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ENS articles on national, international, and regional news can be found
online at http://episcopalchurch.org/episcopal_life.htm.
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Diocesan ECW president Phyllis Webb gets things rolling at the 88th Convention |
Undeterred by a snow storm that made original plans possible,
the diocesan Episcopal Church Women met for the 88th Convention on Saturday, February 20, at York Place in York, SC.
Election of officers, approval of the Statement of Mission for 2010, and
selection of the year's mission projects were among the noteworthy
events of the day.
Guest speakers were Ms. Gillaine Warne of the
diocesan World Mission Committee and Mr. John Schiflet, president and
CEO of York Place, each of whom represented one of the mission projects
adopted.
This years World Mission project has as its focus the Family
Assistance Program, which is part of the Partners in Agriculture project serving Cange, Haiti, and the surrounding area, where much
of our diocesan world mission takes place. The Family Assistance Program's purpose is to help families whose children
have been treated locally for malnutrition. The program provides
assistance to sustain the children by counseling the family in good nutrition and agriculture;
providing seeds, fruit trees and tools; and, when appropriate, giving the family a goat. After the first harvest families
are asked to provide seeds and a baby goat to another family.
The diocesan mission project for this year assists with the support of
treatment for York Place children by helpingm through the York Place
Scholarship Fund, to underwrite costs not covered by Medicaid. This funding is used for counseling,
room and board, food, clothing, braces, eyeglasses, educational needs, field trips, therapy,
medicine, doctor visits, psychiatric care, and other
needs of York Place children.
By Fergie Horvath
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On Wednesday, January 6, 2010, the Feast of the Epiphany, the
Piedmont Convocation held its first ever convocational worship service.
Participating churches were Church of the Epiphany, Spartanburg; Incarnation,
Gaffney; St.
Christopher’s, Spartanburg; St. Margaret’s, Boiling Springs; and St.
Matthew’s, Spartanburg.
The Church of the
Epiphany was kind enough to host the service which pushed their
facilities to capacity, with some people sitting in folding chairs and
standing in the back. We were blessed to have such a wonderful showing
of folks from all over the convocation; 112 people were in attendance.
The liturgy was designed by the clergy of the participating churches in
a lessons and carols format. Afterwards, there was a ‘pot luck’ coffee
hour hosted by the people of Epiphany, with food and drinks provided by
all the churches. During this time of fellowship, I asked an Epiphany
parishioner, “What do you think of all these people here?” She replied,
“Oh, I think it’s wonderful! It is so nice for the convocation to
worship at our church. The people are friendly and everyone is having
such a good time. I hope we can do this again.”
That seemed to be the
sentiment of everyone there, so there is talk, already, of our next
convocational worship service. It is clear that working together as a
convocation can be accomplished not only through outreach, but through
worship as well. This can only strengthen the ability of our entire
convocation to live more fully into our baptismal covenant.
The Rev. Deacon Fergie Horvath is our first convocational deacon, serving Upper SC's Piedmont churches.
The crisis in Haiti has not passed. The need immediately to complete our work to replace the worn-out water system at Cange has become even more critical as those in need of emergency health care due to the earthquake, children left orphaned, and other refugees from Port au Prince have flooded into Cange, putting a tremendous strain on an already inadequate and contaminated water system.
Additionally the need
for the vocational school to begin classes has been accentuated by the
population growth and the lack of employment. The demand for the
increased production of our nutritional products to fight malnutrition
has also grown dramatically.
You now have a chance to make a tremendous difference in the lives of
our friends in Haiti, thanks to the generosity of one Upper South
Carolinian who has offered to match your contributions to the Bread and
Water Fund, up to $200,000. You now have the opportunity to double the
effect of your gift by contributing now.
Donations can be made online at www.edusc.org or by snail-mail
(to EDUSC, 1115 Marion Street, Columbia, 29201).
Please designate checks to the Gifts of Bread and Water and make
them to the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. God has given us this unique
opportunity to "act in the world as the body of Christ" and to change
lives.
For more information, please contact Bread & Water Fund
chair, Earl Burch, eburch@innova.net.
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Learn more about |
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Invite a speaker to your congregation to talk about diocesan work in Haiti. Presentations can be tailor-made for any
group, special interest, or timeframe. Topics might include the history of our
relationship with Cange; info on
medical, agricultural, and other ministries; the recent
earthquake and after effects; the diocesan
Gifts of Bread and Water Campaign. Talks will be informative, entertaining,
interesting and inspirational, and can be scheduled for any day
of the week at any time. |
Matthew 25 grants support outreach in local communities; MDG grants focus on international projects
Matthew 25 grants
Matthew 25 grants support outreach programs in congregations and
convocations of the diocese that are serving these least of Jesus’
family in our own communities. The programs supported and nurtured by
Matthew 25 grants are the work of Upper South Carolinians striving to
manifest the reality of God’s kingdom in their local communities.
Congregations and convocations are invited to apply for grants to be
made during 2010. Information, guidelines, and application forms are
available on the diocesan Web site www.edusc.org,
under "Ministries," "Mission & Outreach," "Matthew 25."
For additional information on the grant process, please contact Matthew 25 chair, the Rev. Timothy Ervolina, 803.929.1000.
The Matthew 25 Committee, which administers the grants, draws its name and vision from the words of our Lord in the Gospel of Matthew 25:40: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." The committee is made up of the Council of Deacons, who serve on it as part of their diaconal ministry, along with the lay wardens of each diocesan convocation.
MDG grants
Congregations in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina are invited to
apply for funding to support projects that focus on one or more of the
Millennium Development Goals devoted to international outreach. Funding will come from a portion of the
0.7% set aside by the Diocese in the Statement of Mission (SOM).
The
diocesan Commission on the Anglican Communion and International
Concerns, charged with oversight of the grant process, encourages
proposals inspiring the participation of congregations in the diocese in
long-term projects that can ultimately be sustained by the community
served. Particularly encouraged are projects that serve to nurture and
promote self-sufficiency.
Applications should be submitted to the diocesan Commission on the
Anglican Communion and International Concerns and will be referred to
the MDG subcommittee for review and recommendation for final approval by
the Commission as a whole.
General guidelines:
• Project must address one or more of the Millennium Development Goals
• Fiscal accountability of organization with which funds may be shared
• Yearly report of project and progress
• Timeline and desired outcomes
The Commission will oversee two grant cycles. All application material
must be submitted by January 1 or July 1. Applicants are urged to submit
requests well ahead of the time the money will be needed. Grant award
will be announced in March and October by the Commission.
Applicants may be asked to provide additional information after
submission. Written notification of grants awarded or denied will be
made following final evaluation of the proposal. All materials are
promptly acknowledged upon receipt, and become the property of the
Diocese of Upper South Carolina. More information and grant application
forms are available on the diocesan Web site, www.edusc.org, by following links to
"Ministries," "Outreach," and "Millennium Development Goals."
Any group seeking funding from Upper South Carolina's 2011 Statement of Mission (SOM) must submit a request by the March 22 deadline. Any new or expanding outreach ministry that is carried out locally, regionally or nationally will use the Matthew 25 grant application form, available on the diocesan Web site www.edusc.org, under "Ministries," "Mission & Outreach," "Matthew 25." All others will use the 2011 Statement of Mission Request form. All requests must be submitted to the Diocesan House electronically using the forms available on the diocesan Web site at www.edusc.org/SOM.
Who/what does Upper South Carolina's SOM fund?
While any group may request funds from the diocesan SOM, the goal of the SOM is to fund those ministries that can be carried out most effectively at the diocesan level. Many of our congregations are involved in wonderful ministries and the SOM cannot support them all. It is for this reason that we honor requests primarily from committees, commissions, institutions, mission congregations and other entities that are carrying out ministry at the diocesan level.
Essential in the mind of the SOM Committee, in recommending a preliminary Statement of Mission, will be the four goals:
that each congregation
assess its current situation and develop a strategic plan for
mission and ministry through the Healthy Church Initiative; that the Diocese develop an effective strategy for
planting new missions and assisting congregations in effective evangelism; that every congregation will have programs
in place that provide "womb-to-tomb" formation; and that we, as the Body of Christ in Upper South Carolina,
will fully embrace the Millennium Development Goals, with the effectiveness of our attention to the first three goals being
measured by our commitment to the MDGs. The Commissions will be charged to make funding recommendations based on these goals.
The free Winter/Spring Concert Series at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community in West Columbia is under way. Here's what's coming up.
| Marina Lomazov & Joseph Rackers, piano duo Thursday, March 4, 7:30 p.m. |
| Jacob Will, baritone & Charles Fugo, piano Thursday, March 18, 7:30 p.m. |
| Catherine Hazan, violin & Sharon Rattray, piano Thursday, March 25, 7:30 p.m. |
| Peter Kilkay, bassoon Monday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. |
| Tina Stallard Voice Studio Recital Sunday, April 11, 4:00 p.m. |
| Laury Christie, soprano, Christin Owens, soprano & Elisa Moskovitz, piano Thursday, May 6, 7:30 p.m. |
All concerts are held in the Susan G. Robinson Garden Room. A reception will be held following each evening concert.
For more information contact: Sherry French, Director,
Activity Services,
Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community, 803.739.5015, sfrench@stillhopes.org.
Three sessions remain in this discussion of aspects of the Prayer of St. Francis
St. Francis of Assisi , Chapin, is offering a Lenten series examining
the meaning and relevance of the Prayer of St. Francis in today’s world
as part of its Wednesday evening observances during Lent. Three
Wednesday-evening sessions remain: March 10, 17, and 24.
Attributed to the thirteenth century saint, St. Francis' prayer is a bold one, asking for
strength to give of one’s self in order to meet the needs of others. Led
by lay people and clergy from around the Midlands, each session will
focus on a part of the prayer and discussion on how it still
impacts our daily lives all these years later.
All are invited to attend the
Wednesday evening series, which begins with a light supper of
soup, salad, and bread at 6:00 p.m. and the presentations start at 6:30 p.m.
The schedule is provided below:
March 10, Rev. Dr. Tom Glenn, an ordained Presbyterian (USA) minister, will discuss love.
March 17, Dorian Del Priorie, youth director at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Columbia, will lead a discussion on pardon and forgiveness.
March 24, Sister Carol Andrews of the Convent of St. Helena in Augusta will lead a discussion on prayer in practice for twenty-first century Christians.
Grace Church, Camden, is sponsoring a Centering Prayer Workshop, led by the Rev. Tom Ward, on March 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The workshop will serve both as an introduction to Centering Prayer for those who know nothing of this practice and as a refresher course for those who have been praying this way for some time. Four Conferences give shape to the day: Prayer as Relationship, the Method of Centering Prayer, the Place of “Thoughts” in Centering Prayer, and Centering Prayer and the Fruits of the Spirit. Two sessions of Centering Prayer are part of the design.
The Rev. Tom Ward been an Episcopal priest for over thirty years, serving parishes in Mississippi and Tennessee; from 1994 through 2005, he was University Chaplain at Sewanee, the University of the South (the one university owned and operated by the Episcopal Church in this country). Tom now focuses on the contemplative dimension of the gospel, teaching centering prayer and leading retreats. He has a special interest in fostering this practice in local congregations in general and in Episcopal parishes in particular. For the past fifteen years Tom has worked closely with Thomas Keating and Contemplative Outreach Ltd, a network which seeks to foster contemplation.
For more information or to register, please contact the church, 803.432.7621. Registration deadline is March 15.
At 7 p.m. on March 21, at St. Mary’s, Columbia, assistant rector the
Rev. George Roberts will perform his one-man show on the life and
ministry of Paul entitled Blessed: An Expression of Faith. The
play is approximately forty-five minutes in length and covers much of
Paul’s life in flashback, from his persecution of the Church through his
conversion to his final journey to Rome as prisoner, before being
martyred. Roberts, before entering Holy Orders, was a theatre educator,
most recently at the University of South Carolina Upstate. He has been
acting professionally since 1990.
The performance is being sponsored by the Christian Formation Ministry
at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. A light soup and muffin supper will be
held from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with the performance following. All are
invited. Donations will go to the EYC of St. Mary’s planned mission
trip, summer of 2011. St. Mary’s
is located at 170 St. Andrews Road,
Columbia. Please call 803.798.2776 for directions.
A Spirituality of Joy and Sorrow
A Quiet Day with The Rev. Barbara Crafton
March 20, 2010
9:00-4:30 at
St. James Episcopal Church, Greenville
Join the St. James Center for Spiritual Development on March 20 from
9:00-4:30 for a Lenten Quiet Day led by The Rev. Barbara Crafton.
Barbara is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director, and author of many
books as well as the celebrated “Almost Daily eMo.” The day will begin
with registration and coffee from 8:30-9:00. During the day, we will
hear several meditations from Barbara and have quiet time for prayer,
reflection, or spiritual direction. Lunch is provided as part of the
$75 registration as is a copy of one of Barbara’s books. We will end our day
with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Please register by completing
a registration form on the St. James Center website
(http://saintjamescenter.org).
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The home of Bill and Susan Reynolds, affectionately known as “The House of the Two Crazy Dogs” |
The St. Thaddeus Home and Garden Tour has been set for Saturday,
March 27, 2010, from 10:00 until 5 p.m. This year’s tour features
several of Aiken’s oldest homes and gardens, restored and renewed, as
well as newer homes built in a historic setting. Later, visitors may
stop by the Heritage Market and choose from a selection of vintage
linens and other spring gift ideas while they enjoy afternoon tea in the
St. Thaddeus Tea Garden, then tour our historic church and the
churchyard.
Tickets will be available March 1, and are $25 for individual tickets
and $20 for groups of 15 or more. They will be available in Aiken at
Material Things, York Cottage Antiques, Plum Pudding, and The St.
Thaddeus Church Office, 129 Pendleton Street, Aiken. For more
information, contact the church office at 803.648.5497 or go to www.stthaddeus.org. Tickets may also be purchased from the St. Thaddeus
website.
This year’s tour is held in conjunction with Aiken’s year-long175th
anniversary celebration, “Celebrate Aiken.”
Proceeds benefit local outreach projects.
"The Relationship Project: A Day to Invest in a Healthy, Vibrant, Conscious Connection"
Trinity Cathedral is sponsoring a fun and exciting opportunity for couples! On Saturday, March 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bonnie Montgomery, Ph. D., from St. John’s, Columbia, and Amy Sander Montanez, D.Min, from Trinity Cathedral will lead couples in a day-long workshop exploring the keys to positive, successful relationships.
Couples will take the PeopleMap personality inventory which is designed to increase self-awareness and awareness of one’s partner, and to foster productive communication. Following this, couples will learn research-based habits that create and support successful relationships.
Both Bonnie and Amy have been in private practice for over twenty-five
years and have extensive experience in working with couples. The cost
for the day, $125 per couple, includes tuition, morning coffee, and
lunch. You can have a lot of fun while gaining tools that will increase
the health of your relationship. This workshop is not therapy and is not
designed for couples in crisis.
To register, please mail your check for $125, made out to
Trinity Cathedral and marked at the bottom for Couples' Workshop, along
with your names and a phone number by March 21. Trinity Cathedral’s
address is 1100 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29201. If you have any
questions, please call 803.254.5650 and ask for Amy or Carrie. This workshop
will be limited to 25 couples so register early!
Explore a spiritual link with photography amid the Blue Ridge
Mountains in spring bloom during the ninth annual Kanuga Photography
Retreat April 25-30.
Students can examine the close-up world of macro photography, learn to
use color like a painter, combine photography with hiking, “see the
holy” and transform those insights into digital photographs or explore
documentary photography in natural light.
Students will get hands-on lessons from professional photographers Kathy
Eyster of Missoula, Montana.; Lydia Goetze of Southwest Harbor, Maine;
Jon Kral of Boone, North Carolina.; Robin Smith of Columbia, South
Carolina; and Beth Reynolds and Thom Burden of Northfield,
Massachusetts. The Rev. Janet Tarbox of Edgefield, South Carolina, will
serve as chaplain.
Participants pick one instructor to study with for the week. Class size
is limited for individual instruction and lessons can be tailored to all
levels of experience. Evening programs allow photographers to network
and learn from other instructors.
For more information, visit www.kanuga.org or call 828.692.9136.
Sign up your two-person team for the first annual Gravatt
Bassmaster Fishing Tournament. This event is a family-friendly so take
this opportunity to share the outdoors with youth you care about. Choose
to fish from the bank, from a Gravatt canoe, or your own canoe, or you
may bring your own boat (trolling motors only). This tournament will be
catch and release only. Awards will given in many exciting categories.
Register early as space will fill up quickly. Keep up-to-date
with tournament news at www.bishopgravatt.org or on the
Gravatt Environmental Education Program Facebook Fan
Page.
The following is the text of an email announcement received from LeaderResources, http://leaderresources.org/
We don't usually email our friends again so soon, but after
announcing our new program for Adults & Teens: Searching for God in the Rubble of Haiti
we were flooded with requests for something similar to help children.
So we are excited to share our brand new, hot-off-the-presses children's program:
"Helping Hands and Hurting Hearts," that can be used as Sunday School, VBS or even a mid-week program.
Children learn about Christ's command to serve others as they take an imaginary boat trip to Haiti,
sing songs in Creole, read stories about Haiti, make mud cookies and discover ways they can help.
Additional materials include an extensive list of fundraising ideas and recipes for a church-wide Haitian feast.
We hope these ideas will spark your imagination and encourage you to raise money for charities such as the
Episcopal Relief and Development
fund. The Diocese of Haiti will need our help for many years to come in order
to rebuild the dozens of churches and schools destroyed in the earthquake, so check out all our Haiti resources and ideas at
http://leaderresources.org/.
Good Shepherd, Columbia, offers terrific cookbook!
Looking for that perfect gift? Then you need What Episcopalians Do After Dinner: 500
Favorite & Fabulous Desserts (Second Printing).
We know. We know: You think all church cookbooks are the same -- quaint
little collections of Cream of Chicken soup and Cool Whip. Not this one.
The gourmets and gourmands of The Church of the Good Shepherd have
produced a decadent collection of desserts you'll wonder how you ever
lived without,
smartly arranged to help you find just the right thing.
You want a chocolate cake? Go to pages 1-30. Got a hankering for a fruit
pie? Check out pages 164-184. Or how about something good and gooey?
We've
got an entire chapter on that.
The chapters are marked by bright, cheerful photographs of desserts
lovingly prepared by Good Shepherd parishioners. The book was edited by
Good Shepherd's own Cindi Ross Scoppe, associate editor at The State
newspaper, who tracked down clarifications for all those
not-quite-clear directions and culled more than
600 submissions to eliminate duplicates and near-duplicates, explaining
slight variations in notes with the combined recipes.
You'll buy our cookbook for its yummy collection of sinfully delicious
delights. You'll treasure it for the notes that accompany most recipes,
including Good Shepherd rector Father Lyon's story of the apple pie
recipe he developed using fruit that was "borrowed" from the residence
of one of his seminary. And no, that's not a typo on the purchase price:
We really are offering 343 pages of fabulous recipes for just $10.
Pick up copies of the cookbook at Good Shepherd, 1512 Blanding Street,
Columbia, or mail checks for $10 plus $3 shipping and handling for each
book.
Mail order to:
The Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church Women
Att: Betty Prudence
1512 Blanding St
Columbia, SC 29201-2907
Phone: 803.779.2960
Fax: 803.771.7227
E-mail: gsepiscae@aol.com.
The Church of the Epiphany, Spartanburg, established in 1894 as one of the first missions in the South Carolina Archdeaconry for African American Christians, was featured recently by the Spartanburg Herald Journal in recognition of Black History Month. "Slobot," a roving Herald Journal character, visited the church and offered a photo gallery available at http://www.goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=SJ&Date=20100223&Category=SLOBOT&ArtNo=223009999&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1.
By Dick Haldeman
On Sunday, February 14, Trinity, Abbeville, opened the
sesquicentennial celebration of consecration in 1860 of its historic
church building, with 240 persons attending a concert of organ music.
For one of the few times in Trinity’s history it realized the founders’
dream of filling the sanctuary built for 250 people, a dream that had
seemed to die when the War Between the States began just five months
after consecration of the building.
When Trinity had consecrated the beautiful Gothic edifice in November
1860, it anticipated that its rapidly growing congregation would fill
the church. Instead the war took a toll in human life and finances that
left a much diminished congregation.
Despite the setback, a small but active congregation has kept Trinity
open for worship and for visitors as the building has become an
architectural and historical landmark of Abbeville. The sesquicentennial
observance unofficially began in December, with the 150th Christmas Eve
Service in the building bringing 76 worshippers to Trinity-Abbeville.
Church historian May Hutchinson chairs a Sesquicentennial Committee
planning special events during 2010 that will culminate in November with
a special service celebrating the consecration of the building in
November 1860. Special events will be held every other month until that
event, and Episcopalians throughout the diocese are invited to attend
these events as they are announced.
The concert February 14 was the first of these events, bringing four of
the region’s outstanding organists and a French horn performer to
Trinity. The Abbeville community expressed its thanks by filling its
pews.
Performing were Robert P. Glick, professor of church music and organ at
Erskine College and Seminary; Dr. Brooks Kuykendall, head of the music
department at Erskine College; Dr. Kuykendall’s wife, Patricia Bolen, on
the French horn; Cortlandt M. Koonts, professor emerita of music at
Erskine College; and Keith Shafer, director of music and organist at
historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Augusta, GA.
Each of the performers received enthusiastic applause, followed by a
standing ovation for all at the close of the performance. John Pullin,
organist and choirmaster at Trinity and himself an accomplished
organist, organized the program. Mrs. Hutchinson welcomed those
attending, including members of many churches in Abbeville and
surrounding counties.
Highlight of the concert were four organ pieces performed by Mr. Shafer,
internationally known organist. Both Mr. Shafer and Professor Glick have
been featured on National Public Radio’s “Pipedreams.”
The Trinity-Abbeville congregation was established in 1842 and included
members of many leading antebellum South Carolina families when the
current building, Abbeville’s oldest church structure, was completed in
1860. The Diocese of South Carolina met here in June 1861, two months
into the War Between the States.
Tax-deductible gifts for restoration of Trinity Episcopal Church,
Abbeville, may be made to Friends of Trinity Abbeville, PO Box 476,
Abbeville, SC 29620.
Download resources, including Good Friday Offering bulletin insert and poster
Since 1922, Episcopalians here have supported the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East through the Good Friday Offering. It is vital that we continue to share in this burden, and not let our brothers and sisters in Jerusalem carry the cross alone.
For 150 years the Anglican Church in Jerusalem has borne the responsibility of sharing the cross of Jesus in a special way. By helping to maintain the Christian witness in the Holy Land, by serving all of God's people there in a variety of ministries, by proclaiming the gospel and promoting justice, peace and love throughout the four dioceses in that region, the church serves us all.
Where to send funds collected: Make your check payable to Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, write Good Friday Offering on the "Memo" line of the check, and send it to:
Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society
Good Friday Offering
P.O. Box 12095
Newark, NJ 07101
The following is from the Episcopal Church Medical Trust and applies to clergy and lay employees enrolled in the Active Empire BCBS Health Plan and retired clergy enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare Medicare Supplement Plan. If you are an active clergyperson, please share this information with your lay employees that are enrolled in the Active Empire BCBS Health Plan.
In order to support the efforts of volunteers and others in ministry
helping with the recovery efforts in Haiti, the Medical Trust will be
reimbursing members enrolled in Medical Trust self-funded plans for the
required inoculations for travel to the island. (These self-funded plans
include our active and retiree health plans administered by Aetna,
CIGNA, Empire BCBS, Kaiser, and UHC.) This reimbursement benefit will be
available for Haiti-related inoculations received by July 1, 2010.
To utilize this benefit, a member will first have to pay out-of-pocket
for the required inoculations and then submit the receipt(s) with:
· Their name, address, and a contact phone number
· The nature of their mission to Haiti
· The name of the group they’re traveling with
· And the dates of travel to:
Church Pension Group
Clinical Care Department
445 5th Avenue – 6th floor
New York City, NY 10016
Attn: Haiti Inoculations
If you have any questions about this special benefit, please contact
Malbia Udoji in our Clinical Care Department at 212.592.8345.
The Episcopal Church's Lifelong Christian Formation and Vocations Team is offering grants for campus ministries. The purpose of the grants is to assist in the start-up of new campus ministries or the re-start of dormant campus ministries. Download the application form at www.edusc.org/e-DUSCNewsletter/030410/images/CampusMinistriesGrantProposal.pdf.
Please pass this along to folks who would be interested. The deadline is March 31, 2010, so it is time sensitive.
With questions, please contact Bronwyn Clark Skov, bskov@episcopalchurch.org, 212.716.6074, 800.334.7626 ext. 6074 (toll free
| March 9 | Catawba clericus, Harmony House, noon |
| March 12-14 | Happening #63 |
| March 29 | Renewal of ordination vows, St. John's, Columbia |
| April 2 | Good Friday offering to the Church in Jerusalem |
| April 11 | Reedy River Convocation meeting Catawba Convocation meeting |
| April 12 | Catawba clericus meeting, Harmony House, noon |
| April 9-11 | Vocare #5, Gravatt |
| April 15 | Fresh Start, All Saints', Clinton |
| April 18 | Gravatt Convocation meeting Midlands Convocation meeting |
| April 20 | Clergy Business Day, Gravatt |
| April 23-25 | Jr. High Spring Retreat |
| April 24 | Leadership Day (Program-size congregations), All Saints', Clinton |
| April 25 | Piedmont Convocation meeting |
| May 1 | Leadership Day (Pastoral-size congregations), All Saints', Clinton |
| May 6 | Fresh Start, All Saints', Clinton |
| May 8 | Mother's Day Offering (to Still Hopes and Finlay House) |
| May 11 | Catawba clericus, Harmony House, noon |
| May 22 | Consecration of the 8th Bishop of Upper SC, Christ Church, Greenville |
| June 5 | Leadership Day (Transitional-size congregations), All Saints', Clinton |
| June 19 | Leadership Day (Family-size congregations), All Saints', Clinton |
| TBD | Leadership Day (Resource-size congregations), All Saints', Clinton |
| October 15-16 | 88th Diocesan Convention, Trinity Cathedral, Columbia |
This is a true story. The identifying information has been changed to
protect the people and church involved.
A small, struggling congregation rents space from another small
struggling congregation. The group that owns the building worships on
Sunday mornings and has a full-time minister, and the congregation that
rents the space worships on Sunday evenings so as not to be too much of
a distraction. Both congregations share another very part-time minister
who is mostly working for free. He is not ordained in either of the
denominations that he’s serving. They are, however, all in full
communion with each other. Because he serves both congregations, there
is some overlap in his ministry and that has resulted in dialogue about
worshipping together and perhaps even joining together. This would seem
the likely thing to do, practical, good use of resources, synergistic.
There has been an obstacle, however; the members of the evening church
are almost exclusively gay and lesbian.
Recently the part-time minister died in a fatal car accident. Both
congregations were traumatized by this death. They scrambled to come
together to have a meaningful funeral, and members of both congregations
rushed to be of support to the family of the deceased, a wife and
fourteen-year-old son. The higher ups in all three denominations came to
town to participate in the funeral. They jockeyed for positions and
debated dogma. How would they celebrate communion? Who would lead? How
would they vest? In the spirit of respect and ecumenism, they figured it
all out and came together. The church was packed to the rafters for the
funeral, and the family was grateful for the outpouring of support.
After the service was over, there was a covered-dish supper in the
parish hall. Members of both congregations mixed, sitting at table with
each other, crying together, telling stories about their dear friend and
pastor. At one of those tables was an older lady who usually sits in the
back of the church on Sunday mornings. She sits in the back because the
last few rows of pews are padded and that makes it easier on her aging
body. Her pew is full with her elderly friends. Next to her at the table
was a lovely-looking gentleman who worships with the evening
congregation. He is fun and outgoing with a contagious smile. He told
great stories about their now dead friend. He stopped for a moment in
the middle of one of the stories to comment on the chicken pot pie.
“This is the best pot pie I have ever tasted!” he exclaimed. “I’ve got
to find out who made it and get the recipe.”
“Well, young man, I made it. It’s my mother’s recipe; been around for
ages.”
“Do you give out recipes?” he inquired. “I’d love to make this for my
mother’s 70th birthday party. I’m throwing a big bash for her soon.”
“ If you come to church Sunday morning,” the woman said, slowing as she
says the word morning, “ I’ll give you the recipe.”
“I’ll be there!” he quipped.
“One ingredient a week!” she retorted, and the whole table erupted in
laughter.
In the sacred moments of life when the veil between heaven and earth is
thin, we recognize that we are all the same. We who are one body share
one bread and one cup. We all love. We all grieve. We laugh and we cry.
We celebrate our friends and families. We all bleed. Artificial
separations are just that. Artificial. Perhaps we need them to help us
feel safe.
We use separations as ways of defining ourselves by our
differences. “This is how I know myself. I am a white, heterosexual,
middle-class, mainline, liturgical Christian. This is how I interpret
Scripture. I feel safe when I am with others just like me.” It is the
human condition, I guess. And yet we are called to transcend our desire
for sameness and to put ourselves intentionally with people who are
different. We are called to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and
befriend the needy. We are also told that when two or three gather, the
Spirit of our Living God is there as well. It doesn’t say two or three
just like me. It says two or three. When we break bread together, when
we grieve and worship and commune together, then we remember that we are
one. We remember that we are all but dust and to dust we shall return.
We remember that life is short and we do not have time to tarry.
Now is the time to love. Now is the time to join. Now is the time to
accept. Now is the time to change. Now. Now. Now.
