VOLUME 1, ISSUE 34 SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

14th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 19) SCRIPTURE READINGS Exodus 32:7-14 Psalm 51:1-11 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Luke 15:1-10 8:00AM SERVICE Preacher: Deacon Terrance Celebrant: Dean Ryan 10:00AM SERVICE Ushers: Richard Jennings & Janie Fisher Lector: Aaron Schuelke EM: Pete Cabbiness Preacher: Deacon Terrance Celebrant: Dean Ryan

FOOD BANK 2nd-4th Wednesdays @ 2:30PM THE COTTAGE SHOP Wednesdays 12:30PM - 4:30PM 1st-3rd Sat. @ 9:00AM-1:00PM CHOIR REHEARSAL Thursdays @ 6:30PM FOOD BANK: TJ FOOD DISTRIBUTION Sundays after 10AM Service (White Room) CHAPTER MEETING SUN. SEPT. 15 @ 11:30AM Conference Room YOUTH EVENT- ZOO TRIP SAT. SEPT. 28 @ 12:30PM-3:30PM Meet at Cathedral FOOD BANK STEERING COMMITTEE WED. OCT. 2 @ 2:00PM-4:00PM White Room 140TH CELEBRATION SUN. OCT. 6 @ 11:30AM-1:30PM Zoe Eden CENTRAL DEANERY MEETING SAT. OCT. 12 @ 10:00AM-12:00PM Fireside Room

BOLD GOAL FOR DIOCESE'S SOLAR PROJECT Could San Joaquin be the first solar-powered Diocese?

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bakersfield, California, installed solar panels in 2018 on a new structure built over its parking lot. Photo: Luis Rodriguez

[Episcopal News Service] San Joaquin has a goal: to become The Episcopal Church’s first solar-powered diocese. The Diocese of San Joaquin, located in California’s Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, has 22 faith communities and an abundance of sun. This year, it put in motion plans to bring solar panels to all or nearly all of those communities. By the end of 2020, Bishop David Rice hopes those solar panels will be installed and generating enough power to offset the energy usage of all Episcopal properties in the diocese. “There’s a real yearning in the Central Valley and the High Sierras to ensure that our part of The Episcopal Church is giving real care to creation, and we see this solar project as an extension of that,” Rice said in an interview with Episcopal News Service. By providing space on their roofs or lots for solar power generation, the churches also may save a bit on their energy costs, but more importantly, the project is structured so that third-party developers will cover the expense of transitioning the diocese off fossil fuels. Rice also hopes that San Joaquin’s example will lead other dioceses to pursue similar projects tailored to their local environments. Few environments in the United States are as full of sunshine as the Diocese of San Joaquin. Cloudy days are the exception in the region. Fresno, the largest city in the diocese, boasts an average of 267 days a year with clear or partly cloudy skies, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information, which ranks Fresno as the country’s seventh sunniest major city. Sunshine is particularly abundant in the summer months. Given those conditions, solar power already is a significant part of the region’s landscape, with buildings from churches to schools to warehouses topped with panels. Cal Harling, a renewable energy consultant hired by the diocese, said San Joaquin’s plans are more ambitious than most. Other churches have invested in solar, Harling said, “but I’m not sure they’ve done it on the level that San Joaquin is thinking about. It’s an approach that, quite frankly, large commercial companies use.” Think of a retail chain like Walmart or Home Depot deciding to outfit all its warehouses with solar panels, he said. Harling is approaching the diocese’s needs in a similar way, negotiating financing with the diocese’s solar power partners for a regional project, as opposed to having individual congregations make their own panel purchases. Harling explained to ENS that it is based on the general principle that all partners in the development bring something to the table: The diocese provides a location for the solar panels. A developer and financer commit to funding and installing the panels. A utility agrees to acquire the energy generated by the project for a certain rate over a period of time, usually 20 to 30 years, since solar panels begin degrading as they age beyond that, Harling said. “Everybody gains value out of it,” he said.

One of the catalysts for San Joaquin’s project was The Episcopal Church’s Creation Care Pledge, in which more than 1,000 people during Advent and Easter committed to taking actions to improve or preserve the environment. While that call to action was “stirring the hearts” in Rice’s diocese, he and others there saw solar power as one way to do more. “This seemed to be a faithful, natural next step for us,” Rice said. “There’s a lot of sun here.” Harling, who knew the diocese’s chancellor, began discussing solar options with diocesan leaders early this year and was asked to draft a proposal outlining his approach to financing a diocese-wide solar project. He presented his proposal to the Diocesan Council in June and received approval to conduct a feasibility study at each of the diocese’s locations. Each location is unique. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bakersfield – only 93 cloudy days a year – already has solar panels on-site. The panels were installed on a shade structure built last year over part of the congregation’s parking lot. “It’s a great use of the space,” said the Rev. Luis Rodriguez, priest-in-charge at St. Paul’s. “People are excited about it. I think there’s a sense of responsibility, global responsibility, and I think that feels good to people.”

Other congregations may only have limited space in which to install new panels, but even smaller components will generate renewable power. Taken as a whole, Harling determined that installing solar panels across diocesan properties could generate close to a million kilowatt hours of power in a year, the equivalent of a 600-kilowatt power system, Harling said. With that much power, it’s possible that the diocese will reduce its reliance on fossil fuels to zero, he said. Rice is pushing the diocese to move fast in implementing the project. The diocese’s Episcopal Conference Center near Yosemite National Park in Oakhurst is a large property with significant room for solar panel coverage. St. James Episcopal Cathedral in Fresno is another prime site for solar installation. “There’s a sense of urgency for us to get on this,” Rice said, adding that clean energy is not just a political issue for the church. “This is about faith for us.” – David Paulsen is an editor and reporter for Episcopal News Service. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.

ST. JAMES IS TURNING 140! Come celebrate 140 years of ministry at St. James. This event is being presented by the Preservation Society for our community. Come eat delicious food, look at curated displays, and enjoy your Cathedral family! There will be a special kid’s area with activities just for them, opportunities to celebrate the future of our Cathedral, and more!  Sunday, October 6th 11:30AM-1:30PM in Zoe Eden Hall Please RSVP by Wednesday September 25th or speak to Pete Cabbiness or Kourinthia Burton.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR 140TH LUNCHEON

2019 FRESNO/CLOVIS CROP HUNGER WALK Join the St. James Team on Sunday, October 20th!

CROP Hunger Walk - Five weeks from Sunday, we will gather with others in our community to fight hunger both here and around the world. We need Walkers and sponsors for the Fresno/Clovis CROP Hunger Walk on October 20, 2019. Please see Kim Leslie, Carol Mohan, Carol Terrell, or Deacon Nancy at our Crop Hunger Walk table, following the Sunday service, for more details and to sign up to be a walker, a sponsor, or both.  Last year Team St. James Episcopal Cathedral had 12 walkers plus one dog and raised just over $1,300.00. Thanks for helping feed the hungry both in our community and throughout the world. CROP Hunger Walks are community-wide events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by religious groups, businesses, schools and others to raise funds to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Location: First Congregational Church of Fresno, 2131 N Van Ness Blvd., Fresno, CA Sign In Time: 1:30PM Walk Time: 2:30PM

Some of the St. James Crop Walk Team at the 2018 event.

Come join the St. James Episcopal Cathedral Youth Group on their adventure to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo!  Anyone Junior High or High School Age will gain free admission with the youth group. Parents and other non-youth visitors are welcome to pay the admission fee and enjoy the zoo with us.    We’ll meet at St. James Episcopal Cathedral at 12:30PM and carpool over to Roeding Park together. If you need to make other arrangements or simply wish to RSVP for this event please email at  sjyouth@stjamesfresno.org​ please make the subject: “Zoo RSVP." Please keep in mind, if you do decide to spend the day with us you can stick with the group but cannot take your child away from the group during the set time. We want our youth to experience the zoo as a group and learn together. Thank you.

FOOD BANK COLLECTION Pasta Sauce

The St. James Food Bank needs our assistance to stock the shelves! For the next couple of weeks, we are asking the Cathedral Congregation to bring on Sundays jars of the PASTA SAUCE for the Food Bank. A cart will be located at the entrance of the Chapel and the Cathedral for the collection. Thank you for your continued support of the St. James Food Bank!

The mid-week Bible Study has returned. The study is led by Emily Niblick and meets weekly on Wednesdays, 10:00AM to 11:00AM, in the Conference Room. The study will explore the Book of Revelation--a mysterious and often misunderstood book of the New Testament. The study will delve into what is written and interpret the text's social and historical context, as well as what it means for our own spiritual journey and faith. Every single verse of Revelation will be studied by the end of the study. The primary text will be the New Testament, specifically The Book of Revelation. In addition, Emily will suggest books and commentaries for supplement reading. If you are interested in participating or need additional information, please contact Emily Niblick.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Baby Luna's Shower. Here is a photo of the proud parents, Kathryn and John, opening a gift at Sunday's Shower.

IN HONOR OF ST. JAMES' 140TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE UPCOMING CELEBRATION THIS FALL, THE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE IS OFFERING ARTICLES IN THE "MIDWEEK MISSIVE" HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL.

HARD TIMES AT ST. JAMES by Emily Niblick

At the beginning of 1892 the “founding father” of St. James Episcopal Church, Reverend D.O. Kelly, moved on to other pursuits within the Diocese of California, and was replaced by Reverend William Lucas. Reverend Lucas came to Fresno from Reno, Nevada, and arrived at St. James at a pivotal time. Fresno had undergone major changes since Reverend Kelly came to build a church; the city was growing in population and business, the railroad had established offices in Fresno, and along with a growing real estate market there was a soon to be an oil boom.  But Reverend Lucas arrived at a church with growing financial problems. The church had been built in 1881, but not completed until later (the chancel work was put off for a few years and landscaping had not been completed). In the meantime, needed work had been started, and by the 1890’s the church itself was beginning to need repairs. This was matched by increased taxes for street and sidewalk work and other improvements by the city. At the same time, although attendance remained somewhat steady, income decreased by a notable amount. Thus the 1890’s were a very difficult time for the church. It seemed to be constantly in debt. Land was mortgaged for money, loans were accepted from members and others, And in the midst of this, the decision to somehow find $1000 to build a much needed rectory was approved. Finally, in early 1900 Reverend Lucas submitted his resignation as rector of St. James. He was described by an unknown writer as being “small in stature and frail in health” but was a “power in the pulpit.” He continued in mission work in the San Joaquin. Reverend Harry Hanson and his wife arrived from San Francisco in April of 1900 and began a new century in the life of the church. The first problem was encouraging giving. At a vestry meeting early in the year the treasurer had reported that there was a deficit of 40 percent between expenses and income. Apparently, parishioners had been hit with so many special financial campaigns that they had arrived at a stage where they cut back in their giving. The talk was always “hard times” for the church and it never seemed to get better. One reason for the continuing problem with money was the church and rectory itself. The church, despite the money put into it during the last twenty years, was experiencing constant need of repairs to the structure. And the rectory was considered to be dilapidated. Consequently, the idea of a new church began to grow. Finally, in April of 1902, the vestry voted to seek loans to tear down the old church and build a new $12,000 church on the same spot at Fresno and N streets, A year after fire struck the rectory and Reverend Hanson was nearly electrocuted, the vestry voted to build a new rectory with the help of gifts from the St. James Guild.  Unfortunately, giving did not match spending. In 1907 the treasurer stated that the financial situation of the church was “very weak”. Three years previous the envelope and plate offerings had been $2568. The year previous had seen only $1500.

In April of 1908 the church was surprised by the submission of resignation from Reverend Hanson, effective May 31st... The vestry met and, after much discussion, decided that they wanted to keep the rector at St. James (this was not unanimous, as we will see). After the vestry had grudgingly voted to accept the resignation, at a special meeting on April 26th, the vestry was asked to consider an offer from Mr. Albert Bronze. He would donate to the church 40 acres of land located east of Fresno, near Mount Campbell, and $100 a year on condition that Reverend Hanson would stay. Twenty-seven people attended that meeting and arguments were made for and against. The secretary of the vestry, Mr. George Robertson, warned that they were experiencing declining revenue and the results of their subscription and extra members campaigns were not favorable. The vestry voted to accept Mr. Bronze’s offer anyway, and also agreed to rent the pews in the church to members as a source of income. They also agreed to give the rector a raise in pay. This began what we may term the battle of 1908. George Robertson, who was born in England in 1855 and applied for US citizenship in Fresno in 1903, was the secretary of the vestry previously mentioned. He had very strong feelings about those in the church who did not support it.  In an article Mr. Robertson wrote for the St. James Leaflet in January of 1908, he presaged the coming fight. Entitled “Our Church”, Mr. Robertson quickly made his point known: “Six years ago we erected a new church at the cost of some $15,000, and we were the pioneers in this field, our example being quickly followed by others; but since then we have folded our hands and done nothing, while others have persevered and consequently their efforts have been crowned with success…In 1904 we reduced our debt by $2,400. Since then we have done—nothing, except to waste some $2,000 in interest, all of which might have been saved…During the last three years we have not paid one cent of our debt…have been compelled to borrow $1,160 for current expenses…the last two years have brought great prosperity to some, at least, of our parishioners, but many seem to think that it is their neighbors who should give, not themselves…We have some on our role who contribute $5 or $10 at the end of the year, and seem to think they are liberal…The writer severely criticized some of our church organizations at the annual meeting, feeling they required to be galvanized from a state of suspended animation into more active work…It is an unpleasant and thankless task to speak out and find fault, and even run the risk of giving offense or making enemies…” And this was in the church bulletin! On the previous page of the Leaflet Reverend Hansen wrote in a much more positive and spiritual way that promoted confidence that the congregation would do just fine. But Mr. Robertson’s ire continued to bubble. In a news article in the Fresno Republican of May 1st, 1908, with the headline reading “VESTRYMAN HAS RESIGNED”, Mr. Robertson explains that although his feelings are not personal, he states “A priest, or pastor of a church is the man who makes it. The St. James Episcopal Church has been steadily sinking into a state of apathy and indifference.” Despite this, he avers that he wants Reverend Hanson to stay on, and that he is a good friend, but the church just cannot afford him (Reverend Hansen asked for a raise to $125 per month). One wonders why the Republican considered this news and published this lengthy article concerning one man’s opinion. Ah, but Mr. Robertson would not have his way and so, in the December 9, 1908 issue of the Republican we find the article entitled “RELATIONS WITH CHURCH SEVERED”; George Robertson Resigns From St. James Church; Former Secretary Supplements His Action Taken Last Spring”. Recounting his reasons, and affirming that he has nothing against Reverend Hanson, he states that replacing Hanson is the only way to improve the situation. The Republican quotes Reverend Hanson as saying, “This affair is entirely personal...” Little did Mr. Robertson know that in just a couple of years Reverend Hanson would be moving on—not because of how he pastored, or what kind of man he was, but just because something big happened to St. James. By 1911, St. James would be calling itself a pro-Cathedral, the bishop’s seat in the new Missionary District of San Joaquin. There would be a new Dean for the position, picked by the bishop. And, although finances would always be a concern, as with any church, the dark days of St. James church were in the past.  Note: Much of the information concerning Mr. Robertson which is presented in this essay come courtesy of Mr. Robertson himself. While looking through our archives one day I discovered a bound notebook, more of a scrapbook, in which the creator had cut out pages of the St. James Leaflet (which was the 1900’s equivalent of our own Midweek Missive) which pertained to important data such as confirmations, baptisms, funerals, etc. Near the back were two pages with newspaper articles on them, concerning a Mr. Robertson and first, his leaving the vestry and second, his leaving the church. I was surprised that such an article found space on a newspaper page, but then I suppose news was harder to come by in Fresno in 1908. Curious, I looked back at the front page of the book and found the inscription: “Presented to the vestry of St. James Church, Fresno by George Robertson, Secretary, 1905-1908” in his hand. It is dated Sacramento 1911. Apparently, three years after leaving the church, he presented to the same church this collection of useful information which also recorded his parting concerns. No doubt for posterity.

CHOIR REHEARSALS RESUME Choir will resume rehearsing on Thursday evenings, 6:30PM-8:00PM, in the Chapel, starting on Thursday, September 19th. If you are interested in joining Choir, please come to rehearsal. For more information, please contact Sherah.

MEN'S GROUP The next breakfast gathering is scheduled for Saturday, October 5th, 7:30AM at Yosemite Falls Cafe (across from the Cathedral).

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE The next meeting will be Saturday, October 5th, at 9:00AM in the Conference Room.

SEPTEMBER CHAPTER MEETING The meeting is scheduled for this Sunday, September 15th at 11:30AM in the Conference Room. Chapter Members please submit any reports and/or agenda items to Dean Ryan by September 11th.

Racial audit of church leadership The Episcopal Church is one of the whitest Christian denominations in America. White Episcopalians make up 90 percent of church membership, according to the Pew Research Center, compared to a U.S. population that is 62 percent white.

Anglican Church of Canada’s same-sex marriage vote The Anglican Church of Canada General Synod’s failure to pass a resolution to amend the marriage canon to expressly allow solemnization of same-sex marriage, followed by a communiqué from the House of Bishops effectively commending diocese-based decisions on the matter, has triggered a wave of responses across the church.

Religious groups’ role in ending AIDS At a forum on the involvement of faith communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS, two leaders from The Episcopal Church spoke out about the significant obstacles that remain, despite decades of dramatic progress.

$1.7 million for slavery reparations fund Virginia Theological Seminary took what appears to be an unprecedented step this week by announcing that it had set aside $1.7 million for a slavery reparations fund – something considered but not yet enacted by other institutions of higher education that historically benefited from slave labor.

If you have any feedback, comments, or questions for the Midweek Missive Editors, please email us . Submissions to the Midweek Missive are welcomed and must be submitted to midweek@stjamesfresno.org by Tuesday at noon.

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