St. Martin’s News 01/09/2026

Announcements for the Week of January 9, 2026

Epiphany Evening Prayer and Bonfire, This Sunday, 5pm
Join Rev. Pamela and others for Epiphany Evening Prayer and a bonfire on Sunday evening, January 11 at 5pm on the patio between the office and the church. We’ll be outdoors, so wear warm clothes. Rev. Pamela will bless the church by chalking the door, and participants will receive chalk and instructions on how to bless their own homes, if they wish. We will roast marshmallows and make s’mores after a short Evening Prayer service. All are welcome!

This Sunday – Youth Liturgy of the Word (LoW)
Junior high and high schoolers meet with Rev. Debbie on second Sundays of the month at 10am in Room 8 to talk about the Gospel reading and what it is saying to them.

Happening Soon – Save the Dates
Annual Reports Due, January 12: If you are a ministry leader or chair of a committee, you should write an annual meeting report and submit it to the church office no later than THIS COMING MONDAY, January 12.
Sac/ACT Multifaith Vigil, January 22: Sacramento Area Congregations Together (Sac/ACT) held a successful vigil in front of the John Moss Federal Building on December 18 to stand with our immigrant sister and brother neighbors. The formal program began with a homily by the Rev. Julie Wakelee, Canon to the Ordinary from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California. She spoke about the Christian, moral, and humanitarian calls to support immigrants. Sac/ACT will hold another vigil at the John Moss Federal Building on Thursday, January 22 at 12pm. More information: https://sacact.org
Annual Meeting, Sunday, January 25: St. Martin’s Annual Meeting is on Sunday, January 25 during the 10am service. We will have ONE SERVICE ONLY so that everyone can be together for this important meeting. Be there to have a voice in church governance, to elect Vestry members and Diocesan Convention delegates and review the 2026 budget.

Statements from the Broader Episcopal Church on Current Events
The Episcopal Church Statement on U.S. Intervention in Venezuela
The Episcopal Church issued a statement this week on the U.S. intervention in Venezuela. See the statement HERE. In addition, a variety of Episcopal leaders have released statements calling for prayers and peace in Venezuela, noting that we have siblings in the Episcopal Diocese of Venezuela who continue to carry out vital ministries under very challenging circumstances. Episcopal leaders have expressed both support for Venezuelans celebrating Maduro’s removal and concern over the legality of the attack. See some of the statements HERE.
Bishop Megan’s Statement on Recent Events in Minneapolis
Bishop Megan has expressed shock and dismay over the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. She commends to us the words of Bishop Craig Loya, Bishop of the Diocese of Minnesota. See Bishop Megan’s and Bishop Loya’s statements HERE.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)

Service Opportunities
Bring Nonperishable Food for Our Weekly Collection: As food costs are rising, we can help our local pantries serve the food insecure by bringing non-perishable food items to church to be distributed to four local pantries. We only collected a few items last week for Dixon Family Services. We will collect again for them this week in hopes of having a full-basket donation this week.
Cook a Meal for Paul’s Place with the Davis Progressive Youth Collective: The Davis Progressive Youth Collective holds monthly events for youth in 6th through 12th grades. On Sunday, January 25, 1:30-3pm they will cook a tasty meal for the unhoused guests of Paul’s Place shelter. Cooking will take place at Lutheran Church of the Incarnation (1701 Russell Blvd. in Davis). RSVP HERE.

Nominations Open for Vestry and Diocesan Convention Delegates
At the Annual Meeting on January 25, we will elect Vestry members and Diocesan Convention Delegates. To nominate yourself or another parishioner, email the church office with a) name of nominee, b) nominee’s contact info, c) ministries nominee has been involved in. If you are nominating someone other than yourself, please talk to them first to get their permission. We are also seeking nominations for seven lay delegates and two alternates to Diocesan Convention, which will be held online on October 24, 2026. Deadline for Nominations: January 12 (Note that nominations can be accepted later, but the nominees’ biographical information may not be available before the Annual Meeting).

Rector’s Office Hours
Rev. Pamela holds drop-in office hours on Tuesday afternoons. Her next office hours will be on Tuesday, January 13, from 4-5:15pm in the church office. If you wish to meet with Pamela at a different time, please contact her directly or contact the church office.

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