Greetings!
Last week, I spent 3 days at the Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg with Bishop Megan Traquair and the clergy of our diocese. It's always wonderful to connect with friends and colleagues in a beautiful setting!
Our conference leader was Fr. Michael Lapsley. As a chaplain to Anglican students in South Africa, Fr. Michael was an outspoken critic of apartheid. In 1990, he survived a letter bomb attack and since then has founded the Institute for Healing of Memories. This global non-profit leads workshops where people of all backgrounds and creeds can come together to heal trauma. In the U.S., the institute has led workshops for veterans, incarcerated people, and other marginalized groups.
Many conversations with my colleagues centered around churches as sources of healing in our divided nation. He said, "exposure to humanity is the antidote to hate," and told us how gathering diverse groups to process their traumatic memories in workshops has helped build bridges in South Africa.
It reminded me that no matter who we voted for or where we come from, we are all in need of the grace and healing offered by Jesus. St. Paul's is a joyful gathering of pilgrims on a healing journey - what a blessing that we get to do this together!
Blessings,
Rev. Annie
P.S. Thanks to everyone who attended last Sunday's "Meet the Organist" chat! If you missed it, read on for John's bio. Welcome to St. Paul's, John!
Meet John Partridge
Traditional Music Director
John Partridge began playing piano and composing music as a child. By the time he was in high school he was writing large orchestral and choral works. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1976 with an AB degree specializing in composition and conducting.
Returning to his hometown of Berkeley, John quickly established himself as - at various times - Associate Conductor with the West Contra Costa Symphony, Music Director of the Berkeley Harmonia Chorus and Orchestra and Choir Director and Organist at a series of churches in the Bay Area.
His interest in Ragtime music – which began in the late 1960’s – led to him becoming a nationally known Ragtime pianist and composer. At the same time, he became involved in the local opera scene conducting his own and others’ works with Goat Hall Productions in San Francisco.
In 2005, he moved to Sonoma California where he established the Wine Country Ragtime Festival, served as Music Director for several theater productions with Sonoma Arts Live and conducted the Sonoma Hometown Band while serving as Director of Music Ministries at the First Presbyterian Church of Napa.
He and his wife recently relocated to Oakland, California.
