Friday February 13, 2009

Hello and welcome to the February 13 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

back to top ^

Staking Her Claim: Women Homesteading the West, a book by Marcia Meredith

Article by Ann Fontaine. Email: annfontaine@mac.com

Marcia Hensley, one of the stalwart members and prime movers at Oregon Trail Memorial Episcopal Church at Eden, WY, has written an engaging account of single women homesteaders in the West. Using the women's own letters, newspaper and magazine articles of the day, Hensley brings these intrepid women to life. When I finished one section containing the letters to "Mamma" I felt as though "Ida" had been writing to me. The book gives surprising information about the women and why they took on a claim and proved it up. There were women homesteaders of African American descent, that the ages ranged from young women to one who was 63 when taking up their claims. The author has done extensive research and share it in a most readable style. Those of us who love Wyoming will understand the motivations and dreams of these women looking for a place of their own.
 

To take a look at the book go to Amazon.com or direct by using this link: http://tinyurl.com/bmzlhr

back to top ^

St. Mark's celebrates the “flip” side of Mardi Gras with Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

By Pamela Kandt. Email: PamelaGRW@aol.com
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Casper, Wyoming

While cities such as New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro revel in the raucous festivities of Mardi Gras and Carnival, many Christians around the world usher in the season of Lent a bit more quietly by eating pancakes. On Shrove Tuesday, often known as "Fat Tuesday,” St. Mark's Episcopal Church hosts its community-wide pancake supper on February 24. All are invited to the annual event organized by St. Mark's Worship Leaders.

Ash Wednesday -- the first day of Lent – is commemorated this year on February 25. A pancake supper the day before follows an old Christian tradition to clear the kitchen of all fat, butter and eggs in order to maintain an austere diet during the penitential season of Lent. Again this year, residents of local social service agencies will be the guests of honor at the supper.

The pancake dinner will be held from 5-7 p.m. at 701 South Wolcott. Parking is behind the church – enter from Durbin St. Access to the parish hall is through the center westside entrance facing Wolcott St. Anyone needing transportation to the supper should call St. Mark's at 234-0831.

The following day, St. Mark’s will hold three Ash Wednesday Eucharist services at 7 a.m., noon and 7 p.m. Imposition of ashes will be conducted at each service.

----------------------------------
For more information email Pamela at PamelaGRW@aol.com or call 307.377.7763
 

back to top ^

By Cathy Hellbaum. Email: allsaints@wyomingwireless.com

All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Wheatland is pleased to announce two projects that will be receiving donations from the Mustard Seed Mission grant money that each church in Wyoming received from the Foundation. All Saints will be splitting the $12,000 evenly between HR Camp and our local Wind & Wings community development project, the Community Youth Foundation (formerly C.L.I.M.B.).

All Saints’ has enjoyed a long and very positive relationship with HR Camp. Over the years we have seen how our own youth have benefited in body, mind and spirit. For each of the last three years, approximately 250 students from our local schools have been utilizing the camp’s facilities. Trips to the camp are made in the fall and follow-up activities are conducted at the schools throughout the year. The program is a powerful one where the activities focus on cooperation rather than competition. Students learn skills that touch on many crucial aspects of life – respect, trust, leadership, problem solving, communication, and empathy for their peers to name a few. As a result our schools are seeing a huge decrease in bullying and a dramatic improvement in the drop-out rate. Facing challenges, discovering gifts and learning to give your best are the outcomes of their experience. All Saints is excited and looking forward to working with Pat Walsh this spring to see how best our $6,000 gift can be utilized.

The Community Youth Foundation (formerly C.L.I.M.B.) is a partnership of community leaders working together to improve existing and create new opportunities for youth in our area. This group formed in the late spring of 2006 as a pilot project through Wind and Wings. Through conversations with over 500 citizens throughout the county, two main areas of interest and need have emerged: 1) mentoring projects and 2) a community/recreation center. Several mentoring programs have already been established and a grant request was just submitted to the Wyoming Business Council for a feasibility study for a community center. All Saints’ members are committed to seeing this program succeed and we are willing to “put our money where our mouth is” so to speak.

back to top ^

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

We know that many of those "twenty-somethings" who have never been a part of any church community growing up find traditional liturgical worship new, strange and awkward – without meaning. One way around this is to throw out the liturgy...but perhaps a better idea is to look at how we bring the unchurched into our church communities. This is where the concept of small groups comes in as places where people have the freedom to explore their faith with others.

The past few months Christ Church in Douglas has started a small group with several couples. The big question that we had at the beginning was what do these twenty-somethings want and how can we help them? The answer was surprising - although it shouldn't have been. What they wanted was some help in reading and understanding the Bible and then the freedom to explore with each other what it means in their lives.

Funny how new and innovative ideas seem to always point back to the basics that we have always known.
 

back to top ^

Wind and Wings Supports Dubois Teenage Recreation and Activities Program

By the Rev Kay Rohde. Email: kay@wyomingdiocese.org

In October of 2007 in Dubois, Wyoming, a group of concerned parents, teachers, and school board members gathered to discuss the problems facing the youth and families of the small, isolated community. Following a series of meetings and discussions with educators, students and concerned citizens, the Dubois Youth Activities, Inc. (DYA) was created to discuss and recommend solutions to improve the lives of the most under-served population in Dubois – the 42 middle school youth. Donations and grants from community members, businesses, civic organizations, churches and foundations from near and far began to trickle in. They came slowly at first, but were sufficient to lease a temporary location to house the program, pay staff salaries and provide games and activities for the children.

Now, a year later, through the support of Wind and Wings, and other programs, the DYA successfully completed their first year of operation. In this last year, DYA’s Teenage Recreation and Activities Program (TRAP) expanded to offer extended summer hours and regular field trips and programs for the teens.

This year, TRAP implemented a successful “power hour” after school study program, initiated an adult mentoring program, secured and moved into an expanded drug and alcohol free activities site, and implemented an outdoor summer activities program. Most recently, a group of students and adult professional staff implemented the Young Entrepreneurs Society (YES). The students made all natural soap and lip balm, packaged their products and marketed them to the community. They quickly sold out of the soap and lip balm, making a $900.00 profit which will be used to start other entrepreneurial endeavors. This program’s success has strengthened the children’s planning and decision-making skills and has given them a more positive view of their personal future. The interest in TRAP continues to grow as participants share information about the after-school program with family and friends.

For more information about TRAP contact Amanda Wolfe, DYA office manager 307.455.2235
For information about Wind and Wings contact The Rev. Kay Rohde 307.265.5200 or kay@wyomingdiocese.org
 

back to top ^