Mission Statement of Christ Church

To the glory of God, the mission of Christ Church Parish is to serve Jesus Christ and all the people of God; to
encourage and facilitate spiritual development for people of all ages; to grow as Christians in a loving and
forgiving fellowship, thereby confirming, witnessing, and leading others to the faith by the power of the Holy
Spirit.

"They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they
shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:32)
I am a bird lover and a bird watcher, and I know many of you are
also. On my feeder in July, I observed two little woodpeckers, hatched
in a nearby tree, three gloriously yellow finches, and a small blackheaded grosbeak, as well as the usual company of jays, sparrows,
crows, and a raven or two. Birds are having a hard time, with habitat
destruction, drought, and other challenges.
When I was in Israel I had a thrilling moment at St. Anne's church in Jerusalem. Our little group
had just finished singing a hymn, and then I heard music of unearthly beauty. I knew it wasn't
human, and for a few moments thought I was listening to angels. I found out it was turtledoves! The
church of St. Anne's is known for its amazing acoustics.
"The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is
heard in our land."
May you have an August full of beauty.
In Christ,

The cover picture depicts Sister Dianas first day of presiding at Christ Church.
2

In the Episcopal Church the ministry as a vestry member has a

long and distinguished heritage. Members of the vestry are legal
agents in the congregation who provide leadership and management.
For several years, the vestry has been reading a book each year, usually one that the Bishop has recommended, to assist the vestry in their
work, and hopefully provide information as to where the Church is
moving towards at this time.
Currently the vestry is reading The Agile Church Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age, by Dwight J. Zscheile. Various vestry
members have volunteered to read, summarize and report on a chapter of the book each month. The
following is a summary of Chapter 1 of The Agile Church (Agility and Innovation).
An agile church is a spirit led church. The word "agile" means "marked by a ready ability to
move with a quick and easy grace." Many organizations today are recognizing the need for greater
flexibility and responsiveness in the face of the accelerated pace of change that characterizes the
twenty-first century world.
For generations, the church didn't have to focus on learning from neighbors how to be in ministry with them... The church had a clear role in societyto hallow life's transitions, to take care of its
members, to be a source of moral uplift to individuals and society, to get people into heaven, and to
enrich Western culture.
When newcomers show up, the church often focuses on assimilating them as participants in a voluntary religious organization ("have you filled out a pledge card?") rather than concentrating first on
introducing them to Jesus and his Way. Church leaders assume that what the church says is understood, believed, and practiced, which is often not the case. THE CENTRAL CHALLENGE FACING CHURCHES TODAY IS REDISCOVERING WHO THEY ARE IN A SOCIETY THAT HAS
IN MANY WAYS REJECTED CHRISTIANITY.
What is required today is TRADITIONAL INNOVATION. Innovation must remain rooted in the
riches of Christian wisdom and practice from other times and places in order to offer deep, sustaining, faithful gospel witness. Any community that survives over time must adopt regularized patterns
of life together.
Innovation involves learning. Learning is not easy for any of us it is risky. There is always the
possibility indeed, the likelihoodof failure. There are many good reasons why churches resist
learning. Foremost among these is the prospect that learning will involve change, and change will
involve loss. Many churches today struggle with the prospect of losing cherished customs or
3

known patterns, even if doing so might be necessary to adapt the church's life to speak to younger
generations and diverse neighbors.

General Convention, 2015

It was my privilege to spend a few days at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City. I am particularly inspired and challenged by our Presiding Bishop-elect, Michael Curry,
who proclaimed in his sermon on the closing day of Convention We
are part of the Jesus Movement, and he has summoned us to make
disciples and followers of all nations and transform this world by the
power of the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus. I am further inspired
by our current Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori who,
preaching on the story of Jesus raising Jairus daughter, translated
Jesus command to her as Get up, girl. You arent dead yet and challenged us to accept this as
Gods message to us as a church. The message from both is that we have a lot of love to share and,
rather than bemoaning what we do not have or have lost, we need to be about the business of sharing
that love.
During the ten days of General Convention, a number of decisions were made some major and
some apparently minor but with real implications for how we choose to live together as servants of
Christ in the Episcopal Church.1
This summary only touches on a few of the highlights. There is so much more that happened, so
many decisions made, so much love and hope and struggle to hear Gods leading. How the many actions of General Convention will eventually play out in on-the-ground ministry is largely up to us
up to our prayers and discernment about how we put these prayerful decisions into action as local
Episcopalians. Part of what we most need to do is pay attention and pray about how we can respond
to what the representative leadership of our Church has discerned as significant. There will eventually be official publications, but, in the meanwhile, a generous amount of information and ongoing debate is available on-line.
Two events got the greatest amount of secular publicity: The election of Bishop Michael Curry
of North Carolina to serve as Presiding Bishop for the next nine years, and the decision to rewrite
language about marriage in our Church Canons (rules for how we do things) to permit same-gender
couples to be sacramentally treated on an equal basis with different-gender couples.
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New Presiding Bishop

The House of Bishops elected Bishop Michael Curry of North Carolina from a slate of four nominees on the first ballot. He received 121 votes of a total 174 cast. Diocese of Southwest Florida Bishop Dabney Smith received 21, Diocese of Southern Ohio Bishop Thomas Breidenthal, 19, and Diocese of Connecticut Bishop Ian Douglas, 13. The number of votes needed for election was 89. Currys election was confirmed an hour later by the House of Deputies, as outlined in the churchs canons, by a vote of 800 to 12.
Bishop Curry is, to put it mildly, a live wire. When asked how people should describe him
(conservative, liberal, progressive, high church, low church, etc.) he skips past all of the labels by
which we tend to divide ourselves and says I am a follower of Jesus. He names reconciliation and
evangelism as the mainstays of his ministry. His vision for the church is that we are all called to become Crazy Christians.2 His election produced a couple of firsts. He is the first African American Presiding Bishop. He is also the first Presiding Bishop to be elected on the first ballot a clear
indication about how the vast majority of his sister and brother bishops see and respect him.
Marriage Equality
The June 26 U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage for all Americans, was concurrent with conversations at General Convention, which, on July 1 approved canonical and liturgical
changes to allow marriage equality within the Episcopal Church. The House of Deputies concurred
with the House of Bishops elimination of language defining marriage as between a man and a woman and authorizing two new marriage rites with language allowing them to be used by all couples.
The revision of the canons on marriage has been a subject of prayer, study, discussion and dissension for many years. Not all agree with the outcome, including eighteen bishops who presented a
firm, thoughtful, courteously worded minority report, disagreeing with the decisions to change those
rules.3 The respect and mutual generosity with which disagreements were shared and received in both
houses is a sign of hope that, as a Church, we are increasingly able to stay together because of
Christs love, even in the midst of significant differences.4
Racism
The massacre in the church in South Carolina and the suspicious fires destroying so many black
churches were on the hearts of those attending Convention. Deeply embedded racism in our culture
and in our churches was the subject of prayer and conversation throughout Convention. Aside from
$2 million being newly earmarked for work toward racial justice and reconciliation, considerable
time was devoted in multiple forums to hearing each others experiences, praying for those who have
and continue to suffer due to racism, and looking for realistic, practical ways to move ahead both as
an international Church and in our local dioceses and congregations. It was made clear in a variety of
settings at General Convention that acknowledgement of and repentance from ways that we as a ma5

jority white church have colluded with and looked away from the realities of racism is an essential
part of the process of moving ahead together and being living, active witnesses of Gods love for
people of every race and nation.5
Facing addiction
Substantial discussion was held regarding how the culture and reputation of the Episcopal Church
leads us to complacency, if not complicity in alcohol abuse and regarding our need to deal openly,
lovingly and with integrity with the realities of addiction. The impetus for this conversation is the
tragedy that took place on December 27, 2014, when then Bishop Heather Cook, while driving drunk
and texting, hit and killed a bicyclist and left the scene. While there have long been policies regarding appropriate use of alcoholic drinks at church functions, and while such organizations as Recovery
Ministries of the Episcopal Church and the Recovered Alcoholic Clergy Association have done as
much as they could to educate us all and to provide support to alcoholics, addicts and those affected
by them, much more remains to be done. In light of that need now publicly and passionately recognized General Convention 2015 passed resolutions designed to move us ahead. One openly
acknowledges the churchs role in the culture of alcohol and drug abuse, another appoints a task
force to review and revise policy on substance abuse, addiction and recovery.6 Those entering the ordination process will also be screened and educated more thoroughly than in the past.
Structural Changes in the Church
In 2012, the General Convention decided on the appointment of a Task-Force for Re-imagining
the Episcopal Church (TREC) which would provide recommendations for improving the ways in
which we do business. Twenty-four people from across the Church, representing all four orders of
ministry, were appointed and worked hard for three years. They invited conversation in every way
they could think of. In the weeks before the Salt Lake City Convention, they published a report of
their findings and recommendations.7 Approved changes include a dramatic reduction in the number
of Standing Committees and restructuring of the Executive Council which works with the Presiding
Bishop. Considerable work remains to be done. As Bishop Mary Glasspool, Suffragan Bishop of Los
Angeles remarked, This is a marathon, not a sprint..
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also . . . (Matt 6:21)
Budgets are tricky things in churches. We want to be the best stewards of our resources as we can
possibly be. There are so many needs, and assets can feel limited. Responding to these and many other pressures, General Convention acted on the Christian imperative to put treasure into places hearts
are called to be. The new budget emphasizes Evangelism (2.8 million added to the budget to support
sharing the incredible good news we have about Jesus) and racial reconciliation (2 million added to
the budget to support efforts to heal the bloody racial divides in this country). We know that money
wont take the place of individuals acting in small ways and large to share the joy and hope we have
6

in Jesus, and of speaking and acting against prejudiced injustice while looking inwardly at our own
unacknowledged attitudes and practices. However, those we have elected to represent us worked
hard to bring our budget into line with our convictions and provide education and other resources for
the work we are called to as a Church.
Stewardship of the Environment
General Convention passed two resolutions aimed at taking greater responsibility for the world
in which we live. One directs those in charge of investments to divest from fossil fuel companies
and reinvest in clean renewable energy in a fiscally responsible manner. The other calls for the creation of an Advisory Committee on Climate Change that will work with experts in various fields to
help move the Church ahead as responsible caretakers of the world God gave us as our home, and to
provide the church with the resources to respond pastorally to people who are affected by climate
change. We are challenged as individuals and as congregations to do all we can to nurture, protect
and heal our world.
Prayer Book/Hymnal Revision
In a step toward revision of our current prayer book and hymnal, Convention voted to direct the
Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) to prepare plans for such revisions and present
them at the next General Convention, which will be in Austin, Texas, in 2018. This will not be a
quick process. The conversation about how our worship can continue to evolve while retaining our
Anglican roots, will stretch us and challenge us to risk growing in reverent worship that combines
beauty and tradition with language and style that speaks to the world in which we live and minister.
Solidarity with Persecuted Christians
Several resolutions urge us forward in practical support of and solidarity with Christians who are
living in danger under persecution and civil war. The daily suffering and risk of arrest, imprisonment
and death faced by our brothers and sisters require more organized, cooperative and consistent responses from us. The changes in structure and programs will enable the larger Church to respond
more effectively, but prayer, awareness and response are essential from all of us.
These few pages cannot begin to covey the life, love, excitement, sheer hard work, incredible
daily worship about which volumes could be written, prayer, connectedness, exhaustion and fun of
General Convention 2015. Nor can they convey the hope and inspiration that grows when thousands
of committed Christians who love the Episcopal Church come together with mission on the mind
and willingness to listen and learn.
In our daily lives as congregations, it can be easy to forget that we are part of a diocese, part of an
internationally diverse church that is part of a world-wide Communion of Gods people. Aside from
the messy, chaotic work of democratically governing our Church, General Convention is a holy and
7

glorious reminder of our oneness in Christ, even when we dont agree about everything. What a privilege to have been there and to share these few glimpses.
Sister Diana
[1] For a much more thorough summary of the decisions of General Convention 2015 with links to articles and the
actual resolutions, see http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/07/07/general-convention-wrap-up-historicactions-structural-changes/. See also http://yewatchers.com/2015/07/10/what-we-agreed-to-do-congregations-andindividuals/ for the first of a three part series that goes into more detail.
[2] Go to http://day1.org/5236 bishop_michael_curry_crazy_christians to watch a video of his sermon by that name,
or look for his book of sermons, also called Crazy Christians. Also, see his sermon at the closing Eucharist of the
Convention at http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/07/03/video-presiding-bishop-elect-michael-currypreaches-at-general-convention-closing-eucharist/
[3] Go to http://www.episcopalcafe.com/20-bishops-issue-minority-report-on-marriage-resolutions/ to read this report.
[4] See also http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/07/02/mind-of-the-house-of-bishops-statement-communionacross-difference/
[5] For more about the conversation on racism, visit http://www.anglicannews.org/features/2015/07/it%E2%80%99stime-for-the-church-to-wake-up-speaking-up-about-race-in-the-usa.aspx
[6] http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/07/01/general-convention-takes-a-first-step-admits-alcohol-affectsus-all
[7] https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/12219.pdf

What a wonderful, sunny and bright summer we are having this

year. It has even been seen at coffee hours on Sundays due to the hard
work of John Hammond and Elizabeth Harper-Lawson: John has
cleaned the windows and Elizabeth has washed the curtains. What a
wonderful improvement. Thank you both so much.
Thank you to Katherine Clague and her "kids" who have continued
to work on the garden around the whole campus. Everyone's help is
needed: just walk around the whole campus when you visit the church
and check out how it looks. We need a presence in the neighborhood
and you too can help. Thanks.
Update on ADA Compliant Restrooms: We have had our Asbestos
Survey and a report is due within the next two weeks. There is also a
8

new visual funding report on the Stewardship bulletin board under the WISH LIST sign. This shows
you how much money we have toward the restroom project, and how much we still need. We are
looking for additional funds in various ways and hope that you will contribute also as you are able.
The quilters hope to have a quilt raffle next month. Watch for posters.
Update on replacing a fence panel: In the final week of July, Fortuna Iron will be fabricating the
fence panel and in early August they will be installing the panel and repairing, priming and painting
the existing fence.
Thank you to someone for adding to the CAMPUS NEEDS LIST to have the carpets cleaned in
the Pierson Room. (I do really mean thank you- no one person can see every need.) If you have
questions or solutions to any facilities issues, please call me or email me. Thanks, Beth

Lay Ministries
Id like to extend an invitation to you from each of our lay ministry groups. We all have talents that
can find expression in one of these ministries. The slow summer is a perfect time to try one of the
following for just one Sunday you may find yourself enjoying the experience.
=

Lectors and Intercessors

Acolytes and Eucharistic Ministers

Announcers

Ushers and Greeters

Eucharistic Visitors

Coffee Hour Hosts

Contribution Counters

U Stream broadcasts

Please contact Marty Vega at 443-9782 or send an email to mjv523@reninet.com

Mary McNelis is looking for additional people to fold worship booklets: it would be one to two
hours on a Friday, once every 5-8 weeksas easy as pie! Those who do it find it a soothing and
meditative exercise. There is often someone else to help, and it is an under-sung but necessary small
ministry. Call Mary at 822-6466 or email her at bossm@suddenlink.net
Food for People
First of all I consider it a privilege and an honor to take your donations down to Food for People.
While they can always use about any kind of staples of almost any kind, for this bulletin I have a
different kind of request. Right now we are really short on volunteers. If anyone has a couple of hours
a week that they could give, this would really help.
I heard something this week that I have never heard before in all of my years of volunteering there.
The food bank is having to limit the clients that we can serve just because we don't have enough
volunteers. We have lost many volunteers this summer, college students that have gone home.
Hopefully they will return but in the next two months, it is really tight.
Thank you, Beverly Olson

Brief Notes
Summer Closet Clean Out for Foster Kids
It's the time for back-to-school clothes shopping, but that also means finding space in crowded
closets and drawers. Here's an easy solution - donate those outgrown, clean and gently-used school
clothes for children and youth to the Foster Kids Resource Room at one of the local churches. Even if
you don't have school-age kids, you probably know someone who does. Please bring clothing to
Lewis Hall no later than August 16 and be a part of helping some kids get off to a happier start to
school this year.
Foster Youth Back-to-School Fair
In late August there will be the second annual back-to-school fair for foster kids. Christ Church is
participating by helping to purchase school supply kits, sharing information about our Friday night
events, and providing volunteers. The fair is coordinated by the Humboldt County Office of
Education Foster Services Program. Just a few of the other participants: College of the Redwoods,
The Forgotten Initiative, Dental Van, Church of the Nazarene, Probation, Child Welfare Services,
Eureka Family Resource Center, possibly the Bookmobile, and several others. As of this past June,
the Humboldt County official count of school-age foster children was 101 in grades K-5, 32 in grades
6-8, and 60 in grades 9-12 - almost 225. For more information, please contact Mtr. Nancy or Peg
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August 2

Mary Edson

August 15

David Aronovici

August 6

Gail and Harry Freeman

August 18

Jim Hogan

August 7

Harry Freeman

August 18

Michael & Kathrin

Burleson

August 8

Nancy Streufert

August 24

Betsy Schlueter

August 8

Jim and Margo Fassio

August 25

Margo Fassio

August 9

Laura Rose

August 26

David and Patricia Toy

August 9

Belinda Zander

August 27

Anna Klay

August 11

Anna Smithler

August 30

Natalie Moore

August 14

Peter and Irene Hannaford August 30

Susan Whaley

The Chapel at St. Dorothys Rest

11

Gardner.
Quilters...PLUS! August 5th
Pick a piece of fleece - and work on a blanket for our Foster Kids Project! Come to Lewis Hall the
morning of Wednesday, August 5 about 9:30 a.m. Easy, lots of fun and the coffee and friendly
conversation are a bonus. The hardest part is choosing which piece of fleece to use. There are so
many colorful choices. Which appeals to you? Will it be frogs, rockets, dinosaurs, basketballs,
music symbols, baseballs, trains, dogs, flowers, sharks, trucks, or kites? See you there! If you have
questions, please check with Peg Gardner, 443-9627.

Our one thought during this summer of heat, outdoor activities and family get-to-gethers is: No
how busy you are you "Have to Make a Little Room for God".
Gail and Harry Freeman

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Community of the Transfiguration

As August is the month of the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6, I thought it
would be a good time to talk about the Community and my relationship with the Sisters.
I first met the Sisters in 1997. I was introduced by two women I had just met- Marylee
Rohde and Gretchen Ferrin, who were long time Associates of the Community. They
invited me to attend a monthly Quiet Day sponsored by the Sisters at their house in
Ferndale. Sister Teresa Martin and Sister Lydia Mathews were living in the house at that
time. Sister Alice was Sister Superior at the Convent. Sister Alice and Sister Teresa had
come to Humboldt County to start the community on the west coast in 1980.
I was raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school. I had left the church on
graduating from high school and our family relocating from Cleveland to Los Angeles. I
had returned to the Catholic church about ten years before I met the Sisters. Suffice it to
say I was discontent in the church as it left little room, as I saw it, for women except to
cook and clean for the church and priests.
When I met the Sisters, I was a bit cautious. I was schooled by Catholic nuns who
scared me to death as a child. Sister Teresa and
Sister Lydia were kind, generous, and welcoming.
I began to relax. And all I ever heard about was
Sister Alice, Sister Alice. Wait till you meet Sister
Alice. And meet Sister Alice I did. She returned to
Humboldt County in 1998 after she completed her
position as Sister Superior in Cincinnati. The
Sisters moved from Ferndale to Eureka in 1998.
That is when they became more closely associated
with Christ Church.
I continued to attend the Quiet Days monthly at
the Sisters house. They were actually called The
Meditation Group. They were attended by women
of all varying backgrounds and religions and no
Chapel at the Convent in Cincinnati
13

religion. The day would begin by one of the women

doing a short presentation on a topic of her choice. It
might be on icons, Carl Jung, silence, or T.S. Eliot.
You name it! Then we spent the remainder of the
day in silence, including a potluck lunch and came
together at the end of the afternoon to share (if we
chose) about how the day was for us.
It was during this time I learned about Celtic
Christianity and how exciting that was. The Sisters
ushered in this teaching for me. This is the crux of it
for me: That God lives in His Creation, to honor our
ancestors, to see the Holy in Gods world, to
acknowledge the Mystery of God, to realize Heaven Sister Ann at St. Monicas Recreation
Center in Cincinnati
is closer than we can imagine. And most of all, that
God lives in the Ordinary!
These are no ordinary women! I know you know them and would agree with me.
Sister Diana came to us seven years ago, and we have been blessed by her presence,
enthusiasm, and commitment to the Church in so many ways. She cooks, she teaches,
and she is a wonderful friend to so many. And now she has become a priest.
And with all, the Sisters lived out their motto: Kindness, Simplicity and Joy! I
asked Sister Alice in 1999, I believe, if the Community accepted Associates who were
from the Roman church. She said yes, they would. An Associate of the Community is
a man or woman, lay or ordained who participates in the spiritual life of the Community while they serve God in their work and other obligations.
All that is required is developing and following a personal Rule of Life (Daily
Prayer) that fits each individual, to pray daily for the community, its Oblates and Associates, to strive to live by word and example the good news of God in Christ in
ones own life, to support and encourage the life and ministry of the Community of the
Transfiguration, and to share information about Religious Life and the Community.
So as it turned out, I was received as an Episcopalian AND became an Associate in
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2000. God works in mysterious ways! I continued the Meditation Group and began attending weekly Eucharist at the Sisters house, where Father Doug Thompson celebrated
the Liturgy. After Sister Lydia became ill and returned to the Convent in mid 2006, I
visited the Convent for the first time. I expected to see a bunch of Sisters praying all day.
Was I mistaken. The Sisters have an active life with so many ministries it is hard to keep
up. And I could barely keep up with their schedule let alone their commitments: They
pray four times a day, have an elementary school on the grounds, a spirituality center that
has many groups on site continuously, St. Monicas Recreation center for neighborhood
children a few miles from the Convent, homeless outreachthe list goes on.
Jake and I went back when Sister Diana was ordained a priest in May of this year. It was
a glorious time and with so many visitors on the grounds, it was incredible how seamlessly it all happened. The amazing hospitality they perform is probably the most radical
of all they do. Anyone is welcome to come and stay at the Community to enrich their
spiritual life.
A few years ago, our Associate Ginny Pankoski became an Oblate. I was curious and
asked if I, a married woman, could become an Oblate. I was told it was possible and I
began a discernment process. Two years later, I became an Oblate. There are twelve
Oblates to the Community, including one man. Oblate means one who is offered to God.
An Oblate offers oneself to God in service. An Oblate is a lay religious devotee as best I
can explain it. Oblates in the Community are more closely related to the Community in
Cincinnati and are asked to return to the Convent one week a year. It is truly a gift.
From all I have received knowing the Sisters, I have so much to be grateful for. They
have enriched my life in so many waysthrough friendship, education, spiritual guidance, support and so much more. They truly are my family and sisters!
There is an Associates Retreat at the end of September at St. Dorothys Rest, near
Sebastopol. You do not need to be an Associate to attend. I hope you will consider joining us. It will be led by Sister Diana. See the information on page twelve of this
Chronicle.
In peace, love and kindness, Stephanie Schultz

15

The Convent grounds at Community of the Transfiguration in Cincinnati

Sister Dianas Ordination

Stephanie
16

A Little Walk in the Woods

It was a beautiful day on July 6th, when two gentle musicians, one an organist and the other a
guitarist, set out to take a stroll through the woods and hills of our beautiful area. They felt that
communing with nature in a gorgeous area for a day would help instill a sense of inner peace and
contentment, perhaps bringing them closer to God as they left the frantic commercialism and pace of
the developed society in which we all live and began down the path that entered the eternal woods.
Well, here is the reality: Doug Moorehead and Paul Gossard awoke at 5:00 a.m., bolted down a
scanty breakfast, drove to Gasquet on Route 199, checked on some road conditions, proceeded to
drive for forty-five minutes up Jawbone Road to the top of Siskiyou Pass, parked the car, and hiked
for five miles over a trail designated as "very difficult" to a lake with the name of Devil's Punchbowl.
What, you might ask, could possibly inspire our two gentle souls to undertake such an arduous
expedition? The answer must lie in the brain structure of a musician, a structure that can consider the

Devil's Punchbowl
17

mysterious and the stark and the beautiful and make

sense out of all of it. In fact, Devil's Punchbowl is
one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in all of
Northern California, and even though one mile of the
trail is relentlessly steep and the temperature was
close to 80 degrees and large chunks of the "trail"
were marked only by occasional rock cairns, Doug
and Paul felt that this exercise in masochism was
well worth it.
Perhaps a little extra excitement added to the
pleasure of the day. Doug happened to be in front of
Paul at one point, and he saw a large snake wriggle
into a hole in a rock right in front of him. He then
heard a rattling sound. Paul, being experienced in
such situations, pulled him backward and cast
several stones at the hole. The two gentle musicians

Gentle organist, Doug Moorehead, pondering

the meaning of anything at all
then gave a wide berth to the area and continued
onward.
At one point Doug temporarily lost his balance
and almost slid down a rock slide that led into a small
pond of water. At another spot he accidentally missed
his footing while crossing a small creek and found
half of his hiking boot covered with water.
To summarize, two church musicians visited the
devil, but despite the devil's attempts to thwart their
way, they found beauty and bliss and peace at his
punchbowl. (Can someone make a sermon out of
this??).
submitted by Doug Moorehead

Gentle guitarist, Paul Gossard, attempting to

stand upright
18

19

The Rt. Rev. Barry L. Beisner

Bishop, Diocese of Northern California
Staff
The Rev. Dr. Susan J. Armstrong
Priest in Charge
The Rev. Lesley McCloghrie
Resident Associate Priest
The Rev. Nancy Streufert
Associate Priest
The Rev. Sister Diana Doncaster
Associate Priest
Merry Phillips
Organist and Music Director
John Hammond, Sexton
Barry Ross, Administrative Assistant
Vestry
Lyn Klay, Senior Warden
Beth Powell, Junior Warden
Bob Rex, Barry Ross, Lynne Bean, Lin Chase,
Helen Taylor, Elizabeth Harper-Lawson, Belinda Zander,
Peter Hannaford, Katherine Clague, Gail Freeman
Bob Hines, Treasurer, Peg Gardner, Clerk
625 15th Street
P.O. Box 861
Eureka, California 95502
Phone (707) 442-1797
Fax (707) 442-5647

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