Greetings!

In seminary, I was trained in a grief group curriculum called "Walking the Mourner's Path." In one of the sessions, they introduced the idea of standing stones.

Standing stones are objects that remind us of our loved ones who have died. They can be anything - a little rock in your pocket, a gift your loved one gave you, or a note they wrote. They are things we keep close to us, that are part of our everyday lives. I was stunned to realize that I had a standing stone before I even knew what it was.

When I went to college, I decided to keep this photo of my father on my desk. It's a portrait from his freshman year at University of North Carolina. As it turned out, that was his only year at UNC - he focused more on his social life than his academics, and he dropped out.

There's a happy ending, though! Soon after he found his passion for design in art school, going on to have a career as an interior architect. But I always imagined that if he were alive while I was in college, he'd encourage me to stay on the "straight and narrow," study hard, and never give up. Every time I got stuck or frustrated at my desk, I glanced at his photo and felt that encouragement.

Ever since, I've kept this photo at my primary workstation. Now it lives on my desk at St. Paul's. Once a year, it travels to the ledge behind the altar for our Dia de Muertos service but always finds its way home. Read on for information about our upcoming celebration, and how your photos can be included.

In the meantime, I wonder - what are the standing stones in your life?

Blessings,
Annie


Bring in your Photos!
For over 26 years, we have celebrated Día De Muertos at St. Paul’s. As in Mexico, we use this celebration as a time to remember the family, friends, and others who have made a difference in our lives and are no longer with us.

As part of our celebration, we invite you to bring framed photo(s) of your departed loved one(s) to display on the Reredos behind the altar. Please bring your framed photos to the Parish Office by Wednesday, October 21st (or you may also bring them to church on Sunday, October 25th). If you bring them to the church, please give them to an usher, who will bring them to the front. Please do not try to display them yourself.

We also invite you to bring framed photos of your treasured pets who have passed away to honor and remember them in our Pet Ofrenda. Framed pet photos must be in the church office by Wednesday, October 21st. We would love to include them in our display—it’s such a beautiful way to remember our loving animal companions.

Please be sure your name is on each framed photo so it can be returned to your family afterward. If you have any questions, please contact: The Parish Office at admin@stpaulsbenicia.org