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National & World NewsPresiding Bishop calls for Day of Prayer for Lambeth Conference, June 22Conference convenes July 16
[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has called the Episcopal Church to a Day of Prayer on June 22 for this summer's Lambeth Conference of Anglican Communion bishops. The July 16–August 3 conference "represents one important way of building connections and relationships between churches in vastly different contexts, and reminding us of the varied nature of the Body of Christ," Jefferts Schori said in a June 4 letter addressed to the people of the Episcopal Church. "I would bid your prayers for openness of spirit, vulnerability of heart, and eagerness of mind, that we might all learn to see the Spirit at work in the other. I bid your prayers for a peaceful spirit, a lessening of tension, and a real willingness to work together for the good of God’s whole creation." More than 650 bishops are expected to attend the decennial gathering at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. The Presiding Bishop suggested the prayer for the Church from page 515 of the Book of Common Prayer: O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Related stories and resources for learning about LambethLambeth Conference will help bishops strengthen partnerships, Jefferts Schori tells media in May 20 Web cast
(Photo copyright Episcopal Life Online 2008) For an overview of Lambeth and much more . . . Visit the official Lambeth Web site: www.lambethconference.org. Diocesan NewsHealthy Church Initiative is way forward for Upper SCBy the Rev. Canon Michael A. Bullock
It has been rightly said that transitions are the only time for real, systemic change. Taking this truth to heart, Bishop Henderson marks his own transition as our diocesan bishop by taking concrete steps to complete his episcopacy in a manner that will present the healthiest diocesan Church possible to his successor. The bishop has called on Upper South Carolinians to focus on four goals, three ministry priorities and a fourth “measuring stick,” as a faithful way to celebrate his leadership among us and as a reliable pathway into a healthy future. Christian formation, congregational development, and mission (a.k.a., strategies for assertive evangelism) are the three priorities that the bishop has named for us, and the measure of how we progress in these is our work toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight goals agreed to in 2000 by 189 heads of state and government, including the United States, to address extreme global poverty in the developing world. At the heart of the priority for congregational development stands our diocesan Healthy Church Initiative. Begun more than a year ago through a generous gift to the bishop, the Healthy Church Initiative (HCI) brought church consultant Tony Watkins to the diocese. Since that time, Watkins has continued to meet with our congregations and communities to help them analyze what it would take to reach their most significant goals as healthy, faithful Christian congregations. In those cases where capital funds are called for to realize these mission goals, he provides professional fund-raising guidance as part of the bishop’s program. To date, more than 44 of the diocese’s 65 congregations have availed themselves of Watkins’s expertise, and at least two of our congregations are in the process of building to realize their mission dreams. The Healthy Church Initiative is not primarily about raising funds, but rather about establishing a disciplined process of strategic planning in each congregation, to the end that each local community in the diocese has a reliable map that concretely and publicly defines their mission and ministry. Through these strategic maps, each of our congregations can focus their vocational dreams and energies in a manner that truly changes lives. In its essence, HCI seeks to establish fruitful partnerships among us for ministry and for mission. As such, the core of our movement toward congregational development through HCI includes three defining parts: Plan, Covenants, and Reviews, all of which call us to the business of the Church, which is resurrection, expressed in communion. HCI endeavors to put this business in the best possible position to succeed and to make sure that our diocesan vision—that we are one body, with one mission: changing lives— continues to be true. This is the task to which the Bishop has called every congregation and community in the diocese. Maturely formed Christians create healthy congregations, which in turn reach out in faithful and dynamic mission. Stay tuned for more on HCI and our bishop's other "goals for a seamless transition." Upper SC seminarians Taylor and Roberts receive national honorRobert Taylor and George Roberts, seminarians from our diocese, participated in the annual Preaching Excellence Program held this week at Villanova University. Taylor and Roberts were selected by the deans and faculty members as the most promising and proficient future preachers for the Church. The Foundation recruits a teaching staff for the week-long program composed of professors of preaching and accomplished parish priests to provide the leadership for each conference. This year our presiding bishop, The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, will be in attendance. In addition, renowned experts in the field of homiletics are invited to lecture to the conference community. These guest lectures have included James Forbes, William Sloane Coffin, Robert Bellah, William Willamon, Walter Bruggemann, Barbara Brown Taylor, Daniel Matthews, Edmond Browning, Robert Capon, and Thomas Long. For the past twenty years, students from eleven Episcopal seminaries, as well as seminarians from non-Episcopalian seminaries have joined with professors of homiletics and other committed parish priests to spend a concentrated week of working on their preaching. It is estimated that one in ten active Episcopal clergy have received the gift of this program. It is considered a gift because the program costs $1500 per student and each student is asked to pay only a $100 registration fee. The rest, including travel to the conference, is covered by grants made to the Episcopal Preaching Foundation. Gravatt receives "Readers' Choice"award—2nd year in a row!
Palmetto Parent is the "family magazine of the Midlands.” Formerly called Midlands Play Day, this bimonthly magazine is a local resource guide for Columbia area families, with an exclusive calendar of family friendly local events and activities, vacations, and entertainment. Also included are feature articles on education, health, safety, family relationships, advice, recipes, craft projects, science projects, book, movie and music reviews, and more. It provides all the information a midlands parent needs in one easy to find, easy to read magazine, available free at many midlands businesses, libraries, and other locations.
Updates from St. Christopher's, Spartanburg
In the May 15 issue of e~DUSC we reported on the resignation of St. Christopher's rector, the Rev. George Gray, who stated in a letter to parishioners that he could "no longer remain grounded in TEC [The Episcopal Church]." A majority of St. Christopher's vestry also resigned, and a number of parishioners joined them in leaving the Episcopal Church. Bishop Henderson, with the endorsement of the Diocesan Executive Council, returned St. Christopher's to mission status, inhibited Fr. Gray for "abandoning the communion of the Church," and appointed the Rev. Canon Michael A. Bullock, his canon to the ordinary, to serve as priest in charge. A new St. Christopher's mission team was put in place. The bishop celebrated the Feast of Pentecost at St. Christopher's, helping to mark a new beginning in the life of the congregation. Read about these developments at St. Christopher's on our diocesan Web site, www.edusc.org, which also offers St. Chris updates, including The Living Church story on Pentecost at St. Christopher's and Canon Bullock's recent letter to the congregation outlining the "guided visioning process" that will take place this summer and which "will quickly culminate in this community fashioning a renewed purpose statement and identifying in the most concrete of terms new priorities for ministry, mission, and common life." "Re-equipped with this refocused identity and purpose," Canon Bullock wrote, "St. Christopher's will not only be in a dynamic position to move ahead in fruitful ways toward renewed parish status; St. Christopher’s will also be in an exciting position to invite others to join in on this new life." Family Days held at Still Hopes, May 3, 4
On Saturday, May 3, over 300 people gathered for Family Day for the Lowry
assisted living center, the Jane Bruce Guignard and Sanders Guignard health
care centers, and the Rosalie W. Bomar memory support center. The 86th Diocesan ConventionBusiness - Celebration - LeadershipOctober 17 - 18, 2008Draft agenda now available for download from the The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and the adjacent Hilton Hotel will serve as our site for the two days of Mission and Ministry. Friday, October 17th will be focused on the business of the Diocese. Elections, the Statement of Mission (SOM), possible resolutions and changes to the Constitution and Canons will be the order of the day. In the evening there will be a grand celebration, complete with the Bishop's Awards recognizing Upper South Carolinians who have made extraordinary contributions to the life and ministry of our diocese. On Saturday, October 18th, the Bishop invites all those in various
leadership areas of our congregations to come and be energized,
empowered, and focused to take on the his
"four goals for a seamless transition". This will be a time
to come together for worship, to share stories of mission and ministry, and
learn how each one of our congregations can move forward. Weaving the
Story we all share and the stories of our faith communities will be the Rt. Rev. Charles F. Duvall . Throughout the
day he will inspire and challenge us to enter into the story, so that in our
leaving we will share it with others.
Upcoming EventsGravatt Golden Day, June 16Gravatt's next Golden Day, a day of education and renewal for adults 55
and older, is scheduled for Monday, June 16. An update from the Cursillo Council
If you had planned to attend and would like more information on the next Cursillo, please contact Norma Toner at 803.648.4129. The next Cursillo weekend will be held October 23-26 at the Bishop Gravatt Center. Applications can be found at www.edusc.org/Cursillo. Celebration of new ministry, July 10—Everyone invited!!
St. Timothy’s, Columbia 2008 summer music series: “A Little Summer Music”Please join the congregation of St. Timothy's, Columbia for "A Little Summer Music" beginning June 17th.Concerts will be approximately 30 minutes and begin at 12 noon in the Sanctuary. Box lunches are available for $7.50 by calling to make a reservation. Reservations must be made by the the Monday morning before the concert before the concert. For questions or to make reservations, please contact, St. Timothy’s Episcopal, 803.414.7803. St. Timothy's Church is located in the heart of downtown Columbia behind the governor's mansion at 900 Calhoun St . Columbia , SC 29201. Concert
schedule At Augusta's Convent of St. Helena, Summer '08
June 17-22—An Ignatian Experience, a silent directed
retreat with Sr. Cornelia, OSH St. Thaddeus', Aiken, presents "Contemporary Music Within Traditional Churches" workshop, August 30St. Thaddeus' Episcopal Church of Aiken is honored to sponsor a musicians' workshop entitled "Contemporary Music for Traditional Churches" that will feature Robin Mark. This workshop is designed for church musicians (1) who want to begin to include contemporary Christian music in their existing services, (2) those who want to begin a contemporary music service, and (3) those who already use contemporary music within a traditional church setting. Robin Mark is an Irish singer and song writer from Belfast whose worship and praise songs are often sung in traditional and contemporary churches. Some of his most famous songs include "Days of Elijah," "In the Beauty of Holiness," and "Take Us to the River." He has published 13 albums and has won many awards in the UK, Canada, and the United States. Those who have been to Cursillo are very familiar with his songs. The date of the workshop is August 30, 2008, and it will be held at St. Thaddeus', Aiken. Please forward this information to anyone interested in attending this exciting and timely workshop. Download the flyers for publication in your congregation here. Please contact Gregory MacDougall with any questions at macdou_g@earthlink.net or 803.646.3948. Clergy NewsParish / mission officer form now available online!Each year the diocese updates its records with the names of senior warden, junior warden, and treasurer from each congregation. This form used to be a long paper form, but has now been made electronic and is available at www.edusc.org/Forms/Parish%20and%20Mission%20Officers.shtml . Please submit this form as soon as possible. If you have questions, or would like a paper copy of this form, please contact Bethany Human, 803.771.7800, ext. 19. Marital judgment requests due to Diocesan House by June 13!Because Bishop Henderson will be attending the Lambeth Conference prior to his vacation during the month of August, all marital judgment requests (July through September 15) must be received by Jane Goldsmith no later than June 13. CalendarJuly 2 Deans & lay wardens quarterly meeting July 13 Piedmont Convocation meeting, 2 PM, St. Margaret's July 20 Midlands Convocation meeting (Details TBA) July 27 Gravatt Convocation meeting, 2:30 PM, All Saints' August 3 Catawba Convocation meeting, 3 PM, St. Matthias' September 14 Piedmont Convocation meeting, St. Christopher's Midlands Convocation meeting (TBA) September 15-17 Fall Clergy Conference September 21 Catawba Convocation meeting, 3 PM, Christ Church September 28 Gravatt Convocation meeting, 2:30 PM, Our Savior October 4 Continuing Education Day October 15 Deans & lay wardens quarterly meeting October 17 86th Diocesan Convention business session October 18 86th Diocesan Convention—Leadership Conference December 11 New rector / vicar orientation |
The Rev. Dr. Ian Douglas, Angus Dun professor of
world Christianity at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, joined the Presiding Bishop at the briefing, which was Web cast live and is
available for on-demand viewing at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/. 
We are pleased to announce that for the second
consecutive year, Camp Gravatt has received the Palmetto Parent Readers'
Choice Award. This award is voted on by parents in the Midlands, and they
know what we know—Camp Gravatt is the best camp around! 
The Cursillo scheduled for June 19-22 has been
cancelled. 
$160 full
weekend program, meals, lodging; $80 commuters, unless specified below. Some
scholarship funding available.