Wednesday February 24, 2010

Hello and welcome to the February 24 edition of the eSpirit of Wyoming!

Super things happening here in the Diocese office! The new video conference system (courtesy of the Foundation for the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming) is being installed around Wyoming. Already the Casper office and Thomas the Apostle Center have units in place, and are up and running. It was even used to connect people in Cody to a workshop in Casper February 13. Check out the pictures . Other churches that have installs coming are, St Mark’s Cheyenne, Christ Church Douglas, St James Kemmerer, and St Francis Wright. Soon the Diocese will have a network of nine video conference sites around Wyoming and will be able to offer more convenient and accessible meetings, workshops and programming.

The Walkabout is underway today, too. For more information, please check out their website: www.wyomingbishopsearch.com.

As always, a reminder that if you have articles you would like to share with the rest of the Diocese, please email them (and a picture if you have one) to info@wyomingdiocese.org. It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering news or events, but anything you would like to share.

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Dear Friends,

What a year 2009 was for Mission of Mercy: Honduras! Over the course of the year the Diocese, along with all of you, raised $14,000 for the Feed the Children

Program in El Cedral. This program allows the children to attend school, and be provided with hot meals, two things they may not be able to do without our help. Last year, because of your generous donations, the diocese sponsored one teacher and 210 kids to attend the school!

In addition to the Feed the Children program, there was also a successful mission trip to La Ceiba! For a week in May, 20 people from the diocese went down to help install a hyperbaric chamber, the first one in Honduras. The missioners also helped improve the clinic and worked along side Dr. Elmer Mejia administering care to the community. What a way to show the world what Wyoming can do!

Over the past nine years, the Diocese has provided Honduras with resources that have touched, not only the lives of the children, but the adults as well. The Feed the Children program has given the children a chance to make a better life for themselves and the Clinic has allowed for lives to be saved!

Now is the time to see what we can do in 2010! The school year has started and we need your help! For just $70 you can sponsor a child for a year of school. Something as small as $5 can change a life

How do I donate?

· You can donate on-line at www.wyomingdiocese.org: Choose Honduras: Mission of Mercy or Feed the Children
· Send your donation to the Diocese
· Call me and I can do it over the phone: (307) 265-5200

Thanks!

Jessica Reynolds
jessica@wyomingdiocese.org or call (307) 265-5200

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By The Rev. Carol Peterson. Email: cepeterson2@bresnan.net

A ministry that has blossomed in recent years in the Diocese of Wyoming is that of the permanent / vocational deacon. Historically, deacons have served in Wyoming, as in many other Dioceses in our church. The Rev. Warren Murphy reminds us that there were several non-ordained deaconesses that engaged in service work on the Wind River Reservation in the 1940s. However, one of the first and most memorable of contemporary deacons to be ordained in Wyoming was Joel Hart in Lander in 1987. Fr. Murphy said Joel was “an absolutely perfect example of a modern deacon.” The Rev. Linda Hudson, Deacon in Lander reported that Deacon Hart was a much beloved minister in that part of the state first serving in Lander and then on the Wind River Reservation. Deacon Hudson indicated that folks on the reservation still reminisce about Deacon Hart and the time she “crawled through a window when the church was locked so she could conduct a service.” Deacon Hudson stated that “Joel was an amazing lady and a terrific role model for me and I miss her dearly.”

According to our records, in 1997 the year Bishop Caldwell was installed, there were four deacons serving in Wyoming. This ministry has grown considerably over the years with 13 more deacons being ordained and two others transferring into the Diocese. Currently there are 14 permanent/vocational deacons in Wyoming (three males and 11 females). These deacons serve in various capacities - in rector led churches, in mutual ministry churches, two are unassigned, and one is serving a region.

The Book of Common Prayer (pg. 856) states, “The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as a servant of those in need, to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and administration of the sacraments.” Traditionally, diaconal ministry encompasses three areas - ministry of word, ministry of sacrament and ministry of charity/service. Ministry of the word includes such things as proclaiming the gospel and preaching. Ministry of sacrament includes the deacon’s role during the Eucharist (serving at table) and other services. And, in ministry of charity/service you will find deacons in Wyoming serving in a multitude of ways such as Hospital and Hospice Chaplains, serving on the Wind River Reservation, as a Regional Ministry Developer, as a parish nurse, a junior high school teacher, a public health program manager and working with a variety of organizations addressing issues such as homelessness, poverty and the medically underserved.

Deacon Linda Hudson reminds us that our call is to “bring the needs of the world to the church whether locally or globally.” She says she is often called the “church nag” but that her parish knows her role is to remind them that we are all called to serve!

Wyoming’s deacons gather together on a regular basis to pray, learn, and support each other under the guidance of our program coordinator The Rev. Warren Frelund, Dn. We currently have another person just beginning the diaconal formation process and several others who have expressed an interest. Diaconal ministry in Wyoming continues to expand and thrive. Thanks be to God!

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Patti Jo Baker sent a picture she called "the event of a lifetime" at Holy Nativity, Kinnear, WY.  On January 10, 2010, 4 generations were baptized! Front row: Lily Swanson Back row: Rosalie Baker (great grandmother to children and mother to Larry), Rev. Sally Bub, Bailey Myers, Bishop Caldwell, Sofia Swanson, and Larry Baker (grandfather to three children in picture).Patti's mother-in-law is 82 and her husband has just turned 60, both receiving their first baptism. Her other grandchildren-Lily age 5, Bailey-age 11, and Sofia-age 2 were also baptized, and in her words, “...completed the circle of having all our family member baptized in the Episcopal Church. What a wonderful day it was having my family brought in Christ’s family and having our Bishop presiding over the event.”

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By Ms Amanda Verheul. Email: amanda@dyakids.com

Dubois Youth Activities Inc. (DYA) located in beautiful Dubois, WY is a youth educational organization that provides programming for the prevention and development of at-risk youth.

The Young Entrepreneurs Program recently celebrated it's first year anniversary with record numbers of participants and proceeds earned by the student operated business ventures. After a successful concession stand season during the summer, the students refocused their attention on the "KidStuff" line of soaps and lip balms they created last year. They decided to add a couple of new skin care products to the line, so a cucumber-melon sugar scrub and a hand-balm were created, along with two kinds of soap and three flavors of lip balm: Cherry, Pina Colada and Citrus Splash.The students used another marketing strategy in order to capitalize on the holiday season by creating colorful and decorative gift baskets, stuffed full of KidStuff products, sweets and other Christmas goodies.

The new additions were a big hit and the Young Entrepreneurs filled dozens of orders for baskets of varying sizes and prices. Students also sold the baskets and individual KidStuff products at DYA Community Suppers and at Dubois Super Foods. In just over one month, the students sold over $1,200 worth of merchandise, with half of the proceeds going to the students who made and sold the products.

Our second semester of Community Suppers, which are prepared and served by our culinary/hospitality course students, have likewise been an unqualified success. Our focus this semester has been on community service, and we were blessed with many high school students from the National Honor Society and Key Club volunteering to help prepare and serve the meals, even washing dishes and mopping floors.

Over the 12 week course students served more than 1,100 meals at 10 Community Suppers, some of which were themed, such as: a Mediterranean night, Hawaiian luau, Mexican fiesta and Christmas party with live holiday music. In total, the students gave more than 320 hours of service to their community – something for which they can and should be very proud. With almost two dozen successful Community Suppers to their credit, the students are fast becoming experienced, seasoned veterans of the culinary & hospitality industry. The idea of a student operated catering service is being developed and could possibly be a natural crossover to our Young Entrepreneurs Program.

As the administrators of a $17,000 Youth Engagement Initiative grant awarded by Wyoming First Lady, Nancy Freudenthal, DYA has used some of those funds to provide the teenage population of our community with fun, substance-free activities. In the last year DYA has provided youth with the opportunity to bridge all age gaps and support each other during several substance-free supervised activities. In 2010 DYA was nominated for a Starfish Thrower Award for efforts made to alleviate the suffering of those who face the challenges of addiction. Plans for 2010 include several family and community dances as well as a community fun run with a motivational presentation from a world class Olympic medal winner.
Many blessings to you,

Amanda Verheul
Dubois Youth Activities, Inc.
www.dyakids.com

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By Mr Pat Walsh. Email: pat@wyomingdiocese.org

News from Camp
Greetings to everyone from Laramie. I’m just updating everyone on stuff that is happening around the Diocese with respect to camp, school programs, and the 2010 summer schedule.
The program team has been meeting on-line putting together the summer camp schedule for 2010 and has come up with a theme for our summer season – “We can with God’s help”.

Here are the camps for 2010:
Staff Leadership Training – June 9-16, 2010
Camp #1- Caregivers Retreat – June 18-20, 2010 – For adults who are caregivers to others, Sabbath time away.
Camp #2 - Wyoming Boys and Girls Club Leadership Camp – June 20-25, 2010 – 6th-8th grade
Camp #3 - Equestrian Camp – June 27-July 2, 2010 – 6th – 10th grade
Camp #4- Middler I&II – July 4-9, 2010 – Grades 3rd-6th
Camp #5 - Family Camp – July 9-11, 2010 –All ages
Camp #6- Art, Music, & Photography Camp – July 11-16, 2010 – July 11-16, 2010 – 6th – 12th Grade
Camp #7- Junior High Adventure Camp – July 18-23, 2010 – Grades 7th-8th
Camp #8- Angel Camp – July 25-30, 2010 – Grades 3rd-8th – Camp for children who’s families are homeless.
Camp #9- Big Horn Blast V- August 1-6, 2010 – Camp at TAC – Cody, Wy. Grades 8th-12th
Camp #10- Wind River Mission Camp- August 8-13, 2010 – Ft. Washakie/Ethete, Wy. – Grades 6th-9th.

Program information and scholarship and registration information and forms are available at the camp website at www.wyomingwildernesscamp.org in an effort to fill these camps with young people from around our state and beyond, the HR Camp Foundation Board are challenging church’s to bring 6 young people from their communities in a way that if you send 5 campers (from across all the camps) the 6th camper is free. We hope to engage church’s to reach out beyond the church walls into the community to connect to youth and get them to camp. To assist in this process, Jodi Guerin has offered her assistance to help local congregations raise the needed funds for the 5 campers from the local community. (about $2000.00 per community)
I also attended the University of Wyoming Career Fair in an effort to recruit counselors for the 2010 season. We are also recruiting through all of the churchs as well as local community colleges. Job application information is available on the website and will also be sent out to all congregations.

I have also been busy visiting churchs talking about summer camp and exploring new ways to connect local churchs to local schools. So far I have been to St. Lukes, Buffulo, All Souls, Kaycee, and Holy Trinity, Thermopolis. I have also done some snowshoe programs at camp with Douglas Middle School and will be visiting Dubois Youth Center in two weeks to do an overnight snowshoe trip with their youth into the Wind River Mountains and staying in a yurt.

I am excited to report to the Board that the camp will presenting at the Wyoming Department of Education – Spring School Improvement Conference in Casper, March 1-2, 2010 at the Park View Plaza with Wheatland Middle School on the Project POWER program. This should be very beneficial to our school outreach programs as well as highlighting the camp to other Wyoming Schools. I am also excited to report to the Board and the Diocese that some new schools will be experiencing the camp this spring – Park Elementary – Natrona School District, and The Bear School from Sundance.
 

The camp continues to work to raise money to support the ministry, through new programs, new outreach opportunities, and exploring grants from outside agencies.

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By The Rev Kathy Robinson. Email: kathy@wyomingdiocese.org

How to make 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 +1 = infinity…

Now I really do know how to add, but when it comes to the body of Christ sometimes when we share our gifts and talents with one another the possibilities are, well….. infinite!.

For over a year now, a group of faithful people from region III have been meeting to explore how we might connect the lives of all our churches together in ways that would benefit everyone. This concept of an Apostolic Team originated with the Bishop’s office which invited each of the regions in the diocese to form groups for three purposes:

1. to be a ministry of connection and communication in the diocese, helping to knit together all the various congregations and different ministries in which we are engaged.
2. to be a learning community, discovering new areas of and tools for ministry and mission.
3. to share stories, gifts and talents for the development of the region and diocese.

After a number of meetings to help us get to know one another our region developed a vision statement: “We are a group of unique and independent people working together to become one body led by the Spirit proclaiming God’s love and joining together in God’s vision for us.”

The next step was to do asset mapping in each of our congregations. Asset mapping is a unique process that helps communities discern the gifts, talents and resources that already exist and then brainstorm how these might be used to build up the body of Christ.

Last month at a meeting in Glendo, we took these assets and after brainstorming came up with two goals for our region.

• to plan a Ministry Talent Event
• to begin exploring 21st Century Worship

The challenge now will be to take one or both of these goals and make them real. It will take all of our excitement, commitment, and talents to make this happen, but this should also be a celebration of who we are as individual communities and as a part of the larger church. And it should be fun!! With God’s Help!!

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By The Rev Doug Wasinger. Email: doug@wyomingdiocese.org

The conversation around the ranch table continues! This week find out about ongoing developments at St. James and their building, new/old family worshipping at St. Luke’s, a question about a Psalm at St. Paul’s, conversation about bible study at St. Thomas, and Latino Ministry Workshop in Casper. Check out the blog: http://ministrydevelopmentregion4.blogspot.com

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