March 2018 Connections

Connections ideas • news • events March 2018 Issue 2 Vol 5

"Technology is the campfire around which we tell Tradition our stori e s. " does not mean to look after the ash, but to keep the flame alive. ~ Jean Jaures

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–Laurie Anderson

Babel or Pentecost?

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echnology. If we wrestle the word down to its basic meaning, it has to do with the bending of the natural order to our own purposes. Techne means “skill” or “know-how” in Greek, so technology means how we manipulate nature to do what we want it to do.

This goes far back in our development as a species. Some would say that technology began when we figured out how to rub two sticks together to produce fire or how to leaven bread with yeast.

In our own time, we are able to shape many new things out of the raw material surrounding us – new things, which our ancestors may have dreamed of but never thought to see.

Some of these things are good, like electricity and telecommunications – we would be hard pressed to do without them. Others challenge us as a mixed blessing: nuclear energy and genetic engineering, to name but two.

Behind our ability to bend nature to our own ends lies our ability to speak.

Without language, we would never have managed to make fire or bread.

Technology requires cooperation, and cooperation requires communication.

Yet cooperation itself becomes a problem when we collude for selfish ends. This is what the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) is getting at. In this ancient story, the human race conspires to build a tower that will allow us to topple God from God’s throne. In this tale, common language fuels common revolt against God’s moral order. In the end, God saves us

from ourselves by scattering us and confusing our speech.

According to Luke, the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost turns the story of Babel on its head. Pilgrims from the far corners of the known world hear about Jesus in their own tongue.

Divided language is overcome and the church is born. This is the beginning of a community that knows no bounds, precisely because it is in service to God, and empowered by God for that service.

(This is not entirely a new beginning, of course. The Jewish people, of whom Jesus was one, were forged out of a commitment to this service. For Luke, the new beginning was the welcome of non-Jews into this work.)

But the reference to Babel remains a warning. These days, the scariest thing about technology is that every

voice is heard, from the sublime to the disgusting. Is this Babel or Pentecost? Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to differentiate Babel from Pentecost.

Wherever there is genuine good will, there is Pentecost. But Babel persists.

In so many ways, technology has overcome divided language and opened a causeway for misinformation and hate.

How we shall we counteract this?

Always by love.

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal is the Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Contact him at tbreidenthal@diosohio.org.

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Yin & Yang

he universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old. Dr. David Christian from San Diego State University, suggests that instead of trying to wrap our minds around 13 billion years, we could instead shrink the time down to 13 years. Then, if you shrink the age of all major events down accordingly, it would look like this: the earth is five years old, seven months ago the first multi-celled organism came into being, three weeks ago the dinosaurs were wiped out, human beings took the stage 53 minutes ago, five minutes ago was the first record of agriculture, three minutes ago the first agrarian society was established and six seconds ago was the start of modern industrial society.

I said all of that because we’ve only had this massive ability to connect globally for 0.1% of our existence. In that .1% of time, we have connected goods and knowledge through printing, trains, telegraph, radio, television, airplanes, computers and smartphones. Every day, billions of connections are made between people from every corner of the world. This instantaneous connection we enjoy today, however, has only been available to us for a fraction of a second using the above scale. Humans didn’t evolve into this place; it happened very suddenly.

Sometimes I wonder if we were ready for it. Don’t get me wrong – I’m no Luddite. Those of you who know me know that I have a smartphone, laptop, and tablet all working together in beautiful harmony. Still, I want to make a case for peace, quiet and yes, even boredom.

1905 is known as Albert Einstein’s “Miracle Year.” He wrote four papers in

1905 that quite simply laid the foundation for modern physics. These papers changed how we think of space, time, mass and energy. Einstein was working as a patent clerk at the time, and I think it would be safe to say that he must have been quite bored. I would guess that many brilliant ideas come during boring times. To bring it closer to home, July 15, 1940, C.S. Lewis was very bored while listening to what he called a “tedious sermon” in church.

His mind started to wander, and by the time he walked home, he had the outline for “The Screwtape Letters” mapped out in his head.

If Einstein and Lewis would have had smartphones to distract them, I wonder if they would have had such prolific and brilliant ideas? I think about this

often. When I’m having dinner with someone and they excuse themselves to use the restroom and I pull out my phone rather than sitting there taking in the world around me, I wonder what I’m really missing out on.

Like most things in life, technology has both a positive and a negative side. The printing press can both spread valuable ideas all over the world and make pamphlets of hate propaganda (insert your own “fake news” joke here, regardless of which side of the aisle you’re on). Airplanes can take us quickly to our loved ones but they also can drop bombs.

Bayer used their research to create both aspirin and the holocaust gas chambers. And now today, we are completely digitally connected. Some use this technology to spread hope, while others are cyber-bullies.

The church has no choice but to embrace technology. Every new person who engages you will have been to your website first. If that person is a Millennial and your website isn’t mobile-friendly, then for-

get it!

Here’s what I believe is the great irony in all of this – the church needs to use technology to save people from their technology. We can provide solitude, an escape from the noise, and most of all guidance about how to go deep inside yourself and get in touch with God. The kicker is that one of the main ways people will know what we can provide is through – you guessed it – technology.

David Dreisbach serves as Director of Communications for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Contact him at ddreisbach@diosohio.org.

From its earliest incarnations, the body of Christ has been a virtual body To be the body of Christ as envisioned by the apostle Paul is to be a community devoted to its weakest members (1 Corinthians 12:23). And to embody Paul’s vision for the church seems to require a physical presence with one another, especially with those who are going through tough times.

Having been in the position of “weakest member of the body” myself, with a stage IV breast cancer diagnosis, I can testify to the power of the actual physical presence of others during the worst of times.

My family and I had so many concrete, physical needs that were met by members of the body of Christ.

But wait. If we stop and think about it, we realize that Paul himself was only rarely physically present with the communities he referred to as the body of Christ. Though he developed deep connections with churches scattered across the Mediterranean, he was with them only on very occasional visits.

Even in its earliest incarnations, the body of Christ was a virtual body. Paul’s connections with the far-flung congregations were maintained primarily through letters. Pastor, professor and writer Jason Byassee has offered this intriguing view of Paul’s relationship with the churches he led: Paul so often longs to be with the congregations from whom he is absent in the body. But notice what he doesn’t do: he doesn’t wait to offer them his words until he can be with them. He sends them letters. Letters meant to be read corporately, perhaps even to lead to worship or be part of it. Such letters allow him to engage personally without being present personally.

Paul’s connections with members of the

body of Christ were nurtured mostly through the virtual form of communication most popular during his time. As Byassee suggests, Paul’s virtual presence via letters was in some ways, for both Paul and the community, a poor substitute for physical presence. Paul was their pastor and their teacher, yet his guidance was often very slow to arrive.

At the same time, the letters allowed Paul to pastor, teach and guide multiple church communities at once. The deep ties he maintained with these fledgling church communities is evident in his expressions of affection for them (Philippians 1:3), as well as in the comfort he found knowing that the community held him in their heart during his time of imprisonment (1:7).

Paul’s letters demonstrate that virtual connections with one another – even during the most challenging times of our lives – can be real, meaningful, even transformative.

Since being diagnosed with cancer, I’ve become aware of the 21st-century version of the virtual body of Christ that exists beyond the local church, in cyberspace.

When a malicious cancer forces you to resign from your life and confines you to your home through a forever Minnesota winter, virtual communication suddenly rises in importance. The CaringBridge website my brother set up for me quickly became the virtual hands and feet of Christ, enveloping me in a network of support that has sustained me and my family as we attempt to live with this maliciousness.

Connections made virtually, through digital technology, have led to material gifts of support, like rides to appointments and food on our table.

One of the great tasks before the church today is to think in boundary-stretching ways about how we might better incarnate the body of Christ. Theologian Guillermo Hansen has suggested that whether it is the global explosion of Pentecostal churches or the multiplication of “irreverent” forms of church emerging in pubs, coffee shops and even yurts, they are all giving expression to the “new ways in which the body of Christ is networked, loosening institutional corsets, giving room to the living gospel.” Hansen asserts that the body of Christ “is really the expression of a swarm without a ‘center,’ for Christ is mediated by a decentered and decentering network of charismata. The network, the body, is the center.”

I propose stretching Hansen’s notion of networks to include digital and social media networks. Church networks are expanding virtually in even more radically decentered ways throughout cyberspace.

The digital revolution is not without very real challenges. But as members of the body of Christ, it is incumbent upon us to begin to see our professed commitment to catholicity in new ways, and by so doing, to make more room for Christ’s healing presence in a world so desperately in need of it.

This reflection was first printed March 7, 2017, in Faith & Leadership, www.faithandleadership.com.

Deanna Thompson is a professor of religion at the College of Liberal Arts at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. She is the author of The Virtual Body of Christ in a Suffering World, Crossing the Divide: Luther, Feminism, and the Cross, and the memoir of her experience with cancer, Hoping for More: Having Cancer, Talking Faith, and Accepting Grace.

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Technology – a blessing or a curse?

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he world today operates on technology, whether we like it or not . . . communications, information and knowledge all ride on the World Wide Web. In our digital era of smartphones and social media, it seems nearly everyone is suffering from communication overload.

Less than 15 years ago, most ‘netizens’ had just one or two email accounts, texting was tedious and costly, and mobile phones were primarily used to make, well, phone calls!

Today, it’s common for people to manage numerous social media accounts and email addresses. One recent estimate is that the average Internet user has seven social media accounts, excluding email. Chunky mobile phones have been replaced by pocket touch-screen computers that constantly jingle and buzz, pulling their owners away from face-to-face encounters with other human beings into a social networking vortex. And here is a reality check – a large number of those under the age of 40-ish do not use their cell phone to make calls, or even email.

While it is indeed handy to have your phone in your pocket, for many, the cell phone now has many another uses.

Messaging is a primary means of communication. Messaging software allows pages and pages of information to be displayed on the cell phone screen. If we are uncomfortable texting, we will likely miss a lot of communication.

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Experts recognize that while social networking has its benefits – professionally, personally, politically – it is also reshaping and “dumbing down” the ways we communicate with each

other. Having so many forms of cheap and easy communication has overwhelmed our ability to thoughtfully interact online. Instead of taking the time to formulate a thoughtful reply to an online friend’s social media post, users tend to use an “emoji” or fire off a brief comment that conveys little more than acknowledgment, which can often be misunderstood or off-putting.

Moreover, the 140-character limit

One of the great tragedies of social media is that it has given power to a lot of cowards of Twitter not only uses a series of abbreviations that many people don’t understand, but also, by use of those abbreviations, offers the probability of misunderstanding by the recipient.

Despite the negatives, we must remember social media is a marketing tool, and faith communities and other organizations have little choice but to get on the bandwagon. Over one billion people log into Facebook every day, and the average American is logged in for 40 minutes. We quite literally speak to more people via social media than we could ever reach otherwise.

Avoid social media pitfalls Although there are positive aspects of technology and social media, there are also pitfalls unless we are aware of them and how to avoid them. We can

learn to avoid the pitfalls and let all the positives of these tools work for us!

When you are thinking of engaging in social media, here are a few questions you should ask yourself: 1. Are you using social media to gain approval? Posting to get responses of approval can be addictive, escalating to more and more need for approval – a vicious cycle.

Is the purpose to boast about your accomplishments, or even your failures or distresses in your life? Are you using social media as an adult ‘show-and-tell’? Not all moments need to be shared.

2. Is your post/tweet kind? Freedom of speech is fundamental to the American life, but with it comes the responsibility to consider what impact a post may have on other people. We have replaced face-to-face confrontations with posts hiding behind an impersonal identity that does not allow the subjects to defend themselves.

Posts can be misinterpreted, and the sender bears responsibility for the weight of the words or the impact of the message sent.

3. Will the post be misunderstood? Some things will sound one way to those who know us, and another to those who don’t. There is no tone or inflection, so the most mundane comment may very well be misinterpreted and taken in a way it was not intended. Consider who is listening to what you’re saying. Readers are actually eavesdropping on what should be private conversations.

4. Think carefully about controversy. The line between vigorous exchange of ideas and a kind of

social war is sometimes thinner than we may think. What good is this particular controversy contributing to, or is it harmful? Will anyone be embarrassed or offended by what you’re saying?

5. Are you posting when you should be taking action? Social media is a breeding ground for people with great intentions. But great intentions don’t change lives, action does. Posting a comment of agreement or adding substance to a post does not remove the responsibility for taking action on social justice issues. Posting lulls you into believing that talking about an issue and acting on it are equals. If you have no real desire to act on it, do not post.

Positive Use of Social Media With some care, churches can use social media effectively.

1. Share the Gospel! Church websites provide information about the church and its activities, and present sermons, blogs, videos and articles of interest to the faithful. Social media tends to be dark; churches can bring light and love to this world. The purpose of posts should be to educate, not proselytize or denigrate other faith traditions.

2. Use blogs to provide the ability for discussions of faith, prayer

requests and varied interpretations of the gospel. But be aware, that you cannot control the tone or outcome of the conversation.

3. Keep the Facebook page and website updated, even if that means hiring a professional to do it. Out-of-date social media indicates that you are not serious about outreach, and are not interested in being relevant to the social media community. In the case of blogs, a monitored site is critical; this allows the administrators to prevent negative or inappropriate posts from being visible.

4. When using videos, make sure that they are clear and of the best quality available, and that the sound is clear. Make sure the format of the video is executable by the standard media players for PC and MAC. Internet Etiquette When you take the dive into all forms of social media (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Email, Messaging), first think about what you want to do and the audience you want to reach. Here are several do’s and don’ts of Internet communications to consider: 1. Do not post anything that you would not say face-to-face. One of the great tragedies of social media is that it has given power

to a lot of cowards. And cowards with power are dangerous and they never have to deal with the ramifications! Here’s a rule for social media: If you wouldn’t say it faceto-face, don’t post it.

2. Negative comments are the quickest way to end a conversation and, permanently lose the reader. Negative posts have an emotional impact on the reader, creating a sense of doom or despair, and also encourage negative posts in return.

3. Passing along others’ posts with a comment such as ‘this is interesting’ is spam postingjust as disliked as spam in email. If you have a relevant comment, use it; otherwise, leave it alone. ‘Share this post’ is just another type of social media spam.

4. Do not deliberately post comments that are intended to be confrontational. Ask yourself what your reaction would be if you received a similar post.

The Rev. Deniray Mueller serves as Legislative Liaison for the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Connect with her at deniray@deniray.com.

Deleting distractions I

am embarrassed to say deleting the Facebook app from my phone changed my life. But I’m saying it because it’s true, and this truth set me free, and perhaps you like freedom too.

Facebook in my small town. My feed provides some diversity that is absent in other parts of my life. I determined I did not want to discard what was meaningful to me, but needed to reflect on the way I related to it.

First let’s allow my pride to say: I didn’t use Facebook THAT much, but I did find it was too much for me. This is not a post opposing technology or belittling social media; it’s about how I found some listening space for my heart and soul.

Having Facebook on my phone meant I could check in… whenever. We post things that depict us in flattering ways, but often access social media when we are bored, unsatisfied, or feeling low. That’s a recipe for reinforcing anxiety (everyone else is doing life better than me!), not peace.

I still use Facebook, and value it for personal and professional connections. I keep up with friends, enjoy clergy groups, share good news through our church’s page. See funny memes. All the reasons.

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So what changed? At Christmas, a friend shared she was off Facebook for good. I could see how lightly she held that, how non-anxious she was about stepping away. It challenged me to consider whether I was held to social media by FOMO—Fear Of Missing Out. I do value the newsiness of

Once when I was scrolling, I heard a question from within, gently: “Where else do you want to be?” Sometimes the voice says, “What are you looking for?” I don’t think I’ll find it at the bottom of a social media feed. On a bad day, the inner voice goes all Mary Oliver on me and demands, “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” “Spend it scrolling Facebook,” is really not the answer I want to give.

What I mean to say is follow Jesus, delight in God, multiply love.

Want to try a new boundary?

I want my children to see me seeing them, not gazing with adoration into a screen. I am an introvert, and like mulling things over. When mulling time turns into screen time … well, it disappears. Prayer can be hard enough as it is; I don’t want to chip away at my ability to be present, mindful of self, soul and body, by always checking in on what somebody else is up to. I want margins in my time, windows cracked so a breeze can blow where it will.

• Limit yourself to 30 minutes of social media per day (set a timer), or to checking in only during a small window: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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Accessing Facebook only from my laptop requires a bit more intention. There are still rabbit holes to fall down and time to lose in front of a computer screen, but it’s not something I can do in line at the grocery store. I have to get a thing out of a case, unfold it, and sit in front of it. That puts the physical and material back into the mix.

Use a technology curfew. No screens before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. (or whatever works for your sleep cycle). Let prayer be the first and last thing you feed yourself.

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Take a social media Sabbath. Why not Twitter-free Tuesdays?

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I’ve had good reasons for not deleting the app from my phone before – it’s the easiest way to post photos. But even good reasons are not insurmountable. Here’s what I do now if I need to update on the go: re-download the app (2 minutes), post photos, and delete the app again. I’m not a purist.

Turn off notifications. Choose when you want to access social media instead of being driven by alerts.

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Feeling brave? Ask your kids to help hold you accountable.

Are there things that don’t get posted? You bet. Sometimes a “latergram” makes sense. Sometimes the moment passes.

Every time, the world keeps turning.

One happy fruit of my choice to delete the app from my phone is that I’m creating things. Not Big Fancy Art. Doodling, crafting, playing Legos with my girls, trying new recipes. When I was glitter-gluing a paper pillar of fire for Sunday school, I had three good ideas. There’s space for things to move around in my heart and soul.

This article originally appeared at www.GrowChristians.org, a ministry of Forward Movement committed to helping families grow together in faith. © 2017 Forward Movement.

The Rev. Ann Benton Fraser is a priest serving a wonderful congregation in rural Mississippi. A Louisiana native, she lives with her husband Andrew and their adventuresome daughters, 5 and 3.

Jesus often withdrew to pray. I’m not replacing Facebook time with prayer, but my prayer life benefits from the breathing room.

I want margins in my time, windows cracked so a breeze can blow where it will.

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The Book of Common Prayer he Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is unquestionably a central part of our Anglican tradition. But why? It is worth looking at the three parts of the title of the book itself for some illumination: book, common, and prayer.

Book

Back in 1549, when the first Book of Common Prayer was published, it was a technological revolution.

Printed books themselves were still pretty novel, but the real innovation here was in this book as a collection of liturgies. Before that first BCP, to celebrate Sunday services, the priest would need a whole stack of volumes (probably hand copied). In the BCP, Thomas Cranmer and colleagues consolidated a host of material into

Technology important for healthy aging Technology and seniors. Two words that a lot of people might not immediately pair. But that’s changing.

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There are a host of in-home assistive technologies, apps, mobile devices and even virtual reality (VR) experiences that are making healthy aging easier than ever before.

Activity Sensors

“How’s Mom?” App for Caregivers

It’s one ofBecause the primary worries forbook the and family members one place. this was a printed not a of manuscript, elders who itlive alone: what if Mom falls, can’t reach the was also relatively affordable. phone and no one is around to summon help?

That's not all though. Now the people of the church In the 1980s and 1990s, wearable, wireless emergency had the same book as the priests of the church. Anyone call buttons were developed and popularized as a means of who could this read problem.

English could and see all the to addressing Andfollow they along undoubtedly helped prayers.

Anyone who wanted to look up the readings of save lives. But their efficacy is limited. the prayers for a particular day could do so.

Putting the parent liturgieshits intohis a book washead a bigand partis of knocked What if your or her the English reformation, as now the scripture and the unconscious? What if he or she has a stroke and is paralyzed, prayers of the church were open and accessible to all. or can’t speak? A call button only works if a senior can activate it.

Here Episcopal we’re not us sitting Oneatlast aspect ofRetirement “common” isServices, that the BCP binds back and waiting for the market to provide our clients together across time as well. While many of our prayers and their families with solutions. We’re inventing them ourselves. were composed especially for our current (1979) book, many others are quite ancient. And the entire book is Last year, we co-developed the How’s Mom? app, which infused with scripture. allows family members to directly communicate with mem-

Common

Now, infrared and auditory activity sensors can be placed Before theloved first BCP, lotsdiscreetly of different litur- for in your older one’s there home.were They monitor motion and allow adult children or caregivers gies inand usesound, in England.

With the BCP, the whole church to check and make Mom or Dad is up moving began to use thesure same prayers.

Thus the and language of around asprayer normal. became one of the ways the church was bound together. Even today, the English BCP is still the offiIf isn’tofdetected it should be, or for cialhuman prayer activity book of tens millions when of Anglicans all over anthe extended period time, the aren’t system can automatically world. But even of when people praying words summon primary caregiver, a designated neighbor, and/ of merrythe olde England, we Anglicans are offering our orprayers emergency services. in ways that are shared across cultures and nations. An Anglican visitor who showed up at your App-Based Medication church in Ohio on a SundayManagement morning – even someone from Rwanda, Hong Kong, Scotland, or Argentina – The second most common worry for caregivers might be would immediately recognize our worship, even if they whether or not an older loved one is taking medications as didn’t know the particular or even the language. prescribed.

Now, app-basedprayers medication reminder programs, Some years ago, I attended an Ash Wednesday in like TriHealth’s MedaCheck, (in Cincinnati)service are giving Dar es Salaam, and I was able to worship with my whole families more peace of mind. It’s an easy-to-use, dedicated heart even though I didn’t understand a word of the computer tablet for reminding seniors when and how to take Swahili prayers. each day. their medications “Common” also has another dimension. In the Episcopal Church, we alltouse the about same prayers, nothe matSeniors don’t even have worry setting up device; ter our church’s size or style.

While there are lots of waysone, TriHealth’s care providers pre-program it for your loved our common prayer allows us to be creative, there are based on the medication information your family provides. some limits. keeps one priest making a turn Allalso your parent or This grandparent need do from is plug it in and inlocal on. church so idiosyncratic that its members would no longer feel at home in another congregation. This also Once MedaCheck appour provides meansactivated, that local the churches do not edit prayers,your pos- elder with information or herthe prescriptions sends out sibly taking the about churchhis outside boundaries and of our timely reminders take medications. shared Christiantofaith.

Best of all, if your loved one forgets to take his or her medicine, he or she will receive a reminder phone call from a TriHealth care provider. And, it functions as a safety check: if staff members don’t reach your loved one by phone, they’ll send an alert to you and, if warranted, summon first responders.

When a provider – a nurse at the doctor’s office, a personal Prayer care assistant at a retirement community, or an in-home aide – has new information about a senior’s wellness or well he or she can add an update directly to the app, so that being, bers of their loved ones’ care team.

Themembers Book of Common is notvia justthe for application the profes- can family who arePrayer connected sionals.

It time, is a book every Anglican, or is any Christian see, in real howfor their older relative doing. who wants to conform her or his life to sacramental outFamily members and caregivers tellservices us thatare they love look of the prayer book.

While our alike Sunday the app’s streamlined easy-to-understand included in the prayerinterface, book, there is also much more.displays and abilityon topage track136, their one’swonderful medical progress.

Starting youloved can find one-page devotions for individuals and families, simple prayers Virtual Travel VR-Assisted Therapy that could bind a and household together inMemory prayer. Page 814 marks the beginning of a whole section of lovely prayers Formany seniors with limited mobility, or severe health for occasions, including those times when we wantproblems, travelling to a National Park, famous landmark, or to talk to God, but we can’t quite figure out how to form even across town to see their former home might seem like the words. There are lots of other gems in the prayer anbook, unachievable dream. smartphone-based VR programs so I encourage youBut to go exploring. are changing all that.

If you do not own a prayer book for your home, I invite you to get your own copy. You can get travel sizes Now, using VR programs and sites like Google Earth, older or large whatever yousights need. You people canprint “go” or places and see that can theycertainly never thought find the entire book online (www.bcponline.org), they would see. They can visit the Great Wall ofbut China, the there isState something particularly satisfying Empire Building, or even the moon. about opening the pages of prayer book and searching for treasure. It won’t to find wonderful prayers.

They take can you also long relive memories, through 3-D playbacks of old home movies and VR-enhanced audio recordings, or participate in games or game-based memory therapy sessions.

The Rev. Canon Gunn serves aging as Executive Director Technology is Scott making positive ever simpler. for Forward Movement, and as one-half of the Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness.

Scott at What other senior-friendly, healthyContact aging technologies are sgunn@forwardmovement.org.

And if you’re not familiar out there? How could new tech help your loved to positively with Lent Madness, check it out at lentmadness.org. age?

This article originally appeared on the official blog for Episcopal Retirement Services and is reprinted with permission. For more expert advice on positive aging, visit episcopalretirement.com/blog.

Kristin Davenport is the Director of Communications for Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS). Connect with her at kdavenport@erslife.org.

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Virtual community

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early every morning, I enjoy morning prayer time with a group of friends. I think most of us are Episcopalians, but I don’t know for sure. We come from all over the United States, the Caribbean, and beyond. We read a meditation on the appointed scriptures for the day. We share our thoughts about it, enjoying the rich diversity of our experiences and vantage points. Sometimes we share memories or words to songs that speak meaning into the day’s subject.

We’ve done this so long now, we call each other family. Sometimes people share their worries, ask for prayer, or admit struggles and questions.

In response, many prayers and words of encouragement offered. New people easily come into the mix and are welcomed. Anyone can participate.

located in our own homes, or on the train, or on the beach. We share the purpose of growing in faith, of seeking a closer relationship with Jesus and a better understanding of God’s Word. We are inspired by meditation authors and by each other. I cannot describe it better than the way one of us, Beth Haun Coetzee, did recently:

We gather each day in one place – even though we’re there at different times and physically located in our own homes, or on the train, or on the beach.

I’ve never seen these friends.

For you see, this is a virtual family of faithful people, formed on the Forward Day by Day website, a prayer resource of Forward Movement. We meet at the electronic version of the Forward Day By Day meditation book (probably distributed at your church in paper form). Because of the magic of the Internet and technology beyond my understanding, people can leave comments underneath the daily meditation and they show up on Facebook. My bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Sparks, Diocese of Northern Indiana, uses the term faith community rather than congregation, “to highlight not just the aspect of ‘congregating’ but gathering in community for a particular purpose.”

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"Elowah, this morning I give thanks and praise for this FDBD community. We come here each morning to rest in your embrace, ask for manna, and to grow to Your glory. Each devotion is so much more than a webpage.

Each response is so much more than a comment. The people here, for a few moments a day and all eternity, are in community. What a gift. Thank you again and again. May the musings of our minds find delight in Your ways...may we see the holy, name it, and give thanks."

In that way, yes, the readers of Forward Day by Day online are truly a faith community. We gather each day in one place – even though we’re there at different times and physically

I don’t think any of us FDBD regulars would leave our “real” communities of faith – the physical church buildings where we worship, pray, learn and uphold others, in favor of our virtual gathering. But we are also hooked on this new way of community. It begs a question all can explore: How do we make our church faith communities safe, welcoming places for expression, questions, seeking, learning, caring and praying for each other?

“Virtual Community,” is reprinted with permission from Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices www.ecfvp.org, March 9, 2017.

Linda Buskirk is a capital campaign and strategic planning consultant for the Episcopal Church Foundation.

Opening doors

for Bryce

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see the kingdom of God.�

Matthew 5:8

N

o one ever plans or rarely asks for a child with special needs.

However, I have learned that maybe they should, for what you receive is so much more. Bryce is a child who gives unconditional love, finds joy in watching a sprinkler on a hot summer day, and will always believe in Santa Claus. I have met the most amazing teachers, therapists, doctors and others that I never would have met without him. Because of Bryce, one of my daughters is a special education teacher and the other is a social worker. He truly is a blessing to all.

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Bryce was born 19 years ago with cerebral dysgenesis, in other words, most of his cerebellum was missing. Your cerebellum controls your fine and gross motor skills. It is closely related to and easier to say that he has cerebral palsy, because most people understand and know that that is. Bryce cannot Continued on next page

walk, talk or take care of himself. However, that has never years ago a typical DynaVox cost between $6,000 and stopped him and technology has been a big part of his life. $8,000. Luckily, it was covered by Bryce’s medical waiver.

From the time Bryce was born we were told the best thing we could do for him was to stimulate his brain. And so we “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22 did, with every electronic toy imaginable. Toys with lights and music were a constant because they stimulated his At five, Bryce was given his first electronic wheelchair, We believe: brain and brought a smile to his face. He loved the cause operated through the use of a joystick. It must be a boy and effect of pushing keys on a light-up keyboard, seeing thing, because within a few minutes, he knew exactly how The Holy Scriptures theItrevealed wordlike of aGod, which inspired the human authors of the to go. the lights, and hearing theare music. may not seem to control the chair and get to where he wanted lot, but that little of technology motivated his also had the capability being programmed Scripture, andbitwhich are interpreted by curiosity. the ChurchThankfully, under theitguidance of the Holy of Spirit. to not go too fast. Seeing Bryce’s new independence brought Bryce was three years old when he this mom to tears and it also led Bryce to his first visit to The preschool.

Nicene The Creed 358) the Apostles’ Creed p.96) started speech(BCP, languagep. the and principal’s office. During art(BCP, class one day,are the students pathologist basically became our best had all painted on large pieces of paper.

To the basic statements of our belief about God. (The Apostles’ Creed isallow the the papers friend, as she always his bestand interto dry, theychurch's were laiddaily on theworship floor in the To Bryce, ancient creed ofhad baptism is used in the to hallway. recall our ests in her heart and worked with us this was an opportunity of a lifetime to make a “wheel” The Nicene Creed isSure, the creed of the toBaptismal give Bryce aCovenant. way to communicate. mess! there were footprints on the paintings as well, universal is used at thebut Eucharist.)

She ordered a church DynaVox.and By today’s the culprit of those was harder to detect. His wheel standards, it’s a dinosaur – a large unit marks pretty much gave him away. To this day, it is one of that encompassed thousands of words that Bryce could his dad’s moments. we didn’t laugh, we would The two great sacraments given by Christ to the Church areproudest Baptism and theIf Holy Eucharist. access through touch. It was his first voice. Bryce used the cry.

DynaVox for several years. Our experience, though, was The teachings andand beliefs of thetoEpiscopal Church areEven articulated an "Outline the Bryce’s Faith" in that it was not reliable expensive maintain. Fifteen the most in everyday devicesofpique curiosity.

He loves a television remote.

It can open windows to the our Book of Common Prayer (p. 846) world and can also be a lot of fun. At seven, he also discovered he could change the language, time, and whatever else The Episcopal Church follows “via media” he wanted on the television simplythe by using the remote and watching menu on the television.

Wediscussions literally had to call or middlethe way in our theology and the cablewe company to un-program everything because believe that, whether or nothe wehad done.

However, it showed us that he could read and he actually agree on a he particular weput allhim arein beloved knew what was doing.topic, We also time out and by God can have and respectful use the and digital timer on thoughtful the oven. Unfortunately for us, he loves watching time tick down. discussions.

Episcopal beliefs

“In every way I have shown you that by hard work of

The Church diversity thatEpiscopal sort we must help celebrates the weak, and keep inof mind the people worship styles, all worship words and of the Lord Jesus whoyet himself said, ‘Itfolis more blessed giveset than receive.’”

Acts lows theto form outtoin the Book of 20:35 Common Prayer.

We are known for our engaging and In September 2011, 60 Minutes did a story on the biograbeautiful worship services. phy of Steve Jobs and the phenomenal impact of the iPad.

Steve did not develop the iPad for people with special needs; however, has had a and profound effect on those with autism, We honorittradition strive to live by the as well as children and adults with special needs. It has sinexample of Jesus Christ, welcoming the a forum to gle-handedly given the special needs community stranger and to the outcast, ourtoneighcommunicate, learn, to playhelping games, and listen to music in the very same way as their peers.

After watching that bors and offering love and forgiveness. show, we knew an iPad was in Bryce’s future. Little did we know it would come sooner than expected.

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Shortly after the piece aired, we received a call from a longtime friend of ours. Scott, a career officer in the Army,

was so moved by the story that he went online that evening, purchased an iPad with the communication app and had it shipped to our home. We consulted with the speech language pathologist at Bryce’s school and within days, his new voice was a part of our lives. And unlike the previous devices, an iPad with a protective case and a communication app costs between $1,000 and $1,500. There are also many organizations that also donate iPads to special needs individuals.

Today in school, Bryce uses his iPad to communicate using the ProLoQuo2Go app. He also uses his iPad to access the Internet for research. Some of the other apps he uses are Prizmo and Jot Note Pro, which allows his teacher to take pictures of worksheets and he can type his answers onto the worksheets and turn them in electronically. He

The iPad has singlehandedly given the special needs community a forum to communicate, to learn, to play games, and to listen to music in the very same way as their peers. uses his iPad for email and written communications, as well as for entertainment purposes to play games and watch videos. The school also utilizes SMART board technology for different assignments. Bryce is able to wheel up to the SMART board and touch it for hands-on learning. For reading, he uses Read 180 which is accessed on his iPad or a computer – most of which is done independently.

During the summer and when school is closed, Bryce spends his time at the Redwood Rehabilitation Center in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. He uses his iPad to communicate and to have fun. This past spring, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and his wife, Jordan, unveiled a new technology hub as part of the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation.

The Hub will provide children and adults with access to electronic devices for educational and therapeutic purposes.

Like most people, our lives are filled with technology from

Bryce, with his new friend, Alexa the moment we wake up until the time we go to bed. This past summer, Alexa from Amazon joined our household.

We ask her the weather, to play games, and questions upon questions. Our technology-loving son discovered that if he slowed down the words on his iPad, he could ask Alexa to do things as well. So now on a daily basis, we know how many days there are until Christmas, listen to the National Anthem, Cotton-Eyed Joe, and more often than not, Christmas music. He also uses his iPad to ask Alexa to tell him a joke every day! And you know what, I’m ok with that.

Because my son’s voice asked for it.

Kris Staverman works for Thomas More College and St. Henry Catholic Church in Elsmere, KY. She has been married for 27 years to David and has four children.

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38% of people increased their Bible readership last year by downloading a Bible app or by listening to religious podcasts and streaming services.

(Source: Barna Group)

“

The last time

- The W

US millennials touch t phones 45

tim

techno 80% of nonprofits say that their

website is the most important communications channel for outreach.

“

Give a man a fis Twitter, and he

(Source: Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog)

Millennials are 6% more likely to own a smartphone than a Bible.

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(Source: Pew Research, Barna Group)

“

me there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it. e Wall St. Journal, on the unveiling of Apple’s iPad

h their smart-

imes a day.

(Source: SDL)

“

”

We had the Greatest Generation, the Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and now: Generation Text.

- Greg Tamblyn

nology

fish, and he will eat for a day. Give a man he will forget to eat and starve to death.

- Andy Borowitz

“

”

”

The problem with quotes on the internet is you can never be certain they’re authentic.

- Abraham Lincoln

” 17 17

SIGN

of the times

W

hen I came to St. Timothy’s in 1993, we had a worn out wooden sign on Beechmont Avenue that advertised our name and service times. When we undertook a full-scale building campaign in 1997, changing the nature of our sign was hardly mentioned. We simply planned to replace the wooden sign with a new version of the old one. One person did mention building a more versatile sign, but the consensus was “that is not our style.”

How Episcopalian!

Fast forward about a decade when we began to have serious conversations about the inadequacy of our communications. We had always felt very strongly that the people of St. Timothy’s – how we live – is the fundamental “sign” for this church. I still believe that is the most effective sign for any church. But what also became clear was that we were missing an extraordinary opportunity to share the identity of this church by not having a more visible presence on Beechmont Avenue. Finally, after endless conversations and a fundraising effort delayed by the recession (digital signs are not cheap), we unveiled a new digital sign in 2016.

All I can say now is, “Why did it take us so long?” It would be hard for me to overstate the extent to which this sign lets the broader community know who we are. Seemingly overnight, almost every Sunday morning visitor mentioned the message on the sign as having an impact on why they decided to check us out.

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We made a decision early on that the sign would express who we are and what we believe rather than advertise events. For the first several months, the main message was “God loves you. No exceptions.”

Not only did newcomers mention the message, but one woman who goes to a neighboring church left a voicemail sharing how moved she was every time she drove by and read those words.

that all are loved and included – no exceptions – has always met resistance. Some of our members have worried that the sign would be vandalized. To be honest, that has crossed my mind as well.

In light of the increase in hate crimes and political rhetoric disparaging vulnerable populations, in early 2017 we then added the message “Love your neighbors. No exceptions,” accompanied by photographs of a Muslim woman, refugees, and African-Americans.

Once again, almost every newcomer mentioned the sign, and once again we became aware that our neighbors were taking notice. Another person left a voicemail that said, “I just wanted to compliment you on your sign … Keep up the good work.”

Secondly, I am also not advocating that a good sign is the key to a vibrant ministry; it is just the beginning of a connection. It is the beginning of a connection that leads people to our website. The website then leads to learning more about St. Timothy’s, The Episcopal Church, and the various ways we serve the neighborhood. The website raises questions, which lead to emails full of questions. After all that, this series of connections might lead to a conversation with a member of the staff and even showing up for Sunday worship.

I also heard about the sign from a Muslim man whom I met at a fundraiser. When he found out that I was the rector of St. Timothy’s, he said with a big smile, “Is that the church with the sign?” He then said that he had taken a photograph of the sign to show the people at his mosque. Needless to say, I was deeply moved.

What a difference a digital sign, a little tree removal and better lighting makes.

I have lived in Anderson Township for 24 years. For most of those years, when I told people I was the rector of St. Timothy’s, they would ask, “Where is that?”

When I told them where we were, they would then say, “Oh, you mean the strange looking building below street level, surrounded by trees.” What a difference a digital sign, a little tree removal and better lighting makes.

Let me be clear about a couple of things: First, I don’t assume everybody likes our message, but it is clear that everybody notices. Not even all our own members like the message, but they all notice. Since the time of Jesus and the early church, the Good News

We will obviously meet those who eventually make their way into this community, but I often wonder about the thousands of people driving by every day. I wonder how many of them are now entertaining the possibility that God really does love everyone – no exceptions! I also wonder how many are trying to love all their neighbors and strive to build a neighborhood in which everyone is included – no exceptions! I’ll never know the answer to that question, but I’ll bet some seeds have been planted that will grow one day.

The Rev. Roger Greene serves as rector of St. Timothy’s, Anderson Twp. Connect with him at rogerg@sainttimothys.com.

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“All the tools, techniques and technology in the world are nothing without the head, heart and hands to use them wisely, kindly and mindfully�

Rasheed Ogunlaru 20

Connecting Dayton rector awarded fellowship The Rev. Ben Phillips, rector of St. George’s, Dayton, was recently awarded the Emo F.J. Van Halsema Fellowship for Clergy at the Henry Meeter Center at Calvin College & Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During the month-long fellowship, Phillips will be utilizing the unique resources housed at the Meeter Center for research in the development of Protestant Confessions of the sixteenth and early seventeenth century.

The focus will be on the development of the doctrine of election across various confessions, including the Articles of Religion of the Church of England, and how those doctrines where preached and taught in parish ministry.

In addition to the Van Halsema Fellowship, Phillips will be studying at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, England, during his sabbatical. He is very grateful for the opportunity to engage in these studies and for the support of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. He looks forward to sharing the fruits of his research with the wider community when he returns from sabbatical.

The Rev. Ben Phillips

More connecting, next page ...

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Trinity, Troy welcomes the Rev. Nancy Hardin

T

he Rev. Nancy Howard Hardin has been a consistent "pastoral presence” at Trinity, Troy, for the past year and a half for Sunday worship and pastoral emergencies. Effective January 1, she was appointed our part-time parish priest.

Nancy brings a varied background of service as an Episcopal priest. She has worked as a chaplain for 25 years in various health-care settings. She began her chaplain ministry in Hospice and also as Protestant chaplain at a Jewish facility in Columbus. Most recently she served as Chaplain at Mercy Urbana Hospital and Mercy McAuley Center for the past 16 years. She also served as associate and supply priest at Epiphany, Urbana, and as chair of the diocesan The Rev. Nancy Hardin Affirmative Aging Commission.

Professionally, Nancy has been involved as a leader of the Urbana Alzheimer's support group, has spoken at the American Society on Aging, and also has served as board member of their Forum of Religion, Spirituality, and Aging.

She is passionate about spirituality and those with memory loss. Her initial profession was as an elementary teacher and early intervention specialist for special-needs preschoolers. She is trained in spiritual direction and leads retreats.

Nancy resides in Urbana with her husband, Ed, an extremely active layperson and account manager for United Animal Health, Inc. They are the parents of two grown sons, John and Paul, who "grew up" at Procter Camp. She especially enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

The vestry and people of Trinity look forward to working with Nancy in being a presence of love, service and support in our community through our ministries of Partners in Hope, the Torrence Fund and our partnership with Garden Manor, as well as being attentive to God’s leading in new ways to serve God's people.

Submitted by Char McClure, Trinity, Troy

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Small but mighty

Church of the Good Samaritan feeds the masses

T

he Church of the Good Samaritan, Amelia, is one of the diocese’s smallest congregations – with an average Sunday attendance (ASA) holding steady in the low teens and a building that consists of a lovely sanctuary, a small meeting room, an even smaller library, a children’s play room, and a combination sacristy/kitchen. Even so, mostly relying on personally owned crock pots, two roasters, and an old microwave, members of that congregation have been able to serve well over 2,000 free meals to guests (whose needs range from having limited incomes to a few who have actually been homeless) over the last 4+ years.

This “miracle” of feeding the masses has occurred due to the grace of God, hard work, and assistance provided by our community partnerships with the Kroger Company, Texas Roadhouse (in Milford), Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and, most recently, Chipotle (all in Amelia). Additionally, the congregation decided a year ago to allow our building to be used without charge by a non-denominational Christian group who has been feeding an average of 30 additional individuals each week. An abundance of excess food has also been shared with the James Sauls Homeless Shelter, which serves all of Clermont County.

Submitted by Dena Morris, Church of the Good Samaritan

Holy Trinity, Oxford, gets

“organ transplant”

H

oly Trinity, Oxford, received an “organ transplant” in September 2017 with the arrival of the Nordlie, Opus 27 organ. This three manual, 1,718-pipe tracker organ was purchased from Faith Lutheran Church of Prairie Village, Kansas, which recently closed its doors due to dwindling membership. Originally built in 1995 by the J. F. Nordlie Company of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organ is a perfect match for the architectural style and great acoustics of Holy Trinity’s sanctuary. The arrival and installation of the Nordlie culminated a year-long search to repair or replace the prior organ, which had served the church well for over sixty years.

Nordlie’s crew dismantled and packed the organ then moved it to Oxford on two 26-foot trucks. It took two and a half weeks to install and was consecrated on October 29 during our regular Sunday service. The organ has been dedicated as the Stanley P. Ferch Organ in honor of a former parishioner, whose partner made a generous gift for the purpose of repairing or replacing the old organ after Stan’s death in 1997. He knew that Stan wanted to keep the legacy of beautiful music alive at Holy Trinity. Careful stewardship of this gift allowed the sum to grow and made possible the purchase of the Nordlie, Opus 27.

Holy Trinity celebrated the acquisition of the organ with an inaugural recital on February 11, featuring organists Robert Wisniewski (Columbus), Bryan Mock (Christ Church, Glendale), and Phillip Roberts (Holy Trinity, Oxford). More

details about the Stanley P. Ferch organ can be found at www.holytoxford.org.

Submitted by Sarah Michael, chair of the organ committee at Holy Trinity, Oxford.

Pentecost retreat at Spirituality Center The Rev. Martin Smith, writer, spiritual director and Episcopal priest, will lead a Pentecost weekend retreat on the topic of the Holy Spirit on May 18-20 at the Transfiguration Spirituality Center.

Smith, recently retired from St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C, is well known throughout the Episcopal Church and beyond as an interpreter of contemporary spirituality through books such as A Season For The Spirit, The Word Is Very Near You, Reconciliation, Love Set Free, Compass And Stars, and as a preacher and leader of retreats and workshops. He has recently co-written with Dr. Julia Gatta Go In Peace: The Art Of Hearing Confessions.

The cost of the retreat is $210 for an individual for the weekend. Visit www.ctretreats.org to register or for more information.

The Rev. Martin Smith

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Lawrence Home Association’s academic grant for minority women The Lawrence Home Association, founded in 1896 under the will of philanthropist Eleanor Earnshaw, was started to “provide a Christian home for self-supporting, young women on limited means, the most important aim being to help them elevate their standard of life.” To this day, the Lawrence Home Association provides opportunities for young women.

An eight-member board of women meets once a year to vote on recommendations for academic grants for minority women, scholarships for clergy daughters and funding for social-service agencies whose mission is to serve women of limited means and help them move out of conditions related to poverty, abuse, etc.

The purpose of the Academic Grant for Minority Women program is to help finance the postsecondary education of minority women, regardless of age, who are affiliated with an Episcopal church within the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

The deadline to apply for a 2018-19 grant is March 16, 2018.

The association expects to make eight grants this year. All applicants for the 2018-19 grant period will be selected by April 6, and notified by May 1 about the status of their applications. To obtain an application, go online to diosohio.org/finance/ grant-loans/.

Bridges of Faith Trialogue to host Cincinnati’s first Festival of Faiths

G

reater Cincinnati’s first-ever Festival of Faiths on Sunday, June 24, 2018, at Xavier University’s Cintas Center will bring together neighbors, families and spiritual leaders to celebrate the area’s religious diversity. The day will feature faith-based exhibits, dialogues, workshops, art, music, and fun activities for all ages. The event is free and open to the public.

Modeled after popular long-standing festivals in Louisville and Indianapolis, Cincinnati’s festival will showcase the many faith traditions of our region. It also includes a day of community service for interfaith groupings of volunteers.

Organized by the local Bridges of Faith Trialogue, the Festival’s objectives are to promote awareness of Greater Cincinnati’s religious diversity, celebrate the variety of cultural contributions to our community’s quality of life, and educate families about the world’s religions.

The theme for this inaugural event is “Compassion through Action” in recognition of the role the faith community has historically played and continues to play in advancing a civil, socially just and welcoming community for all who live, work and visit Greater Cincinnati. The event will also serve to unify our community, focusing on our similarities and

celebrating our differences.

Co-Chairing the Festival’s Steering Committee are the Rev. Canon Manoj Zacharia, sub-dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Sandy Kaltman, president of the local American Jewish Committee, and Maria Munir, a board member of the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati. Bishop Breidenthal is a primary sponsor of the event.

Contact cincifestivaloffaiths@gmail.com for more information.

Nominations now accepted for Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna induction s there a senior Icongregation member of your who is

the epitome of positive aging? The Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna of the Diocese of Southern Ohio is now accepting nominations for candidates to be inducted into the class of 2018.

Since 1995, the Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna has honored older individuals who display exemplary Christian ministry throughout their lives and publicly acknowledge a positive image of the contributions of aging persons in our diocese. Criteria for nomination into the Society include outstanding service to the Church and model for Christian living.

Individuals also must be at least 60 years of age and an Episcopalian for at least 15 years. Society members are asked to pray for the bishops and the diocese, encourage local congregations to actively seek knowledge and understanding of the realities of aging, share their wisdom as all seek to grow in the stature of Christ and continue to present a positive image of aging.

All congregations in the diocese are encouraged to nominate one individual or couple. Congregations who have presented nominees in the past two years are asked to not forward any nominees this year in order to assure that nominees cover a diverse geographic

area. Nomination forms may be found on the diocesan website, search for Affirmative Aging.

Nominations may be sent via email to Ann Sabo at asabo@diosohio. org or mailed to Ann c/o Diocese of Southern Ohio, 412 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati OH 45202. Deadline for nominations to be received is March 23.

The Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna will hold their annual luncheon and induction ceremony on Wednesday, April 19 at Procter Center. The gathering will begin with check-in at 10 a.m.

The Eucharist, immediately followed by the induction ceremony, will take place at 11 a.m. in Christ Chapel. A celebratory luncheon follows in the Dining Hall. Cost to attend the luncheon is $10/person. There is no charge for 2018 honorees. Please RSVP to the luncheon at diosohio.org/events/.

Retired clergy and their spouses also are invited to join for the service and luncheon, with time set aside with the bishop after lunch. Please RSVP using the St. Simeon and St. Anna luncheon RSVP form. There is no cost for attending.

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Cap off the DSO Exodus Big Read at the Exodus Colloquium

T

he Exodus Colloquium, the capstone event of the Exodus Big Read, will take place on Saturday, April 7 at All Saints, New Albany. We will be joined by Carol Meyers and Terence Fretheim, the authors of two of the commentaries that we’ve been using in our diocesan-wide study, as well as Bishop Breidenthal and Mark Stevenson of Episcopal Migration Ministries. The Exodus Colloquium will help us celebrate the year that has passed, ask the final, burning questions that are weighing on our souls, and consider where the Exodus story is leading us, both as faithful individuals and as a diocese.

Congregations all over the diocese have shown amazing creativity in their approaches to the Exodus story. At Grace Church, Cincinnati, J. White led her fellow parishioners in an exodus from conducting worship in the expected ways; moving the service out into the parking lot, into the transept, and into the music room on different Sundays.

St. Philip’s, Columbus, has held several art shows examining exodus themes. St. Alban’s, Bexley, held a film series that explores themes in Exodus. And everywhere, there have been Bible studies, adult forums and special speakers’ series. Of special mention is the “From Bondage to Liberation” Lenten series at Christ Church Cathedral featuring Bishop Breidenthal and being live streamed to the whole diocese.

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Throughout this year, I’ve been

blessed with encountering these efforts and the many articles and opinion pieces that people in the diocese have singled out for our attention. Rachel Wheeler’s article “Charlottesville, Exodus, and the Politics of Nostalgia,” is one that has been particularly resonant for me. In it, Wheeler, writing for religionandpolitics. org, points out that different segments of the American people have different views of Exodus. For white Americans, our national identity began with the idea that we had already arrived in the Promised Land – although John Winthrop went out of his way to emphasize that this would only be true if we treated each other with justice. But for Americans of color, our national identity includes a continued journey towards the Promised Land. We are still in the wilderness, and God’s promise has yet to be fulfilled. Wheeler’s article has given me an important lens for understanding our current predicament.

There are multiple lenses through which we can view the story of Exodus, and our Colloquium presenters will provide four more on April 7. Fretheim, whose book in the Interpreter’s Bible Commentary series has been one of our guiding lights throughout our study, will reiterate the major themes in Exodus for us. Meyers, whose book on Exodus for the New Cambridge Bible Commentary has provided us with deep archeological insight into what the world was like at the time of the Exodus, will help us examine how memory shapes community. Stevenson, whose work with

Episcopal Migration Ministries focuses us on people who are currently in exodus from their homelands while seeking a promised place of peace and hope, will help us articulate what Exodus has to say to our current moment. Bishop Breidenthal will end the day by going deeper into these questions, and helping us understand what they mean for our lives together as a diocese.

This Exodus year has been a period of learning and embracing both the story of whom we have been and our hope for what we’ll become. Like Moses, we end our year by sitting on a mountain, looking down into the Promised Land. What will that Promised Land offer us, and what will we offer it? How will our covenant with God deepen in the coming years? Join us on April 7 as we consider these questions and bring the story to a close, at least for now.

The Exodus Colloquium will take place Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at All Saints, New Albany. There is no cost for this event, and lunch will be provided. Register at diosohio.org/ events.

The Rev. Karl Stevens convenes the diocesan-wide learning task force that made the Exodus Big Read possible. Connect with him at kpbstevens@gmail.com.

THE

EXODUS COLLOQUIUM

Join us as we end Exodus: A DSO Big Read with a day of brilliant scholarship, calls to action, and articulations of hope for our life as a diocese and the life of the world.

We will be joined by: Terence Fretheim, Old Testament scholar and the Elva B. Lovell professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary. Terence is the author of the Exodus volume of Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, one of the three texts we’ve been using during the Exodus Big Read. Terence will help us reiterate and explore the major themes in Exodus.

Carol Meyers, a feminist biblical scholar and the Mary Grace Wilson Professor Emerita of Religious Studies at Duke University. Carol is the author of the Exodus volume of The New Cambridge Bible Commentary, another of the three texts we’ve been using during the Exodus Big Read. Carol focuses on memory, and how memory in the iron age helped shape the biblical narrative.

Mark Stevenson, Director of Episcopal Migration Ministries. Episcopal Migration Ministries was established in the 1930s to help people fleeing Nazi Europe, and since that time has continued to help refugees from all over the world. Mark will help us think through the contemporary applications of what we’ve learned.

Bishop Breidenthal, who has led us through this Exodus Big Read and will help bring it to its conclusion in discussion with our wonderful guests.

Saturday, April 7 + 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM + + +

All Saints Episcopal Church, New Albany to register, go to http://adsobigread.org

+ + +

Mission trip to Liberia "W

ill we get to meet the PIMIL students that we are sponsoring?" This question was asked of the director of Partners-inMinistry-in-Liberia (PIMIL) in 2009 at the Sunday Adult Forum of an Episcopal congregation in the Columbus area when invited to speak on (PIMIL).

The answer then was yes, and nine years later, the answer is still yes.

We are finally at a Kairos (Godtiming) moment for a PIMILled mission trip to Liberia and everything is "ready, set and go!"

Departure is set for April 5 from the John Glenn International Airport in Columbus. The travelers will return on April 17.

The PIMIL Council, the governing board of PIMIL, has organized the trip with the knowledge and support of Bishop Breidenthal and Bishop Jonathan Hart of Liberia. At the 139th annual Convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, the Convention acquiesced to the decision of the National World Mission Commission that "the best way to foster stronger ties with our fellow Anglicans in Liberia is to build upon existing and emerging activities initiated by individuals and congregations and not by a diocesan directed approach." This trip is the first opportunity of implementing that resolution.

Bishop Hart has appointed the Rev. Terry Quoi to be the clergy oversight to the delegation and a hospitality committee also has been established to receive the PIMIL delegation. Four persons are making the trip led by the Rev. Abby Flemister, the Liberian-born director of PIMIL and member of St. Matthew's. Others include Hannah Flemister (first granddaughter of Abby and Clifton Flemister), Mrs. Madeleine Trichel of Trinity, 28 Columbus whose congregation is a strong supporter of

PIMIL, and Dr. Mohammad and Mrs. Lubna Ahmad, long-time friends of Madeleine and dedicated workers in the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio and volunteers in Horizon prison work.

The theme of the trip is "Building Relationships." The delegation will see, greet, hear and understand the students, parents, guardians, school officials, church and community leaders in their environment and interact with them, as well as in the learning environment of the students. The itinerary includes visits to Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, Robert's Port, Mbaloma and Bong County.

The hope is that a trip will be repeated every two years, with the purpose of building on the learnings identified for skills enhancement; and also that we might, with Liberia, map out a sustaining financial strategy for the support of the students in addition to volunteer contributions.

PIMIL had its beginning in 1998 as the Liberian Ministry at St. Matthew's. The name was changed in 2005 in order to invite individuals and congregations in the diocese to learn of the educational plight of the children in Liberia to attend school, due to a brutal 14-year Civil War. PIMIL expanded its educational outreach in 2015 to include Ebola orphans when the deadly virus plagued the country in 2014 and left over 2,000 children orphaned. While other organizations, including the world community, are responding to the orphans' educational needs, there are many others whose education future is uncertain. PIMIL continues to respond to the desire of these students that they might have hope to realize their educational dreams as endowed by God.

PIMIL is supported by over fifty sponsors in the diocese and in other parts of the United States. In the current academic year PIMIL is supporting 150 students, including 61 Ebola orphans. Our goal is to support at least 100 Ebola orphans.

The cost of the trip is borne solely out of pocket for the travelers. Cost of the trip is about $3,500 per person, which includes ticket, lodging, transportation, meals and educational gifts, i.e. maps to the schools of the children. If you would like to contribute toward the trip, you may do so by sending your contribution to: St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 30 East College Avenue, Westerville, OH 43081. Indicate in the memo PIMIL Mission Trip or PIMIL Trip.

Meanwhile, we ask your prayers for the trip regularly at the Prayers of the People and at other times appropriate to you. Thank you! Expect a follow-up article in Connections about the trip upon the return of the delegation, along with sharing information about the PIMIL annual fundraiser in July. Learn more about PIMIL's ministry on our website, www.pimil.org.

The Rev. Abby Flemister is a retired priest at St. Matthew's, Westerville. She also serves as PIML Director. Connect with her at aflemister@insight.rr.com.

Mbaloma Bong Robert’s Port Monrovia

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Advancing to General Convention 2018

Overview Calendar: What’s Happening at General Convention

T

he Episcopal Church 79th General Convention will be held Thursday, July 5 to Friday, July 13 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. The “Overview Calendar: What’s Happening at General Convention” offers calendars for official General Convention events, Episcopal Church Women Triennial meeting, exhibit and registration schedules, and events taking place in Austin related to Episcopal Church and General Convention.

“General Convention is a time to come together: to plan mission and ministry, worship, network, review friendships, and build community,” said the Rev. Canon Dr. Michael Barlowe, General Convention Executive Officer. “Our new Overview Calendar is one way that we can easily see the many opportunities for us – including the official events – and plan accordingly. People using our app, for instance, will be able to create their own, personalized calendar – customizing their days at General Convention around the legislative sessions, liturgies, and events they want to attend. The Overview Calendar is going to help us all participate more fully in diverse, rich experiences, and add some order to the excitement that animates Convention.”

“Overview Calendar: What’s Happening at General Convention” is available in English and Spanish on the General Convention website at https://www.generalconvention.org/schedules2018/#MasterCalendar. For more information, contact gcoffice@episcopalchurch.org.

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention is held every three years to consider the legislative business of the church. General Convention is the bicameral governing body of the Church, comprised of the House of Bishops, with upwards of 200 active and retired bishops, and the House of Deputies, with clergy and lay deputies elected from the 109 dioceses and three regional areas of the Church, at more than 800 members. Between Conventions, the General Convention continues to work through its committees and commissions. The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church carries out the programs and policies adopted by General Convention.

The General Convention will utilize a Google Overview Calendar to help deputies and visitors track events at the nine-day event event

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11 18

May St. Paul’s, Chillicothe (Rivera) Good Samaritan, Amelia (Breidenthal) Christ Church, Glendale (Rivera)

April 1 Easter Sunday Christ Church Cathedral (Breidenthal) 8 St. Philip’s, Circleville (Breidenthal) 15 St. John’s, Cambridge (Breidenthal)

All Saints, New Albany (Price) 22 St. Patrick’s, Dublin (Breidenthal)

St. Mary’s, Hillsboro (Price)

Church of the Advent, Cincinnati (Rivera) 29 St. Thomas, Terrace Park (Breidenthal)

All Saints, Portsmouth (Price)

6

13

20

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Trinity, Hamilton (Breidenthal) Christ Church, Ironton (Price) Church of the Ascension, Middletown (Rivera) Church of Saviour, Mechanicsburg (Breidenthal) Epiphany, Urbana (Breidenthal) Pentecost Christ Church Cathedral (Breidenthal) St. Peter’s, Gallipolis (Price) Church of the Epiphany, Nelsonville (Breidenthal) St. John’s, Lancaster (Price)

Episcopal visitations

March

Coming up next: Father Abraham had many sons Many sons had Father Abraham I am one of them and so are you So let's all praise the Lord.

You’re a son of Father Abraham, and so am I. And so are our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. Let’s take a look at the three Abrahamic religions and their relationship with Father Abraham. Your submissions are welcome! All submissions are due April 1 (no fooling). Send submissions or questions to communication@diosohio.org. You can find guidelines for submitting articles to Connections at http://www.dsoconnections.org/2017/01/02/submission-guidelines/

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CONNECTIONS

The official publication of the Diocese of Southern Ohio www.diosohio.org

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Publisher David Dreisbach, Art director Julie Murray, Editor Amy Svihlik, Designer Dave Caudill, Copy editor

Submissions: Connections encourages the submission of articles and pictures. We reserve the right to edit material offered for publication. All submissions must include name, phone and email address for verification.

Send submissions to communication@diosohio.org.

Next deadline: April 1

Connections (USPS 020933) is published bi-monthly by the Diocese of Southern Ohio, 412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-4179. Periodical postage paid at Cincinnati, OH. This publication is sent to all members of Episcopal congregations in the Diocese of Southern Ohio and is funded by mission share payments to the diocesan operating budget. Other subscriptions are $10 annually.

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POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Connections, 412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-4179.

We are a people of connection. We kneel around the same table regardless of color, creed, gender, race or sexual orientation.

Connections is a publication of the Diocese of

Southern Ohio, designed to enhance these connections and help foster new ones.

Because we are continually looking for ways to widen our circle.

dsoConnections.org