Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly Winter 2010

Quarterly

‘Getting to know you’

The first 100+ days Diocese of Kentucky

Winter 2011

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Interview Bishop Terry Allen White

Interview by Mary Jane Cherry Communications Director In the 26th year of his ordination as a deacon and 25th as a priest, by the 73rd day of his episcopacy as a bishop, the Rt. Rev. Terry Allen White had visited nearly half of the Diocese of Kentucky’s congregations. He has met with vestries; presided over confirmations, baptisms, Evensongs and a church rededication; traveled to All Saints Conference Center in the heart of the diocese five times, and led a leadership conference attended by nearly 100. In less than two months, he has put more than 3,000 miles on the Honda Accord that came with the episcopacy.

The job has its perks, he has found. One week after his consecration, he confirmed his first Episcopalian while at St. Mary’s in Madisonville . Afterwards he asked “the young man to autograph my bulletin so that I would always have a record” of the first confirmation.

Although the young man was “a bit shy,” the bishop got his autograph. At Ascension Church in Bardstown, he acquired a new persona (“Sponge Bob”) after a Sunday visitation—on Halloween. Pictures of him and his family in costume at the reception made it online.

The bishop says he has no plans to maintain the current work pace, especially noting that on “Mondays, I’m solidly off,” but he admits to being available by email on his “off ” days. “My goal is to get into a rhythm so that I can make sure I am taking care of myself and being faithful to my family,” he said. “As with any new position, it takes a while to get used to it.”

A native of Iowa, where his parents still live, White came to Kentucky by way of the Diocese of West Missouri, where he was the dean of Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City for five years. He is a 1985 graduate of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Moving and job transitions are nothing new to him and his wife, Linda Sue; son, Tim, a

Assisted by Callie Hausman of Calvary Church, Louisville (left), Bishop Terry Allen White distributes the bread during communion after his consecration. Photo by Don Vish On Dec. 7, Bishop White sat for his first student at Northwestern University in Chicago; interview for Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, and daughter, Becky, a sophomore at Ballard during which he was asked about his new vocaHigh School. His vocation has taken them tion as bishop and this period of transition. to four dioceses, the other two in Illinois and Wisconsin. On the day after his consecration, he This interview is just one means of his introduction. His quarterly theological reflection, found turned 51. on page 5, is yet another place to get to know him and his vocational call.

Q and A

How has this job change I still get surprised when I’m lined up been for you? Have you experienced any differences in a procession and I’ll look down at my or similarities in the practice shadow ... Bishop White of your vocation, or any surprises? into an understanding of what it means I can almost say that the to be the bishop and interacting with middle of the week stuff has similarities. folks, whether it is at coffee hour, over I’m still working with people who are a meal, or at a class. … In many of dealing with budgets and personnel matthe places I have visited, we have had ters, rethinking situations and looking at opportunities that are challenging but are something of a town hall meeting. I talk about my experiences and visits around also moments when something new and the diocese because certainly one of my creative can take place. … roles is to bring the rest of the diocese to What’s rather new is what takes place at visitations. I am continuing to grow Continued on page 4

The Rt. Rev. Terry A. White, Bishop/Executive Editor Mary Jane Cherry, Editor/Communications Director Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly is published four times per year in January, April, July and October by the Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society of The Episcopal Church, 815 Second Ave, New York NY 10017. USPS # 025-499. Postmaster send address changes to: Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, PO Box 2050, Voorhees NJ 08043

Embracing Christ, Engaging the World The Diocese of Kentucky is called to engage the world as a witness to Christ through worship, study, fellowship, evangelism, social justice and service.

News

Conference engenders deaneries, shared leadership

By Mary Jane Cherry Communications Director By all accounts, Bishop Terry Allen White’s Leadership Conference in November was a successful beginning to ongoing, regional conversations among Kentucky Episcopalians commissioned to discern the “gospel mission” of the diocese and its congregations.

Approximately 100 members of the clergy and laity, coming from nearly all of the diocese’s congregations, attended at least some part of the bishop’s conference, which met Nov. 5-6 at All Saints’ Camp and Conference Center on Rough River Lake near Leitchfield.

The first night participants met in four self-selected small groups; all addressed the same questions to define, identify and envision gospel mission.

They made careful notes of their answers to the questions on pages of newsprint, which were posted in the lodge’s dining hall for all to read.

The next day, the conference members were asked to prioritize ministries identified as fulfilling the gospel mission of the diocese and its congregations. This time, however, participants met in small groups based upon four regions where their congregations are located, or they joined a small group with the bishop, tasked with looking at mission from the diocesan standpoint. The groups had one required task: to set a date for a followup meeting.

After lunch the conference was simply

Contents Interview with Bishop Convention Reflection by Bishop White Focus on..The Academy Ministers at Work Calendars Episcopal News Quarterly

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2 10 5 6-7 8-9 Back A-L

— and intentionally — recessed. No concluding remarks were offered to summarize or synthesize the learnings. Specifics about mission and priorities “will come from the area gatherings,” said Bishop White in a follow-up interview.

“What seems to have certainly emerged from this conference is people liked the idea of regular gatherings of the clericus and laity to discuss how congregations could cooperate with each other in formation, outreach and maybe even administration in order to pool resources for the collective good. … Folks seem to

have latched onto the idea that somehow getting together as regional congregations is a good thing.”

To date, two deanery groups have notified the diocesan office of scheduled meetings. The Northeast Deanery in Louisville will meet at 2 p.m. (EST) Jan. 15 at St. Matthew’s Church, 330 N. Hubbards Lane. The Four Rivers Deanery will meet at 11:30 a,m. (CST) Jan. 29 at St. Mary’s Church, 163 N. Main St., Madisonville.

Asked what he got out of the conference, White said he found “a great deal

On the cover

With a new bishop comes the excitement of first encounters and visits, and photos to document it all. On the front cover (and inside) are a few shared moments.

The top right photo of Bishop Terry “Sponge Bob” White was taken at a Halloween reception at Ascension Church in Bardstown. Next to it on the left, the bishop is assisted by Deacon Delinda Buie and the Rev. Paul Collins during a confirmation at St. Alban’s Church, Lou-

Continued on page 7

isville. Both photos were taken by Don Vish.

The bottom left photo was taken on the day after his consecration when he was officially seated at Christ Church Cathedral. The bottom right photo, taken by Mary Jane Cherry, captures the bishop listening during a group session at the leadership conference. More photos can be found inside and are published online at www. episcopalky.org/bishop/bishopwhite.html

Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011 Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

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Q&A

continued from page 2

each congregation, whether it is telling stories of ministry in other places or talking about what each congregation’s pledge means. …That’s a tremendous honor to be able to represent the entire diocese at each place, and to represent the diocese’s past and what the diocese is yet to become It’s very different to preach to a new congregation each week. … My way of communicating is somewhat different. Folks know that humor is a gift from God if it is used appropriately, but you’ve got to be careful about using tongue in cheek comments when you’re with folks for the first time. They don’t know whether you’re being serious or not. Until you get to know each other, you do a little bit of a dance … so you can effectively communicate and still be authentic with who you are.

I still get surprised when I’m lined up in a procession and I’ll look down at my shadow and see the miter and see the pastoral staff. It’s still surprising to see some of those things….

What have you learned about yourself and your new vocation so far?

I really enjoy meeting with those prepared for confirmation and reception and hearing their stories about what the Episcopal Church or their parish has meant to them and why they are making this commitment. [They] talk about being welcomed, being loved and being given opportunities to serve. So many of them say they didn’t know the Episcopal church existed. This is something that I hear over and over again and take to every parish I visit. “Can we both take heart that this is a message and tradition that speaks to people, and, therefore, can we be even bolder in how we share the good news of Christ within the Anglican tradition because it can be just what many people are looking for?”

My preaching style is a little bit different now. I am now less tied to a text … and my content and preparation has also changed some because I’m unfamiliar with the congregations. ... There is some4

thing invigorating about entering into each congregation’s worship style. … When you are some place different each week, there is an opportunity to learn how a congregation prays. …

[On a personal note, he observed that his preference Central Time.] There really is a bit of a difference living in Eastern time … Watching local news was easier at 10 p.m. rather than 11 o’clock these days so I have had to get used to looking online a bit more for news stories. …

What have you seen so far in the diocese that has made an impression on you?

I’ve seen a deeply faithful people seeking to live in service as faithfully as they can.

Everybody’s context is going Bishop Terry Allen White, assisted by the Rev. Canon Joan to be, and so listening to how Smith and the Rev. Richard Paxton, ordained Meghan Ryan each congregation is seeking Holland a deacon on Dec. 18. Her ordination was another to love neighbor as self and to first for the bishop. Photo by Don Vish find that particular manifestapeople talking about God in their life in tion, whether it’s feeding or Christ, and it’s why they choose to be a providing training or reading camp or part of some parish or diocesan funcchild advocacy… , Episcopalians should be very proud of how much we’re trying tion rather than choosing something else.

This is part of who they are. …. I don’t to care for those in our own house, in know how much of it is parents and our neighborhoods and communities. households. I don’t now how much of I’m really touched by how deeply people it is in local congregation or how much love their church, which can mean of it is diocesan-related, but we certainly anything from their worshipping comhave a large number of youth and young munity to the friends they make there to adults who so eloquently can articulate the opportunities they have to grow and serve each other. Sometimes we focus on their faith and commitment to Christ and their desire to serve in church. That’s numbers when really the stories and the a tremendous blessing. … And it’s not quality of caring and love that is shared far surpass any objective measuring stick. just conversations that I’ve started. It’s conversations that started with questions Also, I’ve not encountered before the they have asked me. type of ministry to and with youth that Personally, how is it you came to be exists in this diocese. called to the vocations of priest and What do you see as unique or disbishop? tinctive?

In general I can say I discerned a call I’ll have to think about that. It is too early in life. I was first drawn by some easy to say it has to do with camp and aspect of the church as I knew it--… stuff like that. It’s much more than that.

It has to do with the way I hear young Continued on page 5 Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

From the bishop’s laptop

A new year for fostering community

Beloved, belong to God and are united to each I want to continue to thank you other. When we live out our baptismal for your gracious and warm welcome covenant faithfully, belonging and comto the Diocese of Kentucky and the munity are created, and the fruits proCommonwealth. There is no shortage duced by such an authentic community of hospitality in this diocese! In many are evangelism and mission. ways, I already feel at home here.

People feel a kinship with the Body As you can imagine, for our family of Christ when our allegiance to Jesus the last few months have been filled compels us to take seriously the chalwith transitions. Often I am asked, lenges facing our neighbors, when we “Other than friends, what do you miss speak for the voiceless, promote justice most following your move here?” My and make no friends with oppression first thoughts seem to focus on favorite and prejudice. When our claim to be eating spots: The Landings’ unique servants of Christ is seen and experichicken strips, the Mexican restaurant enced, and when we live for the chance we discovered just a few weeks before to do compassion (pardon the grammoving, and the out-of-this-worldmar), that fosters a sense of belongpulled-pork-Carolina-style-sandwich ing that cannot be created through from Oklahoma Joe’s. But in the end, words alone. Conveying the message perhaps what I miss most is the short that all belong to God opens us to honk of a car horn. risk. Yet, to do less is to avoid the I do not mean the blaring horn of an Bishop White reads a children’s story during a Christ- cost of discipleship. impatient and rude driver, but the sound In this new year, as we live into mas party for youngsters who had participated in last you hear while you are out working in the summer’s reading camp at Grace Episcopal Church, the mission and ministry of our yard or walking down a neighborhood particular congregation, let us Paducah. Photo by Dan Songer sidewalk. That short beep that causes you remember how we have been made to look in the direction of the sound, where you see the smiling to feel a part of the household of God. May we give thanks face or friendly wave of a parishioner, neighbor or parent of for how we have been fed, nurtured, and invited to take our one of your kids’ friends. I miss that sound because in a sense place in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation. And throughout our it confirmed that I belonged there, that I was known.

Diocese may sacrificial generosity and acts of courageous graAs bishop and people, we have begun building a relationship. ciousness build up our common mission. Let us find new ways I say again, your welcome has truly helped my family and me to sound the friendly “honk of the horn” that clearly says to begin to feel at home. But it is important for me to realize that all, “You are not only welcome here, you belong here.” I look it takes both time and effort on my part to make that sense of forward to Coming Together at Convention in February! belonging strong and enduring.

A blessed new year of grace to us all.

Much of our common life in this diocese has to do with With affection, building a sense of belonging, reminding each other that we +Terry

Conference engenders deaneries, shared leadership continued from page 3

of consistency” between what he heard at the conference and what he read in the search profile from a year and a half ago. “There really is a desire for shared visioning and implementation between the bishop and congregations.

That will lead to a stronger mission and

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healthier relationships that will allow a lot of conversation back and forth.”

Shared leadership is something he values as well. “You have to have as many people as you can on board with things … [but] it is by no means a congregational polity, it still is an Episcopal

polity.” His role, he said, is not so much selling ideas to people to get things done as much as it is to tell them, “Here is what we have all said … I get to be the agent of the process as opposed to trying to get everybody to give lip service if not actual support to an idea.”

Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

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Focus on

By Barry Chafin St. Andrew’s Church, Louisville One recent evening, before an Evensong procession at St. Andrew’s Church, young Tyler raised his bright pink umbrella, mounted the steps to the altar and moved purposely toward the organ. No one overreacted. Susan Fowler noticed this. She heads The Academy at St. Andrew’s. Tyler has autism and is one of her students.

“Everyone remained calm. It is wonderful how the people of St. Andrew’s Church have come together with the school,” she said. “There is a sense of family. Divine intervention has something to do with our relationship between church and school.”

Located on the lower level of the church building, The Academy at St. Andrew’s is private and non-denominational. It specializes in educating children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. The school teaches grades K-12.

Autism is a severe developmental disorder that presents early in a child’s life.

It is characterized by an inability to relate with others and poor language development.

The Academy’s teaching philosophy

The Academy at St. Andrew’s, is to individualize techniques according to the needs of the student. Applied Behavior Analysis is used to determine how to help the student. Teaching methods are drawn from Montessori, Waldorf, Floortime, TEACCH and Verbal Behavior Analysis.

Most students are deficient in language and receive instruction for improvement.

The ratio of student to teacher runs 3:1, 2:1 or 1:1 depending on what the student Above, teacher assistant Megan Casey works with a student on an art project requires. Its first addressing a sensory issue. Below, instructor Kelly Fitzpatrick, engages Matstudents were thew, 11, in a floortime exercise. Photos by Kim Torres accepted in August. Currently 22 students are enrolled and there is capacity for more.

The Academy exists in large part due to a symbiotic relationship with St. Andrew’s Church in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville.

Betsy Chandler, who chairs the Academy’s board of directors, is a visionary who was involved with the concept from the beginning. Early in 2010 she conducted discussions with St. Andrew’s rector, the Rev. Ben Maas.

“We want to give kids what they need, give them a chance for good lives, full lives,” Chandler said.

“Everybody has such a large heart Continued on page 7

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Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

Q&A

Louisville modes of behavior modification that require constant attention from teachers and parents. Finding a capable school for an autistic child is an ordeal as most are unsuitable. Education at The Academy ranges from basic daily functioning to scholastic subjects. It is imperative that parents take part in the process and continue working with the child at home.

David Metts is one parent who faced the challenges of educating his child head-on.

His son, Harrison, was diagnosed with autism when he was 18 months old. Metts conducted a nationwide search for an appropriate school. At one time they moved to New Jersey to enroll Harrison in a nationally renowned school. Later, he became involved with the creation of The Academy One in every 110 children has been diagnosed with autism. Photo at St. Andrew’s and is the

by Kim Torres, St. Andrew’s Church board’s vice president. continued from page 6 Now, at age 13, Harrison is here at St. Andrew’s Church.” enrolled there.

The goal is to help children learn life “We have a wide range of talent skills and to live as normal a life as poshere,” he said. “This is the only school sible. The proposition is that all children in the state that does what we do. Every have value, all can learn. After Chandler’s student is an individual. We use whatever discussions with Maas, the vestry and teaching method is appropriate to the other experts became involved. child. The Academy at St. Andrew’s has Maas explained, “We began with the the potential to be a model school for question ‘What is our theology of this the country.” space?’ I was very proud of the vestry.

Each of these people spoke of the Their attitude is that we are not so much quickness with which the school got the owners of this space as we are stewstarted. There is considerable commitards of it. We wanted a long-term outment by those involved. They speak reach program to help the community.” of the hope for a lasting and fulfilling Autistic children have little interacrelationship between the church and the tion with others. The range of difficulschool. ties runs from mild to severe and each “The Academy’s long-range vision is student presents a unique set of needs. to be with St. Andrew’s Church,” said Parents of autistic children face enorFowler. “We couldn’t do this without mous challenges. The condition is not them.” treated with medicines but with various

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aspect of the church as I knew it--… liturgy … a priest who took time to talk with me and showed interest in my vocation. But the appeal later, and rather quickly in the discernment process in the seminary, developed into serving others and encouraging others to be active in serving in the world.

One of the wonderful things about the discernment process for the episcopate is the candidate only has to carry it a little ways. You find out about a search, you start the discernment process ... you pray about it and decide if it is reasonable. You go only as far as the discerning committee wants you to go. …There is no point along the way where you state, “I know I’m called to be a bishop.” You don’t’ know that until you get a text message saying, “the bishop of Kentucky would like to talk with you.” You wonder if it’s possible, you perhaps hope it’s possible as you get to know a community in the discernment process, but … even sometime after the consecration, you are still trusting in the discernment of the community rather than your own hard and fast belief that I know that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. …

Why here?

This diocese enjoys a good reputation in the wider church. Sometimes we hear about a diocese, and the first thing that comes out of a person’s mouth, “Well, you know what problems they are having.” That wasn’t the general impression at all of this diocese. Quite the opposite. The impression is that it’s a strong diocese, a healthy diocese. It certainly has opportunities for new things to happen, and is without its challenges. But again, it is known for its good leadership, lay and ordained, and its desire to be faithful in the proclamation to God. Comfortable with your decision?

Yes. You know, it’s the power of liturgy, the power of the consecration liturgy that I’ll say a little more about down the road…. Hearing that liturgy helped give me assurances from God and the community that we’re all in this together.

Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

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Ministers at work Ecology, faith and the diocese By the Rev. Dr. Jerry Cappel St. Matthew’s Church, Louisville “It’s time this church became greener!” exclaimed the intense young adult to the vestry.

“This so-called environmentalism is just a form of neo-paganism,” declared the life-long member to the Adult Forum class.

“We are looking for a church that is ecologically aware,” said the new visitor to the priest.

What’s a church to do? These kinds of conversations are all around and within the church, and they are here to stay. The wise church will discern how to engage with faithful relevance. Businesses and schools are beginning to recognize that coming generations will judge them by how “green” they are. Churches ignore this at their peril.

Even in Episcopal circles opinions range from those who see only disconnect between faith and ecology to those who define the environmental crisis as the defining faith challenge of our day.

From anywhere on that spectrum, it would be a mistake to dismiss the issue as simply political or secular.

Faith and Green So, what is it for a church to be more “green”? Broadly speaking, there are three arenas in the church where faith and ecology meet. These are: 1) EcoJustice, 2) Stewardship and 3) Spirituality.

Eco-Justice. No matter your views about global climate change, the social and economic impacts of environmental degradation fall disproportionately upon the poor, the powerless and future generations. The Christian church has a long and established practice of drawing upon its prophetic traditions to act on behalf of the “least of these.” To be green is to pay attention to those unjustly impacted by the environmental issues of our day and act on their behalf.

Stewardship. How can individual 8

Christians and churches participate in the “just and proper use” of God’s creation (BCP p. 392)? To remain relevant and avoid hypocrisy, churches need to consider their own complicity in exploitive and unsustainable practices. To be green is to be open to repentance and the redemption of our own behaviors with regard to toxins, energy, trash, consumption, food and the like.

Spirituality.

Brian McLaren has observed, “It’s far easier to put a price tag on a fallen creation than on a still sacred one.”

(Green Bible, p.

I-44). The environmental crisis raises deep spiritual questions about living in right relationship to God’s created order. Is our unsustainable consumption simply foolish – or is it a sacrilege? Are we just polluting our own back yard – or are we desecrating a holy temple? What sins should we confess and what forms should our repentance take? To be green is to restore right relations to God, ourselves, and all our neighbors.

A Mission Opportunity There is an opportunity for the church here. If the church would open itself to the tasks the ecology crisis demands of it, it would find a path

The incarnational ministry of Jerry Cappel

By Mary Jane Cherry Communications Director An ordained minister in the Churches of Christ for 20 years and an Episcopal priest for the last seven, the Rev. Dr. Jerry Cappel appreciates the incarnational nature of Episcopal worship and he has embraced what might be described as an incarnational ministry--teaching and organizing a faith-full love of God’s creation.

Cappel was attracted to the Episcopal Church because of its “unity based in common prayer and not in confessions,” its appreciation of church history, and its “incarnational” liturgy. “Liturgical churches have a deep appreciation for the element of the body and tactile connections to faith. The physicality of it … the kneeling, the candles...” he said.

“Our access to God is through common prayer, is more physical and less of the mind.”

Reared as a Lutheran in South Dakota, Cappel joined the Churches of Christ as a teen and was ordained in 1983 after receiving a Master of Divinity from Harding Graduate School of Religion in

Memphis, Tenn. He received a doctorate degree in religious education in 1994 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He decided to pursue holy orders in the Episcopal Church during lunch with an Episcopal priest at a local restaurant and was ordained in December 2003.

As the associate for justice ministries at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Louisville, he is responsible for “moving the church forward” in such justice-related areas as ecojustice and refugee ministries through his work with the parish’s Green Team, teaching and preaching. He previously served as the rector of Resurrection Church.

His ministry, however, extends well beyond parish responsibilities and boundaries. Cappel is involved with “ecofaith” ministries in the community and the wider church. He is the president of the Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light, the local chapter of the national organization, dedicated to “mobilizing a religious response to global warming,” he said.

He is Province IV’s environmental coordinator in the Episcopal Church and is working with the Church’s

national environmental justice officer, with University of the South, and with Province IV dioceses to create a network of people and resources.

Cappel is also becoming a GreenFaith fellow, undertaking a yearlong, interfaith program of retreats, webinars, readings and a project to learn how to help churches develop faith and ecology ministries.

Although he appreciates the work of environmentalists, Cappel does not apply that term to himself and his ministry.

It carries negative, politically charged connotations that are “too limiting” and “not religious,” he said. He prefers to say he is an advocate of ecofaith, ecojustice and earth stewardship, which are about “restoring right relations to all of God’s creation,” Cappel said. “There are lots of things we would say are not right … economic relations that are destroying the planet, trade practices that create injustice, consumerism that is not sustainable, toxic and polluting practices that are killing not just people but the very soil upon which we depend.” All of these are “signs of broken relationship,” he said, adding that as Brian McLaren observed, “It’s much easier to exploit a secular world than a sacred one.”

coordinate the resources and environmental leaders in the parishes of the province toward more effective ministry.

Check out their website at http://www. kinshipearth.org/em4/SitePages/Home. aspx • Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light is the local chapter of the national Interfaith Power and Light organization.

Kentucky IPL is dedicated to mobilizing a religious response to global warming.

Check out its website at http://www. kentuckyipl.org • GreenFaith is an organization dedicated to inspiring, educating and mobilizing people of diverse religious

backgrounds for environmental leadership. Recently, The Episcopal Church has partnered with GreenFaith in sponsoring a certification program for churches. Check out their website at http://greenfaith.org.

• The Passionist Earth & Spirit Center (http://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/). Its mission is to motivate, educate and enable religious institutions and people of faith to assume an active role in building a just and sustainable society. They sponsor many written programs for churches. This year, they have created a curriculum for the Lenten season called Lent 4.5.

Ministers at work to righting some of our upside down values and restoring right relationships to ourselves, each other, and those beyond our doors. If the church would let these issues demand of us a response of faithful discipleship, we might find in it some clarity for our gospel message and a renewed relevance for the church in the world.

To grasp this opportunity, however, we must not just change light bulbs but also change our language and our faith priorities. We need to recycle not just our trash but also some worn out habits and our sense of mission. We need

Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

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continued from page 8

to plant not just trees but ideas and clean up not just the water but our complicity in consumption. We need to expand our love of neighbor to apply to all that God has created and loves.

Resources for Eco-Ministry

What can your church do? Here are a few organizational websites that are local or have particular connections to the Episcopal Church. Each are loaded with resources and contacts useful for moving churches forward in eco-ministry.

• Province IV Environmental Ministry (EM4) is a network of our Episcopal province. EM4 is working to

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Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

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Convention 2011

‘Coming together’ at St. Matthew’s The 183rd Convention of the Diocese of Kentucky will be marked by an historic first—it will be the first annual gathering convened by its eighth bishop, the Rt. Rev. Terry Allen White.

The occasion also will be the first time Episcopalians from across the diocese have gathered since the Bishop’s Leadership Conference last Fall at All Saints.

That meeting brought together approximately 100 clergy and lay leaders to begin discerning the “Gospel Mission” of the diocese and its congregations.

Diocesan convention will meet Feb. 25 and 26 at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 330 N. Hubbards Lane, Louisville. All convention meetings and social gatherings, including the banquet, will be held at the church.

To mark this occasion, the convention theme “Coming Together” was chosen by the steering committee as “a sign of hope and possibility, focusing ALL of us on coming together with our new bishop to plan and prepare for mission in this diocese and beyond,” the Rev. Lucinda Laird, St. Matthew’s rector, explained in her letter inviting the people of the diocese to attend.

Bishop White is looking forward to the gathering as, in his words, “a time to continue to build relationships” and for introductions. “Even though I’ve been very faithful in getting around to places, I won’t have visited every place by the time convention comes,” White said, but added, “At the same time, the convention is not about the bishop. It is about our common work together so I want to strike a healthy balance between opportunities to get to know people and engage in further conversations with folks and make sure that we are staying centered on our mission.”

As last year, the convention will begin Friday afternoon with registration, workshops, committee meetings and orientation for new deputies. (Topics of the 10

workshops were not available at this printing; they will be posted online on the convention website when possible.) A youth event is planned from 4 p.m. to midnight. For the rest of the convention, the first day will conclude with Holy Eucharist, a reception and the banquet.

Saturday will be devoted to diocesan business, beginning with an opportunity for the deputies and clergy to meet nominees for diocesan offices from 8-9 a.m.

(EST). Business sessions will begin after the 9 a.m. morning prayer and will conclude that afternoon.

During the lunch break, deputies and visitors can participate in an annual convention event: packing Easter boxes for the Seamen Institute’s “Ministry on the River.”

A copy of the proposed convention agenda may be found online at www. episcopalky.org/Convention%202011/ convention-2011.html along with registration forms and other information.

Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

Weekly cycle of prayer January

Jan. 2: Pray for the International Anglican Family Network and for the Diocese of Lahore in Pakistan in the Anglican Communion; pray for the Urban Spirit ministry in the diocese.

Jan. 9: Pray for the Diocese of Leicester (Canterbury, England) in the Anglican Communion, and pray for St. Peter's Church, the Rev. Ellen Morell, rector, in the diocese.

Jan. 16: Pray for the Province of Nigeria in the Anglican Communion, and pray for the Aaron McNeil Community Center in Hopkinsville in the diocese.

Jan. 23: Pray for the Diocese of Louisiana (USA) in the Anglican Communion, and pray for St. Paul's Church, Henderson.

Jan. 30: Pray for the church in Cape Town (South Africa) in the Anglican Communion, and pray for All Saints

Center in the diocese.

February

Feb. 6: Pray for the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East in the Anglican Communion, and pray for the Episcopal Church Home in the diocese.

Feb. 13: Pray for the church in Uganda in the Anglican Communion, and pray for St. Peter's of the Lakes Church, the Rev. Nick Jaeger, priest in charge, in the diocese.

Feb. 20: Pray for the Province of Wales in the Anglican Communion, and pray for Christ Church, Bowling Green, the Rev. Michael Blewett, rector, in the diocese.

Feb. 27: Pray for the Province of South East Asia in the Anglican Communion, and pray for the Episcopal Housing Corp. in the diocese.

March

March 6: Pray for the Province of Myanmar in the Anglican Communion, and pray for St. George's Church, the Rev. Ben Sanders, priest in charge, in the diocese.

March 13: Pray for the Diocese of Minna (Nigeria) in the Anglican Communion, and pray for St. James Church, Shelbyville, the Rev. Peter Whelan, priest in charge, in the diocese.

March 20: Pray for the Diocese of Mombasa (Kenya) in the Anglican Communion, and pray for Episcopal Relief & Development in the diocese.

March 27: Pray for the Dioceses of Mount Kenya Central, South and West (Kenya) in the Anglican Communion; for the Spring House of Bishops in the US; and for Home of the Innocents in the diocese.

Diocesan events January

Jan. 8-9: Bishop Visitation, St. Peter’s Church, 8110 St. Andrew’s Church Road, Louisville.

Jan. 14-15: School of Ministry, All Saints Episcopal Conference Center, 833 Hickory Grove Road, Leitchfield.

It’s ‘Coming Together’ Diocesan Convention

February 25-26

|St. Matthew’s Church Louisville, Kentucky www.episcopalky.org

Jan. 15: Northeast Deanery meeting, 2 p.m. (EST), St. Matthew’s Church, 330 N. Hubbards Lane, Louisville Jan. 17: New Bishops and Spouses Conference, Richmond, Va. Jan. 23: Bishop Visitation, St. Paul’s Church, 5 S. Green St., Henderson.

Jan. 27: Trustees and Council Meeting, Christ Church Cathedral, 421 S. Second St., Louisville. 4 to 8 p.m. (EST).

Jan. 29: Four Rivers Deanery meeting, St. Mary’s Church, 163 N. Main St., Madisonville. Begins at 11:30 a.m. (CST).

Jan. 30: Calvary Parish Dedication, Calvary Church, 821 S. Fourth St., Louisville. 11 a.m. (EST).

February

Feb. 3: Bishop’s Chapter of the Daughters of the King Meeting with bishop, Episcopal Church Home, Board Room, 7504 Westport Road, Louisville.

11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (EST).

Feb. 11-12: School of Ministry, All Saints Episcopal Conference Center, 833 Hickory Grove Road, Leitchfield.

Feb. 13: Bishop Visitation, St. Peter’s of the Lakes, 47 Black River Road, Gilbertsville.

Feb. 19-20: Bishop’s Visitation, Christ Church, 1215 State Street, Bowling Green.

Feb. 25-26: Diocesan Convention, St. Matthew’s Church, 330 N. Hubbards Lane, Louisville.

March

March 3-5: Consecration of Bishop of West Missouri in Kansas City.

March 6: Bishop Visitation, St. George’s Church, 1201 S. 26th St., Louisville.

March 11-12: School of Ministry, All Saints Episcopal Conference Center, 833 Hickory Grove Road, Leitchfield.

March 13: Bishop Visitation, St. James Church, 230 Main St. Shelbyville.

March 24-30: Spring House of Bishops, Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, N.C.

www.episcopalky.org Episcopal Episcopal Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2010 Kentucky Quarterly, Winter 2011

11 www.episcopalky.org

The Epiphany January 6

O

God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen Traditional collect from The Book of Common Prayer

The Magi present gifts to the infant Jesus in this stained glass depiction at St. John’s Church, Traleee, Ireland. Photo of “The Gift of the Magi”

by Ken Wiedemann through istockphotos.