Altar Guild & Flower Team

Altar Guild

St. Bede’s Altar Guild appreciates the parishioners who offer “helping hands” throughout the year to assist our small team.  We welcome participation from all parishioners: no prior experience is necessary, all ages welcome!   Altar Guild members find fulfillment and fellowship in the practical side of church services and the aesthetic dimension. 

Among the things we do each week:

  • Ensure wine, wafers, and candles are ready for use and in good supply.
  • Prepare for special services such as baptisms, weddings and funerals, as well as the festal celebrations of Easter and Christmas.
  •  Monitor the condition and number of prayer books and hymnals.

Flower Team

 The Flower Team creates the floral displays in the sanctuary each week, bringing the beauty of God’s creation into our worship services.

Our work includes the seasonal decorations for Lent/Easter and Advent/Christmas, as well as weddings and memorial services, as needed. Our floral displays in the sacristy follow the liturgical calendar of the church in terms of color and symbolism. It is quiet, behind-the-scenes work that engages our creative talents in the service of the Lord.

Bloom and Grow!

We are always looking for new sponsors for floral arrangements in the Sanctuary. If you are interested in honoring a loved one, or sharing your deep-rooted love of flowers with the parish, please follow the steps below:

  1. Plant your name on the poster in the courtyard narthex. Sign-ups are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so sign up to-daisy! We accept one sponsorship per week, except at Christmas and Easter when we accept multiple donors and dedications.
  2. Pick up a donation envelope from the basket near the sign-up poster for your gift (cash or checks accepted). On the envelope please indicate if your flowers are in celebration of a special event, such as a birthday or anniversary, or in memory of someone who is Deceased.
  3. “Leaf” your donation envelope in the offertory plate on Sunday or in the Parish Admin folder in the office during the week. We request a donation of $60 to underwrite the cost of one week’s floral arrangements. Donations will be noted in the bulletin unless made anonymously. Any donations gathered during Lent are used for Easter flowers, while those reaped during Advent are used for Christmas flowers and greens.
  4. If making your contribution electronically, please include a note indicating that this contribution is to flowers, so that it is credited toward the correct account.

We can’t wait to thank the “scent”-sational donors who rose to the occasion!

Vic De La Cruz

Music Director

     Vic has been the music director at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church since 2022. In his time, he has continued the longstanding musical tradition of prestigious music while bringing the ideals of contemporary choral music to the church’s congregants. While bringing thought-provoking and worship enriching repertoire to Sunday services, he has also collaborated with many musicians both within St. Bede’s and the surrounding community for several special services, including bringing Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols to Menlo Park as well as many Evensong Services.

     Outside of St. Bede’s, Vic is the Head of Music and Director of Vocal Studies at Ohlone College where he directs the Choral Ensembles, instructs voice lessons, and teaches courses in musicology. He earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from Northwestern University (where he acquired an intense love of both contemporary choral music and deep-dish pizza) and a Master of Arts from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, both in Choral Conducting. He is originally from Orange County, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Education from California State University, Fullerton.

    Beyond music, Vic has a deep love for Olympic style wrestling, which he both enjoys as a fan and trains and competes for regularly. The remainder of his free time goes to his lovely mini aussiedoodle – Buffy.

Service

We engage in serving the needs of the unhoused, the food insecure, and those in need of educational assistance in the Peninsula as we proclaim the Gospel and promote justice, peace, and love for all people.

Education

We strive to understand the workings of Jesus and enrich our lives with continuous learning. We strive to teach those around us about the good works that Jesus performed, and strive to input His teachings into our own lives.

Community

We join with one another to support one another in all things, celebrating the high points of life, mourning together the low points, and following the example given to us by Christ during his life among us.

Worship

We gather together to set forth God's praise, to hear God's holy Word, and to pray for those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation, believing that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live.

St. Bede’s has been home to Jane for a startlingly long time. She taught music in Trinity School and was the Music Director at St. Bede’s for many years. She was then ordained, and served as the Vicar of Holy Innocents in San Francisco. In her retirement, she has returned to St. Bede’s where her family also attends. Her delight is working with the Children’s Ministry but she can occasionally be spotted being useful in other ways.

Rev. Jane McDougle

Associate Priest, Family Ministry Lead

Include Jane’ New Bio for Family Ministry

nursery 2

Jane McDougle (Team Lead)

Bio will go here.

Claire Lawrence

Bio will go here.

Martin de Jong

Bio will go here.

John Wenstrand

Bio will go here.

St. Bede’s has been home to Jane for a startlingly long time. She taught music in Trinity School and was the Music Director at St. Bede’s for many years. She was then ordained, and served as the Vicar of Holy Innocents in San Francisco. In her retirement, she has returned to St. Bede’s where her family also attends. Her delight is working with the Children’s Ministry but she can occasionally be spotted being useful in other ways.

Jane McDougle

Associate Priest

      St. Bede’s has been home to Jane for a startlingly long time. She taught music in Trinity School and was the Music Director at St. Bede’s for many years. She was then ordained, and served as the Vicar of Holy Innocents in San Francisco. In her retirement, she has returned to St. Bede’s where her family also attends. Her delight is working with the Children’s Ministry, but she can occasionally be spotted being useful in other ways.