A view from the Hill
Beyond the Hill
Information, Invitations, and more from Beyond the Hill
Welcome. This is the second edition of a planned regular email from St. Hugh’s. “Beyond the Hill” seeks to inform you about events and programs:
  1. sponsored by parishes in our diocese,
  2. sponsored by our diocese,
  3. occurring within Province 8 of the Episcopal Church,
  4. sponsored by The Episcopal Church,
  5. occurring within the Worldwide Anglican Communion.

Similarly, when our Bishop Susan or other bishops (including the Presiding Bishop) write letters for distribution I will link to them in our Beyond the Hill Newsletter.

Beyond the Hill also seeks to keep you connected to the many ways we Episcopalians/Anglicans are “doing the work God has given us to do … as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” (BCP 366, adapted)
~Fr. Dan
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A Great Cloud of Witnesses
On Sunday (August 18, 2019) we heard the text from Hebrews 12:1-2:

THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, 2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].
Amplified Bible (2015)

I asked: Who do you turn to in the "great cloud of witnesses" for encouragement, prayer, strength, wisdom?

I pointed to our Church Calendar of Saints (a work in progress) entitled A Great Cloud of Witnesses and quoted from the Introduction "The saints encourage us; they pray for us; they strengthen us." Likewise, I encouraged you to learn more about the women and men who are part of our great cloud of witnesses—finding encouragement, strength, and wisdom for yourself as you learn about the lives they led as they followed Jesus on the Way.

Here are some links to help you:

Here is the Calendar for August 18-24
Source: A Great Cloud of Witnesses calendar on the Forward Movement website

Finally, I was embarrassed to know nothing about William Porcher DuBose (whose commemoration was transferred since August 18, 2019 was a Sunday) and promised you a follow-up. As with the other "witnesses/holy women/holy men/saints" included in our calendar, Rev. DuBose left a rich legacy. Quoting from Forward Movement:

A century ago in a corner of Southern Appalachia there lived and died a man who has been acclaimed “the only important creative theologian that the Episcopal Church in the United States has produced.” William DuBose lived a life which, had anyone less than he lived it, would have been called tragic. Born and reared in a prominent South Carolina family, he graduated from the Citadel and from the University of Virginia and served with some distinction as a Confederate line officer. However, in the Civil War and its aftermath he lost his wealth, his health, his wife, and finally his little son. In the meantime he had received Holy Orders and accepted a call as chaplain to a small Episcopal university at Sewanee, Tennessee. There he founded a School of Theology which still survives, and there he did his greatest work.

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Listening Sessions
Dear Friends in Christ,
I invite you to take part in listening sessions to be held around the diocese the week of September 23 through September 30. These listening sessions are part of my work in getting to know the diocese more completely. With the help of an outside facilitator who will moderate the sessions I will listen to your thoughts about opportunities for community building, your hopes, dreams, and concerns that will lead us into clearer discernment around God’s call to us and our ministry in our communities. ~Bishop Susan

To read more about the Listening Sessions and to register: Salt & Light for the week of August 18th

Note: the nearest listening session to us is at St. Paul's in Palm Springs on Friday, September 27 (7-9 PM, registration required)
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Diocesan Calendar
Salt & Light contains a calendar of some coming (parochial and diocesan) events:

Saturday, August 24 St. Paul's LUV SummerFest
Sunday, August 25 Bishop's Visitation: St. Mark's, San Diego ~ City Heights
Sunday, September 9 Bishop's Visitation: Grace, San Marcos
Saturday, September 14 Latino/Hispanic Heritage Festival at St. Philip's, Lemon Grove Eucharistic Visitor/Pastoral Visitor Training
Saturday, September 21 Multicultural Fall Children's Festival at St. David's, San Diego
Sunday, September 22 Bishop's Visitation: All Saints', Vista
Monday, September 23 Listening Session at St. Bartholomew's, Poway
Tuesday, September 24 Listening Session at All Saints', San Diego
Wednesday, September 25 Listening Session at St. Andrew's, La Mesa
Thursday, September 26 Listening Session at All Saints', Vista
Friday, September 27 Listening Session at St. Paul, Palm Springs
Sunday, September 29 Bishop's Visitation: Sts. Peter & Paul, El Centro and All Saints', Brawley

For more information, visit the  diocesan calendar
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Desert Friends of Music
An updated calendar from Desert Friends of Music includes a Noon performance by our Seasonal Member Wayne Burcham-Gulotta (on March 27, 2020). Thank you, Joe and Wayne for sending this updated calendar to St. Hugh's:

  • Frederick Swann, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Pa lm Desert, CA, 11/3/2019, 3:45pm
  • Evensong for All Saints' (Saint Margaret's Choir and Schola),Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church,Palm Desert, CA, 11/3/2019, 4pm
  • Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (Saint Margaret's Choir with Frederick Swann, Organist), Saint Margaret 's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA. 12/8/2019, 7pm
  • Southern California Brass Consortium (Holiday Music), Saint Margaret 's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 12/12/2019, 7pm
  • Monica Czauz, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 1/21/2020, 7pm
  • Cbanticleer, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church,Palm Desert, CA, 2/3/2020, 7pm
  • Jan Kraybill, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 2/23/2020, 4pm
  • John Wright, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 2/28/2020, 12 Noon
  • Kevin McKelvie, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 3/6/2020, 12 Noon
  • Dennis Siebenaler , Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Pa lm Desert, CA, 3/13/2020, 12 Noon
  • Chelsea Chen, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church , Palm Desert, CA,3/ 1 5/2020, 4pm
  • Philip Smith, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 3/20/2020, 12 Noon
  • Wayne Burcham-Gulotta, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, 3/27/2020, 12 Noon
  • Frederick Swann, Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church, Pa lm Desert, CA, 4/3/2020, 12 Noon 
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Church Connections
Check out the Church Connections Page on our St. Hugh's Website . In addition to the links provided here you will find news headlines from both the Episcopal News Service and the Anglican Communion News Service
Be well.
Do good.
Pay attention.
Keep learning.
Fr. Dan signature
Vicar