In addition, the online document contains links that will take you to related webpages.
In the newsletter, you will find stories to preview our gathering in Baltimore, Maryland, for the It’s All About Love Festival this July. We hope to see you there!
Please let me know what you think about receiving a downloadable PDF. – Julia Alling.
Consider making a gift today to the BLESS Appeal
- Online
- Call: (800) 344-7626 ext. 6002
- Text: ‘Appeal’ to 91999
- By Mail: The Episcopal Church DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church US, PO BOX – 95893, St. Louis, MO 63195 -8983
- Stocks or securities: please contact T.J. Houlihan at thoulihan@episcopalchurch.org or (800) 334-7626 x6271.
Thank you!
We are all branches of the same vine.
We are one in the Spirit and in the body of Christ.
