Process for Online Video Services

Since 2014, my husband John Plocher has been running the Video Ministry for St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saratoga, CA. What started out needing a few hours a week using spare equipment has grown vastly since the Covid-19 pandemic took over our lives this year. John now routinely spends 12 or more hours a week creating and editing videos of music and worship services using sophisticated software and hardware. (Some of which were paid for by a 2018 St. Andrew’s Opportunity Fund grant.) John has been mentoring Youth Group members for over a year to develop their technical skills and extend the Video Ministry. In the hope that recruiting and training even more helpers will reduce his own load, John has written these process documents.

Online Worship Services and Music

• An Overview
• The Structure behind our Online Ministry
• Online Service Recording Process
• Postlude Slideshow Guide
• Virtual Music Recording Guide

John has developed a chat and video best practices exchange group – contact me if you want to join. He publishes stand-alone videos of the classical and folk service music on  Saint Andrew’s Sings. Go there to hear “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” the “Navy Hymn,” a folk Taizé “Jesus Remember Me,” “Rest in the Lord,” “Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise,” “We’ll Meet Again,” and other favorites. Or, hear the music as part of the weekly worship service videos. (More in my blog post New Music for Quarantine Times.)

I have been helping John by reviewing videos during development, finding memes for the end, and providing photos for preludes and postludes:

• Trinity – Images of God (7 June 2020 Prelude, 3 minutes) – based on my 2017 “Images of God” Katysblog post for EfM
• Stations of the Cross, Harare, Zimbabwe (14 June 2020 Prelude, 5 minutes) – with pictures I took during the TechWomen Zimbabwe Delegation, 2016
• Tocatta on Amazing Grace, Photos from Lalibela, Ethiopia (14 June 2020 Postlude, 4 minutes) – with pictures I took in Lalibela, Ethiopia, 2014

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Images Copyright 2020 by Katy Dickinson.

Silicon Valley and the Congo

Please consider joining me in donating to ERD. I am part of the Episcopal-Anglican Congo Network that coordinates information and support for the DRC. Violent militia raids against villages are common – causing people to flee to the relative safety of one of 60 internal refugee camps. Covid-19 and Ebola are active.

Think this has nothing to do with you? Congo produces 60% of the world’s cobalt, used to produce lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, laptops, and smartphones. We in the Silicon Valley helped to create this mess. Let’s work to solve it. Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is coordinating much-needed aid. What ERD does: “Episcopal Relief & Development works in collaboration with church partners and other local organizations to facilitate healthier, more fulfilling lives in communities that are struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease.”

Recent stories from the Congo:

• “As COVID-19 and conflict surge, DR Congo displaced face deadly consequences of chronic underfunding” (Reliefweb, UNHCR, 9 June 2020)
• “Militia massacre: 20 villagers killed in northeast DR Congo – Civilians hacked to death with machetes and shot in the latest attack by militias that have killed hundreds this year.” (Al Jazeera, 17 May 2020)
• “No link between two ongoing Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (Reliefweb, UNHCR, 9 June 2020)
• “Congo artisanal cobalt programme expands with industry backing” (Reuters, 21 April 2020)
• “Congo Moves to Monopolize About 25% of All Cobalt Exports” (Bloomberg, 30 January 2020)
• “Are These Tech Companies Complicit In Human Rights Abuses Of Child Cobalt Miners In Congo?” (Forbes, 13 January 2020)
• “Apple and Google named in US lawsuit over Congolese child cobalt mining deaths – Dell, Microsoft and Tesla also among tech firms named in case brought by families of children killed or injured while mining in DRC” (Guardian, 16 December 2019)
• “Top tech firms sued over DR Congo cobalt mining deaths – Apple, Google, Tesla and Microsoft are among firms named in a lawsuit seeking damages over deaths and injuries of child miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” (BBC News, 16 December 2019)

Not all the news is bad, some Silicon Valley companies are working on recycling as an alternate solution to the problem of needing Congo’s  cobalt. For example: “Daisy is Apple’s new iPhone-recycling robot” (The Verge, 19 April 2018)

The Congo Network is chaired by the Rev. David Copley, Director of Global Partnerships and Mission Personnel, Ministries Beyond the Episcopal Church.

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Shakespeare Sonnets – Virtual

Since 2012, Shakespeare reading group has been meeting every two months to read a play and enjoy a potluck meal. At Christmas, we usually have a special reading of the entire Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. There are 61 in the group; our youngest regular reader is 10 years old and our oldest is 96. We take turns hosting the event in various cities in the Silicon Valley.

Last month, because of the corona virus lockdown, we had our first virtual meeting, to read Shakespeare’s Sonnets. We spent a lovely two hours on 18 April reading sonnets 2, 5, 8, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 43, 47, 51, 59, 65, 67, 73, 116, 121, 124, 130, 135, 138, 143, and 144. Fourteen of us  each picked and read two poems. It was delightful to see everyone, even if only online!

My husband John sweetly dedicated his reading of Sonnet #25 to me, and then made this video of his reading – followed by my reading of Shakespeare’s Chicken Sonnet (#143).

I am the group mentor and assign parts, Melita Thorpe manages this as a ministry of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Stephenie Cooper analyzes the roles in advance – to be sure we don’t speak over each other. John Plocher hosted our first online meeting to be sure the technology worked.

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Images Copyright 2012-2020 by Katy Dickinson.

Moving Online with EfM

The weekly Education for Ministry (EfM) seminar I mentor with Karen LeBlanc shifted last month from in-person to online because of the coronavirus pandemic quarantine here in the Silicon Valley. I have been an accredited EfM mentor since 2011 and very much look forward to our weekly discussions and theological reflections. We usually meet at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga. This year, our class has two students in Year 1 (Hebrew Bible), two in Year 2 (New Testament), and one in Year 4 (Theology and Ethics). No one signed up to study Year 3 (Church History) this term. About EfM:

Education for Ministry (EfM) is a unique four-year distance learning certificate program in theological education based upon small-group study and practice. EfM is designed to prepare lay persons to live out by word and deed the promises made at baptism: to love God, to serve Christ, and to proclaim the Gospel. It is administered by The School of Theology Programs Center of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. More about EfM

Our annual movie night was yesterday, watching the remarkable film, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.” It took some preparation but here was the process we used:

• Make sure you have both Skype and Netflix working
• Bring your own movie snacks!
• Join the Skype call about 6:25 pm to be sure all is well
• Have two devices available – one for Skype and the other for Netflix – logged in and plugged in
• At about 6:30 pm, we will talk by Skype and then go on mute
• Once everyone but me is on mute, I will count down so we start watching the film together on our second devices
• Stay on mute but keep your Skype chat open so we can comment about the movie
• After about an hour, I will announce on the chat that we will have a ten minute break and brief discussion
• After the break, we will resume watching the movie
• Discussion again after the movie

Other than at-home technical challenges – and remembering to stay on mute when watching (and to go off mute when talking) – movie night went well. Next week, we study the material for Week 31 of the 36 week curriculum:

Year 1:

• Proverbs – Bible
• Job – Bible
• Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) – Bible
• The Hebrew Bible – by John J. Collins, chapter 24 – Proverbs
• Collins chapter 25 – Job and Qoheleth

Year 2:

• James – Bible
• The New Testament – by Mark Allan Powell, chapter 25 – James

Year 4:

• My Neighbor’s Faith – by Peace, Rose, Mobley,  Foreword, Introduction, Chapter 1 – Encountering the Neighbor

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Images Copyright 2020 by Katy Dickinson.

22 Bishops Celebrate Lucinda Ashby (not counting Bishop Barbie)

Bishop Lucinda Ashby was ordained and consecrated the fourth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real on 11 January 2020, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saratoga, California. Twenty two bishops participated in the consecration, ten of them women. Bishop Lucinda is the sixth woman to be consecrated an Episcopal Bishop this year. She is the second Episcopal Bishop ever to succeed another woman bishop. Like Bishop Mary, Bishop Lucinda is bilingual in Spanish. The ordination and consecration was conducted in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. The sermon was by the Rev. Dr. John L. Kater, Professor Emeritus, Church Divinity School of the Pacific.

24 of the 127 active Episcopal bishops (diocesan, suffragan, assistant or assisting) are women. The Episcopal House of Bishops has nearly 300 active members and comprises half of the governing body of the Episcopal Church. All bishops of the Episcopal Church, active or retired, make up the House of Bishops.

My husband John Plocher lead the team that livestreamed the event. John created 41 pages of notes and directions and the team practiced for months. By the end of 11 January 2020, more people had watched the event online than had attended in person. During the service, I was grateful to be able to see the live online high view of some of the more intimate parts of the service, especially when the 22 bishops laid their hands on Bishop Lucinda in blessing. They prayed together:

Therefore, Father, make Lucinda a bishop in your Church.
Pour out upon her the power of your princely Spirit, whom you bestowed upon your beloved Son Jesus Christ. with whom he endowed the apostles, and by whom your Church is built up in every place,
to the glory and unceasing praise of your Name.

Full text – Service bulletin:
Episcopal diocese ECR, part one consecration 11 Jan 2020 (pages 1 to 26),
Episcopal diocese ECR, part two consecration 11 Jan 2020 (pages 27 to 52)

In addition to the traditional presentations of the stole, chasuble, cope, mitre, pectoral cross, episcopal ring, festal crozier, and Bible, Bishop Lucinda was given a special gift, her own Bishop Barbie. The first Bishop Barbie was presented to Bishop Mary at our 2010 women’s retreat. From my blog post about that event:

Leslie Butlar and the Rev. Maryellen Garnier worked with a team to create this event… We were honored to spend part of an afternoon with our own Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves in open conversation. Maryellen presented Bishop Mary with a token of our regard, the first Bishop Barbie doll. Maryellen had the doll’s custom robes created because of a story she had heard. Recently, a little girl who was much taken with Bishop Mary, asked her why there was no Bishop Barbie. Well, now there is one.

Here are the 22 bishops who participated in Bishop Lucinda’s ordination and consecration:

Michael Curry	The Rt. Rev.	Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church
Katharine Jefferts Schori	The Rt. Rev.	26th Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church
David Bailey	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Navajoland
Barry Beisner	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Northern California
Patrick Bell	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Eastern Oregon
Diane Jardine Bruce	The Rt. Rev.	7th Bishop, Los Angeles, Suffragan
Griselda Delgado Del Carpio	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Cuba
DeDe Duncan-Probe	The Rt. Rev. Dr.	Bishop, Central New York
Robert Fitzpatrick	The Rt. Rev	Bishop, Hawaii
Mary Gray-Reeves	The Rt. Rev.	3rd Bishop, El Camino Real
Mark Holmerud	The Rev.	Bishop, ELCA – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – Sierra Pacific Synod
Michael Hunn	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Rio Grande
Jerry Lamb	The Rt. Rev.	6th Bishop, Northern California
Mark Lattime	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Alaska
Kimberly Lucas	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Colorado
Gretchen Rehberg	The Rt. Rev. Dr.	Bishop, Spokane
David Rice	The Rt Rev.	Bishop, San Joaquin
Nedi Rivera	The Rt. Rev	7th Bishop, Eastern Oregon
Susan Brown Snook	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, San Diego
Robert Springett	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Tewksbury, England (suffragan bishop, Diocese of Gloucester)
Brian Thom	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Idaho
Megan Traquair	The Rt. Rev.	Bishop, Northern California

Thanks to Timothy Gee for this list!

Signed consecration certificate.
John Plocher and crew, 9:10 am.
Diocesan choir.
Interpretation team.
Ed Jacklitch, sound.
St. Andrew’s altar.
Cantemus Filipinas Chorale.
Bishop-elect Lucinda greets her family.
Procession of diocesan banners.
Bishop Michael blessing congregation.
Ordination and consecration of Bishop Lucinda.
Mary Ann Gee and diocesan choir.
22 bishops consecrate Bishop Lucinda, 12:25 pm.
Presentation of the bishop’s crozier.
Presentation of Bishop Barbie to Bishop Lucinda.
Bishop Lucinda’s husband Bob Ashby with Bishop Barbie, 2020.
Bishop Mary with the 1st Bishop Barbie, 2010.
1st and 2nd Bishop Barbie, 2012.
Bishop Michael gives communion.
Reviewing the video, 1:45 pm.
Bishops Katharine, Mary, and Lucinda.
Bishop Lucinda Ashby, John Plocher, and Katy Dickinson.

If you want to receive Katysblog posts by email, please sign up using the Sign Me Up! button (upper right on Katysblog home). Thanks and acknowledgement of copyright to Mark LeBlank and Elrond Lawrence for their photos of the Bishop Barbie, consecration certificate, and Bishops Katharine, Mary, and Lucinda, all other Images Copyright 2010-2020 by Katy Dickinson.

Happy 1st Anniversary, Stepping Stones!

Happy First Anniversary, Stepping Stones!

Stepping Stone Gathering:
Supporting & Celebrating Reentry & Recovery!
Worship and Celebrate with us: Sundays, 8:15-9:15 am
at Grace Baptist Church, 484 E. San Fernando Street, San Jose.

Led by the Rev. Peggy Bryan and Jackie Fanning.

ALL WELCOME! No Exceptions. Please Spread the Word!

This is a joint ministry of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Saratoga) and Grace Baptist Church (San Jose).

Contact: The Rev. Dr. Liliana Da Valle, Senior Pastor of Grace, and the Rev. Peggy Bryan, Associate Rector of Saint Andrew’s.
More: Stepping Stone Gathering on Facebook.

Thanks to Crystal for her lovely song!

Letters of Congratulation

From the Right Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real

Dear Friends,

Happy anniversary as a worshiping community! I am thankful for each of you and for the courage you have to make the journey of recovery in the world. Community is a powerful force indeed. We are always better together! I encourage you to continue to gather, to pray, to give thanks to God for each day and for the opportunities that grace offers you.

There are always more gifts than we can see or know, always an abundance of love and power around us that can build us up and give glory to God. May you continue to find ways to serve others as you care for yourselves for “it is in giving that we receive”. Abundance will build upon itself as we trust this truth.

May you know God’s peace in your hearts and respect and love between you. By your presence you will attract others to join you, sharing the good news and power of the grace of Jesus to heal and to strengthen us to live for the glory of God!

Blessings,
Bishop Mary

From the Rev. Channing Smith, Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Dear Stepping Stones worship service at Grace,

Congratulations on your one-year anniversary and your remarkable success in establishing a truly Christian community where all are welcome and all can lead. Those who join you each Sunday know that they will find a place of belonging and share in a discussion of Jesus’ teachings about how to live your life. It is clear that you are a family and that extends beyond your time together on Sunday. You are there for each other in remarkable and generous
ways.

I also give thanks for The Rev. Peggy Bryan and many other lay leaders who have lived into God’s call to be a church without boundaries. Her energy, humor, creativity and commitment are clearly evident in vitality of your worship together. No doubt your have found the goodness of coming into the awareness of God’s love together and giving thanks.

I celebrate with you the blessing of this community and give God thanks for you and for the actions of God’s spirit among you. Please know that you are very much a part of our identity as a parish. In many ways, you remind all of our ministries that God is with us, and that we reflect God’s love as we welcome one another as fellow human beings on life’s journey together.

May God continue to bless you personally and as a worship service. May you always thrive! I look forward to watching you continue to do this incredible ministry of Jesus together.

God’s peace, love, and blessing,

The Rev. Channing Smith

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Images Copyright 2019 by Katy Dickinson. Thanks to Mary Ann Gee for the group picture!

In Memory of Danny Cohen

I was very sorry to learn of the passing of Internet Pioneer Danny Cohen this week (1937-2019). Danny and I worked together at Sun Microsystems Labs in Menlo Park, California. These pictures are from a talk Danny gave in 2009 about VOIP and the start of the internet, from just 4 sites in 1969 to 45 sites in 1974.

Danny and I worked together on several projects:

• Danny was a mentor four times in the Sun Engineering Enrichment and Development (SEED) program I ran 2001-2010 for worldwide Engineering. I remember him asking humbly why anyone would want him for a mentor? I said that anyone who created the first real-time visual flight simulator on a general purpose computer, and the first real-time radar simulator, and who helped create the Internet itself was someone worth learning from. He was never convinced.
• Danny and I shared a fascination with maps, particularly with how Beck’s 1931 London Subway map changed how the world thinks about illustrating transport networks. He contributed to the wall of maps outside of my Sun Labs office.
• We worked together in 2010 to create Danny’s Wikipedia biography. Again, he was not sure why anyone would want to know but he kept coming back to answer more questions and review what we had so far.

My husband, John Plocher, and Danny and I attended Edward Tufte’s class on “Presenting Data and Information” together in 2008. In 2010 as Sun Labs was transitioning to Oracle, I took the pictures below of Danny’s office.

Rest in peace old friend.

VOIP talk 2009
VOIP talk 2009
VOIP talk 2009
VOIP talk 2009
VOIP talk 2009
Sun Labs Map Wall
IEEE Fellow Certificate – Danny’s Office
USC Certificate – Building the Internet – Danny’s Office
DARPA – Birth of the Internet – Danny’s Office
Bookshelf – Danny’s Office

Pictures Copyright 2009-2010 by Katy Dickinson