Star Report

The Women’s Guild of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church invites women (ages 12 years and older) to attend the annual Christmas luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 10,  in the church’s beautifully decorated Stacy Hall. This event, a Santa Ynez Valley favorite for more than 40 years, opens with a reception featuring local wines and beverages; and an opportunity to shop in the “boutique” featuring themed gift baskets plus other items including baked goods, jams and crafts. At 12:30 p.m., a sit-down luncheon created by New West Catering will be served by men of the parish.

Throughout the event, live entertainment will be provided by St. Mark’s choir; music students from the Solvang Conservatory under the direction of Diane Byington along with performances by Beverly Staples, Nichole Dechaine and Bill Hurbaugh. There will also be a Christmas Carol sing along for all in attendance.

“We welcome all women, young and young-at-heart, throughout the area to join us in celebration of the Christmas season at our festive luncheon. In addition to the reception, boutique, meal and singing; we will also have a raffle featuring items donated by local merchants,” said Mary Beth Johnson, 2016 Women’s Guild Chair.

The price of the event is $40 per person with all proceeds raised at the event staying in the community to support the Church’s preschool and programs for local families. The luncheon traditionally sells out, so reserving early is highly recommended. Reservations are required; visit www.smitv.org/womens-guild-reservation-form.html to book online. St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church is located at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue at the corner of Alamo Pintado Avenue in downtown Los Olivos. For more information, call 805-688-4454 or visit www.SMITV.org

Formed in 1926 and serving the Santa Ynez Valley at its present location in downtown Los Olivos since 1979, St. Mark’s practices a spacious Christianity and welcomes people of all faiths or none. St. Mark’s is a no-fee community center for non-profit groups and community meetings, an arts venue for musical and cultural events, a welcome center for residents and area visitors, and a home to an Episcopal parish. St. Mark’s is also grateful to be home to the area’s Jewish community. St. Mark’s top-flight, non-sectarian professional preschool serves Santa Ynez Valley families with quality early-childhood education. Open doors, restrooms, free Wi-Fi, a shady courtyard, gardens, a labyrinth and water for dogs are available for visitors and area residents all day, every day. For more information, visit www.SMITV.org

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More than 100 animals including dogs, cats, horses, goats, lizards, hamsters and their humans attended the annual St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church free “Blessing of the Animals Festival” the afternoon of Sunday, October 2, at the church located at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in downtown Los Olivos.

All ages from throughout the Central Coast brought their pets (on a lead or in a crate) for a special individual prayer of blessing by The Rev. Dr. Randall Day, Priest & Rector of St. Mark’s in a casual, outdoor service on the lawn in front of the church. This animal blessing is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures great and small on the Sunday closest to his feast day of October 4^th. Refreshments for animals and their companions were offered after the service.

“These creatures are our companions and friends and we as loving humans can learn from them, especially when it comes to living in the moment. Our pets will never discuss their five-year plans and they will never talk about how they regretted eating that last biscuit. They are here to remind us that we are alive now, to be awake and show us life and unconditional love,” Rev. Dr. Randall Day, St. Mark’s Priest and Rector remarked.

For more information, contact the Church office at (805) 688-4454 or visit www.SMITV.org

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Guests will begin the evening by sampling local wines, beverages and hors d’oeuvres while perusing the silent auction items featuring fine wine lots and lifestyle packages. The seated gourmet dinner will be prepared by Jeff and Janet Olsson of New West. The live auction will present both fine wines and extensive lifestyle and travel experience offerings. Two-time Grammy award-winning violinist Mads Tolling with keyboardist Colin Hogan will entertain Summer Classic guests.

Proceeds from the Summer Classic support local community programs and services provided by St. Mark’s including annually hosting more than 90 area guest organizations, meetings, programs and special events. Among many others, St. Mark’s welcomes the Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community, Arts Outreach, Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, Solvang Festival Theatre, county-wide commission meetings, and several recovery groups.

“St. Mark’s practices a spacious Christianity and serves as the Santa Ynez Valley’s community, music, arts and welcome center. Our agenda is increasingly set by the world around us. Our aim is to be open daily to what the community actually is and to respond to what it needs. In addition, our Preschool provides top-flight early childhood education. At St. Mark’s there is room for absolutely everyone. All are invited to attend the Summer Classic, a truly exceptional community benefit event,” according to Church Rector Rev. Dr. Randall Day,

Summer Classic reservations are available for a $200 per person donation that includes wines, beverages, hors d’oeuvres, gourmet dinner and live entertainment–only in advance securely online at https://smitv.ejoinme.org/reservations or by sending a check and contact information noted “2016 Summer Classic donation” to St. Mark’s, PO Box 39, Los Olivos, CA 93441.

With questions, please contact Summer Classic co-chairs Carol Anders (805-688-3445 or cadaanders@hotmail.com) and Jim Lohnas (805-448-5403 or jimlohnas@gmail.com) or visit http://www.smitv.org/the-summer-classic.html. The Summer Classic is coordinated by a dedicated, all-volunteer committee.

Mads Tolling grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark, and moved to the USA at age 20 to pursue jazz studies and graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2003. Tolling tours extensively around the world with Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, and others. He won two Grammy Awards for Best Classical Crossover albums.  Long-time professional keyboardist Colin Hogan from the San Francisco Bay area has performed on five continents playing everything from jazz, funk, salsa and hip-hop to tango and Balinese gamelan. He has performed with many legendary jazz musicians including Larry Graham, James Moody, Peter Erskine and Maria Schneider. This duo promises a memorable performance exclusively for Summer Classic guests.

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“Rejoice and Remember is a bright sun shower of a cappella songs. Sparkling Renaissance motets glisten beside poignant threnodies of remembrance and stirring sacred songs of the American choral tradition. This concert will feature works by William Byrd, Ralph Vaughan Williams and more,” said Quire of Voyces administrator Patty Volner.

Plus, we will preview the program the Quire is performing on its upcoming tour to England and appearance at the 70^th anniversary of the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales in July 2016. Please join us and be among the first to hear it, Volner added.

This free concert will begin at 2 p.m. with doors opening at 1:30 p.m. for first-come, first-seated admission. Free-will donations are welcome at the door. After the concert, there will be a complimentary reception to meet the choir members and the director as well as enjoy refreshments.

“We are thrilled to host Quire of Voyces for this special free concert enhanced by St. Mark’s highly regarded acoustics,” said The Rev. Dr. Randall Day, St. Mark’s Priest and Rector.

Founded in 1993, the Quire of Voyces is a non-profit organization affiliated with Santa Barbara City College whose mission is a commitment to presenting transcendent interpretations of sacred a cappella music from the Renaissance and modern eras.

The Quire comprises professional singers from throughout Southern California who volunteer their time, passion and talent to create the ensemble’s acclaimed “crystalline” sound. Beyond Santa Barbara, the Quire of Voyces performs internationally and previously sang at High Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, concerts at Salisbury Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral and Saint James Piccadilly in London as well as performances in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Finland, Estonia, and a special appearance at the Gotland Medieval Festival in Visby, Sweden. The Quire also has a distinguished recording history with all six of its CDs available for purchase at Quire concerts as well local and online retailers. For more information, visit http://quireofvoyces.org

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