Published by and for The Members and Friends of
St. Augustine by-the-Sea Episcopal Church

January, 2010 - Vol. 41, No. 01 - Search

New Years Prayer Lord, I confess before you that: I have had longings and nudges from you, which I did not translate into action. I have made decisions without consulting you, then have blamed you when things went wrong. I have said that I trusted you, yet have not turned my affairs over to you. I have been greedy for present delights and pleasures, unwilling to wait for those joys which time and discipline alone can give. I have often sought the easy way, have consistently drawn back from the road that is hard. I have been fond of giving myself to dreams of what I am going to do sometime, yet have been so slow in getting started to do them. Forgive me for all the intentions that were born and somehow never lived. And now I claim your promise to change me. Do for me what I cannot do for myself. Lead me into a new tomorrow with a new spirit. Author Unknown

Search Committee Forming
by Darrel Menthe, Senior Warden
In January and February, 2010, the Vestry will begin the process of putting together a formal "Search Committee" for a new rector.

The work for the Search Committee will begin in late spring, after the completion of the Parish Profile, and will likely last throughout 2010. It will involve regular committee work, evaluation of answers to written questions, and review of biographical and other application materials. MORE…

Save the Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
by Gretchen Haight
Many parishioners have asked how they might participate in the process of finding our next rector. The vestry is planning a special day, set aside for all of us to get together, share our stories, and discern where and how God is calling our parish to grow in His work in the world. MORE…

Who Will Be Our Next Rector? The Process Begins
by Gretchen Haight
An important first step in the search for a new rector is the creation of the Self Study Committee, a group formerly known as the Profile Committee. By renaming the process, the diocese is calling us to go deeper. MORE…

Ten most often asked questions
1.Why does the minister wear a dress on Sunday? - Well, technically, it's not a dress. Vestments are the distinctive dress worn by persons who conduct public worship. Originally they had no ecclesiastical significance, but were simply the normal secular dress of the Roman Empire. Over the centuries, as secular fashions changed, the Church retained the old-fashioned garb, which had been the clothes of early saints and martyrs. As time passed, these originally everyday garments gained symbolism. MORE…

Episcopal 101, Part One: Anglican and Episcopal History
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, missionary activity of the infant Church was limited to the Jewish/Christian synagogues as the disciples awaited the imminent return of Christ. After the martyrdom of St. Stephen in about 35 A.D. and even more so, after the destruction of the Temple by Roman troops in 70 A.D., the Gentile and Jewish-Christian sects split which in turn led to the scattering of the Gentile mission and the spread of the Gospel beyond Palestine. MORE…

Episcopal 101, Part Two: The Sacraments
In response to the question: "What are the sacraments?" from the Catechism we read: "The sacraments are outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace." (BCP pg. 857) "What is grace? Grace is God's favor toward us, unearned and undeserved. By grace, God forgives our sins, enlightens our minds, stirs our hearts and strengthens our wills." (BCP pg. 858) There are two great sacraments − called "great" because they were given by Christ to Christ's Church. MORE…

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