Friday February 27, 2009

Hello and welcome to the February 27 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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Wyoming Wilderness Camp (aks HR Camp) Pat Walsh sat down with Andrew Kerr for an interview about the camp and its outreach programs. This link is posted in Diocese's account with MyPodcast http://wyomingdiocese.mypodcast.com/

Give it some time to load...it may take a few minutes. OR, click on one of the many podcast options, including sending the file directly to iTunes.

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Feed the Children of Honduras 2009

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

Another school year has begun in Honduras. For the past 8 years the people of the Diocese of Wyoming have been helping the children of El Cedral, in the region of Copan, Honduras to be able to have at least one hot meal a day, by providing funding for hot lunches during the school year. In order for people to become self-sufficient, good health and education are necessary. The hot lunches provided by the generosity of the Episcopal Churches in Wyoming contribute to the health of the children of El Cedral. In addition, funds help to support a teacher for older students, ensuring that young people can continue their education beyond the mandatory 6th grade. As a diocese, we have committed to provide $16,842.00 in 2009 to provide a hot, nutritious lunch for 210 children enrolled in 2 schools and a kindergarten, every day during the school year. We are also committed to continue support the high school program for 30 students, providing $2842.00 for the teacher and books and educational materials for each student.

Our Bishop is asking each parish in Wyoming to set aside a Sunday in Lent to build support for this mission. Please encourage individuals and groups in your congregations to look deep into their hearts and reach deep into their pockets to support the children of El Cedral.

Checks should be made out to the Diocese of Wyoming – Feed the Children, and sent to the Diocese of Wyoming Office, 123 South Durbin St., Casper, WY 82601.

Please say yes to sharing what God has given to us with the children of El Cedral, Honduras. Thank you for your gifts, your commitment and your prayers.

If you have any questions, please contact The Rev. Kay Rohde, Wind and Wings Mission Developer. (307) 265-5200 or email: kay@wyomingdiocese.org

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From the The Episcopal Church, Office of Public Affairs

As Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season, IamEpiscopalian.org shares faith stories, personal thoughts: Go to http://www.iamepiscopalian.org

Sisters laughingly talk about growing up, growing away and growing back to The Episcopal Church. A prison chaplain calls The Episcopal Church a thinking church. One person shares that he joined The Episcopal Church decades ago because the girls were cute.

These are just a few of the 30+ Episcopalians who share their faith stories of celebration at IamEpiscopalian.org, debuting today, February 25, Ash Wednesday at noon Eastern time (11 am Central, 10 am Mountain, 9 am Pacific, 8 am Alaskan, 7 am Hawaiian).

Visitors to the IamEpiscopalian.org site are immediately greeted with a welcoming video, enhanced with music by Daron Murphy, a well-known composer.

Developed by the communication office of The Episcopal Church, IamEpiscopalian.org provides a place for people – some famous and some not-so-famous – to share the stories of what excites them about being an Episcopalian.

“With this site we will begin to tell our story as each person relates his or her personal, emotional connection to our Church,” explains Anne Rudig, director of communication. “Ash Wednesday was chosen for the launch of IamEpiscopalian.org since it is a time for many people to examine their spiritual life and perhaps connect or reconnect with a church. IamEpiscopalian.org shows how others have made those connections.”

As the web site states, “The Episcopal Church is a big, colorful, vibrant church. We hope you will see that in the wide spectrum of its members represented here on this site. In our Church you may touch ancient traditions and experience intelligent inquiry.”

The video vignettes, 30 – 60 seconds each, reflect that “big, colorful vibrant” church by focusing on the joys, gifts, and the challenges facing The Episcopal Church. As noted on the web site, “Our controversies and conversations have been public. Our governance is transparent. You are free to see our imperfections, as well as share our joy in that which unites us – our openness, honesty, and faith.”

IamEpiscopalian.org will continue to grow throughout Lent as videos are invited for anyone to express the richness of The Episcopal Church in their own personal way.

(Many of the staff from the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, including Bishop Bruce Caldwell, will be submitting their own videos and encourage everyone to do the same)
 

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

2009 marks the Centennial Anniversary of St. Michael’s Mission, home to Our Fathers House, in Ethete. In celebration of that event, St. Michael’s is hosting the annual event, Paths Crossing. It will begin Thursday April 16 and conclude with worship on Sunday April 19. Native people from across the country will convene, joined by the non-native congregations who partner with them. For twenty-five years St. Michaels has had a partnering relationship with the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Youth events will be held mainly at the Wyoming Indian High School, one of the few secondary Indian schools in the country. There will be also the dedication of the land for the Immersion School for the preservation of the Arapaho language. Various workshops will be offered on topics pertinent to the goals of Paths Crossing. Please keep this historic event in your prayers. The website is www.stmichaelsmission.org. For more information you may contact: Roxanne Friday, coordinator, at 349.5224 or Tommy Means (email) or Linda Wilson (email) at 332.0900.

What is Paths Crossing?
A National Conference to Provide Cross-Cultural Exchanges of Ideas, Projects and Understanding between American Indian and Alaska Native Congregations and Non-Indian Congregations of the Episcopal Church.
Goals for Paths Crossing
• Continued support and training of existing partnerships.
• Develop training for additional partnerships between Indian and non-Indian congregations.
• Create dialogue and communication to bring interactions which overcomes racism.

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A carry in Dinner will start at 5:30pm.

A full Godly Play session will take place from 6-7pm, one for adults and one for kids. Childcare is provided for the little ones.

After the Godly Play session folks are encouraged to check out the Christ Church Godly Play room. Browse through the story selections and look at some of the amazing work taking place.

Saturday March 7th, 2009
Christ Episcopal Church will host a free Godly Play Workshop for anyone interested in learning more about Godly Play.

The Workshop will start with a continental breakfast gathering at 8:30am. The Workshop will go from 9:30 until 3:30pm. Godly Play is a method of a Christian education and spiritual direction for children ages 2-12. The goal of Godly Play is to teach the children the art of using religious language, to help them become more fully aware of the mystery of God's presence in their lives.
 

Jamie Sherman a Master Godly Play Storyteller from Bozeman will be leading the adult session on Friday evening and also leading the Saturday Workshop.

For more information call Tiffani Jackson at 527-5298, or
Christ Church at 587-3849 or email: info@christchurchcody.org
hmmmm……I WONDER?

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By the Rev Joe Galligan. Email: joe@wyomingdiocese.org

APOSTOLIC (REGIONAL) TEAMS- Two members of Holy Trinity, Thermopolis joined with folk from Region VI at St. James, Riverton on Saturday, 2/21 for a joint Apostolic Team training and e-communication workshop.

PASTORAL CARE / EUCHARISTIC VISITORS – Members the pastoral care teams of
St. Andrew’s, Basin and Holy Trinity, Thermopolis met on 2/18 and 2/1 respectively to practice skills relating to Eucharistic Visitation. Follow-ups are planned and St. Andrew’s and St. Alban’s, Worland will be undertaking similar training soon.

ASH WEDNESDAY- Ministry Developer visited St. John’s, Powell and participated in the Ash Wednesday service.

SUNDAYS- Ministry developer visited and participated in Sunday worship on 1/25 at St. Andrew’s, Meeteetse, on 2/1 and 2/22 at Holy Trinity, Thermopolis, on 2/8 at St. Andrew’s, Basin, and on 2/15 at St. Alban’s, Worland. Associated Priest Ed Farmer of Meeteetse visited and celebrated Holy Eucharist at St. Andrew’s, Basin on 2/15.

MINISTRY ROLE DESCRIPTIONS / DISCERNMENT- St. Alban’s, Worland on 3/8 and Holy Trinity, Thermopolis on 3/14 will begin to define ministry role descriptions for their respective congregations as part of the process leading to filling out a fuller slate of ministries in order to be the Church and live out the Gospel in their communities.

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

Here is a quick focus on the activities throughout Carbon County and Region IV. At St. Thomas the book study “The Bible for Today’s Church” is progressing nicely. Karen Buckingham is leading this discussion as a part of her formation to the priesthood. The discussions are in-depth and Karen really knows how to host a gathering with wonderful coffee and snacks. St. Thomas also hosted their first Ministry Support Team meeting last Saturday and it went really well. St. Paul has hosted two Ministry Support Team meetings and has planned a family night, scheduled worship leaders. St. Paul’s also have completed a month of discernment for a calling for the priesthood. At this point in the process names have been submitted and I will share the results with the congregation is up-coming Sunday. From that point I will forward the names to the Bishop and the Canon for Congregational Development and Deployment. Once they have reviewed the names I will talk to the persons individually to see where they are in their own discernment for the priesthood. It is an important chapter in the life of St. Paul’s. St. James in Encampment has begun a bible study and completed their annual meeting last week. St. Luke’s in Medicine Bow is gathering and worshiping. They have also reached out to their sisters and brothers in the Methodist tradition and hosted a join Ash Wednesday service.

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