The Epistle

St. Paul's Anglican Church | Iglesia San Pablo

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

December 10, 2023

Dear George,

The 2024 pledge letter from Stewardship Chair Andrea Spessard (alspessard@gmail.com) and the 2024 pledge card were in the bulletin November 26, and will appear in next Sunday's bulletin, December 3, as well. 2024 Pledge Cards may be downloaded from the parish website HERE, and are available from the parish administrator at StPaulManagementSMA@gmail.com

We anticipate our presentation on Cultural Competency in Mexico this coming Sunday, Advent Two, 10 December, by Dr. Lauran Montgomery during English language coffee hour. Information below.

Two young cousins of a friend were riding their bicycles along the highway to Dolores when a hit and run driver took them out. Names below. Alonzo will survive, José de Jésus is in critical care in Celaya. Prayers requested.

The Vestry is pleased to announce three candidates for Vestry Class of 2027:

Jeff Arnold

Christine Durboraw

Kathy Lapsys

Two free English classes are underway at 6pm every Tuesday and Thursday offered by wonderful Lynn Daroff from our local Jewish community. Space is now available.

Our free tennis program for 20 underserved young people from greater San Miguel is underway each Tuesday and Thursday.

Advent grace and peace,

GFW+

2023 MEN'S ADVENT RETREAT

(photos courtesy of Geoffrey Drayton)

CULTURAL COMPETENCY IN MEXICO

Dr. Laura Montgomery

English Coffee Hour December 10 Advent Two

Growing up in California only a stone’s throw from the U.S.-Mexico border, Dr. Laura Montgomery developed a strong interest in other cultures and Latin America from an early age. She pursued these interests at Wheaton College in Illinois where she earned a B.A. with high honor in anthropology. As a part of her undergraduate studies, she spent nine months in Guatemala researching the nutritional practices of an indigenous Mayan community. She then attended Michigan State University where she

received a M.A. and a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology.

For her doctoral dissertation, she conducted field research in Mexico on the role of ecological crises in agricultural change. Dr. Montgomery is one of the first scholars to study the effects of short-term medical missions on a community’s health status and access to healthcare. In addition to publications on these topics, she has also written about energy consumption by households in the U.S. and the role of gender, social class, and ethnicity in the life path choices of undergraduate students. Her more recent work focuses on the development of cultural humility and intercultural competencies through study abroad.

From 1984-87, she was a member of the Wheaton College faculty as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Associate Director of the Human Needs and Global Resources Program. She was then a Professor of Anthropology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where she served for over twenty years and was also Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. While there, she spent three semesters as the Resident Director of an innovative study abroad program located in Querétaro, Mexico, that she co-designed with her colleague, Dr. Mary Doctor.

She returned to Wheaton College in 2012 as Dean of Global Programs and Studies to lead its strategic initiative to “globalize a Wheaton Education.” Her responsibilities included expanding education abroad opportunities, building international partnerships, providing opportunities and resources to support faculty members’ global engagement, and monitoring the health and safety of all College-sponsored international travel. Her work has taken her throughout Latin America and Spain as well as to six continents and over seventy countries. In June 2023, she retired from Wheaton as Professor Emerita of Anthropology. This semester she returned, again, to Westmont College to lead the Westmont in Mexico Program in Querétaro. She and her husband, Karl Sandin, M.D., attend All Saints by the Sea Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara and the Iglesia Anglicana Santiago Apóstal when they are in Querétaro. They have two adult daughters, Linnéa and Ellen.

St. Paul's Development Project: PADLE / TENNIS

A few shots from our Tuesday and Thursday Padle Classes. Guys train separately from gals. Racquets, shoes, refreshments and transportation provided.

Upcoming Events:

ST PAUL'S ICONOGRAPHY WORKSHOP: December 4 - 8 with Mary Jane Miller

MARTIN FLETCHER: December 5, 4pm - 5:30pm "Israel and Gaza: 50 years of reporting"

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGIST DR. LAURA MONTGOMERY: Cultural Competency in Mexico...a presentation during English Coffee Hour Advent Two, December 10

HOLIDAY BAZAAR: December 16, 10am - 4pm, Parish Hall.

VESTRY: December 22nd

ADVENT FOUR: One English Eucharist only, 10:15am Sunday December 24

CHRISTMAS EVE: One English Eucharist only, 5pm Sunday December 24

CHRISTMAS DAY: One English Eucharist only, 10:15am Monday December 25

BUDGET PRESENTATION: January 21, 2024 coffee hours

ANNUAL MEETING: February 4, 2024

DIOCESAN SYNOD: Saturday February 10, 2024, Mexico City

To join ST PAULS SAN MIGUEL NEWS' WhatsApp community for parishioners and friends, for the sharing of announcements, news and prayer requests. Ask webmaster Eric Fash to add you: send an email with your phone number to ericfash@gmail.com

Israel and Gaza – 50 Years of Reporting

Martin Fletcher, author and illustrious, award winning NBC news correspondent and bureau chief in Tel Aviv for thirty years, will present a timely and important talk on his 50 years covering the region. It will be followed by a Q & A and audience discussion. 

Anderson Cooper wrote of Martin Fletcher: “For decades, the gold standard of war correspondents.” 

We are very fortunate that Martin, who lives in San Miguel, will share his considerable knowledge and expertise on this very challenging and timely topic. Please join us for what promises to be an engaging and informative event.

Tuesday, December 5th, 4 pm – 5:30 pm

St. Paul’s Church

El Cardo 6, Centro

Doors open at 3:30pm

STEWARDSHIP 2024

With Gratitude to Almighty God for Pledges in support of labor and ministry at St. Paul's Church

Debra Broussard

Rebecca Carney

Cheryl and Greg Cavanagh

Christine Donaldson Durboraw

Paul Finnegan

Sharon and Alex Kurlycheck

Mary Beth and Bud Lawrence

Patti and Daniel Morgan

Sandra C. Orellana

Marjorie and Mike Pope

Lynn and Rob Ramsey

Andrea Spessard

Adrian Ross

Carol Troy

Canon George F. Woodward III

Karina Yañez Rios and Padre Miguel Rangel

We're excited to introduce Edu Cafe! Educafe.org is a Mexican not-for profit raising educational funds from the sale of coffee grown in Oaxaca and Veracruz. Each bag is priced at 200 pesos, of which 87 pesos goes to a project of your selection. The QR code on the back of each bag allows you to select the project of your choice, a few of which support St. Paul's Development Project (formerly the Dispensa Project). Parishioner Geoffrey Drayton will have coffee available after Liturgy Advent One, December 3, and can answer further questions!

REVERSE ADVENT PROJECT

a St. Paul's Development Project Event

You are invited to purchase items for each day of Advent leading toward Christmas Day. Boxes to place the items in are available for pick-up in the Parish Hall, where the boxes may be returned. A bottle of cooking oil is also appreciated! Doug Craig told me today all this can be ordered online and delivered from La Comer! The Rector went to La Comer and hand-picked items, because he couldn't figure out how to achieve this online. I think the total cost was under $100 U.S.

o Day 1 Box of Cereal

o Day 2 Bag of beans

o Day 3 Bag of lentils

o Day 4 Boxed milk (2 or 3 would be appreciated)

o Day 5 Salt

o Day 6 Canned fruit

o Day 7 Canned tomatoes

o Day 8 Canned tuna

o Day 9 Jar of jam

o Day 10 Jar of applesauce

o Day 11 Pollo Boullion

o Day 12 Large box tomato sauce

o Dat 13 Harina for Tortillas

o Day 14 Box of Crackers

o Day 15 Package of rice

o Day 16 Package of Oatmeal

o Day 17 Package of Pasta

o Day 18 Spaghetti Sauce

o Day 19 Canned Chicken

o Day 20 Sardines

o Day 21 Canned Corn

o Day 22 Canned Mixed Vegetables

o Day 23 Canned Carrots

o Day 24 Spam

o Day 25 Boxed fruit juice

TWICE MONTHLY THURSDAY EUCHARISTS AT LOS LABRADORES

The first and third Thursday of each month, Canon Frank Hebert leads a Eucharistic Liturgy in the chapel of Rancho Los Labradores. Rancho Los Labradores is about 13 kilometers from San Miguel and is home to a nursing care facility as well as over 100 homes and condominiums. If you are interested in helping out, please call Canon Frank at 55 2967 3819 or contact him by email at fnhebert@gmail.com...

ST PAUL’S ICON WORKSHOP with Mary Jane Miller

Monday December 4 and concluding Friday December 8

9am – Noon daily; Lunch Break; 1:30pm – 4pm daily (Sack Lunch to be brought)

STUDIO EVENT: Sagrado Corazon # 14, Colonia San Antonio, San Miguel de Allende

7,000 pesos (a portion donated to St. Paul’s Sunday School)

Materials included

8 person maximum

Contact the Administrator to register: StPaulManagementSMA@gmail.com

Classic Iconography    http://www.sanmiguelicons.com/     

Books for Purchase        Lulu.com

Workshops offered       http://www.sacrediconretreat.com/

Modern Catholic Iconography  https://www.millericons.com/

The sermon and Stewardship talk for The First Sunday in Advent, December 3, 2023 may be viewed HERE

The appointed lessons for December 10, Advent Two, may be found HERE

Lecturas para la Misa del 100 de deciembre, adviento dos, NOON estan AQUI

WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY GROUP

Meetings are generally the first Saturday of each month at 10AM - 11:30 in the parish Church.

ST PAUL'S BEREAVEMENT GROUPS: Edna Marta Hamill, thanatologist and bereavement counselor, leads groups in English and in Spanish. The pain of loss can be overwhelming, but there are healthy ways to learn to cope and heal. The groups are free of charge and occur in the conference room Tuesdays 4 - 5:30pm in Spanish and 5:30 - 6:30pm in English. The group is suspended until September.

Paul in Brussels

Tracey in Parish (chemo)

Gail Baker

Virginia Barron (hospice care)

Douglas Buchanan

Rebecca Carney

Steve Clark

Patricia Corr (terminal cancer, Matt Stokes Mum)

Diana Rosario Rangel Cruz (lymphoma)

Christine Eyre

Tony Faught

Susan Gist

Linda Gilmer (Jeff Spears Aunt)

Lynne Gleason

Dorothy Glenn

Mireille Grovier

José Guadalupe

Jenny Kerston

Mike Lapsys

Tim Noel Marinello

Marni McGee

Mari Mitchel (achilles heel recovery)

Santiago Munguial

Christian Olson

Karen O'Malia

Francisco Ortíz

Father Jeff Sells+

Canon Barbara Stewart+ (COVID)

Bruce Stuart

Rosalba Suárez (leukemia)

Pamela Summers

Jaye Truax

Alonzo Bautista Vallejo (shattered leg)

José de Jésus Bautista Viejo (destroyed pancreas and kidney)

Ken McCuthceon Vaun

Andrew Whitman

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

The Reverend Canon Peter D. Haynes

(Diocese of Los Angeles)



FOR OUR COMPANION PARISH AND COLLABORATIONS

Trinity Episcopal Church, Folsom, California

Santiago Apostol, Querétaro