Seek - Feb. 2016, Voices from the Diocese of Missouri by Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

Seek

February 2016

voices from the

Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

Be Reconciled! November’s convention strikes resonant note for diocesan participants Bishop Wayne Smith addresses the year past and year ahead for the Diocese Anyone who has ever had a high fever has probably endured some weird dreams. And I mean weird. Malaria, with its chronic and very high fevers, is notable for producing lucid and never-ending dreams. Malarial dreams are often shape-shifting and exhausting. Some people barely have to close their eyes to enter this undulating, fugue-like dream state. One of the most effective antimalarial drugs seems to work its way by giving you the dreams but not the disease. I do not take that drug, thank you very much. But as you might guess, some people and some cultures value lucid malarial dreams, fever dreams, as mystical resources or as spiritual ordeals. There is a fearsome quality to draw the dreamer to God, and perhaps even tell something about God. Even so, it is the rare person who would go out looking for the lucid dreams of malaria or any other disease. It has been a year for us, one almost like a fever dream, a difficult but God-haunted year. Since we last met, St. Louis City and Country has faced the crisis following the decision of no-indictment in the death of Michael Brown. The crisis is ongoing. There was a staff crisis in my office. Our Diocese and our Church have seen separate crises in alcohol addiction. The news from our partner diocese in South continued on page 4

“Be Reconciled!” continues at Grace The 2015 diocesan convention was a transformational experience for the Grace Church Jefferson City attendees, comprised of three delegates, two clergy, and one guest (and former delegate). We attribute that transformation to the Holy Spirit moving through the group during the themed meeting of “Be Reconciled!” At the end of the third convention reconciliation story, the question that was heard multiple times at the Grace table was, “How do we take this back to Grace?” That was not idle questioning. Upon returning home, the group has met three times to discuss what happened at convention and how to encourage the church’s mission of reconciliation at Grace. We know that we cannot replicate the worshiping, listening, and talking together that continued on page 3 ph: 314-231-1220 www.DioceseMo.org Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Offices of the Bishop 1210 Locust St. St. Louis, Missouri 63103

INSIDE Be Reconciled! November’s convention strikes resonant note for diocesan participants Address to the Diocese by Bishop Wayne Smith Be Reconciled! grows at Grace by Deacon Paula Hartsfield

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Resolved! Resolutions adopted by 176th Diocesan Convention Elected by Convention Kairos and Kairos Outside by Janet Schisser Thank you to ECW by Jeannie Bryant

Resources, Quiet Days, and Programs in the Season of Lent www.diocesemo.org/lent Shrove Tuesday is February 9 First Sunday in Lent is February 14

Ash Wednesday is February 10 Palm Sunday is March 20

A New Year at Deaconess Anne House

Resources for Reflection during Lent

Living Apart: Race, Residency and Reality in our Communities

Web link to this issue’s online galleries. More photos, more videos, more hyperlinks, more related articles in this issue’s online location. Navigate with your mobile, or go old school and open your browser to: diocesemo.org/Feb2016Seek

Monthly meeting interest groups forming around publishing web and social media content via • Weebly • Wordpress • Facebook

MAKING DISCIPLES

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

Trip to National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis

Aim for Summer Fun: Camp Phoenix Pilgrimage to Iona with Confluence

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What the Modern Missionary Church Can Learn from the Book of Acts: Diocesan Leadership Conference in March Diocesan Ministry Minutes Notes from Mizzou Campus by Martha Kelly

Be Reconciled! grows at Grace happened at convention. So, instead, after prayerful consideration, we have put together our own plan which we hope will be a moving spiritual experience for Grace parishioners. Not planned by the group but rather resulting from Holy Spirit inspiration, the Third Sunday of Advent had aspects of “Be Reconciled!” interspersed in the homily. Therefore, we are thinking that the Third Sunday of Advent was our introduction to reconciliation. It was rather easy to agree that Lent is the particularly appropriate season to more overtly address reconciliation. During Sunday forum, the Second Sunday in Lent our guest at the convention will courageously tell her story of reconciliation and will present questions of her origination for attendees to discuss. The next week in Sunday forum one of Grace’s delegates will present her story and also have questions for attendees to discuss. On Lent IV, one of the delegates has chosen to preach to make his contribution. There was no expectation that each person who attended convention would participate in the offerings to Grace; but, each has chosen to participate in a way that he or she feels is his or her best approach and will, in turn, impact those in attendance. Then, the fifth week of Lent the third delegate will present one of her stories of reconciliation at our Lenten evening offering, following worship. Her format will be the same as those sharing during Sunday forum.

by Paula Hartsfield continued from page 1

Throughout Lent reconciliation will be • tackled at Grace, and diocesan convention will be brought to parishioners in a non-tra• ditional, sustained, and spiritual manner. Interwoven throughout the business of convention were three highly personal presentations on themes of reconciliation from Bishop Wayne, the Rev. Harry Leip, who is deacon at Trinity Church in the Central West End and the Rev. Shariya Molegoda, rector of Grace Church in Jefferson City. Each presentation was followed by table discussions using a set of questions chosen by the presenters. The image above shows the Rev. Paula Hartsfield, deacon and Grace, Rector Shariya, and some of Grace’s delegation engaging the questions after Shariya’s presentation. Some questions discussed over the days: • Can you remember a time when you did not fit in? How was it a burden or a gift? • What gifts and limitations do you bring to your life as a disciple from the culture

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of your upbringing? What works for you, and what does not work, in the culture where you now live? What impedes your claim to your own particularity? How do you fail to celebrate it? How does your inability to transcend your own particularity sometimes impede your capacity to sit reverently with the particularity of ‘another’? When and where do you carve out occasions to wrestle with your resistance to vulnerability? What did your family of origin teach you by word and action about faith? Was this supported by your local community? How did your current church community relay to you by word and action that you were welcomed? Have you attended a church or group where you felt unwelcomed? How did that feel? What does reconciliation look like to you? What does it sound like?

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4 continued from page 1

Bishop Wayne Smith addresses the year past and year ahead for the Diocese Sudan, the Diocese of Lui, is heartbreaking. Civil war, not so long ago was a few hundred miles distant, has come to Lui. The war has destroyed whole towns and villages, displaced people whom we know, some into the bush and others into refugee camps. Lui is in humanitarian crisis. Deacon Deb Goldfeder, Chair of the Companion Diocese Committee, will bring us a more detailed report on the situation in Lui later on.

Life n a post-Christian society

so. The gift of Jesus Christ and the work of Christ’s Body the Church have mattered deeply to me, and I want you to hear it. Know my deep gratitude. It stuns me still to realize that not so long ago I heard the words: You had cancer. And surprises me still to speak the words: I am cancer-free. It is all but certain that I will die from something else than this disease. It has become cause for joy.

Joy at the General Convention...

couples—and did so with almost no rancor. Those who disagreed with this decision mostly did so without being disagreeable. It is my intention to extend this provision to the parishes and people of this Diocese, without reserve.

...and Joy in this Diocese

In Missouri we have been blessed to find extraordinarily gifted clergy to serve great congregations in our Diocese and Hard times for the peoto take other ple of God, into which positions of leadership. moments of unexpectI am coned grace occasionally vinced that we intrude: That’s a basic have the right trajectory of scripture’s ordained leadnarrative. ership to take the Church

Our Church has reason for joy, also. At the General Convention, we did a good Parishes and their clergy are facing thing in electing Michael Curry to be our the hard realities of an aging Church in Presiding Bishop for the next nine years. a post-Christian society. It is as if these The man loves Jesus, and he is happy about demographic and cultural issues are coming to a head, all at once. It costs more to do that basic truth, what we need to do as Church, but there are and he will tell us about what fewer people to do it. And dollars are becoming more precious. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, with something The gift of Jesus Christ much larger underneath. and the work of Christ’s My thirty-five-year-old Body the Church have seminary education did not prepare me for this mattered deeply to me, landscape. Whatever I and I want you to hear it. know about it now, I have had to learn on the fly. loving Jesus can Suddenly, it seems, more than a few mean. He is the parishes find themselves on the bubble. right bishop at the right time A personal note of gratitude Then to highlight and personalize the for our Church. The Genyear that has been, I discovered that I had eral Convention cancer, for which I had successful surgery also made pasin August. Let me note, as I shift to good toral provision news embedded in the year past, that the people and clergy of this Diocese have been for extending marriage to all unstinting in your care for me. You asked about me, you wrote me notes and sent me emails, you prayed for me, and you told me The gifts of God for the people of God...newly ordained deacon Beth Simpson (center) with Archdeacon Mark Sluss to her right and Bishop Wayne to her left at Eucharist on Friday morning of convention. MAKING DISCIPLES

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

Diocesan youth were an impressive presence. After a lock-in at St. Tim's on Friday night, on Saturday they presented, videoed, helped with balloting, and even live-tweeted. through the hard demographic and cultural challenges that I mentioned earlier. Many of them, in fact, are trained to lead precisely in the landscape where we live. Many of them are young. Deaconess Anne House continues to thrive, and it gives our Diocese an important base in St. Louis City. Through its residents and mission, the House expands our imagination about mission. One more good thing is the ordination of another deacon today, in the person of Beth Simpson. The health of our congregations and other communities depends on our moving beyond the walls. Internal obsession is death; pathways leading beyond the walls give us life. If you have not heard me say this already, then you have not been listening. The work of a deacon is to help us on these paths, in the way of life. One more thing that is cause for joy: The hard times during the past year which might have driven the clergy apart have done just the opposite. I think that the clergy have learned a greater sense of common purpose, of belonging to Christ Jesus and to one another, than at any time in my nearly fourteen years as your bishop.

Joy comes in the living of our days

Hard times for the people of God, into which moments of unexpected grace occasionally intrude: That’s a basic trajectory of scripture’s narrative. The Bible is hardly an anthology of sweet sayings to print on greeting cards. There are Psalms that your mother would not like to hear you say out loud.

There is much joy in the Bible. Oh yes! But that joy comes in the living of our days and their craziness, and through hope, and laughter, and sorrow, and tears, and through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which becomes the template for our own The value of living. We die, we praying the die, we die. And then Psalms comes God raises from the with their dead. Here’s a basic pattern in the Bible: relentless hard times without portrayal of end and God’s grace. life as it is. The value of praying the Psalms comes with their relentless portrayal of life as it is. There is hatred, complaint, bitterness, lives and whole nations wrecked by human sin, despair. God does not seek us in spite of these realities; God pursues us in life as it is. As a lover scorned, God pursues us. And surprises us.

What it means for us to become reconciled, so we might become reconcilers Reconciliation is a primary consequence of the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. The consequence has yet run to a completion. But God has set loose the forces of it. Reconciliation is also a primary focus of this Diocesan Convention, and I want to sketch out what I think it means for us to be reconciled, so in turn we might become reconcilers. This broken world cries out for reconciliation of all sorts. Racial reconciliation lies right

in front of us. Class reconciliation. Reconciliation among the nations. Among the Churches. Within this Church. Among the religions of the world. Within relationships. With our pasts. With God, the relationship with whom is a primary locus of human brokenness. God was in Christ reconciling the world to God. Glorious words that Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5. We entreat you on behalf of Christ, he goes on to say: Be reconciled to God.

That deliciously dysfunctional family

I started with three scriptural narratives to hold before you to show both the complexities and the surprises in reconciliation. I could have chosen dozens. Be of good cheer. I have whittled the list down to one. It’s the story of a deliciously dysfunctional family, Isaac and Rebecca, and their twin sons Jacob and Esau. By the way, anytime that you encounter the word “family,” you can automatically insert the word “dysfunctional” in front of it. One of the glories of the Bible is that it does not hide such things as dysfunction. It marches messed-up families out onto the front porch for everyone to see and to admire. I’ll not go into the details contributing to the bitterness between these twin brothers. It is a long story, worth pondering over in all the details. Here’s Jacob freaks the summary: Jacob out. He cheats. Esau rages. It knows his is the case from the brother’s moment of their birth. rage and It happens again and

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Bishop Wayne’s Address

continued from page 5

again. Esau wants to kill him. Jacob has to run. That’s the story in a nutshell. Fast-forward many years, when both brothers have amassed wealth and huge clans. Both brothers are desert wanderers. There comes the day when the rivers and the roads in what is now Jordan make it certain that the paths of the brothers cross. Jacob freaks out. He knows his brother’s rage and fears it. So he carefully divides his clan and his wealth, so at least some will survive. The night before he will meet brother Esau, he spends the night alone at the ford of the River Jabbok. Though as it turns out, he does not spend it alone, but a God-creature comes and wrestles all night long. Or is it fact God who comes? The story is ambiguous. In the course of the struggle, the wrestler gives Jacob a new name: Israel. Jacob asks the wrestler for his name. No response. But the wrestler oddly responds by blessing Jacob. The wrestling pulls the thigh bone from Jacob’s hip-joint, and he walks with a limp the rest of his days. A new name, a blessing, and a limp. Now Jacob is ready to meet brother Esau, at the dawn of the new day. So he has wealth and clan divided up, and then he limps out to meet whatever Esau has in store for him. Jacob goes first. Undefended. Jacob prostrates himself seven times. Esau runs—that’s the word, runs—to meet his brother. They collapse onto each other in an embrace, reconciled.

ically. But he is the one dispossessed. He has lost his birthright and his father’s blessing. Because of Jacob’s cheating. But Esau, the one dispossessed, makes the final and crucial move. He is the one who runs to his brother. The dispossessed, the marginalized, the cheated are not without resourc- The Body of Christ... Cathedral delegate Alice Stanley and Rector of Calvary Church in Columbia, Knute Jacobson. es. The misplaced fantasy is often that “The Sayings of the Fathers.” And with good reconciliation comes by strength of force. reason it is a favorite: It is not required that Reconcile—or else. This scripture suggests you succeed, but it is not allowed for you to other resources. give up. We are not allowed to give up. Anne The coda to this story is also importTyler writes about this in her novel, Saint ant. After these two brothers embrace and Maybe, when she tells about a character reconcile, there is no record of their having learning that he must make good for all the ever met again. Sometimes reconciliation errors of his ways, intentional or otherwise, looks like that. and to work toward full restitution, insofar It may be that going forward undefend- as is possible. And trust that Jesus will do ed can help us live into God’s reconciling the rest. That is actually good, classical, work. It may be that dispossession offers Christian moral theology. leverage that is not always apparent. We must address the wrongs we have

Reconcile and be reconciled

During this convention three of us will put before you personal narratives, to spark the imagination about how we might reconcile and be reconciled—and do it without the brokering of force. You will hear from Some observations from the narrative: Shariya Molegoda, Harry Leip, and me. You There is an obvious and painful spirwill have a chance after each of these preitual component upfront. Without the wres- sentations to engage in conversation around tling and wounding of Jacob, he may have your table. never been prepared to greet his brother. In reconciliation, we can not lose sight I underline that the spiritual encounter of God’s hand in it. We will never make perleaves Jacob wounded, not just for the next fect all the things wrong in this world. God day but for the rest of his life. Jacob then will. That truth, however, does not excuse approaches his brother undefended. He has us from the work. I think that Christians’ fathe force of the clan available to him. But he vorite saying from the Mishnah, the codifigoes first, no army for protection. Esau is cation of the oral Law at the heart of the Talthe stronger and brawnier brother, physmud, is from the final tractate, Pirkei Avoth, MAKING DISCIPLES

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

done, or those wrongs done on our behalf, insofar as possible. And we cannot allow the inability to close the gap completely to become an excuse for doing nothing. Nor can we escape into the sweet pietism that would say, Jesus will take care of all these problems.

So be reconciled. Do the spiritual wrestling required. Know when to show up defenseless. Learn how to leverage dispossession into an embrace. Tell the truth. Look to God. Do not be afraid. The Lord is near.

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

The Rt. Rev. Wayne Smith is the tenth Bishop of the Diocese o f Missouri. He delivers his annual address to the diocese at convention which meets each year in November the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Resolved! Resolutions adopted by the 176th Diocesan Convention

A-176 Minimum Clergy Compensation

Submitted on behalf of the Diocesan Council 1. BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri set the annual standard base compensation for full-time clergy in 2016 as follows: CASH SALARY & HOUSING ALLOWANCE $58,480 [The actual compensation should be determined by Resolution of the Vestry/Bishop’s Committee, in consultation with the clergy.] 2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Church Pension Fund assessment will be paid by the congregation; 3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that $50,000 group life will be paid by the congregation; 4. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the medical coverage for clergy be in compliance with Diocesan Resolution A-172; 5. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a standard of ten days per calendar year and $500 will be provided for continuing education; 6. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the standard auto allowance will be $2,000 per year; 7. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all parishes and missions encourage their full-time clergy to set aside the equivalent of two days each week for personal time, 24 hours of which must be consecutive;

8. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all parishes and missions be strongly encouraged to provide dental insurance for clergy and eligible dependents, or be assured they already have such coverage; and 9. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clergy in Charge shall accrue two weeks of sabbatical time for each year of service.

B-176 Seeking Our Past: Creating Our Future Submitted by the Diocesan Commission on Dismantling Racism

1. BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri highly recommends to the Episcopal diocesan congregations, institutions or entities a study/ consultation on how they have been impacted by institution racism, with the expressed purpose of becoming aware of and eliminating any vestige of racism or discrimination from their bodies; and 2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each Episcopal congregation, institution or entity been encouraged to use a resource such as the nationally acclaimed “Seeking Our Past: Creating our Future” written by the Episcopal Commission on Dismantling Racism of the Diocese of Missouri.

C-176 Cloud of Witnesses

Submitted by the General Convention Deputation 1. BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri urges the Standing Commission on Theology, Liturgy and Music to propose to the 79th General Convention the addition of the Right Reverend Daniel Sylvester Tuttle (1837-1923), the Reverend George William Foote (1843-1913) and the Reverend Edwards Nichols Goddard (1834-1911) to the liturgical calendar by inclusion in A Great Cloud of Witnesses, thus honoring those who most significantly helped develop the Church in the western continental United States; and 2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be appropriately transmitted to the Office of the General Convention and the Standing Commission on Theology, Liturgy and Music by the Secretary of this Convention and supported through efforts of the General Convention Deputation of this Diocese.

D-176 Parental Leave

Submitted by the General Convention Deputation 1. BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri recognizes the importance of family in the life of clergy and laity employed by the Church; 2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this

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8 convention strongly urges the diocese, congregations, and other church-related offices and agencies to establish and distribute parental leave policies for birth and adoptive parents, both clergy and lay, in their employ; and 3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such policies clearly state that clergy who give birth have a 12 week benefit that is available through the short term disability coverage provided by the Church Pension Fund. 2 176th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, November 20 & 21, 2015, Chesterfield, Missouri

F-176 Culture of Alcohol

Submitted by the General Convention Deputation 1. BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri commend General Convention Resolution 2015A159 to clergy, members, congregations, and agencies of the Diocese of Missouri: General Convention 2015 – Resolution A159 The Role of the Church in the Culture of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, that the 78th General Convention recognize that the field of substance use disorders and addiction has advanced substantially since 1985 when the 68th General Convention passed the current policy, acknowledging that alcohol use, addiction and recovery all involve biological, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions; and be it further Resolved, that, as Holy Baptism is the entrance to the life of wholeness and holiness and addiction disrupts relationships with God, others, and ourselves, impairing body, mind, and spirit, the Church, respecting the dignity of every human being, has a moral and ethical responsibility to: 1. Confront and repent of the Episcopal Church’s complicity in a culture of alcohol, denial, and enabling, 2. Speak to cultural norms that promote addiction, 3. Promote spiritual practices as a means of prevention and healing, 4. Advocate for public funding and health insurance coverage for prevention,

MAKING DISCIPLES

intervention, treatment and recovery, and collaborate with qualified community resources offering these services, and to respond with pastoral care and accountability. And be it further Resolved, that The Episcopal Church affirms the need for exercising a healing ministry to all whose lives are affected by addiction and encourages all members of The Episcopal Church to pursue healing in their personal, professional, relational and vocational lives, and to seek help at the first sign of the disease of addiction; and be it further Resolved, that The Episcopal Church acknowledge that the epidemic of addiction has a severely adverse social, economic, environmental, and spiritual impact on all communities, and presents particular challenges to communities of marginalized people at home and abroad; and be it further Resolved, The Episcopal Church directs dioceses to work in partnership with The Episcopal Church Medical Trust, Recovery Ministries of The Episcopal Church, and community-based organizations in order to address most effectively prevention, intervention/diversion, education, advocacy, treatment, and recovery, including developing a list of trained therapists and consultants who are available to assist clergy and laity in this education process.

other appropriate person or body of the Diocese report to the 177th Diocesan Convention the actual amount of assessment for the next three fiscal years, the amount the assessment would be if still imposed at 19%, and the difference between the two; and 3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Convention requests Council add to the New Ventures in Community Ministry the funds equal to the reduced assessment amount for the next three fiscal years. The following Resolution (I-176) was brought from the floor, and consideration of it was moved, seconded, and approved by more than two thirds of the Convention delegates.

Resolution I-176 Regarding the Refugee Crisis Submitted by The Rev. Michael Angell, Rector of the Church of the Holy Communion, University City and The Very Rev. Michael Kinman, Dean, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis

BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri commend the work of The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society’s refugee resettlement service, The Episcopal Migration Ministries, in responding to the refugee crisis in the Middle East, and recommend to all Diocesan congregations the resources of The Episcopal Public Policy Network as they seek to advocate for refugees; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Con2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this vention encourages prayer for all of those whose Convention encourage all clergy, members, lives have been affected by terrorism, including congregations, and agencies of the Diocese of refugees fleeing Syria; Missouri to engage in conversation and training BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Conon these issues. vention supports the work of the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Justice and other branches of the United States Government in screening refugees hoping to resettle here; G-176 Reduced Assessments to Support BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Local Ministry Submitted by the General Convention Deputation Convention urge public officials to resist politicizing the acceptance of refugees of any national identity, race, or religion; 1. BE IT RESOLVED that this 176th ConBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri vention ask all Americans to rely on our deeply acknowledges the 79th General Convention’s plan to additionally reduce diocesan assessment held common values of freedom, liberty, and justice for all as we continue today the tradition percentages over the next three years in order to allow more Diocesan funds to be available for of welcoming those fleeing persecution and seeking freedom in this nation of immigrants; local ministry; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Con2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Convention requests the Diocesan Treasurer or vention urge The Bishop of Missouri to appoint

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

9 a Diocesan liaison to The Episcopal Migration Ministries and begin a process of discernment about growing our ministries to refugees and migrants; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Convention urge all congregations to explore and, as possible, commit to partnerships with refugee resettlement agencies such as The International Institute of St. Louis in providing both resources and welcoming, loving community for refugees among us. C-175 was approved by the 175th Convention, but because it is an amendment to the Diocesan Constitution, approval of the Bishop and of this Convention are required for final adoption. The amendment as approved last year reads as follows.

C-175 Increasing size of Nominations and Election Procedures Committee BE IT RESOLVED that Section 1 of Article III.6 of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Missouri be revised to increase the number of persons appointed to the Committee on Nominations and Election Procedures from six (6) to seven (7). The first sentence would then read as follows: Section 1. At each annual meeting of Convention the Presiding Officer shall, with the consent of Convention, appoint a Committee on Nominations and Election Procedures, consisting of not more than seven persons, both Clergy and Laity.

H-176 Clarify clergy requirements for Cathedral Chapter

Submitted by Ms. Betty Bowersox, Chairperson of the Committee on Nominations and Election BE IT RESOLVED that Section 2.1 of Article IV.1 of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Missouri be revised as set forth below to clarify that clerical members elected by Convention for Cathedral Chapter must be canonically resident in the Diocese of Missouri. [The proposed revisions are indicated in bold, underscored text.] SECTION 2. a. Each annual meeting of Convention shall elect one clerical member and one lay member of the Cathedral

Chapter, neither of whom may be a member of the Cathedral Parish, to serve a term of three years. Members shall not be eligible for re-election until after the expiration of one year. The six Diocesan members shall be chosen so that two lay members and two clergy members shall be from Congregations within the St. Louis City/County Area (that is, St. Louis City and St. Louis County) and one of each from Congregations in the Diocese outside the St. Louis City/County Area. The clerical members of the Chapter must be canonically resident within the Diocese and shall be known as Honorary Canons of Christ Church Cathedral. In case of any vacancy, the Chapter shall appoint a Clerical or lay member, as the case may be, from the vacating member’s geographical area, to serve out the vacating member’s unexpired term. SEC. 2. b. The Bishop and the Bishop Coadjutor, if any, shall be members ex officio of the Chapter. The Bishop shall be the President of the Chapter. Resolution H-176 was moved, seconded, and carried. Because this is an amendment to the Constitution, it will be presented for the second reading and final approval at the 177th Convention.

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Diocesan Convention Fast Facts • Ordained to the diaconate the Rev. Beth Simpson • Complete Convention Minutes online at diocesemo.org/convention2015 • The operating budget was adopted as presented. Budget as it was sent to delegates. • A memorial offering in the amount of $4109.3, honoring the Rev. Emery Washington Jr., was given by Holy Communion Church to the Dismantling Racism Commission especially for youth scholarships to the Anytown Youth Leadership Institute. • Host parish was St. Timothy’s Church. Volunteers from the parish were easily found wearing the distinctive St. Tim’s red aprons, and they helped delegates and staff with all aspects of convention. Kudos all around! • Next year’s convention will again be held at the Chesterfield DoubleTree and St. Martin’s Church in Ellisville is the host parish. • Announcement that convention 2017 will be held in Hannibal was greeting with happy exclamations and people from Trinity/St. Paul’s Church in Hannibal are already looking forward to host. • The Diocesan Youth Advisory Council impressed us all and renewed their offer to have youth council members preach or talk to Sunday forums. Consider taking them up on this offer! Contact youth missioner Danielle Dowd, ddowd@diocesemo.org.

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10 The Episcopal Church in the Worldwide Anglican Communion: 80 million Christians around the world, led by the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Elected by Convention

in The Episcopal Church: 2 million Episcopalians in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 17 nations, led by the Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate. in the Diocese of Missouri: 11,500 members in 42 congregations, campus ministry and an intentional community, led by the Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith, 10th Bishop of Missouri.

SEEK, February 2016

Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Offices of the Bishop 1210 Locust St. St. Louis, Missouri 63103 Seek is a quarterly publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. Diocesan members may request a complimentary subscription by mail: send address to the Offices of the Bishop attn: Seek Subscription. Seek is also distributed to each congregation in the diocese. Archived editions of Seek are online at diocesemo.org. Editor: Ms. Beth Felice, Director of Communications Editorial Board: the Rev. Dr. Daniel Handschy, Dean of the Episcopal School for Ministry; the Rev. Edie Bird, rector Christ Church, Cape Girardeau; Mr. Kurt Greenbaum, St. Martin’s Church, Ellisville; Mr. Paul Jokerst, Transfiguration Church, Lake St. Louis; Dr. Carter Whitson, All Saints’ Church, St. Louis; the Rev. Joe Chambers, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Missouri.

For Cathedral Chapter the 176th Convention of the Diocese of Missouri elected one lay person and one cleric, this year from inside St. Louis City or County. Harry Goff, St. Barnabas’ Church in Florissant was elected as lay member of chapter, and Beth Scriven, Chaplain at Rockwell House at Washington University was elected as clergy member. Elected to Diocesan Council were Krista Baker, Trinity Church in Kirksville, and Barbi Click, St. Paul’s Church in Carondelet. Elected to Disciplinary Board was Vicki Myers, member of Grace Episcopal Church in Jefferson City. Elected to Standing Committee were Deborah Goldfeder, Deacon at Ascension Church in Northwoods, Jonathan Stratton, Rector of Trinity Church in the Central West End, and Shug Goodlow from Christ Church Cathedral.

Submissions by post attn: Beth Felice, or online via diocesemo.org/submit. Deadline: May 6, 2016 for the edition available June 2016.

MAKING DISCIPLES

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

Kairos and Kairos Outside During the “Ministry Minutes” at Diocesan Convention in November, you may remember hearing from Deacon Janet Schisser about an active prison ministry in Missouri and throughout the nation. The motto of this ministry is “Listen, Listen, Love, Love” and the ministry is Kairos Prison Ministry and Kairos Outside. Kairos is a Greek word meaning “God’s Special Time” —pronounced “ki’ ros” (long I & long O). Kairos is a Christian, lay-led, ecumenical, international prison ministry in which men and women volunteers bring Christ’s transforming love and forgiveness to incarcerated individuals and to their families. It began in Florida in 1976, and Kairos Outside was added to the ministry in California in 1989. Kairos Outside was started in MO in 2000, and Kairos Inside followed shortly thereafter. The Kairos method is tried and true and has been proven to help lower recidivism rates. In Missouri, The Men’s and Women’s Kairos Inside Prison Ministry addresses the spiritual needs of residents in three correctional centers. Kairos volunteers go into prisons in teams of 30 to 40 to pray, share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, share meals, and fellowship with the incarcerated on a one-to-one basis. The first visit is a three-day event, followed by monthly 2 hour evening reunions with the residents which occur over a twelve-month period as well as a weekly meeting with the inmates for “Prayer and Share”. Kairos Outside provides an opportunity for spiritual healing to women whose lives have been impacted by the incarceration of a family member or friend. These women often feel that they are “doing time” right along with their loved one, often suffering isolation, rejection and other burdens. Kairos Outside holds a two-day event twice per year at a retreat center in the St. Louis metro area, where they experience unconditional love and acceptance and an opportunity to develop or strengthen their

A Thank You to ECW

relationship with Jesus Christ. The weekend is presented from a Christian perspective but women from all faith traditions, or no faith tradition at all, are welcome. The weekends are followed by monthly reunions and other activities that provide a loving and supportive community throughout the state. “I am involved in Kairos Outside,” said Deacon Janet. “Women on the outside who have a loved one or spouse who is incarcerated most of the time feel alone and are isolated, are looked down upon. Kairos Outside provides opportunity to bring them to a weekend, give them transforming love and relationship with Jesus. It’s purposely ecumenical. Our guests are often amazed that we can all work together. We’d love to have women clergy come work with us and there are many lay positions—we even need a few men from time to time.” For more information contact Deacon Janet Schisser, janetschisser@centurytel.net.

Did you know Episcopal Church Women (ECW) is one of our oldest church organizations? Episcopal Church Women was first established in 1872, and initially called “The Woman’s Auxiliary.” ECW’s vision statement is “To offer every woman in the Diocese of Missouri an environment of support and encouragement, education and opportunity for ministry by providing: Fellowship; Communication; Resource Materials; and Outreach to the Diocese, Nation, and World.” The ECW in the Diocese of Missouri offers a scholarship to women in financial need who are members of an Episcopal congregation in the Diocese and who will be in their second year of post-high school education studying toward a degree or certificate in a field of service to others. My daughter, Caroline Elizabeth Graham, recently received a scholarship from ECW for 2015-2016. We are thankful for the scholarship as Caroline continues her work as a MSW Candidate at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in Saint Louis. —Jeanie Bryant, Grace Episcopal Church, Jefferson City

Presenters on Reconciliation during convention, Deacon Harry Leip, Rector Shariya Molegoda, and Beth Simpson during ordination to the diaconate. More photos at diocesemo.org/convention2015

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A New Year at Deaconess Anne House COATS AND CONVERSATION

The Deaconess Anne House is committed to fostering community within our neighborhood, Old North. So on November 8, several diocesan parishes, the Deaconess Anne House, and our Old North St. Louis (ONSL) neighbors partnered to host “Coats and Conversation,” a coat-drive in the park at the corner of Blair and St. Louis Avenue. The event was a huge success. On a mild sunny afternoon, the Deaconess Anne House and our neighbors ate hot dogs and cookies while we chatted and watched as coats were given and received. The idea grew out of a conversation with Johnny, an ONSL neighbor who frequents the park. We asked him, “What can we do together as community that would help people out?” “Let’s give coats to people who will need them this winter,” he said. So we called on our fellow churches to donate coats, and we received 199 winter clothing items, including coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. We took these winter items to the park and watched as our neighbors stretched a clothesline, hung the coats, and set up tables for food. We were very pleased to partner with our neighbors and fellow churches in this operation; the coat drive was truly a community project. Many thanks to Emmanuel, St. Barnabas, St. Martin’s, Ascension, Trinity, and Transfiguration for your generous donations of coats and baked goods, which transformed an idea into a beautiful reality. —MARIA MAGUIRE MAKING DISCIPLES

MY PLACEMENT SITE

When people ask me what I am doing in St. Louis, I find it rather difficult to explain. Yes, I can easily go over my day-today routine – I have morning prayer, I go to work, I eat dinner with my fellow Deaconess Anne interns, and I go to bed – but people are not so much interested in what my daily life looks like as they are in what my work looks like. I usually tell them that I work at Grace Hill Settlement House, a social service organization that operates three early childhood education centers in concert with various “wrap-around” services, from adult education to financial assistance with rent and utilities to food distribution. Given all the things that Grace Hill does in and for the surrounding community, people may expect me to answer with some sort of story about how I’m improving north St. Louis or bettering people’s lives every day, but the reality is that my work at Grace Hill often looks like regular office work. I send emails, go to meetings, and help make sure the office is running smoothly. There’s nothing particularly glamorous about my role at Grace Hill. But this is not something I am upset about! Working at Grace Hill has been an incredible gift in that it has pushed me out of my comfort zone and shown me the reality of what working at a non-profit is like. There are days of immense frustration, when I can’t seem to get anything done, and there are days of surprising joy, when I realize just how much the simple services I help provide make people’s lives better. In October we offered an adult education course on diabetes self-care that nobody seemed to want to go to, and I was upset that I had

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

put time and effort into something that just wasn’t very popular or successful, with around three people attending each class. On the last day, though, one of the regulars told me how much she appreciated the class because it had helped her understand what her doctor had been telling her about diabetes management. A small moment, but one that made me realize that the work I am doing at Grace Hill may have effects that I simply cannot see. If even one person’s life is bettered from the work I’m doing, doesn’t that make it worthwhile? Isn’t that what we all want, no matter what our vocation? While I don’t know what I will be doing after my time at Grace Hill is done, I do know that I will come away from it a more patient, understanding, and gracious person. —BURTON GUION

BENEDICTINE VALUES AND MY VALUES

Varying cultural differences is a prominent thought that courses through this mind of mine when I think of my fellow Deaconess Anne House members--- however, our beliefs coincide on issues such as calls for social justice, intentional community development and involvement, breaking invisible barriers that separate us and strengthening relationships with one another and God. These stances are more than enough to firmly bond us. I am not entirely certain if it’s because I have an abnormally large family, but I’ve been charged to write about “Benedictine Values and My Values” and how they may mesh or conflict. This is especially befitting, as I’m an intern

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

13 at Magdalene St. Louis, a safe-haven for abused women who battle with addiction. The women form a lifelong sisterhood, live with one another for up to two years, share meals, laugh with one another, cry, share stories, argue from time to time, create a rule of life that governs them and most importantly allow for Love to Heal what’s been neglected or broken. Many of the values that we identify with as a Benedictine community at Deaconess Anne House are directly transferable to Magdalene and the rest of the world. Here at Deaconess Anne House, we have a few primary pillars that keeps us from toppling. (Insert humor/ laughter). Our pillars are humility, overall hospitality, intentional community involvement and development, environmental awareness and spiritual development. How very odd this all must sound--- rest assured, my good people, it is importantly odd. In my humble opinion, these are common, everyday, logical values that we all must have. It’s SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN that we’re one species, “coexisting” on a tiny blue rock that’s moving at 1675 km/hr or 465 meters/ second through a bondless vacuum of celestial formations and random matter, how very improbable!--- (Insert mind-blowing images). There’s no Plan B or Planet B if it all goes horribly wrong. Holding our very own feet to the fires, challenging our own notions and complacencies, asking the hard questions and doing the hard work will get us everywhere. (Insert conspiracy theories about whether or not we truly landed on the moon). It’s challenging work nonetheless, operating as a single unit with conflicting interests and varying personalities--- but there’s value in knowing that there are people who value people. —JOSE MARKS

A TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENT

At my placement site, I work with individuals who have severe and persistent mental illnesses. Because of this, the training program for new staff is quite comprehensive, so every Thursday I have extended

orientation training. Another thing you should know about me is that I do not have a car. This means that to get from my placement site to the main office, I need to take the bus. My journey begins with a ride on the 74, which runs down Florissant and arrives at approximately 12:10. On the off chance the bus is ever early (yet to happen, but I am optimistic), I like to be at the bus stop at 12:05. The bus stop is directly across the street from my placement site, so as I wait, I often see clients as they walk around the community. One Thursday as I was waiting for the bus, a car stopped in the middle of Florissant, and the male driver started to catcall me and harass me. I would like to say that this was the first time that I had been harassed on the streets, but that would be a lie; I was used to a certain level of catcalling, but stopping a car in the middle of a busy road was a just a little too much for me. Eventually the man drove away, and the bus came, and it was all good. The next week, I was standing at the bus stop again, and I was really anxious because of the previous week’s events. As I was standing there, one of the Clients I work with walked by, and they stayed and talked with me until the bus came. According to what society tells us, this should have been an anxiety-inducing situation because the client was experiencing psychotic symptoms and was high. I, however, was instantly at ease. Every day I work with individuals that have debilitating mental health disorders and addictions that

they constantly struggle with. It seems that I would be the person helping them, instead of the other way around. So many times in the news, we hear stories about “do-gooders” who realize that they are the ones who really gain something from the people they serve. Before I came to DAH, I knew about these stories, and I intuitively knew that the people I work with would have an impact on me. Cognitively I knew and understood what it would mean to partake in this sort of relationship, but I did not know what it would mean on an emotional level. I am currently undergoing the transformational process of being changed by the people I serve. This is not a revolutionary concept or a unique moment in history; however, it is an important transformative time for me. —OLIVE SWINSKI

INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY

I firmly believe that living in community, whether it be with family or friends or complete strangers (as we DAH members were at the beginning of the year), is the closest we can ever come to experiencing God’s love manifest in other beings around us. Like God, community members know you and all of your activities down to the smallest details. There’s no way to keep up a false image of yourself within community. Your community members know all your faults, and will suffer over them alongside you. But they also will love you, whether it comes naturally or because they have to, and that is the entire beauty of it. Just as God knows every last detail of our lives and yet is fully in love with each and every one of us, so too will community members, when community is done right, patiently and humbly love each

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A New Year at Deaconess Anne House other in spite of and even for their respective strengths and failings. After just about a month and a half of living together, however, hidden conflicts finally rose to the surface and bubbled over. For several weeks, I remember having a number of very difficult, intense conversations about things that rose up in daily life. Without diving too far into the messy details, I realized I had not been as considerate of others’ needs in the community as I had thought, and so I had (and still have) a lot of work to do to retrain my habits. Though difficult, most of those conversations ended up being very helpful, and they led to greater growth on both sides. As time went by and greater understanding came about from those conversations, I felt and saw my bonds within the community regrow and become stronger than before. Living in community is not easy. But life is not supposed to be easy. God does not promise to get rid of all of our troubles, but God does promise to always be there with us. True community, therefore, is Godlike in that it doesn’t make life any easier, doesn’t shy away from difficulties, but instead it exposes and brings light and love to every aspect of our lives. —PETER ARMSTRONG

UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTERS

I wouldn't have thought even six months ago that I would be doing youth ministry, much less be this excited about it. When Rebecca first approached me about staying on at Deaconess Anne House for a second year to work with youth through the bishop's office, I had some reservations. The idea brought up long-ago memories of dodgeball, cheap pizza, and bored teenagers. I signed up anyway, knowing that my own expectations were way out of line. The reality I found when I started working with Elle Dowd, the Diocese's youth missioner, was very different. My first week on the job, I met with the Diocesan Youth Council, a MAKING DISCIPLES

continued from pg. 13

group of teenagers from Episcopal churches across the area who were deeply committed to youth ministry and ready to help do the work of making it happen. Their engagement and passion surprised me and made me rethink what my job looked like. I'd had an image based on trying to do things for youth, which easily ends in programs and ideas that don't meet their needs or answer their questions. What I found was a group ready to help me do church with youth, engaging their visions, their needs, and their questions. By starting from the idea that youth aren't just consumers of church programs, but participants with a unique perspective about God and the church, I came to see what a gift youth ministry can be. Not being in charge comes with some frustrations. Sometimes their decisions and priorities aren't mine, or the way they do the work of planning an event isn't my preferred method. It's very tempting to do things myself, to be the person in charge, or to come up with reasons why something can't happen. But the more I let go of that, trust the process, and grant agency to the youth I work with, the more I find God showing up in the work, and the more engaged everyone is in what comes out of it. What we do doesn't always feel much like youth ministry as I've known it, but it feels so much more honest. —MARTIN GEIGER

A CHURCH HOME

I t is just the right size. It is pretty and snug, and within its walls there is never a shortage of cake. I am thankful for the gift of St. Barnabas, my church home. Comfort

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

in truly belonging is, I think, one of the greatest gifts the church offers. I am comfortable at St. Barnabas, which is due in large part to how familiar it feels. St. Barnabas reminds me of churches that I grew up in. It has a small town feel despite being so close to St. Louis, the parishioners treat everyone like family from the get-go and the choir sings some good old gospel tunes from time to time. I enjoy the diversity of the congregation, the unabashed quirkiness of the parishioners and the tender love they share with all who walk through their doors. I grew up Cumberland Presbyterian and have recently been examining my religious roots. Being away from my church, while confirming some of my concerns with our behind-the-times tendencies, has also allowed me to discover what I deeply appreciate about my own tradition. I have realized how thankful I am for the gift of church homes– the one I have left behind in Tennessee and the new one I have found in St. Louis. At St. Barnabas, I have already given a homily and joined the choir. I have settled more deeply into the episcopal tradition. I have met many new friends. Through all of these things, I have felt fully embraced and truly loved. What a gift. —SOPHIE LIVELY Subscribe to the Deaconess Anne House newsletter delivered through email at www. esc-stl.orgnewsletter.html. Enjoy their website while visiting. Consider joining the house for Eucharist and dinner on a Monday night (RSVP needed). Your generous contributions keep this ministry going! Donate at diocesemo.org/donate.

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

Lenten Devotion Resources Links to all of these websites as well as Lenten programs, services, and music in the diocese in this season online at diocesemo.org/Lent.

Growing a Rule of Life from SSJE

Are you (or your congregations) out of alignment with your inner self and with nature? The Brothers of SSJE have teamed up with the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at VTS to produce a six week series of readings, questions, and videos to help individuals, parishes and groups come together to live more intentionally. More resources can be found here: ssje.org/growruleresources

Lent Madness

The public votes for 32 saints, dueling in brackets, and can’t help learning about their lives and ministry. Might it come down to Julian of Norwich v. Absalom Jones?

Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations for Racial Justice

Based on Trinity Institute’s 2016 conference, a complete Lenten curriculum is being offered Trinity Institute and ChurchNext: 5 video courses at no cost through Lent. The five courses include Spirituality and Racial Justice with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Whiteness and Racial Equality with Kelly Brown Douglas, and three additional classes with Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Jennifer Harvey,

and J. Kameron Carter, All courses will be available in two formats: for individuals and for groups, with facilitator and participant guides.

Meeting Jesus on the Margins

Forward Movement’s Lenten Resources include “Meeting Jesus on the Margins” with Christ Church Cathedral’s Dean Mike Kinman as main contributing author.

Repairing the Breach: Discipleship and Mission in a Global Economy

A collaboration of the Theology Committee of the House of Bishops (on which Bishop Wayne serves) with Forward Movement created materials for daily prayer and reflection this Lent. The reflections examine the causes of economic injustice and our role, both personally and corporately, in unsustainable patterns of consumption and self-interest. The project also highlights specific practices where the Spirit of God is moving in local congregations and communities to bring new life. The resources are free daily meditations and videos, and cover topics ranging from employment and consumerism to food and the environment. Daily meditations move through a pattern of reading, watching, reflecting, and praying, and each week of Lent is devoted to a particular aspect of economic life. Included are pieces from Deacon Kevin McGrane, Hunger Task Force, The Hunger Page; Rector of St. John’s Tower Grove, Teresa Danieley; and Debbie

Smith from St. Timothy’s,Companion Diocese work in Lui, South Sudan and with AFRECS. The reflections and videos will be posted each day on this website: repairingthebreach.forwardmovement.org beginning Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10. You can also sign up for a daily email from that web location. A downloadable PDF of the reflections, prayers, and daily scripture is available at no cost from www.forwardmovement.org.

Walk the Path of Lent

Episcopal Relief and Development offers “Walk the Path of Lent” daily meditations, free to read online, or pamphlets at a nominal cost.

While Still Far Off: Society of St. Andrew

Daily meditations & prayers that explore the theme of God’s unmerited grace, reaching out to us in love even when we are not ready to receive it. Free to read online or minimal cost pamphlets.

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Living Apart: Race, Residency, and Reality in our Communities • • • • •

Absalom Jones Commemoration and Diocesan Workshop Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 10 AM - 1 PM presented by the Dismantling Racism Commission hosted at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Creve Coeur

Can you take a bus to your church from all St. Louis neighborhoods? How long would the trip take? More importantly—would you want to? Do you know the history of how your church location came to be? Does that location help or hinder your congregation in work towards racial reconciliation? What have been your experiences with race where you currently live? When did you first notice race as a child? These are some of the questions and areas of exploration that shape this year's Diocesan workshop theme of Living Apart: Race, Residency ad Reality in our Communities.

We encourage you to spend a few hours in a "safe place" engaging in friendly, honest and informative discussions about the influence of segregation on our lives. Listening and sharing will move the conversation forward. This conversation is free and open to the public. Lunch is provided. The annual diocesan commemoration of the ministry and life of the Rev. Absalom Jones is organized by the Dismantling Racism Commission of the Diocese. This year’s workshop is sponsored by St. Timothy's Ministry of Racial Reconciliation (MORR). Held at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 808 North Mason Rd., Creve Coeur, MO 63141, Ph: (314) 434-5906.

Absalom Jones, 1746-1818, was the first Black American Episcopal priest. He was ordained in 1804. Read more on this page at the Episcopal Archives: http://www.episcopalarchives.org/Afro-Anglican_ history/exhibit/leadership/jones.php

Trip to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis planned Saturday, April 23, 2016

Christ Church Cathedral's Pursuing Racial Justice Committee is sponsoring a bus trip to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. The date is Saturday, April 23, 2016. The cost is $90 per person and includes bus transportation, admission to the museum, a morning snack, and an evening snack. Lunch MAKING DISCIPLES

is on your own with a variety of restaurants to choose from. There will be a 15 minute rest break both ends of the trip. The bus leaves the Cathedral at 6 am and returns at approximately 9 pm. Seating is limited 54 passengers. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required by February 5, 2016 to reserve your seat and the

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

balance is due by March 5, 2016. For additional information contact: Alice Stanley at astan5554@gmail.com Rob Good at robgood82@gmail.com Annette Carr at acarr@christchurchcathedral.us

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

Aim for Summer Fun Camp Phoenix, the official summer camp of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, takes place Sunday, July 24, through Saturday, July 30. Campers swim, ride horses, hike, canoe, and participate in crafts, archery, and an outdoor adventure course. Each day includes a joyful, spiritual connection to our Episcopal faith. The Planning Committee is seeking two groups of great people: • Adults, ages 18 and older—if you love to work with children and love God's gift of nature, maybe you would love volunteering at Camp Phoenix! The Committee will engage at least 12 Counselors, willing to be responsible for the care and support for 95 campers during the week's session. • Campers, ages 8 to 15 —Beginning February 1, visit the registration link on the website, where ALL of the information can be found: www.camp-phoenix.org

New to Camp Phoenix? An Open House at CP's host facility, the DuBois Center in DuBois, IL, is being planned to occur on a Sunday in May. Contact Camp Administrator Pam Fadler for more details by emailing campphoenix@diocesemo.org. Want to see more of what camp is like? We are on instagram at MOCampPhoenix, and our twitter account is @MOCampPhoenix. Camp Phoenix, 314.399.1610, www.camp-phoenix.org

Confluence’s Pilgrimage to Iona Confluence: A Center for Spirituality is very proud to sponsor a third trip to Iona. Pilgrimage date: 6-13 May, 2017. Join us for an informational gathering and learn how you can be part of this incredible journey to Iona, Scotland. Where: home of the Rev. Susie Skinner in St. Louis. When: Sunday, 7 February, 2016 @ 4:30 pm. Please RSVP: susiecskinner@gmail.com or phone 314-965-9155. It is never too late to start planning. For information on past trips, photos and blogs please visit: confluencespirituality.org Our mailing address is: Confluence Spirituality, 400 Mark Drive, St. Louis, MO 63122. The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

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What the Modern Missionary Church Can Learn from the Book of Acts • Saturday, March 5 • 9 am to 2 pm • St. Martin’s Church, 15764 Clayton Road in Ellisville • register online and more information at diocesemo.org/ leadershipconference The Standing Committee offers an annual Leadership Conference, focusing on issues that we believe matter to every congregation in the Diocese. Sometimes these are “nuts and bolts” workshops about stewardship, budgets, and other important administrative concerns. This year we wanted to find a speaker and a topic that would encourage leaders around the Diocese, both clergy and lay, to step back and take a look at the big picture of where we are and where we’re going. Further, we didn’t want to just name the problems and challenges we face, but also inspire and empower the church here in Missouri to face these challenges with faithfulness, courage, and bold, authentic action. We are pleased to announce our 2016 Leadership Conference: “What the Modern Missionary Church Can Learn from the Book of Acts” The world in which our church dwells, in many ways, more closely resembles the year 150 than the 1950s. And yet our church continues to operate as if we were in the ascendancy of Christendom. What if we learned to think of ourselves as a missionary church? We will look at the Book of Acts to see what it can teach us about being disciples in our time, and we will see how the earliest followers of Jesus met many of the same challenges we face. The good news is that amidst struggles there is great hope. MAKING DISCIPLES

Our speaker will be Scott Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement, a ministry of The Episcopal Church focused on inspiring disciples and empowering evangelists. Scott has served as a parish priest and, prior to that, as a technology leader in non-profit and commercial organizations. He is known in the wider church for the Acts 8 Movement and as a blogger at www. sevenwholedays.org. “Wait, wait, I know that name…isn’t he Tim Schenck’s arch-nemesis?” If those thoughts flew through your mind, you’re almost certainly a fan of Lent Madness. If you have no idea what we’re talking about, let us explain: Lent Madness is an online competition in which 32 saints vie for the Golden Halo. Daily throughout the season of Lent, two saints face off and participants are asked to vote for the winner, until the

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

final “saintly smackdown” is over and a victor declared. As an article in the Episcopal News Service put it, “Lent Madness brings together cut-throat competition, the lives of the saints, humor, and the chance to see how God works in the lives of women and men across all walks of life.” Scott is one of the co-creators of this zany-yet-inspired program, along with the Rev. Tim Schenck. Please join us on Saturday, March 5, from 9 am to 2 pm at St. Martin’s for a day based in Scripture and deep learning that will help move us forward into the future God desires for us. More details will be available on the Diocese of Missouri website and flyers will be sent out to every congregation and mission in early February.

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—the Rev. Pamela Dolan is rector of Church of the Good Shepherd in Town & Country, and a member of the Standing Committee.

Diocesan Ministry Minutes We tried something new during a break at our annual meeting as a diocese this November, sharing a "ministry minute"—literally one minute of a ministry we're passionate about or that needs some help from the diocese. Here are a few (read the rest online at diocesemo.org/convention2015. Rich Mayfield: I have been a member of St. Francis Episcopal Church for 25 years, almost since it was founded. We’re a growing congregation. Under Pastor Sally’s leadership, we’ve grown to the point where we’ve purchased land in Eureka and have an active plan to build a church. No longer a ‘pie in the sky.’ We are a viable, growing church for Eureka and west county. Pamela Dolan, Rector of Church of the Good Shepherd in Town and Country: We need you in the garden. We know a lot of churches are starting gardens or have garden ministries and we would like that to be a collaborative effort. We’ve had people come out and talk to us about gardening and we’ve been happy to give of our time to help teach people. We’re hoping that you will come in the spring and the summer and the fall and even in the winter if only for an hour and take part in our ministry and let us help you grow your garden, too. Adrienne Dillon, All Saints’ Church, St. Louis: We have a ministry, started about three years ago called All Saints’ Music and Arts Village. We offer free music lessons to children in our north St. Louis neighborhood and some children of our members. We give them instruments to take home so that they can practice. We have instruction in guitar and in keyboard. We started small but we’re hoping to grow and attract more children from the neighborhood. Sally Weaver, Rector of St. Francis Church in Eureka: I want to talk about the Episcopal Recovery Ministries Committee. We are reconstituting this committee. Our current diocesan alcohol policy has been in effect since 2010. We need a group to help serve on that committee. If you are interested, talk to me. Here is the bishop’s vision for this committee: We will serve as an available resource for matters of addiction and recovery; we will insure that attractive materials are provided and we will provide gentle reminders to parishes about how to publicize events, store alcoholic products, etc. Please join us in this endeavor.

Tony Corey, St. Timothy’s Church, Creve Coeur: Two years ago two unstoppable forces converged on St. Timothy’s: Deacon in training Chester Hines with his passion for dismantling racism and the Rev. Marvin Foltz with his passion for social justice. Helped us, guided us, formed a new ministry earlier this year, a ministry of racial reconciliation. We started at 0 and are now at 18 members. We’re actively engaged in visioning and mission, we have set goals for this coming year, and we have grown as individuals in our own discernment of what racism means to us. We’ve formed as a team and are reaching out to others in the diocese in this coming year. Bruce Ward, St. Luke’s Church, Manchester. We have a contemporary music ministry. Similar to ‘Joy 99’ music, but amped up. We’re looking for more musicians, and for people to share this music ministry. A lot of our youth who are playing instruments and singing are going to be aging out, going to college. Our musicians range in age from 15 to 63. We worship at 11 am. We’ll take all comers: vocal, guitar, drums, band and orchestra instruments. Peter Armstrong, Deaconess Anne House corps member, and intern as digital missioner at Christ Church Cathedral: We’ve started a new initiative called #STLprays. The idea is to get local, interfaith prayer going around St. Louis. We hope this will create a stronger interfaith prayer community in and around St. Louis. Julia DeLancey, Trinity Church, Kirksville. We have been at Trinity the North Star of this diocese since the 1860s. We have a beautiful, architect designed historic building that was consecrated in 1917. I’m very excited and very proud to say we completed our renovation this year and are now ADA compliant. We invite three things from you, we invite your prayers for us as we finish our fundraising efforts, we invite your donations to our fundraising efforts, and if any of you know of any youth who are students at Truman State University, who are not already joining us, please invite them to visit us. Annette Joseph, Rector of Church of the Holy Cross, Poplar Bluff: I was driving down the road one day and listening to NPR and I heard about something going on in Detroit

called ‘mass mobs’. To re-energize the Catholic Church ‘mobs’ use social media to organize going once a month to a different church. And I thought, how wonderful would this be for our downtown churches in Poplar Bluff. We get together every year for an ecumenical Lenten series, but wouldn’t it be nice to go a bit deeper. We started something called the worship mob, we did it quarterly this year. We get together at each others’ churches and we do a service that at some point in the service you should feel like you’ve been at your own church. Each church gets to present its own way of worshiping. We do it all together. Now this last one we held at Lively Stone which is a Pentecostal Holy Spirit Church. So we have to adjust ourselves—quite a bit—to go there. But they’ve been adjusting themselves to come to our liturgical stuff all year. As we stood together worshiping, Bishop Price looked out amongst the crowd and he said, “I have been dreaming of this my whole life. To see the races come together. To see the denominations come together. I have been dreaming of this forever.” That’s reconciliation. Annie Brock, Rockwell House Campus Ministry, Washington University. We have been going through a lot of transitions this year. We lost Joe as our Chaplain but we have a new Chaplain, Beth Scriven, who is absolutely wonderful. We’ve been doing a lot of new things this year, we’ve started twice monthly Bible study. We’ve always had a great community at Rockwell but this year we’ve been doing a lot of discussion about Jesus and Scripture and getting to understand each others’ faiths and challenges in our understanding of Jesus. Annabel Dolan, Church of the Good Shepherd, Town & Country. I’m here for the Diocesan Youth Advisory Council specifically to talk about visitations for your church. The Youth Council is here as a resource for all of you and for your congregations. We are available to preach, to talk to an adult forum or just to talk to your youth or your adults or both together. We want to make ourselves known and make sure that all the churches understand why the youth are here, why we are important, and how you can use us. We all want to be very involved in your church. Utilize us!

The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

DIOCESEMO.ORG

Notes from Mizzou Campus by Martha Kelly, member of Calvary Church in Columbia and Calvary’s Dismantling Racism Team 6 days after MU System President The Peace and Inclusivity March Timothy Wolfe resigned and MU graduate offered a moment when concerned comstudent Jonathan Butler ended his hunger munity members could express their strike, a few hundred people gathered on support and connect with one another. campus on a Sunday afternoon for a Peace At that event a colleague and I started a and Inclusivity March. I walked with my conversation that came to involve more mother-in-law and sister-in-law, visiting and more faculty and staff. On December from New York. They were eager—like 11, the small seed planted at the march so many others around the nation—to bloomed into a meeting of nearly 100 MU express their solidarity with our student faculty and staff, led by the Chair of the activists and all those seeking change on Black Studies Department, Stephanie our campus and in our community. Not Shonekan. After a challenging and frank everyone thought the march was a good discussion we opted to call ourselves the Martha Kelly, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of German and idea: it was organized by a White female “Black Collective/Allies.” And we decided Russian Literature at the University of Missouri-Columbia. faculty member whom to establish—right then and I heard described as there—a Center on Race and of having our shortcomings exposed, of There is no “back to “well-meaning.” It is Social Justice. revealing our privilege, of ruffling feathers. normal” for Mizzou. true that White people We have many more diffiMay we learn. May we listen. May we do have a habit of co-opting cult conversations ahead of us. the hard, messy, awkward work of loving God save us from minority movements. I There is no “back to normal” our neighbor as we love our White and “back to normal.” went anyway. for Mizzou. God save us from Black and Latino and female and male and As a White (fe“back to normal.” May we wake hetero-/homo-/bi-/trans-/cis- and youmale) faculty member at MU, I have expeup. May we listen. May we move through name-it-selves. rienced a great deal of frustration over the our fears of doing or saying the wrong thing, last 6 weeks. I am a relative latecomer to Statement on Mizzou Campus Protest, Nov. 9, 2015 activism. But this past summer I began to Calvary Episcopal Church, Columbia organize a Dismantling Racism Team at Calvary Episcopal in Columbia. (Ferguson had Celebrant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as woken me up, and the shooting at Emanuel yourself? People: I will, with God’s help. Church in Charleston finally galvanized Celebrant: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the me. It took that much.) So when Concerned dignity of every human being? People: I will, with God’s help. Student 1950 took their stand at MU, I was (Book of Common Prayer, p.304) ready to mobilize. But outside the Black Studies Department, faculty were simply Our Episcopal baptismal vows call us to “respect the dignity of every human being”. The not prepared. Practically everyone I spoke Clergy and Dismantling Racism Team of Calvary Episcopal Church express their strong with wanted to help. But few felt empowdismay at the multiple incidents of racism and hate speech on the University of Missouri ered to lead. And email lists are adminisColumbia campus, as well as the persistence of racial discrimination in the Columbia tered by deans and department adminiscommunity. We deplore systemic racism both on campus and in our society at large; and trators. We were relying on Facebook and yet we, too, share in the sins of protecting and misusing privilege. We join with all those word of mouth—and thus neatly isolated in who have expressed concern for the health and well-being of protesters, and we keep all our academic and social niches. those seeking justice and dialogue in our thoughts and prayers. MAKING DISCIPLES

BUILDING CONGREGATIONS

FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD