Monday April 20, 2009

Welcome to the April 17 issue of the eSpirit of Wyoming!

April 17? Two weeks in a row the eSpirit is late??? Well…am back in the office now so the eSpirit should be back to a regular schedule. It was a wonderful trip to the Pacific Islands with many things accomplished. I hope that in the near future the Diocese will be adding group mission trips to Micronesia like Honduras, Louisiana, and the other worthwhile mission trips. For those following my trip, thanks for the emails and support. The blog site is: http://kerrepiscopalwy.blogspot.com I have a few more entries from this trip to add and will be doing updates once a week or so on my activities in the Diocese.

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. Also, I am putting together a multimedia presentation on the Mustard Seed Mission projects for the October convention. Please contact me with stories about what your church is doing and I can arrange a time to come visit!
 

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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By the Rev Warren Murphy. Email: wychurches@wyoming.com

On behalf of the Thomas the Apostle Center, I would like to announce two upcoming programs sponsored in conjunction with the Episcopal Foundation of
the diocese:

WHERE WE CAME FROM – A SHORT HISTORY OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

MAY 30, 9AM – 3PM HOLY COMMUNION CHURCH IN ROCK SPRINGS

This is a presentation of “Thomas the Apostle Center On The Road” and will be led by The Rev. Warren Murphy, Director of the Wyoming Association of Churches. This course is free to all participants and lunch will be available at the church for a nominal fee.

WHERE WE CAME FROM will include an overview of how the Episcopal Church came about after its departure from the Church of England in the 18th century. It will cover the major events from the American Revolution until the present day. Contemporary church issues will be addressed.

The Rev. Warren Murphy has led this successful course in the past and is currently working on a book about the religious and spiritual history of Wyoming. This course presentation is made possible through a grant provided by the Episcopal Foundation of the Diocese of Wyoming.

To register, contact Thomas the Apostle Center at 307-587-4400 or at thomap@tritel.net
 

PRESENTING A LIFE CHANGING MESSAGE

Presented by Thomas the Apostle Center and the Episcopal Foundation of Wyoming

This is a two-part workshop on preaching to be held May 15-16 and June 5-6 at Thomas the Apostle Center in Cody. Participants should plan to attend both parts. There is no charge for the course and for accommodations at TAC. The course is limited to 15 participants. The Rev. Warren Murphy, Director of the Wyoming Association of Churches, will lead this workshop with assistance from other experienced clergy.

This workshop will address the issue of preaching and how it can change someone’s life. The first session will focus on how to prepare sermons based on lectionaries, biblical commentaries, and contemporary events. It will also address specialized preaching such as burials and marriages. The second part will offer an opportunity to deliver peer reviewed sermons. This workshop will be especially helpful for those in the ordination process as well as those called to preach within their congregations and who desire to receive a diocesan preaching license. It will also serve as a continuing education experience for those presently licensed. A certificate will be awarded to those who successfully complete the workshop.

To register contact Thomas the Apostle Center at 307-587-4400 or at thomap@tritel.net
 

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By the Rev Linda Wilson. Email: linda@wyomingdiocese.org

Hello fellow Episcopalians in Wyoming. Here is a quick view of what is taking place in Region V. In March there was a joint Apostolic Team meeting between Regions IV (four) and V (five). We discovered that we have quite a few relational connections between regions that extend beyond the church family. We also got to know one another in an informal and fun way. As we learned more about the role of the Apostolic Team and how to use technology to stay connected, another wonderful opportunity emerged. On April 21, 2009 there will be another joint Apostolic Team meeting on-line between these two regions.

Also for the past couple of months Canon Margaret Babcock has been searching diligently for a Ministry Developer to serve in Region V. During the search it was decided by the members of the Apostolic Team that the churches of that region might be better served with a Ministry Developer who also had training in Interim Ministry. With that, a new challenge presented itself as the combination of ministry development skills and interim ministry experience is very rare.. However, one of the guiding principles of Shared Ministry is that every community has the gifts it needs to do God’s work. We discovered that this is proving true in Wyoming, as our own Linda Wilson has all the credentials needed (and a willing spirit) to answer this call. So, in June a formal decision will be made to weave together a new set of relationships that affect three different regions in Wyoming. The Rev. Linda Wilson will become the Interim Ministry Developer in Region V. Linda will continue to work in Region VI with the Partnering Congregation in Lander, while The Rev. Tommy Means and The Rev. Sally Bub will cover Atlantic City, Riverton, Ethete and Ft. Washekie. Not only that, but The Rev. Doug Wasinger from Region IV will continue to work in partnership with Linda at Green River (Region V). Talk about a collaborative effort!

On May 23rd in Evanston the Regional Confirmation Service will be held. This is another important event where the churches throughout the region are working together and supporting people in this important step of faith. The Rt. Rev. Bruce Caldwell will be presiding that day.

May the promise of the empty tomb and all your Easter expectations be met this coming season.
 

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

Hello the fine folks of Carbon County and good Easter welcome to those beyond the county who receive these weekly up-dates. I hope that the promise of the empty tomb has opened your heart and mind to new possibilities, new realities, and new hopes. A quick glimpse around the county looks like this – St. Thomas has celebrated an important milestone and coming close to concluding a book study, St. Paul had a commissioning for their Eucharistic Visitors and will continue to work on their pastoral care training, St. James had a wonderful Easter and dinner following the service and is now looking at developing a master plant for their church, and St. Luke is about to welcome the return of one of their members who has been south for the winter. I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday (April 6, 2009) St. Thomas had a book study in which a group of people are working through a book called “Bible for Today’s Church” which comes from the original Church Teaching Series. Karen shared a resource that she found in the Choir Loft (the thrift store that St. Thomas runs) and there was a discussion about the sermon that was preached on Palm Sunday and how it connected to the material that the group was reading. They are coming to the end of their time of study together. It has been a good time of learning and growing.

On Monday evening (April 6th) I was a web/phone conference call where the Regional Reps and the Ministry Developers, along with John from the Foundation shared what is taking place with the Mustard Seed Project. I will say I was impress with all that is taking place throughout the Diocese. We will have much to share in October.

Tuesday I made some phone calls to line up a group evaluation event called DiSC. It is tool that is used to help groups evaluate their strengths and how to use them effectively for team building and functioning. This is a new approach in the Diocese of Wyoming and we will learn much from it. I am looking forward to the discoveries. Among the phone calls I began to work on preparing for the second half of the week.

Wednesday I was on the weekly web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers and we discussed general items such as the Wyoming Visitor Weekend that will take place from April 25th through the 27th in Casper and the surrounding areas. That also led us to work on developing our agenda for our Ministry Developer face to face meeting on April 26th (evening) through the 28th. From there I headed over the Laramie to work on my personal project.

Thursday was Maundy Thursday and my 40th birthday. It was a quite day around the office as I worked on sermons and reflected upon the up-coming events. I presided at St. Thomas and my girls wanted to come along for the service, but wanted to sit in the pews. I found out later that after that service that a 1000 people have taken communion at St. Thomas since the beginning of the year. I also heard that St. Paul had a great service as well that night.

Friday was quite as well as I worked in the office taking care of administrative items, writing sermons and the like. The day itself was emotional for me as I thought about my sense of justice and how God has responded with a restorative sense of justice. I also helped a friend move into her new house in Rawlins which prompted a request for a house blessing in the future.

Saturday I drove over to Medicine Bow to preside for the Easter Vigil at St. Luke’s. Arlen worked hard to prepare the service and brought some extra help (two of his grand-children). Everybody who as assigned a reading came really well prepared. We had some music from a long time (often traveled to Laramie to worship) Episcopalians from Medicine Bow. The evening ended and it was a light rain that cleaned my car all the way back to Rawlins.

Sunday the entire Wasinger clan packed up and headed to St. Paul’s in Dixon for Easter service. The service was well attended and Linda, on behalf of the congregation, commissioned the newly trained Eucharistic Visitors before the exchange of the peace. It was a touching moment and you could hear and feel the power of what they were doing. Following the service there was a quick Easter Egg hunt for the kids and most of the adults headed to their respective homes and other gathering places for Easter Brunch. We were invited to the Davis’ for the afternoon.

Monday I caught up with the fine folks of Encampment for a bible study in which they are going through the Gospel of John (timely with Easter) and had a good talk with Roxan about what is taking place at the church. Some time in the future we will get together and work on their master place for the church. It is a good idea to map out the future and then decide how to proceed in stages. Good thinking.

This is what this week holds: Tuesday was a day in the office, working on projects, planning for the remainder of the month and etc. Wednesday I will be on the weekly web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. I am not sure what Thursday will be an administrative day. Friday I will be at Kraft Hall between 10-12pm for office hours. Sunday I will presiding at two services. The first one is Encampment at 9am and the second service will be in Dixon at 5pm. I will be meeting with the pastoral care group of St. Paul’s to begin their training starting at 4pm.

Be well my friends,

Doug

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From The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs

Live webcast to address General Convention 2009
Presiding Officers, others will field questions from audience, online

[April 14, 2009] General Convention 2009 of the Episcopal Church will be the topic of a live webcast on Wednesday, May 13 at 8 am Pacific (9 am Mountain, 10 am Central, 11 am Eastern).

General Convention 2009 (GC09) will be held July 8 – 17 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. The webcast will originate from Anaheim, the site of this year’s General Convention.

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention, held every three years, is the bicameral governing body of the church. General Convention, the second largest legislative body in the world, is comprised of the House of Bishops, with upwards of 200 members, and the House of Deputies, with clergy and lay representatives from the 110 dioceses, at over 700 members.

Participants in the live webcast will be: Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori; President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson; Executive Officer and Secretary of the General Convention, the Rev. Gregory Straub; and Bishop J. Jon Bruno of the Diocese of Los Angeles, the host diocese.

Questions will be accepted via email and from the invited guests in the audience.

To access the live webcast, go to the Episcopal Church website: www.episcopalchurch.org.

For more information: General Convention: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/gc2009.htm

Diocese of Los Angeles: http://www.ladiocese.org/

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