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

November, 2009 - Vol. 40, No. 11 - Archive - Search

The Bookstore is Stocked With Lots of New Stuff by Marla Murphy and the Bookies If you are having trouble gearing up for your holiday shopping, the bookies are ready to help. If you're crunched for time or money, fill out a shopping sheet on the sign-up table outside and drop it off in the store before church. Stop in later to see our ideas for you. We have stocking stuffers and office gift exchange ideas. We can suggest something for your cranky uncle and your niece's new baby. New stuff: "What Would Jesus Wear" fridge doll with magnetic clothes, a pocket Jesus, and a new dashboard Jesus. We now have pretty dog leashes; and funny earbuds for your iPod. Girlie Things: Wild trouser stockings; cosmetic and canvas bags; new Anne Taintor and Bad Girl art on lots of accessories. Guy Stuff: Solar flashlights; pens; desk clocks. For the Babies: Wooden puzzles and bookends; soft books and tea sets; dolls; baby Bibles, hoodies and onesies. Gourmet Gift Ideas: Chukar chocolate covered cherries and nuts; Chicken Bones, Peppermint Straws, fair trade olive oil and preserves, and a full line of St. A's mustards and jams. Back in stock: A new selection of reading glasses from +1. 25 up to +3.00; crocodile staple removers; wind-up sushi; funny kitchen timers; fair trade dishcloths and candle holders, and new items from Sonoma Lavender. And so much more… Always check the marked-down table – we add things every week. Have some fun in our bookstore this holiday season.

Creationism: The True Story
by the Reverend Hartshorn Murphy
All ancient peoples had creation myths. One of the most powerful in the Mediterranean world was the Babylonian Myth, created some 1800 years before the time of Jesus. In this Epic Poem, divine beings are under attack by the ocean goddess Tiamat and so they create a hero, Marduk, as their champion. MORE…

The Creation
by James Weldon Johnson
And God stepped out on space and He looked around and said, "I'm lonely – I'll make me a world." And far as the eye of God could see, darkness covered everything. Blacker than a hundred midnights down in a cypress swamp. MORE…

Stewardship Reflection One – First Fruits
by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy
In Numbers we read: "On the day of the first-fruits, when you make your offering of new fruits to Yahweh at your Feast of Weeks, you are to hold a solemn assembly; you must do no laborious work. You must offer as a holocaust, an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh …" Numbers 28:26-27. MORE…

Stewardship Reflection Two – The "Faithful Steward"
by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy
The word "steward" comes from the Old English stiweard – stig – meaning hall and ward – meaning keeper. A Steward therefore conducts, manages, and supervises something entrusted to their care by another. A steward is a caretaker and a manager.

In the Old Testament, we first encounter this image of humankind as God's agent in Genesis, as we read: "Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. God blessed them and God said to them: be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." Genesis 1:26-29 MORE…

Meet the Rev. Katie Derose
Bishop Talton has appointed the Rev. Kathryn Pitkin Derose as a "vocational deacon" here at St. A's. Her first Sunday will be October 25th. As a perpetual deacon, her role (as was that of Pat Hendrickson before her) will be to bring the concerns of the world (in her case, health care in underserved communities) to the church and to bring the church (us) to the concerns of the world. MORE…

Report to the Congregation
from the Rector Search Committee
We do not have a happy report to give. We have not been able to find a suitable candidate for this church, though we have one promising prospect. Thank you for your suggestions. We have followed up on each one with interviews or by calling at least three references. The following is our confidential report. MORE…

A Lament for the Children of Violence
- adapted from a litany of the Iona Community
A sound is heard in Ramah,
The sound of bitter weeping.
Rachel is crying for her children;
She refuses to be comforted;
For they are dead. MORE…