Friday March 13, 2009

Hello and welcome to the March 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
 

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By Mr. John Peacock. Email: mettenheim@msn.com

Wyoming First Lady Nancy Freudenthal will be the featured speaker at the Cheyenne AIDS Walk on Saturday, April 4, 2009. Registration for the Walk begins at 9:00 a.m. that morning at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church located at 1908 Central Avenue in downtown Cheyenne. The Walk will begin at 11:00 a.m. and ends with a Rally at the State Capitol. The theme for this year’s walk is "The Risk is Not Knowing. Get Tested."

The public is invited to attend and register for the Walk. All donations are welcome. Walkers donating $20 or more will receive a commemorative t-shirt on a first come, first served basis. Following the Walk, all participants may return to St. Mark’s for lunch. Free, confidential and anonymous HIV/AIDS testing will be provided at St. Mark’s from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. by Cheyenne/Laramie County Health Department.

While this year is Cheyenne’s first walk, this April marks WyoAIDS Walk’s 8th anniversary. WyoAIDS Walk’s fundraising efforts help Wyoming residents pay for the many expenses related to living with HIV/AIDS such as medication, co-pays, dental and vision care, counseling, and other needs that would otherwise go unmet. To date, WyoAIDS Walk participants have donated and raised over $100,000 for this worthy cause. These funds are currently administered by Laramie Reproductive Health by request from HIV/AIDS Case Managers on behalf of HIV+ clients in Wyoming.

The Cheyenne walk will be followed by additional events in the Laramie community and on the University of Wyoming campus. If you are unable to attend the walk and would still like to make a donation, or simply need more information, please visit www.wyoaidswalk.org.

The WyoAIDS Walk: Cheyenne is sponsored by Wyoming Equality, Cheyenne/Laramie County Health Department, Across All Lines, Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
 

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

Last weekend, the staff from Wyoming Wilderness Camp visited the Dubois Youth Center in Dubois, Wyoming. On Friday night we conducted a SGC training for some of their new staff, and on Saturday we spent the day with 14 youth and five adults snowshoeing into Brooks Lake to a private cabin. Spending the day doing healthy activities with the youth is one way that the camp can reach out to young people in a relational way, and bringing the "Camp experience" out to youth in the communities where they live. It let's us get to know the youth, and for them to get to know us. It helps to lessen the anxiety of coming to camp. Here is what Tom Christian had to say about their day with us:

February 28th, 2009 is a day that the kids of Dubois' Teen Recreation & Activities Program (TRAP) will be talking about for a while. On that crisp and clear Saturday morning, a number of youth and staff from the program accompanied Pat Walsh and Steve & Pam Irving into the Pinnacles area near Togwotee Pass, west of Dubois. The destination; a winter retreat cabin near Brooks Lake. The method of travel; snowshoe!

The middle school students were treated to a back-country romp through deep drifts and steep hills, which also afforded ample opportunity for discussions on nature and spirituality. Once at the cabin the entire crew warmed themselves and enjoyed a hearty stew prepared by the TRAP students. Before departing back to civilization, Pat gave the kids a demonstration of snow shelter construction that soon had shovels full of snow flying in all directions. Student John Kirkpatrick perhaps summed it up best when he commented, "That's the most fun I ever had being cold".
 

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

Young Adult Festival
At General Convention 2009

July 9 – July 14, 2009
Anaheim, California

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 are invited to come together for a Young Adult Festival which will be held during General Convention. It is a time of fellowship, workshops and worship for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. You will explore General Convention legislative sessions, jam with LA musicians, visit the exhibit hall at General Convention, worship with thousands of Episcopalians, play at Disneyland, catch some rays at the beach and meet people from all walks of life.

Festival Registration includes hotel, Young Adult Festival programs, General Convention registration and pass, shuttles to and from the Convention Center, breakfast daily, lunch before workshops, and two evening receptions.

Cost: Registration $350 double room/$620 single room, plus transportation to and from Anaheim, California.

You can register on line at: www.episcopalchurch.org/49662_103665_ENG_HTM.htm

This is a great opportunity to experience General Convention, learn about it and meet other young adults Episcopalians from all over the United States and the world.

If you have any questions give Kay Rohde a call at (307) 265-5200 or contact me at kay@wyomingdiocese.org
 

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By Ms. Justine Larson. Email: justinejustadlarsen@gmail.com

John Rapson, director of Jazz Studies at the University of Iowa, will be at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Powell at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 15, to share his jazz settings for the Eucharistic service.

He will be joined in both performances by Ronnie Bedford, percussion; Jeff Troxel, guitar; Craig Olson, saxophone; Robert Rumbolz, trumpet; and Parker Brown, bass; as well as cantors from St. John’s. Rapson’s liturgical compositions don’t “swing” in a stereotypical jazz sense as they are based on ancient chants. He sets the chants in an improvisational style utilizing the harmonic language of jazz. Rapson doesn’t consider it a performance as much as a prayer service that includes congregational responses and participation. Jazz historian Mark Gridley has characterized Rapson’s music as “extending several trends that were first demonstrated by Charles Mingus and George Russell.” Rapson is a composer, trombonist and recording artist for MoMu Records, Music and Arts, Sound Aspects and Nine Winds, whose work mixes ethnic and experimental elements with more conventional jazz forms.

The public is welcome to attend the services. St. John’s would like to thank Robert Rumbolz for his efforts to bring this event to St. John’s.

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

Hello fellow Episcopalians in Wyoming. Here is a quick view of what is taking place in Region V. In this region there are a total of ten churches and they are: Bonurant (St. Hubert The Hunter) Pinedale (St. Andrews), Big Piney (St. John the Baptist), Cokeville (St. Bartholomew), Kemmerer (St. James), Evanston (St. Paul), Ft. Bridger (St. David), Eden (Oregon Trail Memorial), Green River (St. John), and Rock Springs (Holy Communion). Wes Shields is rector of Pinedale. Five churches are considered Partnering Congregations and are actively engaged in Shared Ministry. One church currently is using Lay leadership to conduct the business of the church and have supply priests come to offer the blessed bread and wine from time to time. The final two churches are locations that host services from time to time. As one can see this region is quite diverse.

Green River and Ft. Bridger are currently working with Doug Wasinger, a Ministry Developer from neighboring Region IV. Doug also works with Sally Bub (priest in Morton) at Green River to provide a consistent Eucharistic presence for this worshiping community. Doug and Sally are not alone with this kind of service. Rich Snow and Steve Aaron (local priests at Evanston) and Walt Seeley (local priest at Kemmerer) are also Associated Priests working with Ft. Bridger and Cokeville to ensure that all of the baptized are given the opportunity to feast at the Lord’s Table. Canon Margaret Babcock is included in this team of leadership and is involved in the life of Region V as they continue to discern their future in preparation of the next ministry developer. Again one can see the diversity of the leadership that is working in this part of the state.

Holy Communion in Rock Springs is also hosting a Wyoming Wilderness Camp satellite youth program for junior and high school aged kids March 20th through the 22nd called Winterfest 2009. It is a ski trip and a community service combined event. Please contact Pat Walsh 307.351.7006 or pat@wyomingdiocese.org for more information.

Bryan Krotz, the regional rep, also mentioned that St. James in Kemmerer is currently doing a book study entitled “Christianity for the Rest of Us” and is seeing some favorable responses. The future of the church lies in the seeking ways to expand the populations of the churches of the region and relating to each other in vital ways.

As one a can see, although Wyoming is a vast place when it comes to distances, we are connected in very diverse and meaningful ways.
 

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2009 Thomas the Apostle Educational Offerings

The following offerings will be offered at TAC during the year 2009 as part of a special grant given by the Episcopal Foundation of the Diocese of Wyoming. Under this grant, the first 15 registrants will be provided free accommodations and meals at TAC. The course is free to any participants. The two “TAC on the Road” courses are also free and the only charge will be the cost for the day’s lunch.

“Presenting a Life Changing Message” This is a two part workshop to be held at TAC. Participants are urged to attend both parts.

May 15-16 Part I- The opening session begins at 5 PM on Friday and concludes with lunch on Saturday. This first gathering will address the issue of why preaching is central to our faith and why preaching a sound sermon can change someone’s life. The workshop will include the basics of how to prepare a sermon using the lectionary, biblical commentaries and contemporary events. It will also address specialized preaching for events such as Baptisms, marriages and funerals. This workshop is especially designed for those in the ordination process as well as those lay people who feel called to preach within their congregation and desire a diocesan preaching license.

June 5-6 Part II- This session will follow up on Part I. It will begin at 3 PM on Friday and run through lunch on Saturday. Participants will deliver sermons assigned at the May session. These sermon presentations will undergo positive peer review by others in the workshop. Preaching certificates will be awarded to those who complete both sessions. The Rev. Warren Murphy, who will be assisted by several experienced preachers, will lead both parts of this workshop.

May 23- TAC on the Road presentation “Where We Came From: Exploring Episcopal Church History”. This course will be held from 9 AM until 3 PM at Holy Communion Episcopal Church in Rock Springs. This popular course was offered in 2008 and will again be led by The Rev. Warren Murphy. It is especially appropriate for those in the ordination process as well as anyone who desires to know more about the Episcopal Church both nationally and in Wyoming. The only cost is for lunch.

September 11-12 “Raising Up Your Congregation” This course will be held at TAC.
This course is designed to assist church leaders in administrative practices that will enable the congregation to run more efficiently and smoothly. It is based on the premise that successful administration allows clergy, staff and lay volunteers to better carry out their respective ministries. This course will begin at 5 PM on Friday and run through lunch on Saturday. The Rev. Warren Murphy and a specialist in office technology will be the leaders.

Included in this course will be the latest information on how to manage a not for profit corporation. This will include financial transparency, liability issues, maintaining parish registers and helpful hints on how to save money. There will also be a special section on the latest technology including production of websites, on line newsletters, new communication methods and how to get your congregation known in the wider community. This course will be especially helpful for clergy, congregational administrators and lay people called to assist in church administration. This course is also offered ecumenically.

September 19- TAC on the Road presentation “Raising Up Your Congregation”
The above-mentioned course will be repeated on the road at All Saints Episcopal Church in Wheatland. This session will run from 9 AM until 3 PM. Church leaders from other denominations are invited to participate. The only cost is for lunch.

November 6-7 “Celebrating the Faith” This will be an interactive workshop at TAC facilitated by Bishop Bruce Caldwell and The Rev. Warren Murphy as well as other diocesan liturgical leaders. It will begin at 5 PM on Friday and run through Saturday lunch. This workshop will allow participants to review the strengths and weaknesses of what is happening liturgically in their own congregations. They will be able to review the liturgical standards used in Wyoming as well as new and innovative liturgies. Liturgical roles for priests, deacons and lay officiants will be outlined. Creative services for the liturgical seasons will also be explored. This workshop is designed for those in the Episcopal ordination process, ordained local clergy and congregational worship leaders, both lay and ordained.

Thomas the Apostle Center is a year round retreat and conference center affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming. It is available for both religious and secular gatherings. Jay and Connie Moody serve as TAC co-directors and are hosts for all activities. TAC has received this special educational grant from the Episcopal Foundation to assist the diocese in its continuing education needs. The Rev. Warren Murphy, Chair of the Commission on Ministry, is contracted by TAC to coordinate and lead these educational events.

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