Friday Reflection 7/03/08 on Thursday

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to announce that the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church will meet here in Stockton, January 30, 31, and February 1, 2009. It is a great honor to have the council meet here in the Diocese of San Joaquin. The Executive Council functions as the Board of Directors and oversight body for the National Church when General Convention is not meeting. Representatives are elected from all nine Provinces of the Episcopal Church. In recent years, the Council members have met in different provinces so that they might get to know the Church firsthand. We will have a significant opportunity to tell the story of the renewed Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin. Many of you will be called upon to assist in welcoming the Executive Council. It is a great honor for this diocese to be the meeting place for the Council.

It has been pointed out to me that some blogs are falsely claiming that I am not resident in the Diocese of San Joaquin. Let me assure you that Jane, Mark (the dog) and I do live in Stockton. We have been here continually since April 10, 2008. We have a rental home, a fenced back yard for Mark, and furniture provided by friends and yard sales. We plan to live here for the duration of my ministry here in the Diocese of San Joaquin.

Fr. John Shumaker asked to see me this past Tuesday. At the appointed time, Fr. Shumaker arrived, along with a parishioner, carrying a large Icon of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne. It graces the entryway of our offices. It is a gift to the whole diocese from the parish family of St. Matthew’s in San Andreas so that we will remember our patron, San Joaquin. Thank you Fr. Shumaker and St. Matthew’s.

In peace,

+Jerry Lamb

From Juanita Weber, Diocesan Administrator

Deputies, Alternate Deputies, and Standing Committee

I want to be sure that those elected to alternate deputy positions know that they are included in any meetings and trainings planned between now and General Convention in 2009. At any time alternates should be prepared to step in for deputies who cannot fulfill their duty. At least one alternate in each order should be present at convention.

Be sure to save the date for the meeting with your counterparts from the Diocese of California. It will be held from 10 am to 2 pm (with lunch) on July 19 at St. Anne’s in Stockton. The experienced deputies from the Diocese of California will provide an orientation to General Convention and answer questions we may have about our roles as deputies from the Diocese of San Joaquin. Standing Committee members will have a chance to ask questions, about the Commission on Ministry (COM) and the ordination process. This is a good opportunity to learn from those who have done this job before. We appreciate the support and help from our neighboring diocese.

The latest on this process--reservations have been made in Anaheim for a block of rooms for all deputies, the first alternate in each order, the Bishop and Jane, and an ECW representative. General Convention will meet July 8-17, 2009.

Direct Billing for Medical and Dental Benefits for Clergy and Lay Employees

Churches will be receiving billing directly from the Church Medical Trust for medical and dental benefits for July. You will be sending your payments directly rather than to Fresno from this point forward.

Church Event Information

I would like to use this space for notices for congregations holding events when they want to invite other churches to join them. If you send me information about an event or any request I can add it to my section of the Friday Reflection page. Last week we included a request for a computer for a vestry member at Christ the King in Riverbank. That vestry member now has a computer donated by a Friday Reflection reader from Sonora. The comment from both sources, “The Friday Reflection page works!”

Liturgical Needs

Please take time to send me a message identifying your needs for liturgical vestments, prayer books, hymnals, chalices, etc. St. Anne’s is storing several albs, chasubles, and stoles that could be better used if moved to the Faith Communities that need them. We do not have anymore prayer books or hymnals, but we may be able to request additional copies for congregations that need them. Send your message to jweber@diosanjoaquin.org.