In Memory of Daniel Vega Martinez (1969-2021)

Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, collage, from the Rev. Peggy Bryan

On Sunday, a group of family and friends gathered to remember Daniel Vega Martinez (1969-2021). Daniel or “Big O” was a beloved member of our Stepping Stones reentry community, and had been in my class at Elmwood county jail. The Rev. Peggy Bryan, who leads the Stepping Stones community with Jack Fanning, wrote this tribute and account of Daniel’s death.

“Sadly, we said goodbye yesterday to Daniel Martinez, one of the first men I met at Elmwood and who, in reentry, was my teacher about the authentic challenges faced by living on the streets. Daniel was handed a tough life and the demons of addiction and shame finally tracked him down. Sunday he was found in flames in the cab of the truck he was living in. He was transported to VMC’s Burn Unit but his injuries were deemed unsurvivable so yesterday I offered final prayers as his wife, children and sisters circled him with love…Expressions of condolences and love are pouring in from those incarcerated and those outside who knew, loved and respect Daniel, ‘Big O’, as a man of God and a real St. Paul when leading behind bars, in prison or jail. The cause of the fire is unknown—accident, suicide, homicide…Please keep everyone in your prayers, those who call him father, brother, husband, mentor, friend and teacher are spread far and wide. As plans for a service are known, I’ll let you know. My heart is broken, this has been beyond brutal, but it helps knowing Daniel finally rests In God’s perfect peace.”

Fifty of Daniel’s friends and family got together in the San Jose parking lot to honor his life and lay flowers at the burn site where he was fatally injured.

Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him

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  Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, melted fence 2 May 2021

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  Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, memorial flowers 2 May 2021

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  Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, with family, from Peggy Bryan

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  Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, at beach, by Peggy Bryan

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  Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, with Kathy and Peggy, from Peggy Bryan

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  Daniel Vega Martinez 1969-2021, sunset, from Peggy Bryan

30 May 2021 Update: Daniel’s Memorial Service at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

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  Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

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  Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

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  Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

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  Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

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  Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

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  Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

Daniel Martinez memorial, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 30 May 2021

If you want to receive Katysblog posts by email, please sign up using the Sign Me Up! button (upper right on Katysblog home). Images Copyright 2016-2021 by Peggy Bryan.

MA Thesis Presentation

On 7 March 2021, I presented about my GTU Master’s Thesis “Range of Chaplain Engagement with Prisoners” to about forty people in my home parish, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Saratoga, California) via Zoom (and broadcast to the church courtyard). I linked my slides here to make it easier to follow along. Here is the link to the video recording.

I have not yet posted the whole thesis – I think the GTU Library will be doing that eventually. I am still in the process of getting the final thesis signatures and the library is one of the last that needs to approve it.

22 April 2021 – This presentation has been given several times, most recently to the GTU Religion and Practice Department, and a Kairos volunteer group. Please contact me if you would me to speak.

8 March 2021 – updated text, added video link, and photo

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Jail Ministry News

Stepping Stones ministry first anniversary, 27 Oct 2019

A national Episcopal Church news story on our jail ministry in the Diocese of El Camino Real was published yesterday, “El Camino Real Episcopalians Continue Jail and Reentry Ministries Despite Pandemic,” by Sharon Sheridan. There have been other news stories about Stepping Stones and our jail ministries, but this is the first national news. Congratulations to the Rev. Peggy Bryan and team for a remarkable contribution to a community that is too often ignored! Even my work in jail with Education for Ministry got a mention.

Update: Another news story was published yesterday by the Diocese of El Camino Real in their newsletter: “$25 UTO Grant Awarded to Stepping Stones Reentry Ministry,” RealEpiscopal – News from El Camino Real, 15 October 2020.

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Help with Zoom

EfM at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saratoga, California

Education for Ministry is holding an online training this week for its mentors, trainers, and other seminar leaders, many of whom are starting their annual terms this month. We have over 165 already signed up!

Cynthia C. Hargis, Diocesan Relations and EfM Online Coordinator, University of the South – School of Theology – Education for Ministry, asked Cheri Winter (EfM Coordinator and Mentor, Diocese of Colorado), and me (EfM Coordinator and Mentor, Diocese of El Camino Real) to give this session on how to use Zoom for EfM seminars. Our training materials are linked here, both for those who will attend the session and for others who may find them helpful:

• Zoom Technical Tips: EfM Zoom Tips 14 Sep 2020 (by Katy Dickinson)
• Creating an Online Environment of Hospitality: Zoom Practices for EfM Mentors 09 2020 (by Cheri Winter)
• EfM Event Evaluation form: PDF format – Zoom Practices for EfM Evaluation, Doc Format – Zoom Practices for EfM Evaluation (by Cindy Hargis)

We welcome any additional suggestions you may offer. Here are questions and answers from the live chat during the event – the start to an FAQ: Questions from Zoom Practices for EfM, 18 Sep 2020

The recording of the event is on Zoom Practices for EfM 9-18-20. All of the material from the event is also linked to EfM – Resources for Mentors – Webinar: Zoom Practices for EfM Mentors.

To learn more about EfM, watch this two minute video: https://vimeo.com/450619912

We opened with this prayer, by the Rev. Aaron Klinefelter of St. Jude’s Episcopal Church (Cupertino, California):

If you want to receive Katysblog posts by email, please sign up using the Sign Me Up! button (upper right on Katysblog home). Images Copyright 2019-2020 by Katy Dickinson.

Updated 24 Sep 2020

20th Wedding Anniversary on 4 July

John and I are looking forward to our 20th wedding anniversary this weekend. Thinking back on some of our adventures and looking forward to many more. It is fun to be married to your best friend!

2020 virtual family dinner
2020 Mother’s Day
2018 family vacation
2018 Paul SJSU graduation
2018 St Andrew’s
2017 Reno
2016 Ashland
2016 Ashland
2016 Dunsmuir
2016 Klamath River
2015 Amtrak trip
2015 St Andrew’s
2014 Lalibela Ethiopia
2012 St Andrew’s
2012 Natural Bridges
2012 Jessica CMU graduation
2011 Jessica + Matthew
2011 Jessica + Matthew
2010 Lair of the Golden Bear camp
Lair of the Golden Bear camp 2010
2010 Teatro Zinzanni
2010 Teatro Zinzanni
2010 Teatro Zinzanni
2010 Egypt
2010 Cairo, Egypt
2008 Flying to Baja Mexico
2008 Baja
2007 India
2007 India
2007 WP668 Caboose move
2007 WP668 move
2006 Dead Sea, Israel
2006 Dead Sea, Israel
2006 St. Peterburg, Russia
2006 Russia
2005 Beijing, China
2005 China
2000
2000 wedding
2000 wedding

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Images Copyright 2000-2020 by Katy Dickinson.

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.

New Music for Quarantine Times

My husband John Plocher is not musical but during the COVID-19 quarantine, he has been helping others to sing. John has been recording and broadcasting our regular church services from the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church choir loft for years (with backup from the talented teens of the Youth Group whom he has been mentoring). During the quarantine, John used the skills and equipment he had put together to help St. Andrew’s clergy shift into a weekly service online. Music has always been a huge part of our parish community life, so John has created online music with choir directors Leroy Kromm, and David Howard-Pitney, and the inspiring parish symphony and folk choirs, singers, and instrumentalists.

John recently published a new website: Saint Andrew’s Sings – where the classical and folk music videos are posted each week. 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. (I am very proud of John – can you tell?)

“St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, in Saratoga, CA has a strong musical tradition that continues even as we isolate ourselves during these Inside Times. This is a collection of instrumental and choral works, folk music, meditations and solo performances – all recorded “solo” during the corona virus quarantine and produced virtually, for your enjoyment and the glory of God.”

Other choirs and singers around the world have also been creating new music for quarantine times. Some of those I have enjoyed:

• “Singing Through the Storm” by Steven Franklin Harris
• “Let Your Light Shine with Keb’ Mo'”  Virtual Choir – Boston Children’s Choir Online
• “The United Kingdom Blessing” Churches sing ‘The Blessing” over the UK
• “Longest Time” – Quarantine Edition, Phoenix Chamber Choir
• Genuine Fake Russian Choir “How Australia’s ‘fake genuine Russian choir’ Dustyesky went viral during the coronavirus pandemic”
• “Parting Glass” – The Choir of Man
• “The Bay Area Blessing” — Churches sing ‘The Blessing” over the San Francisco Bay Area

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Image Copyright 2020 by Katy Dickinson.

Updated with new link 30 May 2020