Christ Episcopal Church Sei Ko Kai

Christ Episcopal Church Sei Ko Kai 2140 Pierce Street, San Francisco, California 94115 January-February, 2003 Greeting the New Year Dearest Friends in Christ, The Christmas Season is ending, and now we look ahead to the New Year that lies before us. And there are many exciting things waiting to happen! Greeting the New Year is a time for looking both back and forward. We look back to consider what has happened in the past, and how it creates a basis for the present. We look forward to the future with hope, vision, and passion for our work and life. It s a time for celebration, those New Year resolutions, and a renewed sense of energy and hope. Thank you so much for making the past year so special for me and for many in our community. We look back at innovations in our worship life, successful fundraisers and social events in addition to furthering our Bible study, Japanese ministry, and work in the community. A very special thank you, as well, to all of you have made my being here possible and my recent ordination such a beautiful day. The love and hospitality of this community is infectious and a great gift! There are many things that await Christ Church in this New Year. First, we are beginning to look at ways we can be more collaborative with our tenant organizations, especially Alta Plaza Preschool. Second, we are starting up a process of inquiry for our entire community to look at who we are and who we are becoming. By the end of this new year, we hope that this will provide us the foundation to renew our ministries and begin new ones for our community and the communities we serve. Third, a number of us are planning to attend conferences, including Start Up/Start Over! in June that will help equip our community for creating a more abundant future. And fourth, we are gearing up to address some deferred maintenance on our facility. You can help with all of these new resolutions and new starts simply by showing up! Come and be present at our scheduled meetings, in our worship, in our gatherings. Make a resolution to get to know this community all over again. Make a resolution to see Christ Church and who we are in a new way. I m anxious to see what the Spirit holds for us this year. Come and watch and work with us! Faithfully, The Rev. Richard E. Helmer, Vicar phone: (415) 921-6395 fax: (415) 921-6422 e-mail: vicar@seikokai.org http://christepiscopalchurch.seikokai.org

牧 師 から 聖 公 会 の 皆 さんへ 2003 年 1--2 月 新 年 を 迎 えて 降 誕 節 もおわり 新 年 を 迎 えました 今 年 は いろいろすばらしいことが 起 る 年 になりそうで す 新 年 を 迎 える 時 は 過 去 をふりかえり また 将 来 について 考 える 時 でもあります 過 去 にな にが 起 ったか 思 い 出 して いまそれがどんな 形 で 活 きているか 見 直 します また 将 来 やりた いことや 生 き 方 について 希 望 を 抱 き, 未 来 像 を 描 き それにたいする 情 熱 をふるい 起 こします 新 年 はおめでたい 時 であり 新 年 の 計 を 立 て エネルギーと 希 望 が 沸 き 起 こる 時 です 昨 年 は 私 や 教 会 の 多 くの 方 々が 意 義 深 い 年 として 生 きることができました 皆 さん あり がとうございました 聖 書 研 究 日 本 語 の 礼 拝 社 会 奉 仕 などを 実 践 するかたわら 信 仰 生 活 に 新 しいものを 取 り 入 れ 多 額 の 基 金 を 集 めたり さまざまな 行 事 を 催 したりしました また 私 をこの 教 会 に 迎 えて 私 の 按 手 式 をお 祝 いして くださって ほんとうにありがとうございまし た 皆 さんの 愛 の 心 と 優 しく 誰 でも 迎 える 態 度 は 他 の 人 々に 広 く 伝 染 して 行 くもので かけ がえのない 賜 物 でもあります 今 年 は キリスト 聖 公 会 においていろいろな ことが 起 る 年 です 第 1に 教 会 を 借 りている 各 グループ 特 にアルタ プラーザ 保 育 園 との 提 携 を 密 にするようにします 第 2に キリス ト 聖 公 会 の 会 衆 がどんな 人 達 なのか そしてど んな 方 向 に 伸 びていっているか 調 べます 私 達 の 信 仰 生 活 や 周 りの 社 会 に 向 けた 活 動 を 見 直 し たり 追 加 したりする 基 礎 を 年 末 には 固 められる とおもいます 第 3に いろいろな 会 議 に 代 表 を 出 します その1つとして 6 月 に 開 かれる Start Up/Start Over! と 題 する 会 議 に 参 加 して 私 たちの 抱 負 を 大 きなものにできる でしょう 第 4に 今 までのびのびになっていた 教 会 の 補 修 に 手 をつけます このように いろいろな 計 画 がありますが 皆 さんは 単 に 教 会 にお 出 かけになるだけで 力 となれるのです 会 議 にご 参 加 ください 礼 拝 にお 出 かけください いろいろ 集 いをともしま しよう 新 しい 年 の 計 として 皆 さんのキリス ト 聖 公 会 がどんな 教 会 なのか 見 直 してみてく ださい また 教 会 とその 中 にある 私 たちにつ いて なにか 新 しい 観 点 から 考 え 直 してみてく ださい 今 年 は 聖 霊 が 私 たちにどんな 賜 物 をもたらす のか 楽 しみです 皆 さん 何 が 起 るのか 何 をすればよいのか 教 会 にいらっしゃってみて ください お 待 ちしています 信 仰 のうちに リチャ-ド+ Christ Episcopal Church - Sei Ko Kai January-February, 2003 Newsletter Web Edition 2

Christ Episcopal Church Sei Ko Kai January-February, 2003 THE LATEST AT CHRIST CHURCH ORDINATION On a sunny Saturday morning, December 7 th, many from Christ Church gathered at Grace Cathedral for the ordination of Richard Helmer to the priesthood. Richard was ordained along with twelve other ordinands in a glorious, festive liturgy attended by nearly 1,500 people. In addition to all our members who were present, Gordon Park-Li, Keiko Gishifu, Mary Vargas, Hiroko Fujita Helmer, The Rev. Sylvia Sweeney, and The Rev. Canon Ben E. Helmer presented Richard for ordination, and a number of longtime friends and former members of our congregation also came, including The Rev. Ted Thompson, Hisako Beasley, and Mary Kimura. On Sunday, December 8 th, Richard presided at his first Eucharist at Christ Church. The Rev. Canon Ben E. Helmer, missioner for small and rural churches and new church plants at the National Church Center in New York, preached. The Rev. Sylvia Sweeney assisted and read the gospel. After worship, the gathered congregation enjoyed a party in the social hall. Thank you to everyone who made this occasion so beautiful and so much fun! MORE THANKS FROM THE HELMER FAMILY Thank you for your generosity at the ordination, and thanks from us both for your gift to us as we joined this community. We used the Macy s gift card to purchase some new silverware for our household. We continue to look forward to our future together! -- Richard and Hiroko Helmer ANNUAL MEETING, 2003 Our annual meeting will be held on Sunday, January 12 th, following worship. This year, in addition to our regular annual business, we will begin a series of meetings to plan for our future together. Be sure to come to this important event that asks who we are and who we are becoming. BIBLE DIALOGUE CONTINUES Bible Dialogue gathered again at the Vargas residence on Wednesday, December 18 th for a delicious dinner and discussion about the Christmas narratives in the Bible as well as the origins of many of our Christmas traditions. In February, we will gather again to explore the Book of Common Prayer and enjoy more conversation and time together. All are welcome. Come and join this session! Watch the church bulletin and website for details. SCOUT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9 th Christ Church welcomes Troop 12 members to our worship and conversation on Sunday, February 9 th. Christ Church has been a longtime sponsor of Troop 12, and many of our longstanding members were active Scouts in Troop 12. Plan to come and celebrate with us this part of our ministry! BISHOP S COMMITTEE NEWS Beginning with the Annual Meeting, Christ Church will begin a series of meetings to plan for our future proclaiming the gospel to each other and the greater world. At the Annual Meeting, we ll be discussing the question: Who have we been and who are we? Describe a time or an event during which you felt really proud or grateful to be a member of Christ Church, Sei Ko Kai. What circumstances contributed to your feeling this way? Our approach to this discussion will be using a positive method called Appreciative Inquiry, used by many churches and organizations to build on what we as community do well. Come and participate in these important discussions! Appreciative Inquiry Appreciating and Valuing the Best of What Is Envisioning What Might Be Dialoguing What Should Be Basic Assumption: An Organization Is a Mystery to Be Embraced! *The Change Handbook, page 247 -thanks to Mary Vargas for contributing to this column Christ Episcopal Church - Sei Ko Kai January-February,, 2003 Newsletter Web Edition 3

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN NEWS The ECW of Sei Ko Kai met on November 3, 2002. Carol Park Li, treasurer, reported on the proceeds of our three fundraisers: Bake Sale $182, Boutique $931.65 and Gift Wrap $647.96 for a total of $1761.61. It was voted on to return $350 borrowed from the Bishop's Committee and to allocate a total of $1000 for the needs of the church. These allocations are: $300 for new altar linens, $300 towards printer/copier fund and $400 as a welcoming gift to our Vicar, Richard Helmer, for a cassock and vestments. The latter was presented after his ordination on Sunday, December 8. Thank you to all of our ladies who baked, cooked, crafted, brought items to sell and sold gift wrap to make our efforts successful in the support of our church. We will be holding a brunch on Sunday, February 23 to welcome Richard and Hiroko Helmer to our church family. Guests including husbands are welcome. The brunch will be at the Cityscape Restaurant at the top of the Hilton Hotel. Please send your reservation and check of $35 to Carol Park-Li at 273 Teresita Blvd. SF 94127. We hope to see you at this celebration. -- Myrna Tsukamoto A very warm thank you to the Christ Church ECW for providing the gift to purchase a cassock, surplice, and vestments, as well as providing funding to help purchase a new copy machine for the church office. -- Richard Helmer WORSHIP AT CHRIST CHURCH SHOULD I DRINK FROM THE CHALICE OR DIP THE BREAD IN THE WINE? Both in ancient times and today, standard practice in receiving communion is that we eat from the same broken bread and drink from a common cup, as we believe the disciples did at the Last Supper. When we drink from a common cup, we hold most closely to Jesus' teaching: "Drink this in remembrance of me." By drinking from the chalice, we embrace the unity with each other and with God that the common cup represents. Taking communion through intinction, by dipping the bread in the wine, arose at different times in church history for a variety of reasons. In recent times, the practice of intinction has appeared again in the Western Church. It is an exception to standard practice most often used to accommodate people who are ill and unable to drink from the common cup, or who have difficulty in consuming dry bread. Especially since the AIDS crisis began, many in the Episcopal Church and here at Christ Church have been receiving regularly by intinction. As you make your own decision about how to receive communion, you are invited to consider the following: There is presently no evidence suggesting that AIDS may be passed through drinking from a common cup or chalice. In the case of common infections, such as colds or flu, hands may be more likely to carry germs than the lips. While suffering a cold, you may decide it best not to receive the wine at all. Ancient tradition and the teaching of the contemporary church holds that receiving communion in one or both kinds (the bread or the wine or both) is considered a complete communion. Richard Helmer WORSHIP COMMITTEE RECONVENES The Christ Church Worship Committee began to reconvene beginning in December, and will be meeting monthly to discuss worship at Christ Church. Here are few of the changes the Worship Committee has been leading: Introduction of Eucharistic liturgies from Enriching Our Worship, an appendix to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Introduction of a fraction anthem from Grace Cathedral remembering all people of faith and our connections with all of Creation. Using bread for the Eucharist rather than wafers. Current members of the Worship Committee include: Cox and Merle Ferrall, Keiko Gishifu, Frances Morioka, Larry and Florence Small, Jean Okubo, Ryoko Tadakuma, and Mary Vargas. WONDER, LOVE, AND PRAISE Thanks to the generosity of many in the community, Christ Church has recently purchased approximately 40 volumes of Wonder, Love, and Praise, a supplement to the 1982 Hymnal. Wonder, Love, and Praise combines a number of musical styles and both older and new hymns written in the past 20 years. Come and sing some of the new hymnody in our worship! Christ Episcopal Church - Sei Ko Kai January-February,, 2003 Newsletter Web Edition 4

ORGAN On Christmas Day, our long-standing electronic organ began to bemoan its increasing age. Repair for the instrument has been estimated at around $1,000. The Bishop s Committee has been discussing various options, including repair or replacement of the current instrument, and a decision will be made at the Annual Meeting on January 12 th. OUT AND ABOUT RADIO MAINICHI Yuki Nagai translated and delivered our Christmas message for Radio Mainichi in Japanese. The English text is included in this newsletter. SOKO BUKAI LENTEN SERIES Christ Church in conjunction with Pine Methodist and Christ Presbyterian is planning a Lenten series this year exploring our prayers as we remember the Last Supper and celebrate communion. Watch the next newsletter and website for details. START UP/START OVER! Richard Helmer and Mary Vargas are planning to attend the Start Up/Start Over! Conference in Chandler, Arizona June 2 nd through 6 th. This is a highly regarded program for church development and gathers together lay leadership and clergy from churches around the country. If you are interested in attending, please let us know by e-mail or phone. You can find more information about the conference at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/congdev/development/ StartUp/Startup.htm Watch for more details in the next newsletter. NAGA CONFERENCE The National Altar Guild Association (NAGA) is holding a conference in conjunction with General Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from July 30 th -August 5 th, 2003. NAGA has scholarships available for some participants. If you are interested in attending, please contact the church office or Keiko Gishifu. LETTER FROM A FRIEND Around the Thanksgiving Holiday, we were visited by Moki Hino, a friend from Episcopal Asian-American Ministries and a seminarian at Seabury Western seminary in Chicago. After his visit, Moki sent us the following letter: December 5, 2002 I am writing to express my thanks to the congregation of Christ Episcopal Church -- Sei Ko Kai for your warm hospitality during my visit to you last month. I was touched by the welcome I received at your church and immediately felt at home as soon as I was greeted by Sachi Yokota at the door. During the coffee hour Keiko Gishifu invited me to lunch and Herb and Jean Okubo extended a Thanksgiving dinner invitation to me, which I had to decline with regrets. Nat Wong, Ryoko Tadakuma, and Larry and Florence Small also warmly greeted me at the interfaith Thanksgiving service at Hongwanji Mission on Pine and Octavia. They all made me feel that I was part of your parish family. I also very much appreciate the rides to the BART station from Keiko on Sunday and Larry and Florence after the Thanksgiving service. Christ Church is a wonderful, warm and inviting parish. Because of that, I am confident that your church will grow. I extend best wishes to you and your congregation for a very happy holiday season. Yours in Christ, Moki Hino Watch this space in future newsletters for the latest information about Kokoro, Nihonmachi Terrace Address for Radio Mainichi by The Rev. Richard E. Helmer, Vicar translated and read by Yuki Nagai December 19, 2002 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This late in the season, it is sometimes hard to remember what we are celebrating. I haven t finished all my Christmas and New Years cards yet, and the work piles up. There seems too much to do and so little time to do it in! Adding to the stress of this time of year is the darkness of the season. We mark the darkest day of the year on December 22 nd, and sometimes the lack of light and the wet cold of the Bay Area can become hard to live with. Plus, the news this time of year is also dark. There are wars and rumors of war casting a shadow over all our holiday festivities. Christ Episcopal Church - Sei Ko Kai January-February,, 2003 Newsletter Web Edition 5

The Good News that Christianity has for this time of year is that Jesus was born into exactly the same complex, dark world we all live in today. According to the ancient story, Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem, leaving behind their family, just so the Roman government could take a count and gather more taxes. Ancient Israel was occupied at the time by Roman troops and a false government set up to keep the people quiet. Still, there were rebellions and rumors of rebellions, and most of the Israelites lived hard lives struggling not only for peace and freedom, but for their next meal. Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem and discovered that there was no civilized place to stay. They were forced to take rest in a stable. And Mary gave birth in the worst conditions: in a place full of dirt and grime amongst the animals. Jesus came into the world not in a clean, loving home, but in the earth and mud of a barn. This is how God s light is born in the world. God s love is born in the darkest places of our hearts. God s peace comes to us in the least peaceful parts of our lives. God s wisdom appears in the most unexpected places. God seems to always be starting in the most difficult places of our life. So this holiday season, have you invited God into the stress? Have you yet encountered God in the busiest places of your life? Have you seen Jesus working in the hardest relationships you have? In the darkest corners of your life? That s the promise of Christmas. God clearly meets us in the joys of the season. But God also is born in the most difficult parts of this time of year. And that s healing news. News of hope. News of life. News of light. And you may be surprised where this new light appears in your life. It will probably appear in the places you least expect. Maybe a kind word from someone you don t know very well. Maybe a card from a distant relative. Maybe a gift from a friend you had forgotten. And when this love and joy does appear unexpectedly, share it! For we also live in a season of giving. And we give out of what God has already given us. Remember in the middle of all your stress and worry to give others a kind word, encouragement, hope, love, and the gift of being with them. And give it to someone new; someone who doesn t expect anything from you. Who knows? You might end up giving the light of Christ to someone who least expects it. And then we will see that the Christ Child was not just born 2,000 years ago, but is born again in our hearts and relationships this season. And that brings light in our darkness: light that the darkness will never overcome. MARCH-APRIL NEWSLETTER Please submit all news items in writing to the church office by February 23 rd, 2002. News items can also be sent by e-mail to: newsletter@seikokai.org Have you checked out the Christ Church website? For the church calendar, sermons, newsletters, the latest information, programs, and pictures, take your internet browser to: http://christepiscopalchurch.seikokai.org phone: (415) 921-6395 fax: (415) 921-6422 e-mail: info@seikokai.org The Christ Episcopal Church -- Sei Ko Kai Newsletter is published bi-monthly by the Church Office. Japanese translation of the Vicar s Letter is provided by Kei Nagai. Christ Episcopal Church - Sei Ko Kai January-February,, 2003 Newsletter Web Edition 6