Good News Gardens – Saturday March 11
Our next gardening day will be March 11 (instead of March 4.)  Please join us at the Church, 12:30-2 pm.  Questions?  Contact Deacon Margaret, mdyerc@stanford.edu.

Support for Barry Koron
Barry Koron's family has set up a Go Fund Me (linked below) to help support the care he needs that is not covered by insurance. If you are able to lend your support to Barry and family in this way, they would very much appreciate it. Thank you.
Barry’s  GoFundMe, https://gofund.me/1a227c81 Financial Summary (last year):  As reported at the Annual Meeting, in 2022 total operating income was $269,941 and total expenses were $293,085, for a budget deficit of $23,144.  Sabbatical costs, which are not included in the budget totals, were $15,960.  Pledge payments totaled $180,040 compared to a budget of $178,000, for an overpayment of $2,040.  There was a net operating loss for the year of $120,956 after including declines in market value of investments (excluding endowment).  Operating reserves at the end of the year totaled $35,326.  The endowment lost $52,246 in value during the year.

Financial Summary (current):  For January 2023, total operating income was $24,362 and total expenses were $20,115, for a budget surplus of $4,247.  Pledge payments totaled $19,266 compared to a budget of $19,692, for a shortfall of $426.  There was a net operating surplus of $25,923 after including increases in market value of investments (excluding endowment).  The endowment gained $18,972 in value.

Resources for Engaging in Anti-Racism, from Elena Wong
Thank you to Elena Wong for sharing this list of resources that were in turn shared with her through her membership in the Western Association for College Counseling:

Please send in your recipes for the COVID Connect Cookbook!
As shared in previous weeks, Peter Fairfield and Linnea Sweet are putting together the COVID Connect Cookbook. He's received several recipes thus far but would very much like more. He writes:

We are living through a time that will change our world in ways that we cannot yet begin to understand. We can hope that our shared vulnerability to this virus worldwide will help us see that all humanity is connected and that we must all work together. As we shelter in place, many of us are concerned with food. If we are not working, how will we afford it? If we cannot go out, how will we get it?

In our community of Saint Aidan’s, many are able to feed themselves and to help others get fed. More than that, we appreciate the food that we get and are finding new ways of making the sharing of food as enjoyable as possible.

The soup recipes that Cameron has been sharing have made our diet much more enjoyable and have given Linnea and I the inspiration to collect recipes from all the congregation and share them. We ask that everyone with a favorite recipe email it to us at peterlinnea@earthlink.net. We will collect and edit them into a cookbook which will be a lasting reminder of this strange and special time in all our lives.

We hope to be able to publish this cookbook in printed form and sell it to raise funds in support of Saint Aidan’s food ministries. We know you have been sharing food. Now please share your recipes!
 

Contemplative Prayer continues: Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday from 9-10 AM via Zoom
Contemplative prayer continues during this time of sheltering in place, via Zoom. Contemplative Prayer is silent with the beginning and ending marked by a bell. You can practice meditation, silent prayer, journal, or otherwise enjoy the collective quiet. Thank you to Susan Spencer for offering to anchor this practice once again, especially the Saturday, during this time. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org.

Morning Prayer continues: Mon, Wed, Fri at 7:30 AM via Zoom
We also continue to have Morning Prayer to help sustain and ground us, online/over the phone!  Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org.

Evening Prayer: Wednesdays at 6:30 PM via Zoom
Our CDSP Seminarian Weston Morris has resumed the service. Evening Prayer usually lasts a half hour. Readings for the day often feature commemorations from the Episcopal Church’s calendar of saints, and the service includes a brief reflection time on the readings. Please feel free to reach out to the office for the Zoom access information: office@staidansf.org
  This week our worship will continue to be hybrid, with both in person and Zoom platforms available. We encourage you to connect to with worship in whatever way is comfortable and feels safest for you.

Mask Policy:  After carefully considering survey input from parish members, as well as City and diocesan guidance and the current practices of other churches and public venues, the Regathering Committee has concluded that it is time to revise our mask policy.  Beginning Sunday, November 20, if you are fully vaccinated and are comfortable removing your mask, you may do so during church services.  We will respect the preference of anyone who feels safer by remaining masked.  In accordance with diocesan guidance, the celebrant will still be masked while consecrating and distributing the elements for the Eucharist.  We will also maintain a well-ventilated sanctuary by opening doors and windows, so remember to dress warmly as winter approaches.  We acknowledge that COVID is likely to be with us in some form for the foreseeable future, and we will be monitoring public health advisories.  Our mask policy be modified again as is appropriate.  Please pray for the health and safety of all our members and friends as we continue to navigate this challenging time.

To add an announcement to the weekly bulletin of the Flame, please send your edited text no later than 11:00 am Wednesday to office@staidansf.org