Friday March 6, 2009

Hello and welcome to the March 6 edition of the eSpirit of Wyoming!

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. It has been really fun to get to meet so many of you via email and get the stories of what is happening in the Diocese! I hope you can share the eSpirit with others, as the more subsribers, the more stories...the more stories the more sharing...and the more connected we are around Wyoming (and the world, as there are several national and international folks on the eSpirit list, too). Signing up is easy! Just go to www.wyomingdiocese.org and enter your email address in the newsletter box or to www.spiritofwyoming.org to sign up and read past issues.

So thanks and keep the stories coming!

God’s peace,

-Andrew

Email: andrew@wyomingdiocese.org or call (+1) 307.265.5200

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Ordination of JoAnne Moore – Perspective from a husband and priest

By the Rev Cliff Moore. Email: cliffm36@cableone.net

To say that over 50 years ago that I would know what God had in mind for JoAnne of course is not even a remote possibility. In college she worked as the church secretary for the Methodist church in Orange, Calif. Her home church was the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, as was mine. That denomination remained a part of our lives while raising four boys and for a number of years following.

When we moved to Vacaville, Calif. We became members of the Episcopal Church and as I have said many times “Where have you been all my life?” While I was attending seminary JoAnne started EFM. In Wheatland, WY. JoAnne finished EFM and became a mentor herself and continues her love for EFM as the coordinator for the diocese. JoAnne is a member of the Daughters of the King and has formed several chapters in Wyoming.

JoAnne’s quest for deep spiritual understanding has been continuous with study, workshops and the guide of a spiritual director. From Wheatland/Hartville to Sundance the journey continued. In Sundance she was asked by the Good Shepherd community to be their priest. This was not an easy choice for her but one she felt called to respond. The work and study by both JoAnne and Good Shepherd provided the stuff that makes for a healthy community in the work or our Lord.

Our family and friends are wonderful supporters of this journey and they participated in her ordination on Feb. 14th of this year. Valentine’s Day was a very appropriate time for the ordination as love is a foundational part of all of who JoAnne is.

Sharing life with her all of these years has been joyful and full of love. As a husband and priest I am very proud of what she has done and is doing in our lives and in the life of the church. Perhaps part of my calling to be a priest has been fulfilled in JoAnne’s priesthood. Good Shepherd and the Diocese of Wyoming are blessed by her presence among you.

Her husband and priest, Shalom, Cliff

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By the Rev Ann Fontaine. Email: annfontaine@mac.com

Sister Claire Joy of the Community of the Holy Spirit in NY visited several churches in Wyoming to lead Lenten programs. She held a quiet day for about 30 women at St. John's, Jackson. Working with the theme of "waiting" we watched slides of her non-representational art. The discussion afterwards ranged from what to do with Lent to what about Heaven? After an exciting trip over Togwotee Pass with blowing snow and ice followed by dinner in Dubois, Sr. Claire Joy spent the night in Lander. Friday, she led a retreat for the Rectors in the afternoon. On Saturday, St Mark's hosted a session on The Way of the Cross with art by Sister Clair Joy and text for each Station by JoannaDePue. The Rev. Mary Caucutt drove her to the Basin where she spent time at Thomas the Apostle Center and several churches. Many in the diocese were renewed by her joyful and spiritually refreshing
meditations and artwork
 

Biography

Sr. Claire Joy is a member of the Community of the Holy Spirit, an Episcopal order of women in New York City. She made her life profession in December 2007.

Before entering the religious life, her interest in art spanned over 30 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Painting and Graphic Design. She has worked as a photographer, bookkeeper, motorcycle safety instructor, college professor, audio visual production manager, computer animator and graphic designer. Before entering the convent she was the Art Director for Stagebill Magazine.

Claire Joy continues to explore a variety of creative expressions through her digital art, cooking, occasional poetry, prose meditations (on her blog) and only recently with cartooning. She has exhibited in juried shows with the Episcopal Church and Visual Arts (ECVA) website, this past Advent with Episcopal Café, and contributed a Visual Essay on her “Eden Series” in September of 2007.

Sister Claire Joy is a firm believer in prayer, creativity and laughter: God’s greatest gifts (not necessarily in that order).

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By the Rev Warren Frelund. Email: warren@wyomingdiocese.org

I have enjoyed being with some congregations as they contemplated how to best use the $12,000.00 for their Mustard Seed Project. Watching them go from “Maybe we should send it back, We can't think of anything, This is too overwhelming” to developing long lists of possibilities. All Soul's in Kaycee has had much fun in selecting the projects. I was quite moved as they decided to tithe to a single existing community project and then select other projects for the remainder of the money. I have been impressed how they have included the people of Kaycee through a community wide survey. Members of All Soul's have seriously studied and reviewed the impact of projects in their community as they move towards the final decision on how to best use the remaining Mustard Seed funds.

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

The single biggest issue in small churches is the reality that you can’t concentrate on everything at once or people will be overwhelmed. So what seems to happen is that while all the ministries needed for the life of the community are given some attention, there are usually one or two areas at any one time that seem to grasp people’s energy and time.

At St. George’s in Lusk, the mustard seed mission has been getting a lot of attention. As a part of their plan, they are offering a free meal to any one in the community one day a month. Shrove Tuesday seemed a good day to start this project. They told everyone the meal was free, no need to donate anything, but in the end they made $400!!

St. John’s, Glendo has also been concentrating on the mustard seed mission. A very small and isolated community, the church decided to use some of the money to help travelers and town folks in need of a helping hand. They decided to go to Micke’s Place (a restaurant) and Howard’s (the gas station/general store) and work with them to start a “Samaritan Fund” by issuing vouchers to each place that can be used to help people in need buy a meal or some gas. The vouchers will then be turned into the church and the businesses reimbursed. They are now checking with other such programs around the diocese to see how best to make this idea work.

The focus at Christ Church, Douglas and St. Stephen’s, Casper has been on liturgy lately. St Stephen’s is holding worship leader training classes and they have begun a Service of Reflection one Friday a month for those who would like to experience an “emergent” style of worship. Douglas has begun to play around with the use of a power point projector and screen both as a replacement for bulletins and as a way to add a new visual piece to their worship.

In both churches there are members taking an on line class “Meeting the God We Worship” offered by CDSP along with Kay Rohde and Kathy Robinson. It will be fun to see what new ideas come from this experience.

One of the “perks” of being a ministry developer is that you get to see how God works in churches in so many wonderful ways while they stay grounded through their faith and worship. It is something worth celebrating.

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

Welcome to Lent a time to reflect, wrestle and ponder the many graces of God.  It is a time of transition and shifting from one season (winter) to another season (spring and renewal).  A quick tour around the area looks like this – St. James in Encampment is plugging along doing what they do best, be themselves; St. Thomas has received some good news, Karen Buckingham has received her letter of Candidacy for priesthood and working hard on their Mustard Seed Project and starting to generate interest on their addition to add an elevator and handicap accessible bathrooms; St. Luke is doing well and I do believe they have hosted a join Ash Wednesday service in Medicine Bow; and St. Paul in Dixon has completed a community discernment process and now the individuals themselves are going to ask to discern the call themselves.  I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Sunday (Feb 22, 2009) I made it over to Medicine Bow and worshiped with those fine folks of St. Luke’s.  I was a bit surprised when I pulled up and found that my “parking space” has been taken over by construction equipment.  That is a good thing.  After talking to Arlen I found out that the city got a grant to build a childcare center and perhaps the church may have access to the building during off business hours.  We shall see.

Monday I participated in a book study “The Bible for Today’s Church” and it was a good discussion.  We talked about how interpretation plays an important role in reading and studying the bible.  One part of the discussion was about different genres are used to express different meanings and then there was a brief discussion about how cultural events impact how the bible is read during different periods of history.  From there I drove to the LSRV (Little Snake River Valley) for the winter café which they are reading the bible one book at a time.  It was a good time to catch up and share what I have experienced in Israel.  I don’t read the bible the same any more.

Tuesday was an all day web/phone conference with the Ministry Developers.  We talked about what is taking place each of the regions, planning Holy Week services, discussed the development of Apostolic Teams throughout the state, and Wyoming Weekend to list a few items of discussion.  Then I returned to LSRV for their pancake supper.  It was a full day.

Wednesday was about catching up and getting ready for Ash Wednesday services at St. Thomas in Rawlins.  Overall more of a day in “the office” so to speak and attempted to get caught up all on the activities and tasks that needed to be addressed during my time in Israel.  Thursday I was scheduled to go to Green River, however there was not enough people available for the trip and it was decided that we should reschedule for this up-coming Thursday.

Friday I spent some time at Kraft Hall talking to people on the phone.  That afternoon I headed over to Laramie to work on personal project.  Saturday I drove to Casper and spent some time with the Presbyters of the Diocese.  We talked about transitions and how we can live into the wilderness and not be too fearful of the wild beasts.

This Sunday (March 1, 2009) I presided at St. Paul’s in LSRV.  The weather was glorious and it is a reminder that better days are coming.  I have to admit being Lent it is sure hard to be somber with such great views of Wyoming.  The church had a Ministry Support Team meeting following the service in which I heard about how “Cabin Fever” night was a success; planning services for April took place, and the next step of discernment for those who are called to the priesthood.

The reminder of the week looks like this – Monday I return to LSRV to talk with folks and begin the ramp up for the Apostolic Team meeting for Region IV in March.  That evening I will be on a web/phone conference with the regional reps and ministry developers.  Tuesday I am heading to Fort Collins to participate in a priest coaching group that helps me understand and use some of my family systems training in more effective ways.  Wednesday I have the weekly check in call with my fellow Ministry Developers and that evening I will be on a web/phone conference with the Evangelism Team of the Diocese.  Thursday I am planning on going to Green River to work on Rooted In God.  Thursday I will be found at Kraft Hall, yet I will be there earlier because I need to leave earlier to head to Laramie to work on my person project.  Saturday St. Thomas will be having their monthly worship breakfast at 8:30 am at Kristi Bakery.  Then Sunday I will be at St. Thomas to preside and following the service make a presentation of my time in Israel.

Be well my friends,

Doug

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